Smith Smiles

The Allen Inn!

2012-01-31T07:49:00.000-08:00

Good friends of ours in Farmington were also kind enough to invite us to stay with them while we were there (Which for us was a huge deal, considering there were 6 of us and we were there for almost 2 weeks!). And they also had plenty for the kids to do!

What a life!

Danger!!! Sharks in pool!

Brayden and Emilee spent hours playing in the hot tub!

We met the Allen's when we were first married and lived in Farmington. We use to watch their kids when they were out of town and they were one of our cheerleaders through med school. Hard to believe they only have one left at home and ours are the same age as their kids were when we watched them. One thing hasn't changed, The Allen's are some of the most kind, generous, fun people we know!! And dang we miss them too!

Spoiled in Albuquerque!

2012-01-31T07:32:00.000-08:00

We made a stop in Albuquerque to stay with our good friends the Reynolds who had moved the summer before. Dang do we miss them!!!! Unfortunately Lynda was on a business trip but, as usual, Mike took good care of us and had all sorts of ideas to keep the kids busy! The kids got to ride their first tram at Sandia Peak.

I didn't know platypus were allowed!

View from the top

One of our favorite guys!

We spent another day at a family fun center. I guess we were having so much fun that I forgot to take pictures but did get a few at the end!

And what trip would be complete without a skinned knee (Brayden). A scooter ride to the park ended in tears but fun was had by all! The kids wanted to stay forever but I think Mike was probably ready to have his house back!!!

New Mexico Bound

2012-01-31T07:13:00.000-08:00

Our first summer adventure was to New Mexico. Driving is one of my least favorite things to do, especially by myself with 4 kids but there was a family reunion to get to so off we went. We were loaded down with plenty of pillows

Snacks

And of course red box movies! How people used to travel across the country with out DVD"s I will never understand!!

We spent the night in Texas to help break up the driving. Brayden LOVES to stay in hotels and was very impressed by the "giant surfboard" in our hotel room!!!

We set out again the next morning and crossed the border!!!

New Mexico looked just like I remembered! It went by to fast to get a picture but one of the first things we saw was a giant tumble weed rolling by in true NM fashion!

Traveling with all these boys was almost more than Madyson could handle!

Scouting Fun

2012-01-17T09:08:00.000-08:00

What mom doesn't love spending a day at scout camp! I was lucky enough to go on the last day and got to watch the 800 scout skits and awards! At least I got to do it with my cute boy!

4th of July fun!

2012-01-17T09:02:00.000-08:00

We had plans to be out of town for July 4 (the first time since we moved to OK). Our neighbors always had a big bash on the 4th and when they moved we carried on the tradition. The kids weren't going to let it die! So, we celebrated early!

Brayden gearing up for the big night. He had to make sure his sparklers were safe!

King of the BBQ

We celebrated with the Skinners, Dickmans, Hungers, Croslands, Baileys and Des Champs

Dan even learned a few new tricks!

And of course my kids favorite part of the celebration (little pyros!)

Tangled!!

2011-11-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

If I had a dollar for every hour I have spent making this:

Look like this, I would be loaded! This time it was and hour and a half endeavor to get all the tangles out!

Boys and their tools

2011-11-02T12:09:00.001-07:00

I guess they have some of their great grandpa Seller's carpenter genes in them!

Kitchen Help

2011-11-02T12:05:00.000-07:00

Cutest kitchen help I've ever seen!

Camp DaKani

2011-11-02T11:45:00.003-07:00

I know how restless Preston gets in the summer so this summer he spent a week at Camp DaKani with his friend Zack. At the end of the week they had family day. We got to go and see what they had been up to all week. It started with a camp fire ceremony.

You can tell what these two thought about the ceremony!

They slipped out to find some fun of their own.

After the ceremony it was off to their "home in the woods"

Zack won the friendship stick for his group. Go Zack!

I think Blake was a little unsettled by the bridge we had to cross to get to the parking lot.

These two are ready for their turn next year!

Giant Pickles!

2011-11-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

We joined a produce co-op and when we got our first order Brayden was very impressed with the "giant pickles!" I guess we don't eat very many cucumbers in our house!

Full Day!

2011-11-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Austin had a golf tournament in OKC. We had no idea how long it would last so we decided to spend the day in the area. This kids will not let me take a picture of him so I have to sneak in what I can!

After dropping him off we picked up some new kicks for Madyson!

Next stop was the Science Museum. Gotta love that nail table

We still had time to kill so we stopped in at the 45th Infantry Division Museum. This place was pretty cool!

Since it was another triple digit day we finished up with a stop at the Sonic park!

Away from the Crowds

2011-11-02T11:19:00.000-07:00

Our friends had a huge BBQ. I forgot to take pictures but about half way through it I realized I hadn't seen Brayden in a while so I went looking. This is where I found him! I guess he just needed a minute to himself!

We Got A Pool!

2011-11-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

The kids have been begging for a pool. I'm pretty sure this isn't what they had in mind but when it's over 100 degrees you take what you can get so they made the best of it. I wonder if they saw any fish!

Summer Fun

2011-11-02T11:10:00.001-07:00

One of our favorite things about summer is being able to just hang out and enjoy friends

I think their favorite part is getting dirty

I guess the wheel barrow was more fun than the mud

This little guy is a crack up! Not sure how he made such a perfect ring around his eye but it sure looks cute!

