The Smiths

ONE YEAR OLD!!!

2012-01-25T09:32:00.004-07:00

Ava had a great first birthday to say the least! She has to be the most spoiled child I have ever seen. She was so cute at her birthday party and I think everyone had a great time. I can't believe I have a ONE YEAR OLD!!

Birthday breakfast

Lots of surprises in the mail

Having her zebra striped cupcake

Presents upon presents= SPOILED!

A few adorable photos

2012-01-11T11:27:00.005-07:00

Fun times with alphabet magnets

Just hamming it up

Loving her new hat

Cheeseball Ava

The photo we text Grandpa Mike for his birthday!

Loving her Christmas toys

Beautiful Boise December weather

Just being her usual self

Ava's First Halloween

2011-11-02T11:25:00.005-06:00

We had such a great Halloween and Halloween weekend! We took Ava to a pumpkin patch and let her pick out her own pumpkin (since she can walk around and choose one herself!). The pumpkin patch was awesome and had a few ponies that you could pet and play with. They were called "therapy ponies" and are taken to nursing homes to visit the residents so they were really mellow and gentle. On Halloween night my friend Keesha brought her kids Cohen (6) and Audrina (4) over to trick or treat with Ava. Ava was just along for the ride, but had a great time seeing the other costumes and kids. A lot of the parents made a big deal over her, which she loved! We can't wait for next year when she'll be a little bigger and able to do more things.

Try this one out

2011-10-07T10:15:00.001-06:00

I've learned that I'm not too talented when it comes to posting videos, since my last 2 attempts were complete busts. How about this one? This is the best one I've gotten so far. She's doing so awesome!!

A few favorite photos for right now

2011-09-27T11:18:00.002-06:00

Trying out some pancakes!

First solo ride in the grocery cart without the carseat. She wouldn't touch a thing...

Wearing her hooded outfit

Playing at the toy table. Who needs the chair? Not this girl!

Relaxing with Daddy

Women's Fitness 5K

2011-09-27T11:12:00.003-06:00

Jessica, Debbie, and I participated in Boise's annual Women's Fitness 5K Run/Walk. We chose the run/walk portion of the event so we could all go at our own pace and we had a great time! We are already gearing up for the competitive run wave next year. Hopefully Becky and Tara will be able to do it with us!

Here we are before the run...

And here we are at the finish line!

Welcome September!

2011-09-07T15:59:00.003-06:00

We are entering the very begining of my favorite season! It has started to cool off just a little bit, making it a perfect time to spend some time outdoors before winter settles in. This weekend we went to one of my all-time favorite places in Boise; Kathryn Albertson's Park. It is the most beautiful park I've ever seen and it's full of ducks, turtles, geese, and DEER!! Ava absolutely loved it too and didn't make a peep the whole time. She just looked around at all the sites. You can tell just how distracted she was in all of the photos :-) Later that afternoon we made our favorite treats to welcome the fall; pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! And they were fantastic.

Five years, are you serious?!

2011-08-19T14:50:00.002-06:00

Today is Shaun and my FIFTH wedding anniversary! I cannot believe that we are even old enough for that to be possible, but it is. All that time has gone by in the blink of an eye. Here are a few of our accomplishments over the past 5 years:
1. Moving to Boise to start our life
2. Buying our own house
3. Shaun finding a new job and moving into management
4. Starting my own at home business (fairly successfully)
5. Adding Ava to the madness

Not a bad start! Let's see what we can do with the next 5...

Light at the end of the tunnel...possibly?

2011-07-26T12:31:00.003-06:00

I've been working on transitioning Ava into her crib over the last couple of weeks and it has been tricky, to say the least. I haven't been able to get her to stay asleep longer that 15 minutes in the crib and I end up giving in and putting her to bed in her Fisher Price sleeper (which she is now too big and too smart to be in). Well, as I type this, she is napping in the crib and has been doing so for the past hour and 13 minutes. I just laid her on top of a fuzzy blanket that is a little more cozy than the crib sheet. Will this solve my problems? I hope so! I think she likes laying on her tummy and having the blanket on her cheek :-)

Jumperoo!

