Big, Major Announcement

Does life get any better than this? If Tiffany is their opening act, I am SO there. ;) Click here for more info.

Sorry....I know...it's been a while.

I know...it's been a long time since I've posted. I don't have a good excuse...just procrastination. I'll try to be better.

As most of you know, I've made a few good friends here that went to school with Nick. When moving to a new area, especially a small town where the "new people in the Smith house" have lived there for twenty years, making friends can be hard. So, I'm very thankful for the friendship that they've extended to me and how they include me in some of their activities with other young women in the area. One of my favorites is the monthly Bunco group. The best part about our Bunco group is that we've never once played Bunco! It's just good food, good drinks, and good conversation! I look forward to it each month.

Over Christmas, two of my new friends, Allison and Jennifer, and I decided to have a progressive dinner. It was so much fun...and so much work! But, well worth it!


I was quite proud of my Red Velvet Cupcakes. It's the dessert I make that Nick says turns out great every time. I even did the fancy icing with a cake decorator kit I had gotten for a wedding gift. We also had a chocolate cake with hot fudge sauce, a pumpkin cheesecake roll, and a chocolate turtle pie. The chocolate turtle pie was the big hit, though.


Appetizers were at Allison's house. Sorry, I forgot to take my camera inside! Allison is sitting to Nick's right at the table. Dinner was at Jennifer's house. Jennifer and her husband Kurt live in an old brick Victorian that has been in her family for generations. They are restoring it room by room, and I just love it! Jennifer is my friend that I could talk to for hours on end about paint colors and ornate woodwork!


Jennifer's mom and aunt volunteered to 'serve' us dinner. As much work as I thought the desserts were, Jennifer's efforts trumped mine by far. She had wine, the best homemade dinner rolls, and actual printed name cards with menus. This is Katie, another member of our Bunco group.

Merry Christmas...a few weeks late!

Nick and I Christmas morning after church at his parents' house.


Claire on her new little red rider.


Nick's mother Arlene opening up her new leather recipe binder.


Claire with her daddy, Nick's brother Heath.

Jacob's Meet and Greet

When Jacob was home for Thanksgiving, he got passed from one family member to the next. The little guy did great. I think he enjoyed the attention...no matter if he knew the person or not. Here's a few pictures I captured of Jacob getting entertained by anyone and everyone over Thanksgiving.

25 Years is a LONG time!

Uncle Randy and Aunt Gail are celebrating 25 years of wedded bliss this month. Since Nick and I celebrated our second anniversary this week, we have a new respect for the compromising involved in getting to that 25th mark.

While everyone was home over Thanksgiving, the Watson boys, the Rankin girls, Gail and Randy's sisters and brothers, and everyone's families pitched in and threw them a surprise party to celebrate the event.

Here are a few pix from the big night.

Photos from their wedding day.


Gail was very surprised...however, I'm not sure we fooled Randy...his face didn't register an ounce of surprise when walking in the door!


Karen and Chris are going to have problems with this one! Ella was dancing by herself WAY too early in the night!

Mom and Aunt Stacy had been baking and freezing cupcakes for weeks beforehand.

The members of HURL (Husbands Under Rankin Law) eagerly and enthusiastically awaiting their next orders.

Gail and her sisters.

Kim busting in on the action.

Aunt Stacy and Brittany

Karen attempting to steal my husband away while on the dance floor!

The Burget sisters, spouses, and others family members.

Thanks-Christmas 2007!

As some of you know, for the last three years, the Rankin girls, their families, and their parents have been getting together for what is now known in our family as Thanks-Christmas. As more of us got married and moved out of state, it become important to find a time to reserve for us to spend a couple of days together for some QT, a good meal or two, and to celebrate both Christmas and Thanksgiving. So, we now do our Thanksgiving and Christmas all wrapped up in one, hosted by someone different each year. Here are some pictures from 2007's Thanks-Christmas celebration...complete with "Gobble til You Wobble" t-shirts Karen had made for us this year. This year's celebration was hosted by Kori and Ben at their home in Indiana.

There are more pix....but this is all I had the patience to upload tonight. I'll do more later....I promise!

Emma...holding Emma.

Kori and Ben scored big time with this little tutu (sp??) for Ella. I can't decide which was the best part though? When she bowed after she put it on, or when she got stuck inbetween some things later on because it was so big!

Anna looking so pretty with her new blue vest.

Nick and I are just sure that this was Scott's favorite gift! (yes, we got it for him!)

All of us girls...with our "Gobble til You Wobble" t-shirts on.

Jacob hanging out with Grandma Cooper...and laughing at his dad on the couch, I think.

Ella getting comforted after one of the many times she accidentally got hurt this weekend!

Jacob - Old Mr. Blue Eyes himself.

A long lost Rankin sister???

I was flipping through the channels the other day and caught a re-run of Oprah. They were showing some makeovers. What caught my eye was this girl! I think she might be a long, lost sister or something!!!

http://www2.oprah.com/beauty/hair/slide/20071102/haircut_003.jhtml