Finally! A contest I can do.....

I have decided to join a book reading challenge called the 888. Basically it's read 8 books each in 8 self chosen categories during 2008. Since I read a heck of a lot anyway, why not make it official right? I found out about it while lurking around, ahem, I mean um... reading Wendy's blog. She is always doing something clever like this so I decided to crash um or er uh...join her party. yeah, that's it. Maybe, just maybe all this reading will make me a little more clever too and maybe I will be able to carry on some really interesting conversations during the year....for a change... sigh. So without further ado.......here is my list:

The next in the series:
1. Bryson City Secrets by Walt Larimore M.D.
2. Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
3. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
4. The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
5. Stalemate by Iris Johansen
6. Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson
7. Hide by Lisa Gardner
8. The Hollow by Nora Roberts
Alternate: Phantom Prey by John Sandford

Old Favorite Gal Authors:
1. Blood Dreams by Kay Hooper
2. Trace by Patricia Cornwell
3. Predator by Patricia Cornwell
4. Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell
5. Pandora's Daughter by Iris Johansen
6. Killer Dreams by Iris Johansen
7. Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts
8. The Key Trilogy by Nora Roberts

Old Favorite Dude Authors:
1. Third Degree by Greg Iles
2. Invisible Prey by John Sandford
3. Dark of the Moon by John Sandford
4. The Stone Monkey by Jefferey Deaver
5. The Twelfth Card by Jeffery Deaver
6. The Cold Moon by Jeffery Deaver
7. Gone by Jonathan Kellerman
8. Rage by Jonathan Kellerman

Authors that are new to me:
1. Through Thick And Thin by Alison Pace
2. Locked Rooms by John Dikson Carr
3. Little Bitty Lies by Mary Kay Andrews
4. Best Friends by Martha Moody
5. Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot
6. Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
7. Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts
8. Peace Like A River by Leif Engerl
Alternate: In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner

Light and Quick Reads:
1. The Cat Who Robbed A Bank by Lilian Jackson Braun
2. The Cat Who Smelled A Rat by Lilian Jackson Braun
3. Cats Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown
4. Sour Puss by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown
5. Double Shot by Diane Mott Davidson
6. Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson
7. Sweet Revenge by Diane Mott Davidson
8. Plum Lovin by Janet Evanovich

Books by Jodi Picoult:
1. Harvesting The Heart
2. Picture Perfect
3. Keeping Faith
4. Salem Falls
5. The Tenth Circle
6. Change Of Heart
7. Songs Of The Humpback Whale
8. Love And Murder

Books by Terri Blackstock:
1. Private Justice
2. Shadow Of Doubt
3. Cape Refuge
4. Southern Storm
5. Rivers Edge
6. Breaker's Reef
7. Night Light
8. True Light
Alternate: Dawn's Light

Christian Authors:
1. Sugar And Grits by DiAnn Mills,Martha Rogers, Janice Thompson, Kathleen Y'borbo
2. Light From Heaven by Jan Karon
3. A Song I Know By Heart by Bret Lott
4. Presumed Guilty by James Scott Bell
5. Sins of the Fathers by James Scott Bell
6. The Postcard by Beverly Lewis
7. The Crossroad by Beverly Lewis
8. Christmas in My Heart by Joe L Wheeler

OK y'all. That's it. Oh, by the way, I am also re-reading the Bible this year. If I complete the challenge (which I hope to) and the Bible (which I am determined to) I will have completed my 64 books times 2 plus some!! That would be cool.......

Anyway, wish me luck. I will keep both of you posted on my progress. (I'm kinda pretending like you really care.....)

Happy New Year!

2007 re-visited.....

We have had a good year.

We are very blessed because I know there are a lot of people that aren't able to make that statement. I reflect back on this year and see so many that have suffered with so many different issues. Everything from loosing a loved one, to problems with kids not making good decisions, to health problems. Now don't get me wrong. We have had small doses of all those problems and more. The important word in that sentence was "small". When compared to some of the trials others have gone through this past year, well, let me just say that we were very fortunate. I know that won't always be the case. I hope and pray that whatever lies ahead for us, we will face it with courage and grace. That we continue to trust that God will be right here with us through it all and will always have his loving arms around us.

I am really looking forward to 2008. During this coming year we will have a boy turn 5, a teenager turn 16 (gasp) and a young man turn 20 *insert scream here*. We will continue to try to "train them up in the way". That may require some restriction, time out, butt kickin and wooden spoon wielding but I know for sure that the main requirements are lots of love, understanding and constant prayer. Pray that we keep on track with God's will for these boys. I know I have made many mistakes and I know I will make more, I just pray that I will not "damage" these children that God has blessed me with! I read a line in a book earlier this week that said that mothers don't have children, we receive them. How true! They really are gifts from God and although there are certainly times when I feel that one or more of them may have been a gag gift, they are a gift none the less!

I hope that you, all two of my loyal readers, have a "small issues" kind of year in 2008. For those that may have a "big issues" 2008, you will have my help and my prayers.

My prayer for today is that we are all able to lay that spiritual foundation that Curt talked about today. That no matter what 2008 brings, we will be prepared to get through it with God.

A safe and happy new year wish to both of you!!!

Is it me?????? What do you think?

