Christmas 2010

This by far was my favorite picture of the holidays! I laugh every time I see it! We are blessed every year because we have 3 Christmas celebrations and a birthday party in 2 days! My brother in law was born on Christmas so their family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve which I love! Then they celebrate Jay's birthday on Christmas.

I remember when I was little my siblings and I would beg to open one present on Christmas eve. We couldn't wait one more night. My parents would always give in and let us. Now my family has a whole Christmas that night! Being the only grandchildren on my husband's side of the family definitely has it's perks! Peyton and Jax are spoiled by soo many people. I'm worried they'll take it for granted.

Cindy(my mother in law) was trying to get a cute picture of the girls in their matching outfits that Derek's aunt Edna bought for them. Peyton didn't feel like cooperating. She started crying. Needless to say I don't think Cindy got the picture we were all anticipating, but I love love love this one! 1 Christmas down 2 to go!

We had to get up pretty early so we could have our family Christmas and then make it to my parents in time for breakfast, so I woke up first and got ready. When waking up Derek he said, "Isn't it the kids that are supposed to wake up the parents on Christmas?" Ha! I wonder if that will happen next year. Peyton, as you can see, was pretty tired still when we made it to the living room. She's starting to seem older to me. It's bitter sweet. She learned all about Santa on Dora this year and from us so she was pretty excited when I told her which presents he left for her while she was sleeping. She actually semi-understood what was going on this year! I'm not sure she gets the real purpose we celebrate Christmas quite yet. Maybe I'll get her to understand a little more next year.

Jax got a walker. He wants to be so mobile, but just can't yet. You can really tell that he watches Peyton doing all these things and gets frustrated that he can't. He's 1 month shy of being half a year old. That's insane to me! Where did all that time go? Derek and I are soo excited that we're starting our own traditions, as well as continuing on with old ones. They really are a special part of Christmas to me. 2 down!

Every year my dad makes the best Christmas breakfast. We almost didn't have it this year because they weren't completely moved in, Audge just had Kinsley and tons of things were going on, but somehow it all worked out. I'm glad it did! I wasn't ready to give up on that tradition.

David and Janeane bought the kids these cute chairs for Christmas! They loved them! Jax is trying to be a big boy and sit just like Peyton! I don't think I could have had cuter kids!

Kinsley is soo tiny compared to Jax! They're just chillin' on the floor together. Next year will be soo crazy with both of them all over the place! I love these babies!

Our family is growing fast and just seeing that is such an awesome feeling! There's soo much going on in this picture. I like candid pictures because it helps me remember more of what was going on compared to pictures where everyone stops what they're doing to look and smile at the camera. I'd take this over a traditional picture any day. Peyton is all about a phone, Janeane's all about playing with Peyton, Sarah and Damon are making fun of Jax's chubbiness and Kinsley's sleeping and oblivious to all the commotion.

You would think that I would be all about how cute he is in this picture, but when I look at it I'm terrified that he's going to be crawling soon and he's not like Peyton at all. He's more into everything and doesn't listen as well as she did. Things are about to get crazy and fast!



Raising my children is the most rewarding job I have ever had! One of my goals through life is that when my children are adults and look back at their childhood they smile. I want them to be able to just be kids right now and not to worry about things that they can't control. I want every Christmas to be magical and memorable like mine were!

Blessed with another piece of Heaven!

Kinsley Sage Smith

I'm an aunt! Kinsley was born December 20th, 2010! She weighed 6lbs 14oz. The waiting room was pretty exciting. Audrea was having a scheduled c-section. Everyone started throwing out times of birth so we decided to bet on it, $5 dollars each. My bet was 5:55pm. Everyone thought I was crazy because they took her back around 5:20. 5:58 is when the hospital played the tune on the Overhead system that a new baby had been born. I won the bet, but I cried...

a couple minutes later Damon came out and told us we had a baby! There's only a handful of moments in life that you wish you could pause and relive over and over. Seeing her little footprint on Damon's arm was one of them. Damon has proven to be such an awesome dad. It was soo reasuring that he was with Audge every step of the way. He definately has his own way of making Audge laugh at perfect times. I was soo anxious to get in there to see her and also to see Audge and make sure she was ok.

And she was beautiful! Such a tiny little thing. She was healthy and she was finally here! Part of me can't wait for all the future events we will go through with this little girl, but the other part wants her to stay this small forever. I have the cutest niece!

Derek was pretty excited about being an uncle. We talked about Kinsley all the time before she was born. I never knew just being an aunt would be this rewarding. Amazing how something soo small could have such a huge impact.

I didn't want to put her down. I was soo in love! Even now I love to hold her.

Peyton loves her already! What kind of mischief will these two get into?

She's such a sweet baby.

If you're wondering why I'm putting up a long post about my niece here is your answer. She will, no doubt be a huge part in my family's future and my blog. Growing up my cousins were a major part of my life so I'm excited my children now have their first cousin. My sisters have all been aunts for the past 2 years to my daughter and the past 5 months to my son. They have all played humongous roles in my children's lives and have done soo much for me that I will never forget. Especially Audge, she's been like Peyton's second mom. So to be able to be an aunt to her daughter is a special blessing. Not only am I excited about being an aunt, or my children having a cousin, but I'm the most excited that my sister is now a mother. I've seen how amazing she is with children and to finally be able to love her own daughter is huge! I know she will be the greatest mom and this little girl has no clue how good she's going to have it! It didn't really feel like Derek and I were a "family" until we had Peyton. Family is everything that matters most to me and now Damon and Audge have started their own family and I'm excited to be a part of that, even just a small part! I love them!