Our Hot Friday Night!

To save money Brian and I our on a special plan through SRP (our electric company). We make sure we don't use our major appliances between the times of 3 and 6 pm during the week days. We also put our thermostat at 85 degrees during this time. It is always warmer during these times but bearable if we stay downstairs and keep our fans on. On Friday I was feeling that our home was a little bit hotter than normal but I thought it was probably due to the outside temperature. We decided to go swimming with Dean around 6 pm, one of our common nightly rituals this past summer, so I went upstairs to put on my suit. I decided to check the thermostat before I went outside because the house was still feeling quite hot. To my horror the temperature read 92 degrees. Now I enjoy the heat more than the cold but I still do not like being hot. When I told Brian he did not seem too worried and thought it might get cooler somehow(I was not thinking this would happen but went along with it). The coolness did not come and we decided to wait until the morning to come up with a solution. So our Friday night was spent in our 93 degree temperature home, yes it got even hotter! Dean was having a little difficulty and we decided to have him sleep in his diaper downstairs in the living room on a blanket. I was thinking of calling my parents to just sleep there because Dean(who normally goes to bed at 7:00 and sleeps until I wake him up at 10pm to feed him) woke up 3 times before 10pm. He finally slept and I felt that I should rough it out (I figured there are people in other countries that sleep in the heat without air condition and the pioneers had to do it that I would be fine for the night as well as my baby). I slept a little better than I thought but of course not great. Brian opened the front and back doors during the night so it cooled down a little but not much. Dean woke up a couple of times in the night but my wonderful husband was there to comfort him and let me sleep. I did not even have to ask him he just did it. He is the best!
Now that it is fixed and working I appreciate the convenience we have of staying cool because of our air condition, especially in the heat of Arizona!

Pool Time!

Our family loves to swim, especially the boys. We usually go out when the sun is starting to set to prevent sunburns and it is not as hot. Our pool gets 90 degrees or higher. We have a NO SPLASH ZONE for Dean since he is too small to enjoy the splashing games that Noah and Brian like to play. Dean continues to love the water just like his big brother.

Dean is getting stronger

Dean loves to stand on our laps while we hold him so when Becky was at work Brian decided to get out the jumper that Noah used when he was a baby. Dean seems to like it but is not quite strong enough to bounce very high.
Dean can hold himself up longer while he is on his stomach. Look at his bulging arm muscles!

Working Mother

My students started on Monday and my summer and days as a fulltime stay at home mother is over (for the time being). I started back and am in my 5th year teaching Junior High PE. I am now a working mother. This is not a title I would have ever thought I would have, especially with my baby so young but I feel that under the circumstances I have been blessed. I have a great schedule and only have to work part-time. I can get home around 11:30 AM or so. Right now my wonderful husband Brian is having the opportunity to watch Dean while I am away. What a great bonding time they are having. I have found a babysitter close to home and someone I trust when Brian has to end his role as a stay at home dad. Overall even though it is not what I would prefer, I am going try to make these next 9 months (the length of my school year and contract) the best I can. Then next year if all goes as we are planning I hope to say "I am a fulltime stay at home mother". I love being a mom!

Dean's Blessing Day August 3, 2008

Our handsome baby Dean

Becky with her favorite boys!

Mita holding her great-grandson Dean

Nonny and Papa with Noah and Dean

Dean's Great-grandpa Gaisford and Grandma and Grandpa Cardon


What a special day it was for our family. Brian was able to bless Dean and there were four generations in the circle - Great grandpa Gaisford, Grandpa Cardon, Papa Smith, Brian, and Scott Cardon. We had so many family and friends come and join us on this special day. We were able to have a gathering at our home after to celebrate our new baby boy. He has been a blessing in our home over the past 3 months. He is our little miracle.

We love when family comes to visit!

Last weekend we had Brian's parents come to visit. Noah and Dean loved spending time with their Nonny and Papa. It was a hot weekend but it didn't ruin the fun. Brian's brother Steve also was in town for the night and we met up with him for breakfast on Friday morning. Brotherly love!

