27 Years of Thanksgivings

I turned 27 the day before Thanksgiving this year. It was hard because 27 seems so much older than 26--but whatever. I am still young, right? I think the best gift I got this year was the day before my birthday. I was pricing out pumpkin pies at the local bakeries, and I went into one and bought Alexis and I some fancy pastries. The owner--a man with a very thick Italian accent--came out and asked "Is that yours?" I didn't realize he was talking to me at first but then he said again, "I'm sorry--does that child belong to you?" I replied yes, and he asked, "How old are you? We have a bet going on in the back."

"I will be 27 tomorrow."

His eyes widened, and he said, "I thought if you ordered alcohol I would have to card you!"

"That is alright with me."

I ended up buying a pumpkin pie from them.

Since Kathy and Kelly went to Utah to spend Thanksgiving with Matt and Jamie, on my actual birthday Jared and I loaded Lexi and all our clothes into the car and drove to Connecticut to spend Thanksgiving with the Millards. We got there really late--or really early Thursday morning. I felt kind of lame because I didn't make anything--but Megan did an awesome job and everything was really good. She also was really good at not making me feel guilty or lazy for not making anything. I didn't take any pictures on actual Thanksgiving.

On Friday Megan and I got up early to get a couple things we wanted on Black Friday. Well--I just wanted a portable DVD player for the plane trip to California--and I found some cute slippers for like 50 percent off. Megan got a lot more stuff. A shout out to Meri on her advice to have one of us stand in line while the other shopped. It worked out perfectly. I was almost worried Megan wasn't going to make it to the check out in time--and she was worried the Target employee wouldn't let her through the red tape--but I already informed him she was coming and we were in and out in less than an hour.

On Saturday I had my first trip to New York City. I saw the Statue of Liberty while we were driving--but parking was nuts and to pay to park really close was super pricey; I was perfectly happy just to see it out the van Window. Matt offered to drop me off and roam the streets myself to get a closer look at Ole' Lady Liberty--but I declined. I did get some pictures of other things.


This might be Ground Zero--but we are not sure :)





These above pictures I think speak for themselves.


This is everyone (except me--of course). The Millards have three kids. All three of them combined were actually as easy as Alexis was by herself. Our trip to the City was pretty short lived. It was cold--and it was two days after Thanksgiving--and there were four kids. Enough said.


This is Megan and Matt bartering with the New York street salesman about a purse.


This is Jared and Luke. When I went to get a good look at the skating rink all the other Millards disappeared--and I took a picture of Jared and Luke while we waited for them to come back.


This is just a picture of the streets so you can see how crazy busy it was. Jared says it was busier than usual--but not by a whole lot. I like living in a smaller town.

Anyway-I took some pictures of the kids while we were there. Megan thought we should take a video of the boys and Alexis running around together. Matt said, "To play at the wedding reception?" See--the hour Jared and I found out Alexis was a girl, we decided to arrange a marriage with one of our friend's sons (or manipulate one). Sam is the one we are routing for, because the whole time I was pregnant with Lexi Sam thought she was a car--or a baby--he was very confused (he was and is obsessed with cars). Even during our trip to NY Sam said, "Hey, look, there's Alexis . . . and there's a LEXUS!" Love it! Sam is 6, reads like he's 10--and is SO nice to Alexis and very polite. If he doesn't work out--there is also Luke Millard. Luke is 4, knows all the US states and their capitals, and where they are on the map--and is very good at sharing his favorite toys. If that doesn't work out we have some other friends with boys about the right age. Jared and I think it is perfect--because then Alexis doesn't have to date. Now that the Millards have a daughter of their own they seem to see the genius in the idea even more. Jared and Matt have plotted a way to manipulate Alexis into falling in love with one of the boys--even a thought of how the kids will think we are pushing them apart at one point. Here are some pics:





Jared told me two days after we got back that Matt called and said the boys were arguing over who gets to marry Alexis when they get older. Apparently they agreed to eenie-meenie-minie-moe over it. I think this picture says it all:


Anyway, 10 days until Alexis and I get to go to California!!!! Jared will show up in about 17 days. It has been too long since I have been home--and I need Alexis to meet her Larsen family! Love you all!

Three Years Old and Totally Awesome (and a trip to the ER)

Alexis, my baby is now three. I can't believe it. Not only is she three, but she is SO great! This girl makes me laugh like crazy. She's small, she's cute, she has attitude, she can go a mile a minute. These characteristics were the inspiration for her Halloween costume this year: Tinkerbell.





I know she likes EXHAUSTED in all these pics--but that is because she was. Funny how having a birthday on Friday and celebrating Halloween on Saturday (Thank you, Chambersburg!) can interrupt a child's nap time.
This year, trick-o-treating was a family event. Alexis went with her cousins--and they were ALL so cute! Here are some pics of them:




The kids had a blast. Fortunately, it wasn't too cold. For being so little these kids really knew what they were doing. Carter is only two, and he would yell "trick or treat" before they even got to the door, grab the candy out of the person's hand before they could even get it in his bag, and then try to go in their house. It was hilarious! Alexis was more timid at first, but she started to get it after a while, and would not let her bag go for anything.
Alexis' birthday was a little more low key. Jared did her birthday shopping this year (it is impossible to even look around the toy department at Wal*Mart without her throwing some kind of tantrum). Anyway, THIS is the main gift he picked up. Let me tell you, it was a hit!



