Game On!!!!

For the first time in three years, the entire Smith family came together at last this Christmas. It's been hit and miss the last few years with two weddings and a baby due. But we finally did it!!! And what a family they are. :) BTW, the only one missing from this pic is Mom/ Gram. She was at home baking. We deemed that worthy of absence, especially on Christmas Eve.

The Smiths have a fabulous tradition of sportsmanship. Some of my first memories of Kev's family are just hanging out in their family room on a Friday night, and they would find a flashlight and a small ball and get a game of baseball rolling. Right there in the family room. 'Course if they hit Mom's blinds, it was all over. But other than that, it was game on. Since Kev and all his siblings were newspaper carriers at one point or another, they always had bags of rubber bands laying around and let me just say that they all are SKILLED marksmen with those dealies! I once saw Kevin shoot a "mosquito eater" out of the air and the little wings just came spiraling downward... Awesome.

So it's no surprise that one of the Smith family traditions is to pile into the cultural hall at the stake center here in town and play football, wiffle ball, basketball, and soccer until we drop. Then (hopefully) we shower and get ready to eat and play some more (usually a new and exciting board game or an old favorite). And that's what we all did this Christmas Eve.

Behold.... 'Da Smiths:

Here are some of my favorite action shots. BTW, there were babies roaming around. So the rule was that if you hit a baby and/or made them cry, you lost possession of the ball. NO exceptions.

Dad after a touchdown pass.

This is "C." She rocked out there!

Maeli deserted her milk and wanted in on the action.

The babies in a huddle. Not sure what they were discussing, but I think it had something to do with how to make someone lose possession of the ball! Little imps... :)


In the end, I'm not sure who actually won each game. But that's not really why we play. We play because we're Smiths... and because we can. And because Dad ALWAYS seems to have a key to the church building. :)


Love,
Another Smith Girl
@>->--

What a difference a year makes

I found this picture on my dad's computer tonight. He took it with his iPhone last Thanksgiving when we drove home for Heather's wedding. I can't believe how LITTLE Noah looks! He wasn't even two yet.

Pictures of Christmas and the before and aftermath coming very soon... Promise.

Really. :)

Love,
Nicole
@>->--

'Versary

It's official! Today is our 10th wedding anniversary. So Kevin and I are writing this entry together. :)

NICOLE:

I am the luckiest girl in the world. I found my best friend at 10 years old. And then he asked me to marry him about a decade later. And a decade after that, here we are. Our first home together was a musty but cute little four-plex that had ZERO heat in the winter. But I burned my favorite candles and was happy just to be there with him. We've come a long way, Baby. :) Can't wait for the next decade... Love you more.



KEVIN:

It's amazing to think that 10 years ago, we were just a couple of college students in Utah and I still had three years left of my undergrad. Since then we've lived in Utah, Indiana, Oregon, and Nebraska. We got a cute little dog. We both finished graduate degrees. We have our beautiful son. I always tell Nicole that if I knew how great it would be to be married to her, I wouldn't have waited so long (and as it was we got married less than a year after I returned from my mission). You have to admit, it's been a pretty awesome decade for me. My wife is hot! LOVE YOU!

"In Dulci Jubilo"

Merry Christmas!!! We hope you had a day to remember. We spent the day with our families and promise to post fun pictures soon. :)

Love,

Kevin, Nicole, Noah, & Abbie
@>->--

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

When all through the house...



New pajamas are donned (is that gay apparel?)
Presents are waiting to be opened
A little boy is FINALLY sound asleep in bed
Blessings are counted
"A Christmas Story" is watched
Stockings are stuffed
Luminaire are glowing outside
Creme is bruleed
And 4 adults, 3 dogs, 2 families, and a partridge in a pear tree are ready to go to bed. :)

I definitely have visions of sugar plums, mainly because I already know what's in my stocking!

SHhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Merry Christmas to all... and to all a good night!

Guess WHAT!!!

This year was a year of many firsts for Noah. Last Friday was no exception. While we were at our ward Christmas party, Noah not only came within 5 feet of Santa Claus but he actually sat on his lap!!! Granted, we didn't get a SMILE... But baby steps, my friends. Baby steps.

This is Noah's reaction when Santa entered the room.


This is where I held my breath...

So far so good...

Doing okay...


No crying! He hopped right off and turned around to reap the rewards of his bravery.



Mission accomplished! AND he got chocolate. Thanks for the positive reinforcement, Santa. 'Preciate cha. :)

Holly Jolly,

Nicole
@>->--

Home for the holidays...

