Welcome, LAURA CLAIRE SMITH!

What's Roger doing in the opening shot 

of our new little granddaughter, Claire's, post?

We left St. George, headed for Missy's, 

on his August 27th birthday!

I made him his favorite smoothie and cinnamon toast the right way

after he went running.

Happy Birthday, Roger!

We stayed overnight with his mom in Ogden,

Jess did my hair the next morning,

then off to Boise.

We arrived late afternoon to find our Missy in labor, 

something she had not experienced with her other four children.

She was scheduled to show up at the hospital at 8 PM 

to start the pit.

She didn't need any.

She expected to be in labor all of the next day 

and deliver the next afternoon, 

as she had done with her others.

At just after 7 AM, the next morning, 

we got a phone call from Jedd.

Laura Claire Smith had been born just after 6:30,

weighing 7 lbs. 15 ounces and was 21 inches long.

Another beautiful Smith baby has entered the world!

There's a cool story behind her name.

Laura is Roger's mom's first given name, Laura Lois Crowther,

though she has always gone by Lois.

She was named after her mom, Laura Laverne Crowther,

though she always went by Laverne.

Now Laura Claire Smith is named after them both,

though she will go by Claire!

Cool!

Missy had lots of pretty flowers from friends and family.

The brothers and sister could hardly wait to get over to the hospital

to see their new baby sister!

I have a sister at last!

I love the look on Anderson's face!

When we arrived the night before, we were armed with little gifts for each Smith kid.

No fair that the new baby gets all of the gifts!

While Missy was in the hospital, Roger went running, 

then he went walking with me and Anderson 

on a shady street near Missy's house.

I had Roger take a pic of this gate on his iPhone,

because a funny thing happened.

Anders kept talking about the bears we had passed 

on our walk on the first day,

so when we came to the gate,

he ran up to it to show me the mama, Anders and Claire bear.

But just as he got to the gate it started going up in the air,

and he stopped dead in his tracks, then backed up fast.

Someone in a car on the main street had hit their remote 

to enter their neighborhood.

What a look he had on his face!

He thought the bears were coming after him!

Jared and Sam are so creative and inventive!

Jared has made a contraption to hold his phone and the iPad. 

Miss Claire makes her debut in her new home.

Lois made this cute blanket for her.

Missy loves polka-dots!

Roger took a pic of me cooking my brains out,

which I did a lot of for the next three weeks!

This is Orange Ginger Chicken. . . 

 . . . with coconut rice and green beans.

We all had breakfast together on Labor Day morning,

then had a cookout that afternoon.

Isn't Claire gorgeous!

On Tuesday, Anders had his first day of pre-school.

He was so excited,

as he put on his backpack,

just like the big kids!

I made Hungarian Pork Chops, Carne Wilson's heirloom recipe . . . 

 . . . with Missy's garden tomatoes, 

applesauce and poppyseed noodles.

Missy is ready to go to Claire's first check-up,

which she passed with flying colors!

On Thursday morning, Roger and I left to go to 

the Balladier Reunion 

at Kent and Linda Smith's cabin in Stanley, Idaho.

I will post all about it next,

but we returned back to Missy's on Monday night.

Roger golfed with John 

at Purple Sage near Caldwell on Wednesday. 

Missy and I met Joan for lunch at a great sushi place on Thursday.
I love to get to see my sister when I come to Boise.

Here's our little home away from home for almost three weeks!

Thanks, Jared, for letting us stay in your room!

We returned to get some more cuddles from this sweet little thing, and to go to various activities for my 

Caldwell High School 50th Reunion!

(that post is also coming up!)

On Thursday night, I made Thai chicken and shrimp noodles 

to use some of the fish sauce I got at Cash and Carry.

After dinner, Roger disappeared for awhile, and Missy 

wanted to know where Dad was.  

I said he had gone to the drug store.

He was at the airport, picking up

Mindy for the Big Surprise!

And both Missy and Jedd really were surprised!

I love that my girls surprise each other by coming and helping when one of them has a new baby.

In the past, from Houston, from Denver, from Boise, from Mesa. from Paradise Valley - all in the name of love for each other!

This little one is so precious!

On the Sunday before we left, we got to attend my brother John's stake conference, where he was released as Stake President after 10 years of service.

What a sweet meeting it was, 

and how very proud we are of him and Cindy.

We could tell that they are very much loved!

For our Sunday meal, the boys made a chocolate cake.

It was delicious!

Before we left on Monday, we had lunch at the Westside Drive-in.

Mindy drove with us to Ogden, so she could see her new home 

in Highland on Tuesday 

before she flew home to Houston. 

They purchased it over the internet with Roger's help.

It's a lovely home!

 We stayed overnight with Roger's mom, and took her to dinner to celebrate her 88th birthday.

She is truly amazing and we love her so much!

After we explored Mindy and Jeff's new home in Highland,

we had lunch at Mindy's college favorite, Los Hermanos.

Rosemary Lind came and got Mindy 

and took her to catch her plane, 

and we headed home to St. George 

after three weeks of pure adventure!