{FreeZinG tImE}

I saw her laying on the floor the other day watching TV and couldn't pass up the chance to take this picture.  She is such a cutie patootie.....I love her cute tutu, I love her chubby little hands that are holding her face up, I love her long curly locks!!  She is so good during the day when Ayden is at school!  I love the time that I get to spend with her and when Maddix is napping, Zoe and I get a lot of one on one time together!  She is so sweet and I want to always remember the times that we had like this during the day.....because I know all too soon, she will be off to Kindergarten (and then college....eeek) herself!!!

{kiNderGarteN}

Ayden's Kindergarten pictures.....

Why can't I just freeze time and keep him this small and cute FOREVER?!?!!?

{TwO TeeFerS}

This little cutie has 2 new teefers and when I realized the other day that I don't have any pictures of his 2 new teeth, I got out my camera and asked him to show me his teeth!  Seriously, he couldn't be any more cooperative.....and seriously, I am in complete LOVE with this little face.....

.....his eyelashes.....

....those dimples....

....and that sweet round, chubby, kissable face is to die for!!!!

{wE'vE moVeD....AGAIN!!!!}

I like change and all, but really our pattern of moving is getting a little ridiculous!  Like I mentioned already, this was our 9th move.  I am convinced that this one better be our last.....at least for a long while.  We love our neighborhood already.....yesterday I was outside watching the kids play and I counted 19 kids in front of our house at 1 time!  WOW!!  Now that is fun!  The kids are in heaven here and I can't blame them!  I grew up on a street like this and loved every minute of it!  My biggest challenge right now is keeping the kids INSIDE when it is time to be in!  There are ALWAYS kids outside, so they want to be out ALL day long!  That is fine when it is playtime, but when it's homework time or bath time or dinner time or bed time, we've had lots of whining about wanting to be outside!  We have an alarm system and I keep joking that it isn't to keep the bad guys out....it's to keep the kids IN!!  HA!  :)  We also moved into a great ward, so we are excited about that....and there are 6 other families from church in our neighborhood!  It is a mini version of Utah to me!!  :)

Our escrow process took FOREVER....and when we got the word that we closed escrow on Friday, April 6th at 4:30 pm, we were ready to get the show on the road and we were at the house with the truck backed in the driveway by 5:30 pm that same day!  Time to unpack.....

And we couldn't wait to get that "for sale" sign down.....the house was FINALLY OFFICIALLY ours!!!

We unloaded the truck that Friday night, but only piled everything into the garage!  Unloading was the easy part....there was still loads of work that we needed to do on the inside of the house.  We spent the entire weekend painting every square foot of the house......every little inch!  We cleaned and scrubbed and scoured and sanitized every nook and cranny!  We repaired things that needed repairing and updated things that needed updating!  We ripped out the nasty carpet and put fresh carpet in!  And finally on Tuesday, April 10th we set up beds and spent our first night there!  I'm not gonna lie....it was complete and utter chaos for a good 2 weeks straight!  We had TONS of help from family and friends and couldn't have done half of what we did without them!  But it was crazy....and stressful!  And for someone as organized as I usually am, this was torture for me to live out of boxes and in such chaos!

We had dinner on the kitchen floor for a couple nights.....

We spent many hours and late nights finishing projects....to just get the house liveable and comfortable!  Our front living room was concrete for 2 weeks while we picked out the wood we wanted and got around to doing it!  Jeremiah did an AWESOME job putting it in all by himself!  Well, he did have help from one little helper......

And just this week, I feel like for the first time I can breathe.....we are still busy doing all the little projects every night, but at least now we can breathe!  Hopefully soon we will be able to sit down on the couch and relax a little bit!  We have been able to sit down a few times....look around at what we have and what we have done and feel blessed!  Life sure is good right now!!!

We're trying to nurse our yard back to life since most of it is dead.....so we have been running sprinklers a lot and last weekend when it was hot, I let the kids run around in their clothes!  They had a blast....

Now that some of the major projects are done, I have been focusing on decorating....and I am trying to pick the best centerpiece for our kitchen table.....what do you think about this one?!?!?!

