Merry Christmas 2020

It’s been quite a year as most would concur. We have sought to see the blessings in our life rather than frustrations. Though that was a challenge, it has served us well.

It began with a halt as Kristi had to quickly rebrand herself and her business due to kristi flyinglegislation making it illegal to freelance in California. Her performing days stopped, but thankfully her brilliant ingenuity shined brightly as she rebranded her efforts to Marketing Director along with other hats with Le Petit Circ. She continues to privately train her clients. But as Covid hit in March, she again adjusted as her operation moved training outside. Now that they are listed as a production company, the training facility is exempt. But this year has taught her to keep on her toes! She has remained positive all along. She’s an inspiration to all. Gavin & Alex opted to stay with home online learning  and have adjusted well. Gavin has finished the requirements to get his driving permit, and Alex is right behind him. They are delightful to have around! They keep us on our toes… and while laughing, we are constantly amazed by their intellect and what interests them. We remember ourselves at 15! They resemble us at age 20! Alex is brilliant at problem solving, and Gavin’s organizational skills and abilities to communicate far exceed our abilities at 15!

Friday night date night at spaghetti benderGeoff’s company sent him home in March too, due to covid… we enjoyed 3 months of hanging out before his company made his job essential. It gave a glimpse of what it will be like as he eyes retirement. We hope to have him home for good in February, but he keeps pushing the date back. He enjoys going to work, using his brain in technical tasks, and having that routine, but hopefully he can take the plunge soon. There’s just so much more to do and experience in retirement! We are looking forward to it! Maybe we can go dancing again!

Loretta has continued plugging right along in both her dōTERRA business and energy business. She has been very busy the entire year with educating others on the proper use of essential oils and helping others with transitioning towards a healthier lifestyle. She enjoys the perks of having so many people enjoying dōTERRA like she does, but is trying to figure out a way to support those who need her while spending more time with Geoff in retirement. She’s been getting her feet wet with videos and looking to do more educational based videos mingled with humor in the future. What’s life without laughter?smith monson goofy

We got to enjoy Brian & Staci with Connor, Isaac and Joshua for a couple weeks in grandsonsDecember. This distant learning is wonderful, and has allowed Brian & Staci to continue teaching while they are here visiting and enjoying the warmer weather in So Cal! Connor has been working a couple jobs while attending BYU, he’s quite knowledgeable on shoes and the proper fit of shoes. It’s fun to see him in action! His brilliance in his studies is remarkable as well. Isaac continues to wow us on his abilities to play guitar. He’s such a gentleman, too! And Joshua is impressive how he holds his own being the youngest of all boys. Gavin and Alex enjoyed the time with their cousins. We are grateful for family and the amazing bond we share! Our oldest grandson, Parker was called to serve a mission to Brazil, but was sent home because of Covid. He was reassigned to the Tucson Arizona, where he is serving with joy. His mission is finished in July! My how time flies! This busy family will be a little busier when they get home from their vacation in CA, as Brian was just called to be the 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric.smith monson fam cropped

We feel we have been so blessed over the course of this year with the love and friendships we enjoy from family and friends. Challenges, when faced with faith and gratitude, have softened. Now, more than ever, we have drawn upon our testimonies of Jesus Christ and are so grateful for the gospel teachings in the scriptures. May we all reflect upon the gift we have in Jesus, and enjoy a wonderful Christmas and a happy and prosperous 2021. With love, The Smith FamilyChristmas 2020

From Our Home to Yours! Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Smith HomeIt’s baffling why it’s so difficult to write a Christmas letter…

maybe it’s because we read all of your yearly letters and enjoy how well they’re written, and realize we pale in comparison to you! But this year we have felt a true need to take a moment and share some semblance of a letter to honor this time of year and to place in record our history of the past year. We love you and love that you love us enough to share your letters with us even though our reciprocation has been non-existent for so many years. Geoff has given me the task of writing it this year.

My New Family Members!

If you’re on social media, you know of some of the blessings we’ve enjoyed… We have found the daughter of my sister, and she has brought her husband and 3 adult kids to bless our life, along with Our first photo together Jan 2018her close extended family. Karen has the temperament of Sylvia whose light dimmed in the struggles of Alzheimer’s and her passing. Karen has filled some of the emptiness I have felt without my sister. Once finding Karen, I decided to do the Ancestry DNA test, and have found cousins anxious to share family history. Ruby & Susan have enriched my life wonderfully!

Since I run my business though social media, which requires consistent daily posting, those who are on social media know I’m still enjoying doTERRA and the blessings they are to us. Geoff has enjoyed better health, and we all appreciate the benefits of a better quality of life. A real blessing has been watching my organization continue to grow as more and more people realize the benefits.

