Thursday, Thursday, Thursday

I LOVE this picture!!


Here are some bathtub pictures from the other night:

Too bad she doesn't have any fun, huh?

She was intentionally dunking herself in the tub to get suds on her face and head. I laughed out loud through her whole bath. So did she!

For those who are keeping track: she's up to 7 teeth now! 4 on top and 3 on the bottom. She must be working on some in the back, too, judging by the way her shirt has been soaked for the past 4 days and her whole hand can often be found crammed into her mouth.
So... did I mention she's walking? Those of you that saw her over Thanksgiving got to see it first hand. For the rest of you, I caught a bit on video today, but now can't get it uploaded onto Blogger. I'll try again later. She gets so excited with herself for walking! It's great.
She still has a cold, with a resurgence of runnynosed-ness this morning. So, that's fun for all....

Today and tomorrow are the last day for Longaberger Basket Raffle ticket sales! Many of you have already bought a ticket (or 2) and we THANK YOU!! If you haven't bought one yet, but would like to, you can buy online got to http://adoptionfundraiser.blogspot.com/
You can purchase through Paypal there. Or, if you're local, just call or email me and we'll get the tickets to you. Only $5 for 26 chances... it's a good deal with good prizes for a great cause. More Smith babies - who doesn't want to see that!?


The next 3 days we will be decorating for Christmas! I'm so excited! I love to decorate for the holidays. Getting out all of our stuff and reminiscing about past holidays is so fun for me. I do have that pesky work thing getting in the way today and tomorrow, but after work and on Saturday we will be busy decking the halls!


Speaking of work... I ought to be getting ready to go.

BTW, tomorrow will be 5 weeks we've been waiting for that 171. It could be here any day now...

Today I am thankful that my husband is off for the next 3 nights! He works night shift at a hospital 1.25 hours away. He's just finished up a long stretch of working and really miss him when he's gone so much. This should be a fun weekend - I can't wait just to spend time with Matt and Eliana!!

Catching up...

I've been away from the blog for a whole week! Sorry to all of Eliana's loyal fans, I'll try to make up for it today.

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving:

She had a great time with her cousins this day. She kept backing up to the boys and
leaning back on them or sitting on them... lucky for her the love her!

Our 4 nephews

After we ate at Matt's Mom's (12:00) we went to my family's dinner at around 4. At first Eliana played shy, hiding in Grandma's legs. That lasted for about 30 seconds. She spent the rest of the day running everywhere, chasing her other small cousins, being carried and chased by the teenaged cousins. She had a super-fun day!

Family photo: Me, Mom, Matt, Pat, Eliana, and the rubber chicken

Friday Tia came to visit for a bit before she had to leave town. Eliana was thrilled.
Ok, just kidding, we were really glad to see her. But, could this pic of Eliana be any more pathetic? Actually it could, I have 6 other equally sad/lethargic/melting pictures to prove it.

mmmmm... nap time

This is one of Eliana's beaus, Diego. Isn't he cute!? He was baptized this weekend and this pic was taken at the reception. I wish I would have gotten a good picture of him in his christening outfit..... a baby in a white bow-tie is both ridiculous and adorable!

I tried to get a good pic of Eliana playing at the party, but they all either look like this, or are a blur as she and some other little ones stagger by.

So, that's it. We've been partying for days, no time to blog.

Today I am grateful for comfy fleece pants. That's what Eliana wore all day today because she has a cold. I figured they'd make me feel better if I was sick, surely they'll work on a baby, right?

Christmas Parade

Last Friday Jenny, Eliana and Katie went to the Wheeling Christmas parade. I had to work. Here is a short clip.


I am thankful for Katie (E's God Mother) for shooting this video. It was nice to see Eliana enjoying her first Christmas parade. Thanks Katie!

National Adoption Awareness Day

is today!
There's a lot to be aware of.
I have a complicated essay swirling around in my brain, but it can't make it's way around the headache and onto the keyboard tonight.
I'll just be saying a special prayer (even more extra special than usual) for all of the people involved in adoption... prayers for strength, courage, comfort, wisdom and peace.





This is us at the Christmas Parade! Eliana is in many layers of clothes as it was COLD outside last night!
Eliana was quite serious for the first half of the parade. Then all of a sudden she started shakin' it to the music and she barely stopped moving for the second half of the show. There's video... it needs some editing before I can share it. We had a fun time but missed Matt, who had to work. That stinkin' job always gets in the way. Anyway, I think that makes it kind of official - Christmas is on its way!


*Edited to add:
I forgot to post my something I'm grateful for today!
Cold water

What a day!

We've had a lot of excitement around here today!

My sweet husband discovered a plumbing disaster today that required a lot of disgusting work on his part. I had to rent a sewer snake (yuk) and he did all of the dirty work.Ok, this does not convey the grossness he had to work in (lucky for you) but it's the only action shot I got.
Pat was a big help. Not just with the plumbing, but he babysat today, too, while I worked and Matt ripped out part of the ceiling in the garage. We are so happy that Uncle Pat moved back home! Not just so he can help us out (though that's pretty nice, too) but because Eliana is really loving having him around. She is really comfortable with him and today even fell asleep in his arms. How sweet! Wish I had a pic of that.....

