tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86114431706630041422024-03-13T12:20:51.048-04:00A Slice of Smith LifeI am a homeschool mom of 5 whose one of many passions is creating and decorating birthday cakes for my children (aka "Cupcakes). "A Slice of Smith Life" is also a way for me to document the sweetness of faith, family and homeschooling. I hope you enjoy your visit here!asliceofsmithlifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01411785385543404159noreply@blogger.comBlogger77413tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611443170663004142.post-87666207187319218472018-07-30T10:32:00.001-04:002018-07-30T10:32:27.896-04:00A 5th Birthday Tribute to our Sweet One <div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Dear Sweet One, </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As I spent some time gathering photos for this post, it brought back memories of </span><a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/2013/08/announcing-birth-of-cupcake-5.html" style="background-color: white; color: #28c5f0; font-family: Arial, "Arial Unicode MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">your eventful, long, and exciting birth</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> 5 years ago and I can't believe another year has gone by!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You have grown and changed so much since <a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/2017/08/a-unicorn-cupcake-cake-for-our-4-year.html" target="_blank">your 4th birthday celebration</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">(that happened to also be a unicorn theme) and now we are so joyful and happy to celebrate your 5th birthday!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This past year you continued to LOVE gymnastics and do all sorts of crazy moves, even in trees! You are super flexible and just about everyday you practice hand stands, rolls, back bends, splits and your dance moves! You really have no fear! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You continue to love to read with Daddy and Mommy and your siblings too! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You love the beach and swimming at Nana and Grandpa's pool and you are getting really good at swimming. So much so that you have taken off your floaties to swim! This past year in the pool you are swimming a lot in the shallow end and you like to jump off the side of the pool in the deep end so Mom and Dad can catch you! And you love to spin around and I get so dizzy too easily! :) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You love hanging out with your big brother! He is so good to you and all his sisters!</span><br />
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I love when you wake up in the morning and come and snuggle with me. </div>
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And at Halloween in 2015 you thought the yucky pumpkin guts were quite funny and it made you very silly. :)</div>
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You still love to wear all types of shoes including my black boots!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I love this photo of you from our trip to Charleston, SC at one of your sibling's soccer tournament in Nov. 2015 because it shows just how your hair gets curlier and curlier!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You loved the new kitchen and accessories you got for Christmas 2015...</span><br />
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You love playing dress-up and with your sisters and being silly with them!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Your big brother loves to snuggle with you, but you don't always want to sit still enough for his hugs. You happened to fall asleep on his shoulder so I quickly took a photo of this rare moment where your brother got some snuggle time with you! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You love to roller skate with and without help!</span><br />
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You love going to the park and swinging, climbing and sliding!</div>
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You love to help out in the kitchen and you are always pulling up a bar stool to get close to the counter as you exclaim often, "I wanna see! I wanna do it!" Here you are helping out with <a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/p/visit-my-store.html" style="color: #28c5f0; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">our traditional Easter resurrection cookies. </a></div>
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You've been talking up a storm, learning your ABCs, counting and doing school work like the big kids. You love to sing your ABCs and you always ask us to write out the alphabet by saying "Do an A." This past year you do really well writing the letter "n" over and over again. :) </div>
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Recently you loved going on kiddie rides for the first time at <a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/2016/07/family-fun-in-md-pa-and-ma-knoebels.html" style="color: #28c5f0; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Knoebels Amusement Park</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZZ8QmOFOo4/V5wvSZ_cHBI/AAAAAAAAhSQ/vRsrRMrFQbwzG_cyZ00y2Yp0qoz2LPbIwCKgB/s1600/IMG_4070.JPG" style="color: #28c5f0; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" height="425" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZZ8QmOFOo4/V5wvSZ_cHBI/AAAAAAAAhSQ/vRsrRMrFQbwzG_cyZ00y2Yp0qoz2LPbIwCKgB/s640/IMG_4070.JPG" style="border: 0px; margin: 7px;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And you went down </span><a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/2016/07/family-fun-in-md-pa-and-ma-coco-key.html" style="background-color: white; color: #28c5f0; font-family: Arial, "Arial Unicode MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">your first water slide</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">!</span><br />
