Counting my Blessings

2013 brought our family many blessings that I don't take for granted... I'm hoping 2014 will be just as kind to us.  Some of the things I'm most thankful for over the past year are;

• Two healthy, happy, and loving boys - Other than the "normal" stuff, we didn't have any major sicknesses this year, and we were ER free!  The same goes for Andy, me, and our families.

• A lively, talking, walking one year old who loves us unconditionally - It's been so much fun watching him learn and develop his sweet little personality this year.

• A talking madman of a 3 year old - His speech came alive this year, and it's been amazing!  That was a true blessing!

• A potty-trained little boy - Cooper did this all on his own, and it's saved us a small fortune!
• My first fulltime teaching job - I miss my boys miserably while I work, but I'm very fortunate and thankful for the job I have.
• Andy's new truck - Andy was long overdue a new vehicle, and I'm grateful we could get him one this year.

• A fenced in backyard - Our fence has been a great addition to our house!
• A vacation to the beach - It had been awhile since we had been to the beach, and I'm glad we were able to take the boys this year with my family!

 

• A sweet little niece - Sadie Blake was the first girl on my side of the family, and she's a joy to be around!
   
  
• 4 happy years of marriage - It doesn't seem like we've been married almost 5 years, but there's nobody else I'd rather build and spend my life with.  I'm very thankful for the husband and father Andy is.
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A Wild and Crazy New Year's Eve

First and foremost, please note that the title of this post is heavy with sarcasm.  We have absolutely no plans for New Year's Eve, and I like it that way!  Andy and I used to be social on New Year's Eve (we were NEVER partiers, but we would go to friends' or family's house to celebrate), but that all changed when we had children!  First of all, it's kind of silly to go somewhere to ring in the new year when your kids want to be in bed by 8:30.  Secondly, I have no desire to be out on the roads with all the drunk drivers around 12:15... it's just not worth it to me to endanger my family with all the careless people driving home.

The last two New Year's Eves we've spent at home, watching movies while the boys sleep.  We plan on doing the exact same thing tonight!  I got Andy Netflix for Christmas, and we're HOOKED on Dexter.  We're also catching up on past seasons of Alaska: The Last Frontier, so I see some good TV watching in our future tonight.  We have gone to the Aquarium the past two years as well, and I'm hoping we can keep that tradition alive if Andy gets home in time today.  We may be headed to the doctor though.  Clark has been sick on and off since Saturday, and now Cooper has a horrible cough that I'm worried is the croup.  He's wheezing some when he coughs, which always scares me.  He had RSV at 2 months old, so that isn't unusual, but I still don't like it!  Both boys were sick last New Year's Eve with the croup... not such a fun tradition to carry on!
 
Anyways, that's our wild and crazy plans for the day!  I hope everyone has a fun and safe night of celebrating... see you next year!

Our first New Year's Eve spent together in 2007.

Christmas at the Smithsons'

I don't know about you, but I'm still trying to recover from Christmas!  Once we got over the exhaustion of Christmas day, sickness set in.  It never fails, every extended break I have from work someone gets sick.  It's hit Clark the hardest (I think he has a virus), and Cooper and I both have nasty colds.  Go figure!  Last New Year's Eve both boys were both sick, so we had to keep the tradition going!  Anyways, besides a rough napping schedule, we had a great Christmas!  The boys really liked their presents, and were really excited about the whole day!  Andy got me some great gifts, and I got some money to buy some other things I had really been wanting!  Here are some of our pictures from Christmas day... enjoy!

 

 

 

Cooper's 1st Dentist Appointment

This past Monday I took Cooper to the dentist for the first time.  I knew from my nephews that 3 years old is when our pediatrician suggests taking them to the dentist for the first time, so back in the fall I called and set him up an appointment with a pediatric dentist, Dr. Fred Whitmire, in Chattanooga. 

