Peyton's Thanksgiving feast

Peyton and his kindergarten friends.

Peyton, excited about his Thanksgiving feast.

Happy Halloween 2012!!

     I know I say this every year, but I love Halloween! The kids have so much fun deciding what they are going to be, getting dressed up, and then they think that the world is full of nice people that just want to ooze over their costumes and give them candy . . . and to top it off, this year it was 70 degrees! Who couldn't love Halloween?
  The big kids were easy on me this year. They each decided to be the same thing as last year: Talie, an 80's girl (but she hates it when I rat up her hair like the good 'ole days, Dallin, a punk rebel - I pack his costume far away during the year, in hopes that he doesn't want to be this year round;).

Ashy was a nerd again. Talie & Dallin said that she didn't even have to dress up.

 

Indiana Jones in action.

Kennedi, always ready to pose.

Kennedi's pre school class.

Batman! All the baby costumes were somewhere in some unknown box, so we created this in 5 minutes. Kennedi's tights and shirt, Peyton's cape and mask, and drew up a quick batman symbol. He got candy, so it got the job done.

Batman, a ROMNEY supporter. Be a HERO and VOTE ROMNEY!!

The bathtub after we washed Ariel's hair. Kennedi's hair is still a little pink, but she doesn't mind one bit.

The night before Halloween, we took Talie, Dallin, Ashlynn and some friends to their first haunted house. Jared was so scared, he was yelling, "I want my Mommy!"

I even got in on a little of the fun! Benson was out of town, so I borrowed Dallin's Halloween costume & went to a party.

Carving Jack-O-Lanterns

 Every year, we carve pumpkins, and although when the kids were very small, it was difficult, cuz I could never help them all at once, now I love it! The older kids enjoy it and between them and I, we can help the little ones as well. It's just a fun, messy evening.

Peyton's First Field Trip to the Fire Station

Peyton had his first field trip. He got to go to the fire station AND ride a school bus for the very first time - he was so excited! I love this age, they get excited about absolutely everything!

Kenendi & Fidgety Fish

 

 

Kennedi got to bring Fidgety fish home for the weekend, from pre school. She shared a fruit roll up with him, and took him to the park and taught him how to do the monkey bars. On the way home, she showed him her secret fort, but accidentally dropped him in a cold puddle (luckily he's a fish=), she wasn't so certain he would be all right, so we rushed him home.

Fall Sports

   This fall Talie made the volleyball team, Dallin played his first middle school sport, flag football, and Ashy played another season of soccer on the Stars team. It's always fun to watch, especially as they get older and improve their skills.

Talie and her mentor Star Burton. 

Talie getting some air.

Dallin, with his game face on!

Hottest side line rife I've ever seen!

Hike!

Dallin's if not biggest, cutest fan!

Ashy, still loving soccer!

 

Tanner, although not in a fall sports, between devouring entire loaves of bread . . .

 . . . and eating markers, he stays active - or keeps Mom active.

Bugatti

Last week, Benson was in Southern California, looking at a couple of businesses. On their way to the airport, they drove through Beverly Hills, and saw a Bugatti parked on the side of the rode. (I think that most of us just learned what a Bugatti was this summer as it is in "Whistle",  one of our favorite family Europe songs.) Benson, walked over to the crowd of people and said, "Excuse me, I've got to get to my car." Everybody instantly backed up, and then he said, "Just kidding." The kids thought that was the coolest story ever.

Mitt for President!!!

Dallin and I were able to go to the Mitt Romney rally at Red Rocks. We had a BLAST!! We left Highlands Ranch by 4:00 and did not get seated until 6:15! It was crazy! This was the line of people behind us.

This was the line of people in front of us when we arrived! When we got to the top of the line, it was dark and we looked back and saw C470 lined with headlights, trying to get to the rally. In the end they let 10,000 people in and had to turn away over 5,000 people. It was awesome!! It was a beautiful, warm fall evening, and while we were waiting for Romney to arrive, we got a free concert from Rodney Adkins and Kidd Rock. Mitt gave a very stirring speech, and definitely IS the right man for the job!!

Homecoming Parade!!

 During Homecoming week, Peyton, Kennedi, Tanner & and I decided to go to the Homecoming parade to cheer Talie and the volleyball team on.

 What we didn't know is that we should have come prepared with grocery bags for all the loot we would get! I gave Peyton my purse (which he wouldn't put around his neck because, "Mom . . . it's a girl purse!") And Kennedi, as usual solved her own problem. She was sitting with some high school friends and the next thing I know, I look up and she is running into the street - with her dress hiked way up, filled with candy of course - to get more candy.

