Snow, Anyone?

I must have been a really good girl this year (yeah right!!) because all I really wanted for Christmas this year was snow. Well, we have snow. Actually, that would be an understatement at this point. These pictures are deceiving because we have shoveled so much snow already and are running out of places to put it.

We have cleared this front deck so many times, and this morning it was covered again!

This is the view from our front porch. We have had to pile all the snow up in front of it because we have run out of places to put it!

We started to worry that the roof over the front porch couldn't handle the weight of the snow, so Kelly went up there to shovel it off, which made me very nervous!

The front of our house. There are a few stairs down to the porch. 

By the time Kelly got done on the roof it was pretty slick. He decided the best way off was to just jump into one of the many snow piles in the driveway. We're supposed to get eight more inches tonight, and I have to admit, I almost hope we don't. The Clark Cochrane Classic basketball tournament starts tomorrow, and it will be tough to go back and forth in all this snow!

Merry Christmas from Alaska!

I was really beginning to think that we weren't going to get any snow for Christmas. After all, we don't usually get any until after Christmas most of the time. It was driving me crazy, though, that most people in the lower 48 had snow and we didn't. I mean, we live in Alaska! Shouldn't WE be the ones getting snow?? Las Vegas had some, and that was the last straw. I was depressed. Then, yesterday, it started. Snowing, that is. And this morning, on Christmas Eve, as I'm baking, cooking and preparing, my kids are outside sledding and we have a white Christmas. Hope all is well with everyone. We miss you all. Merry Christmas!

Family and Happiness

No pictures today, just some thoughts. They say things happen for a reason, and it's not that I haven't always believed that, it's just been proven to me lately. I got some weird news at the doctor recently, but it brought my mom to visit and we had the best time together (things turned out fine, by the way)! It also has made me appreciate all my friends and family so much more this holiday season. The biggest surprise of all, though, has been my "new" sister-in-law. Kelly and Shanna met when we were Washington visiting for Thanksgiving. It has been so amazing seeing how much they have in common! It's like I can't imagine them ever not knowing each other. But the greatest part of this has been that I have a new friend/sister too. I look forward to talking to her every day! She is so special, and I hope that while she's reading this, she's all teary like I am while I'm writing it! She is so special and I am so thankful that we now have her, Jeremy, Samuel, and Benjamin in our lives! To top it all off, she got me to get on Facebook and I have found some old friends from high school and been chatting with them. And I know that I didn't post anything about our Thanksgiving trip, but I have to throw in how much we loved seeing everyone, and we love and miss you all so much! Ok, sorry about the schmaltzy post...I promise I won't make a habit of it. Love you all and Merry Christmas!

Early Christmas Fun

Talk about fun! Every year we have a early Christmas party with my Mom and Bob because they travel during Christmas. So the kids get to have early Christmas, complete with opening presents and fun food!

One more thing I would like to mention. Family is so important during the holidays (and the rest of the year), and this year we are blessed with even more family. When we went home for Thanksgiving it reminded us how wonderful all of our family is! We also welcomed a new family member to our family (Kelly's sister) and it is like she has always been here! I can't imagine not talking to her every day! Now, here are some silly pictures of our fun day, and hopefully Kelly doesn't get too mad at me for posting them!

Kelly playing the Hannah Montana video game while wearing a Hannah Montana wig!

Mom with her new vase!

Papa Bob with some new hunting accessories!

Jake shooting everyone with his new nerf gun while yelling "say hello to my little friend" (yes, our family is a little crazy)!

Kelly and I. He is going to kill me for putting this picture on here! We miss everyone so much and hope they're having a wonderful holiday season, and please, I lost my address book and need everyone's address so I can send out Christmas cards!

Two for One

This weekend is a two for one. Two postings in one day! I'm trying to be better about posting!! We Smiths love sports, and we can play them and watch them pretty much all the time. Making a ginger bread house? Not so much. We gave it our best effort though, and we had a pretty good time making it! Here's hoping it tastes better than it looks!

