double diving diva

cobie placed 2nd in the city qualifying meet, out of 22 girls her age. this week, she is working on her double off the 3 meter board, her inward somersault off the 1 or 3 meter, and her 1 1/2 off the 3 meter board. this somer, she has placed 1st twice, and 2nd four times...so she is hoping to place in the top 3 in the city. (you get a medal for the first three places...) pictures soon!

Diving Diva

cobie has really progressed in her diving! We have tried to instill in her that it doesn't matter what you win, so long as you have done your best! You can be proud of your accomplishments, you parents will be proud of you, but most importantly, Heavenly Father will be proud of you! So, in her first meet, she got 1st place...we get out to the car, and she says, "I LIKE winning!!!" the next meet, she also gets 1st, the next meet, she gets a 2nd...by 2/10ths of a point...the judges gave her a 4, a 5 1/2, and a 6....she was MAD! "I HATE loosing!" so now, a second place is "losing"...i dont get that one! "so, did you do your best?" "yeah" "then you can be proud of what you did""But I STILL hate losing!" This week, the required dive was a reverse...she can do it on the trampoline, but not on the board, so she didnt have the required dive for the meet, but she still got a 2nd.
She has added a 1 1/2 tuck on the 3 meter board, a 1 1/2 pike on the 3 meter board, a 2 forward on the 1 meter, an inward dive on the 1 meter, a back layout with a 1/2 twist, and is working on her double off the 3 meter...she is getting much more confident on the 3 meter, and is having alot of fun. She gets with her friends, and they play follow the leader, one of her friends, Beth, broke her nose cuz she she hit it with her knee...cobie has gotten alot of her dives due to positive peer pressure!!!
we have 4 darling baby kitties...cobie named them "dexter", "dewey", "angel" & "charity"...she wants to keep all 4 =^..^=
we are giving them away!!! any takers?




memorial day

this is one of my favorite holidays...when my girls were younger, they performed in a group called "Celebration USA" (they have a great website) and we went to the westminster mortuary to perform each year, so i took these pictures of kira and cobie, putting a flag on a soldiers grave. the other picture was taken 1 year later, of the girls after the performance. i took a pic, in the same place, 3 years in a row. it was fun to see how the girls had all grown!


ECLIPSE

Finished this one too! the word at work was that people had a hard time getting throught this one...too much history, but i enjoyed that part of it, i felt like that it helped me understand why people were the way they were the way they were. i started breaking dawn this morning, after i got off work...and im loving it already...cant i just stay home and read?? PLEASE?!!

NEW MOON

well, i finished new moon in 12 hours...i really enjoyed it, and had trouble putting it down...but...alas. there were other things to do. our old pool finally died, after 5 summers, and 5 years of "sun" abuse...so we got a new (used) one...only trouble is that the old one was 15 feet across, the new one is 18 feet across...so we dug out the extra 3 feet...5 feet deep...by hand...ok, not with our hands, with shovels. every planter is fuller, the yard is several inches taller...hey! you have to put all of that dirt somewhere!! anyway, the new pool is up, smooth, and FULL of water!! so cobie goes in it when its about 16 inches deep..."mom, this is really cold!" well, yeah! this water is straight from the hose!! this isn't a jacuzzi!! so now we get to finish the deck, and the slide, and hope the grass grows back throught all of the dirt!! this is what makes life great! one project after another!!!

twilight...WOW!

well, i started reading twilight on thursday morning @0400...at work you understand...it was a really slow night...i finished friday morning @0500...and yes! i did work and i did sleep! it was awesome. we aren't buying new moon until thursday...so im not reading the teaser chapter that is in the back of twilight...since i know i wont be able to read any more until thursday...why tease myself?? cobie has been reading it outloud to her dad...they are loving it also. they reas 5 chapters the first day, and then were upset that i took it to work with me!! cobie says..."soooo, mom, what chapter are you on NOW??" im done cobie...."WHAT??" cant wait until thursday!!