Bring On The Tornadoes!

2011-11-02T11:03:00.001-07:00

We had another tornado close to the house so everyone jumped into gear, literally! When we first moved to Oklahoma the weather really rattled them. They used to get so upset so we learned to play it cool. We still take it seriously but at least they have learned to have fun doing it! We had planned on staying at the house and using the closet as our safe spot but as the reports got worse, we bailed on that plan and hunkered down in a friends basement. Thankfully we dodged another one. I think that is tornado #4 that has been reported within a mile or two of our house since me moved here. Hopefully one of these days we will get a shelter so that we don't have to keep running!

Sprinklers!

2011-11-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

This boy loves a good sprinkler run!!

Oh What Do You Do In The Summer Time?

2011-11-02T10:50:00.001-07:00

Catching frogs is a favorite past time at our house. They always beg to keep them but somehow they mysteriously disappear. Brayden's explanation "he can jump really high so he must have jumped out of the bucket," yeah, we will go with that explanation!

I love Potatoes

2011-05-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

Preston thought this was so cool he wanted to keep it forever! I wonder how much I could have gotten for it on ebay?!

Sleeping On The Job

2011-05-20T17:35:00.001-07:00

Brayden fell asleep late in the afternoon so I brought him into the kitchen to help me make dinner, with hopes that it would wake him up. It didn't work!

Shot

2011-05-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

Brayden got his 4 year shots today. He was pretty tough and they were surprised at how quiet he was getting them but he's feeling the effects tonight. He told me "the not doctor (referring to the nurse) made it hurt bad, I can not do that again." Poor little thing is hobbling around whispering to himself "boy these shots really hurt" and "dang this hurts bad"

Climbing The Walls

2011-05-20T17:23:00.001-07:00

There is a reason I call him monkey!

Another year older

2011-05-20T16:45:00.001-07:00

This year my birthday celebrations were pretty low key because this cute guy was still recovering from his tonsillectomy. Ashley set up a birthday get together at Peachwave Yogurt. As you can see Preston was okay with the idea.

I think Andrew was wearing as much yogurt as he ate!

Jen & Andrew

Yvette and Milo

Janna and Blake

Thanks for getting everyone together Ashley!

Ashley, Emory & Oliver

Dessert was followed by lunch at Pei Wei with Janna and her boys

Preston taught Mason various uses for chopsticks

And was also the official photographer!

Alecia gave me a beautiful necklace and bracelet, and the mailbox was full of birthday cards. My sweet visiting teachers, Megan and Mary Jane brought me more beautiful flowers. I could get use to having fresh cut flowers on my table!

The night was topped off by my sneaky husband and sister. TThey surprised me with a little get away. Cherie stayed with the kids and Trent and I went to dinner and got to spend a night away in this luxury mobile! It came complete with chocolate covered strawberries, propel and peanut m&m's. They know me so well!

My Favorite Piece Of Art Work

2011-05-20T16:34:00.001-07:00

Driveway art by Preston Smith! I think it looks just like me!

What happens in the dark

2011-05-20T16:25:00.000-07:00

He must have been exhausted to not have even been able to remove his finger from his nose before falling asleep!

Hamily Foam Evening

2011-05-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

The other night Brayden announced that it was time for "Hamily Foam Evening". He then proceeded to show us his mind reading calculator that helps us choose the right and be nice. Followed by "now it's my turn I have to choose the left" This kid cracks me up!

No More Tonsils

2011-05-20T16:01:00.001-07:00

After suffering from terrible allergies, sinus infections and headaches, sleep apnea and bouts with strep we finally decided it was time to get rid of Preston's tonsils and adenoids. So it was off to the surgery center. He started getting a little nervous in the waiting room so we passed the time racing on the magnetic sand table.

When it was finally his turn he was loving his new wardrobe!

He wasn't too trilled about the IV but he was a champ getting it put in

He finished off the look with a stylish blue surgery cap and it was off to the OR!

He wasn't quite as pleased upon returning

We made it in and out of the surgery center in 3 hours then it was home to enjoy his new diet. This is what his diet has consisted of for the last 9 days. The kid is turning into nothing but skin and bones.

From the looks of his prescriptions you would think I was taking care of a horse! I have never seen bottles as big as these but they sure did the job!

I couldn't believe how great he was feeling just a few short hours later. He was a little sore but that's why he had the most expensive sucker we will every buy compounded just for him. This bad boy lollipop was his for the small price of $35

After a few days of being home we was getting a little restless. He started going through the dress up box. He called these shots "men in tights!"

After 8 days he finally felt up to going back to school.

Mother I Love You

2011-05-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

Mother's day brought beautiful flowers, hand painted pots, magnets with adorable pictures, and sweet smelling stuffed animals. which I loved!

A week later they were even more beautiful

But even more than the gifts I love these, the reasons I get to celebrate Mother's Day.