Brian and his father Steve hiked Camelback on Saturday morning and they said it was beautiful. They got up around 5:00am so they could hike it before it got too hot.

Noah and Dean with Nonny and Papa before they leave to go back to Spokane.

SMITH FAMILY REUNION

We had a fun time going to Spokane, WA the first week in July for the Debbie and Steve Smith family reunion. It was wonderful seeing all of the family and enjoying the fun activities planned by Nonny and Papa. We enjoyed time with the family, the great food, the huckleberry yogurt, amusement and water park, the lake, the talent show, the fireworks, the beautiful scenery, cooler weather, and all the wonderful memories we made. I was not great at taking a lot of pictures but here are a few.

We had a talent show and Noah did a magic act that amazed everyone!

Brian and Noah on the Carousal

Noah and most of his cousins on the biggest red wagon in the world.

Dean on his first airplane ride. What cute Smith boys!

Jenny and McKay, Chelsea and Brianna, Becky and Dean

The baby cousins were all born within 3 months of each other.

David and McKay, Brian and Brianna, Brian and Dean

The water was cold in the lake but Brian and Noah swam out to the moving log. I even went out there with Brian also but we didn't get a picture.

Brian and his brother Brady

Elizabeth's Day

We celebrated our daughter Elizabeth on May 30. It had been one year since her silent birth. To remember her I wanted to donate a few outfits and blankets to Banner Desert where we had delivered her. They were so kind to us and allowed us to use what others had donated that I felt this is one way I could celebrate her. My sisters were all in town so that night Brian, Dean, and I along with my family went to Mariposa Gardens where our baby Elizabeth is buried. We miss her and long to know her and see her again. I was able to make a memory book about her and this is what I wrote about her delivery:
After 2 hours of pushing and so much support from Brian and Becky's mom Elizabeth, our beautiful baby girl arrived at 10:25 AM on May 30, 2007. She was 6lbs 2oz and 20inches long. Everyone was in awe on how wonderful she looked under the circumstances. She was so beautiful. Her arms and legs were so thin and she had the longest fingers and toes. Her head was shaped so perfectly. She came out chin, lips, and then her face so she did get some bruising but she looked so perfect. She had so many features of her mother and father. When Brian handed her to me he said"We made such a beautiful baby!" We did not have a name chosen yet but we knew we wanted her middle name to be Elizabeth before she was born. We realized that Elizabeth was the name we should give her and decided to not have a middle name. So without any hesitation we named her Elizabeth Smith. Elizabeth means God's Promise, Promised by God, and Consecrated to God. What a perfect name for our daughter!

Our Summer Continued

Dean's first time in the swimming pool with his Daddy.

Noah and Dean just relaxing together.

My sisters all came into town to visit their new nephew and so we could have a sisters weekend. Our new sister in law Michelle was able to join us as well. Starting from the left it is Becky, Michelle, Emily, Mom, Rachael, and Christin. We had fun getting pedicures, going to the swap meet, and a lot of talking and laughing.

Noah participated in his first diving meet and he placed 4th!

Our Summer

I want to look back at the wonderful summer we had and share some of the exciting times we had. For me summer starts once school is out so I started my summer early when I left for maternity leave to have Dean Christopher on May 1. Here are some pictures of the wonderful day and him up to 2 weeks of age.

Noah was able to visit his new brother in the hospital the day after he was born. I love this family picture!


We had a fantastic photographer Dani, at Still Life Studios, who is also a friend take these pictures when Dean was only 2 weeks. These are some of my favorites.
The 2 pictures below were taken by her as well right after Dean was born.

This lovely picture was taken the day I went in the hospital. I was saying goodbye to Noah before he left for school and he was saying goodbye to my big belly.

We Finally Started Our Blog!

After months of thinking about it and wanting to start one I finally took the step to start our family blog. Thanks to Brian and his help I am excited to start compiling a family journal. It might take a while to get it exactly how I want it but atleast I am starting!