May 29, 2010 | Mama Smith
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Category : family
May 20, 2010 | Mama Smith
moving forward
It’s been a pretty wild ride for our family this year. Some public loss – such as losing our baby at 9 weeks – and some more private. But through it all, it has been the year of learning to... Keep Reading...March 11, 2010 | Mama Smith
tucked away
The past two months, as one can imagine, have been a bit of a messy blur. Loss and sadness mixed with routine and changes – house selling, house purchasing, new exciting jobs for Matthew, a birthday for Levi, new school... Keep Reading...August 22, 2009 | Mama Smith
nothing cures...
Like a week at the beach. Family. Sun. Sleeping in. Good food. Silly moments. It’s back to reality and life tomorrow morning. Tonight we’ll roam the cooled sand and wish we could start the week all over again.December 22, 2008 | Mama Smith
the festivities have begun
Our trip was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Pictures to come, but not many because we couldn’t drag ourselves out of bed, or off the rocking chairs, or into any state of “doing” when we were enjoying just “being” so very much. The parents... Keep Reading...October 25, 2008 | Mama Smith
fun in the sun
I know, I know, fellow southerners…I should NOT complain about the torrential downpour we received all day long yesterday with the whole drought situation and all. But with toddlers, it is a whole different (and cruel) ballgame. Rain causes their energy... Keep Reading...August 30, 2008 | Mama Smith
another hiatus
We bid farewell to my folks earlier this week as they headed back to London after spoiling us with their companionship for the entire month of August, hence the scattered and infrequent blogs. That and the fact that Matthew had... Keep Reading...July 17, 2008 | Mama Smith
not what you think
dreams While not always true, dreams can sometimes be very telling about where one is at in life. Last night I dreamed that I wandered into our bathroom to start a bath for the boys, only to find it full of... Keep Reading...July 10, 2008 | Mama Smith
post date night letdown
It’s 2:20pm on a Thursday afternoon. I am still in my pajamas, sitting on the couch, drinking cold, insanely strong coffee from the french press that was leftover from this morning, finishing off a bag of Pirate Booty, and finally... Keep Reading...July 7, 2008 | Papa Smith
Aslan and aslan.
Amy and I had a great second weekend in our new home. There are three things I remember most about our weekend. A great talk with Amy before the boys woke up on Sunday Morning Amy and I had one of the... Keep Reading...June 15, 2008 | Mama Smith
happy father's day
To a wonderful father… A tender granddad (or rather “Hi-Ya”, as the boys refer to him)... And an incredible friend and support to this motley crew… We would not be the people we are without your influence, love and Homer-jokes, Dad. We really... Keep Reading...June 6, 2008 | Mama Smith
then and now
Beach vacations 10 years ago… Wake up at 10am. Drink a full glass of water with my perfectly proportioned, nutritious breakfast. Pack my mid-morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack in the cooler. Fill my slim beach bag with a good book,... Keep Reading...June 4, 2008 | Mama Smith
we have arrived
With 5 days of sunshine since we arrived and hopefully 4 more to go, relaxation has begun in full force. The babysitters are hard at work… ...so we can be hard at play. We’ve almost forgotten the chaotic life waiting for us... Keep Reading...May 28, 2008 | Mama Smith
york
The boys enjoyed their much needed break from all this packing madness and the fresh air and romp time they received in York. Not to mention all the extra attention. We’re down to the wire with two days to go... Keep Reading...May 26, 2008 | Mama Smith
at least it's not a plastic bag
The things I let Brighton do out of sheer exhaustion from saying “No” all day long…that would make Matthew flip out. He has recently had an obsession with Nemo and for weeks, insisting that I refer to him only as... Keep Reading...May 23, 2008 | Mama Smith
no road trip for us
I am the dead weight that forced us to drop our Virginia excursion this weekend. I woke up still feeling ill this morning, which was the determinate for whether or not we’d make the 7 hour trek up to Charlottesville... Keep Reading...April 18, 2008 | Mama Smith
the whirlwind
