Piggy flu blues and what else I forgot to say...

Oh! How did I forget my most wonderful week ever? I'm referring the fact that I forgot to post about the fact that James had swine flu a few weeks ago so I had the bright I idea that he should be quarantined. The only problem with that was I had to be isolated too, and James and I spent the longest five days ever cooped up in my room. We started out having a blast but he got stir crazy and wanted out and I wouldn't let him, so needless to say our little blissful moments soon turned into chaos. Oh well its over now and he's on the road to recovery (yeah!!)
The kids and I also visited the Texas state fair last month and I tried fried butter, fried pork, and fried bacon. It was all really good, and no I do not know the calorie content nor do I want to know. The kids had a blast (all except piggy flu he had to stay with the grandparents for fear of contamination in mass). I thought I should add that to the mix, and look at me two posting in one week! Yeah maybe I'm on the road to blog neglect recovery...who knows??
But I must attempt to be productive before lunch so good bye for now.

What's my problem?

Ok so I have no job, my kids are doing great (no stress there) and yet I've still not posted. What's up with me? Well I don't have a computer at home and when I get around one I just forget my blog. Today I was have a serious case of MissColumbiaitis and I decided I needed to spy on my friends and see what's going on in there lives. It only made it worse :( but I did realize that I need to get with the program...fast. So here I sit.

Nothing super spectacular or fun has been going on in the Smith house, just mundane stuff pretty much. I don't have bar results yet...that's for Friday. My kids are all doing well. James' new thing is calling me for a minute straight only to say I love you. It's cute (I'll just keep saying that over and over...) He also tells me riddles that he answers, for example yesterday he asked me this one- Mommy what's gray and has sharp teeth and lives in the water? What do you think it is, do you think its a shark? I said: "Is it a shark?" He said: "yes mommy, you are good at this game." Ha-larious! All the kids have this thing now where they spontaneously break out in song. Their favorite right now is Solider Boy's "Hey You There" (the most annoying song that is bound to get stuck in your head if you listen to it). One of them starts the song and they all join in. They do it with several songs and I think that anyone who thinks musicals are unrealistic because people don't spontaneously burst out in song has never visited the Smith house.

Halloween was a blast I was an 80's rocker, Brittany was a vampire bat, Joseph was a scary skeleton, Jacob was Michael Jackson (his obsession right now), and James was Snake Eye from G.I. Joe (his obsession). We went trick-o-treating without coats....YEAH TEXAS weather!!! It was great haven't done that in a lonnnnggggg time. (but I still miss CoMo).

This year I thought I'd be smart and just buy treats for James' Halloween party ( he's the only one I have that still has them now...wow time flies) however the cupcakes turned over when I had to slam on the brakes during bumper to bumper traffic ( the negative side of Halloween, or any day in Dallas). James' class was bats for the Halloween parade at his school so he had to wear all black. He found a way to incorporate his costume, he wore a black G.I. Joe shirt with Snake Eyes in the middle. It was really cute. I was trying to post a few pictures from James' party and Halloween night but the computer isn't letting me so those are still on TBP (to be posted)

So that's really all that's been going on. Nothing spectacular, just your normal brand of crazy kid-friendly fun! Oh wait new recipe alert!! I must share this guys it was a definite hit. It has a name but I forgot so here it is:

1/2 package of Abuela burrito size ready to cook tortillas (or some other brand of ready to cook tortillas

1/2 large onion diced

1-2 cloves of garlic

1/2- 1 lb of ground beef

1 package of taco seasoning

oil for saute



Saute the onion and the garlic until they are soft and carmel colored, add in the meat and brown.

Add the taco seasoning, follow package directions

Laddle 2 tbs of meat mixture in each of 6 tortillas, fold the tortillas in half to make a pocket, seal the edges with the edge of a fork. Brush with egg or milk.

Place in oven at 350 for 20 minutes. Sooooo good and serves six.



Okay bye bye for now!

New "naughty" word

Hey...look at me I'm posting AGAIN!!! Yeah...man 10 days goes by fast!! NE ways I had to share a couple of things. First I'm on a new diet, trying to lose some weight before a big formal function I'm going to next week, and the grocery list for thi thing is monsterous, expensive...and who eats wet seaweed? Yeah its crazy, we'll have to see how long this one lasts (I'm hungry already!) I'll share if any of the recipies I have to cook for this diet are any good.

