Summer Fun

Playing in the sprinkler.

Playing ball... daddy finally got a turn to bat.
This would be really cute if the port-a-potty down the street wasn't in the background. :)
The kids are fascinated with grasshoppers right now. Every time we're outside they're chasing them down. They have 2 bug boxes so they feel the need to have them full all the time... YUCK!

He didn't get hurt... the grasshopper jumped at his face. He said, "I told you to get on my HAND, not my HEAD grasshopper!"

Notice Hot Stuff is missing his pants... well we've been attempting this whole potty training thing. FYI... it sucks! Hudson is an occasional pottier, but he is so busy playing and running around to stop and use the potty every time. So at this point we're willing to pay big bucks for someone to come potty train him. We'll even pay extra for you to train Hadley too. :)

Centerton Days

We had a busy Saturday. We went to the Farmer's Market and got some veggies, home for lunch and then we went Centerton Days. It's a really small town, but they do a fire muster, a parade, a marathon, bouncy houses, AR Game and Fish had fish tanks set up and they have food and entertainment. It was hot, but we had fun while we were there. After Centerton Days we went home and the kids swam in kiddie pool (naked) and we finally got some much needed rain. Then, Hunter made us the BEST dinner ever. We had steak and veggies and corn on the cob from the Farmer's Market. Here are some pictures from our busy Saturday. Watching the Centerton firefighters.
I'm sure Hunter is critiquing them... :)Playing on the tire swing. I don't think Hudson was wanting to share.

Ella Hadley is all smiles.

Hudson and Daddy

Gentry Safari

Our our way to the Gentry Safari.

I'm not going to lie... I'm a little jealous that she gets to ride in the stroller. :)
He's telling Haddie, "The rooster likes me!!!"

"I love you donkeys!"
On a mission to find every animal in this joint.

Look how big he is! I sure did almost shed some tears when I saw him opening the gate. I just can't get over how fast time flies... so I whipped out my camera to take a picture of my "big" little man.

Feeding the goats.

I'm telling the kids to hurry up and smile because the goat is too close to mommy.

I really do like animals and the outdoors, but in moderation. :)

Ah... we lost the goat!

The boys made friends with a momma kangaroo. Can you see her baby's leg sticking out of her pouch?

Can you hear me screaming, "Don't touch!"?

Please notice the bird poop on Hunter's shoulder. Ha! He told me not to take this picture and then after I did he told me not to put it on Facebook... he never said don't put it on the blog. :)

My wild boys had to touch everything. Hadley and I just like to look.

Hadley and Daddy

Hunter and the kids in the 106 degree heat. We were only outside for about 30 minutes and then we went on the drive through safari.

Hunter and his zebra friend.

Um... you're a little too close to me camel.

Um... now you're too close to Hadley camel. Back it up before she starts screaming!

Home sweet home! They melt my heart! Notice in the beginning of summer everyone has on cute swimsuits and now we swim in swim diapers. The kids even went skinny dipping the other day. It's so much easier. :)

Summer... what summer?

Okay seriously... where did summer go? I just got out of school and now I'm going back! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I love my job and I am so grateful for my school, my team and all of my kiddos, but I LOVE summer, I LOVE hanging out with my babies and I LOVE getting paid while I relax.

I kept thinking I would blog once a week this summer, but clearly that didn't happen. We've been so busy having fun and staying busy. We've gone to lake with my family several times, played at the splash pad, gone to the pool, swam in our kiddie pool, played in the sprinkler, gone to the Gentry Safari, gone to ton's of Uncle Kord's baseball games, played on our new swing set, gone on lots of walks, visited the farmer's market, gone to Bass Pro, attempted to potty train Hudson and done about a thousand other things.

Plus the kids got a new cousin! Maddox arrived on June 25th. Of course my sister in law, Morgan, had a great delivery... unlike both of mine. Not fair Morgan! :)

I head back to work on Monday so I thought I better post all of our pictures from our short but really fun summer.

Lots of Random Pictures

Here is a little bit of what we've been doing the past few months. More pictures to come...

The pitch is good...

...the hit is PERFECT!

The kids were trying to help daddy up. Hudson left a good welt on dad's stomach. I promised Hunter I wouldn't share that picture. ;) Hudson is an awesome little batter for a 2 year old. This is how we spend most of our days and evenings... pitching to Hudson. We're a little worried about t-ball in a few years. He HATES using the tee.

Riding bikes with daddy.