After almost 14 hours of travel and 3 delightful plane rides (honestly... not too bad!), we have arrived at home in beautiful Southern Oregon. A land of milk and honey! And pears. And YES, it did rain on us today as we went to church. :)

But here we are and we are ready for Christmas this week. I can't believe how FAST that came this year. I say that every year, but this year it's especially true. The last time we were in Oregon for the holidays, it was Noah's first Christmas!!! I've been reminiscing so much and I HAVE to share some of my favorite pictures of 10 month old little dude and his first encounter with a Christmas tree.


SOOOOOO precious. I can't believe he was that little once. But at the time he seemed like such a big boy! I guess I'm finally realizing what it's like to be a mother in that sense. When he's right next to me, pulling himself up on my leg, he seems so grown up and now I look back and see what a BABY he was then!

And now, for your viewing pleasure...

That Christmas we all were able to come home except for my brother and his famdamily (we missed you guys!) and we set up the camera for some great pictures. First of course we took some silly shots.

This is my favorite of the silly pix. Kevin waited until the last second before the camera clicked, and he leaned over and kissed my dad on the cheek! That's 100% pure reaction from my daddy. Awesome.


K, be good wherever you are and I'll blog more soon. Happy last minute shopping to all of you who are in that crazy situation this week!!!

Ho Ho Ho,

Nicole
@>->--

"Sinking"

Enjoy!





Dad, that was for you. :)

Early Present...

Hey Grandpas and Grams!!! (That means YOU in Medford...)

Thought you might like a little peek at what's coming your way on Saturday.



Pre-wrapped.



Packing like CRAZY,

Nicole
@>->--

Mr. "Up"

Noah has the greatest imagination. Often I will find him trying to dress up and play certain characters from stories or movies that he currently loves. But sometimes he completely catches me off guard with his wit and humor.

A few nights ago, Kevin made homemade cinnamon rolls and while Noah helped he discovered my rather uniquely shaped Pampered Chef rolling pin (with a roller on each end). He looked at it and played with it for a few minutes and I didn't think anything of it... Until...

Later that night he came downstairs with his thick-rimmed 3D glasses on (from the movie theater) and grabbed the rolling pin. Then he started walking around with it in a strange hunched-over way. I was curious.

"Who are you playing, Baby?"

"I'm UP!!!"

He was trying to be Carl Fredricksen from the movie "Up." An old man using a walking stick.

Yeah... That was ALL him. I can't wait to see what he'll come up with next.

For your viewing pleasure... I'm NOT making this up.



He plays Carl every now and then. Usually when we're trying to get him ready for bed.




"Kevin.... Chocolate!!!"

Nicole
@>->--

Wrapping, Decorating, Smiling....

How sad... Do you remember that BEAUTIFUL 23 pound pumpkin that we hand-picked from the farm? Yeah... It became a Thanksgiving decoration. I just ran out of time to carve it before Halloween. Oh, and then it snowed. Oh well!


We've been busy! We're going home to Oregon for Christmas this year and we leave a week from today... Couldn't be more excited if I TRIED. But we'll see. :) So we've been wrapping presents, sending Christmas cards, and getting everything ready, packaged, and sent before we take off next weekend. For those of you who really know me, you know that I'm usually done with my Christmas shopping by August and I take care of all the "last minute" things on Black Friday. Yes, it sounds crazy. But my birthday, Abbie's birthday, Christmas, New Year's, and my wedding anniversary are all in December. So the last thing THIS girl wants is to be stressed about gifts and wrapping paper all month long! I've learned to get it done and enjoy the last month of the year. Okay, okay... I will ask my doctor about medication for this next time. :)


Noah helped me wrap our presents this year. He's learning to use his little red scissors and it doing pretty well. So grown up!

BTW - NOAH took this picture of me... He's become quite the photographer lately. But that's another blog... coming very soon!


Even though we're leaving, we still decorated our little home for Christmas. Of course!!! Here's us tackling the tree:

Abbie supervised... This is her saying, "Yeah, those little lights aren't twinkling, Clark..."

Oh, the stockings!!!


Noah and Daddy trimming the tree:





Yes, Christmas is definitely in the air!!! Can't wait to be in Oregon this year. It's been awhile. :) Hope you're all staying warm wherever you are. Reports from various family members tell me that it's unusually COLD everywhere... Except Florida. Sorry, Boo!!! Still looking for a way to send you snow! I mean, I've got plenty.

Trying to find a place for Abbie to go potty,

Nicole