Happy Halloween

Spookfully Yours,

The Smiths

33

Birthdays! When you younger, you dream of this day to come right after you blow the candles of your cake! You count down every day and you get your list down six months prior. But with each passing year, you start to forget what day it is and when the day actually comes, the only way you know it is your birthday is when you get all the facebook messages on your wall saying Happy Birthday. One thing I do appreciate about that one day is when your friends come to bat and want to shower you with great conversation and amazing food to show they care. I am so thankful this year especially for my friends. I have so many amazing people in my life. I notice it in the little things that they do. It helps me in so many ways and that is what made my birthday feel special!!

SoCal 2010-Storm Reunion

Taking SoCal by Storm
Family Reunion 2010

"And it came to pass, in the
two thousand and tenth year,
in the tenth month on the first day of of the month,
there arose a great
STORM,
such as one that has never been known in all the land
3 Marvin 8:5

A couple of weeks ago, we had our Family Reunion with my family. To get ready for it, I wanted to make shirts. I was really excited to see our whole family decked out in "Taking SoCal by Storm" shirts. I wanted to make sure we got them documented, so my Sis in Law got a great photographer and she was able to get some pics of the whole family! I thought they turned out so good.

My Mom & Pop

Sis Jodi and her boys!!

Bro Tyler and Lil sis Lindsay



Bro Justin and family including new baby Emerson. (First Storm BOY!)

Lindsay & Pat!
The Originals!

Keep On Dreamin!!!

Annual Halloween Party! Sean wanted to be independent and do his own EVIL DEAD thing, while I wanted to go a different route. Maybe it was Richard Simmons's optimistic attitude that drew me to him this year, but it was so fun to fro it up and get POSITIVE!!










Another year bites the dust, till next year where I hope to dazzle another crowd with my cross dressing antics!!

My lil Pumpkins!!

This time of year is my FAVORITE!! I love the weather ( even though this year it is a little hot for my liking) , the festivities that go along with fall, and of course dressing up in costumes. We went to Zittel's Pumpkin Patch for Jules's field trip. Sean was able to go to his first field trip and I think he is a fan. He took some pics which I am never able to do because I am usually busy making sure I am not losing one of my kids. It was such a great farm! Very Educational!!






Love at first sight!! Julianna's first pick!

Did you know that Cows only have teeth in the back of their mouths. They use their tongues to get the food and push it back to the teeth. They also have 4 stomachs which when I told my son, he already knew that. Smart kid!


Anyone want a hayride!!

Julianna's happy spot! Petting Zoo!


Pumpkins ready to go!!!

Anxiety!!!

So, I just joined a networking group this week for reals. I was inducted a hour ago. My friend told me that I had to come up with a 2 minute little spiel about my business as a hairdresser. I can not tell you the anxiety that I felt of this situation. I sat, wrote it down, and probably said it over a hundred times in my head in preparatory of today at 12 o clock! I lost sleep over it, I couldn't eat my in & out because my stomach hurt, I was a mess. I know some people may wonder why the heck I would be so nervous. Honestly, I can't tell you why either. I guess I felt so much is on the line of this group. With Sean out of work, I felt like the pressure to make this work was immense. I didn't want to get up there and completely lose my cool. I sometimes get a little overwhelmed with these kind of things. I had not been that nervous since my state board test 9 years ago.
Well, I walked into a room of such amazing people who welcomed we in with open arms. I was sworn in if you will and was expecting my moment to sweat it out, when they didn't even ask me to do it!! I WAS SO RELIEVED!! I felt a huge load lifted off my shoulders and I must say that I was totally relaxed the rest of the time. When I gave my testimonial of my dear friend that helped me to come to this meeting and group, I mentioned that Sean had been laid off and about 5 people asked what he did and offered that I talk to them about getting him a job. I had no idea that I was able to get that opportunity for him and was so grateful of the resources that I am now totally accessible to. The Lord has put this group in my life. It has been such a blessing. To think I was not going to walk away from this opportunity. Now, we all know who was really trying to talk me out of it, don't we?? Get thee hence, Satan!!!
On a side note, my dad talked to Sean last night about his interview on Friday and gave him some pointers, one of them being that he call a salesperson about their job and get some info about the company. He was able to talk to my dear friend that works there and also a guy in sales. Come to find out, that my friend talked to him earlier about the interviewing process and it was the same guy that talked to Sean. Coincidence?? I think not.
We are being blessed in more ways that I can count!! I feel like the love of the Savior carrying my load where I can honestly skip!!

When one door closes...

Well, tomorrow marks one week since the day that changed our lives. It has been jam packed with events that will go down in Smith History. I am really honestly grateful for what happened. Bad things happen. Our former Bishop's wife got up and bore her testimony on Sunday and she expressed how when her husband was serving as bishop, they experienced so many trials. They too lived through a year of unemployment, a biking accident, grandchild with a physical ailment, loss of a father, and other health issues without health insurance. It was amazing to see her testimony beam through all the trials she had lived through. It made me realize that even when we have callings and are asked to sacrifice so much, we are not above the trials. It is the trials that actually make us better leaders. Sean will now be able to relate with anyone who has lost a job. He will be an instrument for good by this experience.
The day that Sean got laid off, he got a call at the very same moment from the company that he applied to a week before. It was literally one door opening as the other one was being slammed in his face. He called everyday after that day to make sure it wasn't given to anyone else. We did not hear back and yesterday, I was so frustrated. I couldn't believe that because Sean didn't answer that phone call, the opportunity just passed him by. As I came home today, I asked Sean what he did with his spare kid free 3 hours, he informed me that he went to the river and had a moment alone to pray vocally. He came home and called again and actually talked to the lady that we were trying to get a hold of last week. He has a telephone interview on Friday!! I am not getting my hopes up (well, maybe a little). I am grateful that he was persistent and didn't get frustrated and move on. I don't know what will happen on Friday, but I am so proud of Sean for letting the Lord be his guide.

Discovery Science Center

We went to SoCal last week and with all the last weeks events, I am now finally getting to blogging everything that we did. We had alot of rainy days when we came to Newport, so we had to find things to do inside. We found this museum in Santa Ana and I was pretty impressed on all the things we were able to do. The kids had fun at least.



4D movie with turtles that had an environmental agenda.


Believe it or not but this is dinosaur POOP! Look at it all!! Like how Julianna is sitting so pretty on top!






Lyla just liked her freedom to roam!

Ain't no mountain high enough...

A couple of weeks ago, we had the opportunity to hike Horsetail Falls. I have been on a hiking binge since Half Dome, so I was excited to hit the trail again. I just had no idea that I would be facing death by Rock Climb! So much more intense than I thought it would be!! So much fun though!!

Look at that VIEW!! I can't believe that this scenery is an hour and a half away from where we live



Climb!!




My hiking buddy and I tearing up the trail!! Loved having this time together. There were days early in our marriage that I know Sean thought this day would never happen when I would be the one heading the trail!

Dave and Lori! The all time best hiking buddies EVER!!


My New Hiking Crew!! Lori, Dawna, Barbara, and Dave.

Barbara showing off the Falls!

Sean's awesome photo editing!! Dave jumping off the cliff!

Didn't prepare for this kind of climbing! What an adventure!