Anna, Benson, & Riley Smith

Picture from this past weekend's wedding

2011-08-21T18:03:00.001-07:00

These pics are from the wedding aisle decor Signature Party Rental designed for a wedding this past weekend.

Fun Event Concept

2011-06-08T16:56:00.001-07:00

Our friends at M&M Event Company did this amazing Candy Bar Mitzvah. I love the concept and would love to use this as inspiration for one of our events. Now I just have to find the right event....hmm.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 2010

2010-08-25T22:48:00.000-07:00

So here's the whole story for any who cares to hear it. Its a long one, so consider yourself warned. 3 weeks ago Ben Winder from Rockwell homes calls me with a very vague story about needed some help planning some upcoming events. He asked if he could meet with me privately to discuss the details. I thought he was being really weird until he came by and explained that they were prepping for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (hereforth referred to as EMHE) to come to the area and it was still a big secret. He needed some help coordinating VIP tent area on the home site as well as planning the wrap party the night after everything was done. He proceeded to drop a few bombs on me...such as the fact that the whole thing was going down in less than 3 weeks from that day and that all our help would be on a volunteer basis.
It sounded like a fun opportunity so I accepted to help out. Sure, why not? Right?
I was invited to a meeting a few days later with the chief local coordinators as well as Jonathan Weber, Locations Manager for EHME. I was thinking that my part in this whole things was going to be relatively minor until Jonathan drops a packet into my lap of their event rental needs and asked if I could take care of it. The list contained 5 tents totalling over 4,000 sq feet of space, tables & chairs to accomodate the hundreds of volunteers that would be eating meals on site throughout the week, as well as a slew of other specifications such as lighting, tent walls, air conditioning, etc. I was thinking, "I SWEAR Ben told me they were bringing all this stuff themselves, but whatever, we'll role with it" On top of the general equipment rentals, they would also need special accomodations/event planning for the VIP tent that would sit directly across the street from the build site and I would need to find time between all that to plan the wrap party for all the production crew, designers, builders and community VIP's. I played it cool. You know, I would nod and say "Sure thing. No Problem." while inside I was thinking, "What the crap am I doing! Am I insane!?!"
We were filled in on the fact that this was happening in Pocatello even though that information was supposed to be kept quite until the family was ambushed. I was given a few names of businesssmen in Pocatello and I set off to pull together the event.
We started setting up tents with a great crew of volunteers about the same time the family was being ambushed by the designers at the fire station. I worked with Greg Hansen of Rockwell Homes to plan some interactive elements in the VIP tent such as a 42" flatscreen showing time lapse video of the build, updated each day. We also had photographers taking pictures of the guests and then printing them right away. The photos were put into a scrapbook where we could then sign them with our personal messages to the family. We were given full access the VIP area all week and were on site to see the demolition of the house as well as some early filming of Ty giving the designers their challenge (I won't share too many details about the challenge as I might ruin the surprise but it had to do with musical instruments)
Del Lou just happened to come visit during the week so we got blue T-shirts and hard hats and she hung out with us on site, jumping in as they were filming the "Braveheart March" of volunteers coming up the street cheering.
All week it was amazing to watch how fast the house went up, and on Monday night Amy and I drove down to check it out. It was after 10:00 p.m. when we got there but Greg found us and offered a tour of the home before the family came home the next day. We saw each room and he explained who it was for and some of the stories behind the designs. We learned a lot about the family and I felt a much closer emotional attachment to the project after that tour. I'm so excited to see the final show and re-live that tour! :) It is a beautiful home and I know the family is going to LOVE it.On Tuesday we were at the house when the family arrived. We spent about 2 hours filming crowd scenes of us cheering and yelling "move that bus!" before anyone actually arrived. Then another 30 minutes of filming the limo pulling up and Ty opening the door yelling "welcome home!!" No one would get out... He would then shut the door, the limo would back up, and we would do it all again. It was quite entertaining to see all film and production stuff that you never think about when you watch a show on tv. The family finally arrived just before 4 o'clock and then things got a little crazy. Even from my perch on my ladder :) I still couldn't hear what was being said. The President of ISU was there and I think he offered the kids scholarships for college. Who knows what else happened, but I sat on that ladder for a LONG TIME. They announced that Kylie Minogue was there to play a concert in the street while the family was seeing the house, but I had to jet over to set up the wrap party so I missed it.
We found a great group of guys at Robert Allen Nissan dealership who were more than happy to let us use their facility for the party. Dave Alexander from Texas Roadhouse agreed to be our caterer, not only for the party but for our VIP tent all week. He was AMAZING and I'm so glad I got to work with him and his staff. We were given the name of a local cover band "The Installers" who donated their time and resources to provide the music for the night and they did such a great job! Ed Sanders even spent a lot of time on stage with them jamming with his harmonica and singing along. The party started at 9 p.m. but most of the crew didn't arrive until after 10. Over the next few hours we all had so much fun. All the designers came (which is really what made the party a success) and they were so gracious and kind to all the people who wanted to take photos and shake their hands. As it got later, the crowd thinned and only the real party people stayed behind. The atmosphere was so laid back, Ty and Jillian were out dancing to the music, Ed was killing it on his harmonica up on stage and Paul was just chillin in the parking lot visiting with us. I don't remember the last time I had so much fun.
I am so glad that we agreed to be a part of this crazy circus...we met some amazing people in this community that I would probably never have met otherwise. I even feel like I made some great new friends. The people at Rockwell were champions and Im proud to have worked with them. Its been a long and tiring week and my brain feels fried, but I hope I got most of the details to preserve the memories of such an exciting and special experience.

