Remember Grandma's Dishes?

Well they are now at my house! Earlier this year I decided that my kitchen needed a new touch. I went with a yellow and blue theme. I remembered Grandma's old dishes and knew that they were in mom and dad's attic. So in June I asked Grandma McCoy if I could have them. She said yes, but I would have to wait until my birthday....October 1st! So finally over halloween weekend mom finally got them down from the attic for me and we brought them home. They sat in my garage for a couple of weeks until I had time today to unpack and wash them. There were a whole lot more than I remembered. Now they have a few cracks and chips, but I imagine that I made a few of them...you probably did too if you were in the McCoy/Smith family and ate at Grandma and Grandpa McCoys farm.

This is my favorite scene.....Four little children playing on the gate.

If you will notice there are about 30 small pie plates or saucers. I can have most of my family over for pie, but it will be a small piece because I only have one pie pan.

I feel that I now have a piece of my family history in my kitchen....See these plates were not only Grandma McCoys, but they were first my Grandma Joe's! Grandma Joe gave them to Mom and Dad when they were newlyweds and them later on Mom gave them to Grandma McCoy who grew the collection. But if you ask Grandma McCoy where she got them...she will tell you a story about how she found them at a flea market. They were in a corner in an old box wrapped up in dirty newspaper. She asked the owner how much he wanted for them and he said.."Aw, 2 dollars?" and Grandma quickly replied "Sold buddy!"

So whatever the story they are now a part of my little family story. Hopefully one day we can have a large family dinner and pull them out and enjoy eating and uncovering the Currier and Ives scene.

The Count Down is on...

To hunting season that is. When September rolls around in our household, the boys get all excited for one reason.....Bow Season opening day is October 1st. It is a very exciting time in the Seniour Household. The hunting clothes are being washed in no sent detergent. We are making weekly trips to Rual King....just to look around. The boys have been out scouting their three new hunting properties and putting up tree stands and placing reflectors to guide their way to such tree stand when it is completely dark at 5 am. And of course there have been countless hours of target shooting. But let us not forget the lovely mix of aromas in the basement of new dirt and doe urine.

But this year is especially exciting....Levi will actually get to hunt!!! In years past he has gone out and watched dad, but now he is old enough to get a license himself and carry a weapon. Now don't get yourself all up in arms, we do not have our little one out there with a shotgun running through the forest. (although I would allow it with supervision and a firearms safety class)

This past Labor Day, the boys gathered in Papaw and Grandma Seniour's backyard to do a little shootin. They would take turns...Uncle Nick would take three shots...Dad would take three shots.....Then Levi would take three shots....(just like the men)Then you must inspect the target....Levi's arrows are black and white....notice the one in the dirt to the left, but most of them he made it in the target with the deer profile on it. And finally you pull out your arrows and start all over again. This goes on for hours shooting at different yardage away.

Good times.
Levi, "When are we going to get to go deer huntin dad?"
Dad, "Soon little buddy soon!"

The excitment is in the air.

Let the School Days Begin!!!

Our summer is finally over and school has officially started. Levi is now an official 3rd grader and loves his teacher Mrs. Bless. The night before school started, when I was putting him to bed, we were just talking and he looked at me very seriously and said, "Pray mom pray!" So together we prayed and then came us with the conclusion that it would be a blessing to have a teacher named Mrs. Bless. God did not fail us and heard our prayers Mrs Bless is wonderful....so far. Levi is loving school.
Levi has came home the past two days super happy and ready to go back.

Millie on the other hand......On Monday, Levi's first day back was a teacher work day at CMO therefore she got to play with employee kiddos which is always fun and a different setting than usual. Millie always loves these days.

On Tuesday when Millie was to officially start the Purple Room with Miss Debbie and Miss Erin she was not so happy and informed me that she was going to the Orange Room with her beloved Miss "Hairoline." Here she is all hunched over and a little nervous, not wanting to go into CMO.
Once inside she puts her lunch in the Purple Room tote and goes to the big room, not letting go of my hand.

When the time came for the Purple Room to leave Millie plopped herself down and begged not to go. Miss Erin had to come and get her and cart a crying Millie off the other kiddos.

