9 on the 9th

Mrs N. hosts a nifty little meme over at her place, All That Naz. So I decided my 9 would be on music. Specifically hymns. I especially love hymns in four part harmony. You know, good ole quartet singin. The blue-grassier the better! The church we attend does mostly praise songs. I do love praise songs. In fact, my next 9 on the 9th post will probably be my favorite praise songs. For today, 9 of my favorite old hymns......

1. Have a Little Talk With Jesus - Cleavant Derricks
2. I'll Fly Away - Albert E. Brumley
3. O Come, Angel Band - William B. Bradbury
4. Where the Soul Never Dies - Wm. M. Golden
5. It Is Well With My Soul - P. P. Bliss Horatio Spafford wrote the words. Read his story here. It's incredible! (this is my father's favorite too)
6. He Leadeth Me - William B. Bradbury
7. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today - Charles Wesley
8. Must I Go And Empty Handed - Charles C. Luther
9. Amazing Grace - John Newton

I didn't mean to be gone this long.....promise!

You people are getting on my nerves. I mean, can't a girl have a little ole pity party/feeling useless celebration/miniature breakdown/depression packed 6 weeks in peace? Seriously, what is with all the "You haven't updated your blog lately, is everything ok?" or "You never go this long without updating your blog, what's wrong?" or some of you are even going behind my back and asking my mom! REALLY people.......thanks.

The last six weeks haven't been as bad as I made them sound but they have been busy and somewhat emotionally trying.

First off, Noah started school. Little man is in Kindergarten. And I only sobbed a very short time.....that day. Ya see, for the past 5 years or so, my MAIN purpose was taking care of little man. I mean for the most part, I spent the majority of my time with him. On the first day of school, he excitedly got out of the car, walked into those big gaping doors and that school swallowed my baby whole. He didn't even look back, the little brat! I missed him TONS more than he missed me and boy howdy, that's just wrong! I mean, maybe if he had just grabbed hold of my leg wailing loudly, and I had to scrape him off with a crow bar then maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, but darn it people, he was just fine! I'm just kiddin. I'm glad it wasn't traumatic for him and I'm glad he likes school it was just that, well, by golly, now what do I do?

Seriously, what do I do from 7:30 a.m. to 2:05 p.m. every day? I volunteered at the school but they had not called me yet. MOPS had not started for the season yet. Bible study had not started back yet. I certainly didn't want to clean house, it just gets dirty again in a couple of days then you just have to do it all over....talk about frustrating! So that's where the pity party came into play. I actually thought about home schooling him but soon realized that it would be pretty selfish to take him from an environment he was thriving in, just to make me feel useful! Aren't ya'll proud of me. I did a grown up thing.

So, I had myself a couple of weeks of feeling un-necessary, wallowing in self-pity and just pretty much making myself miserable. Then, something wonderful happened. I went to a meeting at the school and volunteered again. They put me to work that very day. I now spend every Tuesday working in the teacher's work room doing stapling, copying, laminating, die cutting, book making, and of course, cutting. I get to use my spiritual gift of scissors! How cool is that? Not only that but I get to eat lunch in the "cafataria" (Noah's pronunciation) with little man. But wait.......it gets better! I have been getting quite a few cake orders, I have done some work at the church with random office stuff and preschool dept. stuff, every Saturday has been busy with something, I volunteered with the Franklin Graham Festival which involved a Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, I spend Thursday mornings at Bible Study, most Fridays doing MOPS stuff and for the love of Pete, somebody make it stop!

Just kidding. There for a while, I was a bit overwhelmed. Going from being completely useless to not being able to catch my breath was rough. Everything has calmed down now and I am feeling useful once again.

There is another benefit from being at the school at least once a week. I get to see first hand how the school and it's staff perform. I. Am. Impressed.... and I am relieved. I think part of my problem, was worrying about how Noah was doing. Was he being taken care of. Were they giving him attention. Let me just say, I love they way they "do school" there. I love Noah's teachers. I KNOW they are taking care of him. For instance, Noah was getting "sad" at nap time because he was missing me. His teacher, Mrs. Coates, moved his nap spot to behind her chair so she could talk with him and rub his back until he settled down. She cares. I needed to know that.

In addition to all that, we had four additions to the Smith clan. Fluff had her kittens and they are so darn cute! Three of the four will be heading to new homes in the next week or so. sniff sniff. Keep me in your prayers. Most of ya'll know about my Elly Mae Clampett gene. It makes up a large part of me so I'm pretty sure I will not do well with our babies leaving. *insert sobbing here*

As a side note, my husband has been wonderful through all this. I'm sure there have been moments that he would have liked to trade me in for a more stable model. Thanks for putting up with me honey. You are the best!

Well folks, I will try not to let too much time lapse before my next post. I just know the six of you are waiting by your computers all day just chomping at the bit for me to ramble on.....

Love ya'll....mean it!

Great Newses..(newses: plural - more than one great news item)

Ok. I'm making up words but I have a good reason. I have not ONE but TWO pieces of really great news.

Great news #1. Noah's biopsy results came back. It is Psoriasis. That is good news. The Dr. is changing his treatment. That is GREAT news. He still has some steroid medication but it is much lower in strength. Hopefully this new combination of medicine will clear up those aggravating dots! (dots is what Noah calls them)

Great news #2. My cousin Bill and his wife April are gonna have a BABY!! We are so very excited for them. Her due date is, well what else....April. They have started a baby blog here: http://shortymcguire.blogspot.com/ I am hoping for a girl since I am surrounded by all this testosterone! I would love to purchase something pink!!

