littlesmiths

For Maren

2011-03-22T17:02:00.001-06:00

Birthday Season -- Part 1

2011-03-21T10:04:00.004-06:00

It's Birthday time here at the Smith house. We kicked thing off with a fun party at Grandma Veloy's with cousins, aunts, uncles, and even Dad!

Norah is the first in our marathon of birthdays, and she chose to have strawberry flavored princess cupcakes. They were a big hit with Norah who thinks that anything pink must be delicious. They were also a big hit with mom who is trying to drop some pounds, and finds strawberry cupcakes easy to resist.

We celebrated Norah's big 4th year with presents and a trip to Noodles and Co. It's her favorite. (Mom says that the mac & cheese there is harder to resist than the cupcakes.)

Norah's birthday celebration concluded with Aunt Anna taking Norah to Target to pick out a present. She adopted a new baby, and loves her very much.

Friday with the Biebs

2011-02-11T20:41:00.003-07:00

We're suffering from "Bieber Fever" in our house. While we are waiting for Dad to come home tonight, here is how we filled our time.

"Nieber"

"Hieber"

"Mieber"

Mom got the app "Bieber Hair" tonight, and we've been having all sorts of fun. We can't wait for Dad to get home so we can "bieberize" him too.

What we learn in kindergarten

2011-01-29T11:33:00.002-07:00

Harry came home a few weeks ago singing this little song. Luckily, Maren was able to record him without Harry getting embarrassed or mad. He doesn't know that mom is sending it out into the universe for all to see. That would REALLY make him crazy.

Shhh. Don't tell.

Tricky Kid

2011-01-28T15:11:00.001-07:00

How can Mom possibly get mad at Harry

for not cleaning up his toys, when he

writes her love notes with his LEGOS?

Well played, Harrison.

Projects make us sick

2011-01-19T15:39:00.002-07:00

Poor Maren has been home with a stomach flu.

She also had to do a salt dough map of Utah for school.

We don't know what's worse, projects or puking.

Luckily, we are done with both!

Sometimes, Mom goes crazy

2010-12-21T13:18:00.003-07:00

This Christmas, Mom went nutsy coo-coo making garland. She went to a store in New York City that had felt garland and braided chains so she had to try and make some too.

They actually turned out pretty cute, and now Mom has something to use for the "underwear line" on Christmas morning. So embarrassing.

Friday Night Fun

2010-12-17T21:55:00.002-07:00

Luckily, a trip to Harmon's is all these kids need to have a good time.

Harry can't resist a sweet girl in green.

Kindergarten Program

2010-12-16T13:02:00.003-07:00

Today was Harry's class Christmas Program. Here's the man of the hour!

Harry & Norah pose with Harry's Nutcracker.

For the die-hard Harry fan, here's a song from the program. The famous "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas."

Poor Girl

2010-12-15T19:24:00.003-07:00

15 minutes of playing in the snow can really wear a girl out.

Ballerinas

2010-12-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Daddy.

2010-12-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

Here's to the best father and husband any family could hope to have.

We love you and miss you.

Happy Birthday.

Another free slideshow by Smilebox

Proof...

2010-12-08T22:00:00.004-07:00

...that Norah is the reason Mom can never find the camera.

Closet Door. A study in lighting.
Harrison. A Portrait of a Brother.

Ceiling. A study in perspective.

Pillow Pet. A study in textural contrast.

Norah. A portrait of the artist.

Caught red handed (or elbowed.)

Christmas Dance Party

2010-12-07T22:11:00.003-07:00

Harrison has been learning the song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" at school. When Mom found a CD that actually has the song on it, a dance party was the obvious result.

Mom will not comment on how ANNOYING the song is. Seriously, people, you couldn't come up with a better song to teach the kindergartners?

An Intergalactic Christmas

2010-12-06T18:41:00.005-07:00

The kids have spent the last few days making an "intergalactic nativity" out of clay and other bits and pieces around the house. Their creativity has been flowing and harmony has ruled the house.

The nativity

The Holy Family

The Shepherd & alien sheep

The Intergalactic (heavenly) hosts

The Three Kings

The artists (and Norah's dinner.)

Royal Wedding

2010-12-05T21:15:00.002-07:00

Do you think this might embarrass them in later years?

Gingerbread

2010-12-04T22:54:00.002-07:00

We bought a Gingerbread House kit at Costco. Ours doesn't quite look like the box said it would, but we had fun putting it together.

Luckily we had extra coconut from when mom made her favorite carrot cake, so we fancied up the scene with a little coconut snow. Hopefully it draws the eye away from the frosting sliding off the door.

Good little gingerbread helpers. (Harry's mouth is stuffed full of "leftover" candy.)

We're back!

2010-12-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

It has been a really long time since we've blogged, but we are bound and determined to get back into the groove. Dad has taken a job in NYC until June, so we are hoping to keep this blog updated with pictures and stories so that he (and anyone else who is inclined) can keep tabs on us.

Since Dad has been gone we've been keeping busy.

Playing games...

visiting Santa (only Norah would sit on his lap)

challenging our minds with Professor Layton

playing in the snow

and reading lots of books. It's great to have a family of readers!

