The Naughty List

This weekend was Rob's work Christmas party. We went up to Salt Lake to see Kurt Bestor's Christmas concert. The girls stayed overnight at Lara's, and we got a hotel.

Rob and I enjoyed the concert, the hot tub, and a day of shopping. We had such a nice weekend getaway. It was nice to have some time without the kids. We saw some really cute things. I saw a shirt that said "SL,UT" for Salt Lake, Utah. Then I saw a shirt with a silkscreen of the state of Utah on it. Only two cities were marked. Can you guess whch ones they were??? You got it. Fillmore and Beaver.

On our way home, I called Lara to tell her we were on our way to pick up the girls. Kate answered and proceeded to tell me something incomprehensible three times in a row. Finally the fourth time I understood. Uncle Bryan had called Santa and told him to put Kate on the "Naughty List."

Apparently Kate had picked up a phrase somewhere unbeknownst to me. The phrase? "What the hell?!?!"

Lara had asked her where she learned it, and she said she just knew it. Lara told her it was a naughty word, and asked her not to say it. Kate responded that it was not a naughty word at our house, and that her mom lets her say it (I don't, and I've never heard her say it before). Lara asked her if she was telling the truth, and she said she was. Then she told Lara, "I don't say it at my house, just at other places."

How reassuring.

Lara and Bryan knew she obviously wasn't telling the truth. So, Uncle Bryan called Santa and told him to put Kate on the "Naughty List."

Kate was devastated.

Kate was so devastated that she finally told the truth. She had learned it from her friend's mom, and no, she's not allowed to say it at home. She must have been pretty convincing, because Uncle Bryan called Santa again and said that Kate was being good again, and could be put back on the "Nice List." But Bryan told Santa to watch Kate really closely to make sure she's obeying her mom and dad, and telling the truth so she won't have to be put back on the "Naughty List."

So, are you on the "Naughty List" or the "Nice List"?

Kate making Snow Angels

Here is a video of Kate making her snow angel. I've been trying all day to get a video of Andie wearing only her diaper and boots this morning, but it keeps having issues. I'll keep trying though. It's pretty cute!

Testing...testing...1, 2, 3...

So I thought I'd try to add a video to my blog. I've never done this, so let me know if it works or not. This will be a good way for my mom and dad to see the girls even though they live so far away. If I can figure this out, I'll probably be doing this more regularly, so mom and dad can see how the girls have grown. Here goes nothin'!

The Final Draft

After much deliberation, and some input from Rob;

I sat down at the computer and finished the job.

Our Christmas letter is finished for 2007;

Who knows? There may not be another 'til 2011!

2007 started out as a bore.
Little did I know what was waiting in store.
In March, Kate gave us quite a fright,
when she fell out the window one Wednesday night.
Rob jumped out after her, as I called 9-1-1;
two nights in the hospital weren’t very much fun.
Kate broke her arms and blackened her eye;
she learned the hard way that she cannot fly.
Her arms were pink and purple with casts for three weeks.
I helped her with everything, even wiping her cheeks.
Her recovery was quick, and the Doctors were swell.
To look at her now you can’t even tell.
Walking and talking Andie’s grown so much;
it’s hard keeping her away from things she can’t touch.
Andie’s like “Linus” snuggling her blankie just so;
wagging her finger at Kate saying, “no, No, NO, NO!”
She loves to dress up, she’s her mother’s daughter.
She likes shoes the best; just look what I’ve taught her!
The girls enjoy dancing, and jumping on beds,
which usually ends with a couple bumped heads.
Rob still works for Brian and Kim,
and decided that school just isn’t for him.
We see him more, and he helps around the house;
I am lucky to have such a wonderful spouse.
He enjoys playing basketball and camping as a Scout,
whenever he leaves, Kate and Andie pout.
I stay busy cleaning and keeping up with my girls;
I must say I deserve a nice strand of pearls.
It’s obvious my life is no patch of daisies;
because Kate and Andie are a couple of crazies.
But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Just make sure you ask me on a “good mommy” day.
I’m sorry if you’ve tired of this little rhyme.
The end is in sight, it’s almost time.We wish you a Christmas filled with holiday cheer;

hope you have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

So, there you have it, it's changed quite a bit;

Don't ask for more rhymes, I'm done, and I QUIT!!!

