This week one of my older brothers is visiting from literally across the world...Australia!  He and his wife live there and it's always a treat to visit with him when he can (especially since I don't have plans to travel to Australia anytime soon) Boo Hoo :(    Our family had a nice dinner with him and my parents a few nights ago and we took some pictures (of course)...


Another delicious and easy salad idea (thanks to my sister-in-law for this one) that I served last night for our family is cut up plums, strawberries and blueberries.  Mix, refrigerate and enjoy!  The sweet plums with the other berries is yummy and my son especially loves this too!  It looks pretty too! 

This weekend I've been busy hanging out with my 3 daughters while my hubby and son are away at a camping trip with my son's Boy Scout Troop and they were able to go whitewater rafting today at the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NC.  My husband told me tonight over the phone that it is an awesome place and they had a great time! My husband thought that maybe we could go back as a family one day to enjoy the adventure together!  Have any of you who are reading this post been to this Center in Charlotte?  I've heard nothing but good things about this place!

So today my 3 darling girl cupcakes and I did alot!  We shopped for new bathing suits and flip flops, bought some Father's Day gifts, went to the grocery store, bought my niece a birthday present, went to Saturday night Vigil Mass, went out to eat, then went out for dessert at a frozen yogurt bar, and then we went bike riding around a local lake and played on the park's playground.  Phewwwwww...my girls and I were tuckered out, but we just want to have fun while the boys are away :)

After our busy day, it was time to relax so my girls got into our master bath's jacuzzi bathtub that my kid's have called "Magic Bath".  We turn out the lights in the bathroom and they like to see the multi-colored lights shine in the tub...."Magic Baths" are a special treat for my kids and sometimes on birthdays (or girls weekend) the kids get into their bathing suits and jump in the fun tub.  Here are some pictures of their Magic Bath time to close out a very eventful and productive day! 

Last weekend my two older daughters and their friend got their ears pierced at our local mall.  

They were able to pick out their "free" earrings....Each of my girls chose their birthstones.

My 7 year old thought that when the lady marked her ears with a marker to place the earring that was when her ears were pierced.  

She was tearing up a bit after this step when her earrings actually got in! 

I never thought I could start a blog or even have time for it, but I am taking on this challenge after I had a prompting from someone to journal one of my passions...creating and decorating birthday cakes for my 4 children (aka my 4 cupcakes). I have always said that I need to start a blog on how I don't have time to start or keep a blog. Well, here is my attempt to embrace and enjoy the blogging world hoping that it will make a positive impact on myself and on the visitors to "A Slice of Smith Life."

I have visited many blogs in the past and I hope to finally become an official "follower" of some of the blogs that I enjoy reading. I often wonder how bloggers come up with the name of their blog. What is their story of why they chose the name they did?

 Here's how I came up with my title, "A Slice of Smith Life": The title relates to the many decorated cakes I have created and sliced over the past 10 + years and this blog will also give my readers a glimpse into the other passions in my life, including Sacred Heart Academy Homeschooling, Cakes, and Natural Family Planning. I hope that by sharing some areas in my life that are fun and important to me, it will help all those who visit "A Slice of Smith Life" to be inspired and touched by what they read.