But when the day was over Millie found that the Purple Room is super fun and Miss Debbie and Miss Erin are just as cool as Miss Caroline. All night she has been singing "Im in the Lords Army" a purple room favorite.

As for me I have been working for the past two weeks to get my room in order and get my planning done for the Yellow Room. It all paid off today when the kiddos finally came. It was a fabulous day with very little hitches. The little ones are super sweet and behaved as if they have always been in the yellow room. It is going to be a great year!!!

Summer Fun!!!

Wow it has been a while since I have updated my blog, but to my defence we have had a very busy summer and there has not been a whole lot of spare time for me. First off I got this hair brained idea that I wanted to paint and redo my kitchen. The money had to come from somewhere so I decided to have a rummage sale. With the procedes from the sale I ran off to Lowes and Menards to pick out my paint. I thought it would be a simple job, but 4 coats on the walls and 5 coats on the cabinets and a month later I am finished with the painting. I still need to do the backsplash tile work, replace the sink and faucet, and get new curtains. But I love the results. Now you may ask yourself why there are all of those clothes on the table? It is not because I haven't put my laundry away this week, but it is due to the fact that we are leaving tomorrow for two weeks of youth camp and there are clothes, baskets, suitcases....all over right now.

Now you may ask yourself why did it take me a month to complete the painting of my kitchen and it is still not finished. The answer to that is simple. I like to run and don't stay home.

Our first advedture was Levi's camp. I forgot my camera most of the time, but here are a few snapshots. Here is Levi waiting to be dismissed on the back row of the camper section in the tabernacle. For all of you Indiana campground campers I am sure you can remember the anticipation of the banner being put up to dismiss the campers from church. This was Levi's post every night. I am sure he prayed at least once during the week. :)

Miss Millie loved the week staying in Aunt Chris's little house at the campground. She is super excited about the next few weeks at camp...she is even helping me pack. Which really means she is randomly placing items throughout our suitcases and such. Today I found Elmo panties and a few pairs of socks in with my bathroom items. When I tried to put them up she adamently told me NO!!!

After camp I tried to paint a little more but mom called one morning and said she was off Jury duty so lets go to St. Louis!! So off we went to the big city to visit with Aunt Sara, Uncle David, Judah, and Gideon.

While there we went to the City Museum!!!

Now just imagine an old warehouse filled with metal tunnels, slides, ramps, giant pencils, a train engineered by a midget, a huge whale, caves, water, and a huge 10 story slide, all surrounded by hand laid tile, and you have yourself the City Museum in St. Louis. Yes that is a bus and a ferris wheel on top of the building. The boys, Levi and Judah, would go in one hole and crawl through to randomly placed exits, the tunnels even went outside the building in some places. Yep they even have a bug exhibit.The little ones, enjoyed the many slides and ramps. The Sumo man has nothing on our little Gideon. :) "Grrr show me what you got"All of this tile on the floor has been laid by hand and is still a work in progress.

I highly recommend you make time to visit this crazy wonderful place when in St. Louis!

When we got home from St. Louis I finished painting, but got no further due to the McCoy Family Reunion (see future blogs) and a visit from our Florida cousins Mariah and Josiah. They left yesterday and we are leaving tomorrow for camp. But it is all summer fun!!!

The First Swim...

Again this was a couple of weeks ago, well actually about a month ago.

I was out working on the pool and the kiddos were begging me to get in, so I let them. I think it was a little cold what do you think?

Thank You Captain Tillion

I know that this is a week or so late, but not much spare time around here lately. I still wanted to post it though...

I just want to say thank you to Captain Dan Tillion. Capt. Dan as we call him is the crossing guard at Levi's school. Every morning and every afternoon Capt. Dan is there to safely get the walkers across the street. Many years ago he was fighting and protecting our country and today he is protecting my baby and other children.

As Memorial Day approached Capt. Dan wore his uniform and I just felt compelled to say Thank You. He kindly allowed me to take a picture and gave his permission to put on the blog. How many veterans are out there that we don't know about.

Thank you to all who have served, are serving, and going to serve. "They do it for you," (as the sign on my dad's door now says.)

