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down in Austin was so relaxed and so fun!
Here are my favorite memories:

DAY ONE – THE ROBINSON FARM
* Samuel moo-ing at the cows
* Sitting on the porch (always a favorite)
* Hearing about the boys’ fishing stories (pics to follow)
* Exploring the old barn (more on that later)
* Archery and bb-gun (Bulls-eye for me!)
* riding the tractor
* eating a steak at Royers Round Top Cafe – one of our favorite eatery’s ever!
* having Shepherd (my cousin) wait on us at Royers

DAY TWO – THANKSGIVING DAY

* Tony Horton with Derek
* the FOOD, of course!
* the Cowboy game, as always
* playing football in the yard, while Samuel wore Mimi’s pearls
* teaching Mark how to do the “turkey” dance (video to follow)
* just hanging out
* taking very few pictures and being perfectly OK with it

DAY THREE – BLACK FRIDAY

* knocking out a bunch of shopping by myself
* knocking out a bunch of shopping with Christy
* seeing “BOLT”, the movie (very cute!)
* eating all together at Mighty Fine Burger (we NEED one here, for sure – best shakes ever)
* watching Jacob (and Papa C) battle Mark at chess
* watching my Dad and Caleb (bellies on the floor) make Caleb’s christmas letter for Santa on a big poster board (photo to follow)
* playing the name game with the adults – my dad doing an impression of Tom Cruise sliding across the floor in Risky Business!  Me and Mark trying to do charades for Ann Richards.  Christy trying to do Kevin Federline.  Hilarious!
It was perfect.

 

From Austin, we are wishing you and yours a wonderful day of thanks!

I worked several days on my latest project.  It's my new "happy wall", where I have some of my favorite pictures.  I also have the 1-year pictures from each of the boys side-by-side.  And a frame I call "Oh, the Places We'll Go…".  It's 12 pictures from places we've been in the last 10 years including:

India, the Florida Keys, Disney World, Colorado, Cabo San Lucas, Hilton Head, SC, London, Switzerland, Beijing, Kauai, San Diego, San Francisco, Utah, and Tokyo

…and believe it or not that leaves some of our destinations out.  I only had room for 12!

When I count my blessings, the opportunity to travel and see wonderful parts of the world is one of my favorite blessings.  It has added a richness and perspective that I will always be grateful for.

My happy wall is at the end of the "catwalk" when you walk up the stairs.  I love it!!

   

   

After 10 years of marriage, and NO Christmas lights on the house (with the exception of the ones on the fence, that I usually do with the boys)…Derek decided it was time to make a real bonafide effort in this department.  And he did it early so we could enjoy it all season!  And he went to Elliott's Hardware where they cut custom strands for you!  AND, he risked limb and life up on our very steep roof!

He must really love me!

 

 

…programs like this.  A Thanksgiving "feast" (snack)…teachers dressed like pilgrims and students dressed like Indians, handmade placemats that say "We Give Thanks", children singing songs about turkeys AND what they're grateful for.  It always melts my heart.

 

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2343128&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1
Kindergarten Thanksgiving Program from Meredith Smith on Vimeo.

Today I left the backdoor open so Samuel could come in and out for a little while.  At one point I heard him rummaging thru something, and caught up to him as he was running out the door with a package of M&Ms.  This kid is a candy thief.  He'll hide in a corner trying to open a sucker wrapper with all his might!

So I called after him and he TOOK OFF running!  Then he stopped in the middle of the yard, waiting to see what I would do.  I, of course, ran for the camera. 

Here's the exhange:

1. He's looking to see what I'm going to do.

 

2.  He thinks, "maybe if I hide behind this thing, she won't notice the candy."  "Candy?  What candy?"

 

3.  "I really want this candy."  "How can I talk her into letting me have it?"

   

4.  "Maybe I can use my charm?"

 

5.  "Ok – that's not working.  What if I pretend I'm reading?  That would throw her!"

 

6.  "OK – fine.  I'll do what I always do when I have something that she says I'm not supposed to have.  I'll THROW IT AT HER."

   

7.  But then this happens – because he realizes he just gave up what he really, really wanted.

 

8.  And then I, being the responsible parent that I am, reward him for his crying fit and give him the object of his desires.

 

9.  And we both leave happy.

 

10.  THE END.

Caleb's teacher had hung up colored fruits and vegetables in a cornucopia on their classroom wall.  In each, the children had said something they were thankful for.   When picking him up early yesterday, I noticed his and thought "who is Kade?  We don't know anyone named Kade?!"

So I pulled him aside and asked about "kade". 

"Moooommmm – it's CANDY!", he said exasperatedly.

K-A-forgot the N-D-E.  Decent phonetics. 🙂

So, Caleb is thankful for candy. 

Jacob is always moving – this is not new news to most of you.  His brain functions at high speed and his body is always trying to keep up.

His newest thing is "knocking".  He uses his palm and fist to "knock" a tune or beat on hard surfaces – tables, counters, beds, you name it, etc.  The kid's got rhythm – no doubt about it (and he didn't get it from me!).  He can do all kinds of beats and tunes. 

Most of the time it's fun to hear him.  Sometimes it gets downright annoying!  And I have to squeeze his shoulders and say "please stop knocking!". 

I know when he's awake because I hear knocking.  I know when he's asleep because the knocking has stopped!

Someday he'll deny ever doing it (he has a selective memory) – and I want to remember our "knocking" days!

Tuesday:

"Mom, what is a great democracy?" (He had heard that phrase from a song they're singing at school.)

Wednesday:

"Mom, if going to the hospital is so important to make people better, why do they make it so expensive?  They should make it cheaper so more people can afford it."

I really do think we should let children run the world.

I loved my grandmother, Betty's house in Houston.  She had lived there since the 50s.  It was beautiful with long halls and big rooms.  Her bedroom and bathroom was my favorite – done in pink.  My favorite thing to do when I got to her house was walk from room to room looking at all of her pictures.  They never really changed, except for new additions.  Isn't that something that we all love about grandparents' homes – nothing really changes?!  She had a pink "princess" chair next to her bed (chaise lounge).  And on the wall next to it were pictures of her children – wedding pictures, older pictures.  She had pictures of grandkids on her dresser.  She had my wedding picture on her vanity.  But everywhere you looked – pictures of those she loved.  It felt warm and comforting for me to be surrounded by the faces of my family.  I knew where her heart was.  I knew what mattered to her – just by being in that room.  She also had a picture of me – at age 4 or 5 – in a beautiful ivory frame.  I have that frame and picture on my nightstand now, along with my favorite picture of my mom (taken on her wedding day). 

That image of her bedroom has never left me…I have always wanted to duplicate it somehow in my own home.  That's why I have these pictures on my dresser.  They are the wedding pictures of those that I love – my mom and Steve, my dad and Christy, my grandparents – Betty and Byron, Derek's grandparents (although it's not a wedding pic, just a pic of them together), Derek's parents, my brother and SIL, Olivia.  I love to see these pictures – of love and marriage, in my bedroom. 

Maybe one day my grandkids will come to my bedroom in search of these pictures…and leave with the same feeling of family and belonging that I did.