Oh Christmas Tree... Your Branches Green Delight Us...

Green branches at least a week or so longer... HOPEFULLY! We went to a real Christmas tree farm to cut down our tree this year ... only to learn that the furthest south they grow Fraser Firs is North Carolina ... so we bought a pre-cut tree and went back to cut down a tree for the boys (and ME!) I always wanted a kid tree - and we got one! Benjamin and I had a little date to the Christmas tree farm ... saw Santa, went on a wagon ride and cut down WHICHEVER tree we wanted!

We have been SO busy trying to get it decorated! We made a fruit loop chain, glitter star, jingle bell ornaments, snowmen with our pictures for the faces, tin-foil painted ornaments, wrapping paper ornaments, a navivity,tinsel, candy canes and tonight... cinnamon ornaments! We are planning to make a FEW more as well!

The boys tree in their playroom ... as decorated through tonight! (note: it is anchored by packaging tape in a pickle jar which is inside a glass bowl ... all weighted down with DIRT ... poor guy didn't and DOESN'T get any H2O ... we're investing in a stand after the holidays!)

So here are a few pictures of OUR tree... the boys at the tree farm (Benjamin PRETTY excited!):

The ornament Benjamin made for our tree this year!

Benjamin took this picture of us at the tree farm!

Micah's first Christmas ornament...

And our tree decorated in our living room!

A most WONDERFUL time of the year...

We are so excited for this WONDERFUL time of the year and all of the festivities that it brings! We started the season off with a WONDERFUL gift from Jonathan's mom ... a bag and notebook filled with Christmas Family Home Evenings ... and more for the year! Micah got his first taste of opening presents and LOVED IT!

Micah was NOT so excited to sit with Santa - as he just turned his hed into his shoulder and cried! Bottom line - he's not being picky about what he gets for Christmas!

Micah has found the tree and the presents and thinks it is so much fun to pull on the branches, lights, ornaments and anything that he can scoot to!

Here are Benjamin and Micah trying to figure out who's gifts are who's!

We went to my parent's to see Laura in the Nutcracker -- but you can't take pictures of the ballet ... but we did get a few at their house - Micah enjoying a few snacks (and yes he does have the orange "I'm eating baby-food now" nose!)...

My grandma reading to Benjamin - they were trying to hide behind the book!

On a COLD day this week... I let Benjamin play on the screened porch - Micah thought it was HILLARIOUS -- hopefully you can see Micah's reflection in the glass!

AND ... my Grandma promised me a picture with Micah! Here we are at the Cyclorama in Atlanta ... she's been wanting to see this "historic piece of art" for many years ... so my mom surprised her and brought her! We had a WONDERFUL visit -- I love my Grandma!

A THANKFUL Thanksgiving recap!

The ONE and ONLY ... red-headed INDIAN!

We had a WONDERFUL week full of Thanksgiving festivities which included:

1. Benjamin's Thanksgiving program - which Grammy and Grampy came to and were a HUGE help with Micah so that I could record Benjamin NOT even singing one single word ... oh well :)

Here's Benjamin, Me and Micah (a very TIRED little guy!) ...

2. Mom Mom, Laura, Nana, and Albert coming to spend a couple days and give their FULL attention to the boys!

FHE turkey cookies...

Nana and Benjamin making "turtles"...

Albert playing with Micah - do they look related or what?

3. A delicious dinner at the Owens's in Ringgold ... I wish I had the big group picture - everything was SO yummy and so fun to be with family!

Benjamin and his cousin Kinsley!

I am so grateful for our many many blessings -- but LOVE being married to Jonathan, having two amazing little boys and a wonderful extended family!

ALABAM-ER!

We went to Alabama with Jonathan for a quick weekend ... he took an implant course and we saw a little of Birmingham. We went to a hydrangea botanical garden: Aldridge Botanical Garden ... and there obviously isn't too much blooming - but we really enjoyed being outside, the pond and the walking trail! I'd LOVE to go back in the spring! We also went to the Barber Motorsports Museum ... which was especially fun since I have TWO boys! Benjamin hopped and skipped happily through the WHOLE 5 floors of motorcycles and cars! Here are a few favorite pictures!

The three of us in front of the "biscuit" delivery motorcycle. The motorcycles with the side-cars were our FAVORITES!

The boys in front of LOTS of the motorcycles...

The three of us in front of this awesome convertible!