With this rainstorm of events swirling around us, I couldn’t for the life of me remember where I had last left off in the blogging world. Once I double checked my last post, I realized quite a bit has occurred... Keep Reading...April 1, 2008 | Mama Smith
still here
Yes, Levi is still very much a part of our bustling family, despite the lack of photos. I mean, come on, I’ve just stunk at taking ANY photos lately. So there’s no discrimination towards the youngest going on here. We... Keep Reading...March 17, 2008 | Mama Smith
brush strokes
No my brain did not turn to mush after my fabulous girl’s weekend away, leaving me spacey, starry-eyed and unable to formulate a coherent sentence for a blog entry. Rather, change is in the air. The winds are stirring. Leaving... Keep Reading...February 21, 2008 | Mama Smith
charming mold
When we began our search for the first owned Smith home, we knew we wanted two things in particular. An older home with character and room to grow. After spending an entire morning with our realtor, we began to feel... Keep Reading...February 10, 2008 | Mama Smith
the birthday festivities
It was a gorgeous day for celebrating the lives of these two little kiddos. The adorable birthday girl, Ella, with her glowing mom. And the bleary, wonky-eyed Levi who was forced to join the party instead of napping it away. The french... Keep Reading...January 9, 2008 | Mama Smith
absence
So much for my macho bravado. We actually really do miss Matthew around the house. As nice as it is to have my domain back, I miss hearing him laugh out loud at random emails and cheer himself on as... Keep Reading...January 7, 2008 | Mama Smith
recovery
We survived the whirlwind of Christmas and the illness that swept through the house claiming 8 of the 9 family members as victims. The highly anticipated restful, relaxing holiday with my family was anything but that. Our first night away... Keep Reading...December 26, 2007 | Mama Smith
christmas festivities
Despite our entire family coming down with a host of various illnesses over the past few days, the Christmas festivities came and went, offering us an enjoyable respite from the crumpled tissues, luke-warm cups of tea and sleepless nights. Christmas... Keep Reading...December 22, 2007 | Mama Smith
the family has descended
Eight people are now packed between our walls with another one on the way tomorrow. Brighton has been running circles around the crew, dashing from person to person, to whomever will give him the most attention at any given moment.... Keep Reading...December 19, 2007 | Mama Smith
Philly-born
One would never guess that our bundled Brighton was actually born in the frigid state of PA, where we trudged through snow daily to get groceries, go to the park, or meet with friends for quite a few weeks out... Keep Reading...December 12, 2007 | Mama Smith
december highlights
Here Baby Jesus is resting among our dishes. Finally out of Brighton’s reach, who was using his head as a spoon to scoop up his cereal this morning. Our sacrilegious little boy. The same boy who will only let me... Keep Reading...November 24, 2007 | Mama Smith
stomach bug
You can always count on a cross-country flight to inflict you or your family members with an unwelcomed visit from a nasty illness traveling the country side. No matter how many times our hands were washed, how much Airborne we... Keep Reading...November 19, 2007 | Mama Smith
our "thanksgiving"
We just returned from our “pre-thanksgiving” celebration with Matthew’s family in Colorado. But since the boys are peacefully snoozing and my computer has just returned to me from the Apple shop, I think I’ll be spending the evening catching up... Keep Reading...October 14, 2007 | Mama Smith
the latin hall
After over a month of being house mates again for the first time in 9 years, our reminiscent sister time has drawn to a close as we shared hugs, waved goodbye and shed tears at the Greenville airport this morning.... Keep Reading...October 8, 2007 | Mama Smith
change of plans
We’d anticipated a weekend full of conquering the ever-growing list of household tasks…until we realized we all needed a break. The half-built porch rail still lays on the porch waiting to be completed. The junk from our storage shed we... Keep Reading...October 4, 2007 | Mama Smith
pieces of life
Washing dishes together last night, I was bemoaning the fact that I still haven’t found a groove yet in my day. Sinking into a routine still feels impossible after being in this home for a month now. Writing, returning phone... Keep Reading...September 16, 2007 | Mama Smith
