Harrison is 10! Come again?????

Totally aware this looks like an engagement pic, but I started taking a picture of just Harry, then Ava swept in and just hugged him like this! So appropriate because they are inseparable, and this is a great shot of Harry...do you not agree?

I was looking for Harry's birth certificate in a box of stuff I've kept for him through the years yesterday. It was a melancholy experience. I don't like at all how time is just flying at the speed of light. I know I shouldn't be so negative because there are so many wonderful things about kids getting older, but when I came across pictures of him at 1,2,3,4,5 etc. I just longed to be able to pick him up, and hold him so close like I used to. I had Harrison all to myself for 4 years. He was my little side kick. Some of my favorite memories when it was just he and I (okay, Scott too but you get my drift) were of snuggling in EVERYDAY for 3 hour naps. He could only fall asleep if our noses touched. It might as well have been heaven, as far as I was concerned, every single day holding that little boy. Also, on a not-so-heavenly note, Harrison has been a great source of worry for me over the years. Not worry for myself but worry for him, for his life and worry that he can remain confident through the challenges that he has been given. He really struggles with Dyslexia. School has been a challenge to say the least. We've done so many different things with him. Every new year brings new challenges and new adventures. And with all of the changes he has been through he is always so upbeat and teachable! Which brings me so appropriately to the TOP 10 reasons I just adore HARRY!

1) He is an eternal optimist. If he says even one negative comment about anything...you know it had to be so so bad!

2) He doesn't see differences in one single human. He literally would be friends with ANYONE. NO ONE freaks him out, is unapproachable, too dirty, disabled, ugly, you name it. I know without any doubt that I could introduce him to some freak from the 'Ripley's Believe It or Not book' and he'd be like...'Hey, what's up? I'm Harrison!"

3)He has never once been willfully disobedient. Has he done stupid things?...uh...YA! But when I've told him not to do something, I'm 98% sure he'll never do it again. (notice I'll leave a margin of error?)

4) He is SO funny! Especially to the younger kids. I'll hear Ava in the back seat say...Harry, make me laugh!

5)He is a pro at delayed gratification. If given an option that is immediate but not as good as the long term option, he has no qualms with waiting.

6) He rarely complains about anything...which has proven to be my sanity at times. While I'll have other children convulsing on the floor for myriads of reasons...I'll be on the brink of an explosion and I'll look off into the distance and see my one shining example of a go with the flow, easy going child off in the distance kindly smiling at me amidst the chaos and I can keep it together for 3 more minutes.

7) He is a peacemaker. He will give up almost anything to make a younger sibling stop crying. Which is HUGE for me! There are others (who will remain nameless) that delight hearing the sobs of siblings that want what they are playing with. THANK YOU BUD!

8) He is a pro at perseverance! He has an incredible ability to keep at something that is difficult for him...which happens to be most everything:( Sad but true. I always tell him that even though things are tough for him now, he'll be able to out work anyone because not much has come easy to him.

9) He is the earliest riser you know, and has the energy of I don't know what! He can function on a minimum amount of sleep and still be cheerful all day. He gets that from his dad...not me by a long shot!

10) Harrison is just plain happy all the time. My big line for him is:

LIFE IS A BOWL OF CHERRIES FOR HARRY!

So you can clearly see how incredibly awful our lives would be if we did not have his kind, happy, good natured kid in our home. Thank you for making these last 10 years of our lives the best ones! We love you Harrison!!!!

Walkie is ONE...is this gonna be fun!?!?!?!

This little boy has brought so much joy and fun into our crazy home. Although, I swear since he turned 9 months it has taken a dramatic turn to even crazier. It literally scares me what this child could be capable of in the coming year. He has the highest pitch scream that he tends to use for everything from 'I'm tired' to 'I'm super excited' to 'I need a drink' to 'I pooped!'. Help me Rhonda! He is my only kid who posseses a sixth sense to know when someone accidentally left the toilet lid open. He is my only kid that I've even had to worry about shutting the stupid lids for! He opens, touches, licks, crawls into, walks on top of...EVERYTHING! Okay, but all that said, now I have roughly 20 hilarious little scenarios that are coming to mind that he's done that make him so irresistable, it has allowed him to not be shipped off to Siberia yet. Seriously...look at this face...

THE #1 REASON I LOVE WALKER IS......

(and yes, this is just me...hello, I'm his mom and I'm writing the post so I get to choose the best thing about him)

Whenever I enter a room, no matter the occasion, tTime of day, if I've just been in the other room, or away running errands and haven't seen him in hours, he shreiks with joy, then does this whole body crazy dance thing and high tails it from wherever he is in my direction. I think I might just be his fave! How great is that?

