One of my favorite things about Christmas........

I LOVE walking past my front door and seeing so many faces of people I love. It just brings a smile to my face. I think it's my favorite Christmas decoration!

I'll give you ONE guess

as to WHY she was put in time out.................

WHERE did this come from?

Snow! Yes, that white substance on the ground is SNOW! Bronson couldn't have been happier since the snow got their school dismissed 2 hours early because of it on his last day of school! What a way to start off your Christmas vacation! I took this on the that Friday because I really thought that was all the snow we were going to get.

Oh, notice Emerson's shoes he got. Yea, he's definitely not used to snow.













Saturday, the road in front of our house made for a great sledding hill for the boys since no once could drive up or down it! If they DID manage to get down, they couldn't get up, so there were cars parked down at the bottom of the cul-de-sac and they had to walk up the hill to their house.



Here's Bronson and Camden providing the gun show.

At one time there were 6 adult neighbors just standing there talking and watching the kids sled down the road (a perk of having older neighbors because they're ALWAYS interested in what the Smith kids are doing.....for better or for worse).

The boys tried and tried to make a snowman, but the snow here is just different then what I'm used to from Utah. It's heavier and more wet. So Brooks finally got a little one in the front yard for them. Then later made a huge one in our backyard..............(and it's still here 3 days later, who would've thought the snow would hang around this long?!?!)


Oh, and what were the girls doing during all this you ask? Well, Aleeya snuck out with the boy's legos and Iris was eating chocolate chip cookies. It was a good day for all.

Sunday, church was cancelled. Which was so weird for me because there wasn't a TON of snow, but it freezes so fast, with no city snowplows and salt like I'm used to......it just didn't work. By Sunday afternoon though the roads were clear enough to drive.

Here are the boys on Monday. I seriously didn't see Bronson and Camden all morning, then they came in for lunch and naps, and went right back out after they woke up. They were building jumps, see-saws, race tracks, sledding, etc. you can see what was left of Bronson's snowman under the "jump" that didn't seem work out......and I just can't figure out why.

What a way to bring in Christmas....with SNOW. Last year I have a picture of them w/ no shirts on outside on Christmas Eve! The snow has been fun, I must admit, so it can stay around through Christmas, I guess...........but not too much longer. :)
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!!! IT'S ALMOST HERE AND I LOVE THIS FEELING OF THE ANTICIPATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hand Slappin'

So do you remember doing that Ci-Ci Ol' Playmate type hand-slappin' games when you were younger? I sure do.....for hours!!!! Well, Bronson just came home from school and taught me a few new ones. This just illustrates the generation gap that is ALREADY apparent!

"Momma, Momma can't you see?"

(slap, high five, clap, high five)

"She took away my Mp3"

(slap,.......you get the idea)

"I went downtown to see my Mom"

"She was chewing bubble gum"

And it keeps going on, but I can't get past the Mp3 part and how Bronson says the words "Mom" and "gum" so they actually RHYME!!!

My personal fav. was taught to him by a little sweet Mexican boy on the bus:

"Shame, Shame, Shame"

"I don't want to go to Mexico no mo', mo', mo' "

"and there's a fat policeman knocking on the do', do', do"

(Of course, insert all the slapping)............

I couldn't help but giggle.

You gotta love that out-of-school education that goes along with sending your kids to school!

PS- if you ever want me to teach you the hand motions, I'll be MORE then happy.

This is funny

My friend Natalie posted this on her blog and I laughed my guts out. Unlike THEM, I LOVE Christmas newsletters, pictures or anything because December is the best time to go get the mail! But still, this movie gave me a good laugh because it was so clever and laughs just need to be shared!



PS- don't you DARE comment and say that's how you ever feel about mine! :)

They say kids learn things........

that they've seen their parents do. I can GUARANTEE you that I do NOT nurse Iris like this. Aleeya is a trip.


















This poor reindeer just can't get away from Iris' love. I wouldn't be TOO heartbroken if something happened to it since I've heard "Grandma got ran over by a reindeer" consistently since I've put the reindeer out.

I'm thinkin' I need to lose some weight........

and go easy on the self-tanner..........................

