Seven on the Seventh

Can you believe it- Cayden is Seven!

Oh for this years party, as we all know, Cayden is very creative and had lots of great pie in the sky ideas (wow), but with a little help, direction, and several trips to Party City, he decided on having an Army themed party. As His "traditional" Birthday cake is actually a cookie, he asked if Mom could make him a "Tank". I suggested a big round cookie decorated with camo spots, but as you can see- Cayden got his wish. Mommy is great at that! Just look at those chocolate bar "Tank" treads, Oreo wheels and Tootsie Roll gun barrel- very cool! His family party was lots of fun and we had our first cook-out with hamburgers and hot dogs (but ate inside as it is still a bit cold, come on Spring!)
Two of the stand out gifts came from Mimi and Granddaddy and Grams and Pa, and the DS game From Mom and Dad ranked a close third. Mimi and Granddaddy heard that Cayden was recently learning (and struggling a bit with) counting money and the names and denominations of each coin. Granddaddy filled a "Bank Tray" with a full roll of each coin type and gave him a poster all about money. When he opened their card and a 20 dollar bill fell out, Cayden said "Wow, twenty cents!" As you can see, the teaching gift could not come any to soon!

From Grams and Pa, Cayden got the three disc set of all the Jurassic Park Movies. Ever since watching them with Uncle Justin, Cayden has been obsessed with them and dinosaurs in general(one of his other party theme ideas by the way). Grams noticed and the look on his face says it all! He just can't wait to see another innocent human be devoured by a spooky eyed velosa raptor. His "friend" party is next Friday and with some life-sized human battle ship planned it should be a great time, but..... Mommy..... I'll need another one of those cool "Tank" cookie cakes!!!

A tale of two Cities

I don't know why for sure we are addicted to the Olympics, but I do know that for the two plus weeks they are going on every other year, we cannot pull ourselves away from the TV. I don't know what to make of our addiction as neither of us watch much TV or are really "sports" minded in any other way or at any other time. Could it be that we are both from Olympic Cities and we have been in some way hypnotized by the Olympic movement? Whatever the reason, we are hooked! We watch during dinner and it is on in the background during homework and piano practice. We even find ourselves watching until midnight some nights because we just have to see who won what. It is Crazy! For a couple of weeks I get the mindless "ESPN Obsession" most guys have for watching anything sports on TV! It is very strange. With the closing ceremonies coming up very soon, Nikki and I asked ourselves what we are going to do with our evenings as soon as the Olympics are over, as we can't seem to remember life without them. I think that we will live!

In the end I think that it is the excellence of everything Olympic that keeps us coming back for more. It is the exciting traditions of the opening, awards and closing ceremonies, the stories of these no-name un-paid athletes from all over the world that train all their lives for several seconds of greatness, and also the stories of defeat and of 4th place and no medal. The whole thing is just exciting and we think that they are great! Do we really have to wait two more years for more!!!

Is anyone else addicted? We could start OAA- Olympic Addicts Anonymous. We might need a support group!

FLASH BACK- Nikki and I at a 2002 Olympic downhill event in Salt Lake City. The energy of the games is truly unique- Long live the Olympics!

The latest with us

The Latest with us?

Some new snow, a silver medal and two new holes.

In a moment of weakness, the girls broke Daddy down and we all ran to the mall to have little Mia's ears pierced. Although I do think that it is adorable, tradition holds that girls are a bit older, but that tradition seems to get younger and younger every day, so why not three, right? As we ask them a 16, 12 or even eight, the answer is always going to be the same- yes! It is very cute and Mia loves them. She can't wait until she can change them to the other "pink" ones that Mommy got her. She is a little girl through and through!

Brenner finished his winter indoor soccer season and he and his team got second place in the u-10 tournament. It was a very tight game ending with a score of 1-0.Southern Cotton Plants. . . or Georgia Snow?
With this last winter storm we received almost 6 inches on our lawn by the end of the blizzard!!! Wow for Georgia!
The kids played and played and it looked every bit like out west for a day, but it never seems to stick around long here in the South.

