::peace on earth::

we celebrated christmas a day early here because ryan is on call tomorrow. and while anyone who knows me well knows i really really don't like to celebrate things early, it turned out to be just perfect.

ry got home from rounding just as lily and finn were waking up. we had lily wait in her room with her very own cup of hot chocolate and then she bounded out into the living room at just the right time. she is at a very sweet age for christmas and it was a very special day. she made sure that baby jesus joined us for the entire day and loved "helping" us all open every last gift.

our hearts are certainly longing for our families tonight and wishing we could have been a part of the biber-smith-monopolization-of-three-rows-in-church process that occurs so lovingly each christmas eve. and it was hard to know we were missing brandon and sam acting like two year olds through the entire service. but, it was such a sweet day as a family of four and tonight as the church was dark and we were all holding candles, it seemed just perfect... especially since we know we get to be with our families in just a few short days.

so, from our house to yours, we wish you love, happiness, truth and peace this christmas.

the snorks...

remember the snorks?

yeah, i only kinda' remember them, too. but, the one thing that is clear in my mind is the way that little snorkle-thing on the tops of their heads bent to the side.

well, that is the way finn's hair has been looking as of late. we would have two options with his hair:
1) comb over that would pop up in the back due to a wicked cowlick.
2) mowhawk that would fold over like the snorks.
both of which were terrible.
it's been a good thing it's been hat season.

anyway, our little guy got a hair cut years before his big sister...seriously, her hair has still not been cut.

i'm not sure that it looks any better, but at least he doesn't look like a snork anymore.

open up...

finn is a big eater. a B.I.G. eater.

as of late, he's seemed more hungry. so, i thought it must be time to introduce solids. and, prior to trying it, i told ryan that i was sure once we started him on solids, there would be no going back. ever.

boy, was i wrong!

my champ of an eater refused every single bite. he even gagged when the spoon got close to his mouth. he was not interested at all.

maybe he wasn't quite ready?
that's ok, chief...because i wasn't quite ready, either!







and a little sibling love...

blizzard of '09

we experienced what has been referred to as the "winter wallop" this past weekend and it was pretty phenomenal!

i am pretty sure that c'ville didn't quite know what hit it!

thank you...

thank you, to miss betty and miss beckett, for all the ways they teach lily the love of our Lord and Savior in such tangible ways.

lily came out of her class today with her new baby jesus and she proudly exclaimed, "mama, i have a baby just like you!"

baby jesus (made so sweetly out of pantyhose) has done everything with lily since she returned home.

he snuggled with her.
he ate lunch with her.
he was even meant to bathe with her until i convinced her that he was quite clean already.
he is currently napping with her in his manger in her room.
he has been by her side all afternoon.

what a powerful and simple reminder of the Lord's presence at this wonderful time of year.

so, thank you, miss betty and miss beckett.

firsts...

it is amazing how the same two parents can create two children who are so wonderfully different from one another.

it has been evident from day one that finn's temperament is vastly different from lily's...and we are so thankful for their uniqueness from each other.

lily was pretty much gangbusters from the start when her opinion was involved (or when her opinion was not involved, but she wished it was) and she has added spunk to our lives in so many ways. and finn has chosen to be much more laid back about life in general (except when food is involved!)

and so it should come as no shock that lily rolled in both directions with gusto on her 4 month birthday. and the chief has chosen the more relaxed rote...as he is now over 5 months old, he has decided it might be time to try to roll over at least in pursuit of his beloved thumb (as lily loves to say, "look mom! he is stucking on his thumbkin!") so congrats, finn, on rolling for the 1st time!

and of course, for your 1st snow!!

welcome.

welcome to the world, griffin isaac guzman.
we adore you already and can hardly wait to meet you.
your parents are amazing and you are so blessed to be their son.
congratulations, ashley and jose!!



and congrats to our dear friends, adam and katie, as they welcomed mac into the world this week, too!!

he thinks she's hilarious.

and it could not make me happier than to see the two of them like this.

'tis the season!

i would characterize ryan and i both as optimistic for the most part.

and i'd say that this year, we were a possibly a bit too optimistic when it came to a tree selection. but, for a mere $29, it seemed too good to pass up!

who wouldn't want a tree looms feet over your head. what's that you say? our ceilings are only 8 feet tall? well, i am sure we can make this work!

let me just say, that after bringing the tree in, we both saw the error in our ways...

a mere foot or so had to be cut off the top, leaving our tree with a figure that much more closely resembles a tube than a cone.

and about another foot had to be cut off the bottom, which resulted in a tree that doesn't want to stand up quite straight. but, that's ok, right?

of course it is until you find yourself mid-dinner with a tree that is all adorned and lit up and now lying face down on your living room floor! oh the joy!

so, after that, we decided it was time to get serious. we removed our fully decorated tree from it's stand, and i went to work on the trunk with a saw while ryan precariously balanced it on the stand.

the result?... one of our uglier trees that is now being weighted down on all sides with hand weights in hopes that we don't have a repeat tree on the carpet scenario.

but, you know what? we love it. and lily REALLY.LOVES.IT. so so much. she thought the decorating process was the best thing ever.

so, in the end, it was worth every penny of those 29 dollars. even if it is ugly.

full.of.thanks.

we have so much to be thankful for this year.