Feliz Navidad!

Here is Bronson with the other 1st graders at their Christmas program. (that the PTA TRICKED us and threw in a PTA meeting right before to make us all come......let's just say, Emerson, Camden, Aleeya and Iris didn't have much patience w/ the PTA ..................OR their budget).
Saying his part, "This next song is one of our favorites for Las Posadas y la Navidad"

Here Bronson is with his teacher(s). I can't say ENOUGH about how much I love them. His main teacher is on the left with the glasses. Ms. Riffo. She's from Chile. Miss Bendeck is from Colombia and Miss Pizarro (behind him) is a student teacher from Mexico. Their energy and enthusiasm is contageous since they're here on teaching visas and it's like they're giving their ALL in their short years they have here. It's funny hearing Bronson using an accent from Chile this year vs. the accent he was sportin' last year from Colombia......because I know Brooks and I don't pronounce the words like that at home! I was so glad he knew all the words and actions and he looked like he loved doing it...........now if my other kids hadn't spent all their patience during the PTA meeting, I would've been a happier trooper.

MY awesome night!

Ever since I was a little girl I ALWAYS wanted to go to Disney on Ice!!!

So I took my boys on Thursday night, and we had a BLAST. Here's us before the show.

Any guesses on how much that popcorn was?

It's been a while since I've seen Beauty and the Beast, but is it just me or was her dress a little longer in the movie?

On the "It's a Small World Afterall", THIS Hawaiian representation HAD to be RIGHT in front of my boys shakin' her thang. Of ALL the countries.....sheesh. (I must add, she was pretty good though)

(Who just can't love a good Buzz and Woody song?!?!)

This next picture got the boys laughing so hard when Donald Duck broke the ice preparer-thingy. They just think he's sooooo funny (oh, and their favorite part of the night was when Jack Jack from the Incredibles peed on Velma, the dress maker)

From the Dragon in Mulan, the sharks in Nemo, the Blue Whale in Pinocchio....seriously, it was just so cool. I HAD to take a picture of Camden since he keeps saying, " I want to go back to that one place, Mommy." (SO DO I!!!!!!!!!!!)
Okay, so you can't see the Blue Whale in the pinnochio picture below very well, but I must admit Pinocchio I thought was the BEST skater. He rocked.
Lion King was awesome! And so were the special affects. I seriously just sat there trying to figure out how they pulled some of those things off!

Long story short, it was well WELL WELL worth the money, and more.

I thought, that would be the PERFECT fit of a performer job for me, because they STILL get to perform, but they just MOUTH the words and no one would have to hear my voice. Yep, that's what I'll be when I grow up..........after I learn to skate, I guess.

PS- the popcorn was $5. But at least I wasn't suckered into buying the cotton candy for $10!

Pet snake

On the way to Disney on Ice tonight (just me and the boys), the boys decided to CHANGE their mind what they wanted for Christmas........ they want a pet snake. Um.....let me think about it....NO! N-O! Reason #1- Grandma won't come and visit anymore,
reason #2- it's a snake
reason #3- come spring we'll have our usual black ones crawl/slither through our backyard anyway, and they can trap them in our window well, like they like to do
reason #4- I JUST woke up Brooks last night yelling at him to get the snake off me, and was soooooo bugged that he wouldn't.....until I woke up and realized it really wasn't there. Somehow, sorry didn't seem enough at the time.

So Santa, please, if you have ANY compassion on me, do NOT bring a snake. If you oblige, I will leave better cookies for you then the Cheezits you were left last year.

Update: I told Brooks about my conversation with the boys and here's his opinion, "We can get a pet snake, if we get rid of Sally". I DON'T THINK SO!

WOW......never dull here.

Here is Iris playing "fort" w/ the boys.......did she really have a choice?This kid (Emerson.....hard to recognize him w/ his haircut!), can PUT down corn! Here he is finishing up everyone's corn after dinner! He says it helps him get big muscles (goal #1 in life) and to get fat (goal #2 in life)........I explain later.
Here's my not-so-girly girl getting ready for bed. She grabbed her things to sleep with:
1) baby doll
2) Dora
3) a dagger
(can you blame her? She has 3 brothers!)