A Little snow Devil!
The start of a snow man. What fun! Cayden could not stand it and wanted to spend the whole evening and the next day outside. Crazy boy.

Our trip out West

This post is a bit late, as we have been home for almost two weeks now, but better late than never right?!?! We spent some time in Utah and had a great time. It is always great to be able to visit and catch up with family that we don't get to see enough. We spent a day in the snow, many nights just hanging out with family and the cousins, a afternoon with Bing and Lady, a morning with Stacy and Michael and ate at Nikki's favorite places, Rumbi's and Bajio's (twice).

We really had a great time only wishing that we would have had several more days to spend.

Up on the tubing slopes with Grams and Pa.

Although they did "tube" Stone Mountain this year, the boys had so much fun on a "real" snow hill with "real" snow. Check out those snow bibs on the boys form the late 70's- thanks for keeping us all warm Grams- retro is back in style....Right?

The kids had fun on Pa's snow machine but they did seem to get the most fun out of a good old fashion sled and a steep hill.

Little "Snow Angels".

The Bad Boys of Winter!

The visit with Bing and Lady- time always well spent! We love you guys!

This picture I just think is cool- it could almost be Cort and I, even down to the matching "twiner" camo pajama bottoms. Cayden had so much fun with Austin!

Hanging out with the Herrens- Thanks guys for all the fun and the great breakfast! You always remind us what the word "Friend" really means!

You can't visit Salt Lake City with out a picture like this!

Thanks to Grams and Pa and everyone else that made our trip "Home" so much fun, we truly had such a great time, and it is all because of all of you- We love ya!

Jesus wants Mia for a Sunbeam.

This last Sunday our little Mia got a little bit bigger. She is now a Sunbeam! She graduated into the Primary and is excited to be with the big kids. I do not think that she has realized quite yet that the toys, treats and Sister Alvis and Prater will be left behind in the nursery. Oh she just keeps breaking her promise she made to me to stay little forever!

Let's all sing:

Jesus wants Mia for a sunbeam (jump) to shine for him each day. In every way try to please Him at home at school and play.

Wow- December is gone!

Where did the month of December go? It has truly zoomed by! Where to start for the last post of 2009....? The boys had their first piano recital a week or so before Christmas and it was Christmas themed. Brenner played "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and Cayden played a rendition of "Jingle Bells". They both spent lots of time practicing and other than some nervous jittery notes, played like little Beethovens! Good Job Boys!

Brenner and the 12 days of Christmas

Push Pause on the player at the bottom, before hitting the play button.

Cayden playing Jingle Bells.

We made a fun Christmas trip up to the Blue Ridge Mountains with the Brantley's and had a blast just eating great food, playing fun games, and trying to keep warm in a little cabin all decorated for the Holidays in the woods.

It was so cold that the Polar Bears were out!

The kidos found a warm spot as long as they were submerged to their necks.

Wow- As the camera always seems to be fixed on the kids, just a picture of US! We need to take more of these!

Thanks, Page, Brandon and Family for such a great time! Let's do it again next year!

At the Stone Mountain Christmas lights. The lights seem to get better every year, and the kids are getting old enough to sit through some of the fun shows. Dinner at Miss Katie's, and all the kids caught their own "Flying Rolls".

Christmas Eve and home made PJ's made by Bing. It is so much fun to see a tradition that you hold dear passed on to your own kids~ THANKS BING! We love you and your Jammies!

Back at the house and the kids Christmas Eve gift swap.

Oh - Santa Delivered, what a Surprise!

Brenner Found the Christmas Pickle hidden in the tree and got to open the first gift of the morning (for the second year in a row now- good eyes!)