Easter

I just want to clarify and make it known, that yes I am indeed the mother who must coordinate everyone with their attire. I know it is a little corny, but look how nice everyone lookes. And yes I know my children are gorgeous!The coordination does not stop with the kiddos, yes Scott and I get in on the action too. Easter was great this year. A church full of people, a huge egg hunt (thank you Kit for the leftover eggs from CMO), a yummy family dinner, and a beautiful holy ghost filled service in the pm.

Super Reader

With all of the videos popping up on the blogs lately I felt that I too needed to post one. The other day I was cooking dinner when Millie came running in with her clothes off and stated, "Ta Da, I am super reader!" I tied her blanket aka "ki" around her and grabbed the camera.

60 plus 2

A tribute to my father and Pap, Larry J. Smith on your 62nd birthday.

60 reasons we love our Pap

1. unquestionable love
2. supporting your family
3. taking time for the kiddos
4. being Bro. Larry to the bus kids
5. singing to me on my birthday
6. providing our computer needs
7. writing on your golf bag
8. because you really really, really like the word really
9. Harley rides
10. park trips
11. rides in the green truck through the grave yard
12. love for pool....
13. love for golf....
14. love for your Harley
15. owning the big gray house
16. still giving your kids a home to come home to
17. your guns on the wall
18. your 100+ Harley jackets lining the basement wall
19. late night candy runs
20. being Brother Mustach
21. suprise visits
22. always giving your all
23. the fish shirt
24. your gift giving
25. your gift wrapping
26. the notes with the gifts
27. your boot collection
28. your office (and all of your "Stuff")
29. ebay love
30. taking care of Grandma when Mom is gone
31. dry sense of humor
32. your haircut
33. the silent treatment to the boys
34. the honey bunny phone call
35. writings on the wall
36. sense of style
37. letting me drive the golf cart
38. sunday afternoon visits to Grandma and Grandpa Jo's house
39. matching cars
40. loving all of the babysitting kiddos
41. listening to randy travis
42. political outlook
43. your stretching and exercise
44. being on Lou Dobbs
45. Being Uncle Larry
46. being married for 32 years.
47. being a marine
48. playing drill seargent
49. your garage
50. your presence when I was younger
51. being sentimental
52. being the best dad a girl could have
53. being Levi's Pap
54. being Judah's Pap
55. being Millie's Pap
56. being Gideon's Pap
57. being Anna's Pap
58. being Baby Smith's Pap
59. having enough love for us all
60. just being our Pap

As I watch my children grow there are two traits that I have noticed that have certainly been passed down from my father.

1. the Pap look (eyebrow furrow)
2. Pap speed (slow)

We love you Pap and wish you the best birthday ever!
A happy birthday to you
A happy birthday to you
may you find Jesus near
everyday of the year
A happy birthday to you
A happy birthday to you
and the best year that you have ever had!

Snow Days

This winter we have been plagued with 'snow days.' I usually enjoy the occasional day off, but I am totally over them by now. Today was our sixth yes sixth snow day so far this winter. We will be going to school way into June.

As you can see we are getting pounded with the snow. This was around 12:30 and it didn't stop snowing until around 11 pm. We got somewhere between 10 and 12 inches that was on top of what was already on the ground. Oh joy.

You cant even see the bench today. It is totally covered with snow.

Levi and I have been passing the time playing games(we played about 15 rounds of UNO this morning) while Millie entertains herself with her toys.

Here she is cooking with the pasta that I gave her.

Please let us go back to school tomorrow!

Super Bowl Party

In honor of the Colts being in the Super Bowl this year we decided to have a little gathering at our house to watch the game. I don't know how much game watching went on, but it was on the whole time. Levi made banners for everyone to hold up when we scored a touchdown....we only got to do this once. :( Seeing that the Colts didn't play very well. Millie really didn't care about the game, but she enjoyed having Baby Hunter over. She wanted to hold him most of the time, even though he is almost as big as she is. Hunter didn't care though he just let her do whatever. The game turned out to be to much and to long for Mr. Hunter to handle...he crased during half time.
Even though the game didn't turn out how we wanted it to. We still had a great time with our family and great friends.