God is Good!

9 on the 9th, on time this time.....

My nine favorite things to do..... not in any specific order of importance...

1. Read to Noah
2. Talk with Gene
3. Read
4. Spend time with ALL my family/Friends
5. Play games....just about any kind
6. Cook/Bake/Decorate Cakes
7. Scrapbook/Cross Stitch
8. Go to the movies (wish it wasn't so darn expensive!)
9. Worship @ Riverbluff

hmmmmm.
Notice that "clean house" and "yard work" aren't listed.....
guess that explains why my house needs cleaning and the yard needs work.....
go figure.

Variety is the Spice of Life.....

Or in this post....spice is the variety of life. I love different spices. I am especially fond of garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, cumin and certainly salt and pepper.

There seems to be certain spices that are relatively unknown until someone starts promoting them and then POW, it's everywhere. It's almost like a designer handbag. All of a sudden, everyone HAS to have it...or put it in their food. The spice I am referring to is cilantro.

And I can't stand it.

Everyone I know seems to love it. I think it is harsh and bitter. I can take one bite of a dish and tell that it has cilantro in it. It literally makes my stomach turn.

Isn't that strange that one person can love the taste of something and another despise it.

Woooo. Such deep thoughts.

yawn.

Sorry if I bored you. I almost fell asleep typing......zzzzzzzzzzz.

Anyway, this week's menu, sans cilantro is as follows:

Monday - Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn

Tuesday - Spaghetti with meat sauce

Wednesday - Scalloped potatoes with ham, peas, beets

Thursday - Pot roast, rice and gravy, carrots, spinach, apple salad

Friday - Fried Pork chops, mac and cheese, cabbage, green beans

While I'm thinking about it, I'm gonna do next week's menu too. My, how ambitious of me.....

Monday - Marinated chicken tenders, sesame rice, zucchini and onions, mandarin orange salad

Tuesday - Country fried steak, rice and gravy, green beans, corn

Wednesday - Fish Cakes, tater tots, peas, beets, fruit salad

Thursday - Pork roast, hash brown casserole, collards, candied carrots

Friday - Chicken enchiladas, re fried beans, salad

Also, I am going to try to make more homemade deserts instead of "store bought".

I will make 2 or 3 a week and if we run out before the end of the week.....so be it. With 4 fellas in the house, cookies disappear VERY fast. If I want any, I hide them. I'm just sayin.....

This week I am going to make brownies. When they are gone, I will make a peach cobbler. (the way brownies evaporate in this house, I will probably be making the cobbler about an hour after the brownies come out of the oven) After the cobbler will be chocolate chip cookies. When those are gone......no more til next Monday.

The next week's deserts will be.......

Chocolate cupcakes w/ peanut butter frosting

Angel food cake with sliced strawberries

Rice Krispie Treats

Well, that's it. I hope I have given the six of you some good meal/desert ideas and maybe made your mouth water just a bit.........slurp.

Pretty Darn Close..........

Well. The Smith's bit the bullet and went shopping at the W-mart place for school supplies. For those not privy, this weekend is "tax free" for school related items. Mr. Smith practiced his shoving and pushing abilities on an old football training dummy we have stored in the back yard.....just kidding. We don't have one of those things.....football training dummy. We do have a back yard. Anyway, off we went.
We got clothes and supplies for Kevin and sniff sniff....Noah. **insert uncontrollable sobbing here**
When we got to the register, I said to Mr. Smith....."this is going to be $300.00".

It wasn't.

It was $299.71. Only .29 off!

AM I GOOD OR WHAT!!
I have super hero powers!
You can just call me the "Human Calculator" from now on.

ok.
nevermind.
It was just a lucky guess. It did feel kinda good to look like I was really smart for a change.

What a Brave Little Man.....

Thank you all for your many prayers. They were most certainly felt and appreciated.

I just want you to know that we have the bravest little boy ever! It was obvious that during the biopsy, he felt some discomfort. He did ask a few times if the "pinching" was done. Or, how many more times am I gonna have pinches? So, even though he felt something he DID. NOT. CRY. NOT ONE TEAR!! We are all very proud of our brave little man!

He has only one stitch that will be removed in a couple of weeks. We should get the results around that same time and we will let you know when we find out.

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. Ya'll are the very best.

Could I ask for some prayers?

I am sorry I have been absent for a while. Seems it is either feast or famine. I either have a lot to say but no time to say it or nothing to say and all the time in the world. Go figure. It seems it has been a little of both the last week or so.



One thing on my mind is this..... Little man went back to the dermatologist yesterday. (I was with him, I had to drive) Anyway, for those that may not know, he has some skin issues.



The original diagnosis was Childhood Psoriasis. When he was first diagnosed, he had just turned 4 and the Doctor was pretty sure his diagnosis was accurate. He said he could not be 100% positive without doing a biopsy and since Noah was so young, he didn't want to do one as it would be painful and the treatment would most likely be the same no matter what the diagnosis.



He is now 5 1/2 and still having flare ups. In fact, this last one is really bad. The treatment has been topical steroids. The worse the flare ups get, the stronger the meds need to be.

Everything you hear about steroid use is true, even with topical. It messes with his sleep pattern, makes him puffy, he is hungry all the time, and has emotional issues. Anyway, the doctor now wants to do the biopsy mainly to make a definite diagnosis and make sure we are on the right track in treatment.



I understand that.



I "get" that at this point it is necessary.

