Slacker

Sorry I haven't blogged much. I just haven't felt like it! How's that for an excuse.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to get away for a weekend. It was anything but a retreat - I came home more physically tired than when I left. It was a great experience, though, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend. The weekend is called the Great Banquet and it was held at my church in Jacksonville. Honestly it's not my type of retreat because, well, it's not a retreat. There are a LOT of speakers and it's pretty intense. But it was just so so good for me. I think I am the only one who left feeling rested in ways that I truly needed.

For example, we had to give up our watches and cell phones which was so difficult for some, but glorious for me. The team made our meals, and they were beyond delicious and abundant. I was told when to be where I needed to be, when to settle in for bed, and when to wake up. I think I loved this so much because I didn't have to make a single decision. That and the fact that no one was saying, "Watta, watta, milk-a-me, milk-a-me, waffle, waffle, nakin-me, nakin-me" all weekend long. (For those of you who don't speak "Zoe" that's "water, water, milk for me, milk for me, waffle, waffle, and napkin me, napkin me - aka give me a napkin". No one woke up in the middle of the night screaming because their molars are coming in (i.e. Tori). And no one was saying, "So what are we going to do today, Mom" (the Mag).

We had a time to be silent and I LOVED it. I think I could have done that the whole three days.

I was so ready to come home, though. I just really missed Ian and the girls. Even though I make light of their driving me crazy, and they do drive me crazy at times, I just missed them a bunch. When I saw Maggie at the church on Sunday after it was over I seriously thought I might leap out of the car I was in so that I could go and squeeze her neck. That's a great feeling.

So I guess I just wanted to share that the Lord was good to me last weekend. I know He is good all the time, but last weekend was a real gift. I know that a lot of people prayed hard and worked hard so that I could make some space to hear from the Lord and to hear myself think. It was glorious and I am so grateful!

Ice Cream at Marty's

I'm not sure I've posted about how excited I am to have my friend Marty living 5 houses up from us. They moved in about a month ago and it's been so fun. She has twin girls who are 6 years old, in Maggie's class, and of course are Maggie's best buds. Then she has a little bundle of lovin' named JP, aka "Rock-a-Baby, Rock-a-Baby" to Zoe, who is 2 months old. Every day after school either Marty or I (or both) will walk up to the bus stop to get the big girls. Then about 3 out of 5 afternoons we all have snack together and it's basically a free for all daycare for an hour or two.

Yesterday we went to Marty's because she has this awesome lanai (that's a screened porch for you non-Floridians) and we just let the kids run around and eat little ice cream cones. By the way, if you haven't found the little mini ice creams at the grocery store you're missing out. It's perfect for kids - and you can eat like 5 of them and still talk yourself into believing it was less than a regular sized ice cream. Anyway, here are the adorable pictures Marty took. I could seriously eat Tori with a spoon when her hair is in pigtails.

Maggie's birthday party

I can't believe I haven't put these pics up yet. They are just so fun and cute so I thought I'd include them. The last one pretty much encapsulates what her party was all about...jumping. Or as Zoe calls it, "Jumpin-n-n, Jumpin-n-n". For some reason she adds "n-n" on everything.

Like a few weeks ago when we were driving to church and she saw a McDonald's and thought were turning in there. She started yelling "YEA!!! YEA!!! Chicken-n-n, Chicken-n-n!!! YEA!!!".

My 22 month old knows all about Happy Meals. What a proud Mommy moment.

But I digress... enjoy the birthday pics.

Nice Send Off

This is the way I find Zoe almost every time I get her up from sleeping...totally naked.

My sweet friend Harriet and her family are moving back to Durham, NC tomorrow. I am so sad! We have tried to get our crazy children together a lot this week so we can have coffee and hang out. Today I dropped by her house with Starbucks as a sort of final farewell. In classic Smith style our time ended with my leaving Tori there with her while I rushed Zoe to the doctor. She (Zoe) started throwing a fit in my arms and I put her down on the ground so she could go at it. She threw her head back and smacked it on the concrete. Of course it started bleeding everywhere, Harriet pulled out a bag of frozen okra (I love my Southern friends!), slapped it on her head and sent me out the door.

When I walked into the doctor's office the nurse just rolled her eyes with me. They know Zoe's a nut. I swear I have been keeping those people in business this past year. I've been in there three times since last Friday.

What a way to send off my friend. It really is perfect, though. She has seen me at my worst and for some reason still likes to be around me. I'm going to miss her for so many reasons. First of all, her boys are the most precious little things ever and her oldest, Will, has a smile that could literally light up a room. Secondly, she somehow knows me and knows when I need a break. She talked Ian into letting her take me away for the night last May. It was heavenly! We sat by the pool, read gossip magazines, got our toes done, ate yummy food and were asleep by like 9:30. I love that she is from Durham and we have that connection. I love that she will be eating NC barbeque, strolling Duke Forest and breathing in the beautiful spring in just 24 short hours.