Benjamin watching the race cars race on the track from inside the museum!

I LOVE this picture of Benjamin trying to figure out who or what lives in this tree hole!

Benjamin throwing pine straw into the stream.

Us in front of this BEAUTIFUL lake with the fall leaves!

Jonathan was also able to go to the Birmingham Temple! We stayed about 45 minutes from the Temple - so next time we are planning to stay closer and BOTH get to go!

Father-son ... GAME!

Jonathan and Benjamin were so SO excited to go to the Georgia game vs Tennessee Tech! They had a blast - Benjamin especially enjoyed all of the extra treats and candy that they got! A big thanks to Grandaddy/Dad for the tickets!!

Our sick little boy...

Our little Micah got VERY sick on Friday October 3oth... so no Halloween for us! Here are a few pictures for those that just like to glance at the pictures ... and I'll share his story at the end!

Micah being transported via ambulance from Kennestone to Scottish Rite's Children's Hospital.

Micah on the ambulance (picture from my phone.)

Uncle Daniel was Micah's first visitor... as you can see he still felt pretty yucky!

Day TWO: Mommy and Micah at the hospital...

Dad came to be the best D-A-D ... and Micah fell asleep!

Dad and Micah hanging out.

Mom Mom came to visit and she even brought Micah 2 new PLASTIC (washable!!) toys!

Micah playing in his bed...

Micah and Mom just before Mom Mom left...

Day 4 (no pictures on day 3!): Micah finally no longer on IV fluids and got to play on mom's "bed" - if you can call it that...

Day 5: Mom let Micah do the honors of taking the sock off of his hand - YEAH!

Micah SITTING UP and playing just before getting his IV out and heading home!

This year our Halloween brought a "scare!" On Friday, October 30th at about 3:00 am, Jonathan went to tuck Benjamin back into bed (as he has been getting up LOTS since we've moved) - and noticed that Micah was moaning and went to check on him. He brought him down to me and he was BURNING up!

I told Jonathan to grab a thermometer - in the meantime - the alarm went off and Jonathan thought someone was breaking in ... I proceeded to exclaim: "please get me a thermometer, no one is breaking in!" ... funny moment looking back!

The thermometer read 105.1* - we gave him some Tylenol - took his clothes off quickly and realized that he was very lethargic and not very responsive. We quickly got him in a cool bath which he still hates baths because of the trauma it caused him - and got some cool Gatorade down him as well. We wrapped him in a blanket and Jonathan gave him a priesthood blessing.

I am always amazed at the power of the priesthood. Micah's little body was blessed that the fever would "leave his body"- which from that moment on - it truly did. We re-checked his temp. which was 104.5*.

I fed Micah and we waited about an hour to check his temperature again. It had gone down to 102.6* but within 30 minutes was back up to 103.3*. After talking with our doctor's office - Jonathan and I both had the overwhelming feeling to take Micah to the Emergency Room.

We arrived at about 6:15 am - and Jonathan came about 7 am with Benjamin. His temperature was then 102.6* and they gave him some Motrin. After many "quick tests" - blood test, x-ray, ear-infection check etc. - Jonathan went on to work. We waited for the blood work to come back and his white blood count was 40,000 instead of 14,000. They continued to do more tests including a urine test, flu test and spinal tap - at which point I called Jonathan to tell him to come back!

We were told that he would be transported to Scottish Rite Children's Hospital via ambulance and we would be admitted for at least 48 hours ... WHAT? ... Okay ... MUST call my MOM! By then most of our family knew kind of what was going on - but from then on, the word started to spread that Micah was really sick. Within hours our whole family knew and his name was on atleast 2 prayer rolls at the Orlando Temple and Knoxville Temple. My mom hurried up and came to take Benjamin home (who was still VERY sick with strep throat!) -- what a trooper that little guy.

I rode on the ambulance to Scottish Rite and Jonathan followed closely behind on a very rainy day in downtown Atlanta - which EQUALS ... TRAFFIC! Micah thankfully slept the whole way and the guys kidded him that he missed out on his ride!

Our stay at Scottish Rite ended up being from Friday October 30th until Tuesday November 3rd! I finally did figure out that the chicken salad, baked cheetos and bananas weren't too bad to eat - but a big thanks to Paul and Sarah who brought me dinner one night!!