Riley's Bug Club

2010-05-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

Today Riley started his own Bug Club. (I think he got the idea from Sid the Science Kid.) Anyway, armed with his new magnifying glass (a VERY early birthday gift from Grandma Smith) and his newest and only member (mommy), he struck out to discover all the exciting adventures that awaited in the back yard. Turns out bugs are a little scarier in real life...even lady bugs :)

I ♥ Faces Collage Contest

2010-04-19T13:24:00.001-07:00

Here is one of my photo collages. After I do a photo shoot, I like to include a collage like this as a gift. You can see a few of my others in my previous post.

A Few Past Photo Collages

2010-04-19T12:20:00.001-07:00

Easter 2010

2010-04-07T19:48:00.001-07:00

Just some cute pics from this year's Easter Egg coloring adventure. Thank goodness it was considerably less messy than I was anticipating!

More from the remodel...

2010-04-07T19:32:00.001-07:00

So you saw the sad state of the old kitchen...but little did you know you could turn around and see the dining and family room in just about the same condition. I caught this picture after we had started to remove the trim, but when we bought the house there was an actual door here closing off the spaces from each other. We found that the original opening had been much larger so we tore the wall out to there. But why stop when you could...
really open up the space! We tore out all the walls and moved the dining area into the former closet/laundry area. Hardwood floors and "tea bag" green paint from wall to wall tie the kitchen, dining, and family room all together.
And finally, installing a gas insert and covering the old brick fireplace with GORGEOUS new rock really finishes off the space. I'm still waiting on my mantle, but I couldn't wait any longer to post! I love love love it now and I'm just itching to move on to the bathrooms and maybe knock down another wall up front in the living room...hmmmm

Remodel Pics...FINALLY

2009-11-28T14:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, so even though this has been done for a while, I've been way slow on getting pics posted. It was a lot of work but so worth it!!

Ugly Kitchen Before:

Pretty Kitchen After:

Before

AfterBefore
After
Before
After

Its The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

2009-10-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Riley went with his cousins to the "U Pick It" Farm to gather pumpkins. He rode the train and picked out his very own pumpkin (which is sitting on our porch now and he has to go give it a hug each morning before we leave the house). This morning I asked him where he wanted to go and he said "Punkin Patch!!" He's such a cutie!

Busy Bees

2009-09-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry...no pics on the work in the kitchen yet. The new floors, paint, and cabinets are all done but we still have about a week before the countertops will be installed. I'm not going to post any pictures until everything is done....but its going to be a makeover reveal worthy of HGTV! I LOVE LOVE LOVE what we have so far. This time of year usually slows down at work so we planned the kitchen remodel accordingly, but we've ended up having some of the busiest weeks of the year and its been some long days between the office and the house.
Maybe its just cause he's "at that age", but it seems all my stories about Riley these days revolve around him being in time-out. hmmm. Yesterday he had to sit in time-out for something (now I don't even remember what it was for). He knows the drill...you have to sit quietly for 2 minutes, then you have to say you're sorry for whatever you did wrong, and lastly give mommy kisses and hugs. Well he now tries to skip the 2 minutes and almost immediately starts into the apologies. So he was sitting there and looking at me with those big blue eyes and he says "I sorry Mommy, I mean it, I sorry!" He's just starting to really put sentences together and the way he said it made me laugh out loud. He's growing up way to fast!

Nail Polish Woes

2009-08-26T22:34:00.000-07:00

Just this morning I was thinking about how grateful I was that the past months have been pretty "toddler disaster mess" free. I guess I jinxed myself, because not one hour later I was cleaning out my office and I got a whiff of nail polish. I ran to the living room to find Riley happily watching sesame street while painting himself all over with my nail polish. Benson's recliner is COVERED in it but he miraculously missed the carpet. I'm pretty sure his clothes are done for. This was him sitting in time out. I said in my stern discipline voice "you sit there in time out for 2 minutes!!...oh, and let me take your picture"

Riley's 2nd Birthday Party

2009-08-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

Riley's Birthday - Rigby Lake

2009-08-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

During the day, we took a break from all the craziness and went to the lake for some fun.

Family Rodeo '09

2009-08-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

Lagoon Day

2009-06-21T20:27:00.001-07:00

We spent Saturday at Lagoon. The morning was perfect and Riley had a blast playing in Kiddie Land. I was a little worried about how he would feel about the rides (anyone remember the picture from the carousel last fall?) Anyway, he LOVED the rides and couldn't get enough. The hardest part was getting him to look at the camera.

It rained all afternoon. We were soaked and ready to call it quits so we took a break and went to Layton for dinner. The weather cleared a bit and we decided to try to hit a few more rides before the next storm. It ended up being a beautiful night and NO ONE was left in the park. We pretty much walked right onto the rides without any wait. In 2 hours we went on Wicked 4 times, Spider twice, Tidal Wave twice, the swing ride, the Rocket three times, and the Samurai once. (Anyone who has been to Lagoon on a Saturday knows that would be normally be impossible) I had such a headache from all the rollercoasters, but it was so fun!Yeah, that's me--screaming like a little girl.

Riley Reflections

2009-06-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

Two posts in one day! Its either feast or famine around here. Anyway, as we're approaching his 2nd birthday, I thought I'd record some of the milestones Riley has reached in the past few weeks. After watching him pitch head first out of his crib one day, it was time to move to the "big boy bed". We put it in his room for about a week just so he could get used to it, and then one night prepared ourselves for the pending disaster. We went through our whole routine of pajamas, reading a book, saying prayers and then told him to crawl into bed. He got right up there, dropped his head on the pillow, cuddled up to Elmo and Cookie Monster, and didn't move. We shut the door and listened....not a peep. We checked on him later and he was in the exact same place we had left him. Its been almost a month now and he's been an angel! Not even one bad night. I would have never thought such a major transition like that could have gone so smoothly! Next up...POTTY TRAINING!
So Riley's new parlor trick is showing off how he can count to ten by himself. He always skips five for some reason, but gets progressively more excited at 6,7,8,9, and 10. I'm going to try to get it on video, but he always gets camera shy when I get it out.
Has anyone noticed that our child is ALWAYS wearing a hat? I thinks its because this winter I wouldn't let him play outside unless he had his hat on. Now, when its time to leave to house, he starts asking for it, and drama will ensue if he doesn't get it. I guess the advantages are that he doesn't sunburn his little head, and you can't see my messy haircut job (getting a 2 year old to sit still for a haircut is a mission impossible)

So our little one is growing up so fast and I am so grateful for the sweetheart that he is!