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You are growing so fast and tall that you can already touch the ceiling! Well, <a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/2016/07/family-fun-in-md-pa-and-ma-national.html" style="color: #28c5f0; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">you can at least touch this ceiling</a> with help from Daddy.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You have grown so much and have gone through so many changes this past year! You don't take regular naps anymore, but occasionally you'll find Mommy and Daddy's bed to sleep in during the day or you will walk downstairs at night and come and snuggle with us! For a little person you sure do take up a lot of space!</span><br />
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This past year you loved to say the "Hail Mary" and "Our Father" prayers even more and during family prayer time you tell us who is next to recite the prayers. We love that you love Jesus and kneel during Mass and sing the "Alleluia" at just the right time. All of us are also amazed that you walk up to communion at daily Mass with your little praying hands folded and bow before the Eucharist, though it is still some time before you can actually receive our Lord at your First Communion. Here you are kneeling at <a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/2016/07/family-fun-in-md-pa-and-ma-national.html" style="color: #28c5f0; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in front of her final resting place</a>.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">We pray and hope that you will always love our Lord and grow deeper in love with your faith and </span><a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/2016/07/family-fun-in-md-pa-and-ma-gettysburg.html" style="background-color: white; color: #28c5f0; font-family: Arial, "Arial Unicode MS", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">look up to Him</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> and our Blessed Mother as your best role models and friends.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You play and love hard and sometimes you fall and scrap your forehead from playing so hard and then fall asleep from all the playing.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You still love to dress up and this past year we saw you in this outfit a lot!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You loved the snow in January 2018 and we were finally able to put this cute snow suit on you that we got from a friend. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In winter 2018, you enjoyed being around the ponies and horses during your older sister's horse back riding lessons. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You love your family and we love you!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Happy 5th birthday! We had fun celebrating your special day at the beach club and eating unicorn cupcakes! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">We love you! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Love, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #053d4c; font-family: "arial" , "arial unicode ms" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Mom, Dad and your 4 older siblings :) </span></span><br />
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<script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=6138461a-164c-47d2-baee-2b71e4f9e601&storeId=aslofsmli-20"></script>asliceofsmithlifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01411785385543404159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611443170663004142.post-80494168282909591382018-06-10T07:34:00.002-04:002018-06-10T07:40:15.397-04:00Happy 14th Birthday to our Daughter! <br />
<span data-offset-key="24a8h-0-0"><span data-text="true">It's hard to believe that it's been 14 years!</span></span>! June 10, 2004 was a joyous day for sure! Both your older sister and your older brother were born on
Friday, the 19th, so exactly 17 months apart. Your sister was born on
Friday, May 19th and your brother on Friday, October 19th. So it would
have been nice if you kept the "19th" day birthday tradition going, but
holding you in my womb for 9 more days would have been...well, not so
fun! :)<br />
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You were loved
from the start and what a surprise it was when you came into this world
with a
head full of beautiful, dark hair! We were in awe of you, God's
blessing, and we couldn't believe the amount of hair God blessed you
with! You looked like you had a wig! Your big sister is wearing a
pink t-shirt that says "I'm the BIG Sister"
and your big brother is wearing a blue t-shirt that says "I'm the BIG
Brother" in the photo. I made these shirts for your siblings and
wrapped them up for<a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/2010/06/elmo-and-cookie-monster-cakes.html" target="_blank"> your brother's 2nd birthday</a>. At his party, they each opened the
t-shirts and this is how we told family and friends I was pregnant with
you! It was very exciting to share our joyful news in this way!<br />
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Your
big sister and brother loved peeking into your bassinet to watch you
sleep peacefully! They loved giving you lots of
hugs and kisses!<br />
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This
picture was taken just before your first Sunday Mass visit. You looked so
beautiful with your pink and white lace outfit. It was a lovely day to
bring you to our church for the first time! <br />
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Here you are at 4 1/2 months old, our Little Pumpkin. You even had a pumpkin stem! :) </div>
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Here