I LOVE this pic. You can see what the think does to her hair:

I can't believe how fast (and slow) the time has gone. She is such a happy little girl and LOVES her mom and dad (she also calls us "mom" and "dad"). Jared and I are the Sunbeam teachers at church now (3-4 year old children), and I sat with the sunbeams during the Primary Program yesterday (we all know the Sunbeams are the stars that day). I can't even imagine her up there next year! One year! Yikes! Anyway, Here are some random pictures of her at her birthday and one because I think it is funny when she crashes in uncomfortable positions:






Last of all, I should probably tell you Alexis had her first little trip to the ER on Wednesday (I think that's it). It all started when I took the two Lexi girls to the park. After nearly an hour and 1/2 I was ready to go, and I told the girls we were leaving to go home. Alexis (who is good about not running away into the street) ran into the parking lot/street area (I think it is confusing to her because it looks like other parts of the playground). I was about to grab her, and I think she started to run back a little or something--I don't really remember--and she landed flat on her back with her head first on the asphalt (I think). I remember being really worried because it looked like a hard fall, and she really cried, but seemed fine and was done crying before we even made it home. I couldn't really find a bump on her head and she was happy and playing for a couple of hours so I figured all was well. Anyway, she crashed on the couch (nothing to uncharacteristic of a day when she woke up early and spent time at the playground).

Well, when I went to wake her up at six o'clock PM, she was even harder to get up and about than usual. She didn't stop cuddling and would not play. When Jared got home he tried to get her to play her favorite games (Lexi in Space being one of them) but she didn't want to and wanted to go back to sleep. Then I realized that she was NOT opening her eyes. She kept her eyes closed during everything, and even tried walking to me with her eyes closed. Every time we put her down or held her she tried to go back to sleep. I started freaking out, put her in the bath and splashed water on her and she STILL did not open her eyes. When I pulled her out of the bath she wanted to go right back to sleep. We went to the ER . . . she cried because we kept waking her up--with her eyes closed the whole time. Funny thing is that the moment we walked into the ER her eyes were WIDE open.

We still had her checked out. They took an x-ray of her skull and did not see any cracks, and said she was fine. Jared and I still think she had a mild concussion. I was very proud of her though. She let all the nurses do their thing, stayed still during the x-rays, did what I said, and looked so cute in her over-sized hospital gown. I wish now that I took a picture--but that was not on my mind. I was glad they took her right away even though there were people in line. The nurses doted on her and she got some Disney Princess stickers--which I think she thought was the whole purpose of the trip.

So those are our adventures as of late. We are gearing up for Christmas and can't wait to see the fam-damily!

Pumpkin Carving

Halloween rocks, because it is the first thing that gets everyone excited for the Holidays. When Jared and I first bought pumpkins together several years ago, Jared discovered he LOVES to carve cool pumpkins. So, it is now tradition that we buy our pumpkins together, we gut them together, and then Jared carves them while I find the candles and matches, then I pick out, season, and bake the pumpkin seeds. Here is what we ended up with this year (Alexis helped pick the pumpkin patterns).




We do have a costume for Alexis this year. It is the perfect symbol of her personality, and I will post pictures when Halloween comes next week.

Anyway, here is a picture of Alexis with her friend Lexie . . . It has been really good for her, I think, to have another child around who is a little older. Here they are doing water colors:



Hope you all have a fun Halloween and I look forward to seeing pictures of your little ones in their costumes!

Long Time

A lot has happened since our last post. Jared started a new job in June (he quit the last one--long story). Anyway, this company is way better. In August we moved to a small town in Virginia and started renting a nice, old house and are really liking it so far. After Meri's post of her GORGEOUS home--I feel there isn't much to look at here. However, we are really happy with the place. It is a cape cod style home with brick on the outside, a big yard, and a large unfinished basement. It is over 1800 square feet and four bedrooms--so if anyone wants to visit we got the space;) Anyway, here are some pics (totally in random order--I don't work the picture adding function on blogger that well):
















The vanity area is what we have in our room. There is another bathroom upstairs. Lexi's room is pretty bare right now--so I took no pics of that. This house has a gas stove--which I LOVE. It is the best stove/oven I have used. The house had an extension build on--that is why we look onto a brick wall when we watch TV. It makes it really homey.

Anyway, since we moved in the Millards came to visit with their three kids. Alexis pretty much spent the whole time crying for one toy (Luke's special birthday toy). This toy had little figurines that fit in a rocket ship (right up my little girl's alley). It was a very draining weekend for me with her--but we had fun. And yes--these are the best pictures I could get of all the kids together.



On Saturday Jared, Kathy, Kelly, and I took Alexis to Dutch Wonderland. It is an amusement park for kids. Alexis went on her first roller coaster, went on several other rides, saw several princess shows, and got to pet different animals. She had a BLAST. She was pretty quiet during each event--which I think just meant she was soaking everything in. Every time she went on a ride we would ask her, "Do you want to go again?" and she would say, "No. That's okay." When we got her off a ride she would say "Thank you" to whoever got her out of her seat. She also ended up with three stuffed animals. Anyway, here are some pics from Saturday:













It took two seconds for her to fall asleep in the car--but we had to wake her up halfway home so we could stop and eat at Bob Evans (I am a fan of Bob Evans--good food that doesn't break the bank). Anyway, you can TOTALLY see how tired she is in this picture:


I know. A lot of pictures but not a whole lot of info. We have been doing pretty well. I started watching a little girl part time that is a year older than Lexi (her name is also Lexie--and her Mom's name is Laura; Weird!). When we were still in Maryland Jared lead his YMCA Ultimate Frisbee team to Victory in the Championship game. The whole league seemed to come up to him afterward and thank him for teaching them more about the game. During that time I had I gig working for the Census in the telephone center. We are also coming to California for Christmas. There is the condensed version of our lives for the past five months with pictures. I should be better about sharing the little things--but I am not even going to try to promise I will better about blogging. TV is back, which, as much as I hate to admit it, is a source of joy in the Smith home. The end.