words could not even capture a fraction of how full my heart is on this day. especially after the scare we had with the pregnancy last thanksgiving, my heart was bursting today as i held my precious finn in my arms.

so, thank you, Lord, for all the ways you so richly bless us.



finn's first turkey trot. a biber family tradition that defines this day for me. unfortunately, the race was beyond packed, so it was undoubtedly a trot, but the thanksgiving spirit was high and it was the perfect way to start the day.






lily helped prepare lots of food in her kitchen. it was delicious.

and, as i am not much of a giblets and gizzards type of girl, i was not about to twist ryan's arm when he said it was ok to go sans-turkey this year. our feast was plentiful for this family of four and it was the perfect end to the day.



who needs a floral arrangement when you have a centerpiece this adorable??
(note the purple bowl next to lily - set for her new friend, "special girl"...the newest addition to our family!)

happy thanksgiving to all those we love and wish we could have been with today!!

check it!

i am incredibly excited because our amazing friend, lisa, has gone live with her new website and business.

she is so very gifted in photography and if you ever find yourself in the DC area, you have to look her up. she was given about 30 minutes and two grouchy children and she created photographs that i will treasure for the rest of my life.

she is very very humble about her talents, so i am happy to tell the world how awesome she is. she puts you at absolute ease and captures your family as you truly are. we love you, lisa!

www.lisahenrysmith.com

thankful.

my husband is amazing.
and for that i am so thankful.

last night i was thankful for his generosity and wonderful support.
you see, we found ourselves in a very hip, european-feeling, modern hotel last night. it had an uber mod feel to it. and while that is fun and all, i don't think you could exactly call this family of four "mod." i should have known. it was called "aloft." and while ryan and i had to speak in hushed whispers starting at 7:45 as our children tried to sleep in this hip loft-style hotel where the ceiling was open to the bathroom with no door, i was so thankful for his support.

and when the movie i was supposed to bring and then consequently turned up missing (and left us to sit in our dark room with nothing to do) and he didn't care, i was so thankful of his forgiveness.

and when i got up at 6am this morning and rattled around the room on his day off, i was so thankful for his understanding.

and then this morning, he got the kids up and ready while i was off doing my own thing. and he toted them out in the breezy drizzle and made sure to be on the sidelines to cheer me on... and again, i was overwhelmed by his love. and i was so thankful.

and when he never questioned my "need" to do this crazy half-marathon post-baby, i was so thankful that he just "gets me." i had been unable to put it into words until recently, but after the birth of lily and then now after finn's birth, i have felt an overwhelming desire to run in a race. luckily, i wasn't as crazy this time and didn't take on something as ridiculous as the chicago marathon (and it's 94 degree MISERY). but, i think i just felt like i needed to reclaim my body as my own. i am overwhelmingly thankful that the Lord equipped me so wonderfully to carry a baby to term and have two amazing deliveries and beautiful children. and i am also so very thankful that my body can serve in other ways that are separate from motherhood.

so, today, as i crossed the finish line and the announcer saw my name on the screen, he said into the microphone, "and courtney smith is finishing today with a smile!" and you better believe i was.

i am thankful.

halloween recap:

trick or treating on the mall


brandon and nikita made pumpkins to look like finn and lily...what a resemblance, right??




so hardcore.

thank you so much, kathy and brandon for EVERYthing!!!

halloween preview...

every year, the lawn is awash with hundreds of tiny princesses and pirates a few days before halloween. this year, kathy and brandon got to experience the chaos with us. it was wonderful...


(check out that cute fairy costume...thanks so much, whit!!)









more to come after halloween!

::best birthday ever::

my husband is the best.
absolute best.
he is the most thoughtful, generous and loving man.
and he knows exactly how to make me feel adored.

for my 30th birthday, he surprised me with an A-MAZ-ING trip to san francisco for a few days. and kathy SO generously came to watch the small ones. it could not have been more perfect. my heart longed for finn and lily, but it was just what we needed.

thank you, ryan. i adore you.




biking across the golden gate bridge.


cable cars.




feeling humbled and in awe in the redwood forest.

i love you, ry.

ladies night out...

the z'ville fellas made their annual trip to the area and it was so good to have them in town. lily couldn't have been happier than to have their company and it was wonderful to have a little reunion. thank you so much, eric and smithers for making the trip down!!!

::braids::

when i was little, my mom was ever so generous as to allow my best friend, sarah, and i to have sleepovers ALL the time. sarah and i were inseparable. she lived only a few blocks away and we spent every moment possible together - awake and asleep. we were even allowed to spend the night on SCHOOL nights! our moms were so good to us.

and it seemed to be a ritual on school mornings, for sarah, ash and i (and whit when she was older) to line up in front of the big mirror in our bathroom while my mom would put our hair in double french braids. we would all head to school feeling not only put-together, but also beautiful.

and so, today, as i put my daughter's hair in double french braids for the first time, i had such a sense of motherhood. it's not that i don't feel like a mother on a daily basis, but sometimes i still feel like such a kid, too. i still need my own mother so very much. but as i delicately put lily's wispy hair into two braids, my heart was so full and i could only hope that this would be a tradition for us that would make her heart sing as well.



and with cheeks like this, do you think that finn will ever be able to hold his head up to learn to sit? i think he will have to defy physics!

best buds...

(pictures compliments of katy!)

these just melt my heart. there is something so very precious about being in the comapany of such true friends.