Happy Halloween

It's that time again! Halloween time! aka Wesley's favorite holiday :)

In keeping with a Smith tradition, Brad's parents joined us for a fun-filled, jam-packed day!

The first stop was the Fall Festival at church! (You know, home of the free bulbs!!)

I only have a handful of other photos so I thought I'd do a top 5 list from the day.

(Unfortunately, I managed to NOT get any pictures of mom and dad smith!)

#5

I love this picture because it really shows how much Wes has grown lately!! He's gaining on me!!

2010

2009

#4

Wesley was really good at all the games - I think we were most impressed when he played putt putt because he scored a hole in one on the first try!! Naturally, I didn't have a camera ready for that shot... SO, here is a photo of another game he played.

#3

Wesley dressed as a vampire this year. My favorite part of the whole outfit is his shoe selection...

Really completes the look, don't you think??

 

#2

I really do love this picture because it is Wesley completely in his element. He was more excited about setting up the lights and fog machine than he was about trick or treating. I snapped this picture because I think it will be one of his favorite halloween memories :)

 #1

This is MY favorite halloween memory :)

After the lights were unplugged and the candy was all given out... Brad and Wes sorted through the loot together and had a great time giggling at the weird ones ("Who gives out PRETZELS on Halloween??") and splitting up the "good" from the "bad" (Wesley still doesn't like Snickers??)

It's no trick, seeing my two guys getting along and being buddies is quite a treat for this Mom :) 

Just Plane Fun

This weekend was gorgeous with plenty of sunshine and lovely breezes. Just perfect for a flight on Smith Airways!!

Saturday, we were picked up in Philadelphia and we winged our way to Evergreen, AL for a fly-in! ( http://www.serfi.org/ )

As if that wasn't fun enough - It was also my first time to fly with Cheryl! Clearly, she was as excited as I was!

But we weren't there just to admire the scenery and bask in the sunshine....

We were on a mission!

Now that Smith Airways is up and running, it's high time for Brad to learn to fly.

We needed to track down an economical plane that was roomy enough for him AND his legs to fit in :)

There were plenty of options to check out...

Of course, Cheryl spotted a Stearman and we all know that's the plane SHE would choose...

And even *I* found one that I liked....

All in all, it was a beautiful day and I'd say a good time was had by all.

After it was all said and done, Herb informed me that as fly-ins go, this one was small potatoes... So I guess there will be more trips to come. All I know is, with this family, the sky's the limit :)

Baylor the Legal Beagle

Recently a friend posted this picture with the caption:



Is anybody missing a beagle around the Collinsville beach area? I went walking this morning &; he hitched a ride back home with me & Snoopy &; has decided he kinda likes it around here.




Then, he made his way to their neighbors' house... At which point I remarked how cute he is... To which I was told:


Stephanie, I think you need this dog!! He is really friendly and is good with kids!!


Neither of the families was willing to take the dog into their homes since they already had pets...



So if the original owners didn't turn up and no new owners claimed him, he was headed to the pound.


And, well, that's really all I needed to hear :)


Brad and I talked about it over the weekend and agreed that this beagle needed a home - OUR Home!


So Monday morning a homeless beagle was delivered to the Collinsville vet for a thorough check-up. And Monday night, the beagle came home with us.


We took our time showing him around and letting him get to know each of us.


Here, Wesley acts as a sweet tour guide (who can't stop smiling!)

After we were all acquainted, we had to figure out what to call this new dog. Many names were considered and we held a vote - Baylor came out on top and so our beagle was named :)  

At first, we weren't sure what to expect so we let him roam inside while we were home and outside when we were away. That wouldn't work for long with winter coming, so we let him stay indoors one evening while we were at church... and well, he's not quite ready for that yet... While we decided what to do, we let him sleep in the small area outside our bedroom.

Then, we researched crate training and how many dogs love having their own cozy retreat. We had seen Baylor in one area over and over and thought that might be "his spot."  So off to PetCo we went :) 


We came home with a shiny new crate and an assortment of toys... All of which were well-received.

 Brad rubbed a bacon-flavored treat on one bone and it is now the FAVORITE as you can see here:

In fact, this cloth bone is so well-loved that Baylor often takes it to the back door and whimpers just waiting for the chance to bury it where it can be safe and sound!



We are still learning all the nuances of his personality and he's learning about being a Smith, but so far, I think we're all happy with how this new addition is turning out. And we're pretty sure he likes it here!

Baylor is a very good dog :)