I’d like to introduce you to La Bella Baskets.  With a large variety of gift combinations, you can find the right gift for just about anybody on any occasion. In addition to providing thoughtful gift ideas, La Bella Baskets also donates a portion of their proceeds to help single mothers in need through a program called Basket of Hope.

I’m always on the lookout for something like this, in order to make a little money on the side to pay down our debt and save for the girls’ college.  So when I found La Bella Baskets, and I read about their efforts to help women in need, I became a licensed retailer of these charming, unique gift baskets.

So, just take a few minutes to check out my website; to see what I have to offer.  From Mother’s and Father’s Day to Graduation or Teacher gifts at the end of the school year, there are some great options.

Please keep me in mind for the coming holidays, and pass my site on to your friends and family.  Just copy and paste the following web address into an email or into your web browser to save it to your favorites!

http://www.labellabaskets.com/Qstore.cgi?AID=929

Thanks in advance for your business and support!

I know I promised pictures from Ella’s b-day party but I’m having some technical difficulties. Hopefully soon I’ll get them figured out. For now here are a few recent photos Adam has taken with his phone.

that pony tail makes her look way too old!

at the doctor’s office with daddy!

spaghetti night!

We got back into town Thursday evening. On Friday I had my first ultrasound. It definitely made it more real for me that we were actually going to be parents of not just one child but now two. The baby was moving like crazy, already complete opposite of Ella. Every time we had an ultrasound with Ella she would curl up in a little ball and sleep the whole time….stubborn from the start :).  My stomach is already growing and I’m already starting to put away some of my pants that no longer fit. I am amazed how much faster my stomach is growing this time.

Vacation was wonderful, it was nice to visit with my family and catch up with some old friends. A few highlights from the trip:

* going to an Indiana basketball game

*taking a ride in a four person airplane (thanks to my brothers girlfriends dad), which was a lot of fun

*eating at a few of my favorite restaurants in Bloomington

*going on a date with my husband for the first time in months - we ate at a Tibetan restaurant where they seated us at a private table and then saw the Benjamin Button movie, which I really enjoyed

*playing Rock Band with the family

The next month is going to be crazy. Community Groups are starting, and between Adam and I we have 3, Adam’s sister is coming to visit this week, Adam having lots of extra practices for the concert at church coming up, we’re beginning the financial peace class, my in-laws coming to live with us beginning the last week of January and we are trying to deal with some stuff with our house in GA that is a huge headache. Whew! That is a lot. I’m excited about it all and I’m trying to take it one day at a time.

It’s amazing that Christmas is already over. I can remember as a kid feeling like Christmas would take forever to get here, now it seems like it flies by year after year. So far we’ve had a great vacation in Indiana. It’s nice to be away and it’s nice for Ella and I to spend some much needed extra time with “daddy”. We’ve already done so much in the six days we’ve been here and we’re staying quite a bit longer.

Sunday(the coldest day ever) my brother graduated from college at Purdue. I am very proud of him and excited to see what his future brings him.  That evening we had a party for him so we got to see several family members and friends which was nice. It’s strange to think that my little brother is already done with college, like I said, life is flying by.

Monday we had our traditional “Smith/McGuire Stew” something our family has done for as long as I can remember. My families really good friends come over and my mom makes her famous stew, we sing Christmas carols, exchange gifts and have our annual catch phrase boy vs. girl competition. It’s always a lot of fun.

Tuesday was a relaxing day concluding with a delicious meal at Noodles and Company. Wednesday the festivities began again, dinner with my grandma, followed by Christmas eve service and then exchange of gifts with my grandma. Our good friends Kristen and Viktor came over after the service and hung out a little while too. It was nice catching up with good friends.

Wednesday we had a lazy morning, breakfast, opening gifts and just hanging out. It was fun that Ella could actually open gifts this year. The funny part about it was she loved to open the gifts but as soon as she would open it she wanted to put the gift back in the box, I guess it’s more fun to open than to get the gift. She was cute. Shortly after we headed down to southern Indiana to spend time with my mom’s side of the family, which is always fun because she has a huge family.  