With all of December before us, we are sure to have lots of fun. Hopefully, Mom will remember to take pictures of it all.

The 4th

2010-07-12T12:49:00.002-06:00

We had a wonderful extended 4th of July weekend. Provo really goes all out for the 4th, and this year it lasted 3 days.

We enjoyed a lovely morning at the farmer's market, played with firecrackers, watched the Stadium of Fire from the roof of the van (that's how we roll), and had a BBQ and water fight with all the Smith cousins.

We wrapped it all up with a great dinner at Aunt Anna's, decorated scooters and wagons, and then made our way to the Village of Fire and Kiddie Parade at Uncle Matt's. Check out how patriotic we are!

Kids Say the Darndest Things

2010-06-29T08:51:00.000-06:00

Three conversations that have taken place over the last little while.

1. In the car, while driving up to Grandma's house on a Sunday afternoon.

Norah: (hands clasped dramatically on her chest) "Mom, Dad, I can feel my heart pooping, for real!"

Dad: "Do you mean 'beating,' Norah?"

Norah: "Oh yeah, 'beating' not 'pooping.' Silly me."

2. In the bathroom, after a trip to the pool, as we wait for the bathwater to warm up.

Harry: (blue lips, shivering uncontrollably) "Why I am I always so cold after I go swimming?"

Mom: "Well, it's because you are so skinny. You don't have any fat on your bones to keep you warm."

Harry: "Wow Mom, you are REALLY LUCKY!" (the stinker)

3. In the car, yet again. The children are disagreeing about something.

Harry: "I know, we'll ask Mom and Dad to decide."

Norah: "No Harry, Mom and Dad are ineffective."

(A note from Mom: It is interesting to feel like you've had a knife to the gut at the precise moment that your heart swells with pride.)

The Missing Birthday Post

2010-06-22T11:47:00.000-06:00

Way back in April, our man Harry turned 5. We had a super great party at Harry's favorite place on the planet, Chuck E. Cheese's. There were games, pizza, cake, and BEST OF ALL..... the creepy mouse himself, Chuck E. Cheese.

The proof is in the pudding. Mom and Dad love Harry a lot. He's one awesome 5 year old.

Growing Up

2010-04-20T11:47:00.000-06:00

Mom has been putting off blogging about Maren's birthday, because she is having a hard time believing that Maren is 9!

Even though Mom can't swallow the fact that Maren is as close to being a teenager and she is to being a kindergartener, the fact remains that Maren's birthday has come and gone, and deserves some blog-props.

Maren enjoyed a party with her gal-pals from school. There was chalk drawing, game playing, food scarfing, gift opening, and lots of girl giggling.

Maren then chose to go to the Bombay House for her birthday dinner. Her parents couldn't have been prouder. Between the Naan, Chicken Pakora and Basmati rice, the kids all filled themselves up on food that they were thrilled to discover they actually liked! We tried the chicken coconut kurma for the first time (yum-o) and Maren was treated to a very special dessert. She made a great restaurant choice!

In honor of her birthday, here are nine words that describe Maren.

1. Thoughtful

2. Quirky

3. Reader

4. Responsible

5. Joker

6. Creative

7. Kind

8. Smart

9. Loved

Glorious Norah

2010-04-06T10:03:00.000-06:00

Norah is a great big three year old. Can you believe it?

Here are some things that everyone should know about Norah.

1. Norah loves clothes and picks out her own outfits everyday. Mom only edits if there is extreme conflicts with weather or pattern.

2. Norah is a snacker. She likes to eat just a little bit every 90 minutes or so. 7:30 -- gogurt. 9:00 -- goldfish. 10:30 -- ham rolls. 12:00 -- crackers & cheese and cucumbers. 1:30 -- banana. 3:00 -- whatever she can convince Aunt Anna to feed her. 4:30 -- applesauce. 6:00 -- dinner (a little bite here and there.) 7:30 -- dinner round 2. Mom should just accept that this is the way it is, and not by annoyed that she is constantly feeding Norah.

3. Norah loves to sing and dance. Her life has a constant soundtrack playing in her head. Sometimes, we get to hear it too. "Climbing up the stairs, climbing up the stairs, here I go, here I go, climbing up the stairs" is what we heard this morning.

4. Norah eats the frosting off the top of her cupcakes. For Norah's birthday this year, Mom got smart and made mini-cupcakes, and she, Aunt Brittney and Cousin Ellie decorated them with frosting roses. That way, Norah could have lots of frosting and just a little cake.

5. Norah can entertain herself for long periods of time. Dressing up, Little People and Disney Princesses can keep her occupied for solid 30 minute chunks of time, where she dismisses mom ("go away, I'm busy") and happily talks to herself and her toys. While this is blissful in some ways, it does equal large amounts of mess. As happy as she is to get lots of toys out, Norah does not like to pick them up.

6. Every day with Norah is a treat. If you're feeling gloomy, having Norah climb up on your lap, stroke your cheek and give you a kiss will turn you right around. She's magic like that.

