Jessica Ryan's 4th Bday Party

Especially for you...

Mamaw, Aunt Sue and Uncle Kenny, this post is just for you! Thank you Aunt Sue and Uncle Kenny for the super cool Sleeping Beauty princess crown and card. Your gift was very generous too... wish I could see ya'll on my bday... maybe, if I wish upon a star, then my wish will come true!

Fireproof, the Movie

Hello, family! It is rare for us to recommend movies these days, as there is not, usually, the type of film a Christian couple or family would be comfortable viewing. However, "Fireproof" is the exception! Chuck and I had seen this film recently with Kenny and Sue. It was SO thought-provoking, tender, heart-wrenching, and very Christian. What a surprise to find! All four of us exited the theater with comments of how wonderful the movie really was. Actually, it stars Kirk Cameron in the starring role. It follows a marriage in very deep trouble as the couple works through conflict and indifference. I highly recommend this movie and wanted to encourage all those family members who have not seen it to buy tickets and go!! It is our prayer that all will see it and ponder the effects of putting the Lord first in our marriages and in our homes. For those who are not married, it is still very worth your time to see it. It will impact your life. God bless you all. It has been a joy to read the blog adventures of everyone and to view the pictures, too. We love all of you, each and every one.

Happy 79th Birthday to Ma-maw!! Her birthday was October 24th. We love you Mother, Ma-maw, and Myrtle!!!

Love,
The Smiths "The wise man built his house upon the ROCK."

Mexican Advetures

Jessica Simpson at the State Fair of Texas

Friday, October 17-Here are a few pictures of Jessica's live performance off her new country album. Before her show, Marc and I couldn't resist the healthy fair food! We started off with a state fair corny dog, shared some chicken fried bacon, Marc got a corn on the cob and I tried a fried s'more for dessert-my stomach paid for it later!

Hola!

Greetings from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.














We are staying at the Playa Del Sol Grand.
Here's a view from our condo.

Fall into Boston

Greetings from Boston! This is one of my favorite places in the world, and I've been fortunate enough to spend more than just a "passing through" here this week! In the past, I've only been here a couple times during snowy winter, so to be able to see the colors changing amidst the trees has been everything you think of when you picture this season.

The real reason I'm here is because my company was kind enough to oblige my request to attend UIE 13, a conference for user-centered designers and usability professionals. My gal Amy from Chicago was able to attend as well, which was even more reason to be excited since we attended every session together. I arrived a day into the conference on Monday evening, so I picked up with the sessions Tuesday through Thursday. It's nice to attend a professional development event that you actually care about, rather than a forced attendance. I feel I learned some new techniques, strategies, and ideas to take with me back to my team.

I'm staying just across the Charles River from downtown, which means I'm in Cambridge! The land of brainiacs who go to MIT and Harvard! My best friend from high school, Evan, was one of these and when I asked him for activity suggestions, he immediately responded with, "Go run the Charles River!" Now a work conference is like taking a vacation from work...which means, who wants to workout? I was compelled enough to set out on foot, however, and before I knew it I had jogged 5 miles to downtown Boston and back across the river - so awesome! It was such a pleasant jog and went by so quickly because I didn't care about the running, I was taking in everything I love about this place!

The only alarming (literally) thing that has occurred this week was the following. Around 2:40am this morning, I woke to beeping. Loud beeping. "But I set my phone alarm and it doesn't sound like that," I thought. Then a woman's voice, "Attention. Attention. An emergency has been reported in the building." It went on to state that we may need to evacuate. I heard others in my hall heading for the stairs, so I jumped up, got dressed, texted Amy and we decided to head to the lobby. Down 16 flights of stairs. Not only was I groggy from no sleep, but 16 flights down will make you dizzy! We spent about ten minutes meandering through the lobby to figure out what was going on, only to be told we could return to our rooms. We later received word that it was... a false alarm. The conference leader joked later that morning that they were conducting a usability test on the best way to get a group of people out of bed at 2:30 in the morning. Not funny.

