One of a Kind

Penny is one more of a 3 year-old-


if she is not yelling and fussing with Sam or crying to me "please hold me"- she is singing, dancing like a "wild woman". I have never seen anything like her before in my life. She can give you the silliest faces and make you laugh so much- she seems to forget she is three and not fifteen. Last Tuesday she came home from ballet in her fancy pink tutu- and was in one more of a singing mood. She is such a mess- but boy do I LOVE her!!!








There is never a dull moment in this house-

Happenings at The Smith's

This week was a full week for us (one biggie was that I started a 6 week leave at Oak Park teaching 6th grade Language Arts- yes I know you just laughed out loud). Getting back into the routine of things has not been so easy, but we are doing it!! This week Penny started ballet- she was so excited that when I got to her class she was bouncing off the wall. Everyday since then she has asked when is ballet.



We also went to see Jordan cheer (we took Callie with us). Penny just LOVES sitting beside her big sis pretending to be a cheerleader.


Sam also had an exciting thing happen this week he had his first spelling test and made 105!!! He also got Papa to pull his 7th tooth-




On Saturday night, I meet up with my group of High School friends for our once a year get together. It is always so much fun to catch up with what is happening in their life. We meet at Red Robin's for dinner @Bridgestreet.

Snow Day and Football

Sam and Penny started back this second semester of school on Wednesday and on Thursday was leaving half a day due to snow!! That afternoon the kids were begging to go outside- so we bundled up and went out for snow fun.




Heads up Sam's got a snowball

and it landed right in Penny's face!!!


Penny tried to make a snowball and hit Sam-


We had to go in and warm up (and even got a nap)before heading over to Michelle and Stephen's house for tailgating food and football watching. Alabama was playing in the National Championship game against Texas. All the kids had on their Alabama shirts (even Penny wanted to join in - we found her Sam's first jersey to wear).




Alabama won- Sam really wanted to go to Academy Sports but the game was not over till after 11, so we waited till Friday afternoon

(we still are out of school due to the snow).

Highlights of 2009

It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone- it is true what they say" the older you get the faster time goes." 2009 was a very memorable year, one that will never be forgotten in my mind.

Highlights of 2009:

January- Christopher (my brother) turned 21


February- Shawn ran his 1st 1/2 marathon in Birmingham (around 2hrs)

March- Snow, Penny had her 3rd set of tubes/ adenoids removed, We celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary (Shawn gave me a camera), Penny wearing big girl panties

April- Shawn ran 2nd 1/2 marathon in Nashville (2hrs), Sam lost his sixth tooth, Sam was an Ant in Kindergarten play (Going Buggy), T-ball started (GA bulldogs)

May- I ran my first race (8k Steeple Chase), Penny turned 3 (Princess cake), I ran the Cotton Row Run 5K and Shawn did the 10k,Sam was awarded the Hemisman Award in Mrs. Hand's room, Sam turned 6 (Wii game)

June- Jordan turned 13, Smith family beach trip (3rd annual talent show), Bulldogs in City Finals (lost), baby bed down, Penny cut her hair

July- Ballet camp, Family trip to Destin,FL

August- Sam learned to tie his shoes, started Ben Davis (Miss. Ducker), Penny started FBC (Mrs. Ann and Mrs. Christy)

September- 3rd Annual Bryd Bass- European Team WON, Shawn's 2o year reunion

October - P.R. for Shawn at Florence 1/2 marathon (1:47), Halloween at the Coon's

November - Thanksgiving in Mentone, AL

December- Shawn's first marathon (26.2 miles) Memphis- 4:27, Sam was a shepard in Christmas program, Jordan has a cast on foot

I wish everyone a healthy- happy New Year - 2010!!

More Christmas Fun

Christmas Morning (around 9o'clock) we loaded up and went to eat breakfast with all of our family at Nana and Papa's house. The kids were so excited telling each other what Santa had brought. Time to eat--There is nothing better than gravy and biscuits, eggs, and bacon. YUMMY!!





