Home Is Where Your Mama Is...

I love my home.  I love my husband and daughter.  I love our pets.  But there is nothing like your HOME - the place where you grew up.  This past weekend, my sisters and I helped my Mama decorate her Christmas tree.  We had so much fun putting up our favorite ornaments, drinking hot chocolate, watching Mama's favorite Christmas movie (It's A Wonderful Life), and being our goofy selves!

Holiday Spirit

This is absoloutely the MOST wonderful time of the year!  I LOVE the Christmas season!  I love the smells, the music, the lights, the decorations... and the general cheerfulness of the month of December. We got into the holiday spirit this weekend and did some decorating!

Decorations

Here are a few decorations in our home...

Living Room - Our Family Tree

View from the front door

Our First Christmas Tree!

Lots of lights!

My Gone With the Wind ornaments

Longwood University - Class of 2005

No tree (at least in the Smith household) is complete without Duke and Panthers ornaments!

Lucy LOVES the tree!

Dining Room - with our red and gold themed tree

I've been buying red and gold ornaments on sale for the last few years to have enough for a themed tree!

Candy and decorations

My Christmas dishes matched Michael's glasses!

Outside pictures to come!  :)

PINK at Daddy's house?!

McKayla came home last night to a well-lit home decorated for Christmas.  She was so excited about all of the lights and having TWO trees!  It was dark when she got home, so I don't think she noticed the Christmas flags outside until we left for school this morning...

McKayla:  We have pink flags!

Me:  Yep! Do you like them?

McKayla: They're PINK!

Me:  I know.

McKayla:  Of course I do!

Lucy Meets Hermie

When Lucy and I moved in a few months ago, I was a little worried about Hermie the hermit crab.  Lucy is a sweet cat, but she's not a fan of other animals.  Hermie lived in the laundry room until it got chilly, then I moved him into the pantry (I know this is not ideal, but I wanted him alive!), until I finally moved him into our bedroom.  Hermie has been pretty inactive the whole time I've known him, so Lucy didn't pay much attention to him.... that was until I dropped poor Hermie's cage... right off of the tall dresser... and onto the floor. Oops.  Hermie fell out of the cage and I was really worried about him.  We moved him into McKayla's room and bring him into the living room from time to time to "hang out with the family."  Ever since his great fall, Hermie's been pretty active.  I really think he's just terrified.  Lucy started to notice Hermie since he's been moving around so much.  Here is the first meeting.  I think it went pretty well.

Thanksgiving

As the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays approach, I am trying to constantly remind myself what is important.  It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season, the gift giving and decorating, the running from house to house to make sure you get a visit with everyone.  Tonight, we didn't get home until 10PM, but I decided to let McKayla stay up anyway and help me bake a pie.  I'm glad I did; even though she got peanut butter all over her little fingers and I had to keep reminding her to not touch something, it meant a lot to both of us.  We put on our aprons and I was able to teach her something.  She said I was making her a baker - that no one had done that with her before.  I never knew what a blessing a step-child could be.  She has truly become my daughter and I love her so much.

This Thanksgiving, I truly have more to be thankful for than I could have ever imagined.  I have a wonderful, loving husband.  We have a beautiful daughter.  I have the best family ever.  I have a warm, cozy home and a good job.  I really have no reason to complain, although I admit that hasn't stopped me.  I have SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

Here are some of the lyrics to one of my favorite songs. It comes from Josh Groban's holiday cd and is called "Thankful":


Some days we forget
To look around us
Some days we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.




Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Shower Talk

Last night, I started running the shower for McKayla (it takes a bit for our water to get warm!).  She called me into the bathroom and told me her water was too hot.  After adjusting the temperature, I asked if it felt better. Her response was, "Yes, I love it! That's my temperature! You got it, Lindsey, you got it!"

Touchdown

On Sunday, I made my second appearance at an NFL game.  I have to admit that this game was much better than the first.  Not because I didn't enjoy the first game, but because the Panthers actually won!  The game and the crowd are SO much more fun when the home team is winning!  Here are a few pictures from the game on 11/15/09 - Panthers vs. Falcons:

Dear My McKayla,

Have I told you today how much I love you?  Well, I do.  I love when you bring your blanket and doll into the office in the mornings so that you can be with me.  I love how you laugh and seeing your smile.  I love watching you read a book, especially one that was mine.  I love how tight you hug me and tell me that your "hug meter is low."  I love that you hopped in my lap the first day you met me and put your daddy's hat on my head.  I love how you and your daddy sing to each other.  I love playing games with you and helping you learn new things.  I love calling you vocabulary and spelling words and seeing how quickly you learn.  I love picking you up from school and having you tell me how excited you are to see me.  I love when you say you love me more than infinity.  I love how you go get your Bible early in the mornings before we wake up.  I love how excited you are about Christmas.  I love watching you dance around the house and hear you sing at the top of your lungs.  I love, love, love you. So much. More than I could ever love any daughter. I love that tonight you told me that you're mine.

I love you, McKayla Grace.

Love,
YOUR Lindsey

Duplicates

Michael and I have worked very hard to combine our two homes into one. It wasn't much of a question that we would move into his house, since he has an extra bedroom and bathroom and the bedrooms are bigger. The things I miss the most from the other house are the ATTIC, the extra space in the pantry, and an extra closet (basically, I miss my storage!).

It has been a difficult task to cram TWO FULL HOUSES into one! However, we still managed to fit two sofa sets, two tables, and three TVs into the house and four dressers into our bedroom!