You Are An ESFJ

The Caregiver You are sympathetic and caring, putting friends and family first. A creature of habit, you prefer routines and have trouble with change. You love being in groups - whether you're helping people or working on a project. You are good at listening, laughing, and bringing out the best in people. In love, you value harmony and mutual understanding. You will apologize or give someone the benefit of the doubt, if it means getting over a fight sooner. At work, you are good at building relationships and connecting with people. You would make a great nurse, social worker, or teacher. How you see yourself: Organized, dependable, co-operative When other people don't get you, they see you as: Opinionated, critical, and know-it-all

What's" Your Personality Type?

Seven and Seven

I was tagged for this meme by Making a Person. I am fairly new to the blog world so it really feels good not only to be looked at but TAGGED TOO. How cool is that I ask you! Well, it's really cool but the real reason I am doing this is that she has flung a hex on anyone that doesn't do it and I really don't want scabby boils on my butt. Hexes aside, she has a really great blog and an absolutely STUNNING baby girl so head on over there and check her out after you read all these goofy things about me.....


Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.

2. Post these rules on your blog.

3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself

4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog.


Here goes:
1. I love ink pens. Any kind of ink pen. Especially different colors. You hand me an unusual color marker or pen, I am a happy happy girl.


2. Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love the colors.....the reds, oranges, mossy greens and golds. AHHHHHHHHH I love the crisp air as the temperature changes from hot to cool (we don't get "cold" in South Carolina) Put me in a turtle neck and sweater, hand me a red maple leaf and I am a happy happy girl.

3. I really don't care for chickens. You know. Live chickens. I love all animals and am very tender hearted concerning them. I will cry during a western movie if a horse falls down, could care less if a cowboy gets shot but, I don't like chickens. If I had to survive by killing my own food.....poultry all the way baby. Wouldn't bother me a bit. However, no more beef or pork for this girl.


4. I love games. Not play with your head mean people games but board, dice and card games. Give me a good round of Rook, Domino's, Clue, Yahtzee, Trivial Pursuit, Operation, Rummy, Sorry, even good old Monopoly and, you guessed it........I am a happy happy girl.


5. I can bake and decorate cakes pretty darn well. I have made wedding cakes even but I CAN NOT MAKE BREAD! I either come out with something you could use as building materials (bricks) or something gooey and unrecognizable.......sigh. Probably a good thing though cause if I could make bread I would most likely weigh around 783 lbs.


6. I have a very hard time controlling my anger when people that call themselves Christians do things like protest at the funerals of our wonderful fallen soldiers with some kind of ridiculous reasoning concerning homosexuality OR turn a family away from their church because one of the family members has AIDS...............AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGG. I know I need to pray for them and love them but there are times that I just want to back over the lot of them with a steamroller......did I say that out loud?


7. I love Winnie The Pooh stuff. Not just stuffed animals stuff but tv shows, movies, clothing, and especially the books. I don't really like reading them out loud to Noah because they have some difficult passages (OK. stop laughing and go try it yourself and get back to me!) but I just love the writing and characters. Eeyore and Tigger are my favorites......Rabbit kinda gets on my nerves.


OK ya'll - tag! You're it!

Magner's Random Ramblings

Modern Day Cavalcade

All That Naz

Training Up In The Way

Shoo Fly Pie And Grits

Well Mannered Frivolity

Stragglingband

I think I may have double tagged a couple of you....sorry if so. If any of you don't wish to cooperate, um I mean.....play, well, that's just fine. I"ll try not to take it as a rejection.....sniff sniff.

JUST KIDDING. Play if ya want to. If not, no worries!!

Streamers and confetti.....

The morning of my birthday I woke up to confetti and streamers!!! Yes! Yes it is true. First thing after waking up, I, like everyone else I know, went into the little girls room only to find that it had been decorated with yes, you guessed it, streamers and confetti.....at least that is what I tried to tell myself. Let me know what you think!

I am pretty sure I know who did it....................

VERY tired after all that work!

I had a wonderful birthday by the way. Thank you to all who called and sang and emailed and "sang". Thanks for the cards, both snail mail and email. Thanks to my husband for making me feel so very special on my special day. Just so you can all understand how great he really is, I woke to him singing happy birthday, a screen saver saying "happy birthday", I received e-cards through the day, he helped Noah with a card for me, he had a really sweet card for me and he went straight to my heart with a gift card to Michael's craft store....gasp! (insert picture of kid in candy store here).

Also, as if that isn't enough, my friend Jennifer got me some scrapbook paper (shriek!), my friend Jeanie bought me lunch on Monday, dinner on Tuesday and accompanied me to Michael's for my spree (and my wonderful husband kept Noah so I could shop without "help"). She also got me a giant football mug, for my Diet Coke/iced tea/water habit, a beautiful autumn table runner, an autumn scrapbook set, a bundle of scrapbook paper in my best colors and a dark chocolate bar (gasp, shriek, YUM). My parents had to go out of town unexpectedly but I was told that I am to remember to get my gift and card when I see them tonight and that they will be taking me and the family out for a meal to celebrate. I'm sure they did more than they should have. They ALWAYS do. My parents spoil me rotten. My husband spoils me rotten. My friends and extended family spoil me rotten. You know what that means ya'll? Well, facts are facts. All these people are gifts from God and I am..........Just Plain Blessed!!!!!

