I found the PICKLE!!!

My prince left the tree lights on all night, & I sure did love walking in and finding it glowing this morning!

I found the pickle!  Yes- the pickle hidden on the tree!  3 years ago my snazzy Aunt Paula gave us the cutest, smallest little pickle Christmas ornament.  Attached to it was a tag explaining that the children wait until the pickle ornament is hidden in the green boughs of the tree and then they search for it endlessly because they know they will receive an extra gift on Christmas morning for being the most observant. 

We have a family friend come over to hide our pickle.  Our kids are young, Aubi could care less right now, so we give Molly a loooooooong head start, which so far she's given up and quit looking......so then Greg and I jump in battling each other on who will find it first. 

3 years running now and I found it again!!!  Woot Woot!  It is so thrilling and exciting.  The sad part- it was a lot closer to the area my hubby was looking in, but the way it was hidden, it was easier to see from the opposite side of the tree where I was looking. 

We are a little competitive around here!!! 

I found the website where you can order your own pickle!  http://www.oldworldchristmas.com/

and search "pickle".  Ours is the Miniature Gurken but there are a few others to choose from. 

What traditions do you and your family look forward to each Christmas???

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Can hardly believe it's December!!  This weekend, the Smith gang finally got with it and put some Christmas cheer throughout the house.  LOVE this time of year.  It makes this already hormonal momma extra emotional.  So thankful, so happy, so in love with my life.  Greggy put lights on the house outside for the first time since we have been on Autumn Lane.  He worked really hard and they look wonderful, so for all of our local friends, drive by and enjoy!!!!   Molly & Aubrey have been great helpers at decorating the trees. 

Next on the list, marking items off Christmas lists...time to shop!!!

 Toodles the Elf.  Molly's excitement has only grown this year.  Every morning she's really easy to get out of bed and ready for school because she can't wait to hop up and go search the house for his new watch spot.

 My baby girl looking soo grown up here.

 Sitting by the fire right now and thinking an afternoon nap is

oh so appropriate!

Long Time No Blog

Okay so I've been really pathetic at keeping up in blog-land.  As much as I want to blame it on pregnancy, I won't.  Eh, nevermind, I'm going to.  I'm almost 12 weeks now and it's a miracle that I'm sitting here at 7:42 pm AWAKE.  My bed time is usually between 7:30 and 8.  I haven't thrown up in over a week though, so I will brag about that, as I'm knocking on wood.  I went to the doctor last week and heard our sweet baby's heart beating.  It was in the 170's and just pitter pattering away! 

I wanted to share some pictures of some Halloween festivities this year.  I think the girlies dressed in costume 4 times!  They had a blast at all parties and trick or treating. 

Enjoy them!

This picture cracks me up...all these sweet girls, and they look so happy, right?!  hahahaha

 My sweet niece Alli, "Pinkalicious"

 My niece Lanna, the ladybug

 Go sister, soul sister!

 Cousins

 Love these 2.



Stacking Up Smith's

Literally, we are stacking up!  Baby Smith #3 will make it's debut in early June 2012 and we couldn't be more thrilled.  I'm about 9 weeks along so still a long way off from holding the precious new bundle. 
Right now I feel pretty yucky most days.  I had some nausea with Molly but it was really nothing.  With Aubrey, I was sick to my stomach more but never to the point of tossing my cookies.  This time around, I'm constantly nauseous and have tossed my cookies on more than one occassion, but fingers crossed it passes quickly.  My heart goes out to all who have shared their stories with me of vomiting for as much as 6 months!  That is one club I hope NOT to join.
We shared the good news with our friends and family this past week and are so glad to have them share in our excitement.  Molly is really excited, she's wanted to be a big sister again for awhile.  Aubrey, well, she doesn't really have a clue right now.  :)  Molly has been so thoughtful and sweet, which is no surprise.  She shows her concern for me constantly, asking me if I have eaten enough or if the baby got it all, asking me if she can rub my back or get me anything.  This morning I got sick before work and she told me if I got sick one more time, I probably needed to stay home from work.  When I picked her up at school today, she asked if I got sick anymore.  So thoughtful and sweet, my 5 year old.  She is one heck of a big sis to Aubi and I am anxious to see her with another baby. 
Let the countdown to June begin!