Twilight

so, Twilight came out saturday morning at 12:30, and cobie has a girlfriend spending the night. she asks me if i am leaving work to get her the movie...yeah! right! so, anyway, i DID pick one up, one of the girls was going to walmart to mcdonalds for lunch at midnight, so she picked up 4 copies for all of us. so, anyway, i come home at about 7:20 in the am, and cobie bounces off of the couch, totally awake, (after stayin up late with her friend) "mom, did you get it??" "did you watch it yet??" cobie, its still wrapped in plastic...do you THINK i watched it yet?? (now, there are nights when it is really slow at work, and we do watch movies...so that was a legit question!) so, she woke up Yesenia, and they watched twilight...they were two happy girls!! ahhh, to be young again!
mom and dad were here visiting sher and ray, so we met for lunch...had to take pics so i could send one to them!

mom, dad & cobie

mom, dad & cobie
i LOVE this feature! i just wish that FAMILY had more letters in it, so i could put up more pictures of my kids...and grandkids!! i love those people!!! i just wish they lived closer and that we could talk...i really, really miss and love them!

my favorite wall

my favorite wall
another 8 ft counter, with storage above and below. joseph out in 3 under-cabinet lites, and 8 or 9 plug outlets for everything i need. he had to put a surround sound with 4 speakers in the 4 corners...i only need the speakers on 3 or 4...and that is plenty loud for me!

the west counter

the west counter
cobie found this cabinent for $15, so we cut the top off, put casters on the bottom, made cushions and pillows, and it is a favorite place for everyone...including the cats. i'll come into the room in the morning and my orange cat doll and the knit heart pillow will be on the floor...they love to play with those.

cobies window seat

cobies window seat
this desk is huge, 5 ft by 6 ft, and was really ugly...kind of pale industrial green, but it holds alot, so that is great. we painted the top and front white, and covered the outsides with fabric. the glass tops are great for displaying photos. the kitties love the glass too, they leave little kitty footprints all over it while they torment my fish!

my desk

my desk

my desk...again

my desk...again

the long awaited pictures of the craft room

sorry it took sooo long, but here they are! starting at the west wall, the counter is 8 feet long, has 6 drawers and 6 shelves, so i have all kinds of storage! peg board on the wall to hold shelves, pics, tools, ribbon, etc!

the east counter

the east counter

storage space

storage space
cobie uses our table for homework, and scrapbooking

work space

work space

valentines day

valentines day was very thoughtful this year...joseph gave me an orchid and a huge bunch of my favorite lilys...my room smells heavenly! i made my family a scrapbook page, telling them what i love about them.





when we arrived here, 5 summers ago, boo met a cute little girl at the leisure world pool. maya and boo have been "B.F.F" ever since. maya and her parents come twice a year and the girls love to get together, swim, play, ride horses, go out to eat, sleep over, and just be together. it has been fun to compare the pictures that we take every year to see how they have grown!!



boo came to me, and said, "mom, i want you to cut my hair" (she wont let me take her to a salon...she is terrified!) so i figure, an inch or MAYBE two.....2 hours later...blow-dried, and curled...here is the finished product! this kid has REALLY thick hair! (did i mention how thick her hair is??)