the effects of the move
The first time I realized the dramatic difference between how Matthew and I handle change was during our move from Colorado to Philadelphia. Weeks before we left Fort Collins, I would obsessively ask Matthew, “Aren’t you going to miss this... Keep Reading...September 12, 2007 | Mama Smith
our hamster cage
This morning I lay in bed, staring out our second floor window at the walnut trees huddled together in our backyard. My mom said you feel as if you’re walking through a tree house stepping in to our bedroom. I... Keep Reading...September 2, 2007 | Mama Smith
newbies
In regards to most situations in life, both Matthew and I unfortunately have a pessimistic bent. Yet, in regards to buying a home, we were both blindly optimistic and blissfully unaware of just how ugly it would get. We are... Keep Reading...August 25, 2007 | Mama Smith
edward earl mull
Today I lost my grandfather. My mom lost her daddy. My Nana lost the love of her life and partner of over 50 years. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather to this adoring crew of 11. He will be... Keep Reading...August 15, 2007 | Mama Smith
the date is set
A bit of shock set in after hearing from our realtor this weekend that our house is, in fact, on schedule and will be completed by the end of the month. After getting used to the idea that it would... Keep Reading...August 7, 2007 | Mama Smith
one more week
Until our little B turns two. He’s transformed over the last few months into a high-energy, talking, running, 100% boy. He refuses to pee on his potty sitting down, but demands to stand like his dad. He has surprisingly good... Keep Reading...July 20, 2007 | Papa Smith
I should be working
Okay, its 9:32am, and I have a TON of projects to get worked on, but man alive, I can’t keep this bottled inside. A moment ago, Amy yelled into my office (really its our bedroom): Matthew… Where’s the camera? I thought nothing... Keep Reading...July 11, 2007 | Mama Smith
more summer snippets
waiting The past few days we’ve sat inside with the shades drawn, drenched in sweat, with the poor little window a/c unit coughing out the coolest air it could muster, which was a little less than the draft you get from... Keep Reading...July 8, 2007 | Mama Smith
zoo and free wings
Brighton stomping through the fountain and enjoying the use of our yearly zoo pass that will have only received 6 months usage by the time we leave. If only these things transferred from city zoo to city zoo. He’ll sure... Keep Reading...July 5, 2007 | Mama Smith
the return
I’ve started and stopped this post over a dozen times. The right words and proper thought process just won’t come, so I figured it’s time to just dump over the box and let the the pieces fall where they may.... Keep Reading...June 24, 2007 | Mama Smith
open season
Our favorite orchard opened it’s gates this weekend and we wasted no time making our way up the winding roads out of Philly towards Bucks County to enjoy a Saturday in the fields. We dragged along the Braud clan this... Keep Reading...June 16, 2007 | Mama Smith
greenville road trip
12 hours. 700 miles. Two kiddos under 2. It was a long journey that we are about to embark upon again in a little over 24 hours on our return to Philly. I wish I could say I was rested... Keep Reading...June 2, 2007 | Mama Smith
oh the timing of it all
Being tired from the life of mommying a 4 month old and a 21 month old just wouldn’t suffice. A crisis has to be thrown in there every now and then to liven things up and make juggling two babes... Keep Reading...May 20, 2007 | Mama Smith
fridays after 7
Our new date night. Hallelujah. We have arrived. With both our boys in bed by 6ish these days, an awesome babysitter lined up and our budget set for these four nights out a month, we have returned to the realm... Keep Reading...May 16, 2007 | Mama Smith
beer-stained napkin
The Blue Comet. A total dive we used to frequent pre-kiddos. We’d meet there after work and enjoy the free wings and dollar drafts. We haven’t been back together since Brighton arrived. The smoke cloud that envelopes you on... Keep Reading...May 9, 2007 | Mama Smith
chubby feet
Matthew has just left for our home meeting. I opted to stay home and tend to our sick little boy, Levi. Just as I’d settled him down for the evening, I hear cries from Brighton’s room. Somewhat unusual for the... Keep Reading...April 29, 2007 | Mama Smith
i am a lucky, lucky gal...