Family Time.....

Last weekend Noah and I went with my parents to Tennessee to celebrate my Uncle Fred's 80th birthday. We stayed with my wonderful Aunt Jan. She always welcomes us with open arms and lots of homemade food and makes us feel right at home. We arrived in the mountains Thursday night after a bit of a delay in Charlotte.

Normally we would not have traveled that way but the decision had been made by the "travel agent" that we would go up through Charlotte and Boone then come home through Johnson City Tn and Ashville NC. The reason for this is so we could see more of the fall colors. We really did not see many colors in the mountains on Thursday since it was getting dark by the time we got there. It was even darker for mom since she actually forgot she was wearing her sunglasses. That provided us with a good giggle....thanks mom. Anyway, Friday we woke to home baked biscuits and sausage gravy. YUM!! I'm tellin ya, Aunt Jan could easily open a 4 star restaurant! My cousin Tina didn't have to work that day so she was able to spend the whole day with us. Bill, my other cousin and his wife April came up later in the day and we all relaxed and had a good visit. Tina invited me to go to dinner with her and her friends (after I whined a little) and we had a wonderful meal and great conversation. Her friends are great! Thank you to the 5 Noah sitters. From what I understand they obeyed his every command and a great time was had by all!

On Saturday, we went to Fatz in Bristol and met up with Uncle Fred, my cousins Freddie and Charles, his wife Debby and two of their youngins, Drew and Morgan. We had not seen Uncle Fred and his folks for more than a year. I always enjoy spending time with my cousins and their wives and children. We have made many a wonderful memory through the years and it is wonderful to reminisce. We did miss Melissa and Chelsea though!

Sunday, Uncle Fred and the gang came to Aunt Jan's. She and mom made a meal fit for kings. You would not believe how much wonderful food we had! It was so great to all be together and to catch up on each other's lives.

I am so blessed to have these people in my life that I call family. They are each very special to me. Here are a few pictures of our time together.

Noah and Morgan chowin down.....the flash kinda reflected off Freddie's big ole head, sorry about that!

The fellas enjoying the meal and some fellowship. Charles, his son Drew, Freddie, Uncle Fred and Pops.
This artistic plate belonged to my cousin Charles. Yes. He ate it all. In his defense, all our plates looked a lot like it and yes. We ate them. And yes. Some of us went back for seconds. Oink. Yum.
Morgan and Noah sittin on the dog house, watchin the guys play horseshoes. Best seat in the arena! Pops is standing watch for any stray horseshoes and making sure no one gets hurt. (thanks pops) By the way, Noah and Morgan figured out that if you stand directly above the stake and drop the horseshoes on the stake instead of throwing them all the way to the other side, you get more ringers that way. Silly us. Making that game so difficult all this time. Leave it to the 4 year olds to figure out that we have been doing it ALL WRONG!!
Hanging around, talking, watching football....there is a TV in the corner of the dining area. My mom and Aunt Jan are huge, HUGE sports fans. Yes. You heard me. My mom and Aunt Jan. They WILL hang up on you if you call during a good game. Trust me......sigh.
I LOVE THIS PICTURE!! Uncle Fred, reading to his granddaughter Morgan.

One thing is for sure and certain. I am so thankful for my family. My parents are absolutely wonderful and along with them, my Aunts, Uncles and cousins are so very precious to me. I don't have all the words in me to truly explain how important they all are. I hope one day I will find those words but until then, I hope they know that I love them all GREAT BIG BUNCHES!!

I love pictures that.....

are self portraits..

show my little guy's beautiful eyes.....

are of sleeping little ones.....

show gentleness in a very active little boy.......

show toes curled in excitement.....

are taken from a different angle.....

show hard work and concentration.....

show laughter and fun.....

show a super hero with his daddy......

show love and cuddles.....

OK. I need to face facts. I just love pictures! My name is Robin and I have a problem....

A very special treat....

Gene took Friday off and he took Noah and me to the aquarium downtown. It really was a very special treat and fun was had by all. What I really enjoyed was seeing the two of them together in an adventure. Since I don't work outside the home, I get to do little adventures with Noah all the time. Gene kind of gets the short end of the stick where adventures are concerned and it warmed my heart just seeing my two guys have fun.

This is a shot of them at the touch tank.....Noah would instruct Daddy on what he needed to touch and then watch him do it. Noah wanted no part of touching.....

This is Noah posing with a turtle at the outside exhibit.

Daddy and Noah at the outside exhibit This fish just stayed right there next to Noah for about 5 minutes. It did not leave until Noah did. Very strange....... Finally, Noah and Daddy playing in the pirate ship.....

Yep. Really nice day!

The cat is in the dishwasher......

Yep. You heard me. The cat was in the dishwasher....I have proof.

I have NO idea why she decided she needed to be in there. Please don't ask.

I need an aspirin.....

Time keeps slippin.....

Hi there! Sorry to all 2 or 3 of my loyal readers for being gone so long. Time just somehow gets away from me. Seems I blink and 3 weeks have passed. What is up with that!!??

