Almost all the Smith Offspring

We had so much fun on the day of Christmas Eve. It was a good ol' Smith take over.
We rented a bouncy house and threw it in the back yard, this is the one time that I have been glad that we have never finished the yard. It was really easy to fit and lay down the bouncy house.
 We were only missing Kelli's boys Bryson and Luke.

 

Some of these fine cousins we had never met, but are so glad to know them now.

We have the Birthday Twins-Jack and El, Emilee with Ainsley on her lap, Ki, Olivia, Grace, Ben, held by the headless Alan. Tyson with headless Janae, Sadie, Lizzie-holding Brian, Cater, Brendon, and in the car seat, Alex.

There was a twisted ankle, and a bruised rib, but all in all it was so fun to play and eat and play and then we did a gift exchange. We are so glad that Alan, Erin and their kids got to come to Arizona for Christmas this year.

El Turns 7

What a great way to start your Saturday morning! Opening your presents.

 

El has been asking for a Brave barbie for a while now.

Wish granted.

 

 Sadly, El has been asking for THIS Tangled barbie for years!

Every Christmas for the past 3 years, she has asked for one.

 

I think that she was pretty happy that she got it for her Birthday this year.

 

She also got a Junie B Jones book, and a Candy Land game.

 

We are so glad to have El in our family. She has a fantastic laugh, she is loving, she gives really good hugs, she has a tender heart and we just love her!

Happy Birthday by blue eyed girl.

 

Say Cheese

I have to say that taking family pictures on a regular basis is not something I am accustom to. When I was growing up I think we took 3 family photos. I think that goes for Steve too. So neither of us are set on having a current picture of our family.

 

I have tried to be better about getting pictures taken but honestly my little camera broke this summer and I have misplaced my other one in the last 2 weeks, so there are several pictures that are just stuck in my head for now. Like Brian handing on the edge of the piano that he climbed onto but couldn't get down. And then he was sitting in the bathtub the other day just playing with his sister's bathtub toys. He really likes the bath. And Ki and El got haircuts last night. Ki will be donating hers for the third time. Steve was growing a 'stache for Movember. No evidence of these things until I find my camera, and even then still no pictures.

 

On Veteran's Day, Rob and his family came out and we took family pictures. Because my sister in-law needed proof that he has had a baby-now 20 months, we loaded up in the cars in the morning, bribed the children with donuts for good smiles and took some pictures.

 

 

The rose fields off Peoria Ave smell delightful this time of year.

 

We all have our eyes open!

 

There was a train off Olive Ave that we thought would look good.

 

 

We aren't all on the same page on this one, but I still like it.

 

Now we just need to find the camera, finish off the Turkey and gravy, get rid of Brian's flu and Steve needs to take 2 more days of antibiotics for Strep and we are all good-I hope.

 

Brian Likes to Slide

 

 

We introduced Brian to a new thing-the slides at the park. He LOVED it. He tried to walk down it one time but I caught him before he bailed. It was a nice afternoon so we went to the White Tanks and played while Steve rode his bike for an hour. It was a nice day. The weather has been so delightful. This is why we all live here in AZ, for this time of year.

Halloween

 

Boo!

 

 

Pictures are hard to come by these days. Ki is M.I.A. and Brian can't show his face.

But El is game!!

 

 

I think that I have scared my children. I am anti-climactic in my celebrating holidays. We attended our Ward's Trunk-or-Treat on Saturday night. Ki was a Grecian girl.

El was Yue from the cartoon, Avatar the Last Airbender.
 Brian was a baby ghost.

The girls went to about half the trunks and then came back. They don't like being alone in the dark.

 

By the time Wednesday rolled around Ki had decided that she didn't want to dress up or go door to door. I put Brian in his costume and then we went down to Lindsey's to get some cotton candy and watch her make it-it was cool. We then joined the neighbors for s'mores and passed out candy. Another neighbor asked us to come check out the haunted house in his garage. I took the girls through it-Ki wasn't a fan but El liked it.

 

Maybe next year Brian will be ready to go door to door and the girls will be willing to go with him.

Principal's List

 

 

 

Ki is such a great student. She enjoys school and learning. In forth grade if you get straight A's for the quarter you make Principal's List.

I am so proud of her hard work to get straight A's!

I had a few extra kids today to come and see her achievement. 

It's Hard to believe

I can hardly believe that I have a one year old. This year has gone by very quickly and I feel like Brrrr is still a wee little baby.

 

There is something about being around the age of 1 that makes you realize the baby stage is over:

Climbing chairs, up on the couch, the words "no" coming out of the mouth. The bitting, the adventures in the toilet, the dirty looks when mom takes away the object of effection-usually a phone, ipod, glass jar, or deer antler.

 

 I am the first to admit that my home is not baby proof. Heck today Brian pushed a kitchen chair over to the fridge and climbed on it and started hitting the buttons on the front.

He is cruzing furniture and has taken a few steps, but doesn't want to walk and that's ok by me. He's a boy through and through and this is different for me. I am not sure if I am completely ready for the terror he's becoming.

 

On the morning of his birthday we went to his 12 month well check.

 

Dude is 22.7 lbs, & 31 1/4 inches tall.

 

 

He wasn't quite sure what to do with a candle

 

 

A good choice of green frosting?

I think so.

 

My sweet birthday boy!

 

You keep me on my toes. And I am loving every minute of it. Thanks for a great year and hopefully many more to come!

I love you Brian!

 

El is a Silver Bullet

 

 

El agreed to play soccer this year. She is on a team with several kids from school and church and she is loving it.

Her jerseys are silver so they voted for the team name of the Silver Bullets.

 I thought that maybe El had played a little bit of soccer in P.E. but 'she hasn't, so I am happy that it's all coming together for her.

 

 

 

 

It was her first game and it was at 12:00 and it was so humid and hot. She was very red in the face by the time the game was over.

 

Her second game, and her turn as goalie.

 

A pre-game chat with Coach Amy. El is number 15.

 

We are so lucky to have a great coach and assistant coach and a team of hard working 6-8 year olds.

Another 1st Day

Where did the summer go and how is it possible for me to have a:

 

 

 

 and a:

 

 

Wow! It's crazy that Ki is in 4th grade. I remember 4th grade really well. We moved from Montana to Colorado that summer. My teacher was Mrs. Grigsby. One of our new neighbors was in my grade. We were best friends for the summer. Then we went to school and I made new friends. I am embarrassed to say that while playing four square at lunch, I ripped off my bbf necklace and threw it at the poor girl because I found a new bbf at school. I started caring about what I wore, and how I looked, who I ate lunch with and what the boys were doing. 

I want to protect Ki from mean girls-like I was. I know she's a strong girl but it's just the begining of the drama of being a girl. I am scared for her!

 

And then there's my little El. She lost one of her front teeth the day before school started.

She has Mrs. Tropea-a penguin loving rock star of a teacher. 1st grade is so important for building the foundation of learning and I am glad that El has a good attitude.

Only 5 more years and I will be sending my baby to school too.