If you ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up I would say exactly what I am being, a mom. I know it's cliche but it's true. If I was offered and job in the world I wouldn't be interested, I have the job I want. Is it always glamorous, no. Is it always easy, heck no! Are there some day I wonder what I have gotten myself into, do I sometimes feel overwhelmed and completely clueless, ready to throw in the towel, absolutely. There are days I feel likeI am failing and I have no idea what I am doing. Despite these moments, I go to bed every night thanking my Heavenly Father for blessing me with these four adorable, amazing, precious little spirits.

Ready Or Not Here I Come

2011-05-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

Preston asked me to play a game of hide and seek. This was his hiding place! What a goofy kid!

Back Yard Bash!

2011-05-18T18:08:00.000-07:00

Brayden and his best buddy Brigham share the same birthday so it was only fitting that they party together! Thanks to a beautiful Oklahoma day, they were able to party in the back yard. We had a magic show and ran through sprinklers.

Bouncy house fun

You can't have a party for 2 four year old boys without a pinata!

And of course lots and lots of presents!

Brayden wanted a Spider Man cake up until the minute he saw the dinosaur cake but luckily we were able to distract him with blowing out the candles.

He didn't take a single bit of the cupcakes (not surprising) but he did sample the frosting!

Trent wasn't feeling well that day but he did make a short appearance

Towards the end of the party Brayden went missing and this is where I found him! The toys were calling his name!

Bye Bye Baby

2011-05-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know how it happened so fast but Brayden is 4! There is something about 4 that is so grown up. I still felt like he was a baby when he was 3. Now I feel like I have a little boy.

The morning started with a birthday sign, handmade with love by Preston

A day at school was followed by playing outside. Preston gets so hot he hates wearing a shirt so Brayden has now decided he needs to be like his big brother

We usually go out to dinner for birthdays but for a kid who has very little interest in food that was not an option. The kids tried to convince him to go somewhere for dinner but he was not interested. He wanted to stay at home and have Strawberry pie and soda, two of his favorite things. Everyone asked if that's what I let him have for dinner. Of course, he's the birthday boy!! He insisted on putting his own candles on.

Yes, there are 8 candles on the pie!

He's all business when he's eating his pie!

And then it was on to presents

When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday he to told me a "money spencer with the round money's" we had to go online and find the picture. When I found the one he was talking about he was so excited and carried the picture around with him all week hoping he would get it for his birthday

We love this little boy more each day. We loved him from the moment he arrived and 4 years later we are still smitten. He is an amazing little spirit and we couldn't imagine our house without him. He is hilarious and keeps us all laughing. The kids often comment on how dang cute they think he is. I love to see the love and affection that each of the kids have for him. They each have their own special bond with him and adore him. I love the sense of innocence and he adds to our home.

There are so many things I love about Brayden but here are 4:

1. I love the way you announce you mood each morning when you come out of your room, it's usually something like this "I'm not gonna fight today, I'm not gonna be mad, I'm not gonna be mean, I'm gonna be happy." I love when I leave you ask me "did you forget something? A kiss and a hug"

2. I love how quirky you are. How for a time you would wear nothing but PJ's, then when you realized no one else did, you still wanted to wear them but it had to be under your clothes. How you have to put your pants on first and then your shirt. How you have to have 2 milk cups when you go to bed. How you make up your own names for things. How your age is different every time someone asks how old you are.

3. I love how you fix your hair and then ask how do I look, to which I must answer "Awesome" or you correct me.

4. I love the fits you throw. Yes, I know it sounds silly but most of the time I usually just smile when you are throwing one because they are so predictable and I know that soon I will not have a cute little person flailing on the floor with tears stream down his face when life doesn't go just as he wants it to.

Some of my favorite words:

"lucky" - yucky

"nilk" - milk

"Madasit" - Madyson

"K-low" - Caleb

"lou" - you

Happy Birthday my sweet little man!

Coke Time

2011-05-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

Madyson chose to do the mentos/coke experiment for her science class. It made for a great Sunday afternoon activity. Nothing brings kids together like exploding coke bottles!

Little Garnder's

2011-05-02T13:01:00.001-07:00

These boys definitely have Nana's blood in them. While I find yard work and gardening a huge chore, these boys think it's loads of fun! We spent Saturday doing some spring cleaning in the yard and they were happy as could be!

Easter

2011-05-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

Easter baskets were a little rushed with 9:00 church but still brought lots of smiles!

This was my favorite part of the entire day. Trent was sick so Austin helped Preston with his new tie. These are the moments I live for!

They were a little sleepy but still super cute!

Unfortunately Trent was sick so he stayed in bed all day. We had plans to go spend Easter at the Orr's but I got sick at church (turned out to be a kidney infection) so we didn't all make it. Cherie saved the day by taking Austin, Madyson, and Brayden with her and Preston stayed home and watched movies with me!

No use crying over broken glass

2011-05-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

We made it through 13 years and 4 kids with out any broken windows, that is until now. In the last month the kids have managed to break 4 windows. Austin took out two practicing lacrosse, Preston broke one with his head and the finale was my dining room bay window. Madyson was mowing the lawn, which we thought we had cleaned up. Unfortunately we missed an item. She was mowing by the swing set and hit a chain from the swing that was buried in the grass. If I hadn't seen it myself I wouldn't have believed it. The swing set is in the back of the yard about 100 feet from the house. The mower sent a piece of the chain flying and my window was what caught it. I was so thankful that none of the kids had been hit with the chain that I didn't even care about the window. I'm caring a little more now but I'm glad no one got hurt! Here is the giant hole that was left in the window:

The big 40

2011-05-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

It's official, I'm married to an old man (and I love him to death)! Trent celebrated his 40th birthday this year. Instead of birthday cake, we of course had strawberry pie. We ran out of candles before we got to 40 but Brayden insisted the pie had to have candles!