At any rate, it's been a nice week away from the office. Amy and I ventured onto the subway over to Harvard Square for lunch, and later stopped at a cafe for a cupcake break, as we grabbed a window seat and watched students passing by. It made me miss school a little! I left my camera at home, so enjoy the iPhotos - I haven't Photoshopped them so they are posted as is, but hopefully I captured some of the beauty I love about this town!

I can't believe we're mid-way through the season, but am so looking forward to returning home for Thanksgiving so soon!

Love from New England, where the Sox fans are downtrodden, and Madonna is performing her second of two concerts here tonight!

Shannon

"Dolton Digest"

I'm a little late catching you all up on last week...
I have started using my crock pot cook book that mom gave us for preparing crock pot meals and it has been working so well for us. Basically I'm preparing all 3 meals for the day just in the morning before work! So far I've made cran-apple chicken; lemon turkey; Pepsi pot roast; Southwestern chicken; a turkey breast marinated in cranberry sauce, orange juice and dry onion soup mix. For desert I've made some baked cinammon apples, a low fat apple cake, and a hot fudge cake that didn't turn out so great because I didn't think that not having baking powder wouldn't make THAT much of a difference, but I was wrong. Never again will I leave out an ingredient like that!

We found a new home for Koda. He was adopted at the Richardson Animal Shelter just 1 day after taking him there.

Marc took me to the hospital to meet his grandma just a few days before she passed away this Saturday afternoon. She was alert at the time of our visit and we got to spend a good 45 minutes keeping her company and getting to know each other a little bit. We even watched her favorite show with her, Wheel of Fortune. We had plans to take some pictures of us in Cancun and of the wedding for her to see on Saturday but we were too late. Doctors had anticipated her having another week but God had other plans for her. She is in a better place now. She died peacefully in her sleep while holding grandad's hand. Her service will be held at 12:30 tomorrow, 10/15.

Saturday, Marc and I cleaned out and re-finished his 70 gallon fish tank and stand that he has been keeping at his parents' house. We've been putting it off because it's so heavy and I never would have thought I could have carried 200lbs up 3 flights of stairs but we did it together! It was an all day project that took a lot of work to clean out, sand down, paint, move, and put it all back together but it's so pretty now and the fishies brighten up our apartment more. : )

Marc and I have really been enjoying Lake Point Church. We have been impacted by the worship services there. Yesterday, the associate pastor spoke about knowledge from 2 Peter 1:3-8. God has given us all the "ingredients" we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness. It is through these "ingredients" that we may escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. Therefore, we can be so "puffed up" with the "ingredient" of knowledge which is only errogance without adding FIRST: Faith, Goodness, and goodness to Knowledge. For this reason, make every effort, to add to your faith. 2 Peter 1:5. He's very good at illustrating his sermons with pictures that we can easily relate to in our daily lives.

The adult Sunday school class we've been visiting has made us feel very welcome and we have been very impressed with the teaching in this class. Each week there are outlines made for us to follow along with and answer questions that are the kind that really make you think a lot. So far all of our lessons have been really deep in the word and better prepare us to be able to answer questions of a non believer with Biblical examples to back up answers. We look forward to finding a place to serve in this church and becoming more involved there.

Then after church on Sunday, we went to see Fireproof at the AMC at Firewheel Mall (really close to the church). Marc and I cried throughout the whole movie along with the people sitting on each side of us. It delivered a remarkable message about how God is the only 1 who can transform our lives and relationships if we allow him by putting our faith and trust in Him.

Catching up...

Howdy ya'll!
Well, we are preparing to travel to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico soon.
We've been so very busy...

Last weekend, mommy went to Solvang, California to Kara's wedding. Daddy was in Denver that weekend. As a result, mommy went with Laura, and I stayed with grandma and grandpa.

Like I said... Daddy was in Denver. I think he was home a few days. He went to Dallas for almost a week and back to Denver... he's been gone forever... I sure do miss him!

(He sent these pictures today. He's at the Broncos game. Hmmm... I thought he was a Cowboys fan?!?)

While daddy's been away...

Winter has been teasing fall. Here's a snapshot of our house. Lots o'snow... but not too much.

The snow hasn't stopped our fall plans...We've been busy! We baked cookies for a party.

