Snow Day

Yesterday it snowed and snowed and snowed!! I am not a fan of the snow, but the kids were soooooooo excited and had to go out and play in it. I got them all bundled up and out they went. They were so cute to watch and had so much fun. They finally came in with freezing cold hand and faces. We got some warm clothes on and had cinnamon hot chocolate and watched a show. I love laying on the couch while my kids lay all over me!



Today after church the kids wanted to go back out and play in the snow with Jared. They were so excited to play with him. He is such a great dad!

Visitors

My cousin Brandon and his cute family came to visit for about 3 days. We had such a great time with them and miss them a lot. We can't wait to see them again in Utah! Thanks for a great time, we love and miss you so much!

Brandon was such a trooper to push all four kids up the hills at the D.C. Zoo. Not an easy thing to do.


So at the zoo they have these ropes and towers across the zoo for the Orangatangs to play on. They call it the "O" line. Anyway this Orangatang decided to stop and take a bathroom break. Lincoln thought it was the funniest thing to watch him poop. I have to admit that it was way funny!


More cute zoo pics

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving at home with some great friends this year. We watched football, ate a ton of food, had a great concert by the kids and then ate more food! Couldn't ask for more than that! I didn't get any pictures of the main event, but Avery made a way cute girl pilgrim hat and Lincoln and Liam had their hats as well. I did manage to get a picture of Avery and Liam but Linc was not having it. Thanks Chadaz fam for a great Thanksgiving!!!


Lincoln made the center piece in preschool, I think it was way too cute!

Oh Lincoln

Lincoln: Mom can I have another cookie?

me: Yes, but this is the last one.

Lincoln: Ok, can I have some of that Gingerella to drink too?

School Pictures

So Avery had school pictures and to say the least they did not go over very well. The morning started out with Avery wanting to wear the most mismatched outfit ever and did not want her hair combed. She changed her outfit I don't know how many times, and then finally had a very cute one on. I did her hair, much to her dismay, and told her to go and get her shoes while I packed her snack. When I came upstairs she was in her underwear sitting in her chair in her room mad as a hornet!! I was not very happy myself. So I just put on the outfit that we picked out the night before while she fought me the whole time. She wouldn't come down stairs so I had to carry her kicking and screaming the whole way. I looked at Jared and said, "You're taking her to school." Bless his heart he just nodded and did what I asked. When he got home I asked how it went, this is what he said. "She cried the whole time we were in line to go into the school and would not let go of my neck. So I carried her in while she was screaming, "I want Mommy" and all the other parents were looking at me like I was this horrible dad. When we got into the school they had to have her teacher come back and try to help me get Avery to class. Her teacher finally had to just pick her up and carry her." When I went to pick her up after school her teacher came out and said, "You might want to take advantage of retakes". We just laughed! So when I got her picture back all I could do was laugh! She didn't even take her jacket off! No, I did not get retakes. This picture is just way too funny and sums up the whole morning! Oh Avery, how I love you......most of the time ;0)

Halloween

Halloween is my favorite ever!!! The kids were so excited and having Nana here added to the excitement. We went to Tyson's Corner and had to ride the train. I know my mom was also very excited about this ;0) Then we went to our friends house for a great party! How cute is Liam in his Robyn out fit! Lincoln was Batman, Ave was Giselle, I was Cat Woman, and Jared was Harry Potter (yes, it was a joke!)







Jared wearing Linc's mask. He looks like Batman with a mullet!!

Halloween Party

Avery had a Halloween party on Friday and my mom flew in thursday night so I was able to sign up and help out. I had to bring the sweet treat so we made 50 oreo spiders! Thank you mom for all your help!! Ave and Linc both helped out too. According to Linc some of the spiders have "hairy" eyes. The ones that Linc decorated were pretty special to say the least. We had fun and the kids LOVED them. Liam loved the black licorice, he is such a doll!






Lincoln's alien cookie he made.


All the kindergartners started off with a parade around the school so we all got to watch it. Avery was "Happy Apple" that day so she got to be first in line. Then my mom took the boys and I went with Ave to her class for the party. The kids are so cute and Avery has the best teacher.

Grandma And Papa Smith

While Jared and I were at the hospital with Liam, Laurence and Julie came out to help with Ave and Linc. I am soooo thankful for them and all that they did for us while they were here. They took the kids to Cox Farms and did all the fun Halloween stuff that we were not able to do with them because of our sweet Liam and his back. We then all went to Great Falls Park one day and brought lunch and kicked the soccer ball around and just hung out, it was great! Liam is doing AWESOME!!! His back has healed so well and what's another scar at this point right :0)







Great Falls

Liam's Spinal Surgery

Liam had his Spinal Cord un-tethered on September 29th. The surgery was a little more complicated than the surgeon thought but it went well and was a success. We just pray that is wont re-tether. Jared's mom flew out to help with the kids so we could stay at the hospital with Liam the whole time. Thank goodness for Morphine because he was feeling this surgery. He had to stay flat for the first two days. He could roll from side to side but that was it. I felt so bad for him when we had to roll him onto his side. He got to the point that he would freak out everytime anyone other than Jared or I came into the room in fear that they were going to move him. It was a long first two days and nights. On the third day we got to hold him! Things were tender but as long as he had the Tylenol with Codeine he did great. By the end of that day we were walking the halls with him and he was smiling again. With everything that this sweet baby has gone through and has to go through, I can't believe he is still the happiest little guy ever!!! We can all learn sooo much from someone so small.

Liam before he went back to surgery, he was so mad because we couldn't feed him. His little hospital outfit was so cute, I totally brought it home to add to his memory box.



He had a hard time waking up after all was said and done, but as soon as he got the pain meds he was off to slumber land. It was so hard not being able to hold him then.


By the second night he was doing a little better, but not much. Day three was a lot better, we would roll him onto his side and set up the lap top with baby eintstein videos and he would suck his thumb and watch the whole movie. We got to come home the morning of day four and he was soooo ready! He loved playing with his IV.



Here he is watching his movie. Here is his cute little bum and his incision, it was a lot longer than I thought it was going to be. He can't have a "real" bath for a month, just a sponge bath. Liam is not a fan :)




Liam finally out of bed :)