Rodeo Weekend....In Photos

Yeehaw!!! Ride Em' Cowboy! Welcome to the San Angelo Rodeo.

A quick photo session outside our hotel before heading to the 1:30pm Rodeo. Have you seen a cuter girl in boots? Slade doesn't take to kindly to trying on new shoes, boots, etc. He wore his "city kid" clothes.

My friend, Stephanie Wright, did this precious little outfit. I picked out the cowboy print material and Viola-she made this. We got complements everywhere we went! I loved the darn boots!

I discovered that my six year old is a carnival riding MANIAC! Oh my goodness-this one made me a little nervous. I was thinking to myself, as he rode this one(that's him and Brandi on the right), that it was an awful lot of work to get him into this world to be thrown out out the back of this crazy glider carnival ride. Mom was a little tense-so was Cita!

Taking a break to slide down these neat jungle gym things. Boy, do I wish I had the money for one on those in our backyard.

Finley' first face painting! She picked a little yellow butterfly.

Big Blue Bear-need I say more?

It looked like a human version of Mouse Trap!!!

Brandi took a few minutes to contain herself after this spinning ride. Slade just wanted more tickets! I am presently taking applications for people that would like to join us for future Six Flags Trips. Kyle, nor myself enjoy riding things. Maybe Brandi will go with us?

Those darn cute boots again. Who knew boots looked so cute with pink tights?

Ok, maybe I could have handled the slide.

Sweet pic of B and Campbell

And just let me add that we awoke this morning to Slade having puked on his bedroom floor on the way to his bathroom. He stayed home from school and has puked several times today. Kyle came home and told me tonight that his stomach hurt all day and he threw up at work this morning. I feel confident in saying that this bug attacked our whole household. Nice week, Smarts!

Where's Waldo?

Just in case I woke up this morning and didn't know where I was - I know now. I'm in Texas. Lubbock, Texas. This is a tumbleweed. It was in our street. This would actually be an excellent Flat Stanley photo!

How many peeps can say they have a tumbleweed three times as big as their two year old in front of their house-in town!!! God Bless Texas!

This is...........

what happens when your mom was traumatized as a child at the very same rodeo carnival and will not ride any rides with you----you have to resort to riding with your good ol' Aunt B. Thank goodness for B!

what happens when you eat blue cotton candy for the first time.

what happens when daddy goes to make the WalMart run-he brings back toys when it has only been weeks since Christmas and still months till your birthday. Hello Little Einsteins!

what happens when you're bedridden with a stomach bug and a toddler runs wild in your house all day!

what happens when you naively make the ping pong ball into the fish bowl at the carnival-you take goldfish home on a three hour drive back to Lubbock after they talked you into spending another $10 for the house since they only come in a plastic bag when you pick them up. Actually it was four goldfish and two houses ($20). Smart folks, those carnival people.

what happens when your dad picks out your pajamas-Minnie's bottoms are red, Daddy. This is also what happens when you wear piggies in your hair all day long, then remove the rubber bands.

what happens when mom doesn't cook dinner-Dad eats a box of Chex for dinner, no milk!

Sick of the Sick Bug!!!

We seemed to stay pretty healthy this past fall, but the New Year's Sick Bug has come to visit, well Finley and I, at least. As from past posts, I had the Christmas Eve sinus infection, the January inner ear infection, sinus infection and Finley was on antibiotics from a sinus infection in January. Now, after our really fun trip to San Angelo this past weekend, I was rewarded with a horrible stomach bug on Sunday night. I thought it might be something I ate, but Finley had diarrhea yesterday and woke up this morning and puked on me. I can't seem to EVER escape the vomit around here. I was bed-ridden on Monday-as in I could barely stumble into the bathroom! My sister had to come get my kids when Slade got out of school. I just locked Finley in the room with me all morning and she did who knows what while I laid there miserable. Kyle did take her to her music class, which was so sweet I thought. She really was excited for daddy to take her! I think I slept half the day that day. This is the third day since and I feel much better, but it is still wreaking havoc on my poor system, but hey, I'll take the weight loss! haha Finley doesn't act as though she feels bad, but she puked right on my chest this morning as soon as she woke up. Nix the gymnastics class this morning. I hope this is the last of our winter illnesses-it could be worse, I know. But I really hate the stomach bug. I have really cute pics from he rodeo. I'll try to get those up, but for now, it's back to disinfecting this sickhouse!!!

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

These pics are from our trip to my parents when we went home for Nana's birthday at the end of January. It was a very restful weekend-the kind with no make-up application and comfy pajama pants! Big Dad was attempting to teach Slade how to skip rocks. He couldn't get the hang of exactly how to hold it, but he tried.

Dad overseeing the rock skipping.