I am confident in the Doctor and I know he is going to do everything to make sure this procedure is as pain free as possible. But my heart just hurts for my little guy. I wish I could just offer up my body, tell the Doc to cut off whatever he needs just DON'T get near my guy with anything sharp! I know this isn't possible. I just don't want Noah to hurt.....at all.....ever.



A biopsy may not seem like a big deal to some of you. I guess when looking at the big picture, it really isn't a big deal, especially to those kids/parents suffering with cancer and other life threatening illnesses. I have always said that if Noah had to be afflicted with something that I am grateful that it is a minor skin issue. We are blessed. I know that.

Being this concerned/upset/anxious/unsettled and yes, worried about the unknown seems so silly when you think about what God did for us........How could he stand seeing His Son in such pain.



How did he bare it.

I am so grateful.

I am so blessed.

No more leaks and I have a squirty thingy.......

No, I am not talking about potty training boys......although the title fits. I am talking about my kitchen faucet. With my old faucet, you had to hold your tongue right, stand on your head and cluck like a chicken to get it to completely turn off. If you didn't get it in the right position, drip, drip, drip......

AND, my squirty spray thingy didn't work. In fact that was the first thing to go (about 6 or 7 years ago) and I just learned to get along without it. Never even gave it another thought until........my WONDERFUL hubby purchased us a new faucet and installed it.

Had you been peeping in my window, you may have seen me go in the kitchen, turn on the water for no apparent reason just to turn it off again and watch it ....not drip. I may have also been seen using the spray thingy for things that didn't necessarily need spraying. I am a happy girl. It doesn't take much folks. Not much at all.

This is a picture of the old faucet. Please note the corrosion around the center and base. Also please note that the round middle piece kept popping off and the base leaked as well. Notice the small puddle dripping down into the sink. I left the dirty dishes where they were for dramatic effect......

This is hubby patiently explaining to me that this is most certainly NOT blog fodder and under no circumstances should it appear on my blog.

I ignored that.

Please note his furry helper behind him.....

TAAA DAAAA!! A pretty shiny new kitchen faucet that does not leak and has a functional squirty thingy.

Happy girl.....

Monday Menus and New England in Autumn.......

I have noticed that I do a lot better if I post a weekly menu. I don't always follow it perfectly, but I'm usually close. It really does help keep me on track so, Monday Menus are back. They also keep my husband from harassing....er, asking me "What's for dinner?" (just kidding honey, you really don't harass me...much)

Monday: Marinated pork chops, rice pilaf, green beans, beets (beets are for me as no one else in this house will touch them)

Tuesday: Chicken New England***, egg noodles, peas, carrots

Wednesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, garlic bread

Thursday: Pork roast, rice and gravy, corn, green beans

Friday: BBQ smoked sausage, mashed potatoes, spinach

***Chicken New England is my version of a chicken dish I had in Vermont (I think) during a New England vacation. My folks took me on this vacation when I was in my early 20's. We went during Autumn. It was beautiful, it was fun, and it was filled with good memories. If you have never seen the New England states in Autumn, GO!! There really are places that are breath-taking.

Basically the chicken dish is boneless chicken breast, wrapped in dried beef then baked in a very yummy sauce and served over egg noodles. If anyone just HAS to have the recipe, let me know and I will get it to you.

Ya'll have a good week and Happy Cooking!

I totally forgot......

I forgot about the 9 on the 9th that my friend Mrs N. started last month! I KNEW I would loose track of time.....I just KNEW it! Since some things are better late than never, here I go:

9 of my very favorite movies not in any specific order:

1. Steel Magnolia's - I can quote most lines in this movie. I have seen it more than 20 times and if I watched it again tonight, I would laugh and cry....again.
2. Terms of Endearment - I can quote most lines in this movie. I have seen it more than 20 times and if I watched it again tonight, I would laugh and cry.....again.
3. Tombstone - LOVE Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday!
4. Practical Magic - a weird twist on a love story.
5. Jungle Book - come on......who doesn't like singin "bear necessities" at the top of their lungs?
6. Men in Black - I laughed until soda came out of my nose.
7. Independence Day - Call me weird but I really like Jeff Goldblum
8. Platoon - Broke my heart.
9. Pretty Woman - I just like it ok!

Next month I will try to be on time!!

I love family reunions......

Hi there youse guys! How ya been? We Smith's have been pretty busy lately. We spent a little under a week in Tennessee for a family reunion. It was wonderful to see those we had not seen in a while and to see some I had never seen! It was really cool to finally put a face to the names of those that mom and dad remembered fondly from their growing up years. We stayed at our favorite hotel......Aunt Jan's house. She ALWAYS makes us feel at home and takes very good care of us. She usually spoils me with my favorite cake and let me just say, it was YUM!

We always have a great time with family and this was no different. Our time was mostly spent with fellowship, laughter and most certainly, food.

Thursday: After a short stop at the Charlotte airport to pick up a hitch-hiker... ummm I mean, Aunt B, we arrived at our hotel. Most had arrived and we had a great time catching up....and eating. As a side note. Our time at the airport was not wasted. Noah took the time to "train" Poppy, Daddy and Aunt B on proper escalator procedure.

Friday: Those that could met at a neat little place for a very yummy country breakfast. Again, filled with laughter and good conversation. Unfortunately, we had to say bye to Tina after that. She had a great excuse though. She is now finishing up her Master's Degree as we speak/as I write. I am very proud of her!

Shortly after that, Billy and April had to leave as well....sniff sniff. It was good to see all three of them even though it was shorter than I wanted...and we all know that it is ALL about me.