How we fill the time

2010-03-03T19:26:00.003-07:00

That hour between dinner and bedtime can really drag sometimes. Here's how Norah is spending her time tonight.

A bowl of change, and an empty "piggy"bank are all Norah needs to keep her happy and occupied during the witching hour.

Notice the potty-chair in the background. It's close at "hand" at all times.

An Olympic Celebration

2010-03-01T10:02:00.007-07:00

We had a super fun time watching the Olympics over the past few weeks. Our favorite events were the sliding events. We got really excited about them after we went to visit the Olympic Park up in Park City. They have a really cool little museum all about the Winter Olympics that has all sorts of hands-on displays and it's free. Here we are, building our Olympic dreams.

All of us on the bobsled.

Norah, the skeleton racer.

Maren on luge and Harry on skeleton.

Harry on luge.

Raising the Olympic Flame!

Dad loves curling, and Mom adores the skating, but we know that sliding down icy tracks is where it's at!

BIG Week

2010-02-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

Miss Maren has quite a week at school coming up.

As first place finishers of the Jazz Read-a-thon, Meridian School has a Utah Jazz player coming to visit with the lower school on Tuesday. The lower school as a whole read over 2,800 minutes per student, but Maren's third grade class read over 4,000 minutes per student. Way to bring up the average, 3rd Grade! Here's how we found Maren on most nights of the read-a-thon.

On Wednesday, the 3rd grade is putting on their Patriotic Program. Mom woke up on Saturday morning to Maren singing the second verse of America the Beautiful. Grandma Jan's heart will swell with pride when she hears her granddaughter sing about "pilgrim feet." (The program is at 10:00 for anyone who might want to attend.)

Finally, on Friday is the Science Fair. The experiment is done, and now comes the hard part... putting together the presentation board. We'll update on that when it's done.

All in all, for a tiny little school like Meridian, they sure pack a lot in. What lucky kids.

A Milestone of Monumental Proportions

2010-02-17T13:15:00.005-07:00

After almost five solid years (long, tedious, stinky years) the Smith family is now diaper-free!

Norah has enthusiastically embraced the world of "pantie-pants." Goodbye diapers! We won't miss you at all. (Well, maybe on long road trips, but other than that, not at all.)

And so, we close the book on the "baby" chapter! Driving... here we come!

Harry's Favorite Things

2010-02-05T12:37:00.003-07:00

These are Harry's favorite things:
1. Dad taking me to Target for a treat
2. Watching Spy Kids on Mom's bed
3. His favorite toy (the propeller catcher from Aunt Anna.)

Mom's favorite things about Harry's favorite things:
1. That Dad & Harry apparently go to Target in a space ship.
2. The flowers on Mom's pillows
3. The attention that Harry got as his told his teachers about his favorite things. He's got the best Pre-K teachers in the world.

2010-02-02T13:22:00.002-07:00

There's nothing like the magic of a purple balloon to turn a grey winter's day into a celebration.

Out the Front Door

2010-01-23T13:44:00.002-07:00

We thought Grandpa Win would like to see the snow that fell last night. The weather forecast said 1-2 inches. We have at least 6 in the backyard.

Hair

2010-01-18T17:15:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, Norah makes Mom take pictures of her hair so she can see if she likes it.

It's much easier than having to find a hand mirror and get it in just the right spot.

She's a modern girl, that Norah.

Pee Wees at Pei Wei

2010-01-12T12:08:00.004-07:00

Last weekend, mom and dad dragged us up to Ikea to buy office organizers. Then, they started talking about cream cheese and crab fried wontons (gross). They got completely fixated, and so we ended up at Pei Wei for dinner.

Harry is a big fan of Chinese food (go figure, the kid won't eat normal food like Mac & Cheese)

but the girls, well... not so much.

By the way, mom has lost the camera again, so all pictures are taken on her phone. For shame.

Giving Thanks

2009-12-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

We had a great Thanksgiving. It was super fun to be with the big Smith family clan for the day of feasting. The food was delicious, the company was grand, and the day was beautiful. We made it home early in the evening, in time to watch the most amazing movie ever. It's a Christmas movie about a plucky young lad who is forgotten by his family when they leave on holiday. He learns to be independent, reunites an estranged family, and protects his home from villains. If you've never seen it, you should totally check out "Home Alone." :) We loved it.

On the Friday after Thanksgiving, we enjoyed a house full of family, games and Dad's delicious donuts. Now it's time to get ready for Christmas.

Note on Uncle Andrew's "stache": luckily it is no longer. He and his colleagues raised $5000 for a fundraiser by growing those hideous things. We guess it was for a good cause.

Family Emergency

2009-11-25T14:10:00.005-07:00

Someone must intervene immediately. Our Uncle Andrew has clearly gone insane and started carting around a beige caterpillar on his upper lip. It is the only explanation we can come up with. Kristen, quick... get rid of that thing!

Halloween

2009-11-20T14:00:00.009-07:00

Our Mom has been saying for ages that she wants to update our blog, but couldn't find the camera cord, so all was lost. Then, she realized that our new computer has one of those nifty slots on it that you can just pop in your memory card. What a waste of time....

