The Smith Family Times

Doin' What We Do Best

Pancakes, anyone?

(Susan): We are coasting into home with one day to go until the weekend. Highlights of the week per the children--no school on Wednesday due to snow, wearing pajamas to school, a bowling birthday party, a fun Superbowl with friends (it doesn't get any better than jalapeno chips, tequila, and Tom Petty for the adults in attendance, too), a toasty warm new kitchen, and a quick week. More volleyball is in store this weekend. Last weekend the girls placed second and very nearly won the whole deal again. They are so exciting to watch that I am pretty sure I may have a heart attack.

Tessa and her brownie Superbowl creation

The second place finishers after a sweet day of volleyball (they were number one in my book)

Sam touched the basketball in his game!

We are loving the new kitchen

The red gummy bears beat the orange gummy bears the the final 2 minutes! Yeah!!!

Gussie loves the toasty warm kitchen too

Sam tries a new game courtesy of a friend's birthday bash

Token picture of Rob putting something away in the new fridge

I made a pit stop at the coffee garage tonight and everyone is now asleep which means I get to stay awake all night reading my novel, and have two coffees tomorrow to stay awake!

God Jul!

This is what we came home to, lots of ICE!

(Susan): We are settling back into reality. Reality is lots of ice and then some snow, and a viral illness for Rob who has slept most of the weekend. We were very busy on our vacation, and it feels good to come home and slow down a bit. Here are a few pictures to tide you over until Rob can blog again on Tuesday. We got our tree up and decorated, the Christmas card is done and will go out this week, and I made it through all the mail! God Jul, or Merry Christmas in Swedish! There will be a little internet shopping with overnight shipping going on tonight!

The girls model their latest Norwegian wear

Eating a danish in Denmark at midnight after blogging (such hard work)

This was our view from our hotel in Copenhagen, I think it is now the University library

I love the moose!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas for once!

More ice and snow, we were very lucky to get home

Merry Christmas, Baby!

Summer Friends

Summer friends play sand volleyball to raise money for a local battered women's shelter

What could possible be better than good friends, sand in your teeth, sweat and beer?

(Susan):  I am back from a two day work conference in San Francisco and it is good to be home.  The conference wasn't so instructive after all that travel.  The shopping, the Chinese food and seafood did make up for it though.  My partner and friend, Kelly and I opted out early and caught a Saturday flight home so we did capture a little weekend with the kids. We are still enjoying some Indian summer activities with sand volleyball and swimming.  Tessa starts her school volleyball games next Saturday and Rob is fully into football season. He bought me a very nice Bronco jersey to wear during games.  He thinks of everything!!

More summer friends came to visit for Labor Day, Grandma Judy and Jerry

Another summer friend enjoys our garden (YUCK, Mr. Orb Weaver!!!!)

Another summer friend who wouldn't hold still for a close up (another dark variant of the swallowtail?)

Sam has mastered the diving board and proudly displays his best Spiderman jump while Abbey and Tessa look on

This will soon be a new yellow stove

Sam visits the new closet by the back door

Mid-Summer Shots

The kids enjoy their favorite tree

(Susan):  Here are some mid-summer random shots that have been trumped by the big trip to Mexico. Tessa and Rob are off to Harry Potter 5 and Sam and I are keeping cool before we go to play volleyball in the sand with the crew.  Happy Anniversary to Rob and Susan!  17 years is a whopping long time.  Happy 13th to Katerina tomorrow!

The boys shoot some hoops in the soon to be demolished kitchen

Happy 5th to Mitchell!

Happy Birthday to me!

Summer piano recital with Karen the piano teacher

Summer intensity volleyball camp

How Cold Is It?

How cold is it in the northern climes?

(Susan):  I thought I would put some summery pictures up tonight to remind us of what is coming.  Hang in there Minnesnowta.  The daffodils are coming up here.

This is where we are at.  (just kidding!)

More like this

We played outside today (as if!)

Lilac girls

Potting kid

Croquet anyone?

Ice cream

Fence roses

Napping in the shade at the softball games

Sweet magnolias

January Blues

 

Standard activity at the manor

(Susan):  Got the January blues?  Here are some pictures to help chase them away!

