The Adventures of Mr. and Mrs. Smith: December 2012

Monday, December 31, 2012

H-isms

Y'all, H is 20 Months Old.

20 MONTHS.

I haven't really been doing his monthly updates (sorry!), because things are so fast and furious around here.

But H Man has been developing quite the vocabulary, which I call H-isms.

Definite Words, with Mommy Translation to Assist:

1. Mama = Mama

2. DaDa = Daddy

3. MowMow = Mickey Mouse

4. Mohre = More, please and thank you. (Usually sign language with this one)

5. Baaaal = Ball (Usually with sign language)

6. WoofWoof = Dog/Cooper

7. Aaaaaaaaah! = Abby the Cat

8. Heeelllllllllooooooooooo = Hello. Usually when the phone rings or when he puts the phone or remote control up to his ear like a phone.

9. Mooooo = Cow

10. Meeeooow = Cat (Usually with sign language)

11. Baaaaaa = Sheep

12. Rrrrrroar! = Lion (Usually with sign language)

13. Ooo Ooo Aaaahh Aaahh = Monkey

14. Neeeeeigh = Horse
15. Eeeee while waving one arm up and down like a trunk = Elephant

16. Sucking in Cheeks to make squishy fish face = Fish

17. No, No, No! = With wagging finger. No clue where he picked this up. :)

18. HOT! = Favorite word right now. Everything is HOT! I thought this was a big self-esteem booster when he pointed at me and said it. But then did it to Cooper 5 seconds later.

19. Moooon = Moon

20. Ilooorveuuuuu = I love you.

21. PawPaw = PawPaw. A recent development over Christmas. Merry Christmas Dad!
22. Wassthat? = What's that?
23. Star = star
24. Uh Oh = anytime he drops something, usually intentionally.
25. Nana = used for both Aunt Anna and a banana.
26. MINE! = No translation needed.

He is becoming quite the Mommy's Helper.

He loves to help throw my freshly folded clothes in the floor to "help" Mommy with laundry. He recently discovered the broom.

He likes to walk around the house and point out dirt and leaves on the floor to me, usually bringing them to me to throw away.

He can't stand for drawers to be opened and closes all of them.

He likes to arrange his toys and stuffed animals in neat little rows, and "reorganize" under the bathroom cabinets.

He likes to pack for school...

He likes to read his daily progress reports...

And he loves to be tickled...

He's growing like crazy, and we're doing our best to keep up!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

A Very Smith Christmas

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas, celebrating with loved ones.

We sure did!

Here are approximately 8756 pictures documenting our holiday spree.

One of my favorites of the holidays is this lady, Aunt Roz.

She's been a fixture with the Smith's Christmas waaaay before I entered the picture, but I quickly latched on to her and call her my own now. She is a very special lady, who was traveled all over the world, so I love catching up with her when she visits from Chicago and brainstorming where to go next!

"Champagne Night" at Aunt Susan and Uncle Geoff's.

Or, as I like to call, "Fancy Food Night."

Smoked Salmon with cream cheese and capers...

Homemade stuffed mushrooms...

Caviar Pie...

Opening presents with H with T, MiMi, Aunt Anna, and Uncle Whit.

Mickey Mouse wrapping paper?

I love it.

Aunt Anna, you hold Mow Mow while I open my presents, please.

I like to get real close, real personal, with singing holiday reindeers.

I also like to bust a move with Uncle Whit, mid-gift opening.

A Leap Pad 2?

Just what I always wanted!!!

Puffs and Powdered Donuts?

Even better.

Merry Christmas from the Smiths!

Celebrating Hanukkah with Aunt Roz...

Christmas Morning... Santa's been here Mommy!

Better hide this Play Doh before Mommy sees it.

Sometimes you just want to play with your empty PediaSure bottle though.

Or relax in the floor watching cartoons with your LIFE-SIZE "Mow Mow."

Special thanks, Aunt Susan.

Busted playing with ornaments.

Onward to Cullman...

My very own John Deere Tractor from PawPaw and DeeDee!