The thing I think I will miss the most, though, is that she totally cracks me up. I think it takes a LONG time to start to really gut laugh with someone. I do that with my siblings pretty easily and with Ian, but even though I've only known her a couple years I really laugh when I'm with Harriet. Though we really don't get to see each other all the time, we call each other a bunch just to share something funny. I hope that won't change, though she won't be able to crack on people in our neighborhood any more. (Just kidding St. John's Golf - sort of). So sad.

Harriet, I love you and your family to pieces. Can't wait to visit soon and see you settled in NC. I know it's truly home for you both and we are excited/jealous (did I just type that?) for all that's ahead for you.

One thing we won't miss - watching the Duke/UNC game with you. I can't believe we tried to do that a couple years ago. Amazing our friendship made it through!

It's all over now

The twins were in their cribs "napping" and I thought I heard a door close. I went down the hall and their door was still closed so I didn't think much about it. A few minutes later Zoe was really crying so I went in. She was standing in the middle of the room clutching her "Baa Baa". There were baby wipes emptied out all over the floor and the closet door was open with clothes strewn everywhere.

She got out of her crib.

I don't know what to do. If she does it again tonight she's getting spanked. It's tough, though, because I'm kind of proud of her for figuring it out and she's so thrilled with herself. I just can't have her getting out of her crib, though, and I just can't bring myself to buy one of those mosquito nets that cages her into the crib.

On another note, Tori fell and hit her head on the dryer today while she was helping me. She has a big bump beside her eye, which looks great with the scratch she has across her chin from yesterday (no clue about that one). Then a few minutes ago I sat her in the chair at the table and gave her a granola bar. I left the room thinking, "she's old enough to sit there for a minute". Umm, no. She started screaming and Maggie was yelling for me. I ran back inthere and Tori was lying on the tile floor. Mag told me that Tori stood up in her chair and then fell off onto her head on the floor.

So, I guess I'll be checking her pupils every time I walk into their room to spank Zoe tonight for getting out of the crib.

Awesome.

Ham Bone...Where Have You Been...

Around the world...And back again...hambone!

This is more than just a little ditty that my grandfather would sing to us while he played this hilarious rhythm on his knee. (I know, I know, more of the South Carolina Sloan craziness).

Well never was this ditty more true than last week. First of all, Maggie's birthday was on Valentine's Day and lots of family came in to celebrate. While they were here my dad decided he should go to the store and get ham, string beans, and hot dogs so we could make it through the weekend. After all, "there are so many things you can do with ham to feed a large family," he said. So funny. And so true.

I felt like Bubba Gump with the ham. We had ham by itself, green beans cooked with ham, vegetable soup with ham, black eyed peas with ham, ham biscuits, and ham sandwiches.

And the funny thing is, I felt like such a woman that week cooking up all that ham stuff. Sometimes I just picture my grandmothers smiling down at me from heaven while I make these Southern goodies. I put my apron on, let my kids run wild (like always), and get to cookin.

It's funny the things that make me feel like a woman. Not going shopping or wearing sexy lingerie. For me it's cookin it up for my family and bringing food to my friends.

All this cooking made me start thinking about the good cooking Nana did for our family over the years. It's almost been a year since she died and so I decided we should celebrate her life by, what else, cooking! So on Palm Sunday we're going to have a Nana Feast in Columbia at my mom's house for all Nana's kids, grands and great grands. I seriously can't think of anything more fun. Everyone is going to come and bring something that Nana made. Here's a sampling:

Fried chicken
Fried squash (aka "Papa's Favorite")
Mushroom rice
Butter beans (that's lima to you)
Green beans
Rice and gravy
(Extremely) Sweet Tea
Vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and pecans on top
Pound Cake
Trash (aka homemade chex mix)
Easter Eggs to dye and hunt (We always did this at the lake every year)
And let's don't forget the ever popular, ever present hi-ball (screwdriver) and mimosas

So take out stock in Tums. Wanna come?

People ask me how I find time to blog. I always tell them that I do it so that I'll stay sane, which is partially true. Today it is totally true. I'm having one of those days. It's 1:30 and both girls are awake from their naps already FOR THE DAY. Tori has a tooth poking through and is such a bear when that happens. She is usually a real angel, but this kid screams nonstop when she's getting a tooth. Zoe, on the other hand, just seems to choose days to scream and whine. Really it seems like every day and it's really really hard.

I am breaking one of our family rules because we try not to speak negatively about another member of the family to others. But I gotta tell ya, I'm going nuts. I don't really know what to do. I tried to take them to a friend's house today for a playdate and it's just so difficult to reign them in, keep them out of trouble and off the stairs when we're somewhere else. Then I just end up feeling more frustrated because I can't finish an entire sentence, let alone a thought, with the friend I'm visiting.

I know this is going to pass. I know it goes quickly. I just can't help but think that I would be so much more fun if I had them in some sort of daycare or mother's morning out. One that I could count on. I have a sitter or two who come occasionally, but I am usually using that time to run errands or go tot he doctor or something. Which, don't get me wrong, is better than trying to do those things with the twins.

I realize I'm committing Mommy Sins by wishing this away and I want to say that's not what I'm doing, but I guess today I am. Sorry. I know that's not good. That's just where I am.

I promise I'll write about more encouraging things next time!