My family....

I haven't asked my family if they are ok with me talking about them in my blog.... So I'll try not to get too personal, but since I haven't really got any pressing issues boiling my blood, I thought I'd share what I love most!!
     
 My King of Battle. I didn't ask him if it was ok to call him that, but he thinks it's kinda funny. He is a Field Artillery Officer for the ARMY. The nickname for Field Artillery is the King of Battle. See I'm not really clever enough to think of these things on my own. I just borrow other people's idea's. This is true of craft's and decorating as well.... Anyway back to the King. I love him. He is amazing. He has these fierce green eyes. I really like those eyes. He loves his hair short, and I love when he grows facial hair! That only happens when he has multiple days off in a row. The ARMY likes them clean shaven. My King would help anyone, who asks. He's generous with his time and his resources. He's smart. He's handy. He LOVES the Dallas Cowboys. His only fault (ok not really, but I'm being nice here) he doesn't like Dr. Pepper. What?! Who doesn't like Dr. Pepper?? He doesn't but that's ok. Just leaves more for me!
  
 Layne. He is my oldest child. He's bossy like the oldest child should be. But he's not too bossy. He's smart too. He has his Daddy's eyes. But other than that, he looks a lot like my family. He's a Smedley. Layne loves Star Wars. He eats sleeps and drinks it. Layne is very intuitive. If I need a hug, he knows first, and he gives it to me! Usually in the form of a BIG SQUEEZE! He loves to go fishing with his Grandpa. He loves the anual boys campout. Layne is a baseball fan. Not on TV that's too boring. But he loves to play it, and we love to go watch the Ogden Raptors play. We're getting season tickets this year! He's gonna be excited about that.
Layne is tender hearted. I love that about him. He's kind and generous. He's going to be in the Christmas talent show this year. He's lip syncing to We Will Rock You! I know right! American Idol here we come!!

Ashlynn: I call her Ashie Max mostly.... She got her middle name from my Grandma. She got her spunk from her too! This makes me happy. Ashie sticks to her guns. She's a bit stubborn, but I like it. One day she's gonna need to stand up for what's right and she'll have the guts to do it. She has big blue eyes! They are beautiful. Ashie was bald for such a long time... poor girl. She has hair now, and she hates to have it cut, even a trim! She says it took too long to grow! Haha how does she know these things? She's only three!!
Ash talks all the time. Even in her sleep. Once I asked her why she talks so much... her response " because I know everyfing!" ( Yes I spelled thing like fing on purpose, it's how she talks, it's better that way) Awesome answer I thought.

I have two sisters and a brother. Hopefully they don't care if I talk about them. One sister loves movies. She watches them over and over. She has quite the collection. She also makes tons and tons of things on her cricuit machine. I don't know how those babies work, but boy can she whip out any project! I know, I ask her to make stuff for me all the time and she does. Nice to have a sister like that eh? I know you wish you could have her, but sorry I'm keeping her. She's a little shy too... but once you get to know her you better watch out! She doesn't shut up, ok just kidding she does. She takes  a little time to get to know, but once you do, she's a friend for life. My second sister. She's a firecracker! She's the type of girl that can say basically whatever she wants and get away with it! I'm jealous of this quality. She can talk in movies lines, which I love. But my favorite thing about this girl is her BAH HA HA  laugh. It's loud and from her belly! It's awesome! Also if you'd like to ever try something embarrassing or a little out of the norm... she'll try it with you! But she'll out do you so be prepared for that. My brother. He's pretty funny. He is strongly opinionated. I know where did that come from in our family?! Ok so we all are, but his opinions are loud and strong. He's also a germaphob. Such a geek! He goes through purell like we go through Dr. Pepper! My brother is so smart. He is also good with his hands and he's so strong. You'd never guess that last part though because he's sooooo tall and skinny. He's like a green bean! But he could pick me up and toss me with one hand, and that's saying somethin'! He has a good girl at his side. We like her. She keeps him in line. Motivated and whatnot. You know the things that most girls do for crazy boys. Oh yeah and he just bought his first car. He named it.... ARIEL. Yes just like the mermaid... he says she's hot. I told you he was crazy!

My Mama and Daddy:
Yes I do really still call my Daddy, Daddy. I can't help it, It's just what he is to me. I have awesome parents. They taught me a whole lot growin up. I'm grateful to them too, cause now I have kids and I remember some fo the stuff I used to do. God will be giving them extra blessing because I was their child, that's for sure! My Mom has crazy mad sewing skills. She can make anything in any color. She doesn't even need a pattern! She's great with decorating and color schemes and all that jazz. I didn't inherit an ounce of those things. RUDE. My Mom has great eyebrows! They are pretty have, just the right arch and she hardly has to pluck or wax. It's not fair. She also has good hair. Another quality I failed to get! Gosh Mom, what in the heck did you ever do for me? Except maybe carry me for nine months push me out, give me life, teach me, and...ok never mind... My Daddy. He can crow like a rooster!  He's a hard worker! He knows lots too. I call him all the time and ask all sorts of questions he always has the answers...sometimes I think he makes them up, but shoot it always works out. My Dad has this laugh. And when he does it his grin is so big his gold teeth show! I love it. That's when you know he really really liked it. Whatever it was. My Dad is the biggest John Force fan alive! He loves NHRA drag racing. He's a sentimental kind of guy and well that's where I get my tear ducts from. My brother calls my Dad Chubby.... I'm not sure why, but he does. And my Dad calls my brother Chubby! This one is even more unclear since I'd kill for my brothers measurements! (except I'd keep my own chest!haha) I love my family dynamic. We like to tease. We like to play games on Sunday. We eat treats. We drink Dr.Pepper (most of us anyway) and we like chips and salsa. We dare eachother to do dumb stuff. And sometimes we do it. My parents raised a bunch of goofy crazy kids ( that really aren't kids anymore) but they did a good job. We all turned ok, I think.

The Mendenhall Family:
So there are lots of them. It's not really fair to lump all of them together, but I'll save individual families for another day... They are a fun group. We like to play together. We play Oh Heck, Times UP!, Phase 10, spoons, and whatever else we can come up with. At Christmas people usually make up some sort of game for us to play. That's always fun. If you ever play games with the Mendenhalls, watch out for Russel, that's all I'm sayin.
We also do Lake Powell with the Mendenhalls. I had never been to Lake Powell before I met them. It's very fun. We play and ski and eat and eat and eat and play games, and lots of people takes naps. It's a fun vacation where we get to be warm, and enjoy eachother and share the costs! It's awesome. LOVE IT!!
All the cousins love to play. Grandma and Grandpa love to spoil the grandkids (especially Grandma). The adults generally love to gather. I have found some of my very best friends in the Mendenhall family. I'm grateful to have married into such a great family!