As I have been busy teaching and mentoring, Geoff has continued to work. He has enjoyed the thought of retiring, though he hasn’t set a date, mainly due to the fact that he enjoys spending money on hobbies, music and going out to eat. Recently, due to Brian’s sons’ excitement about playing the guitar, Geoff has gotten his guitar out again. He had been playing ukulele nearly exclusively for several years. I am enjoying the many songs he is playing again on guitar.

The main purpose of this Christmas letter

…is for us to express how we honor the birth of our Savior, nativity with shepherdsJesus Christ. It’s the chosen day to celebrate, but the older we get, the more we appreciate our understanding of His birth, life, mission and atonement. The comfort we receive knowing these things and understanding how we fit in all of this is immeasurable. May the true Peace of this season be yours now, and throughout the coming New Year.

Holding Hands

Do You Hold Hands?

holding hands with childA child holds hands with their parents for protection. I use to tell my grandsons, when they were little, how much I loved holding hands with them. Then when we walked from Kindergarten, I explained that there would be a day when they no longer wanted to hold my hand. They both protested and exclaimed they would ALWAYS want to hold my hand. Now they are 13, and I cannot recall when the last time was that we held hands. I do recall, though, that when we did, it was their choice, and as they held my hand, they said, “See, I will always want to hold your hand.” They are such darling boys.

Holding Hands Transfers Love

My husband and I still hold hands. Amid all the comments when friends see us in public like: “Ah, look, they are older now, and they still hold hands. Isn’t that cute?” My husband HATES being called CUTE! But still enjoys holding my hand. We hold hands while watching a movie, while walking, holding hands childrenwhile sitting in church, and as we are falling asleep at night.

 

The connection involved in holding hands is incredible. I held hands with my mom, my mother in law, my sister, all in our adulthood. I have always enjoyed the love transferred from one hand to the other.

 

Holding Hands Transfers Energetic Vibrations

holding hands

I don’t see many people holding hands anymore. I think it’s a gesture of love that should never be overlooked. As an energy practitioner, I recognize the act of holding hands passes a high vibration and assists the vibration to rise in both participants. So I ask, do you hold hands? I would love to hear from all of you, and hopefully bring this practice into a more conscious awareness of the importance of it.

Be Healthy – it’s a choice

I did my yearly physical

You know, the one where the doctor looks in your ears and uses that cute little hammer to tap your reflexesreflexes on your knees. Of course the other unmentionable things were done too. My doctor is not threatened by my desire to do things naturally. He supports me and gives me information I need to make the best decision for me. He doesn’t chide me or show any kind of attitude at all. He is wonderful.

At the end of my examination, I was told I am healthy. But then my doctor said something that frankly shocked me and actually concerned me. He said when he began his practice about 15 years ago, he was able to tell 1 in 10 women that they were healthy – like me. Now he can only tell 1 in 20 women that they are healthy. As I was picking my jaw up from the floor, he added that people just don’t take good care of themselves anymore. They don’t exercise, they have poor diets.

I have always been drawn to a healthy lifestyle. It has taken years to determine what a healthy lifestyle looks like for me personally. I am not one to judge, but I do strongly encourage the following:

Energy work

It’s our responsibility to provide what we need to be healthy. So many people don’t comprehend that along with caring for the physical body, the energetic body that holds onto emotions also needs care. When I embraced energy work, it was a game changer for my health, and the health of my family.

Essential Oils

The life blood of the plant, essential oils contain chemistry that compliments our body’s natural ability to be healthy and thrive. The aromatherapy aspect of essential oils is powerful! When we inhale through the nose, airborne molecules interact with the olfactory organs and, almost immediately, the brain and the limbic system or the emotional brain. The limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, and hormone balance. This relationship helps explain why smells often trigger emotions. Knowing this helps us understand how inhalation of essential oils can have some very profound physiological and psychological effects!

Vegan Diet

As far back as I can recall, I have felt uncomfortable eating meat. I struggled to like it because I erroneously thought I needed it to be healthy. I’m grateful for Forks Over Knives and the strength to give myself permission that I no longer need to eat meat. I’ve been vegetarian/vegan for several years now. I’ve never felt better! I have lots of favorite recipes, and have found how to be vegan easily.

Daily Exercise

Twelve years ago I began running with the help of the expertise of my daughter’s training. I felt on top of the world! I ran 5 miles a day 5 days a week. Then I injured my Achilles Tendon getting out of my truck. My running days ended. I’ve spent many years trying to get back to running. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to begin again with the help and support of Deep Blue Rub! I also enjoy Pilates. Just 30 minutes of walking makes all the difference in the world in health.