Fun at the Zoo

2009-06-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we were out strolling through the Farmer's Market and decided on a whim to go to the zoo. Riley was in sensory overload from the start. He would get so excited at every new exhibit. The little birds were just as exciting to him as the big tigers and lions. He's so much fun at this age!

Yes, I'm still blogging....

2009-05-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day Weekend Highlights

Grammie treated all the grandkids to a birthday party at Build-A-Bear. Riley loved it for the first 2o minutes or so, but after an hour he was in meltdown mode...as you can see above.

We spent 4 days in McCall, Idaho at Benson's parent's condo. We went hiking, swimming, and just had an overall great time.
Grandma Jo likes to call him "Riley the Explorer" and being out in the wilderness really got him excited.

We couldn't keep Riley out of the water. He's quite the little swimmer and always wants to wade or splash whenever he gets the chance.

IN OLDER NEWS....

We've been crazy busy lately trying to get our new party supplies store open and running. Its been an adventure and a TON of work, but I'm really happy with how its turning out.

A FEW PICS FROM THE WEDDING...

This was the gym after we were done decorating for Amy's wedding. It turned out great and I've booked a few other weddings inspired by this picture so it was more than worth all the work!! :)

Just a pretty pic of Amy the bride!

Amy's Wedding Bouquet

2009-03-10T17:08:00.001-07:00

This is a pic of a bouquet Amy really likes for her wedding. Any comments?

Bowling Night

2009-02-19T21:32:00.001-08:00

We went to Rigby Bowl for mutual on Tuesday night. That place is old school! We had to keep score with pencil and paper and there weren't any little lights that lit up to tell you which pins you knocked down. We've become so lazy in our modern bowling culture! It was a blast and the girls did really well.

Mister Mischevious

2009-02-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

Another cheesy camera smile...and check out that hat!
Riley is my guitar hero!

Does he seem pretty proud of himself? Well he found a Sharpie marker in my bag and had a blast coloring on himself. When that got boring...

He turned his attention to my kitchen floor. This is just a small section of the overall damage. You can see the square in the middle where he sat and proceeded to spin in a circle, not missing a single square. Thankfully it came up with a magic eraser (those things are amazing!!) I'm so glad that my new hardwood floor is still sitting uninstalled in my living room and this old vinyl was his only victim!!

These posts are getting farther apart...

2009-02-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

This was at my cousin's wedding luncheon. Could he be any cuter? I was lucky to get him with a somewhat real smile since his camera smile makes him look like he's angry or in pain (example shown further down in this post)
Christmas...yeah I know its been over a month...anyway, if I was going to send a postcard showing what Christmas at the Smith house was like, this would be it...I know, we're sad, sad people.

Riley loved opening his gifts and playing with his cousins (or in this case, playing with his cousin's gifts)
He LOVES being outside. Even when its 20 degrees. His nose will turn pink and his fingers will get cold and he STILL yells at me when I make him come inside.
My first attempt at a diaper cake for my sister-in-law's baby shower. It was fun, but there's not many other people I love enough to spend 3 hours making another one, so it'll probably be my last, too.
Trust me, he's actually trying to smile for the camera. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever get a normal picture of him again.

Photosynth Test

2008-12-11T14:35:00.001-08:00

This is a new beta software by microsoft called Photosynth. I took 50 pictures on a tripod of our showroom and then just uploaded to their free site. Its pretty darn cool!

Finally Getting Around to an Update

2008-12-08T12:38:00.001-08:00

This is supposed to be a slower time of year for me, but I feel like things have been non-stop! So I'm finally taking a few minutes to post some pictures from the past month.

Riley REALLY wants to go outside

Learning to play the piano

I got Riley out of the bath and set him down with his towel. I turned around and he was gone. I found him in the living room with the cereal from the kichen table enjoying the scenery out the back door.

He's full of surprises. I still don't know how he got up in there!

Riley likes to hide under the tablecloths in our showroom

This past weekend we went with my dad, Steven & Hannah to Glenn Beck's The Christmas Sweater show in Salt Lake.

Anyway, there's our update! Thanks!

Fall Fun

2008-11-03T08:48:00.000-08:00

We've been lucky enough to have some great weather through October and Riley has had so much fun playing outside in the leaves. He has taken a liking to playing with rocks and I have to keep a close eye so he doesn't put them in his mouth. Finally I decided to let him taste the stupid rock and then he would realize that they are icky and stop trying to eat them. The plan backfired. I guess he likes the taste of dirt cause he'd rather lick rocks than eat normal food.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
Benson took Riley to his first trick-or-treating on the 4-wheeler. Boy, we're getting lazy. Riley couldn't believe people were just giving him candy and tried to eat each piece as it was put in his bucket.

He wasn't a really big fan of his horse. It just seemed to get in his way as he tried to get to the candy bowl.

Giddy-Up Cowboy!

