Fall Festival

We went out to a Fall Festival just outside Pullman.  IT WAS A HIT!!

Brendan loved the corn maze.  Unfortunately it had blown down in a rainstorm a few days earlier, but Brendan didn't care...he enjoyed running down the path. 

Dried Pea sandbox

Hayride

Evan thought the tennis ball cannon was hilarious.  It was the first time we truly heard him have a deep belly laugh.

It was a fun family afternoon.

Fall Update

It has been a GREAT Fall so far!

The school year has started off well for me, it has been good to be back in the classroom.  This is the first fall in many many years (around 20) that I have not spent a lot of time on or around a v-ball court either playing or coaching.  It was a difficult decision to make to not coach this fall but one I am thankful I did.  I feel like our family has been very well balanced.  Josh is plugging away with all the crop insurance and still enjoying it.  Brendan was so excited to return to Stacey's.  He loves spending time with "his boys" (the kindergarten boys he is at Stacey's with).  He loves going each day and picking them up at the bus garage.  Brendan loves riding his big wheel bike around the neighborhood and thinks it is fun to scare me by flying down the hill...of course giggling all the time.  He continues to be the most joyfilled kid ever.  He doesn't complain about much.  He just got another tooth/molar in and we had no idea until after it was fully in because he didn't whine about it at all.  He is growing up.  He no longer sits in a high-chair, he doesn't like to be in the stroller, he now sleeps in a big boy bed, and he is beginning to work on potty training.  If we tell him we will do something later we frequently here the response "I want to do it now please", or if we tell him we will do it tomorrow he says, "I want to do it this day".  He is also learning to say "please" in a begging tone..."pleeeaase".  He is still obsessed with cars, trucks, and tractors.  And he is becoming a really good counter, he can count to 25.

Washing his car with Dad

Brother LOVE!!

Evan is growing up as fast as his little body will let him.  We are quickly finding he is our little adventurous explorer.  He is on the move and goes everywhere in our house by army crawl.  He has been found heading out the screen door, pulling over lamps, getting into plants, heading down the stairs, crawling down the hall.  He loves to follow his brother everywhere and also play with all of Brendan's toys (this has led to some new problems in the Smart house).  Evan is a great eater, and loves to talk.  He continues to be our boy who lives in the extremes.  He is either the happiest baby ever or the most miserable.  His smile draws peoples attention.  He loves to connect with people one on one.  It has been fun to begin to see the gifts God has given him.   

We have gotten to do some really fun things.  As Evan gets older it is becoming easier and easier to go out and do more and more things.  We were able to take Brendan and Evan to the Palouse Empire Fair and Brendan to the Latah County Fair.  Brendan loved riding on the rides at both fairs and loved getting to see all the animals.

Josh's Mom was able to come and spend a few days with us.  Brendan loved having Grammy here.  We were able to go up to take in the WSU pre-game football events, shop a little (Grammy spoiled the boys with some really cute new outfits), and we were able to share what our life looks like here in Pullman.

Josh's Mom was really gracious to stay with Brendan and Evan so that Josh and I could go up to Courd'A'lene and be at an awards program where my Dad was awarded a very special lifetime achievement award.  Jenni and Justin drove over from Missoula and Josh and I drove up from Pullman to surprise my Dad.  I have only seen my Dad surprised maybe one other time, it was priceless and awesome to be there.  I am so proud of my Dad!!  After the awards program Jenni and Justin and Josh and I joined my parents on a sunset cruise on the lake.  It was very special to be there and see my Dad honored.

Needless to say...LIFE IS GOOD!!

The Zoo

For Labor Day weekend we decided that it would be fun to take a family vacation just the four of us.  Where do you go on a family vacation with a 2 1/2 year old and a 6 month old?  THE ZOO!!!!
We drove over to Seattle and stayed Friday night at a nice hotel and enjoyed the pool in the morning.  Brendan had fun swimming, jumping, listening to sounds under the water, and floating.  We spent the afternoon by the waterfront in Kirkland (there was a treehouse play area that was especially a hit!)  Saturday night we had a friend who so graciously let us stay at her place while she was on vacation (THANK YOU KAREN....WHAT A HUGE BLESSING TO US).  Sunday morning we got up and headed for the Zoo.  Brendan took it all in.  He didn't want anything to do with the stroller or holding our hands, he wanted to run from animal to animal.  When we asked what his favorite animal was we get different answers each time, but some of the highlights was the giraffe, elephant, kangaroo, and birds.  Brendan was able to feed the birds, they flew right up onto the stick he was holding.  Brendan loved this.  It was so fun to hear and see Brendan after the zoo imitating all the animals.  It made us excited for many more car trips to come.

Oh Summer...where did you go?

I am posting this better late than never (seems to be my MO these days as I chase after these boys).

We had a very very very busy but fun months of July and August!

 We were able to start the month with July with a visit to see Josh's family in Sun Valley.  We had so much fun!!  They were re-doing the road in front of his parents house, Brendan LOVED to watch all the road equipment (we had front row seats for a great show).  We were able to go on a couple bike rides, go to some parks, and spend some great time with family.  

