MMmmmm

For all other ice cream lovers out there... the Nielsons just introduced us to Ben and Jerry's Creme Brulee ice cream. SOooo good. It even has yummy little sugar crystals in it.

Go get some :)

Just for fun...

I saw this on my sis in law Jenni's blog...kind of fun! Do it!

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car): Spike Protege

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie): Banana Chocolate Chip

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name): E-Smi

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal): Pink dog

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born): Gift Ogden...
(k Jenni, yours sounded much better!)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first): Smi-Er

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink): The Yellow Lime Rickey

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers): John Arnold

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy):
Pearberry Sour Patch

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ): If maiden names count as a middle name... Paul Allen

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Barney Boston

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Spring Daisy

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”): Strawberry Striped PJ Bottoms

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Eggo Lodgepoll Pine

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”): The Scrapbooking Snow "Tour"

BeAch BuMs

A week ago our beach trip was postponed because of bad weather, so we decided to go yesterday with some friends. It was fun! Our first trip to the TX coast since we've lived here. Ya, we're slow! haha. We will definitely be going more often now. For some reason I always thought that the beach was further away! I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was! We went to South Padre. The water was soo warm and the weather was perfect! Luke had fun watching Maddie and little Hallie run around. A wave knocked him over when we first got there, so he insisted on holding our hands while walking on sand the rest of the day. Little stinker! Thanks Travis and Janine for the fun idea! Here are a few pics....

Luke's new move...

So we haven't figured out if Luke is trying to be Jackie Chan, a break dancer, or a gymnast but this is what he does when he's excited now. Sometimes it's a full five or six minutes of this action and he will start at one end of the living room and end up at the other. Haha. Check it out.

Other news... Luke and I just got back from another trip to AZ. It really has been our second home this summer! I went to help my sister with some school stuff, and we had tons of fun. Saw my bro play some football, swam a little, and did statistics problems. Woo hoo! We got to see the Smith fam for a little bit, and I went to see one of my best friends sealed to her hubbie. So awesome! Luke wasn't as good on the plane as he usually is on the way home... such a nightmare flying in the middle of the day! I like the early morning flights because he goes back to sleep. Anyway, thank heavens for nice people that don't get upset when the baby next to them crawls all over their lap, throws books at them, and screams for a good half an hour at a time. :) Serously, the lady and her husband that sat next to us were the nicest people ever. Another fun trip, but it's so good to be home... we both missed Jake! A couple pics...

Dak and Luke
Me and Abby

If our family were on the Simpsons...

Jake

erin

luke

This is fun! Go to http://simpsonizeme.com/# I came accross my old roomie's blog and she had pics of her simpsonized fam too. Thanks for the idea Launi!

August so far….

Just a few great things about August so far….

1. I get to read the third book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series! Woo hoo!!! It has just been released and I have been waiting for so long to see what happens between Bella and Edward! I have read Twilight and New Moon this summer… if you haven’t, you should. Very entertaining and addicting if I may say so! I’ll keep ya posted on whether Eclipse is as good as the first two books…

2. Luke has learned his animal sounds, and it is pretty much the cutest thing ever. His version of an elephant is my favorite!… he pretends that his arm is a trunk and flings it up in the air as he makes his elephant noise. Cutie! His version of snake noises is funny too, and he has decided that bees and spiders also make a hissing sound. Anyway, it is very entertaining watching TV or looking at books since he wants to make noises of whatever he sees. Haha. Oh, and he’s learned his body parts and has been saying “O Oh!”… whenever something falls or spills. I love this stage.

3. Just got a book in the mail to start another independent study class! I should be done with school in the spring! FINALLY!!!

4. Our neighbor’s dog barked and cried non-stop in their backyard for a week straight. Luckily for our sanity, the owners just returned, so he’s back in the house where we can’t hear him. I really like dogs… just not listening to them bark ALL the time! haha. Such a relief.

5. Jake is back into the swing of things at school… with patients every day now, so I guess they really are learning stuff! haha. Hopefully this year passes as quickly as the last two!