These are sheep in the new pens Dad built.

Brandi and Campbell at the creek. Campbell tried to eat rocks the ENTIRE time we were there!

Slade at the creek.

Cita and Finley "sunning" at the creek.

The pajama buddies.

Happy Birthday, Nana! Let's eat cake!

Mom and Nana

Nana's "hip" 79th birthday cake. We told her next year for her 80th, we are going to have a BIG party! Unfortunately, the cake looked better than it tasted.

Sentimental Saturday

A favorite childhood pastime! We all enjoyed making snowmen when we were kiddos.Brandi and I are proud of the snowman we made in the front yard at the ranch. I'm thinking this is very early eighties. I look about four. Don't you see a little of Finley in my face?!? Nice boots, B!

Buckie, Ken, and Kyle-their snowy masterpiece. I find the helmet quite funny and creative! They must have used every ounce of snow from the yard-there's none left, ha! Kyle looks to be in elementary school. Margaret didn't label the back of this one. I'll have to ask Molly who's house this is.

Happy Thursday

So I'm going back and posting some pics I haven't had time to put on here. The first few are from the kids Valentine's parties last week.

Finley and Cita hanging out at at Slade's Valentine's party. Finley sat and ate all the leftover fruit kabobs that I took to the party!

I just had to post this because it's funny. While I was gathering up Slade's things to go home from the party, I found this stash in his locker. I send a snack with him everyday and I guess he doesn't eat one every time. The Sun Chips are from the like the first week in January and the almond mix is from last month, too. I threw those away and took the bars home. I'm thinking a little pack rat is in the making!!!

A group of cute little boys that I'm sure are causing Mrs. Hendrix to have premature grey hairs!

Sweet Mrs. Hendrix and Slade. Yay, she's having a baby boy in July. I hope it's born on Finley's birthday-the 13th! Lucky 13!

Slade and I at his party. I really don't wear this shirt all the time, it was just the only one that looked Valentinish.

Sweet Finley at her Valentine's party at Sugar and Spice. She licked all the icing off her heart cookie. I think she really acts nice at school-thank goodness! With a face like that, who would think otherwise?!?!

The is my Valentine's present from Kyle. I was mad at him for getting me anything at first (he got a CD and phone cover from me), but he had a gift card saved and used it on this. It is a great North Face jacket and I will wear it for years, so I'll get his money's worth. And don't you think the pink is snazzy! I love it!

These are the monkey prints from Israel that the lady from Etsy made me. I blogged about them, but I don't think I've taken a picture of them since they arrived. She did an awesome job!

And here is the other one. I should have taken a pic of the envelope they arrived in. It said Israel Air Mail with Israeli writing. It was neat!

You know I have to tell you about my deals. I have been watching this bedspread from JCPenney for several months, and it has been on sale several times. It matches Finley's room perfectly, and I have been wanting to get it. Two weeks ago, I got a email for 20% off all orders and the bedspread was on sale, too. I had a gift card also, so I jumped at the chance to purchase it. I thought if I didn't get it, it would be gone, and I would be soooo sad. This is the sham and it looks so sweet in her room. She was really excited! And this would be the new spread that she puked on so we have broken it in really well!!! She is sleeping many nights in the big bed now. I think I am mentally ready to take the crib down but I can't. I don't have a place to trap Campbell in when I put her down for naps. It will have to stay up a few months longer.

Semi-Graphic Monday Tale

Is anyone a Bachelor watcher out there? Maybe not, but I have to say I am shocked that he let Jillian go last night! She was about to be my pick for the winner. She seems so sweet and is gorgeous. I like the other two, but I thought for sure that Melissa was going home. What do I know?!?