Sunday we went to Golden Corral to celebrate my dad's 56th birthday (yes Golden Corral is one of my dad's favorite resturants). My mom asked Joseph to say the prayer. It was a nice prayer except for the fact that he thanked God for blessing grandpa Lonnie and allowing him to see 65 years! So that's it we at least know my dad will live to be 65, Joseph proclaimed it! I told him that wasn't so bad, his brother was teasing him at which time I reminded him that on his birthday he thanked God for letting him see 13 years...he's 11. Prehaps the Smith boys should refrain from using ages in future prayers.
Its been awhile since I've written an installment of James' words. I think I'll call them James' Jabber from now on... (Its a working title). Ok so yesterday James comes in the room on the verge of tears. This is how the conversation goes:
Me: "What is it James"
James: "It's Joseph"
Me: "What did he do?"
James: "He used the 'B' word?"
Me: "The B word?"
James: "Um huh...he did"
Me: "Joseph..."
Will: "Wait James what word did he use?"
James "Baby...he called me a baby."
So there you have it add a new dirty word to your list broadcasters...according to James-William Arthur Smith, baby, especially when said by your older brother, is a bad word!
Hope everybody is having a great start of the week. Its wet and rainy here, but at least its cooled down!

And we're back!!

Back by popular demand (ok so maybe just two people, but still) its the Smith bunch, and boy have we had a busy summer! Let me just start back by giving a month by month of our lives over the past few months.
May: I FINALLY graduated from law school YAY!!!! After much toil and tribulation I walked across the stage (in some fabulous shoes might I say) on May 17, 2009!! So that evening I had to drive back to Dallas because bar review started the next day, I then drove back to Columbia because we had a five day break from bar review.
June: The kids finished school and they and Will headed for GA while James and I were in Texas me studying and becoming a basket case and James enjoying being spoiled by Grand Gran and Grandpa Lonnie.
July: I became a complete basket case and looked like walking death. I took the bar exam at the end of the month and breathed a sigh of relief! I did it and hopefully no more studying!!!
August: I had to go back to Columbia for a few days and on the way back the van breaks down. So Will, James and I were stuck on the side of the road in McAlester, OK with a car load of our belongings. We had to stay in OK for two days, leave OK without our car. Drive to Dallas, get the kids enrolled in school (0nly to find out Brittany can't start w/o shots!) Will flew to CA to get the kids because they need to be back for school. My dad and I drive back to OK to get the van (still loaded down). We start the school year, move into a townhouse and Will starts work all within 48 hours. We had Joseph and Jacob's 11th birthday party at the pool of our new place...it was small but they had a blast.
September: The kids are all in school now. James is at a private pre-K at Primrose, and the older kids seem to be enjoying school. Brittany still plays the viola and now Joseph plays the trumpet and Jacob plays the violin. James really wants to play cello and we're looking into it. Smith family trio??? (maybe) I'm doing odd jobs at my mom's office but still looking for a job. I had an amazing quarter century b-day (and I'm still celebrating!).

So there you have a 90 second play-by-play of the events in the Smith house. Hopefully things will slow down enough and I"ll have adequate access to technology to be better about keeping up with this. On September 18 James' school will be on t.v. (So funny because my last entry was about him being on t.v.) The sportscaster for channel 8 will be at his school and the kids will all be decked out in their Cowboy finest (go Vikings). I will allow my child one Dallas Cowboy shirt for this event....ONE.
Funny bathtime moment with James and Brittany: James "sissy, I'm done taking a bath (he was really taking a shower). It was a quick bath." Brittany: "did you wash everywhere" James: "Yeah" Brittany "did you use soap" James: "A little, the soap thing is hard for me to pick up." Brittany "James, you have to use soap ok" James: "ok next time"

Stay tuned for more adventures of "The Smith Bunch"

And a star is born...