2011-07-21T12:52:00.002-06:00

Isaiah let Ava borrow his horse jumperoo and she absolutely LOVES it! She is still a little small to get too crazy in it, but she goes as fast as her little legs will allow. She gets really excited when I chant "JUMP! JUMP! JUMP!" Check her out! (We made this video to send to Isaiah via Blackberry, so dont mind the little shout-out to him :-)

Summer Nights

2011-07-21T12:46:00.004-06:00

Last night Ava was a little restless so we went for a little stroll around the neighborhood. It was about 9:00 and the weather was perfection! Our walk started out like this:

And ended about 30 minutes later like this:

I think we'll do this again tonight!

Guess who likes SQUASH!

2011-06-14T09:49:00.003-06:00

Ava got to try some roasted butternut squash yesterday and I think the face says it all!!

This face usually follows a high-pitched squeal and a then a little giggle

PEAS!!

2011-06-09T15:52:00.003-06:00

I can't even believe that Ava is starting on baby foods! We've been trying rice cereal here and there for a week or too, and now she's gotten a taste of peas. And she LOVES them! It was the messiest thing trying to feed her in her bouncy chair since she is still too small for the highchair. She likes to "help" by grabbing onto the spoon when she thinks no one is watching. Hope you enjoy these cute photos!! Next week: butternut squash!! That could get interesting... (and i had to add a photo of Ava in her new favorite hat)

How ya like them apples?!

2011-04-29T13:08:00.002-06:00

Ava rolled over for the first time on Easter morning. I was able to record this little milestone 2 days later. Don't mind my 8-year old sounding voice in the background. She's getting so big!!

The little addition

2011-02-24T14:58:00.001-07:00

Another free picture slideshow by Smilebox

I "borrowed" the slide show idea from Tara after seeing her use it to catch us up on the past few months. It was such a great way to do that without having to use a million words. Thanks, Tara!!

Not long now!!

2011-01-07T10:04:00.003-07:00

So we are getting down to the wire with the baby these days. Our due date is less than 3 weeks away and Shaun and I have been racking our brains trying to make sure we have everything covered. Physically, I think we're just about ready. Mentally, however, is a completely different story! I don't think there is really any way to prepare ourselves 100% for what is about to come our way, but we're doing the best we can. Our little house is filled with baby swings and bouncy chairs and we can't wait until Ava is here to try them out!
These are a few pictures from the nursery that we've been working on. It is a lot of work for someone who isn't all that gifted with the decorative and creative aspects! I love the way the corner shelves turned out though. Shaun painted them for me and I'm really happy with them. Now, all we need is the actual baby :0)

Ready for October!

2010-10-04T11:08:00.004-06:00

I've never considered myself a very crafty person. At least not successfully crafty. Despite this, I decided to try my hand at a few cute Halloween crafts this year. The candy corn wreath didn't turn out quite as symetrical as I has invisioned, but it's not too bad. My favorite are the frames on the mantel. They were so easy to make and a lot of fun. The hardest part was finding frames large enough to hold the letters I'd chosen (thank you Walmart, glad you're good for something other than headaches). I think this was a pretty successful weekend!

Brad Paisley!

2010-09-28T12:44:00.002-06:00

I was really lucky to get a pair of tickets to the Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, and Justin Moore concert for last thursday night. I was planning on taking Tara for a girl's night out, but she has some things come up and wasn't able to make it. The back up plan? My brother Will agreed to go with me, even though he really didn't know who these guys were or what they sang. He was a really good sport and we had a great time. There were a few weirdos seated next to us that were pretty entertaining as well. I've never seen a group of grown women consume their body weight in Mike's Hard Lemonade, but it made for an interesting night. I had so much fun rocking out with Will and am really glad were able to go. These guys all put on a really great live show.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

2010-09-28T12:20:00.003-06:00

So it looks like we'll be welcoming a baby girl in January!! We are so excited and have been having such a great time shopping for everything we'll need. I've been working on a few projects for the nursery. I created this little toy box from a wooden crate I found at JoAnn Fabrics. This was very first attempt at a blanket, aside from the fleece tie-blankets. I think it turned out pretty well, as long as you don't look too closely at the corners!!

Big news!!!

