July 31st--Crazy last week and a half

No pics this morning but just a quick note to tell all our family and friends how much we appreciate and love them. Several people at my work have lost loved ones last Saturday. While we were celebrating the joining of two people we care for, two supervisors lost those they care for. One a husband of 40+ years who was ill and the other a daughter who was but 24 and her passing was most unexpected. We also send our prayers to Uncle Jack who is in Dallas with Nana and Grandad for more surgery. It sounds like everything is going well and we want to keep it that way. And to our family that isn't as close as we would like, we love and miss you and think about you everyday and thank God for every moment we have together, either in person or via phone/e-mail/letters/blogs...

Also this week we hope to learn what Elise's cousin will be...will it be a boy to rough-house and play "garage" with or a girl to play Barbie's and dress-up....we are excited to know!!

We love you all!

Love, Patrick, Holly and Elise (and Kikyo)

July 4th and 21st Pics

Here are some pics from the 4th of July and yesterday July 21st, Crystal (Daddy aka Patrick's cousin)and John-Paul's wedding where Elise was a flower girl.

Look who got some new shoes!! Crocs!! Just like Uncle Jack! Elise loved his so much Nana and Grandad treated Elise to some of her very own.

I don't know but I think she likes them. What do you think??

Here is our precious little girl looking beautiful for Crystal and John-Paul's big day. Elise was the littlest of the flower girls but she followed the other girls lead and did wonderfully. Better than Mommy and Daddy hoped or expected. Here are few pics from the day.

Hope you enjoyed the photos. Sorry that there isn't much in the way of captions but most of these speak for themselves. I have some more pics to post but that will have to wait as is grows late here and Monday morning comes too soon. More later. =)

Uncle Jack's Birthday Pics

Okay, okay, so I am falling behind on my 2-3 day plan but I have been getting over some very not pleasant side effects of the medicine I was taking for my back and it rained here (FINALLY) but it stirred up something that my sinus' do not like. So get ready for some birthday party action from Uncle Jack's 2 Year B-day party. (For those that do not know Jack is Daddy aka Patrick's brother that is just bit younger than Elise)

Here Uncle Jack is opening some of his gifts (with the help of Mommy and Daddy aka NaNa and Grandad).

Uncle Jack didn't need this for much longer after his party.....he took off like a bolt when he was in Dallas last. Soon nothing will be off limits cause those hands find a way to get things you didn't think they could reach! :)

Uncle Rob helps dish out the cake while Uncle Jack recovers from all the excitement of him turning 2. Cousins Anja, Jayla, D.J. and Jeanie can be seen anxiously awaiting some cake. (Hope no one got their name misspelled, if so e-mail and berate me now!)

Hey Uncle Rob, I think Elise wants a piece too. Very intense look there aimed at you!

Oh what does that pitiful little face say...?

It says "Can I play too??"

And one final picture tonight

.....I wish Mommy woke up in the morning this cheery (so does Daddy) :p

Happy 4th of July!!

Happy 4th of July everyone!! Mommy was off work but Daddy had to go make the money, like he always does. He is such a great salesman! He sold over 40k in 7 days last month! Holy smokes!! Anyways, Elise and I took a very long nap today. 2 and a half hours!! She hasn't taken that long of a nap in like 6 months. But I guess we both needed some rest. For those of you that I haven't babbled on and on to about my back, 2 weeks ago I was cleaning our computers at home (I stress that because my supervisor, doctor and Dad and Bo all thought it happened at work...I WISH that it did but moving on) the little plastic tube thingy on the air-duster blew off and I got under the desk to get it and when I came up, I wasn't completely out from underneath it and hit my spine on the metal lip of the "desk" (it is really a banquet table so we can fit both of our comps there).

I thought everything would just get better like all my little boo-boos do but a week after, I thought I was gonna die at work in my computer chair, went to the doctor and had x-rays etc. I didn't chip or fracture anything but bruise my spine all the way to the bone. OUCH! So the I got some muscle relaxer, anti-inflammatory and a pain killer but the sad thing is, it hurts the worst at work but I cannot function with those while there. I almost nod off at my desk and I send out 50 plus e-mails first thing in the morning and I mislabeled stuff so, I have to be in pain at work and then wait til I am home to take my medicine. I got a little travel pillow to prop me up until my back feels better (thanks Patrick! what an understanding man!)

So, the nap was very nice although I heard that Grandad (Patrick's dad David) and NaNa (Patrick's step mom Marie) asked us over, so I have to apologize for not coming but after nap time we had to go get groceries and get a prescription and Mommy promised Elise we would make a cake when we got home and that was ALL she could talk about at the store so...Mommy couldn't let her down.

