Operation "Bite" is Complete

A few weeks ago, I decided it was finally time to get rid of Jack's paci (aka: "bite" as he would call it). It was to the point he wanted it about 95% of the day. With the big boys, about this same age, I snipped the end off a little each day until they were no longer interested in it and it worked great. I tried this with Jack and he noticed a tiny part was missing from bite. He threw it across the room and had a fifteen minute major fit. So we did it cold turkey and after his breakdown, it was actually pretty easy. We kept busy that whole week and I think that really helped the most.

Now I'm glad I can see this big boy smile!

He got this toy for Christmas and it's turned into one of his favorites.

Today while Peyton and Parker were at school, we stayed home and I finally went through the playroom and removed many of the toys that the kids never play with anymore. I'm glad Jack can't talk well enough to tell his brothers what happened today. ;)

I can't believe how big our baby is getting. He says many words and runs almost everywhere. This boy has some serious energy! He wants to do everything his brothers do and most of the time figures out how to do it. We love you Jack-Jack! I can't imagine our family without you in it sweet boy.

Our Christmas 2011

We had a great Christmas with family and friends. Christmas Eve we always go to our Church's Christmas Eve service and then go Josh's parents house for dinner and their Christmas. Here's Gigi and Poppy with all the grandkids. They always buy matching PJ's for the kids each year. This was taken at the very end-everyone just wanted to play with their new toys and the little ones were tired. ;)

New bikes!

Parkerman always loves sweat bands and game faces.

Jack's new ride. He LOVES this! He just needs to learn to steer a little better. ;)

Christmas morning we opened presents at home from each other and Santa. Then we went to church on Christmas morning. I love that Christmas fell on Jesus' birthday this year.

Peyton, AKA: Aaron Rodgers doing his famous celebration move. He is obsessed with the Greenbay QB.

My football lovin' boys with their new uniforms.

Jack checking out his gifts.

Jack LOVES animals, like instant excitement when he spots any kind of animal and cries hard when he must say goodbye. So we got him a pony which was a huge hit. We keep telling Josh we need to get a puppy soon (fingers crossed!). I think we almost have him talked into getting us one within the next year or sooner. Peyton and Parker already have named the dog and refer to it often.

After our Christmas church service, we went to my parents house to celebrate Christmas with my family for the afternoon. The boys were pumped to finally get ipod touches. No more playing with my phone, which I love.

This was the first time Jack was really into opening his presents.


Everyone had a wonderful couple of weeks together. However, I am glad that we are now back on our normal schedule. Josh went back to work and the boys are back in school.

Santa Party

Our friends hosted a "Santa party" at their house a couple nights ago. We had a fun eating desserts, drinking hot chocolate and being with friends. The kids also enjoyed a special visit from Santa himself!

Peyton said, "I know he is the real Santa because he told me he'd see me on Christmas Eve." So funny. Santa brought each kid an early Christmas gift that was on their list. Thank you Smiths for a wonderful night.

Earlier that day Peyton and Parker shot a video for our church's Christmas Eve services. I told the boys this by doing this video they are helping people know the real meaning of Christmas.

Although all the Santa stuff is fun, my prayer is my boys will always remember the true meaning of Christmas and enjoy celebrating Jesus' birthday each year.

Family Update

Well, I'm back! I haven't forgotten about my blog, just been super busy with life. So here's an update from our family. I tried to just highlight a few things that I don't want to forget but that was just really hard to do.

At the end of July, we went to Destin with Josh's family. All the cousins had so much fun playing together. It was so windy the day we took this picture, hence my hair going everywhere!

One evening on the beach with my crazy little family.

In August, Parker turned four. He's always had family parties at home but this year we celebrated at Chuck E. Cheese. Josh and I think this was the happiest day of his life. He literally had a big smile on his face the entire day!

Peyton and Parker in the ticket blaster.

Thanks to his four awesome grandparents, Parker finally got his blue four wheeler he had wanted for a long time. He LOVES this thing!!! (and so do his two other brothers-ha!)

Peyton started kindergarden! Seriously, where has time gone?!? He's doing great and loving his teacher and his friends.

Parker started K4 at Shiloh and goes three days a week. He is loving it and feels so big to be at the same school that Peyton goes to and where Daddy coaches.

Jack started his second year of KDO at our church. He loves it and so does Mommy. ;)

In September, Peyton turned SIX! He had a bowling party at Fast Lanes and had a blast! He just seems so big and grown up now.

On his birthday, I took football cookies from a local bakery and we passed them out to his class during lunch. Love this sweet boy to pieces!

Josh and I before we headed out the door to a Razorback game. So thankful to have him as my best friend and Daddy to our kids!

Both Peyton and Parker played soccer this fall and did awesome. Peyton's team was called Dynamite.

This was Parker's first year and he was on the Purple Squirrels, such a funny name!

Jack was such a trooper through all their practices and games. He would play soccer or look for airplanes. Love this sweet little guy.

We took the big boys to a couple of the Razorback games and they had a blast.

After the Arkansas/Auburn game, we got to see Kiehl (Josh's QB at Shiloh last year). The boys love Kiehl and miss seeing him around this year. He's always so good to my kids.

Peyton and Parker their with friends at a Shiloh football game. These boys have a so much fun together in the stands.

Peyton and his buddies at a Shiloh game. A friend took this picture and I LOVE it!!

Halloween 2011. Peyton dressed up as his Daddy-a Shiloh football coach, Parker-Shiloh player, and Jack was a ref. We did lots of trick or treating and went to our church's carnival and they ate way too much candy.

My handsome cowboy at his Kindergarden Round Up program in November.

Parker was Soaring Eagle in his Thanksgiving program.

Eddie, our Elf on the Shelf, is back for the third year. He is spreading all kinds of Christmas cheer around the house again and the boys are loving it. Even Jack looks for Eddie in the mornings and gets so excited to see him.

I hope to not be away from the blog very long from now. You would think I would learn it's much easier to keep this up if I wouldn't get so far behind. See you soon! ;)

Sprinkler Fun

One of the Peyton and Parker's favorite things to do in the summer is to play in the sprinkler. We normally turn them on after dinner so we can wear them out close to bedtime. :) Plus, it's way too hot to go outside very much during the day unless we are in a pool.

Jack doesn't care much for the sprinklers. For the most part he just walks around on the sidewalk and watches his brothers play or put his hands over the sprayers. Sometimes he'll walk in the grass for a second and that's plenty for him.

Whatever my boys do, somehow a football is normally involved before it's all over.

I can't believe July is already half way over! It's going by way too fast.