Getting ready for preschool. Notice Emerson's pants.............or should I say, ALEEYA'S PANTS!

Hopefully you recognize this next guy. Meet Russell, from "Up". (BTW, this part of him rubbing on the windshield is my FAVORITE!)

Now, meet the BIGGEST Russell wanna be EVER! (on the right.....the one on the left just does what everyone else does!)

He wants to be "gordo" like Russell soooooo bad because "that silly boy" is his idol. I just don't know how he will do it posing like he does in ANOTHER of Aleeya's pants (notice how they're skinny on this thighs!)

And what post of mine would be finished w/o a deal post, right?

I paid $6 for everything and I'm getting $36 back in rebates. So I EARNED 30 bucks in buying this stuff. The guy at the checkout stand says, "Do you like Rice Krispies or just Rice Krispy Treats?" I wanted to say, "I JUST LIKE A DEAL!!!"

I wonder when I'll tell her..........

..........that rags don't soak up dogfood like it does water.

Priorities

Bronson starts basketball today, so I had him get his clothes yesterday night and lay them out for today. Here they are.....exactly how he laid them out!!I ALSO asked him to set out his school clothes (like I do every night) in the bathroom.....and here they are!
You can tell where HIS heart lies!
(Note: I did NOT let him wear those DIRTY jeans and shirt.....so he grabbed other clothes and laid them out just as nicely as he did the first set!)


And I just had to include this pathetic shot of Aleeya. We have no clue what her head actually hit on, but we DO know she was standing on top of a garbage can (those little ones) right before it happened. NOW do you know why I always keep bangs on this girl?!?!?

Halloweeeeelly late!

I know, I'm a little late, but I really had the best time looking at everyone else's kids dressed up for Halloween on YOUR blogs! Halloween is the BEST time!

So here are three of the rascals before the preschool party. Camden and Emerson showing their claws..........and Aleeya, just copying her brothers (in her Thomas the train sandals...... what am I going to do with her?)

Aleeya LOVED being a "bicho" (bug). She just kept talking about it.

Preschool party. My two "dragons" LOVED being chased by the Jackson boys who were knights. That's all they talked about after the party!

Ready for the trunk-or-treat at the church.

Yes, I know that Bronson is now the dragon (although I HAD his "salt-water crocodile costume inside that he INSISTED he wanted for 2 months.....until the day of), and Camden is Batman. I guess it's the perks of having dress-ups and easy going kids.

Aleeya doesn't look too thrilled (little did she know that she would be crying of fright when she got there of all the "mean guys").

Emerson is the cutest dragon ever. I love that kid.

Oh, and how can we forget my sweet butterfly........so weird, you'd think ALL the stores would have an Iris costume! They must've all been out.........

Halloween night at the Cunninghams. We had the best time, good food, good music (here's the rock band game where we sang/played Beatles songs........and yes, I managed to embarrass Brooks again. Although I didn't have the highest score, I LOOKED the best with all my guitar moves/jumps........well you know.) and GREAT trick-or-treating. ......oh wait, I didn't go! The menfolk took the kids and we women stayed home.

After, we stopped by Chipotle for some free burritos. The catch? you have to dress up like a burrito. So in I threw a roll of tinfoil before we left and we were good to go. WHOOPS, I forgot Camden's shoes!!!!! No problemo, we've got TIN FOIL!!!!!!!!! (and now, burritos for TOMORROW's dinner!)

Eventually.........

I will get around to doing a lengthy Halloween post, but in the meantime, we've been busy doing this:I'm in love though...........with my new leaf blower. No exaggeration, it entertained the kids for 3 whole hours while I made the leaves in a pile by the road for a truck to come pick them up. They would just run in front of it, in the leaves (while they're blowing around them), etc. Best $35 bucks we've spent!

I'm also seriously considering using it for a hair dryer.........talk about POWER (and time saver!)

Note: we have SOOO many leaves that last year about this time Brooks and his brother Gabe raked our back yard (1/3 of it was already in piles) and it took them ALL DAY! It's so beautiful though.........and now with the leaf blower, it's FUN!