Ok, so the Smart household went downhill yesterday afternoon. First of all, Kyle came home to lie down because his stomach was hurting-Kyle never slows down during a workday. So I was thinking, Great, he's got a bug. I banished him to the bedroom last night and decided I wouldn't be sleeping in there. He's fine today, thank goodness. Maybe it was something he ate. Then I decide to go the the gym about 4pm. When I arrive, I have a most wonderful surprise in my gym bag. My drink container had spilled all the water out into the bottom of my bag and in the two inches of standing water was my battery operated key chain, my earphones, and last but not least, my new Blackberry. Nice, very nice!!! I was so irate that I almost went home, but decided to jog off my frustrations. I was so mad!!! Blackberry not so much working anymore. As nighttime came along, I was so jazzed that Finley had eaten so well at dinner. She usually eats like a bird so we are always trying to feed her something. She had seven fishsticks-yes, Seven! I was shocked she could eat that many. She also had cheese, grapes, and a cookie. I bragged on her and put her to bed with a cup of milk and she had taken her antibiotic. And twenty minutes later, she was crying and I walked into her room and Yep......................she had barfed every last morsel up on the "big" bed and I wanted to cry. She was crying and milk was coming out of her nose. She either ate too much or got choked on the milk. Sooooooo, I woke Kyle up and he took her to bathe (a second time) and I stripped sheets. She managed to puke on her new comforter, the extra blanket, sheets, mattress pad, her doll, and FOUR pillows! Geeez. What in the world do you do with barf pillows, seriously? I threw them in the dumpster today and decided to start over. There was so much puke, (this is really graphic) I scooped it up with a spoon onto a paper plate! And all the moms out there know how much fun it is to scrape off barf before you wash the sheets, because if you don't, you have "clean" barf in your washing machine when it finishes. Gag. I was still doing the fourth load at 11 o'clock last night. I stand by my claim and will always stand by my claim that I have, without a doubt, cleaned up more puke than a nurse. Gotta love Febreeze. There was no place for me to sleep-no extra bed, Kyle was sick, and Slade has a twin bed. So I put Finley in her crib and I started out on the couch. Finley kept whining for a drink and calling out my name, so I put her on the couch with me. When I could not stand it any longer, I laid down in the floor with my pillow. When I couldn't stand the floor anymore, I got back onto the couch in the middle of the night and put my head at the opposite end and straddled Finley's sprawled out body. It was a most unpleasant night to say the least. I felt like a freight train had run over me this morning. It's official - I'm too old to sleep on the floor!!

So that, my friends, was our Monday in a nutshell. Also let me not forget to add that this is the second time I have written this blog. I wrote this whole paragraph last night while it was still fresh in my mind and I was waiting on laundry. When I went to post it, the computer was having problems connecting online and blogger would not save my post. So I lost the whole thing last night. I shut the computer and decided to call it a night.

Flashback Friday

Almost Famous.........................................
Our only "Claim to Fame" - Zach Thomas came to our wedding!

This and That

Just a few tidbits that are really of no importance. Read only if you are bored. I promise to at least put some pics up tomorrow.

1. I went on an early Valentine's "date" tonight since my parents are in town. We just went out to eat, but we were alone with no children and actually had a CONVERSATION! It was nice. It's times like these that I remember why I fell for him in the first place! I kinda like him!

2. Finley had her first Valentine's party at church school! It basically consisted of them having a heart shaped cookie as opposed to a normal snack. There were no bells or whistles, but they seemed to like it.

3. I ate lunch with two of my friends-it was so nice to just visit even if it was just over a sandwich.

4. I finished a book-very rare that I have time to read. It was a great book-I'll probably blog about it in the future.

5. I went to mail a Valentine's package to Lamesa to my niece and nephew. I took it to Package Plus and they told me it would be $13!!!!!!!!!! It was a padded manila envelope with some crayons and candy. Give me a break! I think I could drive there cheaper. I didn't mail it.

6. I think my dishwasher is going out. Bummer!

7. Finley's new kick is Little Einstein's-we watch it at least ten times per day. They are very educational, though. The have classical music and all.

8. Slade received two "Blurts" today at school. That is not good-it means you talk too much. He doesn't get to play with his DS or computer for three days. I wonder where he got his talking genes from-not from me surely! Bless Mrs. Hendrix's heart. Crack that whip girl-it's too soon for spring fever! Yikes.

9. Someone brush up my skills-do you put an 's to show ownership to a name ending in x like the name in #8? Trivial.

10. My sister is away for work in San Diego and will be home tomorrow. Shane still sent Campbell with a clip in her hair! I don't know why that is so funny to me.

11. We all (minus Kyle) let Max sit on our necks tonight and he ate carrots. Just thought I'd get a rise out of my "prissy" readers!!! WE HEART RATS!

Water Workout

My friend has been trying to get me to a water aerobics class that she religiously goes to on Tuesday nights and I finally did it. It was at 7 and I really hate to leave my house that late because we are usually settling in for the night with baths and all (BTW, you know your a mom when 7 seems late, haha!). I wasn't cooking a huge meal last night, the kids were having fishsticks, cheese, tomatoes, and grapes, and Kyle came home about 6 so I just did it. It was a pain getting my swimsuit on, putting the clothes over it, taking a towel, etc. Once I was there, though, I absolutely loved it! It was awesome and boy were my muscles burning! Who knew one could sweat in a pool! It was hard, but at the same time very relaxing-almost a yoga-like feeling, but with cardio. We even worked abs if you can believe it. It was an hour long, but I was not ready to get out of the pool. I'm trying to talk some of my girls to come and join us next week-I bet they get hooked, too. I'm so glad my friend convinced me to do it!

