Call Me Crazy and a Free Digital Scrapbook Kit :)

"How many things is this girl trying to do?" You may be asking yourself. :) I'm not taking pictures right now, because after taking my family (all the Smiths) out for pictures in the snow & freezing cold weather, I decided to wait until the Spring, so anyway, back to this cool kit... for Christmas I got this handy little computer program, and for the past month I have been teaching myself how to create my own digital scrapbook kit. My goal was to have it done by Feb. 1st, and wah-lah... It's Done & ready for you to download!!!! I have been so excited about this! I honestly had NO idea that I could design something like this... I guess anything is possible! :) Okay, here is the coolest thing... I have NEVER been able to draw, I always thought my sister Jen was so cool because she could draw all these cute little stick figures and I could draw the stick, but NOTHING else, so one day I said to myself "Self, you can do this! Just try it, and you can erase anything that doesn't work" So I tried it, did a lot of erasing, but no tracing, and my little chicks and branches turned out so cute! (At least I think so) :)

So anyway, now here is the cool part for those of you who are into digital scrapbooking. You can go to my new site here and download this cute little kit just in time for Valentines Day! And the best part... IT'S FREE! "Why Melissa? After all that hard work?" Honestly I had SOOO much fun doing it I couldn't even sleep at night because I wanted to keep learning & I actually wanted to wake up early in the morning so I could keep learning (which for those of you who know me, know I am NOT a morning person). So, I hope you enjoy this! Please pass the word along to all of your friends who do digital scrapbooking. (You do need to have some sort of digital scrapbooking program or photoshop to use this, and I have directions on my blog for downloading) The little chicks work like stickers... How cool is that! Can you tell I'm just a little bit excited! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Happy creating.... :)


All of my family was able to be here for New Years Day, so we all went outside to take pictures in the freezing cold weather. The little kids didn't last too long, and our cheeks were extra pink when we were done, but it was so nice being with all of our family! I love my family so much! Later that day we all went to my parents house and had a big fondue party with TONS of food to warm our bellies. :)
(Here's a trick question... did we honestly get all 7 grandchildren to look at the camera and smile?)
I guess only I will know. :)

A new Temple & Brian's Birthday

Yesterday we celebrated Brian's last birthday in his 20's, I don't think he feels too old yet. :) We had a fun day planned, and the thing that Brian really wanted to do (since I was making him take off work to spend the day with us) was go to the new Draper Temple as a family. Jackson kept asking all weekend, "When are we going to the temple as a family for Daddy's birthday?" The temple was absolutly beautiful & I loved the feeling of being there. The kids were so excited to go and were actually little angels the whole time. We took a bus (which Jackson loved) up to the temple from the church & then went on the tour. At the first part, we were able to see the baptismal font & I explained to Morgan how we get baptized when we are 8, and are able to do temple work for those who have passed on when we are 12. She had a little paper they had given her, and found the picture and then showed it to Jackson and said, "See, Jackson, look at this picture, see, it's the same thing." I hope she'll remember that part. The best part for Brian & I was when we walked into the Celestial room as a family. They were a little behind so a man told us to just wait... we LOVED waiting in the Celestial room of all rooms. It was such a neat feeling to sit on the couch together as a family & feel so close to our Heavenly Father & Savior. Jackson said, "My heart feels warm" as we were in there. I love the spirit of the temple. I love that we have the temples all over the world and for how they bless the lives of so many people. I love what one of my friends said, "The temples are not secret, they are sacred." I hope for any of you that live somewhat close, you will take the time to go and see the temple. You will love it! (If you are interested in the temples & our religion, go here ) I would love to re-create that moment in the celestial room of the Draper Temple in about 20 years with all of my kids & Brian. What a neat experience!

