"Brace Face"
Teagan is now officially 'brace face'! Yesterday she visited the orthodontist (nervously clutching two stuffed animals for moral support) and bravely opened her mouth for him to place bands in the back and caps in the front.
She was allowed to choose the colour of the rubber bands they use to go over the caps on the front of the teeth and this month she chose purple. Each month when she returns they will remove those bands and she can choose a different colour. She is extremely proud of these braces, and spent a good long time tonight cleaning her teeth (wonder how long that will last? Before long I am sure I will have to prod and poke her to brush them!)
So for the next 12 months we have to watch what Teagan eats and we know that when those braces come off her teeth will look marvellous!
Labels: braces, Teagan
Back To School
Spring Break is over and it ended with a BANG - literally. Last night San Antonio was placed under a tornado watch and we had severe thunderstorms, and boy, that thunder was loud! The kids mostly slept through it, although Teagan crept into Hayley's bed where we found them both this morning.
Today is the first day at Longs Creek Elementary for Teagan, Hayley, Garrick and Carson. Warrick stayed at Marshall because he will graduate from there in about 10 weeks so it was pointless moving him over to Madison. The 4 younger kids were excited, although apprehensive, about starting a new school. We had made the move as easy as possible though. Terry and I went in two weeks ago with all the paper work and the prinicipal assigned teachers ahead of time so the teachers were already prepared for the Smelker invasion! The elementary school is relatively new, built in 1997 and has over 900 students, one of the largest schools our kids have ever attended, but knowing our kids they will stand out even in a big school!
Another plus is because we moved to a sub-division close to the church, there are other families from the church whose kids attend the same school. In fact, while we waited in the halls this morning Teagan and Hayley recognised two or three kids from church and the neighborhood.
Labels: Carson, Garrick, Hayley, Longs Creek, Marshall, Teagan, Turnstone Lane House, Warrick
A couple of photos
I took some photos of the house (interior and exterior) this morning, but I am having trouble uploading them at the moment - I will try again later. But, I thought I would post a couple of the exterior in the meantime.
The kids are so funny - I told them this morning that I was going to have them vacuum the upstairs and Teagan said, "But didn't we just clean?" I guess they don't seem to understand that you have to clean every couple of days!
It is Spring Break here in San Antonio right now - and like the spring break last year, it is grey, overcast and only in the 70's. Last week when the kids were in school it was sunny and 90! At least we have plenty of room for the kids to play indoors. It might clear up later on today in which case the kids can play outside again. Yesterday they spent going up and down the hill past our house, and making new friends. There are lots of kids in this neighborhood.
Labels: Turnstone Lane House
New Home Sweet Home
I will add photos later (once we find the camera AND have everything set up!) but we are officially in our new house. We got the keys on Friday, picked up the 26-foot U-Haul on Saturday, and with many willing helpers began the arduous task of loading and then unloading. (Thanks to ALL who helped!) We couldn't fit all our stuff in one load so Terry had to go back for another load, and in fact we still have some things at the other house - all of our wall hangings are there, as well as some of our garage things, Teagan's pottery wheel and my garden equipment.
This new house is gi-normous! Seriously - I could fit the house we just moved from into the bottom floor, still have room to spare and we have a whole 'nother storey. All the bedrooms are built big, and we have a game room so the kids don't actually have to keep their toys in their bedrooms any longer - something I have always wanted to do.
My garden will need some TLC - it has been an awfully dry winter and the grass is still brown and there are bare patches. Also, for some reason there is a pile of rocks in the middle of the garden, just dumped there - I will certainly be exercising some muscles to get rid of them. Speaking of muscles, we are all sore...but happy.
Labels: Turnstone Lane House
Our 'Baby' is 6!
On Sunday, March 5th, 2000 in the wee hours of the morning my first contraction came. I called the midwife right away and then woke Terry up. This was our fifth child and our second home birth and we had everything ready because the baby was already a couple of days late. Although we (actually I!) had chosen not to discover the gender of the baby, I just knew it was a boy.
Two and a half hours after my first contraction, Carson Lee Smelker made his entrance into this world. The dawn was breaking and he was welcomed by his oldest brother, and two sisters (his other brother was still sleeping), his grandmother, Daddy and an exhausted Mommy. Carson weighed in at a respectable 8lbs 8 ounces, but his length is what got us - 24 inches!
Today Carson is 6, attends Kindergarten and loves all things Thomas, and Buzz. He is a bright, happy-go-lucky boy with a smile to melt all hearts, and a hearty laugh.
We love you Carson!
Labels: birth, Birthday, Carson, God, Terry
