Friday, December 31, 2010

Farewell 2010

To ring in the New Year we went to Kevin and Becky's house where we enjoyed a homemade pizza party, an insane amount of treats and junk food, some nice visiting, a little Time Square tv, and a great game of Wits and Wagers. Thanks for the fun!













Here's to 2011; may it be the best year yet!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Christmas 2010

Christmas Eve we always open our ornaments and new jammies.


This past year Jarom has been on the "perfect popcorn" quest. So when I found a popcorn ornament, I couldn't pass it up. Carter got a soccer playing nutcracker. Halle got a dancing Clara holding a nutcracker - she says it is her MOST FAVORITE ornament ever. Kate got a Barbie. And Alyssa got a darling miniature cello. I usually try to get something for myself as well, but I just couldn't find anything quite right this year. I LOVE our ornaments tradition!

What is better than new jammies on Christmas Eve? I adore the cupcakes. And Grandma always wraps things so pretty; she had a cupcake ornament attached to each girls' present and a ribbon candy ornament for Carter. They go PERFECTLY with our candy tree in the basement.

One of the best parts of Christmas morning is busting through the wrapped doorway to the basement. My kids love this tradition. (So do I, as it keeps peeking impossible.) And just what was behind the wrapping?

Alyssa was completely surprised by a new electric keyboard!

Halle was REALLY hoping for a hamster, but Santa knew better and got her a professional art kit. She was extremely satisfied with it. (And check out the beautiful temple picture in the background that Santa left for me.)

Carter got some big Army toys and a gun that makes all sorts of noise.

And Kate got a new baby and stroller. She was VERY excited about the earmuffs Santa left too.

Santa left a karaoke machine for the family (as well as some fun wii games) and it was a huge hit...until someone dropped the microphone and broke it. (No one is fessing up by the way.) Thank goodness a microphone is an easy fix.

Jarom got a new dress coat, and I got a cute corduroy jacket and a jade bracelet. Fun fun!

I just thought this was a cute picture of Carter and Dad assembling the goods.

Kate -silly girl- REALLY wanted a light saber so Santa stuck one in her stocking, and left one for Carter too. They've had a blast fighting each other.

The keyboard has been played pretty much non-stop. It has been fun to listen to but we are thankful Santa remembered headphones.

Halle has sketched all day every day since Christmas. She keeps saying "I feel so grown up with all this stuff." It is adorable. The girls also each got a Caboodle full of hair things and makeup. Halle has done herself up several times every day.

Carter loves his army toys, but I think his most favorite thing was the Lego sticker book he got. He has completed it, but still looks at it daily. And notice that missing tooth in the bottom of his smile! Christmas day Carter lost his 1st official tooth. (I don't count the freakishly early lost one.) It was exciting and there was NO drama what-so-ever. So different from the girls.

When she's not sword fighting, Kate can be found playing babies with her new baby Charlotte. She loves her; it is so adorable. I HOPE this isn't the last year I will see a baby doll on Christmas morning, but I have a feeling it might be. So sad. Why do my kids have to grow up?

Just a fun picture of all the grandkids (except Cameron) at Grammy's house on Christmas Day.

Grammy gave Pillow Pets this year and I think they were a huge hit.

We headed over to Jarom's folks for a delicious prime rib dinner and games after gifts at Grammy and Grampy's. It was a fabulous Christmas. I have to say, it might be the best one we've ever had. What a blessing, and I am grateful for it.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Nuttin' For Christmas

We've been having more fun with Halle's flip. My kids (and husband) crack me up.

Nuttin For Christmas from MWS on Vimeo.

Christmas Newsletter

Here is 2010 Christmas Newsletter along with our family pictures we had taken in November. Our friend Stevie did such a great job on the pictures!










Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Smith Nativity 2010

It was a little hectic trying to coordinate the annual Smith Nativity this year, but we managed to get it done with only my dad and the Quin's missing.
As always, we start with some words from the angel with the jingle bells halo.