We went to a United Way fundraiser at BOONDOCKS for mommy's work. It's so fun there! Oh... yes! We had a package delivered from Dallas. We received many cute items. Of course, we went to church. And, we went shopping. Mommy bought me a big girl booster seat! I can use the seatbelt now!

We went to lunch and the movies to watch Beverly Hills Chihuahua. That's a wrap. Bye! Love ya! We have the annual church meeting... well, mommy goes to the meeting and I get to play in the bounce house with my friends. Then, gotta help pack for Mexico!

A Weekend in Springfield, MO

Marc and I really want to see Ryann more often so we decided that since Ryann could not come here to visit because she has soccer games every Saturday, that we would go all the way to her home town. (She was born here in Richardson, but her mom and mom's family all moved to Springfield when Ryann was 18 months old and since then it has been her home.) We got started early Friday morning and got there mid afternoon. Brittany, Ryann's mom, called to tell us that Ryann wanted to show us around her house first so when we went to pick her up, Ryann gave us a tour. She lives in a very nice home and her room is decorated so cute in her favorite color red! We got to meet her black lab Maggie and 5 year old brother, Syler. Brittany and her mom and sister who were also there to meet me, were very kind and welcomed me. We were very pleased with the way everything went with them. They told me they really do want to get to know me and Brittany even suggested us having dinner next time we visit. That was an answered prayer for us and we will keep praying for those relationships to stay positive and good for Ryann and hopefully start to see better results as far as being able to have more visitation with Ryann.



After showing us around, Marc and I took Ryann to Incredible Pizza there in Springfield. It's kind of like a mini dave & busters with mini golf, mini bowling, go carts and other games. She had a blast and we just enjoyed being with her and seeing her sweet face. She is the most precious 8 year old. Brittany and her step dad Brandon have really done a great job raising her. She does get her sensitive and sentimental traits from her daddy Marc. She's always open and honest with her thoughts and feelings just like her daddy. She and Marc have such great communication and God has truly blessed him with her and I'm so proud to be her new step mom or as she calls me her "Texas mom." After playing games, we were all starving so we went to a place called Lambert's Cafe in Ozark, MO (right outside of Springfield). Evidentially this is the most popular restaurant in the area and people come from all over just to eat there! The food was absolutely amazing and they are known for throwing the dinner rolls at you instead of putting them in a basket on the tables. That was Ryann's favorite part. Saturday we went to see Ryann play soccer and her team won! She played so well! Afterwards, we took her to Braum's for ice cream before heading out to Branson for the day. Ryann has been to almost all the tourist attractions in Branson so we wanted to take her some place she hadn't been to. She was really eager to go to the Butterfly Palace so when we got to Branson, that's the first place we went to. It was really neat! Hundreds of different butterflies from all over the world were in a rainforest room there and none of them were from America so there were some that were really exotic. After that, Ryann loves to play lazer tag so we stopped by a miniature golf and lazer tag place to play. Marc beat the entire group and got 1st place so he sat out the next round to give us all a chance. : ) Ryann and I tied for last place. haha I'm NOT good at lazer tag.



We were sad to have to take Ryann back home and head back to Texas. We really think that this trip helped a lot and they all seemed very happy that we made the trip there so I think Brittany will be more open to meeting us half way more often for us to see Ryann. That is what we keep hoping and praying for. We really enjoyed the weekend in Missouri. The weather was nice and refreshing and gas was $2.79/gal!
Here are a few pictures taken from our visit:

My big girl room

Well, this is what my room looked like before when I was a baby.

Now that I'm a big girl... well, my mommy and daddy thought it was time for me to have a big girl bedroom. Mommy worked hard to touch up the paint and move the furniture in my room. Grandmommy and Granddaddy (as an early birthday present) gave me the Pottery Barn bedding. Well, we searched for the right bed for my big girl room... And, daddy decided to build this beautiful princess bed for me. Can you believe it?!?! Daddy made it ALL by himself! For me! Here I am... in my beautiful and comfortable princess bed...

Save the Dates

Hi! We are so excited to be coming to Dallas for Christmas... December. Thank you Grandmommy and Granddaddy for your generous gift. We appreciate it! We love ya! And can't wait to see ya'll!!! Shannon, hopefully you'll be there too?!?