Easter 2013

Lots of egg hunts, lots of eggs, the Easter Bunny and fun all around...Kuba still a bit too little to participate...

My first work trip

with Ella...! Mommy had some work to do in Florida and Ella got to tag along to visit our aunt and uncle and cousins.  Along with way we spent some time on the beach, on the water, and with the penguins at the Tampa Aquarium.

Birthdays, Birthdays, Birthdays!!!

Busy, busy spring with b-days.  First Maya had a little celebration in Tahoe while skiing with friends.  Then Ella, for her fifth birthday had a gymnastics party.  Kuba had a little bbq outside with close friends and family and Daddy had a picnic on top of Mt Tam (with delicious views and sushi).  Lots of fun all around!

Winter in the Marin...

Still enjoying the sunshine, the hikes, some fun at Fairyland, and the views of the bridge, throughout the winter and spring...it's hard to not love this weather!

Skiing Winter 2013

Big year for the girls - both on skis multiple times.  Ella comfortable on greens, Maya trying it for the first time - both with many, many tumbles, lots of bribes with candy, tears, and many more smiles.  Tahoe was fun with a bunch of friends - Mommy and Daddy got to ski on our own multiple times which was brilliant.  A short video with some pics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg-_BfbSyPQ

January and Winter in Marin and Tahoe...

Lots of hiking, biking and other fun winter activities in Marin...

Christmas 2012

Yes, it's April 2013 and mommy is playing a bit of a catch-up game, but here are some pics of last Christmas.  All the grandparents were here - and we had fun sharing presents, eating a ton, and enjoying time with each other.  The girls got to visit Santa on numerous occasions, and Kuba got to sit on his lap too, without crying!  We also snuck in a very quick visit to southern California to the beach.  And Velveteen Rabbit in San Francisco as well.  Pics not great quality as camera was still broken so Iphone camera was used instead.

Kuba's baptism

So slightly out of order - but on October 14th, 2012, Jakob Robert Smith - or Kuba - was baptised at St. Anselm church in Saint Anselmo, CA.  All the grandparents were around, as was the godmother, Kelly Halm, and the godfarther, Geoff Ball.  After the ceremony we enjoyed some food and spent a lot of time together chatting and playing with Kuba.  Who managed NOT to cry (the first in the Smith family) and was generally very well behaved.  Ella spent most of the time playing with Siena while Maya, well Maya just spent some time hiding from everyone else :)

Fall 2012

So it's been a while!  Mommy's camera broke for a bit - so it was tough with pictures.  In the meantime lots of stuff going on in the fall - many dress-up opportunities, halloween, trips to san francisco, los angeles, the beach...grandma and grandpa visiting, hiking, canoeing, and of course celebrating thanksgiving with aunt Niki and grandma.  Kuba is getting bigger and bigger and the girls are having a blast with him!

Mexico 2012

It is still so easy to go.  Affordable vacation allowing all of us to play in the sun and sand for a few days. The girls loved the pools and running around, Kuba - well, a bit early to tell, and mom and dad? Happy not to have to think about cooking and cleaning every day.  A little brainless, but so much fun.  Ella was brave enough to go snorkling and Maya dipped herself in the open ocean waters as well.  We are fortunate to have the opportunity to do these little trips!

Last summer weekend

We drove up the coast to Mendocino to play by the ocean a bit.  The girls got a chance to run around on the beaches and Kuba enjoyed some sun as well.  It's the last weekend of the summer - it was fun to celebrate with the ocean breeze in the background!

Up next, EPO and Blood Transfusions

Ok, so I have to admit, I have high aspirations for her....

Ella's First Bike Ride - Click Here

A little bit of ballet

Nothing seems to get Ella more excited then a tutu and someone watching her perform. We figured we had to get her excitement on tape.

Check her out here

Summer pictures...

We had a chance to do a mini photo shoot with our family while in Sioux Falls...some fun pics!

Summer - halfway over!

We have had a lot of fun so far this summer with hot, hot days in the midwest and sunny days in California.  We also spent some time at Clear Lake and some wineries, train town in Sonoma - then finally to Sioux Falls, Lake Okoboji, and Minneapolis.  So many friends - and good times with grandma and grandpa too.

Kuba, almost two months old!

He's growing fast...and the girls seem to be having fun with him too!

Beach Time

A few little trips over the past two months, particularly spending time at the beach.  We've been to Santa Cruz, Lake Tahoe, and Stinson Beach spending lots of time playing and enjoying the weather...

Welcome Jakob!!!

Jakob arrived on Friday, April 27th, at 8:30 am screaming and wanting attention immediately!  The first week has been relatively peaceful, all things considered; we're all having fun, enjoying the baby bliss world for the moment.  All grandparents were on hand to share in the joy, and most importantly, Ella and Maya have been excited to spend time with their baby brother.  We're all grateful for the joys of the expanded family and we're sure that things will get a bit more hectic soon!  Here are some pics from the hospital, the trip home (three car seats!) and the first few days.

Easter 2012

Beautiful weather, many friends, family, eggs, and many Easter Bunnies!  We went to San Francisco to bless our Easter basket, and enjoyed lots of activities the entire weekend.   There were much too much candy all around, but the girls loved every minute of it.

Tahoe, Winter 2012

Not much snow this year and unfortunately we had to postpone our trip a few times as it never came falling...still, we got to go skiing a bit, sledding, and enjoy the lake beach too.  Since mommy is not skiing this year, we'll have to try again next year.