you are at 9 months old with your brother and sister and you still
have a head full of beautiful brown (now with streaks of blond) hair! I had to put bows in your hair
at 9 weeks old and since you never lost your hair, as many people
thought you would, we continued to keep the hair out of your eyes with
pretty bows!<br />
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You have always been a big helper as you helped paint our new house!<br />
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You love being silly with your siblings!</div>
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You are such a great big sister!</div>
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You love God and your Catholic faith and my prayer is that you always will! </div>
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I love how you surprise me with sweet notes! You have such a tender and loving heart! </div>
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I love how you surprise me with silly photos that you take on my phone without me knowing! :-)<br />
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I love watching you run, dribble, and kick the soccer ball. You are
athletic and competitive, yet humble and a team player on and off the
field. </div>
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I love how creative and artistic you are with photography and paintings. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVEjZuk2e_w/WxyTtshuQVI/AAAAAAAAkCY/XatPsKJG3-4i-LzvkhxQ85nZtF8bEQ9GgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20180509_165256347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVEjZuk2e_w/WxyTtshuQVI/AAAAAAAAkCY/XatPsKJG3-4i-LzvkhxQ85nZtF8bEQ9GgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20180509_165256347.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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I love how you have fun with your little sister and you are very patient with your 4 siblings! </div>
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Happy 14th Birthday sweet girl! You
bring so much joy and love to our lives! We are so blessed to have you
in our family!<br />
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Love, Mom</div>
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asliceofsmithlifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01411785385543404159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611443170663004142.post-63006112284512037752018-05-19T07:03:00.000-04:002018-05-19T07:03:59.767-04:00Happy 18th Birthday to our Daughter! <br />
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*I interrupt my blogging hiatus of 5 months with this blog post to wish our oldest child a happy 18th birthday! I've missed blogging very much, but I am still active on social media on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/asliceofsmithlife/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/asliceofsmithlife/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>. My days have been filled juggling family life and constant ongoing changes, getting prepared for my daughter's high school graduation from our homeschool (!!!!!!) and I've been working part time since October 2017 teaching English online to Chinese students through a company called <a href="https://t.vipkid.com.cn/?refereeId=8355106&refersourceid=a01" target="_blank">VIPKid</a>. <a href="http://04z2ua/" target="_blank">Referral Code</a> (click <a href="http://04z2ua/" target="_blank">here</a>). My days usually start at 4AM when I get ready to teach my early morning VIPKid classes or go running with a friend before anyone in my house is awake. So blogging has had to be put on the back burner....there's only so many hours in the day, huh? Anyway, back to my birthday post for our daughter....<br />
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To my firstborn who made me a Mommy for the first time,<br />
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18 years ago today we were blessed when we held you in our arms for the first time. Here you are with Daddy and Mommy when you were just a few weeks old. You were so little and Daddy and Mommy were soooooo young! :)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HxU8cVugNgU/U3V9ac6x3DI/AAAAAAAAHbU/01-z7GGCio0/s1600/PicMonkey+CollageMay2000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HxU8cVugNgU/U3V9ac6x3DI/AAAAAAAAHbU/01-z7GGCio0/s400/PicMonkey+CollageMay2000.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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You were 6 lbs, 1 oz., so very tiny, but big enough to fill our hearts and home with love and wonder! I remember being admitted into the hospital 2 weeks prior to your due date because of <a href="http://www.babycenter.com/0_preeclampsia_257.bc" target="_blank">preeclampsia</a>. </div>
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To make a long story short, I was able to labor on my own without being induced and in about 6 hours with no epidural, you went from your dark, peaceful home into this bright, big world! Your Daddy and I had tears of joy when we saw you for the first time!</div>
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I remember crying myself to sleep one afternoon soon after we got home from the hospital because you were so tiny and I was struggling to get you to latch on so I could nurse you. Your Daddy woke me from my nap to tell me that he had made a phone call to our local La Leche League and made an appointment for us to see a consultant. I remember the feeling of gratitude and relief after our appointment because I was soon able to nurse you. I remember thinking that you have a wonderful Daddy and I have a supportive and loving husband.<br />
