Christmas I Remember Best...

Ok, Mom. You asked for my Top 10 Christmas memories.

Although my bottom 10 would be funnier... which reminds me...

HA! Still one of my favorites.

But fine. We'll go with my Top 10.

10. Let's talk about the year in Rexburg that we snowmobiled up to get our Christmas tree. And Mom was huge pregnant with--Jared? Must've been? I remember someone (Bishop Stegelmeier is the person in my mind) who told us to just stand by our favorite tree and wait... and wait... while I contemplated the ice on my mittens and how long it might take me to freeze... Good times. That was a great tree, though. Huge. Dad had to keep cutting more off the bottom, until I think we eventually just hacked off the top so the angel could fit.

9. Who can forget the homemade Christmas? That's where we got our family flag, which I remember Mom presenting. It was also the year, if I remember right, that we all got pajamas that were left by a secret santa on the front porch. Mine had little flowers. Jen's had cabbage patch kids. And I pitched an ungrateful fit. Then I peed the bed in the night and all the colors ran together. *shaking head* So sorry, Mom and Dad. I can't even imagine waking up to 4 wet beds in a morning. *pale*

8. I remember the year that I got my Nutcracker. The joy. I also remember the year before, when I didn't. I got a record player instead with a post-it note from Santa that said that they were OUT of nutcrackers. Bunch of malarky. Santa came through the next year, though. Big time. I still love my nutcracker, Oscar. I think this was the year Jenny got hand weights as a gift. (Really, Jen? Had you asked for those???)

7. I remember Grandma Jean's last Christmas, which was spent--happily--at our house. I remember her reading the scriptures for the nativity. And I remember her whispering in my ear never to let anyone tell me that I wasn't as pretty as Jen, which made me wonder who she'd been talking to, as I had quite a complex about that. I'm still grateful to her for that.

6. I remember going up to Grandma and Grandpa Smith's and receiving a box of Captain Vitamin. I remember, another year, that they gave me a little heart locket--which, although not nearly as beautiful as the locket I have from Mom and Dad, it still meant a lot. Especially compared to Captain Vitamin.

5. Who can forget the CHRISTMAS WE GOT IT ALL. That would've been... 1985. I think. Cabbage Patch dolls. Adam got a video game (Atari?). Ben got, if I remember, his horse, Peaches. Our wildest dreams come true. This is also the first year that I have a memory of The Oakridge Boys being an integral part of our Christmas joy. (Which, PS, as I was listening to this CD in the car the other day I wondered if we were the last people on earth still listening to this album. For real. Caleb loves it. He requests his COWBOY SONG all the time.)

4. My Christmas as a missionary was fairly memorable. A beautiful drive up into the alps for a baptism at a small branch. Falling snow and Christmas trees lit with real candles. Christmas carols sung in their original German. It was so surreal. Oh yeah. And being maced in the train station. That was a real high point. But, besides that, the day was beautiful.

3. My first married Christmas, when we got--what?--18 inches of snow? We were supposed to go see the Nutcracker ballet up in Salt Lake the day after and it was snowing too much to go. I gave Dave everything I could think of: Sunday shoes and a sleeping bag. What awesome gifts. It's no wonder that I've never been able to live up to them since. *roll eyes*

2. Coming home from Los Angeles for Christmas in 1999. I was thin, pretty, and had a gorgeous new gray wool coat. Adam picked me up at the airport and said I looked nice. It was the nicest thing I think he's ever said to me. The highlight of that Christmas was being given my temple dress and temple clothes for my endowment just a few days after Christmas. I loved that.

1. And what deserves the #1 slot? Well this sounds funny, but I loved the Christmas when Jen got her basketball hoop and her floppy duck. She was so excited that it was the first Christmas I remember being outside myself enough to really enjoy watching someone else be that excited. I also just remember it being a year when everyone seemed well, content, and happy. And together. Which sounds like the nicest thing in the world to me right now.

That was fun, even if it didn't make sense.

Maybe tomorrow I'll countdown my top 10 Christmas movie scenes....

Every Please take a look!!!!

Hey Everyone, this is levi on Jared's account.

