Christmas celebrations!

We have already had 2 out of 5 Christmas celebrations (Lee's mom's side of the family and tonight my dad's side of the family). Still to go, my mom's side of the family, our own family and Lee's dad's side of the family. We had a great time at Grandma and Grandpa's, here are some highlights.

the girls with Tia, my stepsister Terri

the girls with Grandma, my stepmom Phyllis

the kids with the reindeer outside, somehow with 4 kids around the reindeer for about 3 minutes the lights on its head stopped working, no idea how, kids just break stuff being around it apparently!


funny cousins!

Santa!

Northpark Santa is the best Santa. So, we braved the lines and the crowds to get our picture, but like last year, Everett liked Santa only from afar. Both kids loved storytime with Santa though Madeleine switched her present request on me. She had been saying Sand Art, which we recently gave someone for a birthday present. Then, she tells Santa an American Girl doll! What to do?

My Guitar Hero

to make the rock star complete, sister came home from school and applied the make-up ...


and then sister dressed him up in her clothes...


complete with headband! Note Madeleine's hair extensions as well. (this all took place on the same day, even though Madeleine has on two different outfits)

LHAECPTA

I feel fortunate to be a part of the Lake Highlands Area Early Childhood PTA. It is filled with an incredible group of parents and they have great activities and parties for the kiddos. Here are some pictures from the kids at the Christmas party.

Christmas parade

I love me a Christmas parade and so we bought bleacher seats and got ourselves down to the Dallas Christmas Children's parade. It was super cold (I wore long johns!) and we had to get there 1 1/2 hours before parade time, but Children's Medical Center had clowns and lots of other fun activities to entertain the kids. Lee had hot chocolate and hand warmers, and the Smith family had a blast!



floating Santa...a Mondrian inspired art car!

Christmas Greetings 2009

2009

We are blessed.

We have healthy, happy, loving

children and we still love each other!

Lee and Kerry enjoyed going on two vacation

weekends this year without the kids, to New Orleans

(to celebrate 9 years of marriage) and to Philadelphia (to

celebrate Kerry turning 35). This year Madeleine started kindergarten

so our lives are definitely more scheduled, but luckily we haven’t been

late to school yet! Madeleine is in school from 8 am – 3 pm and really

enjoys her teacher and her new friends. Lee enjoys running Wednesday

evenings and Saturday mornings and is still working at Raytheon (going

on 6 years now!). Kerry is still working part-time (20 hours) at Oak Lawn

UMC and loves being able to pick up Madeleine everyday from school.

Everett goes to school at Oak Lawn UMC and is turning into the

precocious two year old, but he is so adorable!

May you receive the gift of God’s

love, peace and joy this Christmas,

Lee, Kerry, Madeleine & Everett Smith

(this is supposed to look like a Christmas tree!)

Everett the Preacher

I love my job, my vocation, my calling. I am a United Methodist Pastor and currently feel blessed beyond belief to be serving as the Associate Pastor at Oak Lawn UMC. I work part-time and am able to pick up Madeleine every day from kindergarten! Everett goes to work with me, and has wonderful teachers. Today, I preached and had such fun. This is Everett after church. Who knows what his future holds!
But then again, here he is after eating a Thanksgiving cupcake...

Madeleine at tap class

My mom was here this week and took pictures of Madeleine at tap class. Thanks, mom!

Turkey Trot

We thought it would be fun this year to run in Dallas' Turkey Trot. Just the 5K, nothing hard, we would put the kids in a jogging stroller, run off some calories and then drive an hour north for turkey. We had no idea that 37,000 other people were going to be in the Turkey Trot as well! It took us 20 minutes to just cross the starting line (dogs and strollers were at the back). We did have a great time though and Madeleine did walk across the starting line, run a little in the middle, and run across the finish line. She was entered as a trot tot and received a t shirt so we told her that she had to earn it! The only running that we were able to do was to try to get ahead just a little, there were so many people and we were in the back and stuck with the committed walkers. We did have a great time though and it was fun to be a part of something with so many other people. Afterward as we drove to Denison to have Thanksgiving lunch with Lee's family, Lee kept joking that we were going to eat with nearly as many people as we ran with, but there were only about 40 Smiths present.

Here our Smiths were at the Turkey Trot... poor Everett, Madeleine kept squishing him!

A New Level of Awkward

Today Lee said, "I didn't know that it could get more awkward to have your kid watch you take a shower. Then, today Everett pulled up a stool to watch me while I took a shower." Note to self: get a frosted glass door for the shower.

Fooling Santa

On the way home from church today I asked Madeleine what she wanted from Santa, here is how the conversation went...