Deconstruction

2008-10-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

I think it started when we all of the sudden started getting the DIY (do it yourself) network on satellite. Suddenly you start believing you can tackle any home improvement project, that it will only take 1 hour from start to finish, and it will look like it was done by a professional designer. So this past weekend I decided it was a good time to paint the family room and tear out some walls. No big deal right? Well, Benson is actually quite handy and things are going pretty smoothly. Here are the pictures of what it looked like before and after the demo. Hopefully it will all be finished this weekend and I'll post the finished project.

I've Learned From You...

2008-09-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

Okay...My AMAZING mom is at the half-way point in her battle against the big bad cancer, and the next 6 weeks is going to be alot harder than the first (which is almost impossible to imagine). Its more than a little discouraging for her to think about what's ahead and she's been praying for strength in whatever ways it may come. So my inspirational thought is a line I heard from a song the other day and it immediately made me think of her.
" I've learned from you that STRENGTH IS SOMETHING YOU CHOOSE."
Just think about it for a minute.
The strength to fight the emotional battle when the physical one is taking all you have, the strength to see things from an eternal perspective, the strength to keep smiling despite all the reasons to cry, the strength to believe that it is all for a reason. I am amazed and inspired by strength that my mom continually shows in the face of all the overwhelming trials. I am so blessed to have her as a mother and a friend and I am so grateful that, despite the total crapiness of the whole chemo thing, we will have many more years together because of it.
I love you, Mom.

First and Last Political Post

2008-09-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

Okay...I've purposefully stayed away from talking about politics on my blog. Honestly, I'm depressed about the two canidates that this country's voters have put up for nomination and the future of this country in either of their hands. So when I got this email last week I had to cheer...I want a canidate who thinks like this:

Bill Cosby says:
I HAVE DECIDED TO BECOME A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE.

HERE IS MY PLATFORM:

(1) 'Press 1 for English' is immediately banned. English is the official language; speak it or wait at the border until you can.

(2) We will immediately go into a two year isolationist posture to straighten out the country's attitude. NO imports, no exports.
We will use the WalMart policy, 'If we ain't got it, you don't need it.'

(3) When imports are allowed, there will be a 100% import tax on it.

(4) All retired military personnel will be required to man one of our many observation towers on the southern border. (six month tour) They will be under strict orders not to fire on SOUTHBOUND aliens.

(5) Social security will immediately return to its original state. If you didn't put nuttin in, you ain't gettin nuttin out. The president nor any other politician will not be able to touch it.

(6) Welfare - Checks will be handed out on Fridays at the end of the 40 hour school week and the successful completion of urinalysis and a passing grade.

(7) Professional Athletes --Steroids - The FIRST time you check positive you're banned for life.

(8) Crime - We will adopt the Turkish method, the first time you steal, you lose your right hand. There is no more life sentences. If convicted, you will be put to death by the same method you chose for your victim; gun, knife, strangulation, etc.

(9) One export will be allowed; Wheat, The world needs to eat. A bushel of wheat will be the exact price of a barrel of oil.

(10) All foreign aid using American taxpayer money wil l immediately cease, and the saved money will pay off the national debt and ultimately lower taxes. When disasters occur around the world, we'll ask the American people if they want to donate to a disaster fund, and each citizen can make the decision whether it's a worthy cause.

(11) The Pledge of Allegiance will be said every day at school and every day in Congress.

(12) The National Anthem will be played at all appropriate ceremonies, sporting events, outings, etc.

Sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes but a vote for me will get you better than what you have, and better than what you're gonna get. Thanks for listening, and remember to write in my name on the ballot in November. Bill Cosby
God Bless America !!!!!!!!!!!

My New Toy!

2008-09-08T21:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, since some of you asked...Here's the top ten reasons I love my new
Canon PowerShot G91. Killer 3" LCD viewer screen ( I think its bigger than my parent's first TV!)
2. Compact size is easy to slip into my purse when I don't want to haul around the bulky SLR and lenses.
3. Dial ISO right on top for quick film speed changes without all the menus.
4. Face Detection and Image Stabilization software make quick shots really easy.
5. Option for adding a flash attachment.
6. Rechargeable Lithium Ion battery just plugs into the wall (no expensive AA battery changes)
7. Even though its a point-and-shoot, I can attach a wide angle or telephoto lens
8. Cool color settings like Vibrant, Sepia, and Black and White
9. 12.1 megapixels turn out some TIGHT pics!
10. I like shiny new things. :)

Photo Shoot

2008-09-07T20:31:00.001-07:00

I bought a new camera and i wanted to practice with the different settings so Amy and her friend Erin agreed to come be models for me. We went downtown Idaho Falls and spent the morning just messing around but I got a few cool shots.

Ticket to Fun!

2008-09-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

Its fair time again! We decided that tonight was going to be our only chance to get to this year's state fair so we packed up after work and headed out. We enjoyed to usual fair food (corn dogs and tiger ears!) and visited the many fun booths. Riley LOVED the petting zoo...but he DIDN'T love the carosel...benson took this cool pic

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

We went to Island Park on Friday night and spent Saturday just playing around in the dirt

Riley LOVES riding around in the ranger but both times we took him out he fell asleep :) The weekend forecast was calling for cold and rain so we came home on Saturday night.

Monday was spent indoors cleaning since it pretty much rained all day, but that evening we went to my parents for baby Samantha's blessing. Here is Grandma Jo and all her grandkids.

Riley always seems to find someone to play with

Cutie pie Samantha in her blessing dress

Family Pic

Another Summer Gone

2008-08-30T21:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I'm getting worse about keeping up on my blog but this summer has been REALLY busy! Finally things are looking like they might be slowing down at work and I can concentrate on my long list of "after summer" to do's. I'm posting some new pics but there doesn't seem to be anything important in my life besides Riley right now cause he's all I ever photograph. :)At the Smith Family Reunion in Albion this July, we didn't have any bathtubs so Ryan and Tess kindly let us borrow their "beer" (but only used for soda) tub. Riley thought it was pretty fun to bathe outside and it made for a classic photo.
Just happy as usual "helping" mom at work by clearing off all the shelves of merchandise and finding fun places to hide it.
I got a new camera and Riley was intently reading the direction booklet. I don't think he realizes I gave him the one in Spanish.