I love this picture of Matt! Let's just say that Matt's not normally comfortable in the handyman role, but he did a great job today! Doesn't he look kind of cocky and proud of himself? I love it.
(He'll kill me when he sees the pictures I've posted)

In the midst of this craziness the Sarris' folks came to deliver more candy!!! I was really looking forward to them coming, as I wasn't home the last time they came. The thrill of the candy truck at my house was great - until they pulled up and it was a rental Budget truck. What?! hopes.... dreams.... dashed...
But, I quickly recovered from my disappointment as we unloaded this into my house:

accompanied by this:


This is a FREE, GIANT bag of chocolate covered pretzels... not to sell but for us to eat! yahoo!
I took it upstairs to weigh it: it's almost 6 pounds of pretzels!!!!

Look at that goodness... Oh, Michelle, if only you hadn't moved to Nashville you could be helping me clean out this bag...... yummmmm

Candy bar sales continue - we're planning to sell through Christmas.
Longaberger raffle ticket sales continue - you can order tickets online or directly from us up until November 30th.
Tastefully Simple sales continue - Mom is having another party tomorrow night for us. You can order directly off of the TS website through the end of this month. If you enter her consultant code (see the post from last week titled Tastefully Simple for details... I don't know how to do the fancy embedded text stuff) we'll get credit for your purchase.
Big thanks again to all of the friends and family who have helped us with all of these fund raisers. We just can't say often enough how much your help means to us!

And, the cute baby pics you've really come to see:

Look at my beautiful family!

Today I am thankful for my husband's sweet disposition. Look at his face in those pictures! I might have been physically ill doing that job, but he was as jolly as could be and didn't complain a bit. Thanks Matt!!


And - thanks to Katieriffic who brought us a microwave this week! Hooray!!!

Husband awake, thought he better throw something together, here it is...





music by one of the greatest rock n roll bands ever, Los Lobos

I said I'd be back

with pictures......
My day? Busy.
Visited some family....
Ran some errands.....
Did some shopping.....
Came home......
Made up my 'wish list' on amazon.....
watched my husband as he collapsed, asleep, on the couch.

And so, no pictures for you.

Offering my apologies and sincere intentions to return tomorrow,

Jenny

PS Today I am thankful for hooded sweatshirts

Thanks giving

I had good intentions of sharing some SUPER cute Eliana pictures today, but I can't figure out how to upload them. Be patient... I'll be back tomorrow to share.
If you bother to keep reading after that disappointment, I'll tell you about the rest of our week.
I already told you the TS party was a lot of fun. What I didn't tell you was that our microwave died about 1 hour before the party. Who knew we could get by without one? I think I might try to hold out and not get one until Christmas. Did you know that everything (except microwave popcorn) that you make in the micro can also be made on the stove or in the oven? It's amazing!
Wednesday my sweet husband got sick. He actually felt bad Tuesday but he sucked it up and was a huge help in getting ready for the party. Then Wed and Thurs he really felt awful. Today was a little better, but still crummy for him. Poor Matt. He's snuggled up on the couch right now. Sure, I'd love to take a pic of his pathetic form cuddled up in a blanket and share it with you, but, again, how do I upload these pics?
Yesterday our car, the one that we run the heck out of (at least 500 miles per week), overheated on me and I had to have it towed to the fix-it guys. I was really nervous that it was going to be something serious. All signs indicated something serious. I was freaking out: do we fix it? do we buy a new vehicle? we can't afford a new vehicle now, we need a new something in about 6 months, etc, etc. Anyway, the good news today was that the cap on the coolant tank wasn't fitting right which allowed all of the coolant to boil out. That's it! A faulty cap! Cheap and easy fix! Now, about the new vehicle we need - any recommendations on something (that isn't an SUV or a large van) that can potentially fit 3 car seats as well as all the junk you haul around with 3 kids?
In making a better effort to appreciate all of the wonderful things in my life and to acknowledge my thankfulness for my spoiled-ness, I've decided to end each post with a something that I am grateful for. November, as the month of Thanksgiving, is a good time to start this, but I should be doing it every day, constantly, forever. So this is just a start. And to limit myself to 1/post will be tough. I have a lot to be thankful for!
Tonight I have to give thanks for being allowed to parent such a sweet, beautiful, wonderful girl: Eliana (wouldn't a picture be perfect right now?) Every day I am totally blown away with how amazing it is to watch her grow and learn. I am more consumed each day by my love for this sweet babe. There is nothing more precious than the feel of her arms in a hug, the look on her face when I walk in the room and the love in her eyes when we laugh together. Thanks God for choosing me to mother this perfect child.