So ok I gave ya'll the heads up that my little boy was going to be on t.v. I must say that I believe he has the talent, charisma and charm to go very far in showbiz. I mean he was great, a little of a camera hog and didn't take direction very well (but then again what A list actor isn't?) I mean I believe he has the heart to go far! Oh so maybe its a bit early to tell but I must admit he did great! If you missed it you can check it out online @ http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/ba9247e7-c0a8-2f11-005d-a0f5c827b1ec ( its the Columbia Montessori School video). Mine is the very snazzy looking one in the green vest (but you'd know he was mine with out all the description trust). So yeah life is busy school is finally winding down and I'm realizing that my time in Columbia is short! I also thought that I should start keeping up with the better...being away from my only (maybe) readers makes it much more vital that I continue to feed you tiny morsels of Smith goodness more often lest you die of Smith starvation. Ok so yeah that was corny, I'm just a bit loopy tonight! But I must make this short as I have tons to do and little time. But I am making a spring resolution to be better about updates! Oh and I made some yummy stir fry today, will post recipe soon...it was great better than restaurant stuff and I had a real craving for Chinese food too, this recipe hit the spot!

Update

Hey all, its been a while since I've blogged but we've been busy with spring break, Brit's birthday, school and LTC stuff. We are going a million miles a minute and I'm constantly balancing between commitments scheduled at the same time! Just a quick run down as to what is going on. I'm on the countdown to graduation!!! Yeah May 17th is only a little over a month away! I recently got my scores back for the MPRE and I passed!! So I should at least be ethical now right?? MPRE = multistate professional responsiblity exam. I am also still on the hunt for a job and so is Will please keep us in your prayers. The kids are doing great, Joseph and Jacob are almost finished with there last year of elementary school! They are growing up too fast. They recently crossed over to boy scouts from cub scouts and are having a blast. Brittany is doing great in school, she also does well in orchestra, and we are in our last round of concerts for the year. (two more to go!) James is doing well in Montessori school. He will be featured (with his class and teacher) on Pepper and Friends next Wednesday 4/15/09! So if you live in the CoMo (or surrounding area) please tune in. Don't know exactly what time but sometime in the 10:00 hour. Esme the crazy mutt is still struggling with potty training! We would love any advise!!
We are still scheduled to move to the Dallas area after graduation/ end of the school year. Oh and I made the best Tilipia the other day here's the recipe:
4-6 frozen tilipa filets thawed
olive oil
1 tbl cooking wine (I used Sherry)
juice from 1 and 1/2 lemon
2 tbl butter melted
Parsley, salt and pepper to taste

Coat skillet with enough olive oil to saturate fish and add the cooking wine. Before boiling the fish melt the butter and lemon juice.Broil the fish in the skillet flipping after about three minutes on each side. Remove the fish from the oil and pour a little of the butter/lemon mix on the fish. Sprinkle with seasoing... enjoy!

That's all I have for now!

I always feel like, somebody's watching me

So recently there has been the craze of online connection sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc, where we can put our lives on display for our friends, former friend and maybe enemies as well. It a great way to keep in touch and yes I have both a MySpace and a Facebook page, but I find them very interesting as labs for social experiments. Recently I have seen several articles about this new form of communication. The articles have discussed such things as the various reasons a certain author thought people posted those information type surveys on their facebook pages, to appropriate facebook , and I am surprised at how our culture has now fully embraced this new type of communication and its so public. Don't get me wrong I have no problem at all with those sites nor do I think people (including myself) are narcissistic for having them but I am struck by how we just put information about ourselves out there and even more struck by the fact that there is a consumer market for these things. Total strangers can view photos of us or know a little bit about our lives. To me its fascinating because it seems as if the gap between the "celebrities" and the average joes is shrinking. These sites make us all little celebrities in a way. Think about it we as a society eat up gossip magazines and blogs about celebrities, and all those are just glimpses (many time inaccurate glimpses) into the lives of people that we might never meet, and to some degree those communication sites serve much of the same function...granted hopefully the information is accurate. I don't think we are all trying to be celebrities but I do think it is fun to just see how other people live and we are all just a little curious. I often find myself asking what ever happened to so and so? Did they marry that person? I think its great that we now have a way of figuring that out.
What I don't understand is this new etiquette system with technology. I mean does it really mean you are in a serious relationship when you feel you should call vs text or "facebook" someone? I mean my goodness maybe you just wanted to say hello, you wanted to hear a human voice in our age of technology and prerecorded messages. Granted I am not in the dating scene so I don't have to worry about that aspect, but I do wonder if I have committed any etiquette fopas at all since I've entered this new world? I mean are there times when I've left facebook messages when I should have texted, called when I should have left a message on facebook, posted a comment to a friend's wall when I should have put it in message? I also wonder what is the difference between email someone and sending them a message via facebook, I mean they receive notice about it the same way?
I guess this post is just my curious ranting about a new craze that I don't fully understand, but I've just been thinking about it lately. I don't profess to have anything profound to say on the subject, I'm just pondering. Sorry if it bored you, but I hope you find it slightly intriguing or gave you something to ponder.
Have a wonderful day, stay warm if its cold and hold firm to your faith...and remember proper etiquette!