Birthday hugs and kisses!

And of course presents

We also pulled off a surprise birthday dinner a week before his birthday but I of course forgot to take pictures at dinner. I did snap this one after the movie. Thanks Dickman's, Skinner's, Hunger's and Bailey's for helping us celebrate!

The Pink Socks

2011-05-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

Madyson played her first season of club volleyball and loved it. Not sure how they came up with it, put her team was "Pink Socks." She learned so much throughout the season and made huge improvements. She got to play Libero (a position I didn't even know existed) and was great! She also started serving at the end of the season and surprised everyone with her power. As always she was a go getter on the court. We had some long Saturday's sitting at tournaments but it was worth it!

Harido

2011-05-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

This kids has so much hair! He loves to flip it forward and see how crazy he can style it after his shower. I love those freckles and that grin!

Silly Snacks

2011-05-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

Popcorn is even better when you eat it with chopsticks!

Derby Time

2011-05-02T11:59:00.001-07:00

Preston was so excited for his first pine wood derby. He made sure we had plenty of test runs at home (at least the treadmill is getting some use!)

A little flame duct tape goes a long way!

Brayden didn't want to be left out so Austin was a great big brother and handed over his old pinewood derby car so Brayden could get in on the action!

It's race time!

He waited anxiously at the finish line on all his races

His first derby was a success!

Bridge Building

2011-05-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

While I was showering Brayden and Brigham decided to build a "bridge". There wasn't a blanket left in the closet when they were done. They were so proud of their creation!

Sticky Situation

2011-05-02T11:50:00.001-07:00

This is what you end up with when a little boy decides to do his own hair with his brother's forming cream. I think it's going to stay in place!

Sunny Sundays

2011-03-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

I love spring time Sunday's when we can enjoy the beautiful weather. They are even better when we have a surprise visit from friends with treats!

I heard the cookies were delicious but I wouldn't know because they were gone before I could get to them!

Early Spring Break

2011-03-17T08:12:00.001-07:00

Our spring break came a week after our friends but we decide to head out early and meet up for some fun. We loaded up the car and headed north. Destination: Kansas City!

Brayden was hungry just a few minutes into the trip and was delighted to have an entire loaf of bread to himself!

Yummy!

The kids did much better than I expected, especially Brayden. He didn't complain a single time and did fantastic. How did people travel long distances without electronics? I couldn't have done it. A few ipad games, 2 movies, lots of music, 2 potty stops and we made it to our destination!

The kids (ok and myself) were more than excited to see the Searle's. We had dinner at Fritz's which was the prefect restaurant for 7 boys! We placed our order on a telephone at the table. A few minutes later a train whistle blew and then a train whizzed by on the tracks that were on the wall and dropped a box with the food, that then came down on the "food elevator". Needless to say the kids loved it and several additional orders were placed. Not sure if they were really hungry or just wanted to see the trains again. The food was nothing to write home about but the kids loved the trains.

These two had missed each other and were so excited to be reunited! Brayden finally got to see "my Joshua" as he calls him!

The next day we were off to tour liberty jail. It was a great stop in the trip and we all learned a lot about Joseph Smith's stay in the jail.

Next we made a quick stop at the new temple that is being built in Kansas City.

And finally it was time for Great Wolf Lodge! This picture is a little fuzzy but it was the best one I got of the whole group. It's tough to get pictures of 8 kids in a water park!

They had as much fun doing the Maji Quest as they did playing in the water park. We started out with one wand and by the end of the trip their were 5 floating around. Guess they got a little bit spoiled on vacation.

Brayden was so cute!!! He had no idea what it was about but he went running through the hotel waving his "lawned" shouting abra cadabra at everything he could. He got so excited every time a crystal lit up or a treasure chest opened.

There was wand waving into the wee hours of the night!

The afternoon of day 3 we headed to Cabela's to wander around. Two night of staying up late and playing hard all day caught up and we had a major melt down! Luckily he pulled it together once he got to wear his flip flop and enjoyed all Cabela's had to offer.

Somehow we ended up back at Great Wolf in the Cub Club for a few games.

We had a hard time saying goodbye and two hours later than we were suppose to head home we snapped our last few photos and hit the road. It was a quick trip but well worth it. Even a short time with good friends is better than no time at all.

Side note: You didn't see wrong, there were no dad's on this trip. Trent and Brandon were in Vegas together enjoying a few rounds of golf and the college basketball tournament!

Cheer Up!

2011-03-03T09:44:00.000-08:00

This is how our conversation went last night when Brayden was being silly in the car:

Me: Brayden, please stay little and cute, stop growing up

B: Don't worry, you can still kiss me when I'm your age, cheer up!

I just want to freeze time!

Cutest Monkeys!

2011-03-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

Warm weather means a trip to the zoo with friends. We had to cut our visit short because Preston got sick at school but we had fun while we were there!

These were the cutest monkeys there!