Without further ado, here are our Halloween pictures.

Maren was a traditional witch. She wanted a green face, but Mom kept forgetting to buy the green face paint. Poor Maren wasn't able to be ugly like she wanted to be. (Note from Mom: it would take a lot of work to make Maren look ugly.)

Harrison was a ninja. Grandma even bought him double ninja swords. Sweet!Norah was a "Princess Witch." The costume was actually called "Rose Witch" but Norah would have nothing to do with such foolishness. It was "princess witch" or nothing.

We got to do our trick-or-treating up in Alpine with our Smith cousins. How cool is that?

Now that Mom has that little computer glitch worked out, maybe she'll get more "on the ball" with this blogging-thing.

October in Review

2009-11-11T23:00:00.002-07:00

Halloween pictures soon to follow!

Battlecreek Canyon

2009-09-30T11:23:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago, we took ourselves up to Pleasant Grove, and struck out into the mountains. It was a lovely, late summer evening, and Battlecreek Canyon is a great place to explore.
At first, Maren wasn't too jazzed about our family adventure, but she cheered up as Mom told the story of Robin Hood. She's an expert on those types of things, you know.

The waterfall was really misty and cool on a hot summer's night.

Harry poked around in every "cave" he found, looking for bears, cougars and snakes. Looks like he found a bear.... oh wait, that's just Harry.

And then, because some poor town in Utah was being threated by flames, we were blessed with a beautiful sunset.
We really love this new place we get to call home.

First Day of School

2009-09-02T13:06:00.004-06:00

It's official, the Smith kids are "school" kids. Monday morning arrived with cheerfulness and excitement. Despite some first-day jitters, Maren and Harry were thrilled to start "back to school."

Harrison, Age 4 -- Pre-K

Maren, Age 8 -- 3rd Grade

(Isn't her uniform so cute?)

Just goofing off before we piled into the car!

Maren was cool as a cucumber, and refused a hug from Mom as she took herself off to her classroom. Harry dismissed Mom and Norah from the Pre-K room after a measly 5 minutes. "I'm busy now, you can go." Poor Norah was not pleased to leave.

We're BAAAAAACK...

2009-08-30T20:55:00.001-06:00

...and blogging from our new home in Utah. We've had a great summer doing what kids do in the summer.

Swimming

Jumping

Feeling patriotic

or not...
Watching TV

Potty training (a work in progress)

Fighting with mom about who is cuter.... Nick or Joe. We both agree that the Jonas Brothers Rock!

Exploring the great outdoors

Reuniting with family

and breaking bones. Sorry there is no photographic evidence of this. Mom is still too grumpy about her broken arm, not to mention Maren's.

Saying Goodbye

2009-06-13T11:08:00.000-06:00

Even though we are really excited to move to Utah, we are sad to be leaving the best neighborhood ever. Here are some things we are really going to miss about living on the circle.

The playhouse. It might be filled with bees, but it's the best place ever for squealing and for posing at the window.

The swings. Where else can you hang out in a getup like this and have no one think badly of your mother for letting you have a tatooed stomach?

Neighborhood water fights. Our mom says that it's unusual to have a gang of kids who are all friends and range in age from 1 - 12. The sprinklers bring us all together.

Beautiful flowering trees. For one magical week every spring we live in a wonderland of pink petals.

Spur of the moment BBQs. There's nothing more fun that having dinner outside with all your bestfriends. The marshmallows are just a bonus!

Wide open spaces. It's on these fields that we learned to ride bikes, fly kites, walk on stilts and fly ginormous paper airplanes.

But, of course, what we'll miss the most is all of our friends. You've been the best neighbors that any boy, girl, mom or dad could ever hope for. You had all better come and visit.

The Smiths go to Washington

2009-05-23T11:36:00.002-06:00

Believe it or not, we took a family trip to Washington DC over Spring Break. We thought the drive was long and boring, but our hotel was really cool, and we loved seeing the monuments and museums. OK, Norah hated the Lincoln Memorial and literally screamed "I don't like Lincoln" the entire time we were there. But, other than that, we loved it. Here are some pictures from our adventures.

For the Grandmas on Mother's Day

2009-05-10T18:43:00.006-06:00

Harry's 4!

2009-05-07T15:14:00.012-06:00

We love the Spring because it means lots and lots of birthdays. Harry's is the last of the season. Here are some highlights from his celebrations.

Harry wanted cupcakes with brown frosting. No decorations. Mom was happy to oblige.

We love to lick the frosting off of the candles.

A cool new skateboard. Hotwheels style....

Building Lego Star Wars with Dad

The coolest Star Wars Set Up cake ever. We made this for Harry's party with his friends.

It was strange enough to see what Darth Vader looked like when they took his helmet if in episode VI
and now Dad wants us to think that his head is full of candy?

Darth Vader gave us a lot of candy. If the "dark side" doesn't destory us caviites will.

Sorry

2009-05-05T20:53:00.002-06:00

Our Mom is a giant slacker and can't find 5 minutes to sit down and tell you all how awesome we are. She says she's busy trying to get our house organized, but really she's watching "The Biggest Loser."

