Christmas in Spokane!

Here are some pictures from our journey! Our first day here we went on a carriage ride downtown Spokane, looked at the gingerbread houses at the Davenport Hotel and saw Santa and Mrs. Clause! Lillie even had her 1st Starbucks-kiddie hot cocoa- and I am so sad I missed a picture of it! The Smiths have a HUGE tree, 22 feet tall HUGE!! We went hiking up in the hills to find that beast in the snow and ice! Good times! The cousins had their picture taken together today, it is so fun to see Lillie play with them. See below!!!

Driving home from the airport...tired kiddies!

The most handsome men of my LIFE!!!

Cousins, Aunts, Uncles and Grandma Smith!

Professional Carolers!

Grandma, Titus and Lillie with Santa...Titus doesn't know what to think about him!!

Oh My Love

"PIZZA!!!"

I just had to post this picture...so sweet!

For a little perspective...

Mark and his sister Carianne decorating the high part!

Way up there, you can see my excitement...

Finished product!

Making Sugar Cookies

The cousins and Grandma, minus one...baby Evan was the sleeper. Girls wore pink and guys wore brown for the professional pic earlier that day!

I hear that the weather is crazy in Iowa...we will be missing that! Good luck all of you who are enduring that!

Lillie the Star!!

Our Sweet Lillie Girl turned 2 today!!!
We had a wonderful party with friends and a STAR theme!
Thank you to all of you who made it so special!!!

Birthday Girl!!!

Daddy: "How old are you Lillie?"
Lillie: 5 Fingers in the air, "TWOOOOO!"

Little Smith Family

Lukas opening her birthday card from his family, what a nice helper!

And Judah, her little soul mate - showing her his present, a purse, lipstick, cell phone, keys, makeup! What fun!

Lately

I have gone and done it again-updated the background without a new post.

We traveled to Kentucky and had a really good time, a little stressful with the gma situation but over all good. Blaine came and brought his girlfriend, Amanda, and I tell you what-having them there was a wonderful thing. Over time our extended family, that once was incredibly close (I mean getting together for almost every holiday all the aunts and cousins) has really taken some steps back so making sure we concentrate on our immediate family has become so important to me. I think it just happens with time, we make our own families and when you have to travel every time you are going to be with some family member you have to make decisions! So, all that to say. I praise the Lord that my parents are back in Iowa and that my bro has a great girlfriend and that Mark and I have started a happy little family that will keep growing Lord willing! We will begin our own little pack of cousins and aunts and uncles and make great memories! Kentucky is always a special place for me and seeing Grandma and Grandpa Varney any chance I can is important. I love to see my kids get loved on by them and to see my kids bring smiles to their faces. Thank you Lord for the opportunities.

An update on Gma Lillie, she is in rehab...doing some physical therapy. She is showing some signs of Alzheimer's or Dementia so she will probably be making her home in Iowa soon after rehab. Its sad to see your family get old and go through these struggles. When I first saw her last Tuesday laying in her hospital bed, it was hard. And when Lillie saw her Great Grandma Lillie with her oxygen tubes and started to cry and say "boo boo" that was even harder. Praise the Lord for Jesus and Heaven and that pain doesn't last forever.