Andrew, Brody & Brayden (they look like they could cause a whole lot of trouble together!)

Cute miss Emma putting up with all the boys!

Hearts

2011-03-03T09:32:00.001-08:00

Something like this is usually the result of Brayden playing quietly in his room.

He was very please with his handy work until we had to pull them all off!

Sharp Shooter

2011-02-23T11:47:00.000-08:00

Austin was on his way to earn a rifle merit badge the morning we realized he had chicken pox. He was very disappointed he didn't get to go so we tried to make up for it with some clay pigeon shooting. He is a great shot. I was amazed at how many he hit and how easy he made it look!

We had to finish off the outing with a quick visit to Rusty!

Warming Up

2011-02-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

Warm weather = a trip to the golf course in the Smith family!

By the 11th hole Preston had lost interest but was happy climbing the golf course trees!

Valentine's Day

2011-02-23T11:33:00.000-08:00

My sweet hubby didn't make it home until after nine but still came bearing gifts for everyone!

Jinxed

2011-02-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

Well, I jinxed myself. Two weeks ago I was talking with a friend about how thankful I was that we had been so healthy and dodged everything that was going around. I never should have spoken those words. ONE HOUR LATER both Preston and Brayden had pink eye. That was followed by Preston having a sinus infection. Brayden got croup caused by his allergies which turned into an ear infection. Madyson caught a stomach but and threw up all over the carpet, which required several cleanings and every substance know to a mom dumped on it to get rid of the smell. Just when I thought we were in the clear chicken pox decide to visit our house. Looking back I think Preston may have had it but we didn't realize it because he only had 3 bumps that we thought were bug bites. Now Austin, Madyson and Brayden are all home with chicken pox. I hope this is the end of it!!!

This is what my kitchen counter has looked like for the past 2 weeks

Luckily my babies were so sick that they slept a lot of the time

Don't they look good in polka dots!

Try telling a 3 yr old "don't scratch"

He was the only one willing to let me document the pox on his back!

Not sure calamine really works but it at least makes me feel like I'm doing something to ease their discomfort

The pox gang!

Wrestle Mania

2011-02-23T10:51:00.000-08:00

My boys love to wrestle. It seems like there isn't a day that goes by that someone isn't wrestling. They love it even more when daddy gets in on the action!

Round 2

2011-02-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

We had our second round of snow that shut down school for 3 more days.

I was happy to see my boys come to the rescue of a neighbor in need

This time around there was a lot less playing in the snow and a lot more of this:

Usher

2011-02-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

Came home one night to find the kids jamming out to Usher! They had a whole dance choreographed for us! We have our own dance troop!

The Sun is out!

2011-02-05T17:45:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when it goes from -15 to 45. You would think it was the middle of summer by the way these two are dressed! We finished shoveling the driveway (well at least a portion of it) and even cleaned out the garage! Amazing what a little sunshine will do!

Winter Wonderland

2011-02-05T15:35:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday it was almost 80 degrees and the kids were in shorts. By Tuesday this is what they were dressing up in. Thanks to a blizzard that left us with about 12 inches of snow we got to enjoy 4, yes 4 snow days off from school. The wind chill was -15 and blowing 40 miles per hour but that didn't stop my little eskimos!

They played in the snow at home

And played in the snow at friends!

Austin put his hunting gear to good use

They stopped to warm up

And went back out for more

3 days into it and they were still playing away!

Oh yeah, there was plenty of the is too!

Pet Owners

2011-02-05T15:22:00.000-08:00

I never knew if the day would come that we would get a dog but it has arrived. My sister had a friend that was moving and had to get rid of her dog. I think it's because my little guy is growing up that, to everyone's surprise, I started to consider taking him. When the kids found out there was no hope. They begged me to take him, so we said yes.

Brayden was so excited to pick out his blue tag

He came to use with long hair

But was in desperate need of grooming and ended up coming home bald!

He came from a quiet home w/2 people to our chaos of 6. I don't think he is adjusting very well and I'm not sure how long he is going to last at our house. We are no longer against having a dog I just don't think this is the dog for us. The kids were against giving him away at first but I think they are starting to change their minds. So, if anyone knows of a good quiet home that wants and adorable Maltese please call me, he's super cute!

Frosty

2011-02-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

The kids weren't sure if they would get any sledding in this year so they took advantage of a bit of frost on the slide!

Goof Ball!

2011-02-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

Can I just say, once again, I LOVE THIS LITTLE GUY!

Cutie!

2011-02-05T15:10:00.000-08:00

My friend Jen had to renew her license (poor thing) so her girls played with us at the museum and the park. I only got a few pics but they were too cute not to post!

Christmas Vacation

2011-02-05T14:37:00.001-08:00

We had lots of time to fill and tried hard to stay busy over Christmas vacation!

Garage hockey

Playdough

Cards

More cards

Stamps

Painting

A visit to the omniplex

Rather than spending hours in the car to go somewhere, we packed up and enjoyed a staycation in OKC! The kids spent hours in the pool and had a blast!

Krispy Kreme

Comfy beds

Bowling Time!

Followed by shopping and hide and seek at the mall!

We spent many days in our PJ's and enjoyed the break all we could!

It's Christmas!

2011-02-05T14:16:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas 2010!!