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We remember when you were and will always be Daddy's little girl and Dad will never forget his first Father's Day in 2000 when he held you lovingly in his arms and gave you a sweet kiss in the backyard in our "old, old house"...</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bzZtfTa_r_M/U3WCZq90nFI/AAAAAAAAHbo/Uz_1C_WO52w/s1600/PicMonkeyDaddy%27sGirl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bzZtfTa_r_M/U3WCZq90nFI/AAAAAAAAHbo/Uz_1C_WO52w/s640/PicMonkeyDaddy'sGirl.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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I remember when we were celebrating your first Christmas when you were 7 months old. The outfit you are wearing in the photo below has been worn by all your siblings too to celebrate their first Christmas. Nowadays you are more into what's wrapped in the wrapping paper vs. just laughing at the funny sounds paper can make, like you did as a baby... :)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xacBxU1sHRY/U3WAcT-tP5I/AAAAAAAAHbc/L17FjpFZOzs/s1600/FirstChristmas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" height="317" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xacBxU1sHRY/U3WAcT-tP5I/AAAAAAAAHbc/L17FjpFZOzs/s1600/FirstChristmas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I remember when you were this little with your sweet bow in your hair...</div>
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I remember your 1st birthday when we had a "Ladybug" themed party and I made these <a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/p/cakes.html" target="_blank">ladybug cakes</a> with a friend to celebrate your big day!</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNIVnDiyzqE/Vz0D_4P4VdI/AAAAAAAAg7Q/AVHN8-vQqSQnB0rOMCZ4N_dKVIYKQTm3wCKgB/s1600/PicMonkey%2BCollageRachels16BirthdayF.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNIVnDiyzqE/Vz0D_4P4VdI/AAAAAAAAg7Q/AVHN8-vQqSQnB0rOMCZ4N_dKVIYKQTm3wCKgB/s640/PicMonkey%2BCollageRachels16BirthdayF.jpg" width="534" /></a></div>
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I remember when I was 17 weeks pregnant with your brother (although we didn't know if you were a big sister to a brother or sister at the time), and I held you on my first Mother's Day 2001 (the first Mother's Day with you outside of my womb) as you modeled your cute outfit with a hat with your adorable smile that lit up a room...</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KCg08RCX_Pw/T7UgmLIQXsI/AAAAAAAADw0/l3ZYclswcV4/s1600/scan0030.bmp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KCg08RCX_Pw/T7UgmLIQXsI/AAAAAAAADw0/l3ZYclswcV4/s400/scan0030.bmp" width="253" /></a></div>
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I remember when I borrowed a watermelon print dress from a friend just so I could take pictures of you beside a watermelon and eating a watermelon with me while my belly was getting as big as a watermelon carrying your sibling. (that's alot of repetition there!) I wanted the matching watermelon (there's that word again!) dress too so I could make the adorable page for you in your scrapbook....<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GgD6ZvVdm5I/T7Ugy7Q2sUI/AAAAAAAADxE/CLU1Ms9MKv0/s1600/scan0031.bmp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" height="323" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GgD6ZvVdm5I/T7Ugy7Q2sUI/AAAAAAAADxE/CLU1Ms9MKv0/s400/scan0031.bmp" width="400" /></a></div>
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I remember taking this special photo capturing special memories. Here you are with Nana and me. 3 generations! </div>
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I remember how you loved peeking into the (pink) bassinet looking at your baby brother sleeping. You were just 17 months old when he was born. You loved taking care of your little brother and still do! And now you take care of your little sisters too!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9uPptndqT8A/VVqNbGViTHI/AAAAAAAASmw/2EyXZbgEr6I/s1600/004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9uPptndqT8A/VVqNbGViTHI/AAAAAAAASmw/2EyXZbgEr6I/s640/004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I remember how you loved to dance so much that you would stand in front of the oven and stare at your reflection while you made all your graceful ballerina moves.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YKRoM4tltYg/TdT4p7QmwdI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/SRNUCQO3Q8U/s1600/scan0031.bmp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YKRoM4tltYg/TdT4p7QmwdI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/SRNUCQO3Q8U/s400/scan0031.bmp" width="201" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9s3beQ1lU_k/TdT449JZXyI/AAAAAAAAB4c/bTqV9Dx21xs/s1600/scan0032.bmp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9s3beQ1lU_k/TdT449JZXyI/AAAAAAAAB4c/bTqV9Dx21xs/s400/scan0032.bmp" width="314" /></a></div>
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I remember when you went to Mass in this sunflower dress and hat the Sunday before your first sister was born in June 2004.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQSs1qWb_Kk/Vz0AJqVcg8I/AAAAAAAAg7E/u4OUBBYmYn4MmTxFEcfrRN7GUWLS3j0IACKgB/s1600/PicMonkey%2BCollageRachels16BirthdayE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQSs1qWb_Kk/Vz0AJqVcg8I/AAAAAAAAg7E/u4OUBBYmYn4MmTxFEcfrRN7GUWLS3j0IACKgB/s400/PicMonkey%2BCollageRachels16BirthdayE.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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I remember that you loved and continue to love our family and faith traditions and how you light up our lives with your smile and sweet personality and talents each day.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KLpsU_5_Zlc/T7Ug5UcGM8I/AAAAAAAADxM/BnJIbf9JVos/s1600/scan0032.bmp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="amzn_view_checked" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KLpsU_5_Zlc/T7Ug5UcGM8I/AAAAAAAADxM/BnJIbf9JVos/s400/scan0032.bmp" width="268" /></a></div>