It was all over in about 15minutes and the kids looked like they had just been trick-or-treating. That was my kind of parade! Short and sweet (literally!).

A Whilrwind to end the Summer

   When we returned home from our AMAZING trip to Europe for the summer, you would think it would be time to just relax and recoop.. Nope, the Smiths had other plans!

Ok., we did sleep and lounge around for about two days straight (sounds nice, except for the fact that all of us were up and wandering around at 3:30am). Everyone liked just being home.

But after those two days, it was time to get everyone registered and ready for school.

Talie worked for two hours everyday for a week with Sister Burton on volleyball to get ready for HS. Here is Talie with her BFF since 4th grade, Megan Lavoie on their first day of HS!!! I can't believe she's that old!

Fast forward to the end of a grueling week of tryouts and she made the High School Volleyball team! Go Green . . .  Grizzleys (as Dad would say). She's too pretty!

Here's Dallin on the morning of his first day of Middle School!! He's getting so handsome, and is sooo proud to join the quickly growing number of Smith family members that are taller than Mom. He also got to go on a trip with just him and Dad to the Beartooths and miss 3 days of school. Dad said he did awesome, worked hard, didn't even complain, and only cried when he rolled the four wheeler on himself. I'm glad I wasn't there to see that!

 Ashlynn is in the 4th grade this year & isn't our little girl anymore! She still LOVES soccer, is in the gifted and talented program (with an emphasis on Math) and is now actually letting me do her hair & sometimes lets me give her advice on clothes.

Here is my little MAN! He started Kindergarten this year and he is LOVING it!! He has Mrs. Meyers, and the first time he met her, he asked me afterwards, "Mom, was my teacher wearing pajamas - because she wore a dress that tied around the waist like a robe=), He also broke into song, singing "There's a Zombie on your lawn (from Plants vs. Zombies) for Ashlynn's teacher, Mrs. Jensen - boy has he come out of his shell! And, no, he did not wear this on the first day of school, but he doesn't like me picking out his outfits for school - or even making sure they match, so I decided to use this picture instead).

Kennedi - who doesn't know how NOT to pose when there's a camera around, started Pre School - excuse me - Pre Kindergarten (she would be sure to correct me=). Her teachers are Miss Jenni and Miss Penny - who she informed on the first day has a funny name. Nice first impression Kenz! She loves school and is constantly cracking us up with the funny things she says. She is our tiny one but her personality is gigantic.

So three mornings a week, it's just Tanner and I! This pretty much sums Tanner up, if he has is blanket and a binki (and a bottle not too far), life is . . . GREAT!! Those three things got us through Europe with a happy, easy going baby. He is so cute and sweet! And is finally walking . . . at 16 months. I also think he gets far more attention than anyone else I've ever met, but he doesn't seem to complain. - Oh, and if you're wondering why he's in a pink car seat, it's not because it's his favorite color, it's because the airline lost his car seat on the way home.

Kennedi and Tanner keep me company on our many different walks to and from schools . . . did I say something about Kennedi having personality - I guess it did start to sprinkle on the way home, so who wouldn't think of wearing goggles?

We also got together with our cousins that live close by and went to Breckenridge the Saturday after school started. I just loved this picture!

When we left for Europe, we did a big clean and put the house up for sale. When we were in Switzerland, we got word that we had a good offer on the house and we decided to accept it. So now that the kids were in school during the day, Benson and I had one week to pack everything up and get ready to leave our home for the past 4 1/2 years - the longest amount of time we've ever lived in one house. Goodbye house!!

I had AMAZING friends - big and little - who came and helped me pack - thanks guys!!

Moving day, lots of trips back and forth from our old house to our rental - Dad had plenty of happy helpers to hold stuff down in the back of the truck.

The boys, making themselves at home in our new rental.  Last minute, some friends helped us find a house to rent in the neighborhood, which was AMAZING!! It saved me about 2 hours of driving a day - and is MUCH bigger than a 1300 square foot apartment. It has been wonderful!!

So now, the constant whirlwind that has been our life since the planning and preparing of our Europe trip, getting our house ready to sell before we left, the nonstop traveling summer, and the immediate move out of our house and into our rental is over - phew!! Last weekend, Benson and Dallin went camping, and the girls and I had time to just sit around and make cute headbands. We even made Talie a skirt and it turned out super cute!
But Benson is still busy looking for a business to buy and the crazy continues . . .