Maybe she'll get with the program tomorrow.

2009-04-19T09:40:00.004-06:00

I like cheese!

I have also learned to open the refrigerator.

Easter

2009-04-16T22:59:00.004-06:00

We think the Easter Bunny is a pretty sneaky rabbit. He shows up at strange times and only if our rooms are clean. How does he know?

Here we are all dressed up for Easter. It was cold and our crazy Mom made us stand outside even though we were all freezing.

Norah loves her chocolate bunny. Well, she did until she ate him.

Thanks Easter Bunny. We'll catch you next year!

Baptism Day

2009-04-10T13:18:00.003-06:00

My baptism day was last Sunday. It was a really beautiful Spring day. I was excited because I got to wear two dresses, one to be baptized in and the other to be confirmed in. Lots of members of my family were baptized in the same dress I was baptized in. Grandma T. said that it would be really heavy after it got wet, and she was right!

Then I changed into my dry dress, and I was confirmed a member of the church. There were lots of people from our ward there, but best of all, Grandma Jan and Grandpa Win were there! Because I was baptized on Conference Sunday, we even got to have a big pot-luck dinner to celebrate!

Harry would only stand by himself when our friend Sam came to take pictures with us. Thanks, Sam!

When the day was all done, I told Mom that it was the most perfect day ever!

Eight

2009-04-01T19:32:00.009-06:00

In our family, March is all about celebrating girls' birthdays. We've been celebrating Maren's for the past two weeks.

It started with her quiet family party complete with Strawberry Shortcake....

It continued with a sleepover party with friends, food, movies, playing the wii, and lots and lots of giggling....

It will culminate on Sunday with Maren's baptism. We'll post more about that after the day.

Boy, is she two!

2009-03-21T06:45:00.001-06:00

Norah turned two last weekend. She had a "Red and White" party at daycare (because she loves Olivia) with her pals, and then a little family party on Sunday.

Waiting for her cupcake.

Make a wish!

Yummy!

"Doesn't this hat make me look tall?"

We took a day-long break from birthday celebrations, and then finished her birthday with a dinner of Norah's choosing (Cheerios), presents, and cake & ice cream.

At our parties, pants are optional.

Haircuts

2009-03-14T15:20:00.003-06:00

We Little Smiths all got haircuts today.

For Maren, it was "business as usual." She's a haircuttin' pro, and just needed a little bit off the ends to make her hair shimmer and shine.

For Harry, haircuts are torture. Unlike all other human beings, we think his hair has nerve endings in it, and he cries and says "ow, ow, ow, ow, ow" the entire time he's in the chair.

This was Norah's very first haircut. She sat very still, looked at the duckie in her lap when she was told to, and seemed to enjoy her trip to the Salon. She's all ready for her 2nd birthday tomorrow!

Lipstick

2009-03-07T12:38:00.002-07:00

We think that Norah is such a little lady. Isn't her lipstick lovely?

A Quote from Harrison

2009-03-05T20:29:00.001-07:00

said at 3:00 a.m. after waking up from a scary dream

"Mom, Dad... I had this dream, and there were monsters on i-Carly and I was Sam, and I'm kinda freakin' out..."

Dad's Assessment

2009-03-04T17:50:00.005-07:00

Dad spent too much time on the computer over the weekend. He was writing some sort of comments about his student advisees at school. This is what we think he would write if he had to submit a comment on each of us....

Maren Elizabeth Smith
It is a pleasure to have Maren as one of my children. She plays an important role in the family as a big sister by helping to clean the house, cook meals, and discipline her younger siblings. She is one of the few people in her household without a fear of the vacuum. I would encourage her to continue developing these skills and trying new activities such as changing diapers and cleaning toilets. Maren is an outstanding reader and writer. She is very creative in her story telling however she could be a little more patient when she gets frustrated with her homework. She should remember that her parents are much more interested in the value of her efforts than the outcome of her work. She is creative in her play but could be more thorough cleaning up her messes, particularly around the baseboards and other edges where bits of crafts pieces, small legos, and scraps of paper tend to gather. Maren has beautiful long hair but should brush it more often so that her mother will stop threatening to cut it short again. It has been amazing to watch Maren's amazing growth this year and I look forward to seeing many great things from her in the future.

Harrison Andrew Smith
Harrison is a happy boy. While his attitude can quickly turn toward whining and complaining about the injustice of stolen toys, bed time, or careless bumps from his siblings, Harry is getting better at using his words to describe his concerns. He has made great strides in recent weeks with the pronunciation of the second consonant in consonant clusters such as "spy" or "sport." Spider Man is much cooler than Cider Man. He has also increased his vocabulary with words such as "accurate" and "apologize." Harry has gone for a long stretch without an "accident" but needs to work on not using his pull-up at night and wiping himself more confidently and thoroughly. Like his older sister, Harry is very imaginative in play and particularly enjoys games involving knights or Star Wars (previously Sar Wars). His energetic play is exhibited best by his many bruises and the holes in the knees of his jeans. Unlike his sister, his hair does not suffer from tangles but it could desperately use the the skills of a fine barber. I encourage Harry to broaden his interests in food or at least try the broccoli cheese soup before asking for a peanut butter sandwich. Harry is quite a dancer and has developed a particularly fine booty shake. It is an absolute delight to have Harry as a part of our family and watch him learn, explore, and enjoy the world around him.