Gene, Pops and Uncle R. went to play some golf that morning. I'm glad they were able to work that in because they all enjoy it so. When they got home they acted as if they could have given Tiger a run for his money. Nice try but I know the real story....... folks, I saw the score card and it wasn't pretty. (this coming from a gal that really REALLY stinks at putt putt)

Later in the afternoon we headed out to Boone for dinner at the Dan'l Boone Inn. I can sum it up in one word.....holy-cow-that-was-as-good-as-I-remembered---YUMMY! Thanks once again to cousin D. He ducked out before everyone was finished, paid the bill and disappeared. VERY sneaky, VERY sweet and VERY much appreciated!

Saturday: The actual reunion at the park. Folks came from as far as Michigan to join the festivities. A good time was had by all. There was a playground that occupied the little ones. Many thanks to Gene for keeping an eye out for them so I could flit about and socialize.

OK. In the photo below, please note the extremely cool and handsome dude lurking behind the sign. After the reunion, he informed me that a few girls had given him phone numbers. I told him that was just fine as long as he didn't think he was actually going to call them!! By the way, they were not related to us but even if they were, according to a certain well known southern comedian, it is perfectly acceptable to pick up women at a family reunion. ;o)

We also had a very rare once in a lifetime occurrence. The picture below is of Noah and his Great-Great Aunts Hassie and Wilma. I normally don't post pictures without prior permission but I thought this would be ok. Golly I hope neither one of them are in the witness protection program.....

I have other wonderful pictures of my much loved Aunts, Uncles and cousins at the reunion but like I said, I don't really like posting pics of people without prior permission. If you were there and want to see yourself in print, let me know and I sure will post them!

Sunday: Aunt Jan out did herself with a huge and wonderful big breakfast....homemade gravy and biscuits, eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, fried taters, cooked apples.....I need to stop, I'm getting drool on the keyboard and I'm afraid I may electrocute myself...

The rest of the day was spent just lounging around and enjoying each other's company. I believe this is the day that Aunt B talked Noah into taking a picture of her toe.

Yes.

Her toe.

And yes.

He did.

He also took this picture of Nonna. Not bad for a 5 yr old!

Monday: Mom and Pops left to take Aunt B, the previously mentioned hitch hiker, to the airport. The Smith's stayed behind to take little man to Tweetsie for a special treat. We met my cousin's kids there and a great time was had by all. Nothing better for 4 and 5 year old boys than trains, cowboys, Indians and Can Can girls! Who could ask for anything more?

I must say that some wonderful memories were made. The days filled with talking and reminiscing and the evenings filled with sitting on the front porch, taking in the mountain air and catching fireflies. Again. Who could ask for ANYTHING more. Making memories with those you love........

Just dreamin......

2008 edition of getting to know your friends. Do this - just like the others. However answer with what you WISH your answer could be, or just be silly.



1. What is your occupation? Head Forensic Specialist at Quantico

2. What color are your socks right now? Dark blue with yellow writing saying "FBI"

3. What are you listening to right now? My husband excitedly watching a Braves game on his 17 foot wall mounted HDTV

4. What was the last thing that you ate? The most wonderful Fillet made by one of my 3 personal chefs

5. Can you drive a stick shift? Honey, I can drive just about anything!

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Gold, of course dahling...

7. Women: Bra Size 34 C

8.Last person you spoke to on the phone? My publicist, about my latest best seller.

9. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Of course. Who doesn't love Rachel Ray?

10. How old are you today? 27

11. Favorite drink? Fresh spring water with a twist of imported key lime served in a chilled glass rimmed in gold.

12. What is your favorite sport to watch? Oh whatever, whenever. When you own box seats in every stadium in the nation, every game is a party!

13. Have you ever dyed your hair? I have a personal hair dresser that changes it at my every whim.

14. Pets? Yes, 1247 if you include my no kill shelter and wildlife refuge.

15. Last movie you watched? Since I have so many connections in high places, I see them all before they are even released.

16. Favorite Day of the year? April 15th

17. What do you do to vent anger? Go to my personal gym for a nice workout, massage and steam bath.

18. What was your favorite toy as a child? Oh. I didn't have toys. We were missionaries in the Congo. I had a panther to play with.

19. What is your favorite season? It doesn't matter since I own homes all over the globe. If the weather doesn't suit me, I just hop on over to one with a more "compatible" season.

20. Hugs or kisses? Both please!

21. Cherry or Blueberry? I'll have my secretary decide for me later.

22. Do you want your friends to email you back? If they would like to but since I have bought them all houses near me, we can just get together to chat about it.

23. Who is most likely to respond? Fergie - either one.

24. Who is least likely to respond? My cousin Tina. I think she is touring promoting her latest movie.

25. When was the last time you cried? When Angelina decided to have the twins in France instead of my personal compound.

26. What is on the floor of your closet? My closet has been specifically designed to never have anything on the floor. A place for everything and everything in its place. (I'm gonna get struck by lightning for that one!)

27. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? I could tell you but then I'd have to shoot you.

29. Who is the friend you have had the shortest that you are sending this to? I could tell you but then I'd have to shoot you.

30. Favorite smells? My freshly landscaped estate by my team of experts.

31. Who inspires you? Our military (this is true)

32. What are you afraid of ? Dust bunnies. (this is also true)

34. Favorite car? You know, I really miss the Pacer but I'll have to say anything that is armored.

35. Favorite cat breed? Panther

36. Number of keys on your key ring? I have staff that takes care of those things.

37. How many years at your current job? 8 (I was the youngest Head Forensic Specialist....ever)

38. Favorite day of the week? Every day is good when you are me.

39. How many states have you lived in? I have homes in all of them.

40. Do you think you're funny? Um....yes....duh!

And your point is.......