In A Hurry

2008-07-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

Well...as in everything else, Riley seems to be in a hurry to get places. It took him about two weeks to get his balance down (as you can see in the video...which was taken almost a month ago) and now he is tearing through the house like a track star. I turn around for 2 seconds and he's gone! Its so much fun but MAN what a nonstop workout! :)

Time to Catch Up

2008-07-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the past month and I've been neglecting my blog in all the craziness. So here's an update on what we've been up to for the past few weeks.Riley loves playing outside on the new lawn. He explores everything he can get his hands into. Happy Birthday Riley!!!Opening presents was so much fun.

And Riley loved his birthday cake!
4th of July we BBQ'd at Grandma's
Riley played in his new wagonOn Saturday we went to Badger Creek for a staff reunion.
We hiked around, played by the creek, and visited old friends and classmates. Despite the heat and the mosquitoes, it was a fun day!

FINALLY!!!!

2008-06-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

Since we bought our house a few years ago, there has been an endless list of projects that we've worked on to make it our own...but one that has been bugging me for too long is our front yard. When we bought the house the entire yard was covered in concrete. Benson jackhammered it out over two years ago and this is what our house has looked like since...Yuck. Can you say curb "un"appeal!! So I've whined and prodded and finally got my way. We put in some landscaping, Benson is building a wood porch up to the front door, and today we laid down fresh sod. I think the before and after pics say it all. I'm SO happy with the way things are looking and I can finally stop apologizing to the neighbors for the eye-sore that its been for the past 2 years!

Crack Me Up!

2008-06-17T22:22:00.001-07:00

Okay...I know that I've already done a post with Riley's funny camera faces...but these pictures just had to be seen!

Cool Website for Readers

2008-06-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

So I found this cool website where you can enter some of your favorite books and it will generate a list of books you might like to read next. This was a list it made for me, but if you like reading you should get on and check it out. The What Should I Read Next? website suggests items you might like reading based on real readers' recommendations. These were the results: Blue Bloods - Melissa de la Cruz The Worthing Saga - Orson Scott Card Pastwatch - Card Orson Scott Peeps - Scott Westerfeld Marked: A House of Night Novel - PC Cast, Kristin Cast Masquerade - Melissa De La Cruz The Integral Trees: And the Smoke Ring - Larry Niven A Canticle for Liebowitz - Walter M. Jr. Miller The Forever War - Joe Haldeman More Than Human - Theodore Sturgeon

First Words

2008-06-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

Who knew it would be hard to pick out your babies first words? Its just that they make so many sounds that COULD be words, but they don't really seem to fit any particular pattern. Among all his nonsense sounds, we've had ma ma ma's and da da da's but not directed at either Benson or I, so its remained a mystery. But, I think we've finally come to a concensus on Riley's first offical word. Its DOG! When he is staying at Aunt Krischelle's he is fascinated by Ranger and Molly. He hears them scratching at the screen door and sure enough, he speed crawls to the door practically yelling "Daw! Daw! Daw!" Hannah keeps trying to convince me that I'm going to have to get one when he gets older but I'm not ready to be a pet owner yet. For now, the cousin's dogs will have to do.

Funny Faces

2008-06-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

Riley loves to do silly things to make us laugh. Even though his expressions seem to be pained, these pictures are actually his attempt at smiling for the camera. He scrunches up his whole face and puckers his lips. We laugh so hard that it just makes him do it more. The pictures don't do it justice, but I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever get any more of the those cute smiling pictures we used to get.

I Get Around

2008-05-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

Last night while helping our neighbors move Riley found one of their walking toys and starting going up and down the sidewalk. He played with it for almost an hour and had so much fun we knew we had to get one for him. I've never seen him as excited as when we were putting his new one together. So here's our little video tribute to Riley's favorite new toy and the joys of getting around.

Riley's First Time Swimming

2008-05-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to Heise Hot Springs with some of my family. It was Riley's first time in water deeper than the bathtub. He had a lot of fun splashing and watching his cousins but he didn't want to let go of whoever was holding him. I have a feeling he'll be our little fish in a few years.

Eagle Ridge Barn Collapse

2008-05-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

Any of you who remember the barn at Eagle Ridge Ranch in Island Park where Benson and I did our internships will recognize the remains after one side collapsed this spring. The snow load was too much for the old wood to handle and now the whole thing has been condemned. It makes me sad, we had a lot of fun memories in that barn.

Weekend in Boise

2008-04-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

Riley was being a ham for the camera during breakfast

We went to the park on Saturday.

Riley thought the playground was pretty fun

We walked along the greenbelt at the Boise River

Then stopped to visit Great Grandpa...

and Great Grandma Smith

Riley found Grandma's Tupperware Cupboard and had hours of fun!

Cool Dude

2008-04-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

Riley thought Uncle Steven's sunglasses were pretty cool. He didn't even try to take them off his face. He just smiled and acted like he was the coolest kid in the world.

IPod Game

2008-04-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

I saw this fun game on someone else's blog. To play, you just put your IPod on shuffle and write down the first ten songs that come up...no matter what. Its fun to see what weird stuff you might have lingering in your playlists. :)

There and Back Again-Daughtry
Chiquitita-Abba
Shoot the moon-Nora Jones
Mrs. Radcliffe -Becoming Jane Soundtrack
You Don’t Love Me Anymore-Tim McGraw
Everybody Hurts-Paul Potts
Tied Together With A Smile-Taylor Swift
Needs-Collective Soul
Arise and Shine Forth-Women of Destiny
Cody's Song-Kenny Loggins

Can you say 'SUGAR HIGH'?!?