Words of wisdom from James

Last night James asks (while peeing) what does pee taste like?
I say, I don't know what it tastes like, pee is gross.
James: You've tasted pee before, remember when we were in the car and you were drinking something and I asked what it was and you said pee.
Me: No it wasn't really pee I just didn't want to share it.
James: Oh, well God wants you to share so you should share next time ok mommy.

This morning James let Esme out...again because he "just wanted to see her" so after he got in trouble for it he asked if I wanted a kiss (he's in the stage where he wants a kiss or hug after he'd gotten in trouble) I said no not right now James, he says but everyone needs a kiss. Needless to say I got a kiss.

Yesterday James had to stay home from school because he was sick. I had to go to class but before I left we had this conversation:
James: I remember everything.
Me: No you don't James maybe you remember somethings, but not everything
James: Yes huh everything. I remember when I was a baby and I was at Grand Gran's house and my finger got shut in the door. I remember going to Grandpa Lonnie's house and he took me to McDonalds. (Ok so all that did happen)
Me: wow that's good James
James: And I remember when I was a baby and sissy would put this toy (holding a baby toy up) on the wall and I would bat at it.
Me: good James, but if you remember everything why can't you spell your name (William not James, he can spell that)
James: aaaa...

Just some funny little happenings through the eyes of the littlest Smith.

The dog days of winter!

Hey all, I had a post that I had written about the Inauguration, but it would never post! I was so upset but I will sum up my feeling about last weeks events. I had chills watching the swearing in, and it was the first time I had actually watched a swearing in. It was great and so powerful and I'm thankful that I was around to see this date in history!
Ok on another note we have had some changes in our house recently, we just got a new puppy, she is a Chihuahua and her name is Esme Ciely Smith. She is adorable but getting her to sleep has been a challenge! I haven't really slept much the last few days and am wondering for those dog owners out there, what can I do to get her to sleep at night so that I can too?
Oh and check out the pics of James on the back of my friend's HUGE dog! And our little Esme too!

Here we go!!

Its been a long time since I've written, I've felt like I've been taking a vacation from life lately! Anyways nothing much is going on, James turned 4 on December 26, we spent Christmas with my parents in Dallas and had a blast, thanks to everyone for making our Christmas so much fun, and now I'm about to start my VERY LAST semester in law school!! Wohoo!! I have a busy month or two planned that might make for some exciting fotter but I don't know. I'm just waiting to see what tomorrow brings! The kids are still hilarious and I'm sure I'll have more to add from them in the coming year. One of my New Year's resolutions is to take more time out for the things I enjoy doing, like this blog, exercising and watching movies. I hope that I'm able to be more dedicated, especially now that I know there are at least a few people reading this! Yea!! I'm so excited about this year and the changes it will bring, I know that I'll have to leave some things behind very soon and I just want to enjoy every second with the people I will leave soon, and in the town that I've grown to love so much! I can't believe I've been in Columbia, Missouri for seven years. It seems like yesterday that I was coming up to visit for the first time. Its been a great run. (But enough with the mushy stuff I've still got time to take a trip down memory lane in the months to come!)
Something else new, I've decided to start training for a 1/2 marathon with some friends, and I think I'm actually going to stick with it this time! Hoorah for change! I will be posting updates and tips and stuff that I pick up along the way, but to close out I'd like to post a few select pictures from the holidays. More are posted on my facebook page. Again if you have facebook and are reading this message please add me if you have not already done so! I hope that everyone is having a rockin' '09 and I can't wait to see what this year brings. In fact I'm thinking about putting together a year in review for '08...I just love how thoughts come to me, anyways enjoy the photos peeps, adios for now!






o