Snow day!

January 09 - Enjoying a fire out on our deck just waiting for the approaching "significant" winter storm to arrive. And it arrived with a vengeance! Looking out our front door.
January 10 - In the morning...
Out for a cosy little walk! Standing at the entrance to our housing estate.
Steve & Jasen making a snow man. The snowman never made it. Instead it became a snow mound!
Prestin all bundled up.
All fun aside, Camille had to get home...So we set to scraping the windows and digging the vehicles out.
When it snows here everything is effected. Schools, day care centers, and businesses are closed. People are encouraged not to drive unless absolutely necessary. And apparently, even Atlanta Airport got closed down from this storm! So we had a snow day and didn't even have to leave our home (at least until later in the day and then the driving was very dangerous)!

Jasen's Actual Birthday

Janaury 05 - We celebrated Jasen's birthday with an early dinner at Mirko Pasta. Jasen loved his special Italian creation!We got Jasen a ping pong table for his birthday. Now came the "simple" assembly!
We actually stuck to the instructions...

Of course Purlie had to jump in, or should I say on!

Now for the fun!

Jasen gets it!

Steve's still trying...

The table found it's final spot and the games began!

Nice family fun!!!

Stef's Doodles

January 04 - Stef has always doodled. Now she is creating pieces of art that are being framed and hung for all to enjoy. Here is our family tree. It includes all our names, sweetly hidden, just waiting to be found.More to the name Smith than first meets the eyes!
Jasen's includes his various attributes.

Stef is actually now being more intentional about this craft and is taking orders. Let us know if you are interested in having her create one for you, and we will link you to her.

Two Birthdays in One party

January 03 - We all converged at Ken & Pam's for a combined party. The food was so tasty, a Mexican feast indeed. Here's some of our homemade salsas!The birthday boys. Jasen turns 21, and Steve just turned 52.Jasen so patiently waiting to get into the pressies!Stef created this piece of art just for Jasen.Jasen is 21. Yep, it's official because it is written here in pennies!

Steve opening his gifts!

Yummy fiery gift from Ken & Pam - including a wok to pull it all together!Deron & Prestin surfing somewhere!Ken looking on with Bella! The Cake!!! Jasen ready to dive into some yummy dessert!

Jasen blew out all ONE of his candles!

Pam, Ken & Stef getting their dessert!

Hunter is very satisfied!

Pam & Shellie being creative schemers!

Deron playing with the fire! Something he has always loved to do!

Special cakes in the process

January 02 - When Shellie asked Jasen what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday he choose graduation cupcakes. Here's the finished product that Shellie so creatively assembled! Putting on the hair... Then the caps...
And the final bits.

Mission complete!

Did I mention that each cupcake had a surprise Oreo cookie baked inside it?! Yummy!!!

Steve's birthday dinner

December 31 - Steve's choice of food... gourmet hamburgers - nearly one pound of lean ground beef, well spiced with lots of garnishing! Oh, they were so good!!! Here's Steve chowing down on his huge creation!
Deron was so excited for "dad" to get his gift before he had to get to work. And yep, it was a great gift.