2008-04-09T19:21:00.000-07:00

So Benson gave Riley a little bit of cotton candy at work and when we got home he was pretty wired. He went non-stop in his exersaucer for almost ten minutes! It was hilarious! Needless to say, later he crashed hard and went to bed without a fuss.

As if one blog isn't enough....

2008-04-08T21:42:00.000-07:00

So I've noticed that some people are starting blogs for their hobbies, like a recipe blog or a bookclub blog and I love the idea. So I've started another blog at www.funfotostuff.blogspot.com (the link is on my list) to post some of my photoshop creations and digital scrapbook designs. I've spent a lot of time making these things and there's no reason why, if anybody finds something they like, they shouldn't be able to use them, too. So the images are all free and ready-to-use for anyone who cares to have them. If I use anything from another person or freebie site, I'll do my best to give credit where its due. Its a new thing and still in the beginning stages, but I plan on putting a lot of fun things on the blog so if you know anyone who might be interested, let them know and I look forward to the feedback and comments. Enjoy!

Senior Pics

2008-04-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

So last week Amy calls and asks if I would be interested in taking some senior pictures of some of her friends. They had been pricing pictures at some of the local photographers who are charging hundreds of dollars for their photo shoots. So we setup a makeshift studio in my living room and took a bunch of photos. I'll be the first to admit that I really have no clue what I am doing but I figure I can utilize the law of averages and take a whole lot of pictures and hope one or two turn out. I'm thinking if I practice for a few more years I might be able to actually charge people :)

That Color Are You?

2008-04-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

Your Aura is Green

You're very driven, competitive, and even a bit jealous.

However, you seek out balance in your life - and you usually achieve it!

The purpose of your life: inspiring others to be better

Famous greens include: Tony Robbins, Donald Trump, Martha Stewart

Careers for you to try: Guru, CEO, Talk Show Host

What Color Is Your Aura?

Osh Kosh B'Gosh

2008-04-05T11:52:00.001-07:00

Hannah's mom Cindy & her sister Heather came to visit her this week and they stopped by the office to see Riley and let him hang out with the twins. Peyton, Crew & Riley were all dressed in their cute little overalls and were SO ADORABLE!! Riley could pass as a brother with his blond hair and blue eyes. Riley isn't that much bigger than the twins, but his feet are HUGE in comparison. He's already in 18-36 mo. socks...maybe that means he's going to be tall???

10 Things I Love Today (and pretty much every day)

2008-03-17T10:34:00.001-07:00

1. My Wonderful Family
2. A Good Book
3. My Nissan Xterra
4. Jelly Donuts
5. A Hot Bath
6. Riley's Beautiful Smile
7. My Laptop
8. Sleeping In
9. Blogging
10. My IPod+Good Music

Its A Beautiful Day

2008-03-09T20:18:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning we gathered with family and friends at the Idaho Falls Temple to have Riley sealed to us. He looked like a little angel in his white suit and like always he had a beautiful smile on his face. When he was brought into the sealing room he was sound asleep, but it was probably for the best since he doesn't like to hold still these days. I was so touched by the spirit of the whole experience and we are so thrilled to finally be sealed as an eternal family. We'd like to thank all our family and friends who came to support us on our special day.

We Love American Idol!

2008-03-06T14:01:00.001-08:00

Now that Riley is crawling, we can hardly get him to hold still for more than 5 seconds. But when Idol comes on, he gets so fascinated by music he has to stop and watch.Paula is so pretty.

David Cook is one of our favorite!

Lights Out

2008-03-03T23:09:00.000-08:00

You don't realize how much you rely on everyday conveniences until they suddenly disappear. At 8:00 tonight some moron ran into a power pole down at the Outback Steak House and knocked out the power to half the westside of Idaho Falls. Luckily Benson knew right where the flashlight was, and I had candles lit all over the house within minutes...but then what? It was so peaceful and quiet for the first few minutes, but then it got downright boring. No TV, no music, no internet (in fact no computer at all) and as I'm listing these things I'm realizing how sadly addicted we are to our technology and how we live our lives constantly "plugged in" to something. Before Riley came along, Benson and I would have played a card game, but Riley likes to eat things like playing cards so that was out of the question. We got a little creative (or desperate, depending on how you look at it)...namely Benson crawling under Riley's crib and then using the flashlight to coax him to crawl under there with him. It was a fun fort for a while but understandably restrictive on movement. Without power our heat shut off, so we decided a trip to WalMart for milk might not be a bad idea. 1 1/2 hours and $118.39 later (yeah, milk prices have gone through the roof!), we came home to find the power restored and our energy addicted lives could go on once more.

We Can Never Have Too Many Pictures of Riley

2008-02-26T18:38:00.000-08:00

He's always so stinkin' happy!!

Riley is very impatient to get to the walking thing...He's been crawling for a few weeks, but he can't resist any chance to pull himself up onto his feet and start stomping around.

Its much more fun to play under the ExerSaucer than in it!

World of the Pharaohs

2008-02-22T20:11:00.000-08:00

Last night Steven, Hannah, Benson and I went to the pre-grand opening reception for the new exhibit at the Museum of Idaho called the 'The World of the Pharaohs'. The exhibit is on loan from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and its really cool! There are thousands of authentic artifacts dating back 3000 years. The Boston people wouldn't allow food or drink near their artifacts so we put up a tent in the parking lot for the dinner and cocktails. It was fun to dress up (the theme was obviously Egyptian so the guests were supposed to wear black and gold evening attire) and do something other than a movie.

