SD ROAD TRIP

The kids and I left KC at 5:45am this morning, destined for the Black Hills of South Dakota. The trip actually went really well and all three of them were little angels. The Mcdonalds lunch was probably the highlight of the trip so they are pretty easy!  I had to stop once to take a little rest and they were very content to watch a movie in the back. I entertained myself the rest of the time by listening to what they were saying...here are some of my favorites:

8:00 (Ben)- "Are we there yet?" (Um, no. This is an 11 hour drive and we've only been in the car for two hours and 15 minutes, dear....)
8:01 (Nick) "I am staaaaaarving!"
10:00 (Nick)- "Can we have lunch now?"
10:30 (Ben)- "Mom, you should unbuckle me. I going to barf."
11:45 (Olivia, just as we crossed into South Dakota)- Mom, it's already feeling like home, Mom. Can we drive by our old house while we are there? Maybe the morons that live there actually cut the grass this year....."

Other trip statistics:

Number of cheeseburgers consumed during lunch: 9.5
Number of times I thought "I hate these Wall Drug Signs" while crossing the SD plains: 17
Number of Looney Tunes episodes watched by the kids: 11
Number of times Ben unbuckled himself and said "Look Mom!": 31
Number of times Ben asked "Is this Grandma's house?": 14
Time we arrived on Ireland Place: 5:53pm
Anticipated date of Departure: Never

We loved every minute of our time in Rapid City. On our way into town, Olivia told me that the "second" she graduates from highschool, she is moving back to Rapid City. And she is not going to marry anyone who doesn't like the idea of living in South Dakota. I think she may be more in love than Chris and I.....!

We had a great time with my parents, just hanging out and doing some toursity stuff with them. The highlights were the Buffalo Safari in Custer State Park and Old McDonald's Farm.....

Nick could have touched these big boys, had he wanted to...

Smiley boys in the jeep

The breeze kept us cool and a little wind blown...

Part of the park's buffalo herd

"Oh, mom, it's baby Charlie! Can we keep him???"

This kid loves goats...

Any anything with wings...

Liv feeding a baby calf
The kids loved being back in Grandma and Grandpa's yard, chasing wildlife, playing basketball and swimming in the hot tub! They also spent time with some of our old neighborhood kids while I visited friends, shopped with my mom and  went on a couple of lunch dates! It was great! By the time we were ready to head home, we were all exhausted. This is pretty much all the kids did on the way home:

Thanks for the fun trip, South Dakota loved ones! See you again soon! XOXO

SICK

We were supposed to be leaving for Rapid City, South Dakota last Thursday.....but instead we have all been sick in bed since then! It isn't very often that Chris and I are both so sick we want to die, maybe only three times since we've been married! Add  to that a couple of sick big kids and a very healthy three year old to the house and man, we've got a mess. Each day seems to be getting a little better so hopefully we'll be able to hit the road early next week. Wish us well!

TOOTHLESS

Nick lost his first top tooth at Bear Lake in Idaho! He worked and worked and yanked it out all on his own! All the cousins and family were there and he was soooo excited to flash them his toothy grin! Disaster struck before bedtime, though, he was out on the deck and accidentally dropped his tooth. He asked me if I could come find his tooth for him......

This tiny pebble patio stuff is probably the very worst place to lose a tooth! I thought I found the dang thing about fifty times! Thankfully, Nick wrote his toothfairy, Walter, explaining the situation and Walter was very understanding. Nick woke up to rolled dollar bills and a sweet treat, just as he had hoped!

Fast forward two weeks, we were back at home, and Nick was working on yet another wiggly one! He got this one out on his own as well. We have had fun listening to him talk now that BOTH of his top teeth are missing!

This time around Nick wasted no time securing his tooth in the back pocket of his tooth monster.... before it could get lost! Congratulations, buddy! You are getting so big!

IDAHO/UTAH 2010

Our annual two week trip to visit Chris' family in Utah and Idaho was so much fun! We laughed and played and ate and talked every single minute of our time together. The pictures below captured the highlights:

Waiting patiently.....

...and no so patiently for our plane to arrive

Ah, that's better! Snacks and cartoons....

The best mexican on earth! First stop after leaving the airport!

Nick getting his head skinned by his Grandpa

Grandma Jen getting out the surprises!

Thankfully, it didn't take us long at all to make it to our final destination, Grandma and Grandpa's house in Preston, Idaho! The kids settled right in, finding what would become their main source of food for the next week....gumballs!

 
 All the cousins arrived the next day....and the party started!
 "Grandma, where's the ice cream??"

All the big kids took turns cooking dinner...Lisa's meatballs were killer! And so were her girls! Hannah and Belle came to party with the Smiths for the first time and we LOVE them! You better come EVERY SINGLE YEAR or your Aunt Jenn will be so upset! xoxo 

Carson "Harry Potter" accompanied the girls. I think he loved playing Taylor Swift...

The talent show is always amazing and hilarious and highly entertaining. This year Livi and her cousins sang and danced together and she played her piano pieces from her recital, too. Nick worked his dad over with some karate and then got a lil gangsta and showed the cousins how a real man moves.......

The Smiths celebrate the Fourth in a big way! It started with the 2nd Annual "Eye of the Liger" run in which Carson maintained his place at 1st, who knows who was second and third, but Preston smoked his Aunt Jenn for 4th place. I told him I would "get him" next year.....hopefully I can  break something before then and pull up "injured!" Olivia also put up a good fight, finishing the race like a champ with all the girls! After a big pancake breakfast back at the house, we all headed to the softball diamond so Team Smith could whoop up on each other! Nick had been waiting for this game for months and was ready to go before anyone else! Even more of the Smith clan (cousins, etc.) met us at the park to play, too. Uncle Ronnie had to remind Nick that the "Utes stink" by giving him a pig nose and snorting him around the field!

Team Smith 2010

A big barbeque and Grandpa's famous front yard waterslide finished off a perfect day! The kids have a blast sliding down this thing. Bummer my camera battery died during the fun!

Bright and early the next morning, we were off  to Bear Lake. The sun was shining and beautiful, but the water was a mere 50 degrees! That didn't stop the kids though, they played for hours and had so much fun!

Beautiful Bear Lake from our condo

Jack and Ben...buried alive!

This kid loves the beach!

Grandma and Nicky

Cousins

Chris and his sis... total t-r-o-u-b-l-e!

Ben...writing to his tooth fairy one night before bed...

After a few days at the lake, we headed back to Preston of a couple more days of swimming, bowling, ice cream and night games! Chris and I were in charge of the games this year.....

Cell Phone Scavenger Hunt CHAMPS

Rock the Chocolate

Elephant Walk

Colorful Dragon

The next morning we said our good-byes until next July! Thanks for all the fun memories, Jen and Randall! You guys sure know how to throw a party! xoxoxo

Chris flew home that afternoon but the kids and I stayed in Salt Lake with Chris' sister and her family for another week. None of it was documented, but we sure had a great time! Raging Waters, Toy Story 2, swimming, Uncle Pete's bbq, Monk, seeing Uncle John and Crown Burger kept us so busy! Thanks, Malens, for having us! You guys can party, too! 

The kids and I flew home together, so tired after weeks of staying up until Midnight and lots of sugar! We had Quiznos for lunch in Denver and did a little shopping to kill time. Nick was thrilled when he found this for me in one of the shops:

"Mom! This is just what you need! It is so soft and cuddly. I will come
back here and get this for you for Mother's Day, Mom!"

We made it home without safe and sound and were excited to see Dad and old Charlie! Trips are so fun but it is always nice to come home!