Fall Y'all!

Fall to me means lots of wonderful things, especially many pumpkin recipes. Yummy goodness.


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My Baby Turned 2!

My baby girl turned 2 earlier this month. 

I am still having a hard time believing she is 2 already.

She is so fun.  Never a dull moment. 

She loves: pop, her stuffed puppy, babies, SHOES!, purses, dress up, sunglasses, coloring, dancing, running- she rarely walks, hair bows, toes painted, kisses, giggles, tub time, painting, and Sponge Bob. 

She is potty training and gets so excited when she uses the potty.

Aubrey might take after her Poppy and be our little lefty too.

We had a small, fairly quiet party this year and it was wonderful.  When you get too many people around Aubi sometimes clams up and gets nervous, so with mainly family around, she was her active, free spirit goofy self.  Props to my wonderful honey for being the go-getter for the party.  He did all the pre-party set up and grocery shopping.  Work has been a busy place these past few months!

Without further ado- Aubrey Jane on her very special 2nd birthday!

Big sister playing a game while waiting for everyone to arrive. 

So anxious to see people pulling up in the drive way!

She was just taking it all in!  We all sang Happy Birthday and she just looked around at everyone....and then finally cracked a precious smile.

She was a pro!

The Smith's!  :)

She ate every last bite of her cake and ice cream.  I expected no different!

Present Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love love loooooove this sweet little momma! 

 Happy Birthday, Aubrey Jane.  May all your wishes come true!!

Eureka!

Eureka Springs, that is.

My prince and I, along with my mother in law and her boyfriend, Larry made a weekend trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas on motorcycles.  No- we don't have our own but Larry has 2 Harley's and has always been very sweet in letting us borrow his.  Greg has had or been on a bike for a long time....probably as soon as he learned to walk, he walked toward a bike!  He will have his own again someday soon, I'm sure of it!! 

Some of my friends look at me like I'm crazy to get on the back of a bike for 600 miles in a weekend.  It's not something we do all the time, having little ones at home that we HATE to leave, but it's actually very enjoyable.  I know Greggy loves it and it makes me happy to see him all giddy when he gets to ride.

Now, while it's usually very enjoyable, this trip was.......very..........

WET!   It was cold and rained the entire way there.  And of course it subsided during that little lunch break we took in Fayetteville...go figure.  And yes, we did look at the weather ahead of time, and it was between 40-60% chance of rain from here to there but once we hit the road the chances kept going up and the storms seemed to linger more when they were supposed to.  So much for the "quickly passing through" part.  I guess I'm done complaining, afterall we needed the rain, baaaaadly!

And, all in all it was still fun and I enjoyed the company!!

This one is for you, daddy!  See, I DID wear a helmet.  The entire time!

View from the hotel room...what's wrong with this picture? 

We were inside and the bikes were just sitting.  In the rain. 

                                         

The rain didn't dampen the shopping though!

This store was soooo neat. 

 Lots of fun, creative ideas...the ones that make you go, "huh, why didn't I think of that?"

Look at the ceiling, it was all old doors and windows.  They weren't stuck on the ceiling, but almost floating...probably attached by chains, very neat. 

A kitchen shop, look at the fun ceiling!  Eureka Springs is such an artsy, crafty district.

Courthouse

My fav place to eat there, Local Flavor.  Never disappoints!

Through the windy hills. Peaceful and Perty.

Turner Bend- awesome little store at the end of the Pig Trail motorcycle ride. 

Such a fun little place, very clean, very friendly, and good music going.

The Pied Piper- fun little biker joint/pub.

While it rained for the majority of the time, our trip back home was virtually rain free...minus about 10 minutes of showers and 2 minutes of hail! 

Can't wait for the next ride!!