I've got waaaaaaaay too much time on my hands!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Biggest Geek EVER!

I've decided I'm the biggest geek ever.

Seriously, who comes home from the grocery store and thinks,

"Hey, I think I want to line up all my food and take a picture!"

You would THINK I would want to get them put away fast because they might, defrost, ruin or get a finger poked in them.......

But no, I take a picture

Maybe I need help...........

But I'm still so excited about it all!

Thou Shalt NOT Steal!

We had our first take-the-candy-back-to-the-store-because-you-stole-it party yesterday!

2 nights ago, Bronson brought out a candy/sucker/juice/weird-invention-looking-candy, Preston Niederhauser's watch (who was staying with us) and a toy that was under Camden's pillow.

Once confronted he had to tell Preston he was sorry, and last night he went back to the store to tell Food Lion sorry and pay for the candy. (which he's going to have to earn the money for that.....but between preschool/golfing/etc. we didn't have time for the work part)

Brooks took him there last night. I had Girl's Night so I didn't hear how it went.

This morning in the car I asked Camden what happened at the store:

"Fine! I told the guy I was sorry, I gave him some money and he gave me MORE money back (change), and he gave me the treat back too!"

Wow, wow, wow. It REALLY sounds like he learned his lesson! You see when you steal, you get MORE money AND the thing you stole..........hmmmmm, we may have to rethink this.

Here's Iris (the culprit of my chin hickie....that keeps getting darker and darker).

Everyone says she's just so little and skinny (I LOVE IT!), and nothing shows it better then a naked/diaper shot!!!!

Word of Caution.............

I don't care HOW cute it is, or how WEIRD it feels, don't EVER let your 4 1/2 month old suck on your chin during family scripture

reading.............even if it IS only for a few verses.

SHE'S TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY HAPPY FIRST BORN GIRL IS............TWO!

She's still trying to master the whole holding-up-2-fingers-thing!

She wanted a "Bicho" (bug) pinata! She was so excited about it and kept talking about it. Even though it took her a while to warm up to the idea of whacking it with a bat!

Annie Richards came over for her Party/Family Home Evening (yes, we multi-task AND multi-plan) and Aleeya was soooo happy to see her!

Here she is with her favs. Her puzzle and My Little Pony.

The boys call her the Puzzle Girl. She'a a puzzle FREAK! When I go to drop her off at the childcare at the gym the ladies always say, "Here comes the puzzle girl!" When she saw the 2 puzzles she started squealing with a high pitched voice, "Eeeeeeee!" (hopefully that squeal doesn't become a habit!)

Party Pooper

Can you tell which one did NOT dress up for the Ward Hill-Billy Hoe Down and Square Dance? To his credit he DID dance! He said he didn't dress up because I took his plaid shirt....yep, I did.

It was so funny how I was going through my 3-6 month and 3T boy bins to find the girls some outfits! We had a lot of fun! It dawned on me though that we haven't had a family picture since........well, the beach. So here we are after the activity. We're so lucky to have house guests here (Niederhausers............or the boys call them "The Elders") to take pictures! :)

It's official

I am married to an old man. He turned 32 on Tuesday! He had a great birthday and I had even MORE fun breaking into his email and emailing EVERYONE at work and in the ward to tell him it's his b-day (since he doesn't think b-days are a big deal.................the nerve.)

His buddy Preston and his brother Mason from Utah flew in that night and we got to go out to eat (thanks to my friend Nikki who had 5 impromtu guests on a school night). Then came home to eat homemade cheesecake.....his fav. Kind of weird though since he's lactose intolerant.

I guess everyone in the house would pretty much do anything for a laugh or smile....and that was my goal with Brooks' b-day card. So I asked each of the kids to give me a silly face (and this is what they came up with)

(Yes, I'm aware I look AWFUL, but that was the plan.......you know, right when I wake up, yesterday's make-up, bathrobe, the works)

I printed off this picture and put

"Happy Birthday, from the coolest, brightest and most fun people you know"

Then in the inside it said,

"Man, you really need to get out more".

And yes, I got him to laugh! Mission accomplished.