I'm Back!!!

I'm back!
  After a 2 year hiatus, I am ready to blog again. Thank you for all the warm messages that I have received in my absence. Life took my family and I through some very happy and some very sad times which I will share as we catch up. I am excited to go back to being able to spend more of my time with the glambabies and with my art!
  Life is always good even when it is hard.
and our new family motto:
  "Family means no one left behind or forgotten"   love, Kelley

At Long Last..... A New Post

  I can not believe I have not posted since last November!!!!!! I am now working part time at a wonderful boutique called Pretty Please. I'm still working at the gallery and painting whenever I get a moment AND last week glambaby #16 was born: Summer Haggarton!

 

and I have started a new art website at http://1-kelley-smith.artistwebsites.com/ . You can order canvas prints, prints on metal and such and greeting cards. I think this will be great and the quality is very, very good. I am going to try to catch up a little with my family photos, etc. Thanks to everyone for hanging in there with me.  XO

My New Traveling Companion

I couldn't resist this handsome fellow! Doe's this mean I can drive in the HOV lane now anytime I want?!! ha-ha.

Another Birthday...

Monday I turned another year older. Wow, I remember when I was a teenager and I thought people in their 20's were so old and wise. In my 20's, I couldn't wait to be older because I thought the world looked at me and thought me foolish for having so many little kids and I was so young. In my 30's and 40's, I thought 60 was old. Now at 52, I think about my Grandma Beger at 80 and how she was dancing the night away at retirement facilities. I guess "old" is where you are looking at it. I still feel like I am the same person when I was 17 (although far more confident and happy thank goodness). The only real part I don't like about getting older, is how I look physically. I know, I know, I am probably a little too concerned about that but that is my reality. Mostly it is about saggy skin. Oh Well. (my life motto).BUT the most FABULOUS thing about getting older is the amount of family and friends just keeps growing! Yes, some have passed on, yet I know that we will all be together later. I look forward to that. I know it will be Joyous!!!

So thanks you my dear loved family and friends who brought me flowers, gifts, sent me cards, wished me well on facebook, etc. It means so much to me. AND thank you, my fabulous family for always being there for me, telling me you love me and helping me to be the woman I want to be.

So, this sappy (yet heartfelt) thank you ends with another THANK YOU to my husband for getting me a Wii (he thinks it is just another gadget that I want and won't use). I am SORE from dancing last night in my pajamas. I vow to get fit so that I can be like my "older" friends who take their grandchildren show skiing, hiking and whatnot! (again, praying all the stars align...)

Troop Beverly Kills! My Roller Derby Team...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

On Being Tagged and Catching Up...

Oh GREAT!!! I usually ignore being tagged, but when your firstborn does it...... Here it goes
-a few things about myself-

1. I have been MIA from my blog because (in a nutshell) in January and February I have been in the dumps (not the occasional dumpster diving, but the kind of dump where tears come from). This was all due to sleep deprivation mixed with "old lady hormone imbalance". My prayers were answered by our family doctor's love and concern and amazing talent for diagnoses. I also had to give up teaching a VERY early morning Seminary class. I miss my kids, but not waking up at 4:30 AM Monday thru Friday. Then, Horrors of Horrors, At the first of March, my Mom called in the morning after finding my sister unconscious. My Mom and I lived at the Hospital waiting and praying that Melanie would make it. (She apparently had double pneumonia that went systemic and was given a 20-40% chance of making it) Well, my sister has many people that love her and the power of prayer was made manifest. After 2 1/2 weeks in the hospital, another week in rehab learning how to walk again, She is now home and on the mend. Then last week, my youngest daughter and her husband and new baby moved into our house for the summer until they move to Utah to finish a law degree. I have been loving having them here, and it is so nice to sit and rock that baby. Onto a few things about me....

2. My greatest love/hate relationship is with ICE CREAM and I am now fighting it's siren call as I try to lose the unwanted poundage that I have gained over the last year from the stupid "old lady hormone crap"

3. On a more positive note, I LOVE any old movie in black and white with tap dancing, all things Jane Austen, and a disaster movie now and then. (weird, I know...)

4. I LOVE old stuff. I like to think about the stories a vintage bowl or an antique chair could tell about the people who have owned them.

5. I LOVE the fact that I am never too old to learn. I enjoy collecting quotes that help me to try to be the person I would like to be and that encourage me when I feel inadequate.

6. and words can not express how much I LOVE my family! I lucked out by marrying a really GOOD guy. We both lucked out when we had our 5 delightful, funny and NICE daughters who have in turn, married GOOD guys. And nothing compares to being Glamma to our FABULOUS glamchildren who will sit on my lap even when they think they are too old to do it.

....I have shared nothing really new about myself as I am hopelessly an open book. My family claims that I share way too much information with strangers and will talk to who ever is by me in line at the store........

I will now tag my daughters Hilari, Kelli and Devan so that they too may update their blogs!