25 random things about me

Friday, February 06, 2009

25 random things about me
ok...one of the charge nurses at work did this, and is sounded like fun...here goes...deb in a nutshell...am i the shell, or just the nut??!!
1.after almost 50 years...i still dont know what i want to be when i grow up.
2. i feel the greatest peace when i am in the service of others...especially in the temple.
3. 2 of my most awesome experiences (so far) have been sailing with a pod of 4 humpback whales for hours...they were close enough to touch....and sailing in the balloon that inspired the song, "would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon"
4. i love pigs...always have. my dad let me hand raise one, and they are awesome, smart pets...but they hate to sleep alone!
5. i have finally learned to let go of the past...i cant change it, i can only learn from it and try to make my future the best it can be.
6. happiness is a choice...my choice...and i love it cuz others cant fugure out why i am always soooo happy!!
7.i broke my mom and gramas heart when i moved out at 18. my grama held a grudge about it until she died in 1993...how many memories did we miss out on because of this wasted emotion? and i didnt know about it until it was too late!
8.i love all of my children, deeply, differently, the same, eternally, and i miss the close assosiation with them, their spouses, and their children.
9.in college, i took sign language and tap dancing...i wish i had kept up with both!
10. living in costa rica gave me a greater love for all of God's children. they are some of the sweetest, kindess, most generous people i have ever had the blessing of knowing.
11. i read the book of mormon 5 times in one year...thus gaining my love for the scriptures.
12.i have never smoked, done drugs, or been drunk, EXCEPT for the thanksgiving when i was 3 or 4 (i think) at my gramas, and my uncle jimmy and cousin punky put a nickle in my glass and told me i had to drink it to get the nickle...i was rich!!...my mom wanted to kill them!!..." mom, why is the ceiling spinning??"
13. growing up, i was terrified of the turkey on my dads farm. it was my job to feed him, and he loved to fluff all up and scare me to death. i finally got brave enough, and whacked him in the head with a bucket full of feed....he didnt chase me any more! i had the final say in the matter though!!...i held his body as dad chopped his head off :) (evil) hehehe!! that was one turkey i didn't mind dying!
14. as a kid, i loved "liddle kiddle" dolls...they were like gumby and pokey, bendable. one year for christmas, des and i got, like, 10 of them. i still have one! when i found out that they were going for on ebay...i totally wished i had taken better care of my toys...and kept them!! (sorry kimber about your carebears, rainbowbright, and, t and bo, about your he-man guys!)
15.i no longer have "hot flashes"...i have "power surges". when i found out that i still had to go through menopause, even though i dont have a uterus...i was seriously ticked!!
16. i am ashamed to say that i have lost track of many of my close friends from all of my school years...i am slowly but surely redeeming myself...i am in contact with of few of those wonderful people...and working on more! but, when did THEY all grow sooo old??!
17. living in an RV was one of the best amd worst times of my life...i was able to let go of "stuff", things that i had been holding onto because i felt more secure with them....other precious belongings were taken from me, never to be replaced...and dearly missed always. but getting rid of the un-necessary belongings let me feel upliften, unburdened, and free, without that weight of "stuff" on my shoulders.
18. my family calls me the "cleaning nazi"...ok...sometimes i am! but God's house is a house of order, of cleanliness...and i like mine the same way...sorry that i have driven you all nuts! but who does everyone come to when they cant find something?? huh? and WHO knows where it it?? i rest my case.....now go clean your room...please!!
19. i learned how to french kiss when i was a sophmore in high school...jeff...(you know who you are!) on a blanket at the beach surrounded by my family...WHAT WAS I THINKING??? ( or was i?)
20.i grew up in a hick town...one stop light, no high school, you knew everyone, gone are the days, when you could pack a lunch, take your best friend and your bikes and head out for the day with a promise to be back before dark!!
21. marinda and i streaked when we were about 14...old enough to have something to show...around my house...her house...and there was her brother with a camera...oh crap!! dark background...white bodies...you get the picture! (so did everyone else!)
22. marinda, kathy and i skinney dipped that same summer in kathy's pool. we loved watching the going-ons of the neighborhood...why didn't we realize that if we could see the neighbors from the top of that slide...that they could see us?? NAKED!!! HELLO??? (again, What was i thinking??)
23.now that i'm bigger, er...older...ok, both, i can skinney dip in the atlantic ocean...christmas day...much warmer that the pacific ocean, or right in my own backyard!! it is still just as nice as it was when i was a kid!
24. i love working with my hands...crafts, sewing, laying tile, working with wood, yardwork, any of that kind of stuff, but i HATE to cook (yes...my family knows!) its not that i cant cook...i just dont like to. why work for all of that time, everyone wolfs it down, or complains the whole time, and all you are left with is the mess?? yet, i still have the first dress that i made, (i was 8) and i find great joy unpacking decorations that i have made...remembering the process...and enjoying it for another year...go figure!
25.i love the beachboys, bread, america, the bee gees, and barry manilow....still!! yeah, i know!
26. (oppps, sorry, one more!) my favorite places in the whole world are...disneyland...home...a warm beach with a hammock...the Temple...costa rica...the bahamas...not necessarily in that order!!


the widows mite

Friday, February 06, 2009
we are sitting in fast & testimony meeting sunday, listening to our former bishop talking about paying tithing. we had just been talking about how we weren't quite sure how we were going to cover tithing & a generous fast offering. we look over at cobie, and she pulls this wad of bills out of her wallet & starts filling out her tithing slip. she is giving $16 for tithing. so i explain...yet again...that tithing is about obedience, and that she only has to give 10%..."but I want to give it ALL!" cobie, 10%...."no mom, I WANT TO GIVE IT ALL!" so, who am i to deny her the blessings of giving all that she has? so i helped her to pay a generous tithe, and to decide what else she would like to donate her money to, she chose the temple fund, and was thrilled and excited to help build our new temples here is az. could I...GIVE IT ALL?? i wonder!


putting down the new tile....notice the wonderful 70's vinyl florring, glued down soo well that we couldn't get it up without dynamite!

painting the lovely paneling...bright white!! 3 coats!!!

