Auntie Pam's Wedding

This blog post is a little late but better late than never!
My aunt was remarried the day after Christmas and I took some shots for her. We drove down to Gallipolis where my aunt's husband is from. They had a sweet little church ceremony performed by his brother-in-law at the church he pastors. It was awesome and my aunt was beaming. She is quite a catch!! I couldn't help but smile all day for her. She has had a road to get where she is now and I am just so happy for her. Her husband passed away a year and a half ago from lung cancer and her mother passed away 2 years ago from ovarian cancer. We all had a lot of loss in those few years but she really got hit hard. I have never seen such patience and strength!
Well God has blessed her BIG time and she is on top of the world. I am loving it!

SO BEAUTIFUL!!
Well the girls had a blast at Aunt Pammy's wedding and I caught some funny little shots of all 3 of them (including my niece). They were just hamming it up for a few shots in a row and then all the sudden you can see it on Shiloh's face that she is TOAST. I'll give you the play by play.

Okay-we are easing into the photo shoot. I seriously am always trying to get a picture of my 3 girls. I never seem to manage it.


Shiloh is feeling it here-wait for it-wait for it-yeah she is feeling it with her little smile. That hair never seems to work with us but she is feeling the grin.


So what is up with the rear naked choke(aka headlock)? Gracie is pushing it here but Shiloh is still managing the smile. (I only knew that rear naked choke thing because of Nic-did I awe you with my fight terminology?)


Not loving the choke feel and just about to lose it.


AND SHILOH IS TOASTED(but look at Gracie and Natalie with their little smiles)
If you could hear and see it live you would see huffing through the bottom lip accompanied by a sigh of exhaustion.
We have all been there now haven't we?

A Heart for Jesus...

Gracie Bella never ceases to amaze me and I am always full of stories about things she says that are so sweet. Last night I was praying with her and as I usually do I prayed that Gracie would have a heart for Jesus. She immediately stopped me in my prayer and said, "I do have a heart for Jesus, mama! I do have a heart for Him and I think I am going to decorate it blue because he is a boy!"

You see, we rolled out sugar cookies yesterday and she had to call her Mimi(my mom) and her grandma Cindi to see what color they wanted their hearts she made for them.
She was thinking about her heart for Jesus and how it should be blue because boys like blue.
So fun. She is always thinking!
At least I know she is listening to the things I am praying over her!

SNOWY DAY

So it took me a little over an hour to get home from school today. Leaving at lunch time ended up being a bad thing today because of all this white stuff. I decided to embrace the timing of the winter blast and get outside with the little girlies. I was pretty much toasty from all the tense driving so I was actually ready to feel the cold on the face. As many of you well know, dressing the 2 wee ones only intensified the internal heat. I really can't tell you how good that cold was feeling after getting out there. I don't think I have ever been so warm playing in the snow!!
The girls, of course, loved every second of it.
10-15 minutes of gathering clothing items, gloves, boots,etc.
30 minutes of strategically layering and dressing all 3 of us for the fun.
For about-oh, let's see-20 minutes or so of actual play.
Only to come in and spend 15-20 minutes undressing, laying clothes out to dry, cleaning up the wet floor, and then having to serve up some hot chocolate.
Why? For FLIPPIN fun-that's why!!
Nap is late but better late than never today FOR SURE!!

OH SO PROUD AGAIN...

So here he is in all his glory and I am oh so proud again(can you tell the sarcasm in my bloggity blog blog voice?)
Nic has been off to the wild on a little duck/goose hunting adventure and he is so happy with his treasures here. Those of you who know him-can you even imagine all the stories I heard after his day in the wild? Just can you EVEN IMAGINE?
Gracie and Shiloh were pumped to see daddy's find but I really don't think they got it-which is just fine with me. Gracie kept asking why they weren't quacking. I just dismissed and we moved right along. We eat meat every day but I guess we can just wait to talk about that one!!
So I am not really into eating duck-I wish he could have brought me home some cow or chicken or something but I smiled politely and patted him on the back(side)!
Great job buddy-way to bring those birds in!
He is off finding some great recipe to mix his kill up with right now I am sure as I am typing. He's all in his element-you know-in "man-ville" and feeling like he has just defended my honor. I want you all to know that I hear that one all the time. He has to go out and defend my honor. Well defend it he did-I am sure duck and goose feathers are still in the garage to prove it. You see-cleaning his work area after plucking the feathers does not fit that whole manly element thing!!


CHECK OUT THAT WINGSPAN!(I know-sarcasm again-I am trying)


*Just a side note here-Nic and his buddy, as well as my pops laid out in layout blinds in the frigid temperatures for 6 plus hours. Layout blinds are really just laying out in an open field covering yourself with field materials. Nic has some crazy contraption covered in husks and other various earthy materials. He laid there all flippin day for those little fellows in his hand. No-I just can't get it either-I know that is what you all are thinking!
To each their own!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas was wonderful! The girls both got into it so much and it was awesome to see the excitement on their sweet little faces! It was great having family over and being together-the only thing that could have made it better was a little white on the ground.

