It has been a while.

So I start a blog and then I never contribute to it!  Don't you hate people that do that?

We have been doing a remodel at our house that I had hoped would be over with by the end of June. 
Ha Ha, that didn't happen.  Here it is the end of August and I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  One more room to go and we are done . . . for now.  I have a few more things I want to do, however, I need a break for a couple of months.  I will post pictures of what we have re-done when I get everything all cleaned up.  I am kicking myself that I didn't take any "before" pictures.  I think it would be much more impressive that way.  Oh well, I am new at this blogging thing.

Just to catch up, Kaylee had her first date.  It was with a boy in our ward who moved here a little over a year ago from Colorado.  He turned 16 several months ago and he has been waiting patiently for Kaylee to turn 16 as well so he could ask her out.  He wanted to take her out on her actual birthday but I said NO.  She has to spend her sweet sixteen with her mom and dad!  We took her up to the Park City Mountain Resort and had a great time riding the zip line, alpine slide, and the alpine coaster. 

Perhaps the most excitng part of Kaylee's birthday was getting her drivers license.  (For her anyway.)  I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't listen.  She was determined that she was going to get it.  Part of the reason that I wasn't excited for her to get it was that it means she is growing up...something I don't like.  But the other reason I didn't want her to get it is well, I am a Smith.  That means that everytime she drives away I worry like crazy until she comes home safely.  Every time I hear a siren my ears perk up and my heart beats a little bit faster.  Thanks Dad.

I do have to admit, there certainly are things that I am getting used to.  Having another driver around that can run kids to football practice, piano lessons, and dance lessons is certaily something that I am enjoying.  I even handed her my credit card the other day and sent her to WalMart (thankfully it is very close by).  I was absolutely giddy that I didn't have to go.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

This a very exciting week at our house!  We are celebrating the 16th birthday of our oldest child Kaylee and the 4th birthday of our youngest child Kamryn.

I just can't believe I am old enough to have a 16 year old.  It seems like just yesterday I was the one turning 16.   Where does the time go? 

I told Kaylee that I was not going to allow her to get any older but she said that I couldn't stop her.  That is not fair.

Instead of cake, this year Kaylee asked for 16 cookies from Smart Cookie. What a great idea! That was a lot easier to put together. Plus, the frosting is thick enough that we could put one candle in each cookie. Something that yummy can't be bad for you, right?

Speaking of getting older, Kamryn who is turning four years old thinks she is turning 16. When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday this is what she said: "a pink cell phone, my own bathroom with a sink and a toilet, make-up, and a purple bike." Wow. What happened to barbie dolls and stuffed animals? She has obviously been influenced by her teenage sisters.

Normally, I would think she wouldn't have a clue what to do with a cell phone, but she seems to have figured out iPods and other gadgets just fine. She'll just have to wait several more years before she'll *need* a cell phone.