Madeleine: I want another American Girl doll.

Kerry/Mom: Another one? Santa brought you one last year. I think Santa would like to bring you something different this year.

Madeleine: What if I cut my hair?

Kerry/Mom: What?

Madeleine: Then, Santa won't recognize me.

Kerry/Mom: What?

Madeleine: When I sit on Santa's lap.

Kerry/Mom: Won't Santa recognize Everett from last year?

Madeleine: We can cut Everett's hair too.

Kerry/Mom: (Laughing...)

Madeleine: And Everett won't be crying this year.

Kerry/Mom: Oh, okay...

Dads and Dudes

Today was dads and dudes day at Moss Haven elementary. The dude is if you don't have a dad, but you have a dude who is important in your life that can come to school with you. Lee met Madeleine for lunch and ate the same lunch that she did! It was Thanksgiving themed, complete with the stuffing! Here are some pictures (I was at the school helping cut shapes out of construction paper...)

in the lunch line, the lunch cost $2.90.


eating together

writing

I love it when Madeleine spontaneously writes on her own! For those who need a translation, this says, "Mom love Everett and Madeleine and Lee and Kerry (hearts) love 4235" Madeleine only asked for help with the word love, that's why the u has an o inside of it.

I was gone for a second...

Madeleine was playing with her make-up at the kitchen table and Everett was throwing his basketball. So, I went outside to get the mail for one minute, and when I came back Everett had make-up on too! I love how Madeleine puts eye shadow on above the eyebrow.

Sometimes, less is more...

Hats

First, Everett wanted to be a knight...

then he wanted to try on Madeleine's bike helmet,

for about one second. And then he wanted it off... NOW!

Oak Lawn UMC Trunk or Treat

We had such a blast at Oak Lawn UMC's Trunk or Treat. We love Oak Lawn UMC! Here is a picture from the wonderful photo area at the trunk or treat. I just received the photo so I scanned it, and posted it! Everett is Tony Romo and Madeleine is a ballerina!

Madeleine's school picture

Madeleine's kindergarten school picture!

Gorgeous Fall Days

Friday was beautiful here in Dallas, so I set up the bounce house (all by myself, thank you very much!) and Everett bounced in our bounce house for the first time! Every time before he refused, clutching on to me with all his might, but he has bounced on a few bounce houses since then at fall carnivals. He was eager to bounce this time!

Everett has a new cute thing. He speaks so many more words and his latest one is "cared" short for scared. Whenever we see a dog or cat, he wants to be picked up and then he says, "cared." Tonight we went to a party where they had a trampoline. Everett kept saying, "cared," so I sat on the trampoline with him until he got used to it. He is just so sweet when he lowers his head and says, "cared."

Today we did some yard work outside (I mowed, Lee blew leaves), and the kids rode their bikes. (I push Everett's) Madeleine has requested that her training wheels be taken off, what do you think? Movie below...

Watching 2 boys under 3

Friday I watched my nephew Austin, I had to share these pictures, they make me laugh! That is Everett on the left, Austin on the right. They thought it was so funny to put these pails on their heads!

3 car seats on the way to school.

Batman Crockett

My mom (Nana) sent Everett this Davy Crockett hat which Everett loves! It is a hoot!

Dress Up Birthday party

Madeleine attended a dress up birthday party today that was such fun! Here she is, getting all dressed up and then with her accompanying hat!

Trick or Treating

Halloween weekend began with a Fall Festival/Trunk or Treat at Oak Lawn UMC that was a blast! Halloween night we were so excited that Grandma and Grandpa (my dad and stepmom )came over from Mansfield. Everett figured out the whole candy thing very quickly. We had such a blast visiting folks in our neighborhood and then going over to my sister's neighborhood to trick or treat!

Everett (as Tony Romo, quarterback for the cowboys) filled his Halloween bucket!

The cousins! Sydney (a butterfly) and Madeleine (not quite sure, wearing a mask she made, her ballet recital outfit from last year, and some heart leggings)

At least they got some exercise walking all over....

Madeleine (using her Easter basket because it was bigger) and Everett on our way to visit neighborhood friends.

Lee as a Dallas Stars hockey fan with the kiddos.

The Smiths love Halloween!

And another one gone....

Madeleine swallowed a tooth! She was at school and it wasn't during lunch but afterwards, I'm a little unclear as to how it happened, but she probably just pushed on it with her tongue or something. She had to write a note to the tooth fairy, it took a long time to write, "I accidently swallowed my tooth." But the tooth fairy still delivered...

Now all Madeleine needs for Christmas is her two bottom teeeth, her two bottom teeth, her two bottom teeth.