I know it has been a long time. I also know most of you know I am involved with a network marketing company called ACN.  I have been working with this company for a little over a year now and I just got back from the international conference in San Diego, which was AMAZING and I had a blast.
     I am so excited for the upcoming changes happening in ACN, I would like all of you to take a look at my website, as well as at the movies I have posted there. I will post links at the bottom of the post.
     I got involved with this company because in the current economy and in the current situation I am in I cannot afford a lot of time to go to a job (= Just-Over-Broke) and if I am to give to Merciedies, and Ashlee the way I have always dreamed of it will take massive action and a residual income!

So if nothing else please take a look at the website and do me a HUGE favor and if I can save you some money on the services you already use give my services a try!

I would be glad to research anything services you already have and compare the pricing, Just click compare my services and fill in the blanks.

My Website


Video's
( please watch the opportunity video first, then the presentation. It only take about 25 minutes)

So everyone please take a look!!!!!
It would mean the world to me if nothing else
send a note to my email about what you thought

smith.levim@gmail.com

Thank you

Love ya
Levi Smith

Riding family videos

While pictures are more interesting than text, videos are not always more interesting than pictures. These are post-worthy (at least for Gma and Gpa).

Caleb’s Thanksgiving play.  Lots of kids yelling lines. Lots’ of paper bag Indians. Not many Pilgrims.

 

Dancing along with Shaun the Sheep:

 

A pretty good video of Ainsley right now. Sorry about the static. It did that when I shrunk it down.

 

Caleb at a treelighting ceremony. He was cold. He had good reason to be as he wouldn’t wear the coat I brought him.  Later that week Becca bought him a new coat that actually fits. He put the hat like that himself.

 

In other news Emily and Becca had a great time at the Nutcracker the other day.  Emily’s favorite dance was of course the very sensual interpretation of the Arabian dance. Sigh. 

Merry Christmas to everyone. We’re enjoying the season here. The kids like their Christmas songs a lot. It’s looking like Bing Crosby might be our kids version of Julie Andrews as that’s what they hear constantly in the car. 

Is this the same girl?

You betcha! I had such a great time sharing Gretchen's baptism day with her- she had a twinkle in her eye and her dimples where firing off non-stop- it was a delightful day for a grandmother to have. I am excited to watch her as she continues to make good choices, the Lord has a work for her to do!
This picture shows the fun, funny Gretchen we enjoyed- full of surprises and energy, life with her is lived at full speed. That's very appropriate as she fits right in there with her two sisters. Isn't it nice that Heavenly Father helps us be parents?

The quiet times of Christmas

Hey all,
I was at home last night and had just put Evie to bed and Mariah was at work, so I found myself with some quiet time. The Christmas tree lights were on and I sat down on the couch and just stared for a while. I suddenly found myself thinking of all that I have to be grateful for and things that mean so much to me. It always seems to happen to me this time of year. I thought of my two year old now doing her best impression of a rooster "Cock a dook a doo!" I thought of my wife, who at the time was hard at work and how much I miss her being at home for moments like this. I thought of the good job I have, and the opportunities I have coming. I thought of the apartment that we have, and how it has perfectly met our families needs. Thoughts like this just flooded my mind, and I couldn't help but to think of my family members. From coast to coast and just about everywhere in between. And I don't get to talk to all of you often as I would like, my quiet time at Christmas led me to all of you. I hope all is well and that all of you are feeling as blessed as I am. I love you all.

Ben

Omaha was Great!

Hey everyone! Happy Holidays! I have not been able to log on to the blog since returning from Omaha- tonight I went back to old posts and then tried and it let me on, just no pictures- frustrating because I have some good ones. (oh, here's a message below "could not contact Blogger.com. Saving and publishing may fail... retrying.) Blast! Here goes anyway. We had such a fun time in Omaha- so good to be there for Gretchen's baptism, and to be with Jen and her fam. I will call "tech support" tomorrow and hope to get this fixed. (becca, of course) in the meantime, how about entries from all on "The Christmas I remember best..." or maybe submissions to the list "Top Ten Smith family memories from Christmases Past" Fun! Love you, hope this will publish, but the sign on the bottom says not! Denise/mom

It's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with YOU!

I know, I know, Lafe gets a lot of air time--and the last one wasn't that great--but seriously it is only 30 seconds, so just humor us.