PLUS
126 pieces of clothing to be ironed....
a lot of standing TV time.
So I snagged these pretty pink shoes (and a couple of other shoes.) When you get get shoes under ten bucks....how can you resist?
But then I had the problem of what do I wear them with besides my black dress......
And then I saw this cute little polka-dotted dress for under $20. It's not just favorite shoes now, it's a favorite outfit.
Our ward ordered "I'm a Mormon" t-shirts for all the youth and the leaders. On the front it says, I am a Mormon and on the back it says mormon.org. Our youth wear them all the time. The girls in middle school all wore theirs the next day after they got them. McKay and some of the other girls wore them on our last 5k. In fact, when my friend crossed the finish line and one of the beehives said, "Good job Sister Ellett," a guy turned around and said "Sister Ellett huh? I'm Brother (so and so.) 
It's so important for the girls to have their own light, even if it's small, it just needs to be there. I love being able to be teaching, serving, and a friend to the Young Women in our ward. Which brings me to a month ago. The bishop called and asked to meet with Jacob and I one Sunday. When he came, he asked if we knew why he was here. I thought, "I just got my calling, so it has to be Jacob." He told me I was being released as the YW Secretary. I was instantly crushed. I thought in my mind, can I argue my way out of this? Then not a minute later, but it seemed like forever, he asked me to serve as the Young Women President. I was shocked. I still am. Of course I accepted. I've got a great Presidency, fabulous advisers, and great girls! Those that know me, know I am not a natural leader. I do great behind the scenes. I even brought this up and the Bishop said, they brought up the fact of how nervous I get but that they have been inspired that I am the one.
Katanya spent the couple days before telling me how last year on St. Patty's Day she went to work with me and pinched the guy there over and over again because he wasn't wearing green. What a memory. She even picked out the same green shirt she wore. Cruz couldn't of cared less. In fact he didn't even want to wear green except for the fact that Katanya said she would pinch him if he didn't.
Thank goodness for the circle skirt tutorial Betsy referred me to! I'm now making the girls a "modern" and cute skirt. 
Go to www.danamadeit.com to see how. Click on here tutorial and go to circle skirt. I modified it just a little to make it a poodle skirt.
And we went for the 50's look.
Kirsten loves to model and pose so I snapped away! Her group performed "The Locomotion " and she did great!
And then....someone shot one rubber band.
And then it was war. The kids backed out fast! Jacob and I took our corners and it was on. (Notice the rubber band in mid air.)
It's all good til someone shoots an eye out. As you can guess, one of us got hit in the eye. One of us got scared and put on safety glasses.
I loved how anytime I got a good hit on my sweet hubby, he bit his lip and tried even harder.
The three younger ones joined my side and ran around gathering rubber bands. 
Somehow this lasted almost 45 minutes.
I had a good teacher show me how to shoot and aim a couple weeks ago. (I don't know if he regrets it now.) Yes, that is a battle wound on my arm.
Jacob tried to take me down at the end and the kids came to my defense. Now before you think I'm a hubby beater, I took some hits and I had some pretty good welts too. Especially the one right by my belly button that lasted for a couple days several on my back. I just can't admit defeat and I never give up!
Cruz finally lost his first tooth right before Christmas. He asked me when I was going to pull it out. I didn't really want to so I had put it off. One night he finally asked again and I looked and it was so loose that he could bend it all the way forward and back. I told him I wanted to wiggle it. I did, and he said a quick "ow." He then said, "Mom promise me you won't try to pull it out" Little did he know the tooth was in my hand. The next tooth he lost sometime on New Year's? We were playing a game and Jacob said, "Cruz, when did you lose your tooth?" He didn't know. I think he may have eaten it. So on the next tooth, (last Sunday) this is what the tooth fairy found. (Cruz doesn't like leaving his teeth under his pillow. He leaves it in a bag on his dresser.)
When did the tooth fairy become Santa? (I do like the fact that he said "Love" Cruz.)
Kirsten, (with the help of Dad) chose to do the Birthday Paradox. This paradox states that in a group of 23 random people there is a 50% chance that at least 2 people will share the same birthday.
Kirsten gathered a lot of names. She wrote everyone in her family down, went to work with Jacob, and asked everyone their birthdays, and even McKay helped and took a couple lists to school to have people in her class fill out. Her theory proved true. Out of 35 groups (of 23 people) 55% had the same birthday. (This project fell under the mathematics section.)
Erika was so sweet to let Kirsten and Cruz sleep over. (Katanya was having a few asthma issues.) They stayed up all hours of the night. McKay got to spend the night with Hannah and Maddy. McKay loved shopping with Maddy. In fact just the other night, she told me I wasn't as fun to go shopping with as Maddy is.
It started snowing right before we headed to the airport. You would think by the way my kids were jumping up and down, trying to catch snowflakes on their tongue, and excited, that they had never seen snow before. I was so glad to get home to warmer temps!
I started out strong at the beginning of the year. Even though there have been many bumps in the road of January, I finished with a total of 101.64 miles. I need an average of 105 miles a month to reach it. Yes, I know I'm short but ....
I have an explanation. There was a 9 day gap that I tried to run once, and between the cold, elevation, and my emotional well being, I just couldn't do it. So if I look at it this way: I ran 101.64 miles in 17 days and had 14 days where I didn't run, it looks a little better right?
When I got the call on Saturday morning that my dad was passing quickly, I scrambled to get a ticket, packed and off. Kirsten came down with her hat that grandpa gave her and said she wasn't taking it off all day. Katanya carried a picture of her fishing with grandpa. That night, they took turns saying a prayer for grandpa. When I called that night, they wanted to tell grandpa that they loved him so I put the kids on speaker as they told him.