This Year's Christmas Letter

Another year already, can it be?
What have we been up to this year? Read on and see.
2007 started out as a bore.
Who knew what the year would have in store?
In March, Kate gave us a big fright,
when she fell from our second story window on a Wednesday night.
Rob jumped out after her, as I called 911,
and the next two nights in the hospital weren’t much fun.
Kate broke both her arms and some bones around her eye,
but she learned that, unlike Peter Pan, she cannot fly.
Her arms wore pink and purple casts for 3 weeks straight.
I had to help her potty, dress, and even fed her when she ate.
Her quick recovery stunned the Doctors, and was a miracle as well.
To look at her now you’d never be able to tell.
In April, our little Andie turned one.
She had a small party, ate some cake, and had a lot of fun.
Andie has started walking and talking, too.
She loves baby dolls, dancing with her big sis’, and going to the zoo.
Andie is our little “Linus,” as she snuggles her blankie just so.
She’s just so cute when she wags her finger at Kate and says, “no, No, NO!”
She loves to wear dress up’s, she is her mother’s daughter.
She likes shoes the best; just look what I’ve taught her!
Both the girls enjoy singing, dancing, and jumping on the bed,
but the latter usually ends with a couple of bumped heads.
Rob is still working at Rock Canyon Pharmacy.
He has decided that Pharmacy School isn’t for him, and that’s fine with me.
We see him more, and he helps around the house.
He’d even empty the trap, if we ever found a mouse.
He enjoys playing basketball every morning and camping with the Scouts,
and whenever he leaves on campouts, Kate and Andie pout.
I stay busy cleaning the house and keeping up with my girls.
Sometimes my life just whirls, and whirls, and whirls.
But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Just make sure you ask me when I’m having a “good mommy” day.
I’m sorry if you’ve tired of my little rhyme.
The end is in sight, it’s almost time.
We send wishes of joy and health to our family and friends.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. THE END!

Love always,
Rob, Cami, Kate, and Andie Smith

Please keep in mind that this is just the first draft. So whaddaya think? Any suggestions?

Long Time No Blog...Why I haven't had time to blog lately

Right before my last post, Kate had just celebrated her 4th birthday. Here are some pictures from her party.

Pre-birthday fit.


Just before her infamous fit.

Apparently she's a fan of the "It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to," idea.
She was crying because she didn't want me to take her picture.

As soon as her friends arrived, and dancing ensued, all was well with the Birthday Girl.

We read "A Bad Case of Stripes," opened presents, and had cake and ice cream. To see her "Bad Case of Stripes" cake, see my last post Kate's Birthday Cake.

Since then, we've enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, the first snow, and all that goes along with the first snow of the year.

Rob helped Kate build her first ever snowman. She was thrilled!

The look of pure joy. Can you tell she's proud of her work?!?

She loved making snow angels.

And Rob hung the Christmas lights, while I set up the Christmas tree (pictures to come later).

Oh, and Rob has a Pterygium (ter-ih-gee-um) growing on his eye. He went to the doctor yesterday, and the Dr. gave us the scoop. Apparently it is caused by UV exposure, low humidity, and dust. Doc says they don't go away. Usually they just let them grow until they are a nuisance or interfere with sight, then they are surgically removed, and then they can grow back. Great!

Kate's Birthday Cake

Kate turned 4 yesterday. I still can't believe my little girl is already 4. Time flies. I think time has somehow sped up as I've gotten older. Anyways, Kate decided she wanted to have "A Bad Case of Stripes" birthday party. "A Bad Case of Stripes" is a children's book by David Shannon. If you haven't read it, you should. It's very good, and it's Kate's favorite story.

It begins, "Camilla Cream loved lima beans. But she never ate them. All of her friends hated lima beans, and she wanted to fit in. Camilla was always worried about what other people thought of her.

Today she was fretting even more than usual. It was the first day of school, and she couldn't decide what to wear. There were so many people to impress! She tried on forty-two outfits, but none seemed quite right. She put on a pretty red dress and looked in the mirror. Then she screamed."

The story goes on to describe just how bad Camilla's bad case of stripes is. The doctors are stumped, as are the specialists and the experts. Then a sweet old lady knocks at the door, and thinks she has the cure. To find out what the cure is, you have to READ THE BOOK! I'm not telling!

Anyways, this is the cake I came up with for Kate's "A Bad Case of Stripes" party. The green dots around the bottom are supposed to be lima beans (even though they look more like peas). Kate couldn't tell a difference.




Anyways, it's a cute story, and it sends a great message. The message I got from this story:

NEVER BE AFRAID TO BE YOURSELF!

If you've read the story what message did you get?