2010-06-23T13:35:00.002-06:00

I realize that I should have posted this immediately, but life has been really crazy lately. Shaun and I are having a baby!! Little Baby Smith is expected on January 24and we cannot wait! It's been kind of a whirlwind since we found out and the time has just flown by, so I apologize to those of you who are just learning our news. It's really difficult to get to everyone when something like this comes about. We have been having a lot of fun making little stops at Babies R Us and Burlington Coat Factory to look at all of the fun things we'll get to pic out. We're just trying to hold out until we know the gender before we get too carried away. I promise to keep you all posted with the updates as they arise. Wish us luck in this new chapter!!

That time of year already?!?!

2009-12-16T09:46:00.002-07:00

Hello all! I know it has been an extra long time since I've posted, it just seems like time has slipped away from me. I cannot believe that Christmas is next week! Luckily, I have all of my Christmas shopping finished and mostly wrapped. Shaun and I are hitting the road the morning of Christmas Eve to head for Idaho Falls. I am really excited that we are able to make it, since we had to stay in Boise last year. Hopefully the weather cooperates and we have clear roads the whole way (my fingers are crossed). I hope everyone is enjoying the season and I can't wait to see everyone next week! Merry Christmas!!!

My Best Friend's Wedding

2009-10-27T10:09:00.003-06:00

This past weekend was definitely a busy one for Shaun and I. 2 of our best friends got married on Saturday and we were bridesmaids and groomsmen. Jake and McKenzie had a gorgeous wedding at their church and we had a great time seeing our other friends that came to Boise for the wedding as well. Our friends Tyler and Stephanie stayed with us, so we had a pretty full house until yesterday afternoon. Shaun looked very handsome in his tuxedo (and I was wearing heels, lol). We are SO HAPPY for Jake and Kenzie!!!!

Visitors for the weekend!

2009-10-21T10:49:00.003-06:00

This past weekend Ryan, Melanie, Tyson, and Henry came to visit us for a couple of days. It was so much fun having them stay with us and getting to spend some time together. Henry likes being able to open all the cabinets and cupboards since nothing is child proof at our house. Here he is getting under the kitchen sink. I am very proud to say that he now says my name and it is so adorable! It only took a small bribe of fruit snacks to convince him too ;0) We went out to dinner and wandered around the mall and book store a little as well. We love living in Boise, but it is really hard to be so far from the rest of the family. Anyone who wants to come visit is more than welcome to stay with us as long as you'd like. We LOVE having you all visit. *cough* Catherine and Chris that means you! *cough*

Fantasy Football!!

2009-09-27T12:31:00.003-06:00

I've never been very involved in the whole football scene, but this year all of us here in Boise started our own Fantasy Football League. I didn't exactly know what to expect, but I am totally hooked. I'm convinced that my team, The Ladybugs (intimidating, isn't it) is going to sweep the floor with everyone else. Shaun's team is called the Grease Monkeys, which I think is perfect for him. I recently discovered that the ESPN website is updated in real time, which means I can watch one game on tv while keeping an eye on the whole league's scores. So I am sitting here blogging to keep my eyes off of the scoreboard. I am playing my brother Will's team this week and am getting a run for my money. This is going to be a long football season. Wish us luck!!

THREE YEARS!!!

2009-08-20T10:12:00.003-06:00

Shaun and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary yesterday and it was great! (This picture was at the park nest to the capital building before dinner) Shaun made reservations at The Melting Pot, which is a fondue restaurant downtown. We had an amazing time, but with more food than we could have eaten in a couple of days. The meal started out with breads and fresh vegetables to dip in a white wine cheese sauce. The entree was a huge platter of sirloin, tenderloin, shrimp, lobster tail, and chicken. And the desert was an enormous plate of different treats (cheesecake, brownies, strawberries, poundcake, etc...) with a caramel chocolate. We pretty much cleared the dessert plate :0) It was so much fun!

Farmer's Market

2009-08-17T10:01:00.004-06:00

Shaun, Tara, Isaiah, and I went to the Farmer's Market downtown on Saturday morning. We met there at around 9:00 (the earlier you get there, the easier it is to shop because the crowds aren't too bad yet). We had a great time looking at all the displays and tents. Shaun and I picked out some fresh strawberries and made strawberry shortcake last night. Tara got some zucchinni and made some really good bread with it. We had such a fun time, and Isaiah was an angel the entire time! He liked the people watching, I think. The Farmer's Market is one of our favorite weekend activities during the summer, you never know what you'll find there!