These 3 were ready bright and early and were not about to wait for Austin to wake up on his own

Now were ready!

Brayden and his irun (iron) man

Electronic drums, go figure!

Preston howled for joy when he opened his remote control helicopter

Hunting gear of course!

Happy children!

The aftermath in my living room!

Note to Preston: Helicopter and Madyson's hair are not a good combination. Good luck she has a patient daddy who removed the helicopter from her hair without cutting it!

Christmas Eve 2010

2010-12-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, the kids were counting the hours until St. Nick would be there!

Empty wrapping paper rolls are as much fun as any toy out there!

My little treat making elves

While I ran to the store for a few last minute things the kids used the leftover M&M's for a few hands of blackjack, it helps w/their math skills right?!

TIme for the traditional Christmas Eve present, hmmm wonder what it could be, I'm thinking pj's (forgot to get a pic of the new digs, dang!)

We threw in a few games too, then it was off to look at Christmas lights!

TEENAGER!!!!!

2010-12-25T13:29:00.002-08:00

Well I can't believe it but my first born is officially a teenager! Not sure if I want to laugh or cry, I think a bit of both. I still remember the day I found out I was pregnant like it was yesterday and now he's 13. He is turning into quite the young man! He puts on an act that he is very serious but he is a joker and likes to have fun. He is the typical older brother and loves teasing his siblings. He also loves hanging out with his dad. His new passion is hunting, not my favorite thing, but he can't get enough. He hasn't been able to get anything yet but he loves trying! We love having him as part of our family!

The only thing he wanted for his birthday, a new gun, but of course if you give a boy a gun he'll want ammo to go with it and if you give him ammo he'll want to go out and shoot something!

An accessory for his other favorite past-time, sleeping!

For months he has been trying to convince me that he is taller than me. He may have passed me up in the weight department but I'm not conceding on the height. I still have him by at least inch (but not for long!)

We got style!

2010-12-25T13:20:00.001-08:00

Our friends had an ugly sweater Christmas party, and we couldn't come up with any sweaters but we did our best to be festive. I really thought there was no way I could get Trent to participate but he was a good sport and wore the wonderful gingerbread man scarf I found for him. The shirt I found for me was extremely flattering (not!)

After the ornament exchange Trent came away with the "super duper reindeer pooper" It was a huge hit at our house!

Sing It

2010-12-25T13:15:00.000-08:00

Madyson finished out our December programs with her vocal music concert. She was also super excited for her concert. They sang lots of cute songs and had lots of fun. I was wrestling Brayden so Preston took over as official photographer (hence the lack of usable photos!)

Penguins save Christmas

2010-12-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

December is full of programs! Preston was so excited for his second grade program. He practiced hard and sang his heart out! He and his fellow penguins helped Santa, who had amnesia, remember who he was and helped save Christmas! He looked forward to it all month long and it was so fun to watch his excitement grow!

Cutest Rudolph Ever!

2010-12-25T12:43:00.000-08:00

I love pre-school Christmas programs! Like last year, Brayden didn't sing a word but he looked dang cute standing there!

Getting ready to head to school, he insisted he wear his boots because "Santa wears boots"

Here come the reindeer!

Unlike last year (when he screamed) he was more than excited to sit on Santa's lap!

I love this little guy!

All in one place

2010-10-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

So I have to give a shout out to my friend Kimberly. She was here over the weekend and spent a portion of it taking my pictures (there are thousands of them) that were all over the place and getting them on iphoto for me. She was amazing and I can't tell you how nice it is to have them all in one place! We talked about making sure we took a picture together but never got it done. I figured I would find one from our trip this summer and didn't have one of us in those either. Guess it's time to start passing the camera around so I can get in some pics. Here is one of the pics that is finally on my computer, yeah!!!! Thanks Kimberly!

Field Trip

2010-10-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

Preston's 2nd grade went to the zoo and I got to go with them. I think it was field trip day for just about every other school in the state too but we had fun! So glad I got to spend time with my kiddo.

Running

2010-10-29T13:24:00.001-07:00

Austin decided to run cross country this year. At first I thought it was because Trent ran cross country and Austin wanted to follow in his footsteps, but I think the real reason was he wanted to get in shape for a hunting trip. Oh well, whatever the reason it kept him off the couch!

Rainbows

2010-10-29T13:21:00.001-07:00

The kids and I spotted these double rainbows on our way out the door for a walk. Rainbows always make me smile and think about the day Trent proposed.

Lunch w/Walrus'

2010-10-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

We picked Madyson up for lunch and headed to Pei Wei. At least they stayed busy while they were waiting for their food. These too are crazy together!

A day off

2010-10-29T11:55:00.001-07:00

Spending one on one time with the kids is pretty tricky these days so when Preston had a doctor's appt. it wasn't hard for him to convinced me to let him skip the rest of school. We ran some errands and snuck in a lunch w/dad. It was simple but he was the happiest kid around!

Trees

2010-10-29T11:44:00.001-07:00

If there is a tree around my boys will try to climb it!

We were at the park and I told Brayden he couldn't climb the big tree, he needed to find a little one. A few minutes later I heard his sweet voice and he yelled "look mom, I told you I could climb this tree"

Preston loves climbing trees but he loves getting out of them just as much. Usually he jumps down but he decided to "repel out of the tree". Luckily no injuries were incurred!