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I remember that even as a little girl you loved learning about our Catholic faith. I remember for your First Holy Communion in 2008, we went and took a picture at the same church that I received my First Holy Communion. I remember thinking "Wow! You really do look like me!"<br />
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I remember when we celebrated your 10th birthday with an <a href="http://www.asliceofsmithlife.com/p/cakes.html" target="_blank">ice cream cone castle cake</a> and played lots of games with friends in the backyard.</div>
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I will always remember how you have grown to love soccer and contribute so much to your homeschool soccer team with all your hard work and talent.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qornBw5D6O8/VVqM_LkIpjI/AAAAAAAASmY/CA8nG6TXqEo/s1600/PicMonkey%2BCollageSoccerB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qornBw5D6O8/VVqM_LkIpjI/AAAAAAAASmY/CA8nG6TXqEo/s640/PicMonkey%2BCollageSoccerB.jpg" width="382" /></a><br />
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Speaking of soccer, in the 2017 season with the homeschool soccer league you received the Defensive Player Award from your coach and you were selected as an All Conference player in the homeschool soccer tournament. Here you are with one of your sisters. I will always remember how hard you played this past season contributing so much to your team as a defensive player!</div>
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I remember when you got your license! </div>
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For your 16th birthday celebration our family will remember you going to see Captain America Civil War with Dad, sister and some friends. I made you a <a href="http://laughingsquid.com/how-to-make-a-pizza-decorated-to-look-like-captain-americas-shield/" target="_blank">Captain America pizza</a> and <a href="https://recipebookandmore.wordpress.com/2013/07/07/candy-shop-ice-cream-cake/" target="_blank">ice cream cake</a><a href="https://recipebookandmore.wordpress.com/2013/07/07/candy-shop-ice-cream-cake/" target="_blank"> with an Oreo crust</a> , birthday cake ice cream and homemade whipped cream topped with strawberries, blueberries and marshmallows. <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/tracybuasmith/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> is a life-saver!</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qioka7Nc1Aw/VzxZ0HuCW8I/AAAAAAAAg6k/0nJ1Cx-XXk0XJExEcjdTKBU56EILaK47ACKgB/s1600/PicMonkey%2BCollageRachels16BirthdayB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qioka7Nc1Aw/VzxZ0HuCW8I/AAAAAAAAg6k/0nJ1Cx-XXk0XJExEcjdTKBU56EILaK47ACKgB/s640/PicMonkey%2BCollageRachels16BirthdayB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I remember these memories below with you. </div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wAF14_4bP4s/VzxdymucMWI/AAAAAAAAg6w/Haja-sfBrPUQHBdfJrGoIvpOwIS2CFsCACKgB/s1600/PicMonkey%2BCollageRachels16BirthdayD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wAF14_4bP4s/VzxdymucMWI/AAAAAAAAg6w/Haja-sfBrPUQHBdfJrGoIvpOwIS2CFsCACKgB/s640/PicMonkey%2BCollageRachels16BirthdayD.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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I remember this past year you got your first job at a local grocery store and juggled classes at a local community college during your senior year in homeschool high school.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VwbdA6oID30/Wv-VWPkJyUI/AAAAAAAAj_Q/_WtQiSdhJGcnQqb34rKZi561nlLAPdMhQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20170818_084137496_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VwbdA6oID30/Wv-VWPkJyUI/AAAAAAAAj_Q/_WtQiSdhJGcnQqb34rKZi561nlLAPdMhQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_20170818_084137496_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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I remember what a great year it has been on the homeschool soccer team and how you were 1 of 3 seniors on the team to graduate high school this year. Here we are after your last home conference game on senior night where you and the other 2 seniors were recognized.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--CCDF7PF9PY/Wv-TtyNrN7I/AAAAAAAAj_E/Th1FDvMbmXgXK3D9KY_Bds5XNqZe6dAIQCLcBGAs/s1600/soccer%2Bsenior%2BnightA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="609" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--CCDF7PF9PY/Wv-TtyNrN7I/AAAAAAAAj_E/Th1FDvMbmXgXK3D9KY_Bds5XNqZe6dAIQCLcBGAs/s640/soccer%2Bsenior%2BnightA.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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During the annual homeschool sports banquet that we attended with our family, I remember how proud I was of you standing on the stage with the rest of your teammates as the coaches (your Dad being one of the coaches), talked about how wonderful your team played this year and worked together. Here we are at the banquet with one of your sisters, the photo bomber. :)<br />
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Since you are a Titanic buff, we celebrated your 18th birthday with family and a few friends with a Titanic cake (thank you Amazon for the cake decoration<span style="background-color: white; font-family: , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">)</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">with a whipped cream iceberg (before disaster struck), "passenger" pepperoni and cheese pizza, "water"-melon, and "iceburg" salad.</span></span><br />
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Your Christ-like heart and soul and sweet smile light up the room! We love you and we are proud of the beautiful young lady you are becoming each day!<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Happy 18th birthday to you, our beautiful young lady, inside and out!</span></div>
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