So, how have ya'll been? We have been pretty busy here in Smithville. Quite a few of our friends have been having some really bad luck in the health department. Everything from very serious infections to gallbladders and other tummy issues. Everyone seems to be on the mend thanks be to God. We have been so very blessed in Smithville in the sickness and health area. The little guy does have some dermatology issues and is on some meds that are occasionally showing some pretty nasty side effects but compared to what our friends and loved ones are dealing with, we are doin real good. Please keep them all in your prayers. I appreciate it!

As I said, we have been busy. Noah especially. Poor little guy works his fingers to the bone for us! Here are a few examples:

Helping Daddy practice for Sunday service.............

Making sure the kitty is covered, warm and has PLENTY of toys to play with..........

As a side note, kitty was very patient with this whole process. When I removed the papers, there were about 25 trains on top of her. She just stayed there and purred!

Noah has also been doing a lot of baking. He is a big help in the kitchen and helps me make cakes, icing and in this case, brownies.........

FYI- he is wearing undies. He prefers to be completely in the natural but we have compromised and he ALWAYS has at least his dangerous parts covered! Sometimes you will find him with his red socks on too. It really is a good look for him......really!

Well folks....all 2 or 3 of you, it's good to be back and I will try not to let too much time slip away till next time.

Words I Miss.....

As all children do, Noah had some words that he mispronounced terribly. The fact is, I really miss those words. I almost cried each time when he started pronouncing them correctly. This is a list of some of those precious words. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

1. Co-pop-a-tate = Cooperate. This happened one day when I was trying to put a very wiggly Noah into his car seat and I said "Noah, would you please cooperate?" He said " Mommy, I AM co-pop-a-tating!!" Gene and I still use this one often.....


2. Kemin = Kevin. This habit of turning v's into m's happened in all words ending in "vin" or ''ven" such as seven, heaven, eleven....you get the picture. Gene and I still call the 15 year old....Kemin.


3. Trigiggle = triangle. I used to make him say his shapes numerous times a day just so I could hear him say trigiggle. He doesn't like to do shapes anymore. I wonder why?


4. Budnets = buttons. In the Smith household, we refer to the remote control as the buttons. They are now, and will forever be, budnets.


5. Mobsters = lobsters. While grocery shopping, Noah would spy the lobster tank and start yelling "mobsters, mobsters, can I see the mobsters?!" People would usually look around expecting to see that Tony guy from the gangster show but alas, all they saw was sea creatures.


6. Smokesnack = smokestack. With his ginormous collection of trains and train books, this word brought us many hours of entertainment!


7. Scamo = Cozmo. Scamo, um I mean Cozmo is our big dog.


8. Firtday = birthday. Are we going to a firtday party? When is my firtday? (singing) Happy firtday to you...... Try it. It's kinda catchy!


9. Feepaway = Felipe. It is a character on Handy Manny on Disney. TOO CUTE!


10. Anything starting with and "L" was pronounced with a "W". Look = wook. Louder = wowder. Best of all......Love = wub. (as in "I wub you mommy") Doesn't get any better than that!

A Sweet Moment...

Noah, Kevin and I went to see my friend Heather in the hospital. She had just had a new baby brother for Noah's friend Jayden. The new baby brother's name is Xavier. It is quite comical to hear Jayden and Noah try to pronounce "Xavier".

After we got into to room and said our hello's, Heather let me hold the beautiful little guy. About 2.7 seconds after I got him in my arms, the conversation went something like this.....

Noah : "NO. Put him back!"
Me: "No, I am going to hold him for a little while."
Noah: " Ummmm, ok"

After a little bit of fidgeting and averting of the eyes, Noah decided to come sit by me and baby Xavier.

Me: "Isn't he cute Noah?"
Noah: "yes" (lengthy pause filled with silence) "Can I sing to him a lullaby?"
Me: (sniff sniff) "Yes of course you can baby"
Noah: (singing) "Twinkle Twinkle little star........" (you know the rest)

He sang the whole song so sweetly and softly that I was wondering if aliens had taken over my Noah's body or something but upon finishing his song, he jumped onto the hospital bed with Heather and immediately started pushing the buttons to change the TV channel and volume and "NO NOAH! DON'T PUSH THE RED BUTTON!!!"
Whew! Aliens are gone and Noah has returned.
I was getting worried!

Cats Can Read From Their Butt and Other Bits Of Info You Need

1. If you sit at a table with an open newspaper, book or magazine and you are owned by a cat, said cat will sit on the item you are reading. This is how they read. Just thought you should know.

2. If your preschool child suddenly starts eating twice his body weight in one day, just drop everything and go clothes shopping. He is going through a growth spurt and will be wearing the next size up very soon. Like maybe tomorrow.

3. If you think you are being smart and go ahead and buy the next size up while the stores are having a terrific sale, the child will then automatically skip that size and go to the next one. Thus leaving you with 27 items (undergarments included) that will never be worn.

4. If everyone in the house is going through a certain food phase, lets say, cucumbers, and you didn't buy enough for everyone to have 6 each that day, gasp! They (the children/teenagers) will act as if you have comitted some sort of unforgivable sin and the preschool child upon realizing there are no more cucumbers will imediatly drop writhing and flailing about on the floor as if he is a heroin addict.

5. The check out gals at Walmart look really funny when I buy 12 huge cucumbers at a time.........

6. If you have a large dog, and the dog is a sweet and loving dog, you must keep a hand towel close by in case said dog suddenly feels grateful that you saved him and gives you numerous "kisses" on your face. There is the possibility that you could very well drown if immediate wiping does not occur.