So Very Sad

I really try to, for the most part, blog about happy things, but tonight I find myself so sad. I came across this blog from one of my favorite bloggers that I have been keeping up with. She had asked for prayers for this couple. http://themcclenahans.blogspot.com/ I went to this blog and this sweet couple lost their ten month old baby girl to cancer after only being diagnosed three weeks ago. My heart is so heavy, and I am so upset after reading their story. The mom is just a blogger, writing about their baby and family like the rest of us and their world was turned upside down. I don't know these people, but I know how much we all love our children. This story just touched me tonight-the baby was absolutely precious. Say a prayer for them tonight and give your babies an extra hug and kiss. We are BLESSED.


When I read something like this, it makes blogging about a pair of GAP jeans seem really stupid. I know you can't just sit around thinking about sad things all the time or you would go crazy, but it's good to have things put our lives into perspective. It's a reality check and makes you appreciate things that you might take for granted-like a healthy child. I think it's all about the people in our lives. The people are what matter the most.

GAPalicious

I attended a child's birthday party this weekend and decided that I was out of my element for many reasons. The main one being that the whole family looked as if they might have been in an advertisement that read, "Fall into the GAP!" They were all quite hip and young!!! The birthday kiddo's parent's friends were Tech kids and I was feeling my thirties calling out to me saying that those days have long since passed me by! My cute red sweater that has the one little button at the top was beginning to scream "grandma" as I watched the Tech girls pile in with their skinny jeans, scarves, and flats. I guess that explains why I've never been mistaken for an example of a chic dresser. I just think it would be a whole lot more fun if I was shopping for say, a size 4. Everything looks good on a skinny person, right?!? Sadly, on most days, my advertisement would read, "Fall into the least dirty pair of gym sweats that have the least amount of Ketchup that Finley touched me with!" Yes, I find it a bit pathetic myself. It was a little disconcerting, but hey, it's all about how young you feel, right? And let us not forget that I have a pair of pre-Slade GAP jeans folded neatly in a drawer that still have my name on them! I could "fall" into those GAP jeans today if someone dropped me from a ten story building, but I firmly believe that I can live on hope alone! Finley did have fun anyways, and I had to step out of my comfort zone and visit with people I didn't know. Some of you may not know this about me. I'm a talker and have problems shutting up when I'm around friends and family, but I am very uneasy talking in groups of people I do not know. I know that's hard to believe-me not talking, haha!

TAG

I was tagged by The Sweet Life! You open your 6th photo file and then pick the 6th photo-I believe that's how it works! Here I go...................................Man, this pic is not very clear-I guess I didn't have my trusty Nikon at the time! This photo is from a wedding in Oklahoma that Kyle was in-August 2005. John Appel, Slade 2 1/2, and Kyle. The reception was outdoors and we had fun dancing with Slade that night. I can't believe that Finley is the very same age as Slade is in this photo. I think he has a few pounds on her, haha! We stayed in Canadian, Texas - that's the first and only time I've ever been there-definitely not on the beaten path! The groom in the pic and his wife are expecting their first baby in June. Boy, my husband is handsome in a tux!


I tag Jerilyn, Stephanie, and whomever else doesn't have anything better to do, haha!!!!!!!

Penguin Chic

I've been meaning to post these pics and some of my friends have seen them via email. I have a friend that is an awesome seamstress-I mean little girl clothes to die for! She can do just about anything and this little garb is just an example. Finley started preschool on Tues/Thurs last month, as you already know. They had these blue penguin tshirts that are the school shirts that you wear on special days. The only sizes left were 12 mo. and 6/8. I wasn't going to get one, but Finley saw some of the other kids with their shirts and said, "Look, they have penguins on their shirts!" Kyle told me just to get one and she could wear in later. I thought it was ridiculous to buy a 6/8 that looked like it would fit Slade, but I did.

I took this huge shirt to my friend and told her to do something to it so that she might be able to wear it this spring. This is the tshirt people! Look how very cute this is! There are bows and yellow rickrack on the top. She took the sleeves off and made those cute little straps. I bought the turtle neck for $2.50 on clearance and the tights for $1.77 at Wal-Mart. When it gets warmer, she can just wear a short sleeve shirt and sandals or no shirt at all so it looks like a sundress.

And she sent these two bows with the outfit. I mean, seriously, have you seen cuter? The woman can sew! Leave me a message if you would like her number-can you imagine the summer outfits?

The Sweetest Thing

Tonight Kyle was still at the shop and the kids wanted to call him and see when he was coming home. Slade began talking to him and of course Finley had to jump up and down until it was her turn. When she finally got the phone, she held her Magic Erase Board up to face the phone and said, "Look Daddy what I drew!" Kyle said, "Oh that is so pretty Finley!" She smiled so big, with such satisfaction. Good gracious, just steal my heart!