Smith Family Christmas 2012

Holidays are so easy now that we all live in North Dallas.  Everyone gets to do Santa at their own house, sleep in their own beds, and still get together with family on several occasions throughout the holiday.  I love it!  This year was technically our year to be with the Smith family on Christmas, but because of close proximity we generally see everyone at some point.  

We all met up after our Christmas Eve services (somehow we are so close but have all chosen different churches to call home) at Gigi and Papa J's house for a "light" meal.  Hmm.  Somehow a turkey, dressing, and broccoli/rice casserole jumped into our apps only meal :)  Regardless, it was delicious.  I have 2 brothers which seems like a fairly average family.  However, they are both married with 5 kids between them and my half-brother and his wife were in town, aunt/uncle, my MIL, and my SIL's parents all came on Christmas Eve so we had quite the crew.  Total of 16 adults and 6 (and a half for Everett!) kiddos.  Fun times.

On Christmas we took our time doing Santa at home and putting my very tired 2 year old down for an early nap.  We then headed to McKinney for Christmas lunch and family presents right as the snow hit.  It was slightly sleeting as we pulled out of our driveway, and when we arrived at my parents' 20 minutes later, it was a winter wonderland!  Not the greatest driving conditions but it was beautiful and SO fun to have a white Christmas!  We played, ate, opened too many presents, and had the Christmas story read to us by the oldest grandchildren (each on a bible app from their new electronic devices...kids these days!) before deciding to brave the drive before dark.  

the boys out in the cold

Jeremy and Parker-Christmas Eve

Chris and Leslie

Tiffany and her dad, Rick

Justin and The Mimi

Abigail (10) and Parker (9).  She's a year and a half older and I'm pretty sure he thinks she hung the moon :)

Found the girls in the playroom.  "Hey Lofton, smile so Mommy can take your picture with Peyton and Kendall."  Or fall face first on the floor like the world has ended....

"Ok.  I'll just take the pic of the big girls without you."  And there we go.... Peyton (5), Kendall (8), Lofton (2 1/2...and that half means a WORLD of diffference!)

Gigi and L Pie

All the kiddos in their matching jammies from Gigi for Christmas Eve

Last smiles before heading home

The "babies" watching the snow fall

Fake smile for the family pic

Trying a tickle...

Jeremy, Marti, Parker, Peyton, Presley

Justin, Tiffany, Abigail, Kendall Claire

All the grandkids

Gigi and Papa J with their babies

The whole crew!

Trying out their new hats in the snow.

Cookies and Trains!

We tried to squeeze in some last minute Christmas fun the weekend before Christmas.  What a difference a year makes!  L really loved the lights, trees, Santa talk, etc.  We spent Saturday morning at Aunt Tiff's house baking Christmas cookies, thumbprint cookies, hello dollies, fudge, and peppermint bark.  L loves running and playing with the big kids!  On Sunday, we drove to Grapevine for the Polar Express.  I really think her favorite part was the corndog she ate while we waited :)

 



 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Every fall is spent waiting for the Christmas season and then it passes SO quickly!  I still have plans for Christmas cookies and a Polar Express in the next 9 days.  Then of course there are all of the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day activities with family.  Lofton has definitely understood this season more this year.  She LOVES the lights and trees and has had fun playing with her little people nativity set and singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.  Below are pics from our time in the McKinney Square on a cold night at the end of November.  Lofton was beyond thrilled to wear the tutu Gigi had bought her.  She is ALL girl!  Also, while mommy was out of town for the day, Uncle Justin and Aunt Tiff asked if they could take L to see Santa at their country club after church.  Last year she did great, but I knew that 2 might be a difficult age.  Wrong!  She sat right on his lap, held his hand, and requested "pink presents".  Love that sweet little girl...

We are Thankful!



 

We are thankful.  We spent the entire day with family.  The morning and Thanksgiving lunch was at Dewey's parent's house.  The afternoon/dessert with my brother/sister-in-law, her family, and my parents.

 

 

I am very thankful for these two loves.

 

 

And VERY thankful that our picture will include a baby boy next year.  I am 17 weeks pregnant with Everett William Mitchell.  (pretty sure this is how I looked at 24 weeks preggo with L...).   We took a month off of fertility treatments before embarking on the IVF process.  In that month the Lord said yes and things have been uneventful thus far.  Praying that the complications that arose with Lofton were an isolated event and that this baby will be big, healthy, full-term, and that this mama will be on her feet, instead of in bed, until the end.  We love him already!



Fall Pics 2012

We took professional pics a few weeks ago for Christmas cards.  If you receive a Christmas card from us, act surprised to see these photos :)  If you send me a card, we have moved since last Christmas so facebook or email me to verify our address please!  I want to see all of your sweet pics on my mantle ASAP.  We used Tracy Enoch Photography in Richardson this year and I was SO happy with the results and pricing.  Lofton was being....well, a 2yr old, so I was afraid we didn't get any good pics.  I was happily proved wrong.  

Celina Pumpkin Patch

We headed over to the Celina Pumpkin Patch with some friends for pumpkins, farm animals, hay rides, a mini train, a hay maze, and hotdogs.  It was so much fun!  It could have been a little warmer, but we have definitely started a tradition.  Maybe we'll try and make it a little earlier in the season next time :)

 hand-me-down jeggings.  first time to wear denim :(

 Daddy showing her the ropes

 Getting brave!

 L and Ryan.  Sweet friends.

 The girls with the Struwe boys.  We told Dillon to get in the middle of the girls and he gave us an adamant "No!".  That will change in a few years...

Dori and sweet Alan Michael.  He was perfect the entire time.

 hayride

loved the train. 

 cute Struwe twins.

Y'all come back now, you here?!