New books from DeeDee.

I can be a pirate just like Jake and his Neverland crew.

My very own bouncy ball play area?

Special thanks Uncle Mitchell and Aunt Melanie.

I know one little man who had a very, very Merry Christmas with his family!

I hope you did as well, and that Santa was good to you!

Pinterest Challenge Accepted: Freezer Pre-Ready Meals

Peeps, I had my Friday night alone last night.

So what does any normal 29-year-old do?

I accepted a little personal Pinterest Challenge to myself.

To make 2 weeks worth of dinners, to freeze and ready to easily cook via Crock Pot.

I could do it. I was confident.

I had pinned this earlier, with one of those "Oh this is a good idea but I'll never have time to do it." thoughts. But with Mr. Smith in the woods and H spending quality time with my parents, the opportunity arose.

I followed my new friend's, over at Loving My Nest, shopping list and basic instructions, which she provides in a very detail-oriented format on her website.

Of course, she touts 34 meals for $150. That's what initially hooked me.

She doubles and triples her recipes, but I only had time for a Beginner's Round.

However each "freezer bag" will serve us twice.

From start to finish, it took me about 4 hours.

That's including grocery shopping, sorting, cutting, making my way recipe-by-recipe, and cleaning up.

I'm sure there's a more efficient method instead of going one-by-one, but I didn't want to get ahead of myself and mess up.

Admittingly, I looked like a crazy Hoarder at Publix.

However, even Louise the Cashier was very interested in the concept.

I am to report back to her my findings, as well.

I got to work, with the assistance of the 90's Music Station on the TV.

Me, Annie Lenox, Naughty by Nature, Madonna, Sir Mix a Lot, Boyz II Men, Spice Girls, Blues Traveler, and Britney Spears had a ball.

Casualties: I chopped off half a fingernail while a little too aggressively peeling a sweet potato. I may or may not have been busting a move during this to Madonna's 'Vogue."

And, no worries - the fingernail did not make it into the dinner. :)

Overall Cost from my Publix Receipt for 16 ready-made dinners + tax: $115.15.

Approximately $7.20 per meal.

Lessons Learned:

I bought according to her list, but I ended up modifying as I went along, such as not putting quite as many bell peppers or onions in things. So, I have quite a few veggies leftover in my fridge, which we will eat at some point, but it could have brought my total down.

Also, I had to buy some of her spices, like Chili Powder, Dry Mustard, Cumin, and Bay Leaves that I was either out of or didn't have. Most of the spices I already had.

I also had to buy a Sharpie and good, durable Freezer Bags (thankfully they were on Sale at Publix).

But knowing I have two weeks of dinners ready for me to just drop into a Crock Pot?

Instead of coming home after a long day of work and cooking instead of hanging out with H Man?

Priceless.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

That one time I had to go to Palm Beach...

I recently had to go to Palm Beach for a work trip.

It was torture. Pure and simple.

I had to stay at The Breakers.

I had to eat delicious food.

I had to sample enticing frosty beverages.

I had to sit at the pool (okay, I only got a few hours of this, admittingly).

I had to hang out with celebrity chefs, like Robert Irvine.

I had to teach the celebrity chefs to run diagonally if they saw an alligator, since gators can only run in a straight line. What? They were British and didn't know any better.

I had to show my new friend from Golf Digest (an NYC native) how to off-road in a golf cart. She was beyond impressed.

But you know what? After seeing how "the other half" lives/vacays... I missed my Alabama bubble. Peeps... I've never seen such excess. Excess everywhere - jewelry, clothes, little yappy dogs, body enhancements (ahem), and luxury brands galore.

I was a fish out of water, but I'm glad I was.

As I cruised over to my lounge chair in my Target bathing suit and Rainbow flip flops and flounced down to read my new book, I'm aware I stuck out like a sore thumb.

And not just because I was one of the only brunettes.

Did you know some people wear high heels to the pool?

Amazing.

It was a "People Watching" Event for the ages.

I missed you.