Other end of the living room (and yes, the Valentine tree is still up---just kidding, we disassembled it Sunday and now it is in the entry way in large green bags until Valentine's Day)

Can't wait for warmer weather to play a little beach ball with ya babe!

You too, babe #2

Bestest friend, haven't talked to you since Sunday. It's Wednesday, what gives??

Grandpa Smith, that was not beer I was drinking at the tailgate, but coffee in a pink mug.

Next Bronco season is going to be a long time coming.  Oops, that doesn't chase someone's blues away.

Sam has a cough and fever today and really has the blues.  Hope you feel better soon boy!

Maybe some SURPRISE MINNESOTA cookies tomorrow will help

Overdue Blog

(Susan):  Another weekend draws to a close and it was filled with more volleyball matches, football games, and a little concert at the casino with the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.  Our leaves are turning and we are getting ready for Halloween.  We had a lawn sprinkler system put in so next year I don't have to play flower and lawn irrigation system all summer.  The wallpaper guy finished all the entry way and we are to start some kitchen plans in October, but it has just been so busy that I haven't gotten around to anything.  Tessa may try out for a premier volleyball league so she can play for another six months.  We are getting more information and at this point she truly seems interested.  She has signed up for basketball too but she may not be able to do both.  Dear Old Overworked and Underplayed Mom has joined a Thursday night volleyball club too.  Off to the quilting room for the first time of four months because I have to make a new quilt for Isaak John Herzberg, born Monday October 16th.

What is wrong with this picture?

Baby Elena enjoys her dinner

Jude as a duck or fish?

The 2006 Visitation Fifth Grade Girls Volleyball Team (who loves volleyball?)

Rainy Fall Day

Bronco Boys

(Susan):  We had a big patio party last night and cleaning up for it has consumed me to the point of neglecting the blog.  We have no plans today though and a clean house.  It is cold and rainy in Kansas City today.  A fitting day to stay in and read and drink coffee.  We will work on some new pictures for more dedicated blogging this week.  We will premier the Smith children Halloween costumes and some of our fine Halloween decorating.

The infamous Smith Butt drop

Tessa jumps

Jessi crashes

Sam lost his front tooth

Monarch getting ready to hatch.  Right after this picture, Gussie jumped on top of the aquarium and the lid this guy was attached to came crashing down.  Somehow he managed to survive, but we thought he was gone.  We went outside for five minutes and when we came back in he was out of the chrysallis.  This is as close as I could get to capturing the 10 seconds it takes for the butterfly to come out.

Midnight release

Dog Days of Summer

Jessi gets a little too comfy in her new home

(Susan):  We had another weekend working with Miss Jessi and the house rules.  She is a really good dog, just 110% puppy.  She wakes up at 6 a.m. and wants to go 200 miles an hour.  Rob was off to Denver for the weekend and the Broncos won in overtime.  The kids and I watched the last quarter and the overtime and you would have thought I was making them scrub cat boxes or something.  Such pain!!!  Today was our first volleyball game and we had a double header.  We did pretty well, as several of our girls have never played before.  It should be fun to watch them make improvements as the season goes on.

Jessi enjoys the green green grass

George W. was visiting the house down the street and here are all the protestors

Saturday afternoon nap

If you look closely, you can see the monarch's wing inside the chrsyallis

We have a monarch!  He's drying his wings and I haven't mastered this camera yet.

Back Home Safe and Sound

(Susan):  I made it back home late Friday night after a very long day of travelling.  I had checked out of my hotel at 0600, sat for my test for four hours, and made it into our kitchen at 1130.  First things first, we put a frozen pizza in and then Tessa and Sam and I all took plates to the big bed and crawled in to eat our truly midnight snack.  Rob was at a Johnny Rivers concert and when he finally got home, there was no room at the inn and he had to sleep on the couch.  Now that the beastly test is over, it is time to think of more fun things like what quilt to make for David and Michelle's new-comer.  School resumes this week on Wednesday, hard to believe.  I have agreed to be the 5th grade volleyball coach so practices should be starting soon.  Tonight Tessa has decided to write a book or three.  Her first two ideas are fiction, and may need a little work yet.  I suggested she write a non-fiction book about what it is like to have her leg lengthened.  She has started a  journal and we'll see where she goes. . . .