NEW CRAFT ROOM!!!

so we went to stardust...thats a goodwill for contractors...when they tear something out of houses that are being remodeled, the old stuff goes to stardust, anyway, joseph wants to remodel the kitchen(yeah, right! maybe when all the OTHER projects are done) so anyway, we are looking at cabinets for the kitchen, and i find these two, 8 foot long cabinets with tons of drawers, and shelves that pull out too. included in the price is a huge, long, navy blue countertop...i seriously can see how this could look in my craftroom, or as we call it, "the sanctuary". now, this room used to be a huge "man-cave"...you know the look! dark paneling, ugly ceiling, brown shutters, 70's vinal flooring...basically pretty gross!
so, i paid for MY cabinets, put MY name on the 'sold' sign, and went home to hook up the suburban and trailer. meanwhile, the guys at stardust are saying "what does a GIRL want with cabinets like this??" HAH! little do they know!
well, the ceiling and walls have been painted bright white, white blinds are on the windows, accesories have been painted navy, carpet is coming on monday or tuesday, shelves are up, window seat is being painted and padding is being padded, pillows are being made, excitement is escalating!! my family is wondering if they will ever see me now! (little do they know that i know that by saying certain music keeps them out!!) i only have before pics, but more will follow soon!!

here is the OLD craft room...a dumping ground for unwanted stuff...

notice the lovely brown paneling, and the brown shutters...and all of the JUNK!!

sharing...

I was on my way to the bank yesterday morning, going around the back of the building to a shortcut, and behind the trash bin was a guy sleeping. it was really cold, well, for us, about 38, and frosty. anyway, i have this blanket that we keep in the car cuz our vw is old, and the heater doesn't work, so we use the blanket alot. the spirit says, "give that guy your blanket", no problem, i was going to anyway, but i was going to go to the bank first, "no! go do it now!" so, i'm still driving around the back of the building...not listening, and just before the entrance to the bank is a huge truck off-loading to the store...so i have to back-up the way i can, to go back by the guy..."see, if you had listened to me, you wouldn't have had to back-up! just do it the first time!" so anyway, i pull up to the guy, and take the blanket out of its bag, and by now the guy is sitting up, looking alittle scared (of an old lady in a bug?) and i got out and said, "its really cold, heres a blanket to keep you warm" "thank you ma'am" (theres that "old" word) and i almost cried-he was like 22 years old! too young to be sleeping behind the trash bin. we decided that we had some old sleeping bags, that we never use, so those are going in the car...one at a time, so we can help someone else out!! i love that feeling!!!


sharing the season

bacause joseph looks like santa, we hire ourselves out to play santa, mrs claus, and an elf...boo just loves doing this-NOT! but it is good for her to expand her horizons!! we went to a disability school with kids from 2 to 5o...it was awesome. we sat down, and this little aisian girl with down syndrome came up to joseph, put her hands on his cheeks and says, "i love you danta" then kisses him. he looks at me, and says with tears running down his cheeks, "I dont need anything else for christmas!" it is amazing, to see these angels in disguise in action. how incredible they are. when a child sits on santas lap, is given a gift, then when they stand up and turn to you, giving you back the toy saying, "here santa, give this to someone who really needs it" kinda puts all of my issues into perspective!! big time! we love the innocence of youth, the non-believing teenager, the old woman with dementia who asks "who ARE you??" 15 times, and the unselfish giving of ones time to anyone who needs it. we have been blessed with the unconditional love of Christ and of a Heavenly Father and Mother who love us...always...and forever...without judgement. i wish i could always say the same...but as i strive to be a little better each day...i know that i am loved and blessed. may you and your know the love of the Lord...of your families...of one another...always! may God bless and keep you.


the parable of the candy canes

have you heard the parable of the candy canes? probably not, because i am writing it now. we were standing in line at the store, wearing our santa and mrs. claus hats, buying more candycanes to hand out to those we talk to...kids, old people, teenagers, believers and non-believers alike, anyone we would like to give a smile to. we are visiting with 2 elderly ladies, telling them about wht we do during the holidays and they give us money to buy more candycanes to hand out...they did this just because they know that is one way that they can help us to spread joy to others. this happens all the time to us...just because we are giving to others. to date, we have been given $50, and we spent it all on candy canes. as we are approaching the birth of our Savior...our candycanes are almost gone, but the giving spirit lingers on...may we all use the parable of the candycanes to brighten someone elses life by a kind word, a smile, a hug, or a wink. commit a random act of kindness, and spread the love of God everytime you do!!

christmas concert

boo had her christmas concert this week...this is her second year of playing the violin and she does really well! she joined the fiddling class so she is learning to fiddle too!! she excells at fiddling!



i did it!!!