We had one picture in front of the temple, but it didn't work out, but I did get this cute one of the kids getting ready to go in. They were so excited and literally running because they couldn't wait!
So after the temple, we went and ate at Cafe Rio and had our favorite pork barbacoa salad. MMMMMMmmmmmm! And then we went to see the dog.. Winnie...
When Brian was a teenager, his best friend had this HUGE lab that they hung out with all the time. I think Winnie was J.T. & Brian's best friend. She was always with them, and Brian has many fond memories with her, so about a month ago, we read on J.T.'s blog that Winnie was back to stay with J.T. & Carly for the rest of her life. (Carly reacted the same way I would have... are you serious? That huge dog is going to live with us? Carly's sweet though & let her stay. :) When Brian read their blog he said, "They have Winnie!! I love that dog!!!" I instantly thought, " Mmmm note to self... good birthday idea." So we went to visit Winnie. I don't know who was more excited.. Brian or Winnie. We had such a good time visiting with J.T. & Carly & their adorable & sweet kids. Everyone needs to have friends like J.T. & Carly!
Here is Brian enjoying one of his birthday treats. Chocolate covered strawberries! I should have waited to give them to him when the kids weren't around because he had to share. :)
We, or should I say Brian, had a great day. It was so fun spending the day as a family & just enjoy being together. As for Brian, he is really looking forward to his 30's I keep acting as though I'm planning a big surprise party for him, and our whole ward will come in honor of him... for some reason he doesn't want one that big... bummer. Maybe next year I'll have to just settle for a few close friends & family, and maybe a couple more friends, oh, and I can't forget all our neighbors, & wait, there are some cousins that definatly need to be there... maybe I should reserve the church just in case. :)

Happy Anniversary!!!!

Today Brian and I celebrate 7 years of marriage. I love Brian more than anything in the world, and he does so much for me & the kids.
I think that growing up I looked at marriage like you do when you watch a princess fairy tale movie... you meet the handsome prince, you fall madly in love, you get married, & live in a castle happily ever after. And of course NOTHING ever goes wrong! You never argue with the handsome prince, and you always agree on everything, and if you don't he (the handsome prince) will do anything to keep you (the princess) happy! :)
I think both Brian & I have learned a lot from each other these last 7 years. I feel like both of us are learning just as much about ourselves as each other. I love seeing the support & love we continually give each other. We have definatly had our hard times in the last 7 years, but I am so grateful for the growth that we have had as individuals as well as a couple as we have gone through those trials. I am so grateful for marriage! I love having someone like Brian for my best friend. He means everything to me & I look so forward to our future together. I am so grateful that on a snowy day in January... I married my handsome prince, who I was madly in love with then, and in love with even more so today! :)

God be with you til we meet again...

Yesterday afternoon, Brian's Grandma Stevenson (Karen's Mother) passed away. She was surrounded by her children & husband.
What a remarkable woman! She has lead a lifetime of goodness. She has been able to see all of her children marry, grandchildren marry, & has been a faithful & devoted mother & wife. I know that the things that she taught her children carry on with her grandchildren. All 4 children have a wonderful devotion to God & their religion, and I know it's because of what she has taught them.
I wonder what it's like... on the other side. I imagine that when she passed through the veil, she had quite the crowd waiting for her. Her sister, who passed away almost 10 years ago, her parents, cousins, grandmothers, grandfathers, friends, etc. Brian's grandfather has done geneology for years, and Grandma Stevenson has helped out as much as she could.
I am sure that among the crowd of family waiting for her, were people that she hadn't met while on this earth, yet she had helped redeem through temple work along with her husband. I am sure there were many, if not thousands waiting to meet her for all of her time, devotion, & help in finding their names & supporting her husband while he was away doing genology. What a great woman! I admire her & her devotion, and her support of her husband in doing the most important work.
I love the song from "Hercules" ( I think it's called Hero) some of the words say, " I have often dreamed of a far off place, where a hero's welcome will be waiting for me, and the crowds will cheer, when they see my face, and a voice keeps saying, This is Where I'm Supposed to Be!"
We know that Grandma is where she is supposed to be & that she is happy. We are so grateful for the knowledge that we have of life after death & that one day we can all be together again.