UCLA STUDY (VERY INTERESTING & SHORT)

A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that

the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending

on where she is in her menstrual cycle.

For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged

and masculine features. However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal,

she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth

and a spear lodged in his chest while he is on fire.

No further studies are expected.



OK. I see absolutely nothing wrong in these findings........sounds pretty reasonable to me. Have I mentioned lately that I am menopausal?

Disclaimer: No husbands were harmed during this post. My husband is wonderful and this study is most certainly not directed at him. This was purely for entertainment purposes only.

Monday Menus and Random Thoughts.....

Howdy. Did you have a good weekend? We had a good one. Had a great time celebrating Dad's and husbands. My pops is an awesome dad and my hubs is a fantastic dad and spouse. If you really want to know how I feel about pops just check this out. If you wanna read more about my terrific hubs just click here. Go ahead. I'll wait.


After church, we went to mom and pops and had a wonderful meal....mom is a really good cook ya know. We then just enjoyed each other's company for a while, played a couple of games with the little man. The only problem with playing games with him is that the rules often change to suit him. I'm not gonna say he cheats but ya know, if the shoe fits.....


Why is it that after you do yard work, your body gets mad? Ok. My body gets mad. It's not like I NEVER do yard work, it's just that I don't do it as often as I should. When I do, apparently I use muscles that I normally don't use during regular everyday living. It's like a vicious cycle. I do yard work. I hurt. I swear never to do yard work again. I feel guilty cause the yard needs work and I can't expect hubs to do it all. SO, I do yard work. I hurt. I swear never to do yard work again.......you get the idea. OH! And why oh why is it that if there are biting ants within a 5 mile radius, I will step in them? I now have 47 ant bites on my feet......ok. I only have 6.... but they hurt!!! By the way, we did yard work Saturday. That's what brought on this little rant, in case you were wonderin.


I just love critters. What brought that on you ask? Just lookin at the kitty, lookin at the turtles, still after all this time tryin to figure out how to get in that darn glass box! Also, we have rabbits in our neck of the woods. There are a couple that spend quite a bit of time in our yard. One of them is pretty big and solid white. For a while, no one had seen him but me. My bff started calling him Harvey and accusing me of imagining him. Well, since then, a number of people have seen Harvey and I even got a picture of him. So there! HA!

Ain't he cute?

Ok. On to menus.

Monday: Rabbit stew.......HA just kiddin. I couldn't get rid of sweet Harvey.

Monday: Stromboli (that I didn't cook last Friday)

Tuesday: Pork roast, rice and gravy, corn and green beans.....yawn.

Wednesday: Clean out the fridge night since we have plans with the family on Friday.

Thursday: Dinner with my Aunt and other family

Friday: Dinner on the town with the family.

Hope ya'll have a great week! Chat with ya later....

I Do Cakes.....

A long time ago in a land far far away, I used to decorate cakes. Ok, it wasn't far far away but it was a long time ago. I did a lot of cakes. I did so many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that I know their names, special colors and special weapons by heart without having to look it up....and I didn't have any kids of my own back then. I did so many cakes that I got very burnt out and didn't eat cake for 6 years. Ok, I lied. I did eat cake, but I didn't bake them or decorate them. Well, when Noah was born I started doing a few cakes here and there to include his birthday cakes (with the exception of his 2nd birthday cake which I purchased and have to this day not lived down). I am by no means a professional but I enjoy it and I try hard! I am going to post a few pictures, not because I want the six of you to say nice things, but because I have now had a few people ask me to. So here are a few of my favorites.........

A Slight Complication With Drying The Clothes.....

Friday the 13th......

Is anyone out there superstitious? I'm not. Never really have been. I have worked with people in the past that would NOT come to work on Friday the 13th. I kinda think it's silly. What do you think?
I thought it might be fun to do a top ten list of things people are superstitions about but I don't think I can think of that many. Can ya'll help?

1. Friday the 13th
2. Black cats crossing their path (I usually just pet them if they cross my path.....)
3. Walking under a ladder
4. Stepping on a crack
5. Throw salt over your shoulder after spilling it
6. I'm done.....help please.

I'm sure there are more out there. Help me out my friends!

Mass Confusion, Menus and Memes....

So. Whatcha been doin? Well, shortly after I made my last post, the plague ripped through the Smith household. Little man started it and middle guy finished it 7 days later with the rest of us falling like domino's in between. It wasn't that sweet little 24 hour bug either. It was that big- honkin -48 -hour -(or more) runnin -to -the -bathroom-body- aching-wishin -you -could -just -pass -on bug. The good thing was the little man got over it very quickly and was his normal happy self the next day. The bad thing was the little man was his normal happy self during the time that his father and I were having our near death experiences. Poor little guy would come and shake me into the here and now to ask for something to eat. I would reply, "just a minute baby" and a short time later I would hear him scooting a chair over to the counter to help himself to a banana or apple. Fortunately Gene started doing better a few hours after I fell victim, so the little man only had to fend for himself for a few hours. Well, we all lived to tell our harrowing experiences and are none the worse for wear. On the plus side, I did loose a couple of pounds. That's always a good thing, right?
That was the mass confusion part of the title. Now onto menus.....