...my three handsome men… This may go on the books as the shortest post ever, but typing one handed with Levi occupying the other arm, exempts me from any wordiness. I added these pictures yesterday, but forgot to upload them to the... Keep Reading...April 21, 2007 | Mama Smith
hotel smith
Actually, we’d probably rank more along the lines of a motel with the lame couch we have to offer as a bed and the mouse issue we can’t seem to get rid of. But at least we don’t have cockroaches. Guest... Keep Reading...April 16, 2007 | Mama Smith
april showers
Snow showers, to be exact. Who would have guessed mid-April we’d get dumped like this. A view from our side door this morning. A total shock to us all…mainly because we never watch the news or track the weather. I’m... Keep Reading...April 12, 2007 | Mama Smith
mr. fish
I don’t think he’s going to make it. Mr. Fish joined our family early this morning and I’ll be surprised if he’s still around tomorrow morning. I asked the teen fishing him out of the tank if he looked sick,... Keep Reading...March 31, 2007 | Papa Smith
Happy Birthday Manzanita
Its your birthday girl! I hope its a fantastic one. I’m looking forward to you sharing the next 27 err, 25, umm I meant, 22 with me! You are the weakest woman I know. Totally unable to save our... Keep Reading...March 27, 2007 | Papa Smith
In a million years
I never thought, in a million years, I’d be sitting here. Watching my boy bathe in the tub, find his way through toys that work together and those that don’t, getting frustrated along the way. Learning to gripe. Learning to... Keep Reading...February 20, 2007 | Mama Smith
sweet seventeen
Even though this post is a day late, I wanted to send out a very… HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BABY SISTER EMILY!!! Although she’s not really the baby she once was and rarely goes by Emily in this household. It’s Diggy to... Keep Reading...February 12, 2007 | Mama Smith
wawa subs
If you’ve ever been to Philly, you have most definitely passed a Wawa and maybe partaken of one of their famous subs. My dad can’t visit without having at least one or two during his stay. So yesterday afternoon we... Keep Reading...February 11, 2007 | Mama Smith
lazy sunday
My dad joined the Cirque du Smith yesterday evening after the WHM conference he was attending drew to a close. We’ve spent the day today lounging around doing a whole lot of nothing. Matthew, B and I were able to... Keep Reading...February 7, 2007 | Mama Smith
bye-bye baby
This morning I went in to get Brighton up, trying to maintain some sense of normalcy in his life…like seeing his mom without the baby every now and then, doing things she used to do, like getting him up in... Keep Reading...January 22, 2007 | Mama Smith
snow day
...if an inch or two really qualifies. At least, growing up in the south, that would have been enough to shut down the whole town. We don’t stay on top of the weather, so this morning we were surprised to... Keep Reading...January 7, 2007 | Mama Smith
winter warmth
We, like the rest of the country, basked in the warm weekend sunshine Saturday, enjoying the breeze on our bare legs and pulling our Chacos out of hibernation for a fleeting day, before tossing them into the back of the... Keep Reading...January 2, 2007 | Mama Smith
rest has arrived
Our last houseguest – out of four over the past few days- my sister, has bid farewell and here Matthew and I sit. Alone. Breathing a sigh of relief. It has been one wild week. Within the past week, we... Keep Reading...December 28, 2006 | Mama Smith
from aunt diggy
My sisters arrived in Philly at midnight from their late night flight back from London. Matthew has our camera in St. Louis, so I can’t share those yet, but Emily took a few I thought I’d post. Being the adoring... Keep Reading...December 26, 2006 | Mama Smith