Norah Anne Smith
Norah has clearly breached the wall of babyhood, zoomed through toddlerdom, and is banging down the doors to gain full rights of being a kid like her two older siblings. While still overcoming an irrational fear of the rabbit puppet, Norah generally explores the world bravely and courageously. I appreciate her growing awareness of the body and its functions but encourage her to not take off her diaper in the middle of the night, especially when it's stinky. Norah has a sense of fashion uncharacteristic of her siblings and has mastered the "coat flip" perfectly, allowing her to prepare for cold weather quickly and independently. Norah is particularly interested in food and has found many new opportunities to test her palette since learning how to open the refrigerator on her own; she should now learn to close the refrigerator. Norah is an excellent sleeper and generally goes to bed with very little fuss. She is also expanding her musical talents with repeated performances of classics such as the "ABC's" and "la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la." Her speech is developing at a stunning speed and she is using her new words well to communicate her needs. Improved communication skills have also allowed Norah to begin her own attempts at being intentionally funny through gestures, actions, and now even words. Although it is a little sad to not have "baby Norah" anymore, it is very fulfilling to have such a wonderful, silly, and happy little girl in our home.

Music

2009-02-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Our kazzoo and whistle have become our favorite instruments lately. After awhile, they make Mom's eye twitch. We think we rock!

A Poem by Maren

2009-02-26T17:28:00.003-07:00

Winter Poem

As I stand still every day and night

the snow falls gently down on me.

And when the last snowflake comes upon my branch,

I know that spring is here.

A Day at the Museum

2009-02-21T14:00:00.002-07:00

We had winter break this past week. Dad was in Utah for a few days getting ready for his new job. After he got back, we went into the city, and had a great time at the Natural History Museum.

Playing on the steps in front.

Inside the Hall of African Mammals

Visiting the Dinosaurs

We found the backward pointing extension of the pubis bone absolutely fascinating.

We finally found the Easter Island Head. ("Dum-dum" to fans of "A Night at the Museum.")

It was a great day and we all fell asleep and snored like pirates on the way home. Thanks to our friends at Pure Gold for inspiring us!

A Note From Mom

2009-02-14T21:43:00.004-07:00

A classic difference betweens boys and girls....

I'm washing winter coats tonight. Here's what was in Norah's pockets.

Here's what was in Harry's.

Man, I love that kid!

Maren the Magnificent

2009-02-12T18:43:00.002-07:00

I am Maren the Magnificent. I love to do fancy magnetic magic tricks. And, my hat's cool too!

Single Ladies

2009-02-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

We had a little "Family Pajama Dance Party" last night. Beyonce was the featured artist. We sure do know how to have fun around here!

Sometimes Mom just doesn't get it

2009-01-28T13:21:00.005-07:00

It is perfectly obvious to us that this is not a mess.

This is a carefully constructed set up. We worked for hours on it.

Then Mom let Norah-zilla loose in the room. She doesn't appreciate the creativity and artistry that we exhibit.

(Please excuse Norah's diaper. At least you can't see her crack!)

"I would like to buy a hamburger"

2009-01-21T15:51:00.002-07:00

Our neighbor Amanda sent a Pink Panther clip to mom and dad that made them laugh and laugh and laugh (even though they had seen it before). I thought I would try too.

Here is what I was copying.

Smith Family Book Club

2009-01-17T05:55:00.005-07:00

It's been a little cold here and Mom and Dad won't let us out of the house. So, when we're not watching Zac and Cody, and driving our Mom nuts, we've been doing lots of reading. Wanna join our book club? Here's what we've been reading this week.

Maren:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick

Harry:

Good Night, Good Knight, by Shelley Moore Thomas

Norah:

Opposites, by Eric Carle

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

2009-01-04T15:33:00.003-07:00

Give Norah a little time alone with a stack of boardgames and see what happens!

New Year's Eve

2009-01-04T15:27:00.003-07:00

We're glad we had some friends come and help us ring in the New Year, or else Dad would have made us play boardgames and Mom would have sent us to bed early.

It's Always Fun When Grandma Comes!

2009-01-04T14:53:00.006-07:00

We love it when Grandma Jan comes to stay. We got to spend a day in the city, playing in Riverside Park

storming the castle at the Cloisters

and then Maren, Mom and Grandma got treats at Zabars before seeing the Nutcracker at Lincoln Center.

Even though we do fun things with Grandma, the best thing about having her here is that she loves us more than anyone. We've got her fooled!

Christmas Day

2009-01-03T13:32:00.007-07:00

Christmas morning was the BEST!

Norah with her Fancy Nancy Pocketbook

Maren with Books

Harry playing his Leapster under the laundry basket

Three happy kids

We hope your Christmas was just as merry!

