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!)

Thanksgiving & Family

so, it was a good holiday! hope everyone else's was also! i had SO much fun with the in-laws i was sad to see them go. really. it was too short! anyway, we had a blast hanging out with everyone and can't wait to see them again!

here's a pic of me and my sister-in-law, Jamie. we had such a good time!

justin and i with our neice, Mallory, and nephew, Mason!! so adorable!

the holidays are quickly approaching!

it's that time...yep, time to give thanks! so, what are you thankful for?!
that's always the question that comes to mind when i start thinking about thanksgiving dinner. my in-laws (mother, father, sister, brother and their 2 kids) are coming down to stay w/us for the holiday. i'm excited...even though we're gonna have a house full! they will all be here Wed, Thurs nights and then justin's parents are headed back to Branson and taking the kids w/them. so, Fri and Sat night we'll just have justin's brother and sister-in-law here. it's gonna be fun! we hardly ever see his brother and sister-in-law and we've never see their newest addition, little 9 1/2 month old Mallory!! so, we're excited. not sure what we're going to do to entertain on Friday and Saturday, so if anyone has any ideas, please share!! also, it will be my first time "hosting" Thanksgiving dinner. and i'm not a cook. i informed my husband that i was not committing to cooking either (i didn't want to embarrass myself and ruin the dinner!). i'm so busy w/work and have not much experience so, i'm sure w/all the women and men here it will get done. Good thing Justin is a good cook! anyway, i'm looking forward to a few days off work and some family time!
hope everyone has something to be thankful for! :)

I've been blog tagged!!! (thanks, Jill!)

so, i've actually never heard of blog-tagging, but now i'm "it." i've been "tagged." so, from what i can tell, i need to tell y'all some interesting/unique/crazy/strange/whatever facts about me :)

minor challenge...not sure i've lived much of an "interesting life." BUT, here goes...!!!

1. I ran a marathon 5 yrs ago. the Rock 'N Roll Marathon in beautiful San Diego. figured i'd at least make it as fun as possible and go somewhere beautiful! and it was. i'd do it again in a heartbeat!

2. I was a swimmer from the time i was 2 until i graduated college. my dad is a swim coach and coached my team...not always fun having your dad as your coach. then i swam at the University of Arkansas. I was even team captain my senior year. (not because i was fast, though :)...just team spirited.

3. i was headed to the Phillipines a few years ago to see the child i sponsor through Compassion International on a mission trip, but didn't make it. i raised all the $$, worked hard for it, but must not have been in God's plan right then. the day i was to leave there was a coup in the Philliipines. some attempt to assassinate the president. so they were declared in a "state of emergency" and finally my dad talked me out of going. i was actually sitting in the airport, ready to go, crying on the phone, when i called my ride to come back and get me.

4. I have 2 aunts...my mom's sister and my dad's sister. Both share the same name, Aunt Lynda Kay, and Aunt Linda Kay.

5. I've never broken a bone :)

6. My sophomore year in college my friends from the swim team presented me w/a bumper from a car (they found it on the side of the road) for my birthday! you see, i had a history...i had backed into not just 1, or 2, but 3 parked cars in 3 months!! eek!! and then that summer i wrecked 2 cars in 2 days!...both within 2 blocks from my house! (the first car was mine and the 2nd car was my best friend's who had come down from University of Kansas to visit!!))) anyone want to go for a ride? :) i promise mt driving record has improved since then!

ok, now i tag Ryan K. and corey smith! and i'll tag cat and amanda since y'all haven't responded to Jill's tag :) come on girls :) we know you have something to share!

fasting...

so, i started a fast. long story short, a group of ladies i used to work w/told me they were fasting b/c one of the ladies' sister's just found out she has end stage rectal cancer. she's 42 and has 3 teenagers...breaks my heart. so, they decided to do a fast and i joined them. we're doing the "david fast." it's a 21 day fast. and it's the first time i've ever fasted and really now, on day 4 it's getting better...but i still want candy, and cheese, and meat..and...yep. lots of praying for me cause i'm dying not having my sugar fix (every hour)!! so, anyway, any prayers would be great for our fast and for our friend's sister.

the long awaited rug :)

so, here it is...the rug. thoughts? my husband isn't so sure about it...says it might grow on him...we'll see. and he still comes home and hates the flowers on the shelves...:) oh, well!

here they are...the work in progress

living room...awaiting much cooler rug!!!

those are the shelves he hates

Dining room

Our bedroom...still in the works

Guest Bedroom...still in progress

here are some pics of my work in progress...my home! my husband has a love/hate relationship w/it...for example he hates the shelves in the living room. you see, he hung the shelves and loaded them up w/crap...lots of stuff. so, i simplified it and he hates it. says he wants "conversation pieces" like pictures and books up there. well, if anyone out there has any opinions, please feel free...we're trying to take a poll! :) oh, and we're also getting a new rug...should be here in a week or 2...will post a pic then of the "completed - for now" living room. the bedroom isn't complete...i'm looking for a great sitting chair to put in the corner by the bed...then will be addiong more throw pillows to the bed to add some life (w/pattern...and maybe a hit of color). then come the curtains...those will be revamped, too! this may take a while though...oh, and the pillows...that will be WWIII. husbands never understand the function of throw pillows!!