7. The cat stays mad all day long if the large dog "kisses" her. It musses her fur you know...

8. Dusting is from Satan. IT IS NEVER DONE!!!! As soon as you finish, you just have to do it again. I just try to accept that it is nature's way of placing a protective coating on my furniture.

9. Laundry with three boys is from Satan. IT IS NEVER DONE!!!.......

10. If you try really hard to think of all the funny things going on in your own home, it really helps get you out of your blue mood. Helps you pull yourself up by the old boot straps as it were.............what are boot straps? Do I have any?

A Few Things.....

Sorry I've been gone so long. I seem to be having some issues with myself and I need to find some way to deal with myself. Time out hasn't really worked since I really enjoy time out. I am just too plain old for a spanking. (stop it!) I could put myself on restriction but that would just be feeding into my problem of wanting to be alone. I tend to go through these phases where I don't want to do anything or see anyone. I have been pretty good about doing and going this time but it really takes a lot of energy and tires me out. I do only what I have to do and no more....then I feel guilty for not doing more. I feel bad for my family because I feel like I am not doing enough for them. (they never complain because they are great people, this is just part of what I do to myself!) God is really good to me because these phases usually do not last too long. He watches me and lifts me up when I get too far down. The thing is, right now, I really wish he would cook dinner and clean my bathrooms so I could hibernate until the phase is over! I really am just kidding about that because if I was allowed to hibernate, the phase would never end and I would be giving in to that demon - depression. I thank God that he has given me wonderful people that are supportive and understanding and that he created that awesome scientist that invented my medicine. Sorry Tom Cruise, I need the medicine. Get over it!
Hey, do ya'll think Tom reads my blog?

Identity Crisis and Attitude Problems.....

Identity Crisis.............

Ok, lets just say for the sake of argument that you are a roll of toilet paper and you have an attitude problem. Well, this is what will happen to you if Flufflee gets tired of your attitude....

Consider yourself warned.....

Ten Wonderful Things About......

My pops!!!! Since this past Sunday was Father's Day, I figured Pops should be my next blog victim...uhhhh recipient, yeah, that's it. Again, random order here!

1. He loves his family and is not afraid to show it. He is always full of hugs and kisses which I think is really cool. A lot of men are reserved when if comes to outward shows of affection. Not pops....you ever need a hug, look him up!
2. He loves animals. I get my "Elly Mae Clampet" gene from him.
3. He is really really smart. He can do the NY Times crossword puzzle in just minutes and is done before I have figured out 1. across...... He knows so much stuff it just blows my mind!! (I think I am fairly smart but not near as smart as pops. I certainly did not get the crossword puzzle gene.....)
4. If he has a job to do, he does it right. No half way stuff. You can rest assured that no matter how big or small, it will be done well. 4.a. - He has an awesome work ethic. Very fair and honest and highly respected. I know this because whenever I would run into someone he worked with, they always had high praise. They would say things like, "he is a great man" and "I really miss working with him" and "I learned so much from him" and ....well you get the picture!
5. He is a great teacher. Whenever I needed help with something I didn't understand, he would find a way to teach me so I could get it. I have to admit that there are a couple of things I still don't understand but those are things I will NEVER understand and not because he wasn't teaching right......like, how does the radio in the car work......I will NEVER get it. Many people have tried to explain it to me but it just doesn't make sense to me....all with the waves in the air that you can't see.....PULEESE....how is that supposed to make sense I ask you!
6. He is loyal. He was in the Navy as a sub sailor for over 27 years. He is loyal to his country and his fellow sailors. He has been married to my sweet mom for over 47 years now. I'd say that's loyalty (OK, and love and stuff too). He is loyal to family and friends and most importantly, his is loyal to our God.
7. He is FUNNY! He has great facial expressions to accompany his humor and could probably make a living as a stand up comic. His mind is so quick and he can really come up with some zingers but that's not the only way he is funny. He has long standing funnies. To explain, here is an example..... For as long as I can remember, he has jokingly and lovingly referred to my mom as "what's her name" For some reason, this really cracks people up and they never forget it. When we left Chicago, the church bulletin read: We will miss Tom, Robin and What's Her Name.....I'm not kidding!
8. He is good with nature stuff. He knows what that bush is over there and that the crows have a lookout dude and that when the clouds are moving in that direction it means rain is probably coming in this direction not over there....huh? I didn't get that gene. My plants that do end up living in spite of me, well, they really don't like me very much. They have to beg for water and stuff.....
9. He is a wonderful "Poppy" to Noah. When together, they are inseparable. They play together, watch movies together, do computer stuff together, read together, go for walks together.....GET INTO TROUBLE TOGETHER.....that is another blog for another time! :-)
10. He is a wonderful example of what a man should be. He is honorable, loving, loyal, knowledgeable, respectful and respected, playful, funny, courageous, curious, humble, talented (side note: he plays guitar really well, has a great singing voice and is very good at woodworking to name a few of his many talents). He is a man of very strong faith in our God. My husband has said that he often uses my dad as an example. I really hope our boys do that too. It would be such a great thing if they grow up to be like their dad, who is striving to be like.....my dad!