We all love you Walkie Talkie...even if you're wild and uncontrollable:)

Dashing Through the Snow!

Harrison was PETRIFIED of going down the first day...now he goes down backwards!

Story of his life!

Regan insists on going down herself, but always needs help coming up..Ava to the rescue!
So sweet!

Ava was nuts from day one! Now it is not uncommon for me to look over and see that she has recruited a new friend to sit on the back of this contraption to slide down with her! I think she got discouraged after Regan and Harry had turned her down time and again. This girl will get her way somehow!

Notice this is a toboggan built for 3? The kids went down together the 1st couple of days, then it became a fight as to who's turn it was to 'go alone'. Thank you costco for having cheap sleds!

Our cheeks are nice and rosey and comfy cozy are we...yes he's gone down too...with me...I'm an idiot! About half way down I think to myself...What am I doing? I'm hauling down this hill at light speed with a 1yr. old in his pj's. Hopefully no one from CPS was looking!

Ava's 6! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

A little toad she found while at our family cabin trip....ugh!

This is her clothes for the next day....are you dying????

I know this is so cliche but I really do rember holding her tiny newborn body in my arms like it was 5 minutes ago! She has honestly been such a pleasure to parent (thus far;) I am sickened that time is flying so incredibly fast. Her birthday was November 24, so I'm a little behind but here are 6 reasons I love AVA:

1) Her personality and zest for life bursts at the seams. She literally squeals with delight at ordinary everyday events. You should hear how she greets Walker in the mornings;)

2) She is totally service oriented. She wants to make everyone around her feel happy. Especially babies...it still amazes me how much she dotes on Walker, I call her my nanny.

3) She will draw endless pictures and notes for any and everyone with one main theme...rainbows and hearts and the signature 'i love you' written with a heart then her name.

4) I call her 'Fern' as in Fern from 'Charlotte's Web' because she loves animals so much she belongs on a farm! Nothing grosses her out...NOTHING!

5) She dresses herself and does her own hair (except Sundays I draw the line!) She now has started dressing Regan...heaven help us all! But her style makes me shake my head and smile.

6) She has a sincere desire to choose the right. I hope that lasts for the rest of her life:)

I love you Ava more than you will ever ever know! Happy Birthday:)

Love,

MOM

My name is Jill Smith and I have a PROBLEM!!!!!

So I started this morning off like every other morning determined to eat no sugar and stick to fruits, veggies, and good carbs. My brother's wedding is in December. Okay, so I know I'm not the bride, but hello....pictures galore! I thought that this would be incentive enough to be strong.

Obviously not! Anyhow, I was secretly relieved that I couldn't find the scale this morning to see what a month of eating what I want and not moving could do. By noon, it was as if some unknown force was leading me as I was stirring a pound of melted butter into 3 cups of sugar in a trance like state making what??? More popcorn balls!!! For no reason other than I had finished all of the other ones from Halloween, and 'needed more'. Hey I've got an idea, why don't I just skip the chewing part and stuff them down my sweats (that I sport daily) over my butt and thighs? The chewing takes longer... I paused and thought...no, I really do have a problem. Why was I making another batch of popcorn balls? Scott and the kids don't even eat them for the love of everything holy! Harry would, but he just got braces! What kind of mother am I?

For those of you who see me in the flesh on a regular basis and may read this, the next time I complain about weight loss...like its Walker's fault or something, do me a favor...SLAP ME! I just took my camera right now, and without touching a thing this is what was laying around a 3 ft. radius. Enjoy...but trust me, you won't as much as I have:)

The forsaken balls....

To wash them down. At least its diet! Heard it helps with cellulite...perfect;)

My faves...low fat!?!?!?!?

Have you tried these? SO GOOD! They only come out once a year!!!

I proceded to peer into the fridge...oh, looky here!

I love love love egg nog...I'm noticing a trend...large quantities of low fat stuff

Mmm pudding... Do you love how far back the tomatoes are? I don't even remember buying them!

NO, your eyes are not deceiving you, there are 2 ice cream boxes and yay, 2 MORE scoops:) The tin foil thing on top? Used to be twice the size before last night. It is frozen cookie dough from my visiting teacher...bless her. At roughly 10pm I showed Scott the treasure and he, without hesitation ordered me to fire up the oven. I believe in being an obedient wife. Visting teaching truly does bless lives.

REAL QUICK...

What is that building on the horizon...oh I think I recognize it...why yes, it is the gym. If I threw a rock I'd hit it. They don't know me there:( Yes this is taken from my backyard...shameful!)