Not so fast Daddy

2010-09-28T09:39:00.001-07:00

Trent and Brayden decided to take the training wheels off his bike without my consent. One push from dad and he was off and riding by himself. He did a great job and of course wanted to keep them off. The problem is he can't get started by himself and I'm not up for that so the training wheels went back on the bike at the end of the day. Maybe next summer we can try it again w/only 2 wheels!

Yee Haw!

2010-09-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

Brayden and Madyson needed birthday pictures and Brayden did not want to go to a studio so I decided to just take them myself. B had to dress up in his "cowboy clothes" so M joined in. I'm not much of a photographer but how can you go wrong with these two! (Warning there are a lot of pics and I didn't even post them all, I just couldn't choose!)

Handsome Boys!

2010-09-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

These two have decided they want to dress like Daddy for church. They are so dang cute!

Darn School!

2010-09-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

Summer was fun but all good things must come to an end! Here's to the start of a new school year!

B was so excited to that he figured out how to clip his boots to his backpack. He couldn't wait to show his friends!

Brayden and Ms. Ashley (yeah they moved her up so he gets her again this year!)

Can't believe they are both in middle school!

M is 11!

2010-09-17T18:14:00.005-07:00

My baby girl is growing up fast! For her birthday this year she went to Frontier City w/a few friends and had a blast (I took the pics on another camera and can't find it.) She wanted a phone and a camera and of course her daddy came through for her and she got both! Madyson is becoming so responsible. She is a great babysitter and helper around the house (when she wants to be!) She is a great student and is also developing into quite an athlete. She loves volleyball and softball and is great at both. She has such a loving spirit and is so great at making sure everyone feels included and special. I am so lucky to have her as my daughter!

Crazy Rain

2010-09-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

In June we had some crazy rain. In a matter of a few hours we had something like 10 inches of rain. Streets, businesses, and homes were flooded. People were stranded, bridges were knocked out and my kids were ecstatic! I didn't quite realize how much rain we got until later in the day but the kids took advantage and played like crazy!!! (Apparently I also took more pictures than I realized. I tried to narrow it down!)

Farewell Fifth Grade!

2010-09-17T17:35:00.001-07:00

My baby girl has officially graduated from elementary school. She has loved Cross Timbers and had a great year! She received several awards, but I didn't write them down so I will have to wait until she's around to fill them in! The fantastic girl scout troop that had been together since 1st grade presented a gift to the school for letting them meet there for so many years. They were a great troop and we are going to miss them. For the fifth grade celebration they had a Circus Theme party and the kids had a great time. Now it's on to middle school, yikes!

Lots More To Do

2010-08-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Well, after many months of not being able to access my photos I am finally returning to the blog world!! Between Brayden deciding he doesn't need to nap anymore and technical difficulties I am WAY behind, but working on getting caught up!

Fashionista

2010-05-18T11:08:00.005-07:00

Brayden has his own sense of fashion. He is very particular about what he wears and always has an opinion. Shopping with him is always an adventure!

He loves wearing his cowboy boots, even to the park!

These are the shorts he picked out in the Junior's dept. While I was trying clothes on, he put these on, ran out of the dressing room, and headed for the exit. Luckily an employee saw him come out of the dressing room and followed him. He gave us all a good laugh!

Gangster look

Wild West

2010-05-18T11:08:00.003-07:00

Brayden decided to spend most of his birthday money on cowboy gear. He loves his new "cowboy boot hat" and has been looking for bad guys everywhere. What a cute cowboy!

Visit with Nana & Randy

2010-05-18T11:08:00.001-07:00

Nana and Randy came to visit for a few days and we kept them busy. We had a bbq and pool party, took and RV ride to Cracker Barrel for dinner, shopped, and had lunch at school with the kids. I of course forgot to take pictures of most of their visit but we had fun seeing them!

A Star Is Born!

2010-05-18T11:01:00.001-07:00

Preston's first grade class has been busy. We celebrated Mother's day by attending a Mother's day tea at school. His class got to perform and song and dance for all the moms. He made sure that he looked like it was pure torture up on stage but deep down he was as excited as could be.

He also got the star roll of "Jack Rabbit" in his class play, Spring TIme Frolic. The class practiced all month and then performed the play 4 times. He is quite the little actor and a very cute rabbit!

Pirates, arrrrr!

2010-05-18T10:56:00.005-07:00

Madyson has been looking forward to the 5th grade play since the beginning of the year. Ever since they started practicing we have been hearing pirate songs and lots of arrrrrr! It was so fun to watch her excitement build. Her class did a great job and they were the cutest pirates ever!

Mr. B is 3!

2010-05-18T10:56:00.003-07:00

My baby is 3! I can't believe how fast the last three years have gone by. I love this little guy so much! He has such a great personality. Every morning he climbs out of bed and runs out of his room with a big smile! He has a great sense of humor and loves to be silly and make everyone laugh. He is definitely all boy, and loves to be outside getting dirty. He loves to dig, water, mow the lawn, play in the dirt, and get into trouble. He also likes to copy anything and everything the big kids do. For his birthday he wanted to golf so we went to the driving range and then he picked brownies instead of cake .

tooter - scooter

fwim- swim

pollylop- lollypop

Madyson - Busy Girl

2010-05-18T10:56:00.001-07:00

Madyson participated in the school districts GeoBowl and her team took 3rd place. At the end of the regular rounds there was a 10 way tie for 3rd. After many elimination rounds her team came out on top!