Andy and I had been telling Cooper all about the dentist for several days, but honestly he had no clue what was going to happen when he went.  I knew ahead of time that they don't allow parents to go back unless your child is super uncooperative, so I was anxious about the appointment.  I was so nervous about letting Cooper go back by himself, but had to put my brave face on so he wouldn't get upset! 

When we got there Cooper liked it right away.  The whole waiting room is basically a big playroom, and there were fish that he loved.  The door that lead back to the cleaning/work area was glass, so Cooper was really curious as to what was going on back there.  When they took him back without me, he got upset and ran for the door to try and get to me.  I told him that I would stay right there and wait for him, and that he would be ok, but he still wasn't having it.  The hygienist who took him back told him that she wanted to take his picture for Santa, and then he was fine! 

Now, Clark went ballistic when his big brother went back and he couldn't go!  He literally threw himself on the floor, screaming, and kicked his feet as hard as he could.  I wanted to crawl under a rock at that point, but I fought with him until they told us we could come back and see Cooper and Dr. Fred.

I was terrified Cooper would have cavities, so I was a bit nervous when I met the dentist.  We brush his teeth, but he never lets us do it long enough to where I feel like I'm getting them really clean.  Luckily though, he said his teeth looked great and that he was a great patient!  I'm very proud of my little man, and can't believe how big and independent he's getting!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! 

 

 

Pal - Our Elf on the Shelf

We had a very special visitor come to our house on Saturday, November 30th.  All of a sudden, a gift for Cooper and Clark appeared underneath our tree, so we had to investigate!  We opened it up, and met our new friend! Clark manhandled him until he got him out of the box, and Cooper sat quietly and listened to his story!  When it came time to name him Andy started rattling off some ideas, and when he said "Pal" Cooper quickly agreed that that should be his name!  Ever since he's been here, he's been causing some kind of mischief or another, and Cooper loves it, and Clark thinks he's hilarious!  They woke up every day from their nap in a rush to find him!  The first thing Clark would say after every nap was "Pal!"  Since I'm already at work when the boys wake up in the morning, Pal usually comes in the afternoon/evening.  Here are our pictures of Pal and all the fun things he did leading up to Christmas!

 

Hanging out in the Christmas tree upon his arrival.

Hanging out in Coop's stocking.

Playing in the "snow," and eating some candy.

Writing a letter to Santa.

 

Making an "Elf Yourself" video of our family.

 Playing cards with his friends.

Drag racing down the hallway.

Writing a note on the bathroom mirror.

Rolling the Christmas tree (Clark about died when he saw this).

Reading a Christmas book to his friends. 

Working a puzzle.

 Helping out a tired nativity scene donkey.

Repelling in Christmas lights.

 Watching a movie with Santa.

 Hanging out by the mini Christmas tree.

Helping out witht the advent calendar.

 

Building a brick wall.

Delivering a special package from Santa.

   

 

 

Pal was a bit full of himself this day, so he loaded our fridge down with selfies.  Clark stood and yelled at him for 15 or 20 minutes!

 Helping out with the laundry.

 Giving out crafts.

 Hanging out with his pirate friends.

 Taking a ride on Thomas.

 Riding on one of Clark's airplanes. 

 Delivering his "goodbye" letter on his last day with us.
 

On a sidenote - I've seen A LOT of hate going around the web world about Elf on the Shelf.  I personally don't understand the backlash... especially when we didn't in any way, shape, or form use our elf to replace the real meaing of Christmas, or use him as a "tool" to keep the boys in line with their behavior.  We just used it as another fun way to prepare for and get excited about Christmas.  We just want our boys to have a lot of sweet, special, and fun memories from their childhood, and that's what we were trying to create with Pal.  The birth of our Savior is still first and foremost what we celebrate in our household, as I feel everyone should.

 

Also, I'm sorry if anyone got tired of seeing Pal's pictures on Instagram... I mainly put them up for myself so I'd remember what I had done and hadn't done (and to share ideas with other uncreative parents!).