Spring Break 2009

We spent spring break in Okaloosa Island, FL this year. It was a beautiful beach! The condo we rented was right off the water and you could hear the ocean waves as you fell asleep at night! Kendall had sooo much fun digging through the sand and even met another little girl to play with. I literally sat on the beach for 3 days and didn't move - it was great. Can't wait till next year!

I'm FIVE!

Kendall turned 5 on April 3rd - totally crazy - it feels like I just brought her home from the hospital. I remember the day clearly. I attempted to play a trick on my aunt by pretending to be in labor when my mom and I picked her up from work on April 2, 2004. Well, the joke was inevitably on me because about an hour after I revealed my prank I began to have REAL contractions. Fast forward 20 hours later and Kendall Grace Smith introduced herself to the world! She was absolutely beautiful (I'm not biased at all) and had big gray eyes. I remember being disappointed by how very little hair she had - I thought all the heartburn I had would amount to a huge mop of hair on her head - old wives tale for sure! And she was so wiggly in my arms so I nicknamed her 'noodle' which I still call her sometimes and she'll say "Why do you call me noodle?" Kendall loves for me to tell her about the day she was born and I love telling the story to her. I can't believe 5 years have passed already.

Kendall, Madison & Gabe

For Kendall's birthday we went to Benny's Bear Factory where Kendall and her friends built bears and 'adopted' them.

The M&M cake was Kendall's idea!

Work It Girl!

Kendall made a dress out of a TJ Maxx Bag

Project Runway Here We Come!

Where is the time going? It seems like the older I get, the quicker time keeps passing by. Kendall is going to be 5 in April - yes, FIVE! What?!? I can't believe how quickly she is growing up. And she is everything I knew she would be when, at 7 months pregnant, I changed her name from Shelby to Kendall. Somehow I knew there was a firecracker in my belly and Shelby was just not going to cut it. Kendall is a mix of sweet, spunky and diva, and I'm pretty sure, that eventually, she will break a lot of hearts. I must admit that I've enjoyed her getting older. I'm not so great with babies and toddlers, so I feel like the next few years will be my best mom years. I'm looking forward to mani/pedis, late night girl talk and shopping for prom dresses.

Life is pretty calm these days. Kendall has settled into her new school really well. We're still on the house hunt. This quarter of school STINKS for me. I'm about to fail economics - no wonder our economy is in a mess, you can't understand this stuff at all! I am enjoying my visual merchandising class, which is making me want to possibly pursue a career in that, but we'll see. I change my mind about what I want to be when I grow up every other day.

I guess that about sums up the first two months of 2009!

Kendall posing at the bowling alley (I think she knows how cute she is)

St. Louis 2009

Kendall and I spent the New Year in The Gateway to the West visiting family. We landed last Thursday and went straight to Big Daddy's house aka my dad. Over the next two days we went to the best children's museum ever, the Arch and the science center. And we went to this really yummy pizzeria where you could watch them toss the pizza in the air. And their Greek dressing was this red, spicy, tangy dressing - very good. OK, so anyway. We rounded out the weekend at my uncle's house, where Kendall's 14 year old cousin taught her a new handshake and where she spent lots of time with their adorable rabbit. Of course, now she wants a rabbit. I'm actually considering it since it doesn't have to be walked. 2009 is going great so far. Back to school tomorrow, and back to work on Thursday = back to my chaotic life!

630 Feet Up!!

me and my daddy!

Kendall inside the Arch

Outside the Arch

Kendall and my dad on a musical chair at the Children's Museam

Kendall & her cousin Rell

How to Make a Turkey

according to Kendall...

Thanksgiving

This year Thanksgiving was pretty low key. My mom cooked almost everything and Kendall had an absolute blast "helping" her with the turkey. Kendall really does have a love for cooking - I wonder if she'll get a show on the Food Network one day?

Kendall's class hosted Thanksgiving lunch for the parents. They dressed up in little american indian costumes and sang songs. Afterward, we all ate lunch together. Kendall and her friends are a riot. They think everything is funny. I didn't get a picture, but at one point they all put their rolls on the forks and laughed hysterically about it. I'm still not sure what was so funny, but their laughter is infectious so I laughed too. Now we're gearing up for Christmas! This year has gone by rapid fast and I cannot believe I will have a FIVE year old in April. Time is going by way too fast.

Halloween 2008

Kendall wanted to be Tigger, and then she wanted to be Super Girl, and then she decided to be a turtle! And what a cute little turtle she made! We started the festivities with Harvest Day at her school on Friday afternoon. The kids did a parade around the parking lot in all their costumes. And then Friday night we went to my friend McKenzie's house to trick or treat with her daughter Kalista and about 7 other neighborhood kids! We walked for hours (it seems) and collected lots and lots of goodies. Kendall got a full size Hershey bar! I'm a Reese's/Milk Duds person myself, and we got lots of those too. Next week will be Kendall's last week of tennis. She has had so much fun playing that I think we'll sign up for spring. Now I just have to find a winter activity for her. Its been so great having a 30 minute activity every week that requires nothing for me to do!