wahooo!!! after 937 front flips...boo has FINALLY done her 1 1/2. she has been working sooo hard at it! when she would dive, she sould almost hurt herself trying NOT to do the 1 1/2...so when she came out of the water after doing it for the first time, she says "that was EASY!!" her coach almost cried!! her dad promised her a parakeet when she finally got it!! (she had such fond memories of kennas parakeet that she wanted one just like it) so here are pics of the newest addition to the smith menagerie!!!


thanksgiving

we brined a turkey in pineapple juice, syrup, and spices for 24 hours, then cooked it...it was sooo juicey and tender, it almost melted in your mouth! we have a gratitude chart with a pocket for each day. every day, we each have to put something in it that we are thankful for, then at night, we tell why we are thankful for that item. by the end of the month, we can see how much we have, and all that we have been blessed with!!


T-N-T

boo is going to a new gym, the old one has given her some bad habits that she is trying to re-learn. she is in the T-N-T class...trampoline and tumbling class. she uses our trampoline alot, and needs those skills for diving, so we thought this would be a good idea. her new coach is pretty hardcore, bald, tatoos, missing 1/2 of 2 fingers, all in all, a pretty tough guy, firm, loud, and loads of fun. yesterday, he told boo to do a roundoff, backtuck...something she has never done. her eyes got huge!! but she did it! here are the pics, in order!! we have a really cool camera that does videos and stills, up to about 10 in 2 seconds!!

my first roundoff back tuck!!

my first roundoff back tuck!!






who would'ave thougt that a $3 medal would have brought sooo much joy?! can i buy some?? this one only cost us...ohhh, about $350...money well spent!!

sundevil divers at ASU

we are now taking lessons at ASU, and have been asked to join their bronze medal team, but we have decided to stay in lessons for now. we have been to one invitational meet, with about 30 girls in boos age group, so compitition was a little tough...but she had a great time!!

i got third!!!:)

i got third!!!:)

backtuck off the 1 meter

backtuck off the 1 meter

backdive off the 3 meter

backdive off the 3 meter

asu dive tank, 1 & 3 meter springboards, and 5, 7.5 & 10 meter platforms

asu dive tank, 1 & 3 meter springboards, and 5, 7.5 & 10 meter platforms

jamie, boos coach

jamie, boos coach

"awww mom!"

"awww mom!"


autumn

i got a real surprise...janet preston-magelby called and was coming to visit. i havent seen her since the angels beat the A's in the world series!! we had a great visit. we had a huge halloween party, and decorated the yard alot!! we had lots of fun. and the kids bobed for apples...none of them had ever bobed before, what is this world coming to?? we dressed as hippies and did "trunk or treating" at the ward building with 3 other wards. Boo had alot of fun, and she liked her costume better this year, than last years...we were fred, wilma, and pebbles!! even the cats got into the picture...dash is the giraffe, and dip is the spider.

janet preston-magelby and deb

janet preston-magelby and deb

autumn

autumn

halloween 08

halloween 08

newport beach

this july, i flew to see mom & dad. we had an awesome time. we went to the fair, to the beach, took walks, went to an Angels game, went out to eat about a gazillion times, but the best part was getting to see my grandbabies. Ilene brought taylor and tristin over and i got to play with them. they are the sweetest ever!! their mom and dad are doing a great job with them. i didnt get to see kenna, kellyn, kira or t, they were at camp, work, in paris, or buzy, i really miss them, and love them!


the cutest grandson-EVER!!

the cutest grandson-EVER!!

the cutest granddaughter-EVER!!

the cutest granddaughter-EVER!!

mom & dad

mom & dad

our life of diving...

cobes started the summer diving in the city league, lessons, team & free dive every day...back and forth to the pool 3 times a day (and we have a pool in our own yard!!) we made her go to a meet...the whole way there you hear..."pull over, i'm gonna puke" "i'm gonna be sick, we better go home" she was scared to say the least. when she saw the meet, and how it worked, her attitude changed to..." is this it?? thats easy!!" she got out there, had fun, and placed 4th with 63 points. one of her friends said it took her 3 years to get over 60 points, so Boo did good. she went on to compete alot over the summer, placing 3rd to 7th. she made it to city finals where she came in 7th out of all the kids from all of the pools...so she did great!

what a kid!!

what a kid!!

cobie at her 1st dive meet

cobie at her 1st dive meet

i got 63 points, that got me a 4th place out of 20 kids!!

i got 63 points, that got me a 4th place out of 20 kids!!

forward sommersalt off the 1 meter

forward sommersalt off the 1 meter
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