                                                                

                                                     

Basketball Weekend!

Saturday was all about basketball! Kaitlyn had a game at 9:00 am, Jake had a game at 10:30 am, and Kelly had a fundraiser for the high school boys team from 6:00 - 8:00. Kaitlyn played so well! She got a little bored, but she played hard. Watching Jake play was amazing also. What a difference a year makes! And let me tell you...Kelly likes to pretend that I'm the one that gets all crazy watching the kids play, but don't let him fool you! Jake's game got close and he was, well, let's just say vocal. Yes, I guess you can say we're a basketball family!

Better Late.....

I have decided that I am terrible at blogging.  I only post once a month or so, but I guess that is better than nothing.  So, better late than never, here is my witch princess and ninja on Halloween.   We had so much fun this year!  The weather was actually decent and we're in a town with actual paved roads to trick or treat! 

One last thing.....I like living in Alaska.  It's beautiful here, and a cool place for kids to grow up.  BUT....there are a few things I miss.  Like road trips.  Family.  Friends.  Shopping, etc.  Well, this coming Friday we get to do all of those things.  We get to see family for Thanksgiving, and we're taking a road trip to La Grande to see family, and a friend that has become family (how cool is that).  I don't want to get too cheesy, but I miss everyone and this trip is much needed.  On that note, see everyone next weekend!!!

P.S.  Here is one more picture of my cuties with their neighbor friend.  That way I won't feel bad for not posting anything for another month.

Pumpkins

Here are my pumpkins, with their pumpkins! 

P.S. The official countdown for our visit to the lower 48 has begun! Woo hoo!!

Flashback

Life goes by fast. Very fast. We've had friends and family having babies lately and it always takes me back to when I had mine. It seems so long ago. And now, my babies are growing and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Not that I want them to stay little forever (well, maybe I do a little) but there are moments when I watch them and I get a fleeting glance of the little bit of "my babies" they have left in them. But not very often anymore. They are definitely spreading those wings...and I'm so proud of them. Those of you that know me know it's a miracle that I even let them out of the house without me! Tonight my mom sent me a picture she found while looking through some stuff on her computer. And so, as I sit here (blubbering like a dork), I would like to share a flashback of Jacob Michael, and Kaitlyn Jo Anne, and a picture I took of them over the summer. Can you believe how much they have grown? Me either.

Kaleb

Look at that big boy! It's hard to believe that you're going to preschool tomorrow! You have grown so fast, and we're so excited for your first day of school! I know your Mom is going to have a tough time, but at least she won't be as crazy as Aunt Jenn was when she took your cousins to school the first day (I cried so hard in the car some lady knocked on my window to make sure I was ok). We love and miss you Kaleb!!! Have a great first day!

Sick Day

I hate that phone call. The one from the school nurse. Your little one is sick. Kaitlyn had a fever (101) and had to come home Friday. She was pretty sick all weekend, and I kept her home today, just to make sure. But look at that face! She was feeling better this afternoon. And I had her all to myself!

Six Days....

What a difference six days make! Nervous faces? Gone. Excitement has replaced the nervousness. These two amaze me. They already have lots of friends, and are taking the bus to school. This after going to school with mom and dad every day in Craig. Not only that, they enjoy it so much, they begged to start riding it after school so they can spend more time with their friends. Who are these kids?? They are mine. My awesome, beautiful, Jake and Kate.

Yes, it is....

The first day of school. Yes, it is actually sunny this morning for the first time in ages. Yes, it is crazy that my "babies" are going into 2nd and 4th grade. Yes, it is nervous looks on their adorable faces, because they are going to a new school in a new town. And Yes, it is AWESOME that they both loved it! Oh, and by the way, yes, it is driving me crazy waiting for the Miller baby to arrive any minute!!!!

Summer??