Kate got to play Mary and Brancyn was Joseph this year. Our new cousin Aisha is the background. Aisha is Kade and Deidra's foster daughter which hopefully will turn into a permanent situation.

After the angels announcement of the future birth of the Savior, we head into the next room,

where Caesar tells us all to go to our home cities to pay our taxes.

After finding no room in the inns in Bethlehem,

Mary and Joseph make a humble bed for the baby in a manger.

Where will all come to pay tribute to the Newborn King.

Our Loser Friends

We have losers for friends...BIGGEST LOSERS that is! Our dear friend Moses and his daughter Kaylee will be on the upcoming 2011 Season of Biggest Loser. Starts Jan. 4th, so be sure to set your DVR and cheer on Team Kinikini! We couldn't be more proud of them!! (And don't tell me you are cheering for anyone else. I wish all the other competitors luck at losing weight, but I am fiercely loyal to MY team!)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Flat Callie

Our Texas cousin, Callie, did a Flat Stanley project for her classroom. Flat Stanley is the story of a boy who is flattened by a bulletin board falling on him. He's so thin that he can mail himself in a letter to visit other places in the world. Callie created a "Flat Callie" to visit us in Idaho. Here a few of the places we took her to visit.
She played in the snow with us. We even made her a coat and snowpants for the occasion.

We made sure she got a picture with some Idaho potatoes.

She got to see the museum.

And the falls of Idaho Falls.

She even got to feed the ducks by the river. She's lucky she made it out alive from this visit. Those ducks were HUNGRY and thought everything in our hands was food.

What fun we had with Flat Callie. We hope we get to do a Flat Stanley project sometime so we can visit Texas!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Girl Scouts

I know nothing about Girl Scouts, and I do mean nothing, well except that I love Tag-alongs and Samoas. But since Halle decided to join, it has opened up a whole new world to me.
She went to her first Investiture - where she was accepted into the troop and received several badges. Her troop earned a caroling badge, but Halle couldn't participate in that event since she was in the Nutcracker that night. Her troop leader surprised her with a Nutcracker badge. That was really neat.

She seems to really be enjoying girl scouts. And remember her should you need cookies come the next couple of months.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Gingerbread Houses

I don't know what it is, but I am having the hardest time decorating for Christmas. Its not that I don't have the Christmas Spirit, I do, but I just don't want to pull out all the decor. I have the minimum needed for it to still feel like Christmas in the house, a tree, the stockings, and the Santa cookie jar, but that's about it. And quite frankly, I think that's where it's staying this year. However, I did find time to let the kids do gingerbread houses. They are one part of Christmas I just really love.
Alyssa worked extra hard on hers this year. It turned out darling. She had some great piping work this year. Her decorating skills just keep getting better with age.

We were lucky to have our friends the Kinikini's join us in the fun. However, when I pulled the hot glue gun out to assemble the houses, Lanaya would have none of that. She wanted hers held together with frosting. I just don't have the patience to wait for the frosting to set up before we can start the decorating process, but we indulged Lanaya and made sure hers had no glue.

All the finished products. I'm such a mean mom, but I don't allow any gingerbread house eating until after Christmas. They can eat the candy while they decorate, but after its on the house, it's mine to enjoy until the season is over. I love my little gingerbread village.

Nutcracker "Sweet"

Halle joined ballet a few months ago. She got to be in the Nutcracker this Christmas and she was SO excited for it. This is her with a couple classmates waiting back stage for their turn on stage.

The mints ready to dance. They did such a great job and all their long hard hours of practice paid off. It was such a professional production. I was mighty impressed.

Her friend Taylor came to watch and surprised her with flowers

She also got a couple of nutcrackers for congratulation gifts. She carried her rat king nutcracker around like a baby doll for several days.

Halle loves ballet. She has practice 4 hours a week, and during Nutcracker time it was 8 hours a week. I keep waiting for her to tell me she's sick of it, but whenever it's time for ballet, she is so excited about it. I'm so glad she has found something she loves.