Poor Uncle Shaun

2009-08-05T08:25:00.003-06:00

Shaun had to go to the doctor on Monday afternoon because his right ear has been bothering him lately. As it turns out, he has a double ear infection and it looks like his right ear drum might burst. Yikes! He's got some antibiotics and ear drops now and I think he's feeling much better. Ross and Aiden stopped by my office to see me that afternoon and I told them how Uncle Shaun didn't feel very well. They wanted to send him a picture to make him feel better. They both shouted "CHEESE!!" and this is the picture we came out with. They sure love their Uncle Shaun =0)

George Strait!

2009-07-23T21:33:00.002-06:00

My sisters Becky and Jessica and I met in Salt Lake City last Friday for a little shopping and the concert of a lifetime; George Strait! We sat in the front section at the Usana Ampitheater and it was awesome! He played all of our favorite songs (except for Baby Blue) and we had a blast! I had forgotten how many songs I actually knew all the words to. Blake Shelton and Julianne Hough (blonde from Dancing with the Stars) opened and did a great job. I really like their music as well. I think it was a great idea for the girls to take a little trip together and I can't wait for another! (Don't mind my hair in this photo, it was 100+ degrees outside!)

UP!

2009-06-11T15:23:00.002-06:00

My niece Kirsche has been in Boise with us this entire week for a little summer getaway. Last night Becky and I took her to the Edward's Theatre to see Disney's Up in 3D! That was my first 3D movie and I must say, it was so much fun! They gave us some pretty fancy glasses with our tickets, unlike the cardboard ones I was expecting. Kirsche kept trying to grab the pictures that were popping off the screen and kept muttering "Whoa" under her breathe; hilarious! She wanted to have a sleep over with Aunt Lisa so tomorrow we will be on to new adventures, maybe some shopping since she and I share that little bond :0)

What I've been up to lately...

2009-06-06T21:02:00.006-06:00

It's been quite a while since I've posted anything new. Since my last post we've celebrated Shaun's 25th birthday. Here he is with his birthday cupcake (he requested cupcakes instead of a regular cake). After we got home from PF Chang's we decorated them together and this one was the special one I made for him. He was really cute about it!

I made this rag wreath for our front door for the 4th of July. It is my favorite holiday and I thought it was really cute (thanks to Tara for the idea and the help!!). I had a great time making it, even though it didn't take very long at all. I might make a few more for other holidays.

When did I become so easily stressed? This isn't me!

2009-04-25T11:11:00.002-06:00

Recently I've realized how easy it has become for me to feel overwhelmed and stressed out. I didn't used to be this way, what happened?! It seems I am on the verge of a meltdown at least twice a week these days. I don't know what has gotten in to me, but I definitely need to relax. I've also come to realize that when I'm leading into one of these panic-like attacks, I tense up in my shoulders without noticing it. I swear I have a knot the size of a softball between my shoulder blades! I've decided to make it my goal for this weekend to find myself some sort of stress relief that works for me personally. I'm even toying with the idea of yoga. I think it might help with the physical tension I'm feeling. I'll try almost anything to try to make myself feel better. I'm open to anyone's suggestions!!

Wow, I'm a slacker!!

2009-04-16T21:07:00.003-06:00

It has been such a long time since I've posted!! I apologize for that! Well, Shaun and I spent Easter at Becky and Cameron's house for brunch. Tara, Nick, Isaiah, and Will all came as well. We had so much fun just visiting and chatting up a storm, as usual. This is a picture Tara snapped of Isaiah and me. I love his little side-smile!

We've been trying to get our yard ready for the warmer weather, but I can't seem to figure out where all these dandilions are coming from! It seems like we are the only house in the neighborhood with weeds in our grass. Any suggestions are welcome!!

WHAT'S BETTER THAN A ROAD TRIP WITH THE GIRLS?

2009-02-11T14:56:00.003-07:00

How about a trip with the girls to see George Strait!! Jessica, Becky and I are heading to Salt Lake City on July 7th for the concert of a lifetime; for us at least. George Strait is one of our all time favorites and he rarely ventures this far in our direction so we have to take full advantage of this opportunity! :) Hopefully Tara and Debbie will decide to come with us. We absolutely cannot wait for this summer. This is going to be my first road trip with Jessica, aside from when we were kids. Becky and I have definitely had our fair share of weekend trips, so it will be fun to have more of the sisters. Shaun may come along, but can't decide if he is brave enough to handle all of the Weeks ladies for a few days. He is getting ready for a guy's trip to Vegas sometime in April. It's going to be his first time there and I am so excited for him. He's going to LOVE it!!