Maren, the self-portrait artist?

2009-01-03T13:23:00.001-07:00

Note to parents: no matter how lovely or adorable your children are, they will look like FREAKS if you let them loose with the camera on Christmas afternoon.

Christmas Eve

2008-12-30T20:44:00.009-07:00

On Christmas Eve we always have a Danish Dinner. We have pork (yum), potatoes (yum), green beans (yum), rolls (yum, yum, yum), homemade applesauce (eh), and braised cabbage (gross). Mom and Dad love it all, but us kids just eat the good stuff.

After dinner, we have a dessert that has a hidden almond in it. If you find the almond in your dessert you win a special prize. Our Grandma always makes a real Danish rice pudding, which Dad likes best. But, Mom thinks that putting sugar in rice is disgusting, so she's always trying to think of a different dessert to put the almond into. This year we had banana cream pie, and Harry found the almond! He won Hungry, Hungry Hippos.

After all the yummy food, we have our little family Nativity. We read the Christmas story, and sing lots of songs, but for us kids, it's all about dressing up! This year Maren was Mary

Harry was Joseph (and a shepherd)

and Norah was a "Wise Woman."

Our Mom liked it that Joseph wanted to hold the baby all night.

Then, we FINALLY got to open some presents that came all the way from Utah. It's always fun to open presents from Grandma Veloy and Grandpa Dennis and our cousins. Harry and Norah kept fighting because she wanted to play with his R2D2 toy and he kept stealing her Little People Princess Castle. Go figure.

Right before bed, we left out cookies and Diet Coke for Santa. We know how to butter up the Man in Red!

Our Christmas Video Card

2008-12-24T09:33:00.001-07:00

Norah lost a tooth

2008-12-21T21:24:00.002-07:00

Just kidding. She just ate a brown crayon, but doesn't she look funny?

And here's a picture for the Grandmas out there. Mom says we're so cute we make her sick! She's weird.

Snow Day!

2008-12-20T12:50:00.002-07:00

Our Christmas vacation started a day early! We woke up on Friday morning to a phone call from school saying that we had no school. We ran to the windows to find.... NOTHING! No Snow at all. Well, the weatherman was right, and by later that morning the snow was falling fast. Check out the awesome fun we had!

Kicking off the Season

2008-12-13T14:46:00.005-07:00

We had a ward Christmas party last Saturday. Here's Maren with her friends C and P.

Here are the pictures of our Primary Choir. From the keen attention they are playing to our Mom, you can imagine how great they sounded. Can you see Mom's hand in the corner of the picture? She's fighting to get those kids to SING!

Then Santa arrived and all was right with the world.

Well, not Norah's world. She didn't want a thing to do with Santa. This is the one and only picture that exists to document her Santa experience.

Decking the Halls

2008-12-13T14:31:00.005-07:00

We got the Christmas tree up last weekend. Here are some pictures of the great job we did.

We needed to get Dad to put the star on the top of the tree. It's a good thing our tree isn't any taller or we'd have to get a ladder.

This is the bottom of our tree. Isn't it great that we can pack so many ornaments into such a concentrated area? Our Mom didn't even rearrange the ornaments when we went to bed, but Norah is working on pulling them all off.

Dad's Big Day

2008-12-10T22:17:00.004-07:00

We celebrated Dad's birthday this week. He's kinda weird and likes apple pie more than cake, so that's what we made. Us kids ate ice cream, but Mom and Dad say the pie was DELISH!

Maren also wrote a poem in his honor.

Daddy
Fun Smart
Caring Running Playing
He is really great.
Dad

A kid's gotta do what a kid's gotta do

2008-12-08T20:18:00.003-07:00

Our Mom has been REALLY grouchy lately. Until she starts getting a little nicer, we're having to watch our backs, even when we sleep.

Norah Paints the Town

2008-12-08T16:46:00.002-07:00

Like my tag? I have spent the last few days swiping any pen, pencil, marker, or smearable food to put my mark all over the house. I have marked my territory on walls, floors, books, refrigerators, the new kitchen cabinets, book shelves, hymn books, dad's students' tests, scriptures, and even myself.

Peace Out,

Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

2008-12-04T20:15:00.002-07:00

On Tuesday night at dinner, I spooned a serving of canned corn onto Harrison's plate. He took at look at it and asked "what is that?" My response: "That's corn Harry, you like corn."

"Oh" said Harry "like a cornucopia. Sometimes we call a cornucopia a horn of plenty."

Maren then chimes in "Yeah Harry, but the stuff on your plate is corn." She was totally unimpressed.

Thanksgiving in Boston

2008-11-30T17:36:00.003-07:00

We went up to Boston to spend Thanksgiving with our Great-Aunts Didi, Betsy and Anna. We played with cousins Sam, Ben, Isaac, Lucy, Eli and Emma and dog cousin Jaya.

Mom and Dad did puzzles with Uncle Lant, and Dad got to play all of his boardgames that Mom won't play at home.

We got to visit our Cousin Sam at his "workshop." Sam has the coolest job in the world at Belmont Toy Store. Lucky!

