No. 2

No. 1

A Sketchbook Review of 2013

Here's a peek into Brandon's journal and our year:

January

Brandon feels at home camping and playing outdoors with his scouts

February

 Mommy's lap is the coveted spot for family prayer. It's starting to get a little crowded with an expanding tummy.

Sawyer cruises back and forth on our wood floors for hours each day

March

A canoe date on the river by our house. I always thought dolphin lovers were so cliche, but since seeing these beauties up close in the wild, I've become converted. 

April

Working on a play kitchen together for Paisley's birthday. Brandon joked afterwards that it's okay if he screws things up because he can always screw them back together ;) 

p.s. Paisley loved her kitchen.

The scouts picked the perfect night to earn their wilderness survival merit badge

Brandon's brother, Tanner, got married! He proposed to to Alisa by tipping her over on a canoe ride on a cold and windy day.  Thank goodness for rose colored glasses! We're so happy Alisa joined the family.

May

Brandon making me garden beds by moonlight for Mother's Day

We celebrated our anniversary with a canoeing excursion on the Suwanee River. We spotted 108 turtles along the way!

June

Newest addition: Juniper Lucy Smith.  She fits right in.

July

Things fell into place for Brandon to go back to school for a masters in organizational leadership. He got a full scholarship for the first year, smarty pants. Ah! Life changes!

August

 Juniper's blessing day

Paisley loves to run ahead on family walks, especially if Daddy will chase her

"Pull da blankie!" is the kids' favorite game

September

Paisley's first day of preschool

October

Sawyer is proud to be potty training!

November

Sawyer is all boy. He loves catching lizards and looking at bugs, and scaring Paisley with them.

she is one happy baby

December

We were happy to visit family in Oregon for Christmas, despite the fact that everybody got sick:

Twas the night before Christmas and all through our house,

Not a child was healthy, not even a spouse.

The medicine cabinet was propped open with care

anticipating a midnight run would bring someone there.

The children were rustling around in their beds

With aches and congestion pounding their heads.

With Nate's vocal chords out of commission

and Paisley's puke refusing remission...

Sam's sick, too--a long night unfurling,

No one is sleeping while Annabelle's hurling.

There was plenty of sniffles to feel sorry about 

Plenty of pains to make you pout.

But there were smiles in between the sneezes 

Hopes of Christmas in between the wheezes.

The stockings were waiting for candy and treats

But there were a few other things that sounded better than sweets.

A cough drop, a chewy tablet, a gel-capped pill

Nyquil and Dayquil and Any-other-time-Quil

Pepto Bismal and Rolaids and a few Tums

Stuff for tummy aches, stuff for the runs.

Ibuprofen and Advil, Tylenol, too...

Stuff for colds, stuff for fevers, stuff for the flu.

Then something descended down Brentano Lane

It wasn't a bird. It wasn't a plane.

It was Santa and his reindeer and a toy-filled sleigh

That landed and unloaded, just like they say.

Down the chimney like a spy, dropping gifts like a sleuth,

Before he left, he had to satisfy his sweet tooth.

If you ask me, he could have been a bit wiser...

he forgot to use the hand sanitizer.

Away he then flew and said, "boy, that was easy."

but it wasn't long before he started feeling queasy.

Donner and Blitzen wondered what was the matter.

What caused the sleigh to swerve--was it Santa's bowels or bladder?

"Guys, I don't feel so good, he said with a shiver.

His bowl full of jelly churned as he quivered.

"I know my gift list is pages and pages,

But I fear I might be contagious."

And with that he let fly from way up high...

the contents of his tummy filled the night sky.

Then with a U-turn, he quickly turned around

This Christmas, Santa was homeward bound.

So out of the game we took 'Ol saint Nick

'Twas the Christmas we sent Santa home sick!