Why a December wedding???? For the first time in my life I can't wait for the pressure of December to be over, then I can actually eat this stuff and enjoy it! Until then, I'll just eat it:)

I LOVE HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Greg downing some 'spooky juice'....yikes! Love Jamie's decor....how bout that brain? (Today)
The 'BRAIN SURGERY'!

oooooooohhhhhh.......so creepy!

Don't you love this???? Like father like son...both CRAZY!(Friday)

Nothing like a popcorn ball that DID smell so sweet on a Sunday morn:)

The ALWAYS happy spectator...WALKIE TALKIE:) (today)

4 Halloween Hopefuls.... (friday)

What was Regan's costume anyways? I bought her garb to be 'Jesse' from TS2 (her fave this year) and this is what she insisted on wearing...I know it looks like a witch but try~ a black shirt with black sweats and Ava's dirty skirt that she wore that day....then throw on a hat...whatever...LOVE HER!

My careful cutter/peeler.... (today)

Okay, I'm exhausted and so happy. Scott is asleep on the couch, the kids skipped baths and went straight to bed they were so tired. This is my favorite time of year...September thru December cannot be beat. There are so many memories to be made in those months and I'm a sucker for fun family traditions most of which include lots of baking and eating food that is so far beyond NOT good for you it should probably be illegal.

So, Halloween. I think it is a crime that people dislike this holiday because of the perceived 'dark side' of it. I never see that side...I guess maybe I choose not to see that. I love all of the happy decorations, the happy feeling I get thinking on 'Happy Halloweens past'. It to me is such a bright cheery time of year

I always start this month off with some sort of halloween pj's, and the only movies the kids can watch in the car are halloween related. I think Harrison was ready to scream because most were of the 'small child genre' like, 'Cliffod's Best Halloween Ever' etc.

Our festivities this year started Friday night with our church's 'Trunk or Treat'. It was great and the kids had a ball! Then yesterday, the morning was CrAzY but by 5 we didn't have much going on, so we loaded up the kids, went to a chocolate shop and delivered candy to a couple of families that live around us. We got home late, but it was a fun bonding time...I felt like we were Christmas carolling, sort of.

Saturday night was our church's Trunk or Treat. The kids LOVED it. We all had a great time. Scott even dressed up this year to be a 'mad scientist' with Harry. So adorable! Lookin' hot in those glasses honey!

Now today. Scott is gone very early Sundays so it is just me and the kids most of the day. I still wanted it to feel like halloween from the moment they opened their little eyes so...we started the morning off making popcorn balls...to die for (thanks Denise, I will not devulge the secret recipe;) then the carving of the watermelon brain...so fun! Then after church, we went to my brother Greg's house on the other side of town and ate soup, and drank spooky root beer (with dry ice YAY) and ate some of the popcorn balls and yummy halloween cookies. I feel like throwing up just talking about all we ate....I've neglected to mention all of the trick or treat candy I've been sneaking out of the kid's bags too....sick!

To summerize my thoughts tonight, I love being a mom. I know we all do. There is nothing like seeing the world through the eyes of a child. To me it rivals even being a child!

Well, goodbye Halloween 2010:( I'm sad that you came and left so quickly. You are coming and going faster every year.

P.S. sorry about the photo mix up at the top...I'm so bad at rearranging these dumb pics I just posted them they way they came out! Hence, the dates.

We love BOO and PARKER!

Suzy and Paker posing on Harry's 4 wheeler...don't worry Nate...no ER trips:)

Regan and Parker...lovers, and fighters....mostly lovers:) This picture makes me cry.

Suzy and Parker

Just an FYI, ever since our whole family can remember, my sister Suzanna has had the nickname BOO. She'll never shake it.

Almost a month ago, I called my sister on a Monday morning and said, I just miss you! She replied with the same emotions. We hadn't seen each other since Christmas. I think with age and especially with the passing of our cousin, one realizes that life is precious, short, full of unexpected trials and tragedy. Sometimes logic and reason must fly out the window when the need arises to want to see each other. Miracles occured and with many saved airmiles from wonderfully kind doners, Suzy and Parker (her to die for son) came for almost a MONTH! So much fun! She was able this year to make the family cabin trip! Yay! We laughed, we cried, we hugged, we randomly hugged and cried just so happy to be together! (you are allowed to barf...but its true) It was so great to get to know little Parky better. It made me sad at the beginning of the trip how he would look at me like I was a complete stranger. By the time he left he would come to me and just sit and snuggle...okay just once, but if you knew the energy this kid had, it was a literal miracle!

I miss you Suz, but I have faith and hope that you will be my neighbor someday;) Thank you for coming and thank you for being such an amazing sister. I love you.