Smiles

Griff smiles quite a lot. He tends, however, to prefer my smiles as a motivation to smile, rather than the view of my camera lens. So, I end up with the fading smile caught on film. But, I captured a good one today. Spit bubbles and all...

Who's Ready for the Beach?!

Try It Tuesday!

Just try to get one past her. My friend, Laura, is one tough cookie...when it comes to editing. While I have spent hours correcting 5th graders' grammar and spelling, Laura is after the big guns. Go to http://youneedaneditor.blogspot.com/ to view some of the funny editing mistakes that Laura has found. I have to admit that sometimes I get nervous when I send her an email. She could spot an error from the moon.

Here's a funny one:

Job posting by Reference Matters on Yahoo HotJobs:

"The right individual will be an open minded and creative individual with exceptional writing and formating.skills."

Clearly this position needs to be filled ASAP.

Go on a grammar hunt and see what you can find. Send Laura any humorous published mistakes.

Today

Griff experienced his first thunderstorm today. Too bad it awakened him from his nap.

And, we've had two nights of him sleeping through the night in his crib. Woohoo!

Courtney's Great Ideas

Okay, so this is more of a characteristic than an idea...

Humility.

I often turn to Court for advice. Especially as a mom. What I love about the way in which she gives it, is that is spoken in true humility. If you observed her relationships with her husband and her kids, you would understand why I seek her advice and why she could be proud. Each piece of advice is bookended with a "this is just what worked for me" or "if you feel like it might be right for you" or "I may be too strict." Well, it's always good advice. I have been about to post several ideas that she has given me about parenting Griff and how to deal with some of the issues that come up early on...like trying to sleep. I realized, though, that her help was bigger than any of these single pieces of advice.

I've been thinking about how uncertain most things are in life. We have so little control, but try to convince ourselves that we earn what we're given or that we're deserving. Court's humility reminds me that every good thing truly does come from the Lord. So, if I happen to do something well as a mom, I know it must be God working through me.

As a side note, I also started reading a book with my Bible Study that Courtney recommended. It's called Crazy Love and it's good. It has challenged my thinking about how I approach each day and how in love God is with us. If we do one thing in this life, it should be to try to show Him even an ounce of the love He lavishes upon us.

We Decided It's Spring

Try It Tuesday!

Tamale Pie

This is one of Jose's favorite meals. It is very easy and very tasty.

Ingredients:

Protein (I used tofu this time, but often use ground turkey)

Seasoning (Taco Seasoning or Enchilada Sauce)

Tomatoes

Peppers

Onions

Beans

Salsa

Cheese

Do It:

Like most of my recipes, this one starts with some olive oil and onions in a pan. Make sure it's an oven-safe skillet. I start on medium heat. Add a little salt and pepper.

Add the protein to the onions and cook.

Once your meat or tofu is cooked, add your seasoning.

Then, cover your mixture in your tomatoes, salsa and beans.

Slice your polenta into thin circles.

Lay the polenta on top of all of the other good stuff.

Shred your cheese on top of that.

Slice your peppers and place them on top of the cheese. Make it pretty!

Broil until your cheese and peppers are starting to brown.

Slice and enjoy!

You slices may not stay together like real pie. That's okay!

It's About Time

I love my siblings. A lot. One reason that I think my brothers are the sweetest is that they are wonderful uncles. After seeing them with Lily and Finn, I couldn't wait for them to meet Griffin. But, for some silly reason, they felt that it was important to go to their classes. So, it had to wait until this past weekend.

Home 2.0

There's nothing like going home. When my parents sold our family home at 100 Willow, my heart ached with the thought that home would never quite be the same. I immediately began to long for summer days lounging in the hammock under those huge, old trees, walking to Main Street for the Fall Festival Parade, and squishing ourselves together at the top of the stairs on Christmas morning. Oh, it's never going to be the same, I thought.

Then, I found myself headed to Carmel, yes...Carmel. When I walked in the door at the new place on Horseguard Close, I was overwhelmed by the warmth of home. The house itself is beautiful and reflects my parents' clean, elegant style. It is so them and has plenty of room for all of us. But, what shocked me was that I didn't miss the old house. It felt so perfect to be laughing on the couch with my siblings, sitting at the counter eating lunch, walking with my mom through the neighborhood and chatting on Whit's bed at night. The only thing that was missing was the Smith part of our family (and Jose). Home is being immersed in the love of family. And, whether in Zionsville, Carmel, or Denver, the love is always plenty deep.

Happy 3 month birthday to you!!!

I know that it is not actually a birthday, but we are very excited that Griffin has made it to the 3 month mark. It feels like an accomplishment of sorts...a point at which we no longer count his age in weeks, but confidently say, "He's 3 months old." How simple.

I am loving...

how much he smiles and how easily

that he can sit in his Bumbo

that he goes to bed at 7:00

that he is fascinated by his hands

how he does a little Elvis lip curl

how he kicks his legs so vigorously in the bathtub (swimmer or soccer player?)

that he likes to be held like he's doing a ski jump

how he coos when I sing

the spit bubbles

Try It Tuesday!

This is not a recipe.

If there is anything that I could recommend trying, it would be Pilates. At a real Pilates studio. With a trained instructor. Pilates is the best, most transformative workout that I have ever done. It helped me to feel super strong through pregnancy and labor. It truly is an empowering experience. So, find yourself a Pilates studio. Most have a free session for beginners or new clients. Or, some offer an inexpensive trial week.

One of my favorite places in Denver (okay, really Westminster) is Pilates Central. Holly and Kat are both amazing instructors who have taught me so much. They are encouraging, and are able to correct positions and technique without being condescending. After every session, I feel rejuvenated, challenged, and focused. Oh, it is the best. Find yourself a Pilates studio!!