MICAH was diagnosed with a bacterial blood infection called strep pneumonia - which if not treated can cause Menigitis. He had actually had two of the four vaccines to prevent this - but his body just wasn't quite strong enough to fight it off! Hince the reason I am a stronger advocate of VACCINATIONS! Trust me - no one wants their 6 month old poked and pinched and bugged as much as he was - although I know it was to make him all better! Prevention is much better though than all of that!

The doctors and nurses were all great and took very good care of us. We also had his CT scan done while we were there and we BELIEVE that he will not have to have surgery as the bump on his forhead is simply part of his skull. Definitely a blessing from the whole experience!

As for the blessings that we gained from this experience:

1. I think the first will always be that we are truly blessed by our Heavenly Father.

2. Jonathan and I are closer to eachother because of this trial we went through together.

3. The power of the priesthood is REAL. Micah's fever never returned once we got to the ER. The doctor's were amazed that it never returned - and I know it was truly the power of the Lord.

4. My mom is WONDERFUL. We never had to ask her to come - she just said, "I'm on my way!" She loves these little guys as much as she loves me I think :) I knew that Benjamin was having a great time with her and he was well cared for - especially since he was sick too!

5. The Lord has a plan for each of us. Thankfully we have the wonderful advances of medicine - but by the same token - our little one was really SICK. Heavenly Father has a special plan for him and has preserved his life.

I have truly gained a greater love for my family. It was really special to hold him in the hospital at 4 am again. He has been sleeping through the night for about 4 months - but I couldn't hug him and hold him enough. I think he may have even gotten a little spoiled while we were there. Within a day or so - he was all SMILES again... and smiled at everyone except someone giving him a shot! We hope to stay well for AWHILE - and we won't be moving again anytime soon ... because we seem to end up in the ER within a week of moving!

HUGS to each who emailed, texted, facebooked, called and prayed for our little guy!

A Utah vacation for MOM and the BOYS!

This is ... UTAH!

and there are just so many things I love...

We started our trip off in our new "limo-like" stroller! It was a HUGE help!

We had a wonderful time staying with the Heideman's as usual ... and somehow I forgot to take pictures with my Smith's buddies - Shelley and Emily - I just love those two!

The fall leaves were AMAZING!

Micah enjoyed some new texture time!

Benjamin love-loved Savannah - they were two peas in a pod. All of the kids were so great to Benjamin and Micah ... built-in siblings/baby-sitters! Here are: Micah, Savannah, Benjamin, Brock, Thomas and Briana!

Lynette and I took Micah and Thomas to the BYU-TCU game ... it was a little rainy and cool at first but did clear up. Micah didn't hold up as well this game - we headed at half-time since they weren't doing so hot and the boys were SPENT!

Of course we had to enjoy a little Jamba juice! Benjamin thought he was SO special because the worker guy split ours into TWO cups so we could both have our own! Also enjoyed Cafe Rio - a MUST and Kneader's!

The boys and I went to Temple Square on Sunday - as you can see it was a BEAUTIFUL day - a little chilly - but it was AWESOME! The spirit is always so strong and I love sharing the feeling with my boys. We were able to tour The Conference Center and The Beehive House!

COUSINS... Benjamin, Samuel and Micah...

Benjamin in front of the Provo Temple at night -- another favorite site!

Of course I a MUST was visiting Laura and her little ones ... especially new little Claire (not pictured because she was sleeping!) -- but here's the rest of us!

Romney, Benjamin and Micah ... future roommates eh?

This was Micah's take on the pumpkin patch...

Benjamin in the clown...

Benjamin's only trick-or-treating this season - as he ended up with strep throat. ALthough the pirate was out for this year... at least he did get to be Tigger -- maybe a pirate next year! He and Bri are so cute!

Despite the fact that within hours I'd be giving Benjamin Tylenol/Motrin on the plane for a fever- which we found out TWO days later was STREP ... we were thrilled to make it to the airport safely and have SNOW falling on our heads!

If I could live anywhere .... and have all of my family with me - it would be Utah! I just love the climate, the people and that there's SO much to do! I am so grateful that we were able to see friends and family ... we had a yummy dinner at Lisa and Dan's and I was also able to go to the Provo Temple - a big thanks to Lynette for keeping my boys ... how come I cry when I walk in there?? Dan also took the boys pictures... which will be the HIGHLIGHT of our Christmas cards ... can't WAIT! We LOVE Utah!

So SO excited for our ski trip in JANUARY!!