Really late Sunday night, (early Monday) McKay was having a hard time. She went to Jacob and he was able to talk to her about the gospel and life's plan. He also gave her a blessing. A couple days later, he told me about it. He told me how impressed he was to tell McKay that Grandpa was now happy, that he was with his family, and that specifically he was getting to know those of his brothers that had passed away as children. He kept saying how strong the feeling was that he was with his family. 
My mom had this heart wreath made in honor of the grandchildren. Haley took the picture of my dad in July of 2010. Before the viewing, the kids got a brief time to see grandpa and say goodbye. Kirsten never really got the alone time that she wanted. They were still setting up and she didn't feel like it was private enough. After the services, at the luncheon, I saw her talking to the picture of grandpa. I choked up but I was very touched. She is one that lets me know what she is thinking and very independent but yet she has such a sweet spirit and breaks when you say anything negative to her. I want her to know that it's still okay to talk and let out her feelings.
Katanya wasn't sure what to think. She is always the one to tell me that she loves me, or if she can't tell me she will sign it to me. She didn't want to touch Grandpa or get super close but the whole time she kept telling him that she loved him.
Cruz was an honorary pallbearer. He was so honored to wear a boutonniere and have it pinned to his suit. When I had him put his coat on to go outside for the graveside dedication, he told me to be careful of his flower.
They had the pallbearers leave their flower on the casket. He looked devastated when he had to take it off. After, I told him that he could go get it and that we would dry / press it. Once again he was a proud little guy.
Jacob and the kids arrived (via airplane) on Tuesday. They thought it was so neat to fly over the Grand Canyon. Katanya greeted me with an "I'll love you no matter what, mom!" I had missed those guys. Jacob took the kids out after I left on Saturday to find new dresses for the girls and to get Cruz his first suit. I tease him for his "retail therapy" but he did a great job and actually found the dresses on clearance making them very affordable (so good he bought them two each.) I guess boy's suits never really go on sale.
Spending my dad's last night in the hospital with him is one I will never regret. As I have run the last couple days, it has sorted out my thinking. It made me think, "Why is it that the hardest things we go through, are things we would never take back?" I'm grateful I got time to bond closer to my family the past week.
I know my dad loved my mom. I know they had differences as we all do but there is such a strong bond. She had to see some really hard moments and make difficult choices but she did them out of love and respect for my dad. She was with him til the end of this life and will be with him forever.
The flowers were gorgeous! Jacob made the comment that this was the best arrangement he had ever seen. I totally agree!
His display was sincere and had little reminders of him. Jacob made him over 35+ lugs for Christmas one year that said "Smith Farms." My dad would pick grapes every year and use / sell them. 
His chainsaw was there too. When I was little he would often go on trips to the Uintah's and bring back wood for winter and to sell. There is still a stack out behind the barn and he hadn't been in over 20 years. His hat was there too. As I mentioned in other posts, he always had hats. When I left on Saturday to fly out, Kirsten had put hers on that Grandpa had given her.
Jacob's work went above and beyond. Not only did they give him extra time off for bereavement but they sent a beautiful bouquet of flowers for the funeral. (Maybe a degree does pay off.)
Kent and his wife came down from Idaho. My kids got so excited when they heard they were coming. We rented his dad's house when we had first moved up there and he was also in our ward. Kent was a great neighbor and will always be a family friend. Anytime my dad came up to Idaho, he would say, "We have to visit Kent." My dad helped pruned his trees one time too. Kent said the opening prayer for my dad's service giving it just the "little bit of Idaho" that it needed.
I saw a lot of family and friends that I hadn't seen in a long time. I heard quite often, "You were this big the last time I saw you!" with their hand at their waste. I tried to personalize with everybody so I could remember who came through. I remembered a lot and then on the rest, most of the time, I just needed a name and I remembered. It was also neat just to see some of my friends (and family members) come through to support me. I can't name them all but thanks! McKay is with her grandma and aunt, Merilyn and Jamie. -Jamie, McKay is catching up to you ;)
I was afraid of how my dad would look in the casket. I remember seeing my grandpa when I was younger and thinking that it was nothing like the grandpa I knew. I don't know if it's because that was the case or if it's just because of my age. I think my dad looked as close to himself that he could. 
I got to know my brother and his family more while I was there. I am so glad I got to hang out with Haley throughout the week and be around her kids. My brother is definitely a lot like my dad in many ways.
Monday evening, Mike called me and asked me to go for a ride with him. He just needed an out. We went and got a smoothie (which I later had several from Juice Press throughout the week) and then we headed out to the mall. He wanted to find a tie that was blue (grandpa's favorite color) and that reminded him of one of my dad's shirts. We found one at the mall so I picked up some extras so Jacob and Kevin (DeAnn's husband) could have one too. We also got the three grandson's a tie that coordinated with theirs. 
The Pallbearers were his son (Mike), his two sons-in-law (Jacob and Kevin), his brother (Brent), and two close friends. Duane (close friend) was the last speaker at his funeral and he spoke about simplicity. My dad was a simple man. He enjoyed growing a simple tomato. He enjoyed a simple sandwich. He enjoyed the simple things in life as should we.
I got Mikey's permission before I posted this picture. I LOVE the emotion in it. It reminds me of so many things but yet it is so simple. I see love, joy, sadness, but yet faith. Faith that he is happy and that we will all see him again.
My dad worked for the Lindon city as the supervisor over Parks and the Cemetery before he retired. He often joked around that they buried people in a tube either head first or feet first. His sister once believed him. It's a little ironic that that is where his body will rest. As I said earlier, my mom had to pick a new casket. The pine reminded me of my parent's house and all the wood that he used when he did the walls and the ceilings. It was the perfect choice.
And the last picture for the simple reminder.