Miles goes to Washington and BC with the Smoot Family

Miles came to visit us all the way from Virginia after seeing Monica, Owen and his brothers. We were so excited to have him with us again.

We took Miles with us to Washington and to British Columbia. We started out flying into Seattle. Miles loved the plane ride with Sydney.

 

Of course we ate out alot and I have to say Miles really had a hankering for Mexican food. Yummy

We headed to Mt Rainier where Miles did some light hiking with us

Then it was time to head to Forks, Washington where we did alot of beach hiking, collecting rocks, and campfires of course.

We even went on a ferry over to Victoria, BC where we walked through Chinatown and ate at a really great Chinese restaraunt and we all tried bubble tea for the first time and Miles tried eating with chopsticks. Jen loved the bubble tea the most.

The family did alot of walking through town so Miles took a nap while the rest of us did some sightseeing. We had a blast with Miles and are sad to send him back home but he really misses his family so farewell Miles and enjoy your family reunion

Miles visits Massachusetts!

Miles had a wonderful time here on the south coast of Massachusetts.  We went bowling (those pics are on facebook) with Aaron & his cousins.  We also went to the Buttonwood Park Zoo & I hung out all over the place.  Finally we took the train into Boston & went to the New England Aquarium, but no pics of me there.  There were way too many people & Aaron didn't want to lose me so  stayed tucked in his Daddy's jacket.  We had a wonderful time with Miles...he was the perfect houseguest. 

Here are some pics of the zoo:

And here are just a few of the New England Aquarium in Boston:

Miles visits Arkansas!

We had spent the day in Conway, AR visiting with Kyle's Nana and came home to a package.   Kyle was thrilled to get mail and couldn't wait to open it... inside was Miles!  Along with Miles was a Seahawk's Jersey and silly bandz!  Super cool! 

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 The weather in Arkansas is always changing.  The week before Miles arrived a big snowfall had come to Arkansas and the kids got out of school for two days.  Well, Miles arrived at a good time- the following weekend we had highs in the 70's!  So, we all packed up and went to Pinnacle Mountain park in Little Rock.  The park has a 'mountain' that anybody can climb as well as base trails, a playground, and lots of space to run and place.  We took some Sonic (who needs a real picnic!) out to the park for lunch.  The toy in the kids meal was paper airplanes so we put those together and flew them in the field.  Kyle played on the playground a lot- it is all new and there were tons of kids!  Then we all started hiking up the mountain, we didn't make it all the way but that was ok with everybody- we were tired after playing all day!

 Well, they are serious when they say the weather changes a lot in Arkansas!  The next weekend it started snowing!!!  Kyle got to stay out of school AGAIN.  It was the weekend of Kyle's dad's birthday so we spend the day inside wrapping presents and baking cupcakes.  Before all the birthday fun started Miles went outside and was daydreaming about warmer weather..

Miles visits KANSAS!!

Miles arrived safely in Kansas - Lawrence, KS to be exact!  Home of the University of Kansas Jayhawks.

Here is a "JAYHAWK":

College basketball fans are familiar with the Kansas Jayhawk -- a big blue bird with a red head and yellow beak.  The first group to take the name "Jayhawkers" may have been a party traveling from Illinois to California as part of the gold rush of the 1840s, taking the name from different species of birds they observed along the way. The name was later adopted by abolitionist militias operating in pre-statehood Kansas, and then by a Civil War cavalry regiment.  Today, "Jayhawker" refers to any native of Kansas... and, of course, to the University of Kansas athletic teams.

Here is Miles hanging out with one of Jadyn's "Jayhawks":

Here are a few interesting facts about Lawrence KS:

1.  The city is known for a thriving music and art scene.  Rolling Stone named Lawrence one of the "best lil' college towns" in the country in its August 11, 2005, issue.

2.  Lawrence is also the home of the University of Kansas athletic teams. The perennially highly-ranked (and 1952, 1988, 2008 NCAA Champions) Kansas Jayhawks basketball team is closely followed by many residents during the winter. Massachusetts Street, the primary street of downtown Lawrence, flooded with fans in 2002, 2003, and 2008 after both KU's victories and defeats in the final rounds of the NCAA tournaments those years. 

3.  In the 1983 TV movie The Day After, Lawrence was ravaged by fallout from detonations of nearby Soviet nuclear bombs, including one which destroyed Kansas City, Missouri. The TV movie was shot on location in and around Lawrence, and many locals were used to play small roles or perform as extras.

4.  Lawrence is the only city in the state of Kansas with an ordinance (enacted in 1995, after a campaign called Simply Equal) prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Douglas County, in which Lawrence is located, was the only county in the state to reject the amendment to the Kansas Constitution prohibiting both gay marriage and civil unions in April 2005. The vote against the amendment was primarily in the city of Lawrence; outside the city, the amendment carried in the rest of Douglas County. Lawrence has an active chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition, which persuaded the city commission to approve a domestic partner registry on May 22, 2007. The registry, which took effect Aug. 1, 2007, provides unmarried couples—both same-sex and other-sex—some recognition by the city for legal purposes.

Jadyn was very happy when Miles arrived.  He arrived bearing gifts for Jadyn.  The "silly bands" were a HUGE SUCCESS!!!  Thanks Kristin and Tripp!

Jadyn LOVED taking Miles to Gymnastics class.  He was always the life of the party.

We were able to spend Christmas with Miles which was extra special.  He is pictured below in our "Jayhawk" decorated tree! 

Miles even went to the Hallmark Christmas Party.  Jadyn's Daddy works for Hallmark (the place where they make the cards, box them up and send them to all the stores).  He currently makes the ID cards.  They are the cards that list "Mother", "Grandmother", etc. and are put behind the cards to let the consumer know who the card is geared towards.  While at the Hallmark Christmas Party, Jadyn and Miles were able to visit Santa Claus.

We were really hoping that Miles would bring us some luck with the Mega Millions Lottery!!  Unfortunately, we didn't even match 1 single number.

Miles did a little "after Christmas" shopping with us.  We went to Target, Office Depot, Old Navy and Wal-Mart.  It was a very exhausting day! 

 
He even traveled with us to pay our car tags!

Here is the look on his face when he realized how much it costs to put tags on your cars!!!

My cousins baby shower was included in our travels.  She ended up having a 10 lb 6 oz baby girl!!!  What a big girl!  Her name is Allee Kate.  Here we are at the baby shower!  The blond hair lady is my Aun Janet and the little girl is my cousin Makenzie.

We played outside (when it wasn't snowing).  In Kansas, the weather can be 60 degrees one day and 10 degrees the next. Yesterday, we had 8 inches of snow!!!

Here is Miles with my Great Niece Haidyn.

Here is Miles attempting a SNOW ANGEL!!! 

We kept Miles a little longer then we should have and are very sorry.  With Christmas, Snow Storms, babies being born, my grandmother passing away and all the illnesses we are passing around the Wymore Household that we just kept putting him off.  Again, we apologize but as you see, we had so much fun with him!  Thanks for allowing him to travel to Lawrence, KS.  Miles has left and is on his way to a new Junie!!