She also tried volleyball for the first time and loved it! Her team struggled through the season but that hasn't discouraged her. She is moving forward with volleyball camps this summer so that she will be ready for the next season!

She has been playing on a boys baseball team for the last few years but decided this year she is going to try softball. We will be spending another hot summer at the baseball fields!

She is also taking piano lessons and starting violin. This girl does not like to be bored.

Easter with Grandma and Grandpa

2010-05-18T10:22:00.003-07:00

Trent and I got to celebrate our anniversary a little early. We were lucky enough to have Grandma and Grandpa Smith come stay with the kids. I think they were ready to go home by the end of it but the kids had a blast having them here

Crazy Kids

2010-05-18T10:22:00.001-07:00

The kids had crazy sock and hat day at school and they were extremely excited about their look!

Back into a cast

2010-05-18T10:21:00.001-07:00

Preston got a month break from the world of fiber glass before his next round. He was playing at a friends house when I got a call from him. His words were:

"Hi mom, I've got some bad news, I think I broke my hand"

Well, his diagnosis was correct. He fell off a scooter and ended up with a broken hand. So, it was six more weeks of smelly casts! The only time he cried was when he was getting his cast and was told no, he could not have a pink cast, go figure!

My Little Gymnast!

2010-05-18T10:18:00.001-07:00

After missing most the season because of a broken foot Preston made it back just in time for the state gymnastics meet. He was pretty nervous and wasn't sure he could keep up but he did fantastic. He placed second in high bar, fourth in vault, two 6th place finishes and a 7th & 9th in the other events. He placed 6th all around.

bball fun

2010-05-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

Brayden was pretty proud of himself when he discovered how to play basketball in the bathroom!

Let It Snow

2010-05-18T10:16:00.003-07:00

This past winter I think we had more snow than all the years we have lived here put together! The kids loved it, especially Brayden and Preston. They made snow angels, snowmen, snow caves, and ate plenty of snow! The cold is not my favorite but the kids sure enjoyed it!

Our First Broken Bone

2010-05-18T10:14:00.001-07:00

Despite the gymnastics mat that Preston got for Christmas, he broke his foot two days later. I was worried about the back handsprings and back flips but it was a cartwheel that did him in. The top of his foot hit the frame on the top of the couch and that was it. He told Trent his foot hurt and Trent looked at it an thought it was broken, but I didn't hear anything about it until the next night after, yes, after his 2 hour gymnastics practice. Even with a broken foot we couldn't slow him down. By the end of it he went through 3 casts. Preston is one tough kid!

Best neighbors ever!

2010-02-16T10:04:00.000-08:00

Our wonderful neighbors had Christmas breakfast with us and of course came with a bag full of gifts. We love Mike and Lynda!

I'll be home for Christmas!

2010-02-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was unlike any other we have had in Oklahoma. It snowed 14 inches! They predicting 1-4 but we got a bit more. In the end we made it home for Christmas but it was close. We spent Chrismas Eve playing games and hanging out at Cherie's. We knew it was snowing but didn't realize how much until we tried to leave at about 8:00. We were shocked to find over a foot of snow. However, Trent was determined to spend Christmas at home. After he and Scott took a test run, we loaded the family in the van and headed home, or at least tried to. It took over 30 minutes just to get out of the driveway. We finally made it out and slid home! The kids got their traditional Christmas Eve gift, pajamas and slippers, but this year we threw in a few games too. We spent Christmas day at home playing in the snow and relaxing. The kids had a blast with all the snow. I watched from the window and dried out their gear everytime they came in to warm up. It was one of the best Christmas' yet!

Some of the snow that was waiting for us when we finally made it home. The wind had blown so hard we had snow drifts the were 2 feet tall!

New PJ's!

Merry Christmas!
Preston was so excited about his mat he immediately started doing back handsprings!
The kids got the "only thing they asked for" Itouch!
Brayden was ready to roll with his new trucks

Visit from Aunt Lindsey

2010-02-16T09:37:00.001-08:00

Aunt Lindsey came to visit for the first time since we moved here. It was also the first time she had seen Brayden. We had so much fun having her here. We ate, shopped, cooked, played games and just enjoyed the time we had with her. Somehow I only got a couple pictures during her whole stay. I guess we were having too much fun to worry about pictures! Thanks for spending Christmas with us Linds!

Happy 12!

2010-02-16T09:19:00.000-08:00

My baby is 12!! Austin decided he didn't want a birthday party this year, but wanted to spend the day with his dad (I love that the kids are choosing to spend their special day with Trent!) They went shooting, one of Austin's favorite things to do, and then went and saw Blind Side. That night we went to Outback for dinner and Austin was excited to order a steak off the regular menu!

Austin loves golf, guns and knives (what a boy!)

He loves to hang out with his dad

He is still my biggest cuddler

Austin loves to tease his brothers

He always has strange facts to share with us

He is such a sweet boy and we love him!!!