Fall Festival

Last night was our 5th annual Fall Festival at home! Every year we cook chili and carve pumpkins and it's become such a tradition for us! Heidi and her family always come over (or we go to thier house) and do it with us each year! Last year Blake had just learned to sit up on his own and could sit by a pumpkin and this year he was running around like crazy. He was scared and grossed out by the pumpkins this year! Last year he loved sticking his little hands in but this year he didn't want to touch one at all!



Blake being grossed out by a pumpkin!

Blake and Daddy!

Blake LAST year!

The Finished Product!

Blake's Motherly Instincts!

Mom brought Blake my old twin stroller that I played with when I was little. I knew he'd love it because he loves to push his own stroller. I got that stroller and twin cabbage patch dolls when the "real" twins, Amber and Jacob were born! He's so motherly!

Christmas Is Just Around the Corner!!!

If you are already in the Christmas Spirit like me, then you may already be starting your Christmas shopping!!!! Yes I know it's only October but I LOVE to start early!! Blake's Mimi (Michele) told me a while back about this awesome website called www.myregistry.com. You can create one registry there for things from any store anywhere!!! Since I know many of you are always asking me what to get Blake I am trying to put things on that registry as they come to mind. There are a few things on it already and I will add things when he shows me them or I think of things he would like! You just type in www.myregistry.com and in the "Find a Registry" Box type Blake Smith. Hope this is helpful to you and you can create one for you or your children too and not just for Christmas either, you can make one for any event from weddings to birthdays! It's a really neat site. Thanks for the cool info Mimi!!!

Build A Bear!

Blake had his first trip to the Build-A-Bear store at the mall this weekend! He was a little nervous at first but ended up having a great time building his bear. We named our bear Benjamin and gave him a fishing outfit and pole so he can go fishing in the creek with Blake and Grandma! We also went to the outlets in Piegon Forge and got B some new clothes so he really racked up this weekend! He also had his first baby sitter in almost 1 year! We took Blake over to Heidi, Sean, and Jacob's house Sunday night and we went to a movie! He had a great time with them and didn't cry for us even once! He even acted like he didn't know us when we went to pick him up! He LOVES Jacob, ("Jay Jup" as he calls him) so he was excited to spend an evening playing with all Jay Jups cool toys like his trampoline and drum set!!!

Giving Benjamin his heart


Brushing Benjamin's fur.


B and Ben, Shopping.


Riding a motorcycle at the mall!


Blake and his Babysitters, Auntie Heidi and Uncle Sean

Fall Fun

So things have been pretty quiet around here. We've been taking advantage of the beautiful fall weather and taking it easy. We've been spending some time riding our bikes and going to Patrick's football games. Patrick has been spending some nights with us too and we LOVE having him. I call him my "Manny" because it's like having a nanny for Blake, haha! I made us a great organic white chicken chili this week and it was so good, I love FALL!!!!


Blake and Grandma getting ready to go fishing in the creek

Blake trying his Chili!

Mommies Model!

Soooo Blake had his first photoshoot on Saturday and here are the results! He's a natural! If you love these like I do you'll wanna look up Off Beat Photography. Amanda is the photographer and she did an excellent job. She's used to a 16 month old because her daughter has the exact same birthday as Blake!
http://offbeatphotography.blogspot.com/

I LOVE FALL!

This was a PERFECT fall weekend here and we enjoyed it! Saturday night Jamie went to the UT game with his dad, Patrick and uncle Gary while I took Blake to a photoshoot he had with a local photographer. His shoot was outside in downtown so we got to enjoy the fall weather!I can't wait to post some pics from his session, he did AMAZING, he is a little model for sure! Sunday we went to a local corn maze and pumpkin patch and it was so fun! Cousin Patrick went with us and Blake LOVES hanging out with him. I also got our winter flowers planted too so it was a busy weekend!

Birthdays!

In the midst of all the tradgedy Jamie and I had our Birthdays. Jeff passed on my Birthday and his burial was on Jamie's so we are going to celebrate this weekend. Although it was under bad circumstances we were able to spend our Birthdays with Jamie's Dad and Michele which was great. Michele brought me the COOLEST bottle of wine and I had to share the picture with you. She also got me the most wonderful coffee maker on the whole planet too. Also MiMi brought Blake the most adorable Halloween clothes from Gymboree (along with stickers and a Wizard of Oz video, his Grandparents spoil him!), so I will also have to post a pic of him modeling one of the adorable shirts she got him.

In Remembrance....

The news here is all over the death of Uncle Jeff. Patrick did a segment on him last night before they played their first football game without Coach Smith. Patrick is such a STRONG and COURAGEOUS young man and I hope and pray that Blake grows up with many of the wonderful qualities he sees in him. I can already tell he looks up to him very much. Here's the link to the video of Patrick talking about his father...

http://www.volunteertv.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=4177202&flvUri=&thirdpartymrssurl

Also thanks so much for the sympathy calls and cards. Jamie is having to really step up to the plate and help his family deal with things without Jeff and help Patrick have a male figure to lean on and I know it weighs heavy on his heart.

One half of the Smith's

Another Half...

Blake and "Pap Pa"

Patricks first time on the field without his dad.

Wearing his dad's old number #51