The little Smith Easter Bunnies have been very excited this year to decorate the house with eggs of all kinds, Dye Easter Eggs and just anything that relates to Easter. They can't wait for Sunday Morning and the "Hunt" to see what the Easter Bunny may have brought!
~Pause Blog Playlist Music before pushing Play~
Mia has changed her obsession from Bedtime Songs to Nursery Rhymes and has memorized all of her favorites. She insists on reciting several before she will even think of going to bed each night. Some of her favorites are Little Boy Blue, Hey Diddle Diddle, and one called Little Poly Flinders (one that I had never heard of?). She also loves the What Little Boys and Girls are Made of, and will tell you that she is made of Sugar and "Fhise"(Spice), and everything Nice, and that Brenner, Cayden and Daddy too are made of Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dogs Tails!~ She is getting a bit to "Fhisty" and Spicy if you ask me! =)
As is Smith Family tradition, we had a Green Dinner on St. Patrick's Day, although not very Irish~ fettuccine with Green Alfredo sauce. That Morning Daddy just about sent the troops into battle without any green on. As we were getting ready to leave the house, Cayden said: "Daddy, what about our green?" The boys ran upstairs and changed into green shirts and Mia's ribbon in her hair was changed from blue to green. What could have been a pinching disaster was averted thanks to the good memory of our little Leprechaun Cayden (He is very observant and forgets nothing). What about Lucky Charms for Dinner next year? 
Presenting their Royalty the King, Queen, Princess Mia, Prince Brenner and Birthday Boy~ Prince Cayden.
The show was really great and the horses very beautiful. Mia loved whenever the princess came out and the boys loved the action and fighting scenes, with the jousting being their favorite. Mommy and daddy loved that we went on a buy a ticket get a ticket night and that Princess Mia is still under three for a short while more so it all did not break the Royal Treasury!
Cayden cheering on our sections Yellow Knight, who ended up wining the nights battle and saved the king and queen. He also tossed a flower to Mia from his horse and she thought that was wonderful! Cute girls get all the attention! =) As you can see Cayden really got into it!
It would not be Cayden's Birthday without his traditional Cookie Cake, and it was decked out with the image of "Sherbit" his new Webkinz friend. What a party! 
After "driving" Daddy almost crazy over the last three weeks to help build his car, finally the night came for Brenner to race in his first Cub Scout Pinwood Derby. He was so excited to see all the other boys cars and to race them. He also earned his Bobcat Badge and three Belt Loops (Bowling, Bike Safety and Baseball) at this pack meeting~ Way to go BRENNER!!!
It was forcasted to snow 4 to 6 inches on Sunday afternoon and we did not believe, but as we came out of Church, sure enough, it was coming down hard. It came down the rest of the evening, and made for a messy night. The Power went off at around 3:00 and did not look to be coming back on any time soon. Daddy lit the fireplace as this soon became the only light and heat for the house and the kids built a blankie fort in the front room. We had milk and smores by the fire and told stories and answered "what if" questions from the kids. Just as we were getting ready to lay down by the fireplace for the night, the power kicked back on and it was up to our soft beds, instead of the floor. It made for a very fun family night together. 
As we went to bed we knew that School would be canceled the next day. The roads were all ice and Daddy stayed home with the kids and had a "Snow Day". The day was filled with sleeping in a bit later than normal, snowman building and hot chocolate drinking~ what a day! And look at that Snowman~ he rivals those made back in Utah~ that is a once in decade kind of Georgia Snowman!!! 
We just got back from Disney World for the second time in less than a year. We had no intentions of being in Orlando again any time soon after our trip last April with Cortney and Mandy, but some great friends in our ward invited several families to go down and stay in their vacation home for the week. As it was the week of Walton County School intercession and as it was "Disney", we just could not refuse. This is the picture with Cinderella Castle that eluded us last time, but this time we got it! As there is much to post and many cute pictures, I will post more about the trip as soon as I get some free time~ so check back!
Good Bye forever Diaper Pail, you will not be missed!
Now for the sad part. The deal was made with Mia that as soon as she was trained she could have a big girl bed. Well she earned it and the promise was kept. Gent and I did not see the flood 0f emotions coming that were involved in taking down the nursery furniture for the last time. Although I hope I never see another diaper pail again, taking down the crib that has held all three of our children was a moment of mixed emotions. Many memories were very close to the surface as the crib and changing table went up in the attic to make room for Mia's new big girl furniture. Although growing kids are wonderful, the idea of no more babies in the house is a strange one, as this has been our life for the last 8+ years. Although the thought of another infant frightens me also, something is a bit melancholy about the crib (and the attached feelings) being gone, as it has been around for so long. Well Life moves on and there have been such ending points in the past and other finish lines will be crossed in the future! Just for posterity we did get one last picture of all our Babies in the crib before it came down! =)
Three little Monkeys jumping in a crib!
~A very Little Potty Trained Big-Girl, on a even Bigger Bed~
As you can see by the smile on her face, Mia is Happy to be a big girl! And it is very nice to be able to lay in bed with her and read nursery rhymes and sing her to sleep. And the fact that I cut up her baby quilt, old crib bumper pads and dust ruffle to make the new full size comforter and pillows makes the whole thing fit, as I am not ready for a Hanna Montana bedspread yet~ if ever!
Usually Mia visits Blaine at his house but he came to visit the other night and we made cookies. They were both such good little helpers and these two get along most of the time very well, but tonight they fought over who got to hold and dump the bag of chocolate chips~ silly kids.
~Mia's Photo Shoot for the Shabby Baby Girl Contest~
We all have an addiction to Boom Blox at the Smith house!!!
The last several hours of 2008 we spent eating great food and Launching off a nice show of illegal fireworks that were brought over the state line by the Kippers- thanks guys! The high flying big booms and roman candles were a big hit, but the best show of the night had to be the fountain that lit the backyard grass on fire and watching Daddy run for the water hose, what fun!
The kids made New Years noise with some noise makers and horns, as if a group of seven kids don't make enough noise all by themselves. Good-bye 2008 and welcome 2009!!!
This month seemed to be the month that kept on giving. First with Brenner's Baptism and the corresponding Christmas visit from Gram's and Pa, then all the fun with family and friends that comes in the weeks before Christmas, and finally on the night of the 25th- Stacy, Michael and Maddie came from Utah to visit for the weekend. We had so much fun catching up with them over the last several days and their visit just put the perfect ending to this year of great fun and memories. Wow ~ it is 2009 in just a couple days~ thanks for all the great memories 2008!!!