Here is a very nice photo of all the May birthday gals (and Elise). This was at Grandma, Grannie and Pa's. Mommy, Aunt Cathy and Amber all have birthdays within 5 days of each other so we had a joint celebration! Here you can also see that Elise has a black eye from the "incident" at daycare. Thank goodness it cleared up for the wedding but we still have to put Mederma on it because the skin was broken a little bit to the left of the eye and we want to minimize the scar. Mederma works great, a little pricey but we think it is worth it. P.S. Grannie was quite upset about the black icing on the pretty pastel cake, she made sure we all knew it was not intentional, especially to me because I did turn 30!! Yikes! I told her it was just fine and I appreciated being included, that was what was important to me, not the color of the icing. :)

Speaking of making a cake, here is Elise with MiMi while we were in Iowa, letting the little sweet potato help out. I think that is why Elise was so exciting about making a cake. And Grandma (Patrick's mom Crystie) gave Mommy and Daddy an hand electric mixer for our anniversary, so we could make a non-lumpy cake. Yes folks, we did not have one all this time. It cracked up my co-workers so I hope you all have a good chuckle. lol

This is Elise with Uncle Garrett (Mommy's step brother). They are eating the cake seen being made in the previous picture. She seems to like it. :)

Garrett was such a help while Elise and Mommy were in Iowa. He helped watch her at the rehearsal dinner, wedding and at PaPa and MiMi's house and also gave Elise his Caillou books. Elise really likes them and wants Daddy to read her one almost every night. And they each teach a lesson so YAY Uncle Garrett!

Uncle Kyle is showing Elise how fun cars can be. She really loved playing with them, and with Uncle Kyle. He makes the best sound effects!! When we got back home to Alabama Mommy and Daddy got some cars from the movie Cars for her. Lighting McQueen, Sally, Mater, Doc Hudson etc. She already had the movie so she knew the characters. She even does Lighting McQueen's catch phrase...Ka-chow. It is so cute. Elise now refers to Uncle Kyle as "my Kyle" hehe. btw that is actually Uncle Kyle's Fisher Price parking garage from when he was little. :)

Finally got a current picture downloaded of Grandma (with the puppies) aka Mommy's mom aka Sue. We say Grandma with the puppies so Elise knows the difference between Grandma's. When I get off the phone and say "I love you Mom" Elise says "Mommy?" and I say "no that is Mommy's mom, your Grandma" then Elise says "Grandma puppies?" YES! That is right. lol

This is Kikyo pronounced Keek-Yo (named for a character from Inuyasha). You all knew it already so don't act surprised that we are geeks and watch anime. She decided that Elise's floppy seat was just the right spot for a nap! She is a very good kitty and shows a lot of patience with Elise.

Okay, I have some photos to post but we have cupcakes and a small cake to frost and some pasta salad to make so everything will be ready for Daddy to grill hot dogs for dinner before we go down to the Southside to get a very good view of the fireworks tonight. They launch them from Red Mountain and our apartment complex is on Red Mountain but on the opposite side. We can see them okay but they don't look as high up and some t.v. towers are in the way of some of them. Daddy has the best ideas about where to go! I will TRY, TRY, TRY to post every 2 to 3 days regardless of having any photos but we usually do. Have a happy and safe 4th everyone!

First Entry 07/01/07

Hello family and friends! Welcome to the Sweet Potato Files where you can find updates (hopefully frequently) about the comings and goings of the Smith family. Mostly we will focus on the little angel that inspired this blog, our little Sweet Potato, Elise Madeline. She is our pride and joy and a true blessing for Patrick and myself (Holly). Elise was born Thanksgiving Day 2004 and arrived right on time as that was her due date.

She is now 2 and a half and just amazing us all more and more as each day passes. Please bear with me as I get the hang of being a blogger as this is my first go around with it. I am attempting to upload a few pics from Easter at Grandma and Grannie and Pa's and from my brother aka Uncle Kyle's wedding over Memorial Day weekend. You will have to forgive me as some photos will be out of sequence time wise but at least they will get posted. :)

Kyle and I seem to favor each other a bit in this photo. My Dad aka PaPa says that will happen. :p

Also a picture of PaPa and MiMi with the Sweet Potato herself. She wasn't spoiled one bit at all while we were there. Yikes! There was a HUGE thunder clap, apparently someone thinks that was a bit sarcastic...lol.

A huge thanks to PaPa and MiMi for all their help with Elise while I was part of the wedding party and their generosity with our visit. It was a blast.

Can't get much cuter than that huh?

Here is a good picture of Uncle Kyle with his bride Liz aka Aunt Liz. Liz has the honor of being Elise's only Aunt. Aunt Liz is also expecting a bundle of joy in late December and Elise cannot wait to have a cousin and Patrick and I cannot wait to be an Aunt and Uncle!

I am also posting a pic of Daddy with Elise when she was very small that is one of my personal favorites. As I get the hang of this, I hope to be better organized but with all the overtime I have been working and all the hours Daddy aka Patrick works spending time with Elise takes priority over many things, as I am sure all can understand.

So this is the end for post #1 and I have a memory card full of pics for the next post which will hopefully be in a few days! We just can't say how much we love and treasure everyday with our Sweet Potato!