Mia and "Swim to Me Puppy" (More like Drowned in front of me Puppy) =)

Cayden and his Legos, He built that whole thing in less than 2 hours! (over 900 pieces)

Brenner and his Indoor Soccer Shoes. Now his "Style" will match is "Skills".

Holding up Mimi and Granddaddy's Money! Funny- Cayden asked this year if Santa really makes the toys or if he just "buys" them? Humm...? Just like his daddy, never satisfied with the "Simple facts of the story"!

After all the parties, lots of great food, cups of hot chocolate, all the here and there, all the wrapping and unwrapping, all the magic and fun in the eyes of young children and all that a "Family Christmas" Holds, it ended with some laps around a slot-car track and some late night Rips on Wii Rock Band with the kids.

What a great December, nice 2009 and just as the Christmas movie title- "What a Wonderful Life! We are truly blessed and thankful!

Christmas in full swing!

It is only the 6th of December and it seems that Christmas has already been around for over 2 weeks! As Thanksgiving was not hosted at our home this year, Nikki got her wish of putting up the decorations and trees the last week of November. I always use Thanksgiving as a logical reason to wait till the first weekend in December, but this year she got her way. It works out though because as the years go on and as we collect more and more Christmas Stuff, we need several weekends for the elves to get it all up! The picture above is a shot of the tradition of sleeping under the tree on the night it goes up (November 24th this year... Yikes!).

This is a preview of the possible Christmas card photo, but if this year is anything like the last, there will be at least one more shoot! The foyer is one of our favorite parts of the house every Christmas as it is always done in clear lights and holds Nikki's "Fancy Adult Tree". The new addition this year is some Mistletoe hung from the light above (can barely see it in the picture if you squint), I will let you all know if it really works the way that tradition holds! =)

Christmas Cookies have been baking.

The kids in front of the outside lights. As many of our outside lights were going on 10 years old, almost none wanted to work this year. I figured that it was time to re-work them and went from multi-colored to red, green and white. It looks Great in the day, and even better at night. Something Clark Griswald would be truly proud of!

Picture of the ever growing Christmas Village (just for Tara).

And last but not least- this years picture with Santa!

Items on their lists:

Brenner- Wii Games, R/C Car, Indoor Soccer Shoes.

Cayden- Nintendo DS and Games, and Legos, Legos and more Legos.

Mia- Baby Dolls, Swim to me Puppy, Dora Backpack, Play Kitchen, Elephants game, Little Baby LuLu Kitty and one of everything that she sees on the TV! She is really getting into the true spirit of Christmas this year!?!?! =)

So Very Thankful

We always have so much to be thankful for, but on Thanksgiving it seems to be at the front of our thoughts. We are truly blessed in so many ways, three healthy and happy kids, a comfortable roof over our heads, plenty to eat (too much at times) and lives that are always filled with excitement of one kind or another. We live in a wonderful country and in a beautiful state that provides us so much opportunity and freedom. And the greatest "thanks" is for our membership in the church and the fact that we have the gospel in our lives. What more could one ask for or possibly need? For all these blessings and for so many more not mentioned-

We give our thanks!

To all our family and friends, thank you for all you do for us and for all the love and support that we feel and receive from you-

You are the greatest and we are thankful for you too!

What's New?

What's new around the Smith House?

Mia has been playing with her new friend Morgan who moved onto our street several weeks back. This has been wonderful as there have not been any little girls her age around the neighborhood and now she has a friend that is just the right size down the street.
Brenner just finished another great soccer season and his team did very well once again. He is becoming a soccer pro and is loving every minute of it! Mom and Dad are also getting a "KICK" out of it as the older the boys get, the better the games get. They are lots of fun and exciting to watch!
And Cayden has not taken his nose out of the "Christmas Wish Books" since their arrival last week. He already has his "List" made out, but as things are added and subtracted daily, it is a work in progress! If he only knew that he is only registered for a shipment of coal this year! =)

Ho, Ho, Whatever!