Honey, Did You Just Put A Quarter In The Bed At 2:30 a.m.....

No. Wait. We don't have that option on our bed. Why is it vibrating? Gene, why do you have a black furry pillow on your head? OHHHHH, Ok, that's just Jack (the medium size dog weighing in at about 40 lbs) Why is he shaking? Is it thundering? Nooooooo, don't hear anything. Wait. What was that? Honey, did you just raise the head of the bed with that automatic thingy? No. Wait. We don't have that option on our bed. Why is the foot of the bed lower than the top? OHHHHH, Ok, that's just Cozmo (the very large dog weighing in at about 100 lbs) Why is he shaking? Bee-doop.....what was that noise? Stop. Listen. Bee-doop. C'mon Cozmo. Let's go investigate. Ok mom, but I'll just stay behind you in case anything sneaks up from the rear.....Bee-doop. Is that my cell phone? Yep. Low Battery. I CAN NOT BELIEVE YOU GUYS ARE AFRAID OF MY CELL PHONE!!!!!!! To quote my husband..."I don't even know why we feed you!!"
Side note: if you feel the need to break into our home and steal our $93.00 DVD player or our Thomas the Tank Engine collection, just bring some chicken and a tennis ball and our dogs will be your new BFF. I would however, be very worried about the cat.....

We're Baaaaack.....

And a wonderful time was had by all!

Ten great things about our vacation.......again, not in any special order.....

1. We had a great time with family. We were able to see some but not all of the usual suspects. We sure did miss seeing A and B but I'm sure they had a wonderful time in Cancun!! We also missed seeing J,K and J but hopefully we will see them next time!
   
2. We had BEAUTIFUL weather. Not too hot, nice mountain breeze.....Ahhhhh.
   
3. We thank the Lord that we had safe travels. The trip up there was a little rough and I have to give a nice round of applause to Gene and Pops for getting us all there safe and sound. Thanks guys! Great driving! (oh. And thanks for getting us back home too....)
   
4. Aunt J and Mom did a fabulous job with the menu......YUMMMMMMM.
   
5. We were very impressed with the community theatre. They did a great job with the play "Dearly Beloved" and the future Tony winner, my stunning and very talented cousin T, provided us with enough laughs to make us tinkle in our shorts!! It also happened to be Kevin and Noah's first experience with live theatre. Kevin really liked it and Noah didn't....I believe it had something to do with the sitting still and being quiet part....hmmm.
   
6. My cousin T, introduced us to the most awesome Christian bookstore in Boone, N.C. If you ever get the chance, visit Cornerstone.
   
7. I got to take a walk in the mountain air, down a dirt road with my little guy. We picked wild daisies to present to his Nonna and Aunt J. It brought back so many good memories of when I used to do the same thing when I was little.
   
8. We had a whip-er-will sing us to sleep. How cool is that? We got to see bunnies, deer, squirrels and lots of beautiful birds without even leaving the front porch.....Ahhhhhhh again.
   
9. And from that same front porch, we could smell the rain first, hear the rain second, see the rain third, then feel the rain when it got there. WOW, WOW, WOW!
   
10. WE GOT TO SEE THOMAS.......WE GOT TO SEE NOAH SEE THOMAS!!!!!!!!

IS IT REALLY HIM???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





Waiting for the ride of a lifetime!

This is so totally cool!!

Noah, Mr. Conductor and the big man himself, THOMAS.






Feeding the critters.
















Many thanks to Nonna and Poppy for footing too many of the bills and making this vacation extra special.
Aunt J for her hospitality. Her home is always so welcoming and comfy and nobody, and I mean nobody can do biscuits and gravy like Aunt J!! (or turkey, or green beans, or corn, or macaroni and cheese, or ....you get the picture!)
To T for spoiling both Noah and his mommy with Thomas memorabilia.
To Kevin for being such a tolerant, patient and cool big brother to Noah.
A special thanks to our new friend L who, on his day off, showed us all around Tweetsie and treated us like royalty.

And finally, to Gene for being such a great daddy, husband, friend and vacation buddy!

And We're Off!!!!

We are off to the great and beautiful state of Tennessee. We are going to be up in the mountains not far across the border of North Carolina. I am so very excited to see my Aunts and cousins. They are the main part of the trip. My Aunt J is once again opening her home to us and let me tell you, it is way better than any ole hotel. She lives on a mountain in a house with a huge front porch and the most breath taking view. I look so forward to times with my family as we ALWAYS have a wonderful and fun time. We laugh, eat, play games, eat, laugh, eat, talk, laugh, eat.....well, you get the idea.

As a side treat, we are taking the little guy to Tweetsie Railroad in Boone N.C. They just happen to be having a very special guest star visiting them this week. Yep, you guessed it! Thomas The Tank Engine!!! Little guy doesn't know about this part of the trip so if ya'll run into him, help us keep the secret! I can't wait to see his little face when he sees Thomas. I think everyone in my family is excited to see it. To give you an idea just how excited everyone really is, I purchased 1 child's ticket and 7......yes 7 adult tickets. People are probably going to think he is some sort of royalty with an entourage!

Well, I know I have made ya'll very jealous and I'm real sorry. If I could put you in my pocket and take you with me, I would.