Norah took a walk with Didi and Anna and got to see a flock of wild turkeys on the day after Thanksgiving.

Maren got to go with all the "girls" to The Sound of Music, and then insisted on watching it on DVD first thing this morning.

Even though we did lots of great things, our Mom only managed to take 2 pictures while we were there. Here is Norah after she pulled a bowl of powdered sugar off the counter and over her head.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A frolic in the Fall

2008-11-30T17:34:00.001-07:00

Soccerfest

2008-11-30T17:27:00.003-07:00

Maren had a great soccer season this year. Danny coached the team and was much loved by all the girls. Here are a few shots of "soccerfest."

We Voted!

2008-11-07T07:06:00.002-07:00

We got to go with Mom and Dad to vote on Tuesday. Maren and Harry both got to flip switches and pull giant levers. Things are a little old-fashioned in the voting booth here in New York.

Halloween Marathon

2008-11-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

Norah as Bat Boy

2008-11-03T08:31:00.003-07:00

Norah is the face of "Bat Boy the Musical" here at Friends Academy. The Theater Department couldn't think of another family that would allow their sweet baby to be photo-shopped into a freak. We were happy to oblige.

She's about to snap

2008-11-01T14:54:00.002-06:00

Our Mom is sick and tired of washing sippy cups. We don't know what the big deal is.

Tuesdays at Moe's (aka 4th post, because Jeanne likes things in 4s)

2008-10-23T16:27:00.002-06:00

On Tuesday nights, kids eat free at Moe's. It seems like every family with kids, living on the North Shore, shows up for dinner. It's crowded and noisy

but the food is always great and the company is the BEST!

Norah, the fashionista

2008-10-23T16:15:00.002-06:00

Trying on Mama's shoes...

Posing with her FAB leggings.

He's a lover, not a fighter

2008-10-23T16:10:00.003-06:00

Our poor Harry fell off a hammock last week, got a huge bump on his head, and then got his face eaten up by a mosquito. He's usually so cute....

But he ended up looking like this!

The Soccer Star

2008-10-23T16:07:00.002-06:00

Maren scored her first goal of the season. It's been really cold, so she has to bundle up before game time.

Girl Stuff

2008-09-19T21:16:00.002-06:00

Norah discovered an old pink glittery pocketbook of Maren's this week. She hasn't put her "pah-bahk" down since.

Just because they are too cute....

2008-09-07T19:02:00.005-06:00

Harrison playing Indiana Jones and Norah who is finally learning to "say cheese...."

First Day of School

2008-09-07T18:59:00.005-06:00

Last week was our first day of school. Can't you see how excited we are? The excitement spread through the neighborhood, and soon everyone was out to take their morning pictures too!

Norah's Year in Review

2008-03-14T16:40:00.014-06:00

Norah's first year has sped by so quickly that we are scratching our heads, trying to decide where the time has gone. Norah is a composed and easy-going little girl. A perfect addition to our family that tends to be a little more on the noisy side. She adores her brother and sister and thinks they are the most clever people.

Here are a few highlights from her first year:

A visit from Darby and Elliette.

A summer-time nap with Grandma Veloy.

A trip with Mom all the way to New Zealand. I think everyone who saw her on that trip will agree that Norah was the most perfect and well-behaved baby imaginable.

A Harry Potter Halloween, with Norah starring as Dobby!

Fancy prep-school clothes.

Christmas naps with Grandma Jan.

The first chocolate chip cookie.

Move over Mia Hamm!

2007-09-18T20:33:00.000-06:00

Maren is playing soccer. They won their first game 5-2, with Maren playing goalie in the 2nd half. Mom couldn't watch, she was too nervous. Maren kept cool and stopped a flurry of shots on goal. The 1st and 2nd Grade Girls League is much more intense than last year's Kindergarten league. Games on Monday night? What's with that?

First Day of First Grade

2007-09-18T20:32:00.001-06:00

FOOD

2007-09-18T20:30:00.000-06:00

Norah is beginning to explore the world of solid foods. She's not to crazy about it, but when Maren feeds her it's a lot more fun.

Utah!

2007-09-18T20:28:00.000-06:00

We had a great time in Utah. Playing with cousins is the best!

Field Day

2007-06-04T20:54:00.000-06:00

Today was Maren's Kindergarten Field Day. Only 1 more day of school left to go! Hurray!

Norah loves...

2007-06-02T19:05:00.000-06:00

Her dress from Elliette....

Sleeping in Mom's and Dad's bed...

and her finger!

A few new pics...

2007-05-10T17:10:00.000-06:00

... for all to enjoy!

Happy home

2007-03-28T19:45:00.000-06:00

It has been a busy time in our house lately. Maren turned 6 years old last week. She's such a big kid now. We had a nice little family party with a delicious cake made by Grandma Veloy. Maren loved the finished product, but Harry loved "helping" with the frosting.

Norah is growing quickly. She's gained 12 oz. in the past week, and is having longer stretches of "awake" time. Her eyes are so bright and watchful. It's a wonderful world she's a part of!