Drab to Fab, that's the theme~

I always listen to General Conference better while I'm busy doing something, and this time we were working outside, and blaring the TV speakers for the neighbors to hear (does that count as "sharing the Gospel?) so we could listen as we sorted plants, dug holes, planted shrubs and flowers, then spread mulch.  It was a great face lift for the front of the house, and a great spirit lift for us to have some color and life to welcome us home each time we arrive. I wish we had done it before Tiffany came last week, but now it is ready for Audrey's baptism and more family visitors in coming months.

So this is what it looked like,

Yay, Houseguests! Welcome Smiths!!

Yay!! We came home from Myrtle Beach at 11:30 pm, to meet Tiffany and her mini brood at the house at 11:45 pm.  It was late, but it was wonderful!!  I wish I had more pictures, but the ones I got are precious, because both of us wanted to just be "unplugged" from our electronics, and plugged into each other, and it was just awesome!!  They arrived late Wednesday, and were here with us for 6 glorious days until early Wednesday morning, April 2.

We played around the house, we played around Huntersville, Charlotte, and Mt. Airy, NC, more commonly known as Mayberry.  It was just so enriching to have my sister here, and to just be with her and her wonderful kids and for cousins to just be together and play.  Thank-you, Thank-you for such a wonderful vacation at our own house!! I will always remember this wonderful time!

Field Trip to Myrtle Beach, SC

Emma had a field trip to Myrtle Beach, SC on Wednesday, March 26. I was able to go as a chaperone, and it was a great day!  Myrtle Beach is about 4 hours from Huntersville, so we arrived at the school

Daddy daughter dance and what's coming next for the house.

Tim took the girls to the daddy daughter dance at school last Friday. He was so lucky to have 3 beautiful girls to go with. They had an enchanted evening. According to Tim, when

Crisp and Clean

Aaaaaahhhh! It feels so good on the toes, and easy on the eyes. Here are some pictures of before and after to show how it was (eewww and not pretty) to how it is now (aaahhh and beautiful)!

What we started

Holy Snow!! Most snow in NC EVER!!! (on record at least!)

Well, we've been home for 3.5 days. In the house. Because we've been snowed in! I haven't been snowed in since I was in 3rd grade and lived in Rexburg and we couldn't open the back door because the snow was up to the roof!  Now, "snowed in" means something totally different in NC than it does out West.  There are just not public facilities to handle snow accumulation because it happens so rarely.  I don't mind, I have loved the snow. We have been fortunate though, Tim has been

Painting in Olympic proportions!!

The Winter Olympics started in Sochi Russia this past Friday. I love the Olympics and love that it pushes athletes to the best of their ability.  In light of that, our most recent event has been painting,  We bought paint then we borrowed a tall ladder.  When I say tall, I mean

Goodbye old friend...

This beautiful 1968 MG MGB was the first of at least a dozen classic Brittish cars that were a fun hobby and a great way to get out and meet people. We have enjoyed having this car and all the other ones too.  These cars have been a great investment through the crappy recession we've been in. We bought this one in 2009, when Kennedy was just a year old. I couldn't believe I let Tim do it, yet I am so grateful now I did.  I have a picture of the day we brought her home and the day we said goodbye. Now she's off to have adventures with someone else.  The cycle continues and we all move on to the next thing.  Our next thing from the sale of this beauty is to get going on making our house a home.


This is from June, 2009 at our house in Gilbert, AZ