Pictures will be posted upon our arrival back into town

Happy trails ya'll!

Feelin......Not So Groovy

Noah is sick.
He has a double ear infection.
He has mouth sores too.
He is handling the ear infection ok.
The mouth sores, not so much.
He adamantly refuses any treatment for his mouth.
No salt water, no numbzit stuff, no nothin.
He would rather just whine.....
It really breaks my heart when he is sick.
I'm taking up whining myself.
Ya'll pray for us.

Especially Gene!

WOW! This Trophy Is So Cool....

Even though the first T-Ball season is not quite over, we had our end of season team party last night. Our very formal celebration was held at none other than the very posh and hip place to be, Chuck E Cheese. A wonderful time was had by all and Noah is now the proud owner of his very first trophy. HOW COOL IS THAT?

I volunteered to do the cake for our little gathering. The ball was chocolate and the rest of the cake was vanilla. Let me know what you think.....

A Piece Of String

Sometimes there are days when I feel a little bummed. Sometimes I know what causes it and some I don't. Today seems to be one of those days that I don't know why I feel poopy, I just do. No reason. Must be a "woman/menopause" thing. I just can't seem to get up out of my funk. I DON'T LIKE IT!!!

I have found myself being jealous of our cat. I am actually giving her dirty looks. It seems all it takes to make her happy is a piece of string.........

Questionaire Thingys

I really love these things. I especially enjoy learning little unknown facts about people. So if you are inclined, and have the time, copy and paste and send it to me in an email. Or, if you have a blog......like Shawna Lee, Annie, Wendy and CBoz, you are tagged!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? nope
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Tuesday - Joey...
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? yep
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Deli chicken or turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yep - 3 guys
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I think so!
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? no NO NEVER! Why would someone as sweet as me do that?
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope. Dr Hibner took them
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? If I didn't have any responsibilities, maybe
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? POPS
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Depends on the situation but yes, most of the time
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? dark chocolate fudge from Baskin Robbins
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? their eyes
15. RED OR PINK? red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My lack of self control in some situations
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My Grandparents
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Gray pants and dark gray slippers
19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Goldfish crackers
20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Noah talking with his "friends" Charlie and Lola
21. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Periwinkle
22. FAVORITE SMELLS? baking cakes or bread
23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Nonna and Poppy
24. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yep! She is someone I can always count on.
25. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? UT football, Braves baseball
26. HAIR COLOR? Brown
27. EYE COLOR? Green
28. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Not anymore, bi-focal contacts are tooooo expensive!!
29. FAVORITE FOOD? Seafood
30. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Can I have another choice? How about suspense or comedy?
31. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Amazing Grace
32. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Gray and Orange..... UT!
33. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter
34. HUGS OR KISSES? Both please
35. FAVORITE DESSERT? Those hot chocolate cakes with the gooey stuff inside.
36. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The Kill by Alison Brennon
37. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Fake water drops
38. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Part of Grey's Anatomy
39. FAVORITE SOUND? Noah laughing
40. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Neither really....
41. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Philippine Islands
42. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I do pretty good cake decorating
43. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Groton, Connecticut

Small Furry Blessings

About 6 weeks ago, God sent this little beauty to us. No one has reported her missing. We had never seen her before. She just showed up at our front porch and started loving on us so as is my habit, I took her in and introduced her to her new family. My belief is that she was sent to us to help us through a sad time. Yesterday we lost our sweet little Joey. She was around 17 years old. When she was about 1 year old, she was hit by a car. A very nice lady found her, took her to the vet and got her taken care of. She could not keep her though because she already had a full house. So, as is my habit, I took her in and introduced her to her new family. She had a pin in her back right leg so she couldn't jump very well. She had internal injuries so she had some stomach problems. In spite of her physical problems and an extreme fear of the outdoors and cars, she was a sweet little girl. She was loving and funny and brought us much joy. Rest peacefully sweet girl. You blessed us much and you will be terribly missed.

Guess Who I Saw Last Night!

Go on......Guess! I'll wait.





No guesses? Well, Pops, Gene, Kevin and I were in attendance at the Alison Krauss and Union Station concert featuring Tony Rice! I really had a wonderful time. In my opinion, A K has a beautiful voice and I could listen to her sing all day long. I also love bluegrass music.....yes, I do! I love the way a banjo and acoustic guitar sound together. Add in a double bass, mandolin and dobro and I am a very happy girl.

Pops, Gene and Kevin all being guitar players enjoyed watching Tony Rice's fingers fly!

This was Kevin's first official concert and even though bluegrass may not be his favorite, I think he really enjoyed himself. He seemed to be a little in awe of it all. I see dreams of being a rock star in his future!

Many many thanks to Nonna for staying with Noah and many more thanks to Nonna and Poppy for providing the tickets. What a wonderful treat!

(side note: Gene was worried because he forgot his guitar picks and he wouldn't be able to help them out.....hmmmmm.......they never did call him up on stage.......they must not have known he was there!)