{BleSSeD}

Lately, I've been having feelings of overflowing gratitude!  I can't say I have always been able to sit back as an outsider, look into my life and realize how much I have!  But I can easily do that lately.  I have been given so much to be thankful for.  I know that none of us have "perfect" lives, but I really feel like mine is about as close to perfect as it can probably get.  And for that I am overflowing with gratitude for it all!!

I have 3 of the most aMaZinG kids in the world......

I am so lucky to be their Mom and to spend each and every day with them....

And to have a great husband that has helped me create this amazing family....our complete family!

The other day, I was hanging out with the kids and I said, "I am so happy!"  Noone seemed to notice I had spoken....or they were ignoring me....so I said it again...."I am SO happy!"  Ayden acknowledged me and said "You are so happy with us?"  I told him I was just so happy that I was a Mommy and that I got to be their Mommy and that I was so happy about our new house and I was so happy to be married to Daddy.....blah, blah, blah!  Zoe sat on the sidelines and listened to every word....soaking it all in and storing it in her memory for later when it is needed, but not saying a word.....just like she always does!  Ayden looked at me and smiled as if to say to me, "You are one lucky girl, Mommy....you do have a lot to be happy about!"  And then he said the words that every parent wants to hear their child say.  He said, "I am so happy too Mommy!"  My heart melted!  He went on to tell me all the things he is happy about....."I am happy that I have a Mommy and a Daddy....I am happy for our new house and all of my new friends....I am happy that I was adopted (sigh)....I am happy that I have a birthmom....I am happy that there are so many people that love me and that I have such a big family!"  The world could've ended right then and there and I would've felt that I had accomplished what I was here to do!  It was a great moment!  I'm so glad that my kids are happy and that they love life.  It makes me feel complete!  And I am not one to brag or pat myself on the back, but every once in a while...when I want to remember special things like this, I think it is ok!!  :)  

{a liTTle laTE....noOne seeMeD to nOtiCe}

We colored Easter eggs this year....just did them about 2 weeks late!  Noone seemed to notice and noone seemed bothered by it.....in fact, nooone even mentioned that Easter had already passed, so it worked out great!!  :)

I think this is the only egg that Zoe dropped in a cup....the rest of the time, she was content just watching Ayden to see what color combinations he would create!  They were entertained doing this for quite a while.....coloring, putting the shrink wrap things on, stickers, etc!  They had a blast!!

{hAppY eaSteR}

Happy Easter (2 weeks late)!!!  We made a visit to the Easter Bunny on Zoe's birthday and were so happy to not find a long line!!  Ayden and Zoe were super excited....Maddix, not so much!  HA!  Love this picture.....

We were at Jeremiah's parents house for Easter Sunday.  The Easter Bunny left notes for Ayden and Zoe in the backyard......they had to read the note before they could go on their egg hunt!

Maddix was entertained watching Ayden and Zoe run around crazy looking for their eggs!

All of our Easter baskets just so happened to be packed away with the rest of our lives, so a grocery bag will do....

The day would not be complete without a little meltdown from Zoe.....

I seem to keep catching these crying fits on camera lately.....if nothing else, I will be able to prove to her when she is a Mommy that she in fact did have a sassy side!  My mom always tells me about the rotten things I did as a child and I just don't believe her....maybe if she had pictures as proof, I would believe it to be true!!  :)

Searching for eggs.....

Mommy and Maddix.....

I need to be better at getting pics of all 3 of them together.....but these 2 sure are cute!  :)

The Easter Bunny left money in the eggs this year instead of candy!  Boring Easter Bunny!!!  :)  HA!

Easter dinner.....

Birthday party #3 for Miss Zoe.....

More dresses....

....and a bounce house to have at our new house....

A birthday gift in the Smith family would not be complete without something having to do with biking, so Zoe got her very own 1st pink biking jersey!  Can't wait til we can go on summer family bike rides together!!

Ayden & Zoe got snuggly blankies that they have slept with every night since!  They are suckers for soft and cuddly blankets.....they may get that from their Mommy!!  :)

We had a great day.....and of course didn't forget to think about the real reason that we celebrate Easter......one of my VERY favorite church songs....love this.... 