Well you all know that this mama had the camera out in full force and got tons of pictures. The overall "look" for Shiloh in all her pictures was this crazy little gritted teeth, closed eyes smile. She has never done that for pictures before but it was like she realized that it was Christmas and she had to step up her picture game.

Here are a few samples from the fun:

*This is the look!

*And here it is again! I wanted her to show me her present here but she laid it down and turned to strike "the look"

*Here is a case of the little sister rubbing off on the big one. Waiting for daddy to sling a skillet for Christmas breakfast!

*Grandma Cindi got Gracie her Christmas wish with this little ipod shuffle(pink of course). Ever since her Aunt Rachel won a shuffle at church and we loaded some songs on it for her, Gracie has wanted a shuffle. I know she is only 3 but the girl loves her music and knows how to operate the thing!


*Shiloh also loves the shuffle now. Look at this technique. Shiloh on the balance beam that my dad made for the girls, while jamming to some tunes on the shuffle, all the while manipulating a monkey yo-yo. Christmas just brings out the best in us all!

My brain is out of batteries...

Today was a great day for the Smith gals. I had a 2 hour delay at school and needed to take the girlies with me to kindergarten for the day. Our already short day gets even shorter on 2 hour delay days- we only have the kinder friends for 1 1/2 hours. By the time they get there and unpack we are basically packing them right back up and bundling them out the door. It is crazy!! Gracie and Shiloh joined us for the day today and they had a blast. Gracie latched right onto some friends and they just ushered her around the room and took care of her every need. Another little boy really looked out for Shiloh. I looked over at one point and he was cuddling her. She was just lounging back on him and he was holding her with a giant smile on his face. Too cute! I wish I had my camera. It was quite a full day because we then headed off to Gracie's gymnastics class. Gracie has been working on a move at gymnastics called skin the cat. It is a little move on the bars where they put their legs through and flip their bodies over while hanging on the bars. It is kind of tricky for these little ones. She does it with her coach by her side all the time but then struggles when she gets by herself. She wasn't able to do it today. On the way home from gymnastics class I gave her the whole speech about giving it her best and really trying even when she thinks it will be too hard. I then asked her why she thought it was so hard for her and she replied:
"Mama, it is like my brain is out of batteries when I hang on the bar. I think it needs some fresh ones."
She really replied that way to me. I just looked in the rear view mirror and smiled. I feel like that all the time but never had the ability to describe it quite the way she did!
She loves asking if things need fresh batteries. She really is thinking about how things work and what things are made of. It is very cool that she translated that thinking about batteries to her little brain.
Yes-I did explain that her brain doesn't work on batteries but sometimes it would be nice if it did. Right around 5:00(if not earlier) I could just pop a couple AA's in and freshen myself right up.
Don't you find it interesting that I only required my brain to work on AA? I should of dreamed bigger-maybe C cell?

Christmas Pictures

Every year I try and snap a few pictures of the girls for Christmas cards as well as Christmas memories. Gracie's first Christmas she was chilling in her little boppy gazing up at the tree and we were able to catch the twinkle of the light. I would bust that one out for you but that was still pre-digital time for me. I was still old schooling it with my canon rebel 35mm. Loved that camera but sure wasted some film!

Gracie's second Christmas my sister and I decided to doll the girls(Gracie and my niece Natalie) all up and take them down to the Franklin Park Conservatory with the big Poinsettia tree. We did their little hair, switched their naps all around and put those scratchy little tights on them. We drove ourselves all the way down there only to find that they were closed on that particular day of the week. Why? Why do we do these things to ourselves?

Last year came and it was the first Christmas with both the little sweeties and I managed to squeak one or two pictures out but spent most of the time managing tears. We arrive to this year and we had some fun. Things are getting a little easier but they still get pretty fed up with me and the camera pretty quickly. Here is what we managed:

*One of the first ones we did-they are still fresh loving on one another. They don't stay this fresh for that long!

*Shiloh is seriously up to something here. I do love this picture but I do see this face often and let me tell you she is up to somthing here!

*This is the potty face. It is accompanied by a groan of some sort, an attempt to say potty, and then movement towards the bathroom. If you could see down farther in the picture you would see her finger is pointing to the "region".

*And Shiloh runs! Losing focus here people!

*Gracie is airing out. You can tell these girls don't wear dresses often. Time for a mama intervention complete with picture pep talk!

*Back on track-or so I thought! Shiloh's relies on her quick reflex because she really never can tell what her big sister is going to throw her way. Gracie leans in for the kiss but Shiloh retreats. Gracie then can't understand why. Shiloh has just learned at the ripe old age of 19 months that she "must protect her house"!

*Trying real hard here not to give me the pirate eye picture! So beautiful Gracie Bella!

*And we are now in tears!


*Totally and completely finished with these shannanigans. Mama has lost picture control.

I ended up getting some good ones here but I could help but think back to the olden days of the 35 mm camera. How did I do that? I must have taken 3 rolls of pictures only to manage 2 or 3 good ones. My new digital rebel is justified and we are all happier for it!!