Smith Family Ice Cream Scoop: April 2010

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Eeek!! PW chose me AGAIN!!!

PIONEER WOMAN chose another one of my photos!! This contest was landscapes, and amazingly, she chose mine. (I would never say that landscapes are my forte!) I'm so excited!!!!!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

This little guy is so adorable and full of smiles... and has brought many a smile to his mom & dad since they adopted him. I love this little family!

Check out the i heart faces website for more great smile photos!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

For Grandma

RaNdoM sTuFf tHaT reALLy dOesN't MaTteR

I think I need a better calendaring system. Brandon doesn't think cramming 12 things into a little box on the wall is doing the job of helping me be where I need to be when I need to be there. I guess he's right... and when I forgot to pick up Aubrey from softball practice yesterday it really made me realize that something's got to change. A new brain would probably be the best solution, but I don't think that's a possibility.

Cooper was drawing in church today and drew a totally awesome Hamster-Gator. Yup, it's just what you'd think... part hamster, part alligator, ALL AWESOME.

Speaking of the Coopster... he turned 9 yesterday, and I was very disappointed to find that he was just as ornery as he was when he was 8. I really hoped 9 was the magic number.

I've been doing more photo shoots lately, and I've loved it. Prom dresses on a trampoline... can you think of anything more fun?

My knee is doing better than it was, and now I'm hoping my lower calf tightness/pain on the other leg goes away soon. Limping after running 6 miles is so uncool. I totally know that I seem weirdly obsessed with running to some of you, and I'm sorry about that. I love it... and you should also know that there are people that run a lot more than I do. Yes, it's true. I'm a baby runner compared to some.

Life just seems like a roller coaster right now... I'm enjoying the ride, but I can hardly catch my breath between each turn and up and down. I'm thinking it might be nice to take a ride on a pleasant merry-go-round for awhile. Lately I've been late to things, got my kids places late, I've made people wait for me, and I've forgotten a few things... this is so embarrassing to me, and totally not me. But how do you convince people of that when you've done it over and over again? I guess it is me... the new, ditzy me.

Well, I'm going to go stare at my calendar for a bit and see if I can make heads or tails of this week. Anyone want to be my personal secretary?

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Happy 9th Birthday, Monkey

My baby is nine today.... I can't believe how fast the years have flown by.

I used to cuddle this little bug all the time, but he's getting too big now... in attitude and size.

One of my favorite memories is napping with him every day in the afternoon before the kids got home from school... no naps for either of us now. :(

Thursday, April 08, 2010

Photowalks... Yeah, I Blew It

I don't know if I've missed one week, or two... and today I kind of don't care. I made a lot of you do this with me, because I thought it would help keep me accountable, but... well, here I am. Photowalkless.

Well, not exactly photowalkless... it did take this picture at a gas station. I did 3 photo shoots yesterday, and I've done others recently and have others scheduled. I'll just have to make sure that my camera comes out of the bag some other times too, and when that happens I'll share.

Maybe I'll end up with around 52 by the end of the year, maybe I won't. ;)

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Josh & Kristen... last set

I just wanted Kristen and Josh to be able to see a few more pics of their adorable family, and get a few more up for use on the blog set up for them.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Josh & Kristen... a few more

More to come later...

For Josh & Kristen

One of Aubrey's most favorite babysitting families is going through a huge trial right now. Josh, the dad, has a brain tumor. A website has been set up to help them, and I want to spread the word as much as I can. Please go check it out and help in any way you can. I did a little shoot with them last week before they went to Salt Lake for Josh's surgery... I'll get more photos posted as I get them edited. Kristen & Josh... we're sending all the prayers and love we can.

‎"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." — Marianne Williamson

To Do Today

* Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you.
* When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God.
* In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take.
* First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness.
* You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ.
* Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.
* Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church.
* God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve.
* God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place.
* Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin.
* When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him.
* Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.
* If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again.
* Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts.
* Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship.
* Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction.
* You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do.
* The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it.
* Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve.
* And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.

from "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit by F. Enzio Busche