Thursday and Friday have been lazy and busy both, spent time at the mall (see picture below of Ella sleeping on the clothes in Old Navy), a trip to the YMCA, out to dinner at an Afghan restaurant which was very delicious but very different and lunch at one of my favorite places, Chick fil et.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Over the past few months it’s become more and more difficult to control Ella and our dog Bailey when they are together. Here is one example, Ella wants Bailey to play with her so bad but her chasing him around with her stroller isn’t really his type of play so then he ends up snapping at her. He would rather just sit and have someone pet him or play rough with an adult…not Ella. So, lately we’ve been talking about getting rid of Bailey but taking no steps to do this. Honestly, I really don’t want to give him away. Deep down inside I love him. This past weekend I posted him on craiglist and Mariononline to see if I could get any takers. I specifically said in my ad that the family couldn’t have any children. I got several responses and tonight a lady from Waldo came to meet Bailey. After our visit she said she would like to have him as her dog. I can’t believe this is really happening. It’s the first dog I’ve ever had. My dad is allergic to dogs so growing up we were never able to have one. The lady is lives alone, has 2 boys (both of which are 11 or older and don’t live with her on a regular basis), lives out in the country, was looking for this specific breed of dog and is very sweet. I think she will provide Bailey a good home. She will be coming to get Bailey on Friday evening (as long as she doesn’t change her mind) and we will be left with no dog, just Adam, Gretchen, Ella and our new fish Ella got from a friend this weekend named Octavious.

I’m a little out of touch with blogging these days. I haven’t felt like writing nor do I have much to write about. Winter is coming and sometimes it puts me in a blah mood. I decided today I really need to work on my seasonal mood or else it could turn out to be quite a long winter. I’m thinking of learning how to play the guitar…again.  I actually started playing years back before we were even married but quit. It’s really too bad I didn’t continue because I could have been good by now. I actually started playing when our friend Nick started and a few months ago at revival he played in the band. I should have kept playing!!!

Ella is learning French from her daddy. Adam has dedicated Monday nights (while I’m at work) to speaking to her in complete french. I’m pretty excited about the possibility of her being able to speak two languages before she is in the 2nd grade. Adam said tonight she was answering some of his questions. It’s awesome how little minds work. Ella also started swim lessons at the YMCA last week, from what Adam told me she really enjoyed it. Now every time I take her to the YMCA she tells me she wants to go “mimming’ (swimming).

Sunday morning, my baby became a little girl as she trotted around in her pig tails. I know she has been a little girl for a while but all of a sudden she just seems older to me. I suddenly starting missing my baby Ella. Actually when we got home I said to her “let’s play baby”, which is when she pretends she is a baby and I hold her like I did the first year of her life. Only this time I didn’t say it because I thought she would think it was fun but because I wanted to hold my little girl like a baby. It’s amazing to me how fast she is growing and how fun it is watching her learning all of this new things.

The message at church Sunday was awesome. Pastor Riley talked about the economy and how if we put our security in money than we will be let down but if we put our security in God than we don’t ever have to worry about it. It was a sermon that I definitely needed to hear.

This past week has been eventful. Sunday we went to the trunk or treat event at my church and then Tuesday my in-laws arrived. We had an awesome week hanging out with them and Ella had a great time showing off for them. Grandma brought Ella a Minnie Mouse dress from Disneyland. Here are some photos from the week.

1. Tonight after dinner Adam, Ella and I went swimming at the YMCA. The water was warm and Ella had a blast. It was nice to have some fun family time.

2. It’s been a real busy week but it’s been good. We are trying really hard to get our house organized and ready for Adam’s parents to visit next week. We haven’t seen them in 10 months.

3. I am exhausted. I’m not real good at going to bed early and it’s starting to catch up with me.

4. The next few months are going to be tough for a lot of people, myself included. But God is in control.

5. Tomorrow we are driving to Bowling Green for a fall party then back to Marion for another fall party….I sure hope Ella behaves herself.

6. It looks like we may be only a few weeks away from selling our house. If you think about us please please please pray this all goes through and happens. We won’t be selling it the way we would like to but at least we may have the opportunity to finally get rid of it. That house has been such a burden on our family. We need it to go away.

7. I hear the dishwasher running, which means Adam just did all the dishes. He is so wonderful.

8. I heard it may snow on Monday. We can’t find our winter coats anywhere. I guess it’s time to get into all the boxes until they are found. This is a serious problem…

9. I miss my college friends. I’m hoping we can all get together at homecoming in a few weeks. There is something about living with those girls that will make me feel like we are always connected, even though we don’t talk as much as we used to.

10. Adam just called me Ella. Awesome.

11. I have to leave the room. Adam is playing a game on x-box that I absolutely HATE. Yes, I know hate is a strong word but it is the perfect word for this terrible boxing game. If you saw it you would think the same thing. I promise.

Over the past 24 hours I’ve found myself not being able to stay warm. We finally turned our heat on last night but it’s still cold. I’m sitting here sipping hot chocolate hoping that will help motivate me to go do some work around the house. If you don’t see me over the next four months it’s because I’ll be hibernating!

burrrr……