This picture was taken at our wedding in 2002. In my wedding photo album, one page opens up, and we have a picture like this will all 4 sets of Grandparents. We have been so blessed to have all 8 grandparents alive for the last 7 years. What a blessing each one of them is to our little family.

To Grandma... God be with you til we meet again! We love you!

Buddy the Elf is staying with us!!!

"Does syrup have sugar? Then yes!"
This happened earlier today, and I was laughing so hard. I had to share it with you...

The kids have loved watching "Elf' during the Christmas holidays. Usually I'll get a movie started for them and then "work" on the computer in the other room.
Well, this morning Jackson woke up and said he didn't want to eat because he wasn't feeling well, so I let him lay on my bed and I gave him a couple of crackers. A little while later he & Morgan were watching a movie downstairs and I heard this:

Morgan: What is that Jackson?
Jackson: It's syrup... it will help me feel better.
Morgan: Why do you have syrup?
Jackson: Because I am sick and I need to drink it so it will make me feel better.

I was in the other room just listening and I figured he had brought down the syrup bottle, or found one in the storage room, but when he said he needed to drink it to help him feel better, I thought maybe he had gotten a hold of the medicine somehow, so I walked in the other room to check things out.
Me: Whoa... ( as I see a bowl full of nice sticky syrup) what are you doing?
Jackson: I need to drink this so I will feel better. (

At this point he starts to pull the bowl up so he can start to drink the syrup. GROSS!!!!

I took the bowl from his hands and explained how we can't have syrup downstairs because it's really sticky and would make a big mess. I also told him how we don't "drink" syrup, but we eat it with pancakes.

Me: Jackson, are you hungry?
Jackson: Yes
Me: Do you want pancakes for lunch?
Jackson: Yes, and I want chocolate, and peanut butter, and syrup on them.

I have no idea where he got this combination at. We have NEVER had this for breakfast, or any other meal, and then I thought, wait a minute... he's been watching the "Elf" movie a couple of times and Buddy eats TONS of syrup. Thankfully Jackson didn't want to combine it all with pop-tarts. I think I would have put a stop there. I did spread a thin layer of "Nutella" and peanut butter on it, and he put syrup on it, and ate it up. He was the happiest & funniest kid I have ever seen.

I think Morgan thought the whole thing was weird. (According to our kids we don't say "weird" in our family) I have no idea where they got this from, but whenever Brian or I say 'weird' one of the kids will say, "We don't say weird!" Anyway
Morgan did want peanut butter and syrup on hers though.
And Hallie was just amused by the whole thing. She was as happy as could be with her little pancake.

Who's the biggest kid?

Today I went with my mom and sisters shopping. Wait, let me back up. The other day it was snowing, and the next morning Brian woke up at 7:00 and went outside to make a huge hill for the kids because "it had to be done!" He was out there until 9:00 getting the hill perfect for them. The kids then went outside and they spent the afternoon playing and fixing the hill. So, now today, I came home from the store, and the kids and Brian are outside making the hill even better. It now has stairs that lead up to the top, an igloo, and if you notice in the middle picture, a nice 2nd hill for an even better ride. The kids are having the time of their lives, and I think Brian is enjoying himself just as well. ;) As for me, I like just watching from the window enjoying hot chocolate. :)

The Story of Santa Coming from Jackson the Reporter

Jackson came with me to Morgan's program, and was amused the entire time. He even got a turn at the end to sit on Santa's lap. When we got home, he started whispering something while we were eating lunch, and I asked him to say it again. He told me he was going to tell Daddy about it when he got home, so I had to record it. He is whispering, so you'll have to pause the music and turn the volume up, but it will make you smile. This is what the teacher said when the special visitor was coming. Enjoy! :)