Recovery!

so...it's been a while! i had to take some time to recover from the holidays! i know the rest of you did, too! they were great, though! the best i've had in years! we went to justin's parents house the weekend before thanksgiving to celebrate a little holiday cheer and to have a "graduation" party for Justin! Yea!!! done w/law school!!! His mom had him act out the ceremony (he graduated early and they don't actually have a ceremony at school until May)!! it was pretty funny! we went to a restaurant, reserved a room, got him a cap & gown, played the "graduation" music, & had a fake diploma giving! great! he was a trooper though! (i think the ceremony was really for his mom!)

now, he's on to studying for the bar exam. he takes that in February...so...that's his life until then! i don't envy him one bit...he studies constantly!!! but i'm so proud!!

(the giving of the diploma!!)

(just a small portion of the WHOLE Smith clan!!!)

Then, we went to Shreveport for Christmas! it was a blast! one of the best trips i've had down there in a while! so good, i must say, i cried when we left (i almost always do that), cried when i had to say bye to my brother and then asked if my husband would consider moving there...i got an "it woudn't be bad." (i'm still gonna keep working on that one) anyway, Christmas was fun. got to see my grandparents and cousins, and finally got to hang out w/my brother's girlfriend, Stephanie! we had a great time!

(the guns hidden within the pretty boxes...feel the anticipation!?!)

my mother, also got us all (me, justin, ty, and steph) marshmallow guns (see above) for Christmas! she made us all open them at the same time (she'd already told me what she got and sworn me to secrecy, though!). it was fun...we, of course, immediately started playing w/them all and had a blast covering the house w/marshmallows (maggie had a great time "cleaning" them up for us!) and planning attacks on the incoming visitors! anyway, good idea, mom!

well, it was a much needed trip home...got to see some old friends, too, which is always good! home sweet, home!

(they made me call the Hogs!!! i was so excited!)