It's Crunch Time!

2009-02-05T13:48:00.002-07:00

My sister Becky asked me today if I would like to be her partner for the "Mad Hatter Relay" that is coming up in March. The relay is part of the women's fitness program in Boise and is for teams of 2. Each team mate will run two miles, then hand off their wacky hat (instead of a baton) to the other team mate. Each person has to run 2 sets for a total of miles. Sounds pretty simple, but to tell the truth, I am definitely NOT a runner. I decided to accept this as a challenge and give it a chance. If I can handle it I may consider training with Becky for the 10K run she is gearing up for this May. I'm going to hit the gym tonight and see how well I do on the treadmill. Keep your fingers crossed for me!! Who knows, this may be the kickstart I have been needing to get into the groove. I figure I have 20 pounds to go to make myself happy, but my mini goal is that I want to look decent in a pair of shorts this summer. I guess I had better get cracking! I welcome all advise and support!! :-)

I've been TAGGED!! :-)

2009-01-20T21:33:00.002-07:00

So my lovely sis Jessica has tagged me and I'm now supposed to list my three biggest indulgences, LOL. I enlisted my husband Shaun to help me think of a few when I decided I might need a little help. He, on the other hand, started rattling my little indulgences off faster than I could process them. These are the first three we came up with. 1. Chocolate! Dove chocolate to be exact; especially the ones with caramel in the middle! 2. Bubble baths. The best bubble bath I've found is the newest Victoria's Secret one, Sexy Little Things. It's so relaxing and nice! 3. (Now no laughing, I'm serious) New undies!! I'm not sure what it is, but that is one of my favorite things to shop for when I need some "me time". I'm a complete sucker when it comes to the Victoria's Secret 5-for-$25 sale. Any who, I don't have any other blogger friends to tag, so I guess that is where is stops for me!! :)

Is it Spring yet?

2009-01-06T18:57:00.002-07:00

I'm trying my best to be patient, but I have to admit that I am ready for a bit more sunshine. It seems like we have been getting hit a lot harder with the snow storms this year! Luckily, I've been able to work from home these past few weeks and don't have to worry about driving to the office on slick roads. I am looking forward to shorts and t-shirt weather! :-)

My sister Becky and I are getting ready to head to Las Vegas and Overton to visit our grandparents for a few days. I'm really looking forward to it because I haven't been able to spend much time with them over the past few years. It should be quite the experience to fly with the twins though!

Happy Holidays!!!

2008-12-12T11:23:00.003-07:00

Well, I finally got to meet baby Isaiah and he is the cutest little guy! He is the best little snuggler and he is such a good baby, too. I barely heard him fuss the whole time I was there. And I must say that he seems pretty fond of his Aunt Lisa too ;-) I was a little sad that my trip to Idaho Falls was so short because I didn't get to spend as much time with everyone as I would have liked. Shaun and I put up our Christmas tree and a few other decorations this past week. We decided that we are going to stay in Boise for Christmas this year so that we can relax a little and not have to worry about the driving weather. This will be our first Christmas in our house so I am really looking forwad to it. We're going to miss everyone, but hopefully we can make a trip soon after the new year. I hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far!!

Can't wait to get started!

2008-11-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

Writing has always been a sort of stress outlet for me, ever since junior high. That's one of the reasons I loved being part of the newspaper and yearbook staff. It helps me release the stressful feelings and thoughts that I have such a hard time letting go of. I am so excited to get my blog site up and going so that I can keep in touch with all of my loved ones! I have to say, Jessica, that reading your latest blog posts and seeing the pictures of the kids makes living in a different city so much easier. I miss everyone like crazy, but this way I don't feel like I am missing out on everything entirely. I'm getting the internet connected at home this thursday so I will be able to really get into this and post some pictures. I am so looking forward to being able to sit down at the table and just type out my thoughts and feelings. I hope it doesn't become too boring for anyone; I'll try to keep it interesting. I can't wait to really get started. Let me know what you think, please!! :-)