Tastefully Simple

Have you all heard of this? Is it everywhere?
It's like Avon or Tupperware, in that you have a consultant who can do parties or you can just call up and order stuff. The thing is, it's all food! And good food. And it's all really easy to make!
The best part? My mom is a consultant. That means I get to try all of the goodies and am a little spoiled by the samples she slides my way.
Tonight we had a Tastefully Simple party here at my house. Mom has offered to do several parties for us this month and is donating what would have been her profits to our adoption fund. Also, any book parties or internet sales that we generate she will donate to us. How generous is that? She is the greatest.
Anyway, our party tonight was a lot of fun! We had some friends and family come and it was just a nice time. We really just sat around and ate and caught up on what's happening in everyone's lives. It was great.
We have another party next week at Mom's house with some other friends and family. I can't wait!
This is the perfect time (I think) for this stuff. With the holidays coming, it is great to have some easy-to-make stuff on hand to whip up to take to parties or have available for guests that drop by. These products can make great gifts, too. I am on a kick right now where I feel like we have too much 'stuff.' The idea of giving gifts that people can use and enjoy (but not clutter up their house) is really appealing to me.
If you're interested, you can purchase some Tastefully Simple products, too! Go to the Tastefully Simple website and check out their products. When you order, put in my mom's consultant ID number - 0032210 and we will get credit for the sale! There's no where on the site to say that it's for a fund-raiser, but Mom knows that all internet sales will be from us this month. So, check it out! Whatever you order will be shipped directly to you. If you have any questions about any of the products, email me! I'd be happy to share what I like and how I use these products.
I know there's a lot going on this month and next. With the holidays coming everyone is counting pennies (me too!) and there are a lot of other worthy sales, raffles and fund-raisers going on. If this is your kind of thing (easy, tasty food) then hopefully you can use this purchase as a way to fulfill some of your needs for the holiday season. If it's not for you, no problem! We just thought we'd let you in on our latest!
Eliana was wonderful through the party. Her little buddy Joseph came over and they played while we ate! She was so tired that she went to bed before the party even broke up. Unfortunately, I was helping out here and there and didn't get the camera out for any pics tonight. Here's one from a few days ago to tide you over til the next post:

I love these shots from above. Please ignore the shadow of my finger in the corner. I'm such a great photographer!

November!

Holy cow! How did it get to be November already?!?!
November is a busy month for us.
Fund-raising is still going strong:
Sarris candy bars have been a big hit. I get to place another order on Monday and I'm going to have them deliver this bunch. Oh! the joy of the candy truck coming right to my house! *sigh*
The Longaberger Basket Raffle is in full swing, now. We have the tickets and have been distributing to friends and family who are (THANK YOU!) assisting us with the sale. If you haven't gotten your ticket yet you can make an online purchase by clicking the link on the top right of this page (Smith Family Adoption Mission) or send me an email.
We are also starting a Tastefully Simple project this month. My mom is a consultant for Tastefully Simple and has graciously offered to donate her profits this month to our adoption fund. We are having a couple of parties and I'm going to set up an online ordering system, too, if anyone is interested. It's tasty good stuff and would be perfect to have on hand for the holidays or for gift-giving. I'll let you know more about that later this week.
In addition to all of this fun stuff I've been trying to get motivated to start Christmas shopping. I know, Halloween is barely over. I, myself, don't love it that all of the stores are already fully decked out in Christmas stuff. BUT, I do like to start shopping early. Earlier than this, really, but it just didn't happen. December gets so busy with fun holiday stuff that I have a dream in which I am done with the hectic stuff before St Nicholas Day. It's good to dream, right? It's never actually happened, though.
Adoption-wise... no news. Still waiting for the 171. In the meantime I've been reading as much as I can on older child adoption, transracial adoption, Ethiopian culture... there's so much good information out there! I'm just trying to wade my way through it all. And think about where our kids will go to school. And what will I do for childcare 1 day/ week when our kids total 3? And how should I re-do the back bedroom? And And And........ There's no lack for things to do around here.
How can I get much of anything done when I just want to play with this cute girl all day?






Eliana had fun shopping today. We saw lots of babies (babies), babies (stuffed animals) and babies (real animals). Her vocab is up to 3 words: baby (and its many meanings), bye-bye and Dada. She also consistently shakes her head for 'no' and stares intently at you for 'yes.' She's a genius!

Happy holidays!

Our little monkey!

Look at these sweet faces! I am the luckiest Mama monkey!

Ok, this isn't the best picture... but you can kind of see our outfits. We were a monkey family! Matt and I (of course) already had monkey outifts (full sized, including hands dragging the floor) so we bought one for E to wear for Halloween, too. Now that we're parents we had to fix ours up a bit. I added an apron and necklace to mom - up my outfit and Matt added a jacket and tie to make himself the dad monkey. We had a great time!

Monkey on the go!


On the night before we carved our pumpkin. It was so much fun! Matt did the carving while Eliana played in the pumpkin guts. I spent all evening laughing my pants off because E was having such a great time making a mess. As you look at these pictures you can note the progression of yuk on my kitchen floor and my daughter.

She's too busy to look at the pumpkin. Isn't that a good lookin' jack o'lantern? Matt did a great job. he loves Halloween!

Today we celebrated Dia de los Muertos. I had 1/2 day off work and we spent all the rest of the day together. We had a nice time, went to mass, did a few little celebratory type things and got some good ideas (and decorations!) for next year.

Candy bar sales are still going strong...
Longaberger basket raffle tickets will be for sale all this month...
No other news... waiting patiently.....