We went up to Ketchum one evening and enjoyed appetizers with Vicky and Bev in their beautiful condo and then walk over and enjoy "Ketchum Alive" (a concert in a park square).
 


Karen also hosted everyone at her house one evening.
 

Time with the GREAT

Uncle Steve showing him how it is done

Just Chillin

We also LOVED getting to spend time with Amy and Dirk.  Brendan so enjoyed having someone to play with.  It is fun to watch the two of them have such a great time together.

Cousin Love

Brendan and Evan loved their time with Grammy and Grandpa J (the highlight of Brendan's day was when Grandpa J got home to play).  He enjoyed it so much that we were not so great about capturing pictures of this great time (Karen and Kerry we are so sorry we don't have many pics to post of you with the boys...just know how much they loved being with you).  It was such a fun trip to the Valley.  We are so thankful for such great family.


We left Hailey and drove straight to NBC Volleyball Camp in LaGrande Oregon.  We had another great summer of camps.  It is always so neat to see all the ways God moves during our few weeks of camp.  We love NBC but have made the decision that this will be our last summer directing camps for a little while (it is just getting too hard with Josh's job and our two boys).  We are thankful for the awesome ministry of NBC and look forward to returning in some way again in a few years.

Our summer was completed with a few weeks at the lake (Jamie and the boys were there fore 2 1/2 weeks while Josh came up on the weekends).  It was great to have some good family time to finish our busy summer off.  Whewwww, it was a busy but great summer.

4th of July

I love spending 4th of July in Pullman!  And that is what we got to do this year!  It was a very typical Pullman 4th (Johnson Parade, BBQ, Sunnyside Park fireworks), but that is exactly how we wanted it.  We were able to introduce our friends Chris, Sarah and Gracie to 4th of July in Pullman.  My parents saved us all great seats at the parade.

Brendan's friend Gracie

Oh how I love the Johnson Parade

Thousands of people crowded into a one street town (if you can call it that)

Evan...where are you???

Gracie, Sarah and Chris

After the parade and afternoon naps, we had a BBQ with Chris, Sarah and Gracie.  Brendan had his first corn on the cob.  

After dinner we went over to my parents house.  They offered to watch Evan for us so we could go with Chris, Sarah and Gracie and take Brendan to the park for a little while.  The music was fun but the big hit was the firetruck, ambulance and police car. 

Sitting inside a firetruck!

We headed back to my parents house for Brendan to catch a little catnap before the fireworks.  This was the first year we woke Brendan up to watch fireworks.  He was a little sleepy but thought they were pretty cool!  My parents deck is a pretty sweet place to watch the show!

Evan was a trooper all day!  He stayed awake when we wanted him to and slept when we needed him to.  He woke up just before the fireworks but was able to fall back asleep and slept through the whole thing (amazing considering how loud fireworks are). 

Needless to say it was a GREAT day!!!

Chillin' at Priest Lake

This past week I was able to get some much needed "mommy time" with the boys at Priest Lake.  It was great to be able to be with my Dad and Grandma for a day and with my Mom for several.  I then had the boys by myself for a few days until Josh joined us for a long weekend.  It was so nice of my parents to let us use their house for the weekend.  Brendan loved all of his outside time.  He has become an outdoor kid.  He wakes up in the morning and says "outside mommy" and that is what we hear until he crawls in bed at night.  He loved going for long walks (he is able to walk with us--not in the stroller--for 3-4 miles...crazy, he giggles, runs and laughs with joy the whole way), driving his car in the driveway, blowing bubbles, drawing with chalk, going out for ice-cream, digging in the sand and rocks, and driving his trucks all over.  He was able to see baby squires, play with dogs and go for a boat ride--life doesn't get much better.  Evan did great as well, he enjoys laying and looking at the trees, falling asleep on walks, and getting so much attention from everyone.  He has started to laugh, roll over, and grab things.  He likes when we pull him up to a sitting position and then to standing--he is a flirt and makes us all smile. 

The last day we were able to have our friends Ryan and Qui come up with their dog Eva.  We are thankful for good friends and loved our quality time with them.  Brendan loved playing with Eva, makes us all the more convinced that we need a dog :)

Here are a few pics from the week...I don't have many (hard to hang out with two boys and take pictures).  

Enjoying a snack by the lake

Checking out the cool "tractors"

Brendan made his first chocolate chip cookies

Brother Love

We love you Ba

Josh's Dad's Visit

Earlier this spring Josh's dad was able to sneak out of Boise and come visit the boys here in Pullman.  The weather was pretty decent and they got to play golf with Jamie's dad (making a 3-some) on Friday night.  Saturday was more relaxed and offered some time to go out to lunch, do some browsing around in Moscow, and have a nice dinner at home.  Sunday we all went to the Old European restaurant (a Pullman staple for breakfast).

The 3rd Generation Pictures (not pictured: Evan who was asleep)  

Brendan, giving me his GQ pose so I could get the lighting and camera set.

Dad was able to make a respite from the weekend as well and grab a hotel room for a reasonable rate.  The weekend was overall a great success and Brendan loved getting to play and read with his "Daba" - he uses the word 'Baba' to be Grandpa and so 'Daba' is Dad's Ba.  No matter how he gets to a name, it's the name he uses and everyone's blessed by it!