That beautiful picture of the view from our backyard from the other day? This is the same view today. This is pretty much what our summer has looked like. Wet and soggy. And foggy. Days like this make us long for those summer days in La Grande. The kids playing in their pool in the back yard, shooting shots (for shots), and barbecues with our friends, including Stephanie and Earl. Everyone, please enjoy all your sunshine! We Smiths are soggy in Alaska!

Nothing Fancy

When Jake was a little guy, I had so much fun dressing him. Let's just say he was a well-dressed little man! As he's gotten older, he's cared less and less about what he wears, and more and more about basketball (or any sport for that matter). This is a picture of our soon to be 4th grader playing a pick up game of basketball with some kids who are least in the 8th grade. He didn't show a hint of nervousness, and he hit three 3 pointers! Doesn't he still kind of look like a little guy out there?? But the point of my story...we were talking about school clothes yesterday and he informed me he didn't care what I got him as long as it wasn't "fancy". Which apparently includes anything that isn't shorts and a t-shirt. Ah, they grow up so fast!

"Princess" Kaitlyn (Vera Wang style)

Those of you that know me know that I love shopping. I love clothes, perfume, makeup, shoes, etc. And I just found out how much my princess loves those things also! This weekend when my parents were visiting we walked around downtown. There was a duty free shop and we could smell the perfume outside. If you've never been to southeast Alaska, you don't know how good that smell was!! We don't have malls, shops, things like that. Unless you count Wal Mart and that doesn't count for super fun girly shopping! So we went in and Kaitlyn immediately starting freaking out. There was a perfume in a heart-shaped bottle! And it comes with two rings, one of which looks like a crown!! After trying to come up with a reason not to buy it, I realized that my sweet daughter puts up with a lot....tons of sports (whether on tv or her dad coaching), fishing and hunting. Yes people, that is pretty much all everyone does here. Yes, it's fun. But every once in a while my Kaitlyn craves a little more girly adventures. So she is now the proud owner of Vera Wang Princess, and when I came home from work today, she was wearing her cute sweater and smelled fabulous!! 

Grandparents and Furniture

Well, we had quite the weekend! Grandpa and Grandma came to visit from Washington. It was so much fun to have them here. Family makes everything nicer! It was relaxing and we were able to show them our new town, where we work and where the kids will be going to school. To make the weekend even more exciting, we finally got a dining room table, the love seat that goes with our couch, and a new bed. We have been waiting for a while to purchase these items, and it makes our place feel so much more like our home. And just in time....fall is just around the corner and everyone knows how much I look forward to decorating my house from September to December!  

    

Swish

So basketball is HUGE to our family. Kelly coaches, both the kids play, and I'm a happy observer. Ok, and sometimes a rabid fan (don't tell anyone). Tonight Kelly had open gym at the Middle School. Jake loves it. He shoots the whole time we're there, and talks trash to the high school kids (sounds just like his dad!). Kaitlyn shoots around also, and keeps me company while I watch. Tonight Jake hit some pretty amazing shots while playing PIG against Kelly, including a three-pointer with his eyes closed!! On purpose! Princess Kaitlyn made 15 shots, all while wearing her beautiful dress! And I would be in big trouble with my husband if I didn't pass on this story...we had the coaches over the other night for a back yard fire. Coach Erik asked if he could make a long distance call on our phone. Kelly said only if it was important (joking, of course), and he replied that he needed to call Bobby Knight!! I don't know what was funnier...all the adults crowded around the phone to listen to Coach Knight talk, or Kelly dialing my cell phone afterwards because Jake threatened to hit redial so he could talk to him! 

For Stephanie

Ok, so it's not just for Stephanie, it's for all of our family and friends that would like to keep up with our busy lives. But I never would have started this blog if hers wasn't so awesome and I didn't read it every day and smile (Kelly calls me a stalker, so rude!).  I am new at this whole blogging thing so bear with me! We actually had some sunshine here yesterday, so we had a fire, roasted hot dogs, made s'mores. We even threw around the football and the kids kicked around their soccer ball. It's days like this that we're reminded that living in soggy Southeast Alaska isn't so bad...even the view from our back yard was nice!!