Little Artist :)

We're stranded today! No car, and the stroller is in the trunk of the car while Jake takes the first part of the boards exam. Usually Luke and I go somewhere every day... not always a super exciting place, but at the very least a walk around the neighborhood! The two of us get so restless sitting around here! So without a car and stoller, I decided to try something a little different today. Luke loved it! A couple of months ago I gave him some crayons and put paper in front of him to see what he would do... he just wanted to eat the crayons! haha. But, today was different. He actually put them on the paper and colored. Here is his first masterpiece!

Check out the dots from the banging action!

Chunky little hands have mad drawing skills...

Ok mom... it has been almost 20 minutes and I am definitely done! ... notice the crayons and his paper on the floor now. :)

FiNalLy! :)

So, we have been home since July 6 and I am finally getting around to putting some pictures on here! These are from the Smith trip to Zion Natl. Park, and our time back in AZ! My sis-in-laws posted others at http://4yourconsideration.blogspot.com/ or http://hootieshowl.blogspot.com/.

Zion Natl. Park :)

Jake's brothers & sister

Smith ladies!

Ethan & Luke

cousins!

Trip to the Grand Canyon :)

Luke with Grandpa Smith!

Baby bumper cars! 6 babies + 5 big kids and their moms and dads in the pool.. fun!

The Cutey is one! And, Cabin fun :)

This is a little late because we have been on vacation, but my little guy is now a one-year-old! Yay! This year really has flown by. Crazy! We celebrated his big day with family at the cabin... Hebgen Lake just outside of West Yellowtone. He was so excited about everything. It was fun! We missed Jake.. he was still at home :( but had a fun time with cousins and family! Here are some pics of the recent trip! The cabin is my most favorite place. Everything about it is just always the best! This year, we got in tons of boating, waterskiing/wakeboarding, mini-bike riding, fishing, and eating too much good food.

Anyway, here are some pics!

It's the birthday boy!!

my cutey cousins!... Ty and Ashley

the cabin!

Hebgen Lake

Grandpa and Luke driving the boat!

Yay for skiing!!

What a cute one year old!

He thinks he's one of the big boys :)

Hanging out at the dock...

After Luke's first ride on the mini-bikes!.. he loved it!

Say cheese!

my "Must" list...

Thanks Jenni for the prompt to do a "must" list for the week. I was needing to make a list! Anyway, here mine is!

10. I really have to find a swimsuit this week! It seems to be an impossible task to find a cute one that fits me and is not super skanky! I have already looked just about everywhere, including online. Wish me luck on this one!

9. Jake's leftover birthday cake from Cold Stone is in our freezer... must either throw it out or feed the rest to Jake before I finish it off! Yellow cake with sweet cream ice cream and cookie dough... too yummy!

8. Going on walks with Luke... I love them! He does too. We always seem to walk past lots of people and their dogs, and he can't get enough of dogs lately! All animals really! He sees them way down the road and points and jabbers in excitement until we catch up. Cutey. Maybe one day we'll get a dog... when our kids are old and can take care of it!

7. Yay for TV! American Idol is down to the top 3! Hopefully Blake goes tonight! Not that he's bad... Melinda and Jordin are just better! I'm hoping Jordin wins. Also, I'm excited about The Office and Grey's finales! Oh ya,... and can't forget Spurs vs. Suns!

6. Another shower tonight... it's that time of year! Everyone is having babies or getting married!

5. Got to clean the house! Visitors are coming this weekend. I wish I took the time to really deep clean every week!... would make things easier!

4. Flowers! I love them and our yard despritely needs more! Tomorrow morning's project! :)

3. Seaworld passes! I am so excited to get mine this year so I can take the stinker swimming! Jake and I had so much fun there last summer. Didn't think I'd be saying this since we were there so much last year, but I'm ready to go back!

2. Countdown to fun begins! Next week Jake goes fishing and I'm off to Arizona!

1. As of this afternoon, Jake is done with his second year of Dental School! Woo hoo! This year has been a pain! On to third year! Also, congrats to Josh! Happy graduation Dr. Smith!!