Drink Pure Water

When I was a child, I never drank water except from the drinking fountain at my elementary school. When I was thirsty I went for cold milk. I had not been convinced of the importance of drinking water. When I got married, we were poor and didn’t have the money for all that milk. Thank goodness! I learned to enjoy drinking water. My husband loved drinking water. I learned it wasn’t so odd to do! As the years went by, I learned the importance of increasing the amount of water I drank to the suggested amounts. I’ve found for me that I drink 24 ounces when I first get up, then I drink at least another 48 ounces throughout the day. It sustains me! I discovered when I had cravings, I was actually not hungry, but thirsty! If I keep track of drinking, I’m never thirsty or craving anything!

Detox Your Life

Upon discovering that fragrances in cleaning products, household detergents, and candles all achieved their fragrance with petroleum, and that petroleum causes cancer, I decided to change the way I ran my household. Now I prefer to only use doTERRA products, or I make my own recipes. It has seriously saved me so much money! I will share those recipes with you in another blog post!

Merry Christmas from the Smiths!

Merry Christmas from the Smith Home

As we approach the end of yet another year, the time just seems to fly by faster and faster!

Geoff the photographerWe’ve had a wonderful year! Geoff was blessed to find a job that not only is closer to home, but back at a company where he knows so many people from his Rockwell/Conexant days. His boss is amazing and happens to be in our Stake (church organization). We are deeply grateful for this opportunity for him. We see this as a direct blessing from our Heavenly Father. Geoff also spent a lot of time this year taking photos. His talent continues to grow… Loretta tried her hand at a few shots, not near the quality of IMG_4150Geoff’s but at least they document him… One of our favorite things to do is walk the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturday mornings. It’s fun how the water foul enjoy posing for photos! We also enjoy going to Oak Glen for apples in the fall. They have fun hiking trails that offer the perfect landscape for photos, too.

Brian & us

We enjoyed lots of visitors during the year from dear loved ones! Brian got to spend a day with us. We had so much fun with him! He is doing amazing things in his profession. We love enjoying his accomplishments. Both he and Staci are doing wonderful things! Speaking of accomplishments, we are in awe of the accomplishments of our Smith grandsons. They are accomplished musicians and excellent students. We love them and wish they lived a little closer to us!

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We also got to enjoy our cousins Anita & Layne. We love our family and the special treat it is when they come into town and can spend some cherished time with us!

Dani & me

Loretta continues to work hard to build her doTERRA organization. This year she hit rank during the recognition period and was recognized at the yearly convention. And then, was blessed when she got home with a visit from a dear friend from Oklahoma! She and Dani had a blast just playing and unwinding for a few days!

Loretta also received a new calling at church as the chorister in Sacrament Meeting. Something possessed her and she volunteered to organize a choir for Christmas. Then our bishop was released and with the new bishop, that calling evolved to Ward Music Chairman. Her wish to have a choir performance every month has come true. She really hopes she can learn to read music in the process!

kristi in silks

 

Kristi is amazing in the way she is able to continue to work hard and make it look easy. She worked with a broken ankle and no one was the wiser. We are so proud of her. We hope that 2018 will continue to provide her with wishes and dreams to come true.

 

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Gavin & Alex had many firsts this year. In March they turned 12 and passed the Sacrament for the first time. Geoff got to accompany them in their first time. Then they got to go to Scout Camp and do Temple Baptisms. We are all very proud of the young men they are becoming… Gavin is involved in Parkour, and Alex is taking piano lessons while playing tuba in school band. Alex is brilliant with computer skills, and they both spend a lot of time creating on their computers. They still wrestle in the pew at church, and have fun personalities. They are a joy to have in our home. We love them. We are grateful for dear friends who step in and lend a fatherly touch for these dear boys. Ritchie Blake has been such an amazing influence on our dear boys. He and his wife Melissa are deeply loved by all in our family.

And then there’s this little guy… He’s our neighbor, Buddy, and belongs to the Blake family. We’ve IMG_0625gotten to enjoy him quite a bit when his family goes out of town. He’s brought us a lot of laughter and love. That’s what makes life easier to endure… finding something to laugh about and love.

 

This time of year comes with a lot of pressure, especially when your family is not the normal structure. We have found such comfort in focusing on the true reason for this season, the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He lifts our burdens with his angels all around us – both seen and unseen. As we get older, our hearts grow fonder of the amazing gift of his birth. May each of you feel the love of the true meaning of this season. And may you all have a wonderful and prosperous 2018!

nativity with shepherds

With love, The Smith Family