meaghan smith

If you know me at all, you know I don't always listen to the coolest music.  I just don't have time to find non mainstream music that I like.  These things take so much time, and I'm weird and picky about what I like.  Honestly though, I think the reason I haven't indieified my playlist is because of pure laziness.  While distracting myself with blogs one morning (one of my favorite things to do), I did happen to stumble upon this jazzy bird though.  I thought you might enjoy her as well.

I love this song, because it reminds me of those first few months of my relationship with KC.  We would always say "I feel you" instead of "I love you" because it was our own cute little thing we did so we didn't overuse that phrase.

un éléphant.

Some images are just too precious to slap up on the fridge.  This little gem just kills me!  Kid art is just so sweet and perfect sometimes isn't it?  I just knew this elephant drawing belonged in a frame, but the white background seemed a little dull. So off  we went to Michaels to pick up some scrapbook paper and a pretty silver frame at 40% off.  I cut the scrapbook paper to fit the frame, cut out the elephant (see the tiny mouse?), and glued it on the pretty background.  In the frame it went, and voila.  Ready for a real wall.  I think I will do more of this with my girls art.  Cut & paste the adorable bits together.  You know how sometimes the little one draws something so perfect that you hold your breath and hope that they are done.....and then they add something else that just well, adds too much?  I love that my girls express themselves through art.  As a mom, you of course have your personal favorites.  The kids do too.  Sometimes their favorites and your favorites aren't the same.  It's funny how Daisy told me that she didn't particularly like that elephant drawing, and that she didn't think it was one of her best.  The elephant is definitely my favorite.  Go figure.

3 column!

I finally found out how to change my blogger template to a 3 column blog!  I've been wanting to know this since I started blogging.  All the cool bloggers have one.  For some reason (blog design snobbery?) this information is really hard to find, and especially if you don't know squat about HTML.  The instructions here were easy enough to follow though.  This little lady here helped me figure out how to change my header fonts to lowercase.  Good Luck!

egg on toast

One of the most simple & delicious breakfasts ever.  Toast a piece of bread, crack an egg into a pan of hot olive oil, cook til over-easy.  Put your egg on toast and sprinkle on some sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.  Devour.

fantastic mr. fox

.....a hilarious, trippy, arty, kitchy, colorful, cute film the whole family can enjoy!  Seriously.  You gotta see it.  It's so great!

"how bad do you really want it?"

 Goodbye Dove chocolate bunnies.  I'll miss you.  Remember when I said I was going to lose at least 20 lbs. before July?  yeah.  I didn't do so hot in March.  If my scale is correct, I did lose about 4 lbs., which isn't bad, but still.  Scarfing down cookie cake and pizza is hardly dieting.  But I have been a good girl with my little Subway lunches (6 inch turkey on Italian herb and cheese, American cheese, lettuce, cucumber, green peppers, lite mayo, apples, and unsweetened iced tea).  4 pounds is 4 pounds.  But when we go to Colorado early July, I want to look hot and not frumpy when I meet KC's friends for the first time.  So I gotta step up my game.  I can eat fairly healthy, but without keeping track of my calories those chocolate bunnies here and there might kill my progress.  Food diaries work.  Counting calories works.  I'll be adding exercise too.  Thanks to the rain, I won't be meeting Sam at 6 am for a jog in the park.  I'm so relieved I get to sleep in tomorrow!  Oh cuss, I was really looking forward to that!  :)

turning 9

" o how fine to be turning nine "

I can't believe I have a 9 year old!  In less than 10 years she'll be an adult.  Leaving me to start a life on her own.  sniff.  Until then...

 She had a small and sweet celebration with the family at Shakespeares Pizza.  Budget & behavior wouldn't allow the big backyard circus themed BBQ that was originally planned.  Tweenage drama at it's finest.  Better luck next year?  Or perhaps an end of school BBQ?  We shall see.  Keep your fingers crossed.......we're trying.

hippity hop

what did the easter bunny bring you?

goodbye winter.

  Crazy how the first day of spring was filled with big fat fluffy snowflakes huh?  Snow & ice & bitter cold have been replaced with daffodils & rain & green green grass.  I usually love winter, but have been longing for spring since mid February when our heat went out.  I had figured that we were so close to spring that we would be fine to just wait it out for a while.  Space heaters, socks, and sweatshirts can only get you by so long.  Needless to say that I am thrilled that comfier times are in order.  I can't wait to get the yard in order so we can go shopping for garden supplies!  The strawberries we planted last summer have sprouted bright new vines, and fresh new chives have sprouted too!!  I just love seeing everything spring to life again!  What is springing up in your yard?



....................................................................hello spring.

keeping up with the jones'

I'm tired of feeling like I don't have enough.  I'll never have as much time and money or look like so and so.  So why get bummed out with the way life is right now?  I'm tired of living off of these silly little daydreams of perfectly imperfect scenarios of my near future life.  Whatever it is we strive for is sometimes too much to ask of ourselves, and even if we get that ideal dream, often times it isn't enough.  I recently asked a friend of mine who accomplished a major goal of hers if she felt happy now, and the answer was no.  Money, beauty, possessions oftentimes aren't enough to make us happy.  I have always had this silly little idea in my head like, "when I'm 16 I'll be happy".  Well, that soon turned into 18, then 21, then 25, now I'm looking at 30 as being the magic number.  It would take quite a lot to make me "happy" according to my daydreams, which honestly aren't that extravagant.  All I would really have to do would be..... move into a smaller one level house that I can actually afford, lose 35 pounds, grow my hair out really long, get married, possibly go to college, get a good lawyer to take the ex-husband back to court, move out of misery Missouri and live somewhere else for once in my life, and have enough money on hand to buy new (or old) clothes, entertainment, and house stuff.  That's not asking for too much right?  It might not be asking for too much, but it certainly can't happen instantly.  We've been programmed to crave action and chaos, and instant gratification feels sooo good.  What I often fail to see is that happiness is a choice.  As annoying as that sounds, it's true.  And the most concentrated form of happiness comes not in the whole picture, but in the itty bitty teeny tiny moments that happen all the time.  It's out there happening right now.  How much happiness have I been taking for granted?  I have beautiful healthy little girls, a great boyfriend that adores me, a house in a good neighborhood, parents that are still alive and still love and take care of me when I need it, friends that I can cry with and laugh until I wet myself with, snuggly kitties that purr when they're around me, my choice of pretty much whatever foods I want every time I eat, ample entertainment when I have time off, a job that allows me to move and be creative.........shall I go on?  and on and on and on?  If you are out there reading this post in your jammies, snuggled up on your couch or bed, with your coffee, child, dog at your side......think about the happy moments you've been taking for granted.  Like the one you're having right now.