Monday - Spaghetti with meat sauce
Tuesday - Roast beef, rice and gravy, green beans and maybe squash souffle'
Wednesday - Busy busy busy- grab your own dinner -thanks!
Thursday - Pork chops, onion soup potatoes, peas
Friday - Pepperoni and Canadian bacon Stromboli (with leftover sauce from Monday), salad.

Ok. Now for the meme. Mrs N. over at All That Naz has started a new one. 9 on the 9th. The object is to create a list of any 9 things on the 9th of each month. She promised a reminder for us and that's a good thing because I don't do well with remembering dates and stuff. For instance, I think little man's birthday is somewhere near the beginning of the year but I'm not sure. JUST KIDDIN! I know when his birthday is........I'm pretty sure......I think. Anyway, if she will stick to the reminder, probably I will stick with the meme.....most likely. Ok. I'll try.

So, drum roll please for the very first, soon to be monthly, 9 on the 9th meme.

9 things that make me smile.....

1. Little man's hugs and kisses, even when he is dirty/gooey/and or sweaty.
2. My husband's sense of humor.
3. Watching the middle guy squirm under the glare of my hairy eyeball when he has done something he shouldn't have, or not done something he should have.
4. When the cat beats up the dogs.
5. Scrap booking with my friends.
6. Singing and spending time with my cousins.
7. Flirting with my husband.
8. Playing cards/games with my whole family at my Aunt's house.
9. When kids mispronounce words.

There you have it. More information than you ever wanted!
Chat with ya later......

Feelin' Better and getting my twisted sense of humor back.....

Yes. My medication is beginning to work. The depression is starting to lift and other than a brand new scratchy throat and congestion, (not connected to the depression) I feel much better. I'm not all the way there by any means, but much better. Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts. I appreciate them more than you will ever know.

One thing that I have noticed is that my sense of humor is getting back to it's twisted self. I am beginning to laugh much easier and it is for real, not forced. For instance, I was cleaning out my emails today and came across this cartoon:

Yes, I know Easter is over, but this has always made me giggle and today, it made me laugh out loud. So. What part of the chocolate bunny do you eat first?

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I am loved so much that it just might hurt.....

While talking to my folks today at lunch, my mom said (quite sternly and using her mom voice) "DO NOT GO OFF YOUR MEDICINE AGAIN."
I then told her about the comment that my friend at Well Mannered Frivolity made after my last post:

"First off I want to give you a cyber hug and tell you that I love you and that I will be praying for you. Now for the mean part-If you ever decide to go off you meds again please let me know so I can thunk you on the forehead. :)"

My sweet mother then said....."Tell her she will have to stand in line to thunk you...and the line will be long"

Kinda makes me feel all mushy and gooey inside. My family and friends just oooooze love, don't they!

It will take a few more days for me to start feeling the affects of the medication but I am feeling a little better just knowing that I will start feeling better soon. Thanks for all your messages of love and friendship, your phone calls, and your prayers. I am just plain blessed.....

Explaination.....

Some of you extra perceptive folk have noticed that I have not been entirely myself.....
You are correct. A while back, I went off my medicine (stupid) for clinical depression. I was diagnosed with CD about 20 years ago or so. Since that time I have been on and off different types of antidepressants. Some worked well, some.....not so much. Anyway, I started having symptoms a month or so ago and just chalked them up to other things. I was tired all the time - my reasoning, who wouldn't be tired with a very active 5 year old that doesn't sleep well? I wasn't sleeping well - my reasoning, it's just a symptom of menopause...no big deal.
You get the idea.
Then last week all my cute little symptoms gathered together to make me a big huge blubbering mess and *ding*, the light bulb went on. I knew I needed to get back on meds, and quick.
I saw my doc this morning (a quick shout out to mom and pops for staying with the boy so I could have some private time at my appt.....thanks a bunch!). She said that menopause and depression don't play well together and that is probably why it hit me so hard and quick this time. Anyway, I will be starting meds tonight and feeling better in no time. Until then, if you see me crying, or acting very stressed, or sitting in a corner sucking my thumb, pay me no mind....it will all be ok very soon!
OK. I take back the part about seeing me in the corner sucking my thumb....if you see that, get help! Thanks.

For those that may not really understand what this lovely illness is all about, I have included the possible symptoms. If you or someone you love has a lot of these symptoms or if you have thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else, please seek medical attention.
******note******If you are a parent of a teenager and sometimes want to wring their neck, probably this is not a sign of depression, just a sign that you are a parent of a teenager. However, if you find yourself actually reaching for their neck, STOP and get help.

Just FYI, the following symptoms that are in green are those I typically get. Yippee!

Clinical depression can present with a variety of symptoms, but almost all patients display a marked change in mood, a deep feeling of sadness, and a noticeable loss of interest or pleasure in favorite activities.
Other symptoms include:
Persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood
Loss of appetite and/or weight loss or conversely overeating and weight gain
Insomnia, early morning awakening, or oversleeping
Restlessness or irritability (my family REALLY enjoys this one)
Psychomotor agitation or psychomotor retardation
Feelings of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt, helplessness
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Difficulty thinking, concentrating, remembering or making decisions (I usually get an extra dose of this one....it's one of my favorites!)***the previous statement is to be said dripping with snarky sarcasm***
Thoughts of death or suicide or attempts at suicide (I credit and thank God that I do not have this symptom. Because of His love, I always feel His comfort and I KNOW things will be ok.)
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed
Withdrawal from social situations, family and friends (I work REALLY hard not to do this. It's very tiring)
Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling "slowed down" or sluggish (Didn't I just admit in my last post that I was in a fog? Didn't I say I felt like I was running in mud? Didn't I?????)
Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive problems, and chronic pain
Decrease/Feeling in motor-speed (time seems to slow down) (Normally, I am late just every once in a while but I have been late to almost EVERY function in the last month, including church last Sunday! ARRRRRGGGGG)
Not all patients will suffer from every symptom. The severity of symptoms will vary widely among individuals. Symptoms must, however, persist for at least two weeks before being considered a potential sign of depression, with the exception of suicidal thoughts or attempts.[3][1]

If you also have this illness and need to talk to someone that understands, just shoot me an email and I will get in touch with you ASAP. Please know that you are not alone.........