For those of you that don't know Hadley too well, she is a momma's girl and this is what I look at 95% of the day. She says, "Upppy Momma! Peez!" How can I say no to that precious face? Notice the bow on the ground... If she has to ask "up" more than 3 times the bow gets ripped off and thrown on the ground. She's a little dramatic to say the least.

My uncle's toy invention... the Beamo. New Beamo spokes models?

Hudson and Grandma Kathy drawing with chalk.

I said... NO PICTURES MOM!

This is as "outdoorsy" as she gets in her jelly shoes and bow. :)

This was one morning before school. We had the worst rain this year. We literally wore our raincoats and boots for 2 weeks.

The kids opening their Easter baskets with daddy and mommy.

I couldn't get a single picture of Hudson's face. He is serious about his egg hunting.

Mommy and Hadley

Hudson riding his tricycle.

Hadley showing off her load of eggs. My mom went crazy with eggs because she knew how much Hudson and Hadley liked to find things. Hudson had 2 baskets full!

Me and my 2 favorite sisters Kapra and Kody.

Hadley, Mommy and "the bow"

The best picture the 3 of us could get on Easter. I'm smiling... :)

This was on one of my dad's "come and fix things at Kali's house" trips. He wasn't even doing anything in this picture. My kids are totally in love with their Pops/Poppy. All he has to do is look at them and smile and they're putty in his hands. This went on for a good hour... him smiling and the 2 of them cracking up and loving on him. :)

Feeding the fish with his aunties.

My little brother Kord is a high school graduate! I'm so proud of you Kord!

Kord and all of his fans at graduation. :)

Yes Day

Alright... so the last time I posted there was snow on the ground! So I'm just going to skip the part about me telling you how busy I am because it's more than obvious. I have missed posting months of memories and pictures. :( I blame it on school... and the snow... and the snow keeping me in school until the middle of June. Grrr...

So fast forward through St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Spring Break, Mother's Day, my cousin Anna's graduations, my brother's Graduation, trips to the lake, hosting my sister in laws baby shower and countless Hudson injuries and Hadley fashion shows... (pictures to come).

My summer officially started this weekend. The kids and I spent Father's Day with my dad/Pops and my family while Hunter was working (and cleaning our garage:). We got to soak up some sun while watching my little brother/Uncle Kord play Legion baseball. We also got to spend Saturday out on the lake. Unless you have been with my family to the lake, you "really haven't been to the lake". Picture a pontoon boat, jet ski, 3 coolers, enough food to feed a small army, a kiddie pool (yes a blue kiddie pool), diaper bag, water toys, 2 toddlers in life jackets and 2 aunts, an uncle, Goody and Pops, and even my sister's boyfriend waiting on the kids hand and foot. Fun times!

Well after getting sunburnt, Hudson breaking an antique glass jar, 3 baseball games and my dad losing his brand new Father's Day sunglasses in the lake it was time to come home. Happy Father's Day Dad and Hunter! You are the 2 best dads I know!

I was re-inspired to start blogging again after reading a blog today about a sweet little baby named Miller who lives in our area. This family's story is inspiring and humbling and has given me a new appreciation for LIFE. After an exhausting morning of swimming and while the kids were napping today I caught up on baby Miller's story and I'm not sure I have ever cried so much in my life. I literally had to pull myself away from his story because I was a sobbing mess. I went to lay with my sweet babies while they napped. My little ones both woke up around the same time and Hudson asked why I was crying and I told him that is was because I loved him and Hadley so much. He says to me, "You love me too much? Those are happy tears?"

He is so right... I love them TOO much. :) The rest of the day turned into a "Yes Day". Yes to swimming again, yes to playing on the swing set, yes to snack time outside, yes to swimming/taking a bath in the big tub, yes to playing baseball, yes to standing while eating and even yes to Hudson very skillfully tossing his food over his head and catching it in his mouth... (seriously this kid's hand eye coordination is unreal).

My kids are my world and I would be lost without either of them. I thank God everyday for my two amazing gifts! I'm not a scrapbooker and I'm not even very good about home videos. Don't get me wrong... I try, but like everyone else I'm busy... not just busy, but busy taking care of and providing for my family. I'm hoping that someday my kids will read my words or see the thousands of pictures and remember all of our fun times and hopefully they'll get a tiny glimpse at how much I love them.

So thank you baby Miller and family for reminding me how much we need to love each other every day and live life to the fullest. I think tomorrow will be another "Yes Day" at the Smith house. :)