Getting Ready For Our Move

2008-02-19T10:49:00.000-08:00

I learned so much as I had to figure out how to cut the vinyl for our new sign. It was a little tricky as my cutter will only cut up to 13 inches wide and the sign was 16 feet long! I learned all about slices in photoshop and then had to piece about 30 pieces of vinyl together to make it look like one seamless piece. I was very happy with how it all turned out.

Benson and Grandpa building a rack for our rental tables to be stored on. We are so excited about all the space we have to work with now.

Takin' A Break

2008-02-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

Benson is the perfect baby-putter-to-sleeper! He has this habit of shaking his legs whenever he is sitting down (which I've learned he inherited from his dad) and Riley can't resist drifting off to dreamland as he lays on Daddy's built-in bouncer. It comes in handy in church :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-05T11:49:00.001-08:00

Remember to pause the music before playing!

2008-02-01T12:19:00.000-08:00

In Loving Memory

My dear cousin, you will be missed.

2008-01-23T17:35:00.001-08:00

Riley is growing up so fast! We had a little photo session in the living room and got this cute shot. Its so easy to photograph him cuz he's always got a smile on his face!

That time of year again...

2008-01-22T15:37:00.000-08:00

I spent this weekend attending our booth at the annual Bride & Groom Gala. This is the time of year that the brides start planning their weddings and that means the end of our slow season. It was a pretty good show and I made a number of bookings, especially for our event tents. Its looking like we are going to have another VERY busy summer. We are getting ready to move our business into a different space in our shopping center with more square footage and visibility. It will be nice to have a bigger showroom and some space to grow.

You Can't Improve Upon Perfection

2008-01-18T20:59:00.001-08:00

Those were the doctor's exact words. Today Riley had his 6 month checkup and everything is wonderful. He is in the 50th percentile in weight and 82nd percentile in height. He didn't really enjoy his immunizations...it breaks my heart as tears come to those big blue eyes when the nurses stick those needles into his thighs. Its like he is saying "aren't you supposed to be the one that keeps these scary things from hurting me!?!" But, like the flirt that he is, he was smiling at the nurses again before I could even get him up off the table.

2008-01-14T21:06:00.001-08:00

2008-01-14T18:48:00.000-08:00

Check out my cool camo hat that Daddy got me to keep my ears warm on these cold January days. Mommy thinks it looks pretty silly but I have fun wearing it! You should see the matching mittens!

2007-12-28T13:32:00.000-08:00

2007-12-26T11:48:00.001-08:00

Here are just a few of the pictures from our Christmas 2007. Isn't Riley the cutest baby EVER?!? We went to Grandma & Grandpa Passey's for Christmas Eve and stayed the night. Christmas morning was chaotic with all the cousins, but so much fun! Riley was more interested in the wrapping paper than what was inside his presents, but he seems to like his new toys and he LOVES his new books!
Riley is coming up on 6 months and is doing really well! He is sitting up by himself and he's even learned to pull his knees up under himself so we're sure it won't be long before he's crawling. He is such a social butterfly and loves being with people. He is a mover and a shaker and its getting harder to keep him on my lap as he reaches for new things to play with and cranks his head to see what's going on around him. I'll post some more pics and some video later. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

2007-12-17T12:12:00.001-08:00

Well, Benson being the amazing gift-giver that he always is, got me a new digital video camera for our anniversary. (You may think that 'fruit & flowers' is the traditional 4 year anniversary gift but you'd be wrong...its digital electronics!) Believe it or not, this is my very first video camera EVER! I'm really excited to start getting video of our family as we (and Riley) are growing. I'm also going to have to learn how to use Adobe Premier Pro so I can show up Adam & Ryan with my video productions :)

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-17T12:02:00.001-08:00

Riley thought this Santa's hat was pretty fun...his smile is so contagious!

All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth!

2007-12-07T14:30:00.001-08:00

Well, after a long few days of runny noses, gallons of drool, and general crankiness, Riley officially have two bottom teeth! If you look really close you can seem them there in the photo. 5 months is a little earlier than we were planning on, but he has been ahead of the curve on everything else, so why not! He loves eating cereal with a spoon like he sees us doing, but I think its more because he likes making a mess than the actual food itself.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...BY RILEY

2007-11-30T19:58:00.001-08:00

The TV. I know there are better things to be doing (like trying to get my feet into my mouth or seeing if I can break my spit-up distance record) but I just can't help being fascinated by the television. Wherever I am in the room, I will twist and turn to catch a glimpse of what is on. Today Daddy caught me in his recliner trying to turn the darn thing on...so many buttons I just can't remember which one. My usual tactic at this point is to push them all and then stick the remote in my mouth but unfortunately that's only worked once. I know what they say...TV will rot my brain yada yada, but I just can't help feeling like I might actually learn something from those dudes down on Sesame Street. Besides, my days are rough with all the playing and the napping and lets not forget the spit-up...doesn't a guy deserve a little down time?

UDreamIt Vinyl Business

2007-11-29T12:58:00.001-08:00

As if I need something else to do....I have been helping Ashlee start a new vinyl design business. Its called UDreamIt Vinyl and the whole idea is that we do custom designs instead of the same old sayings you see everywhere out there. Here are just a few examples of the designs we've done so far. We've been putting the vinyl on tiles, boards, candles, plates, clocks, walls, car windows...pretty much any flat surface that could use a little decoration. She's had an open house, done an enrichment night at BYU-Idaho, and spent two weekends at the local flea market. She's had a really positive response so far and think she will do really well. The demand for new designs keeps me on my toes, but I love doing them and its been a lot of fun!