The rest of the day was playing , playing, and more playing.... That night More food at Nana and Papa's . (dressing, turkey, mac and cheese, corn casserole, and lots of desserts). Christmas Day was a fun day - I think everyone got exactly what they wanted!

The day after Christmas, the family went to Mamaw's house for her "famous" country breakfast. Penny entertained Mamaw and everyone else.



One more Christmas get together- my brother, Christopher and his fiance, Ashley came over for supper and presents. They brought Penny a



and Sam a








What a wonderful end to our Christmas - now time to get back to normal (got to take the tree down and find a home for all these new toys and clothes).

Santa came to the Smith's

You better not pout, You better not cry, cause Santa Clause is coming to town... That is what we have been pounding into the kids all month hoping they would act nicer to one another (not sure that worked). I was sure worried this year he might just skip over our house????

Shawn and I heard Sam asking Jordan around 5:45 "is it close to 6'o clock?" Don't remember how much longer they talked before heading into our room, ready to go see what Santa brought. I let Jordan go wake up Penny.


1-2-3- GO!!
First thing I heard from Sam "I got my Field goal post"!! WooooHooo.


(ipod Nano, Farve shirt, AL sheets, Lego Star Wars, poster of Ingram, and a quesadilla maker)

Penny just started screaming -yelling about everything.




(shoes, play dough, clothes, doll, and changing table, grocery cart, and tree house)

Jordan was very happy to see Itouch Ipod in her Santa pile.




(shirts, big purple purse, fondue maker, Vera Bradley "Morgan" purse, Vera Bradley notebook and pen/highlighter, and pj pants)

Well thank goodness Santa did visit the Smith House!!


When we finished looking at what Santa brought we let the kids open presents from one another. Jordan had done shopping at home so she brought her gifts: she gave Sam a Transformer and Penny a Hello Kitty cell phone; Penny gave Sam a Bible and yo-yo and she gave Jordan a necklace and braclets; (Shawn took Sam shopping at Target and Sam PICKED out everything by himself) Sam gave Jordan silly socks, Penny a Hello Kitty art kit, and he gave me (his mom) scarf and gloves. Why is it that no matter what Santa brings kids LOVE to open presents and it is so fun to sit and watch their faces.

Christmas Eve

It is so hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone but I can not let the New Year begin without blogging about our few days of food, presents, and enjoying family.

Christmas Eve is a very special night at our church- we have a candlelight service that I love to go to every year(Jordan and Shawn stayed at Nana and Papa's house- because she has a


on her foot.

I LOVE when we sing Away in the Manger and Silent Night holding our candles high in the air. (Penny had a problem with not understanding WHY she could not take communion- she keep saying out loud "I'm hungry and I'm thirsty- then she kicked several times and then made me spill the grape juice in the palm of my hand. Needless to say at that point I was telling her that Santa was skipping her house. When we left the service we went to Nana and Papa's. For the last two years we have let the cousins draw names and swap presents- this is fun to see what they buy for each other.


Sam gave Patrick a AL shirt and Smith gave Sam AL shirt and nurf gun.





Jordan gave Callie Vera Bradley tech bag; Callie gave Jordan silly socks and silly banz





Penny gave Patton a basketball and Patton gave Penny and bath baby doll and clothes.





Then Nana gave out "Stockings"!!



Right before we sat down to eat supper Jordan wrote the "blessing" for all the cousins to say- it was beautiful. Penny even was invovled (she got very upset when her paper only had one word on it Amen so Aunt Michelle had to write a "big" part to make her happy).


As Sam says "Now for the good part" present time-






(items to remember: Jordan- Vera Bradley lunch box, Vera Bradley purse; Sam- energy necklace, Wii game; Penny- room stuff, baby drink a bottle.


The weather had gotten really bad with high winds and a down pour- I was soaking wet putting all our presents in the car (it was pretty fun watching Shawn helping Jordan get to the car -we tied a garbage bag around her leg just so it would not get wet.

At home we fixed Santa his cookies and milk and left food for the reindeer. Now time for BED!!