{aLL aBouT zOe}

I've done this the last couple years and love to look back and see what the kids were interested in and what their passions were at certain ages!  Zoe seemed to change a lot this year!  When I look back at this picture that was taken on her birthday last year, I realize what a big year this was for her!  She looks like such a chubby little girl with a baby face here!  And look at how short her hair was!!  Wow.....she definitely got tall this year and has thinned out!  I always miss that baby fat when it disappears from my kids!!  

At her 4 year check up, she weighed 35.5 lbs and was 41 in.  YAY....officially tall enough for Disneyland rides!!  :)  

Here are a few of Zoe's favorites at the moment.....

Favorite cuddle object:  "Catnap", pink and green blankie, and about 15 other little stuffed animals that she insists on having in her bed when she goes to sleep!!  :)

Favorite songs:  "These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things" (at bedtime), she loves to sing songs to Maddix, she loves to sing along with her favorite TV shows, she loves to learn new songs at school ("This Land is Your Land" is one of her current faves), she loves to sing all the songs that Ayden learns at school.....the girl really just loves to sing!  :)

Favorite TV Shows:  Doc McStuffins, Bubble Guppies, Dora, Octonauts, American Idol and any princess movies

Favorite Movies:  Anything Princess or Barbie!!  Anything girly....and if it is a movie that isn't girly, as long as it has a girl in it, she will love it!!  She is pretty easy going when it comes to watching TV or movies....she will just go along with whatever Ayden wants to watch!

Favorite Toys:  baby dolls, bike, scooter, tea sets

Favorite Things To Do:  Play with Ayden, Play with Ayden and Play with Ayden!  She LOVES playing with her brother!  They could play all day long (with a couple fights here and there)!  They play so well together and really enjoy each other!  She also loves to ride her bike.  She loves to snuggle and kiss Maddix!

Favorite Animals:  Kittys and Puppies!

Favorite Food:  She is super picky!!  She hates the 1st meal of the day....breakfast....unless it is waffle day!  She loves Chef Boyardee and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for lunch!  And for dinner, she would be happy to have pizza or pasta every night of the week!  She loves all snack foods!!

Favorite Things She's Learned:  Riding her bike without training wheels, writing her name, some of Ayden's sight words, some Spanish words, how to swim

I feel like Zoe is reaching the age where we can really start to see her personality blossoming!  I never thought there could be such a perfect mix of sassy and sweet in a single person!  When she is sweet, she is sweet!  And when she is sassy, watch out!!  She is pretty shy and doesn't like to go up to people to meet them.  But once you are her friend, she will talk your ear off and be your friend for life!  :)  She doesn't like to be told what to do....she likes when things are her idea!  She is the sweetest little Mommy and so gentle to Maddix....even when he pulls her hair so hard it makes her eyes water!  She would do anything for Ayden....she loves him, she looks up to him, she copies him, she wants to be like him!  And there are so many qualities of his that are so great for her to learn!  She is my little rule follower!  If I tell her not to do something, she will not do it.....at least with the big things!  The little things that I tell her not to do, she usually throws a major tantrum!  She is the type that will run to the sidewalk if she is playing out in the street and there is a car coming from a mile away.  She knows what the rules are and follows them.  She gets embarrassed very easily and hates to be the center of attention!  But once you know her and she is comfortable with you, she is loud, crazy and likes to show off!  She loves to wear dresses and skirts and hates pants!  She loves shoes and usually changes her clothes a couple times a day!  She loves to take baths and go swimming, but she can't stand it if she gets a drop of water on her if she is NOT in the bath or the swimming pool.....go figure!!  She loves her Daddy more than life and looks forward to him coming home every day!  She also loves Mommy (except when she says at least once a day "I don't like you")....and will randomly just come up and give me a kiss and hug and say "I love you"!  She really is a perfect mix!  Although she is a challenge.....and one of the stubbornest people I know....and although we are probably so much alike that we butt heads more than not, I really do love this little girl and all the love, sweetness and personality she shows me every day!  I couldn't imagine not having her in my life.....

.....because for all of these faces that I see each day......

.....there are at least 10 of these that follow.....

....and how could anyone not be in LOVE with that face!?!?!?