2007-11-26T11:40:00.001-08:00

Sunday night on our way home from Boise we got a phone call from my Mom telling us about a fireside by Michael McLean based on his book and CD about the adoption process. I really wanted to go, but Benson was sick and just wanted to get home and into bed. I dropped him off and drove straight to the chapel with Riley and got there just 2 minutes after it had started. He shared the stories behind the songs and how the adoption process had touched his life. He sang songs from all different perspectives including the birth mother, the adoptive couple, the adopted child, and even the birth grandparents. The spirit was so strong and I pretty much balled my eyes out for the whole hour. I am so grateful for the adoption process and how it brings families together in ways that otherwise wouldn't be possible.

2007-11-26T11:20:00.001-08:00

Boise Thanksgiving 2007
It was a great, relaxing weekend at the Smith residence for Thanksgiving. We went to the Boise
Building to take family pictures in the lobby...i think they turned out pretty good :) After Thanksgiving dinner, all the girls banded together and we were able to make 6 baby quilts for the church's humanitarian effort. We got to hang out with the new, beautiful baby Macey and Riley got to spend some quality time with his aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. Before we left home, we had explained to him thoroughly the importance of making good impressions, and just like the angel that he is, he pretty much kept a smile on his face all weekend. :) He really is just a happy baby and we feel so blessed to have him in our lives. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!

Newest Family Pic

2007-11-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

2007-11-03T12:48:00.001-07:00

Mom & Riley

2007-10-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

Just a beautiful fall day out at Grandma & Grandpa's

2007-10-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

Riley loves going outside and looking at the trees and hanging
out with Daddy. Sitting in the leaves, he seemed very intent on
the new sensation of the crunchy leaves in his hands.

A Cold Day in October

2007-10-19T11:47:00.001-07:00

It was only the first week in October and we had a snowstorm that dropped 3 inches overnight. We bundled Riley up for the cold and went to the new flea market. He was so warm and comfy that he just slept in his stroller the whole time. He seems to like the colder weather better than the heat of summer....i don't blame him

Decorating Fun!

2007-09-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

Hannah asked for a bedroom remodel for her birthday this year and it turned into a huge house reshuffle at the Petersen residence. They moved her downstairs and had the room painted in brown with a turquoise stripe, so Krischelle and I decided to take the whole day while Hannah was in school and finish the remodel. We painted furniture, put some vinyl on the walls, and filled the room with accessories. It came together so cute and Hannah LOVED how it all turned out. We could so be on HGTV!

New Calling!

2007-09-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

Benson & I got new callings in the ward. We will be team-teaching the 17 year old Sunday School Class. Ikes. Yesterday was the first time we taught...(actually I taught the lesson and Benson sat in the corner holding Riley with a pained look on his face. He threw his back out and could hardly walk so I took over the lesson for this week.) We are still trying to decide if we will take turns or teach together. The kids are typical 17 year olds...moving the chairs to the perimeter of the room so they can lean back against the walls. It will be a challenge each week to keep them interested and participating but we look forward to the adventure.

I'm 2 Months Old!!

2007-09-07T22:13:00.001-07:00

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm pretty much the cutest baby ever.

Oh my goodness life can get so tiring! I've eaten, got a new diaper, and played all morning...I so deserve a break!

Every once in a while Dad gets to steal a few minutes away from his busy day at work to play with me. Sometimes I wonder if he wakes me up from my naps on purpose....hmmm.

Mom is getting pretty good at answering phones, checking her email, and cuddling me all at the same time. I think its great cuz its my favorite place to hang out during the day.

OUCH!

2007-09-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

This is a painful example of what can happen when
you mix a tent, a strong gust of wind,
and a mean run of bad luck.

Boise Weekend

2007-09-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

We had a great Labor Day weekend in Boise. Most of Benson's family hadn't met Riley yet so we decided to make a quick trip over there. We had so much fun, spent too much money, and just relaxed for a few days. Here are a few highlights.
Ryan and Tess met Riley for the first time. It took a few minutes, but I think he decided they were pretty cool.

Aunt Jamie...(a.k.a. the queen of swaddling) is our favorite babysitter!

We had fun catching up with Great Grandma and Grandpa Smith. Riley was all smiles as Grandma held and cuddled him.

Grandma Smith was so excited to see Riley again. He has changed so much since she came to visit when he was just a week old. He is smiling in response to people now and is so attentative to his surroundings.

Grandma & Grandpa Luster

2007-08-24T22:22:00.001-07:00

This past week Riley got to meet Grandpa Jack and Grandma Carolynn for the first time. We got to spend a few days in Island Park with them (Benson couldn't come due to a crazy weekend at work) and Riley thrived (and slept well) in the cool mountain air. Grandpa & Grandpa Petersen, Aunt Elaine, Krischelle, Zach, Hannah, and McKenna were there, too and Ashlee and Micah even brought their family for the last few days. We saw "Annie Get Your Gun" at the Playmill in West Yellowstone and did some shopping, too. Mostly we just enjoyed camping and letting Grandma feed us. :)

To Each His Own

2007-08-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know that we each have our own little quarky things, but every time Riley arches his back and starts checking out his world upside down, it cracks me up. This position will calm him down when he's fussy and kinda freaks people out cause it looks like he's breaking his neck! McKenna thinks its pretty funny, too. :)

Aunt Krischelle

2007-08-23T19:13:00.001-07:00

Aunt Krischelle loves spending time with Riley. She helps so much during this busy summer time when Benson and I are running around trying to get things done at Signature. He has no shortage of people who love him!

Our Family is Growing

2007-08-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

We wanted to put this blog out there for all our family and friends to stay updated on our family and growing baby. Riley is changing every day and we love to see how his personality is developing into an amazing little person. This top photo was taken at the hospital in Colorado Springs. Riley was so mellow and didn't fuss much. Grandma Jo was there with us and helped alot the first night we took him back to the hotel. Sleep deprivation was a new thing to us.The whole trip home was a dream and we couldn't have asked for things to go any smoother.