There are definitely things that we WILL NEVER NEED TO BUY AGAIN. So, if you're thinking about buying us a Christmas present, please omit the items from the list below:

- scotch tape : I'm pretty sure we have at least 12-15 rolls of tape
- band-aids : we have an entire drawer full
- garlic salt, chili powder, season all : I think we have at least four of each!
- random stuff that goes under the kitchen sink - really, I'm not even sure how it's all staying in there, but so far, so good!

They Creep Into Your Heart....

Anyone can tell that McKayla (along with her daddy!) has completely stolen my heart.  I've never considered myself to be a selfISH person, but I wouldn't say that I'm selfLESS either!  Let me tell you, becoming a parent has totally changed my perspective on things!  I find myself doing things that I wouldn't be doing otherwise!

For instance, this past weekend, Michael, McKayla and I were at the Duke/UNC game.  McKayla and I were getting a little hungry and decided we wanted to both eat Chic-Fil-A sandwiches. At these games, you get in separate lines for different kinds of food (i.e. the pizza line, the sandwich line, etc).  After waiting in the sandwich line for a while, we both asked for a Chic-Fil-A sandwich. They gave us the LAST ONE IN THE WHOLE STADIUM. McKayla really enjoyed that sandwich... while I ate a hot dog. Yuck!

I sleep less, wake up much earlier, find myself going out of the way to make her smile, and let her pick the oatmeal flavor we buy (even if it's not my favorite!).  McKayla has certainly changed my life... and definitely for the better!

Love Letter

I realize that some people think that Michael and I are crazy - we didn't date each other very long before we got married.  I had been married and hurt before, he had been hurt before. Somehow, after only a few short weeks, we knew that we had something special and different.  I knew that I loved him and didn't want to live without him.

About a month after we first started dating, I heard the song "Halo" by Beyonce for the first time.  This song describes so well how I feel about Michael.  Every time I hear this song, it makes me smile.  Not long after I heard it that first time, I went and bought the CD, copied the lyrics, and composed an e-mail to Michael.  I looked at that send button for a while before I actually sent the e-mail.  I e-mailed these lyrics to my then-future husband, not sure exactly what the future would hold.

We have now been married for almost 7 weeks.  I could not love anyone more.

Halo:

Remember those walls I built
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make up a sound

I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now

It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm takin'
I ain't never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light

I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
To pull me back to the ground again

Feels like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
The risk that I'm takin'
I'm never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Headlight

McKayla and I were waiting in the drop-off line at school this morning and she stood up to put on her backpack. When she stood up, her head hit the light on the ceiling and it came on. She looked at me and said,

"Now that's what I call a headlight!"

Haha - I love my silly, smart girll!

The Magic of Santa

I found this on my computer yesterday.  A few years ago, they were celebrating an anniversary of The Legendary Santa and asked people for their stories in a few words.  My family has so many memories of going to see Santa and this year I get to continue the tradition by taking McKayla - I think that I'm more excited than she is!!  They didn't choose my entry, but here it is for you to read:

My parents took my sister for her first visit in 1982. Daddy didn’t understand driving over an hour to see Santa. Mama, however, knew there was no Santa like the Legendary Santa…


The tradition began in 1963 when Mama and her siblings went to see Santa at Miller & Rhoads. My grandparents recall lunch in the Tea Room and hearing Eddie Weaver play the organ. Mama was amazed that Santa knew their names! She knew that she’d take her children to see the Legendary Santa.


This became our favorite family tradition. After that first visit, Daddy says that the Legendary Santa would make a non-believer believe that this was the REAL Santa. The tradition grew to three generations, including all of my cousins.


We were almost always the first in line to watch Santa come down the chimney. It seemed as if Santa really remembered our family each year. One year, he told us that if he had time Christmas Eve, he would place a sooty finger on our foreheads. One of my first memories as a child is seeing the fingerprint on our foreheads Christmas morning.

In 1998, we took our last picture with Santa as a family after 17 years. Daddy whispered to Santa that we had come for many years and how much he meant to our family.


We have such fond memories of going to see Santa. My sisters and I look forward to taking our own children one day to experience the magic of Santa.

Dear Starbucks,

Oooohhhh, how I love you!  I love the aroma when I pull up to the drive-thru window.  I love that first taste of caramel macchiato sweetness.  I love your festive cups, all ready for Christmas.

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.

You are one sweet pick-me-up.

Sincerely,

Your once-a-week on-the-way-to-Richmond drive-thru customer

Goodbye, 522...

It's hard to believe that I lived in this house for two years! Sometimes it seems like so much longer (Michael agrees - how can you accumulate so much STUFF in just two years?!). Although I had already "moved out" of 522, most of my stuff was still there. It took us a good three or four days to pack and move everything out. We finally finished at 1AM on Sunday the 1st (the day the renter was allowed to move in). I'll admit that I got a little teary-eyed as I loaded the last few things and swept up the house. I worked so very hard to make this house a home, and I really think I did - it was mine and I loved it! I am excited to be married and start my new (fabulous!) life, but I am a little sad to leave my first house. Goodbye, 522! I will never forget you!

Halloween Tradition

This Halloween was extra special for me. This was the first time I've ever taken McKayla trick-or-treating and we were both so excited! Mama found the costume that my Grandma made and all three of us (Lauren, Leslie, and me) wore. We had a great time trick-or-treating and visiting with family!!