Monday menus and other business.....

Sorry about the week off. I hope no body was harmed because of me not posting a menu last week. I would hate to feel responsible for any family not being fed *insert silly grin here*.

We have been pretty busy here at the Smiff household. Lots of things going on but not much getting done! I sometimes feel as if I am trying to run in mud.....not that I really run all that much. I have a firm belief that one should only run if one is being chased by something very scary.....like a grizzly bear, or a mugger, or an angry mob, or a mutant swarm of bees.....well, you get the idea. I don't do running. Anyway, back to my feelings. I feel like I have been so very very busy but haven't accomplished a darn thing. Do you ever feel that way? I don't especially like it. I also feel as if I have been in somewhat of a fog. That isn't helping me accomplish much either. Oh well, I am pretty sure my family has had most of the required meals, I think...and they have clean clothes, most likely.......and they are all safe and happy.....ok, they aren't miserable....much.
I hope I recover from whatever it is that ails me soon so I can get back into enjoying life and accomplishing.......stuff! When you are saying your prayers, send one up for me if you don't mind. thanks.

On to menus:
Monday: Marinated pork chops, San Fran treat, green beans, corn
Tuesday: Cheddar sausages, baked beans, fruit salad
Wednesday: Baked chicken, baked red skin potatoes, carrots, spinach
Thursday: Ham, mac and cheese, green beans
Friday: Meatball stroganoff over noodles, peas, salad

There you have it.
You know what might be fun? How about, in honor of the upcoming Mom's day, let me know your favorite meal that your mom used to cook for you. Just post it in the comments section so we can all enjoy it! Thanks in advance for playing!!! I will let you know mine in my next post. OH the suspense...........

Babies! We have babies!!!

RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR FRONT DOOR a mommy and daddy cardinal built a nest in the bush/tree thingy. The nest is right in my line of vision. I can look out the side windows by our front door and clearly see mommy in her nest. I do have to get closer to see our babies. Triplets! We have triplets!!!!!! Can ya'll tell that I am excited? So far, mommy trusts me. I have gotten very close to her and she just blinks her beautiful black eyes at me but doesn't move a muscle. I have half expected her to attack but she hasn't. I think she sees me with "the boy" and maybe understands that I am a mommy too. (ok. maybe that is just what I want to believe)Who knows what goes on in that little birdy brain of hers. Heck. Maybe she just can spot someone with a very large "Elly Mae Clampett" gene and instinctively knows I just love critters and would never cause her and her babies harm. Or maybe she has even seen me gently capture a spider/moth/lizard/tree frog, and release them back into the wild. Ok. Wild may have been an over exaggeration. I release them into our front yard. Anyway.....PICTURES....I HAVE PICTURES!!!!!!!

Somebody FEED ME!!!!!!!!!!

YOU are NOT my MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!

Can't. Stop. Naming. Colors. Help. Please......

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Corrections and additions.......

I was reminded that Saturday's wedding was not Noah's first wedding. He did attend my cousin's wedding when he was 3 (almost 4). He did not behave as well at that wedding and had to be escorted out.........he spent most of the wedding in the car being advised on proper wedding etiquette by his daddy. So. This was his first complete wedding!

Also, I really need to give a shout out to my BFF, aka Aunt Jeanie. She arrived at my house at 10:00 that morning and worked her patootie off helping with the food, set up, reception, clean up and all around moral support until I dropped her back at her house around 5:00. That is a sacrifice folks and I appreciate her more than she will ever know!
I hope God has blessed all ya'll, all six of ya'll with a wonderful friend like my Jeanie!

This is her and my Pops in the kitchen. Pops is lookin all fancy cuz he stood in for the Father of the Bride.

Also, daddy of the year, aka dh, handled getting Noah to his t-ball game, then home, cleaned up, dressed up in his wedding duds and to the wedding in time to also do the sound and music for the wedding. I hope God has blessed you with a fantastic dh like mine and if you don't have a dh, I hope He one day blesses you with one.....or a dw if you happen to be a dude.

This is dh at the wedding.

This is dh after I asked him to smile for me. See the difference? Me neither. ok. Maybe I do see a little grin. I tell ya, the man cracks me up!

Monday menus, weddings and other stuff......

O.K. It's over. I think it was a success. The bride and groom seemed very pleased and that is what is most important to me. A lot of the guests also were complimenting the foodstuffs with crumbs falling out of their mouths while they talked.......I think that's a good sign.

Noah attended. This was his first wedding and he really did well. He was mostly quiet during the ceremony. He tends to get a little uncomfortable when things are very quiet so he loudly cleared his throat during an unusually quiet moment. I don't think it made a very big impact though since I didn't see any heads whipping around to see what in the world that noise was.

The wedding was beautiful! The pastor did a wonderful job and quite a few tears were shed. The bride and groom were beaming and so very joyful. There is no doubt in my mind that God was smiling as well. A success indeed!