Ten Foot Tall And Bullet Proof...Sorta

OK. So we were leaving our neighborhood in our ginormous, gas guzzling, politically incorrect Expedition when out from our neighbors yard runs this tiny little dachshund puppy. Gene stopped the car very quickly and little puppy turns to face us. We are now puppy snout to car bumper.......and in a stare down. Little puppy Was. Not. Moving. This struck both Gene and me as quite comical and after laughing at this brave tiny little creature, I got out of the car to have our shoot out. As soon as I said "Go Ahead, Make My Day" and pulled my imaginary gun, little puppy turned tail and ran away. I shouted "Ha! Not Quite So Brave Anymore Are Ya!".

Gee I hope my neighbors weren't watching.

Or worse........listening.

Ten Great Things About......

MY MOM!!!!! I figured since this past Sunday was Mom's day, I would tell ya'll how great she really is! Again, these are not necessarily in order of importance.....

1. She never never ever forgets birthdays, anniversaries and other important days. I'm not talkin just me and my dad. I mean she ALWAYS sends birthday and anniversary cards to ALL my Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and my Cousins children. She also remembers the close friends they have made over the years. Let me tell ya'll somethin'. I really do not know why postage went up again! Mom is totally responsible for keeping the U.S. Postal Service in business! (side note: I did not get this DNA from her....don't expect a card. I buy them, I never actually send them.)
2. She is an awesome cook. She can make a wonderful down home country meal or a fancy schmancy meal and everything in between. She also makes extreemly yummy desserts......the cheesecake queen! (side note: I think I was lucky enough that I did get a little bit of this DNA)
3. To go along with the cooking thing, she is a great hostess. She loves to have people in her home and always makes them feel special and welcome. Folks always leave feeling very full, both of food and love! (side note: I did not get this DNA either...)
4. She LOVES sports. Especially baseball and football. I like to be in the same house as her and her sister when a football game is on. Not because I really want to see the game, but because it is so entertaining to watch them watch a game. They have yelled so loud at times, they have frightened small children. My mom even "helps" run the ball. She has gotten quite a few touchdowns just by running from her recliner to the tv! TOO MUCH FUN!
5. She is a wonderful Grandmother. Noah just adores his "Nonna". She combines the perfect amount of loving and spoiling! I found a quote about grandma's that suits her perfectly...."When I go to Grandma's, she makes me feel like she has been waiting for me all day."
6. She has been and still is an awesome mom. She has given me a great pattern to work from and I hope I do as well as she did. (disclaimer: All my strange quirks and bad habits did not come from her. She tried to fix me ya'll.....she really tried!)
7. She keeps a beautiful house. She is organized and very clean. Her house ALWAYS looks wonderful, shiny, bright and clean. (side note: Once again, I did not get this DNA...deep sigh.....aaaaahhhhhhcccchhhhhooooo! I guess I need to dust...)
8. She loves to shop and find a good bargain and is so very proud when she does. I couldn't find a great bargain if it bit me in the....well, you know. Once again, didn't get the DNA...
9. She is wonderful to volunteer. She helps with everything she can and with everyone from the littlest baby to the most seasoned senior. She makes hospital visits, takes food to the ailing, sends notes and cards (see #1) and even calls them on their birthdays to sing "Happy Birthday". I often make fun of my mom's singing, also known as "the joyful noise" but I think she is so sweet for doing all she does!
10. She taught me the importance of family. When I was little, she made sure that when we were thousands of miles from relatives, I still remembered who they were by reading letters from them, showing me pictures, and sharing memories about them. I have a very strong bond with my family even though we may not see one another very often. She is responsible for that bond.

In closing, she is a wonderful example of being a wife, mother, friend and Christian. I really want to be like her when I grow up!

Top Ten Blessings

Please note: These blessing are listed in a random order not necessarily in order of importance.

1. I am blessed with a mom and dad who have been married for going on 48 years. They not only love each other, they LIKE each other! They are perfect role models and I want to be like them when I grow up.
2. I am blessed to be married to a man that loves me in spite of me! He is understanding, funny, caring, understanding, loving, a great dad, thoughtful, understanding, very smart, understanding.....did I say understanding already? Above all, he loves God and loves to serve God.
3. I am blessed to have boys in my life. No, I'm not drunk, I really mean it. I don't know what I would to with frilly, silly, weepy, giggly, dramatic girls!
4. I am blessed to have the worlds most awesome friends. Some I have had for many years and some for just a short time but all of them are from God.
5. I am blessed to have the greatest family. Not just imediate family but Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and such. I always look forward to being with them. We really do have a blast together.
6. I am blessed to have had my wonderful and sweet Grandparents and I miss them somethin' awful! Blessing 6a. I am blessed that I KNOW I will see them again some day!
7. I am blessed to be a part of Riverbluff Church. I love our purpose and I love the work that God is doing there. I always learn something when I am there. I love the pastors, staff, workers, and congregation. I especially love the web guy/guitar player/sound guy dude! Get your mind out of the gutter......that dude is my husband!
8. I am blessed to be owned by the furry critters in my home. In order of approximate age, not importance, Joey kitty, Cozmo dog, Jack dog and the newest member of the Smith house hold, Flufflee kitty!
9. I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to have a happy healthy and precious baby. Even though he is now 4 yrs old, he will always be my baby! Blessing 9a. I am blessed that I have Kevin in my life. It is such a joy watching him grow into a fine young man. I think maybe he might actually like me too! :-)
10. I am blessed to be a child of God. I know that he is the reason for blessings 1 through 9!!