HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is the big number 8 for Annika. To celebrate, she has tonsilitis and is home from school!! That was not enough to stop her from a little gift opening this morning.

International Day

Annika had international day at school yesterday. She decided that she wanted to wear an Indian Kurti. We stopped to ask Rajesh and Probi if we could borrow one. Here she is!

I've been Memed?!

I got memed by Nat. There is a link on wiki...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_meme
1) Link to the person that tagged you.
http://www.nsnotables.blogspot.com/
2) Post the rules on your blog. (See above link on wiki.)
3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4) Tag three random people by linking to their blogs.
5) Let them know they're tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.


6 Non-important things about me:
1. I do not eat any vegetables.
2. I like to sleep on my stomach, but can't currently due to the baby.
3. I hate the day of my birthday... December 31.
4. I am not an organized procrastinator... I usually get really frantic. Yet, I still put everything off til the last minute.
5. I text message my husbad like I am never going to see him again. I guess it is an addiction.
6. I am a night person.

I don't even think I have three people to tag! Here it goes... I am tagging John http://www.adelaideelinor.blogspot.com/ If you can give me 2 more at random...

Glitter anyone?

Annika came home with some dazzling artwork from after school care this week. After hearing how much her Aunt Nat LOVES glitter, she has decided to donate it to her art collection.

Another one bites the dust.

Annika has lost yet another tooth. Regrettably no photos, but the tooth fairy has proof! Given that her last losses have just barely started to grow in, she has a rather difficult time eating a lot of stuff. Lets hope more come in before more come out, or she'll starve! ; )

New duds from Aunt Elin

Annika's Aunt Elin knitted Annika some cozy new winter duds. Check them out!

I'm baaaaack!

In case you are not a reader of Annika's soon to be sisters' blog, I am back. I am woefully behind on my blogging, so here it comes!

Annika's new ipod

Annika recieved a new ipod for Christmas. I know Christmas was a long time ago, but it was a while before it was loaded and ready to go. We also had to find ear buds that would fit. Now when she is tired of listening to us, she has an escape.

The only good reason to be in the police station

On Monday night, Courtney and Grandma and Grandpa Jeep took Annika, Bo and Lily to a tour of Valparaiso's new police station. Let's all hope that this is the last time our kids are there.

It's never too soon....

Annika and I were talking about when she grows up in the car. She told me that when she gets married she will do the laundry. I told her that I hope she finds a nice husband who helps out around the house like her dad.

Later that day at dinner, we were telling John about how she would do some housework. Then she told me that I need to ask Mrs. Stephens, Jackson's mom, what his chores are. I said, if he doesn't do anything around the house, do you want to start looking for someone else to marry?

So, needless to say Annika has her husband picked out unless he doesn't do his chores.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Knowing we were going to take Annika's friend Micayla out for lunch and to the Painted Penguin for her birthday, do you think either of us remembered a camera?? How about after we get home and ask each other, "Why did we spend the money on new phones with higher resolution cameras built in, to not use them when we forget our good camera?" Here is the result of the trip to the mall.

Happy New Year!!

Annika decided to ring in the new year with a little sledding at Forest Park, then more sledding later in the day at Jesse Pifer Park with most of her classmates.

The end of Peace on Earth

It was inevitable. One Christmas or birthday would bring the end to an otherwise quiet household. Let's at least hope she's a prodigy.

Christmas @ Grandma and Grandpa Jeep's

Stop three on our annual 4 day Christmas marathon took us to Grandma and Grandpa Jeep's house. Lots of family there today. Aunt Cindy and Uncle Dick were visiting from the great north woods. Sarah and Matt were in from the big city. Grandpa Ed was up from Anderson. Plus all of the locals. WOW!! Here are a few snapshots form the morning. Oh, breakfast was really good too.

Holiday Fun

The holidays are a time when families get together to have fun. We'll let you be the judge on whether that's a good thing. : )

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas at the Smith's. What more is there to say? Although I think they should rename it High School Musical Day.

New TTM duds!

Here, Annika decides to model the new line of Thorgen Tool hoodies. Very stylish.

American Idol???

Annika, leaving all other gifts behind, couldn't wait to get going with her new High School Musical sing along game.

The Christmas Beaver strikes again!!!

Having only been before as the wedding beaver (top), a sighting of the Christmas beaver has now occurred. If you should encounter this strange creature, smile and back away slowly. (He doesn't bite, as far as we know.)

Christmas part 1

Being a "modern" American family, with 4 sets of grandparents, too many aunts uncles and such to count, we have 2,3, and even 4 Christmases. Here are some highlights from the first. Enjoy.

4 Elves in this house?

Annika and I just got to elf ourselves. Can you guess the 4th elf? Annika said we had to include her.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1693450320

Those crazy elves

Annika's dad, and his girlfriend, and the kids, have decided to join the throngs who have "elfed themselves". Check it out.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1371858976

Feliz Navidad

Today was Annika's Christmas party for her Spanish class. They sang a couple songs and ate authentic treats that they made themselves. No pictures of singing unless everyone wanted a view of the back of her head. Maybe next year.

Christmas Cookies!!!

Annika got to go to Grandma Jeep's on Sunday to decorate cookies with her cousins Bo and Lily. A good time was had by all.

Mmmmm.....gingerbread.

Annika went to her friend Michaela's house this weekend to make and decorate gingerbread houses. Looks good enough to eat, doesn't it? ;)

St. Nikolas Tag

Newly learned by two-thirds of the family this year is the annual event of St. Nikolas Day. From what I gather, you leave your shoe outside your door the night before and it is filled with goodies from St. Nikolas in the morning. Nice!

Annika's New Winter Coat

With Annika growing faster than we can keep clothes on her, we would like to present her new winter coat. Appropriately enough, with three inches of fresh snow to help break it in. Expect more photos of in actual daylight coming soon.

O Tannenbaum

That's Christmas tree for you non-German speakers. Here is this year's edition of the Smith family tree. ;)

Annika is a big sister!

Annika, John, and I had our appointment today for our ultrasound. We found out that Annika is going to be a big sister to Adelaide Elinor. Here she is in all her glory!

Annika's first family vacation!

We had our first family vacation to Lake Superior and here are some of our photos...

Here, Annika is driving our Uncle Dick's boat!

Annika is in front of the second largest steam engine in the world!

Annika and High School Musical 2!

Annika had her first sleepover last night. She was celebrating her friend June's 8th birthday! (I know 8 already!) They watched HSM2, painted toes and fingers, made friendship bracelets, made sand art, had Kareoke to HSM2, and Mrs. Brault still had enough energy to make pancakes this morning! Talk about an experience she will never forget!