This is what the cake looked like. The bottom layer was half chocolate and half vanilla. The middle was strawberry. That way the guests had their choice. (you didn't hear it from me, but some people asked for all three...gasp! ok. probably, I would have done the same thing but that's beside the point)

Needless to say, I'm sure the family is happy that this is over. I will still be cooking but it will be for them again!

Monday: Pork roast, rice and gravy, cabbage/green beans and corn (cabbage is for me*family will not touch cabbage*family says....yuchhhhh!)

Tuesday: Turkey stroganoff casserole, peas.(I put the leftover turkey from a few weeks ago in the freezer*can be made with chicken too*family LOVES this casserole*it gets gone really fast)

Wednesday: Teriyaki chicken tenders, ham fried rice, stir fry veggies.

Thursday: Pulled pork BBQ sandwiches (from Monday's leftover pork roast) baked beans, fruit salad.

Friday: Lasagna, garlic bread, salad.

Sound good? I does to me, especially after last week's sandwich festival!

Monday Menus, lite

I was sweetly reminded by Southern Girl Now Known As Mommy that I have yet to post my weekly menus. I am using the term sweetly loosely since she did kinda insinuate that without my menus her family would starve and it would be my fault. (see comment on previous post) As my six faithful readers might remember, last week I received a somewhat sarcastic comment from my husband and I called him a name. Well the name is going to be used on Southern Mommy too.......


Smarty Pants!

There. I said it. (for those of you that know her...you also know that she is one of the most precious human beings in the world and I love her much)

OK. I'm sure you are all on the edge of your proverbial seats wondering what in the world I meant by "lite" in the title. Well, I am catering a wedding this Saturday and I am trying to make everything at the last possible minute so I can have it all be as fresh as possible. I am also doing their wedding cake (it is a small wedding or I would not do both the cake and the catering) Anyway. I am also doing my monthly birthday cake for my BFF's office. I will be spending a lot of time in the kitchen, but to my family's dismay, it won't be cookin dinner......sorry.
So, hear goes Monday Menus, the lite edition.

Monday: Hot Dogs and whatever you can find to go with them
Tuesday: Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Wednesday: Ham sandwiches
Thursday: Tuna salad or whatever else I can find that is fast as lightning
Friday: For the love of PETE people, I am catering a wedding tomorrow........feed yourselves for crying out loud!!!

(I tend to get a little tense the night before......)

I just love these things........

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Yeah, but there is only ONE me.......ya'll are thankful aren't ya!

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 3,667 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

A Slight Complication With Putting The Guitar Away.....

Monday Menus

One evening last week, Gene said "Honey, what's for dinner?" and I then told him. Nothing unusual about the question or the answer except he then said................"I wouldn't have to ask if the menu was on your blog".



Smarty pants.



Monday: Roast beef, taters and gravy, collards and beets.
Tuesday: Country fried steak, rice, green beans and corn
Wednesday:Baked fish, mac and cheese, fruit salad and green peas (I just KNOW Annie wants in on this meal..she loves green peas you know!)
Thursday: Teriyaki chicken tenders, fried rice, stir fry veggies
Friday: Philly cheese steak sandwiches, caramelized onions and salad. (I have to prepare extra onions for the little man......he LOVES them....weird huh.)

And by the way, a couple of you wanted to know if Noah will eat all this? Heck no! I just try to have leftovers of what he will eat or he gets a Pb&j! We just keep offering for him to try new things and hopefully, eventually, he will eat a wider variety. The items in green are things he will eat. Very strange....very strange!
Items in orange are things that no one in this house except me will touch.....not even with a ten foot pole.
I have a friend whose mother used to cook 2 or 3 complete meals for dinner so everyone in her house would be happy..........NOT THIS CHICK! I do try to have at least one or two ITEMS that everyone will eat, but, if not....there is always sandwich stuff in the fridge. Help yourself. Oh yeah, and there is always Pb&j!

We have new Smiths........

Yes, we have some new members in the Smith family. Aunt Jeanie (picture me saying that with my teeth clenched) decided that little man needed some turtles. So. We now have two bouncing baby turtles and six guppies. She and her son sweetly provided the tank, gravel, food, light, heater and all other types of necessary items that turtles apparently require, and some much needed advice on how to care for two new bouncing baby turtles.
After their introduction to Noah, he proclaimed "they're SO CUTE!" and promptly dubbed them Max and Zach. Noah then moved one of his small chairs directly in front of the tank so he could observe them up close and personal. Never mind that the chair is now blocking our walkway.....it matters not to the boy. It is for his convenience, not ours (just between you and me, the chair is being moved as soon as he isn't paying attention.....)Ok. On with the photos.....

This is Zach. He is a red eared slider.

And this is Max. He is a yellow belly um.....something or another......I am such a bad turtle mother! I can't remember my new fella's exact species....sigh.
This is Noah's new observation post.
Aunt Jeanie really knows how to make a little guy smile!
Ok. I am no longer gritting my teeth. I do really love the new additions to my family. I agree with Noah. They ARE really cute! Gene is enjoying them as well and the other two boy fella's seem to think they are pretty cool. The doggies don't really seem to care about them BUT there is someone that is very perplexed about the situation.............

I was able to read her thoughts earlier and this is what I received.........."I have GOT to find a way in there. OH LOOK! There is a little hole at the top here and I think I can get my paw down in there.......DRATS! I can't reach the water.....CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TAKE THIS TOP OFF SO I CAN GET IN THERE AND CAPTURE MY NEW TOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Aunt Jeanie. You are the best!