You Got Served

Hungry? Need an idea for dinner? Well you're in luck! (Great advertisement, huh?)

Seriously, my sister-in-law Kristin started a recipe blog not too long ago called You Got Served and it's fabulous! Kristin is passionate about food. She likes to eat it and make it and happens to have excellent taste so she's really the perfect person to do something like this. I turn to her blog pretty much any time I need an idea. Three of my favorites are Gary's Mac 'n Cheese, Flank Steak and Honey Lime Enchiladas. Check it out, you won't be disappointed!

Fall, Fairs and Cider Mills

Okay, I’m way behind on blogging so this is going back 2 weeks ago when my friend Jana and her family came to visit. They’re in Pittsburgh right now so we’re just a short 5 hour drive away, perfect! It’ll be even more perfect when they move back to Ann Arbor for Jason’s medical fellowship next year; it’s only 1 year long, but we’ll take it. It was so great to have them here!

Shauri and Kristin and kids joined us for some fun on Saturday and here’s some photos that our very talented Shauri took for us while we were out at the cider mill and the Dexter Days fair. Unfortunately we didn’t even think to get any “grown-up” pictures, but the kids are all we want to see anyway, right?

Thanks for the great time Smythes!

An Incompetent Granny…and other Keely funnies

The other day Keely and I were driving to get Mattie from the vet when Keely announced, “Mom, I’m only going to have one child.” I thought this was a strange way to start a conversation but just went with it.
“Oh really? Why?”
“Well, because if my husband and I ever want to go out of town for the weekend and drop the kids’ off at granny’s house (that would be me) I think you would do fine with 1 child, but 2 would just be out of control!!!”
Hmmm, thanks for the confidence Keely. I went on to assure Keely that she could have as many children as she wanted and promised that I could handle it but the fact remains that this slight could be interpreted in so many different ways.

Another fun moment was the other day when Keely walked over to the kitchen sink and turned to look at me disapprovingly while folding her arms across her chest. “Look mom, we’ve talked about this before; turn the faucet off. When are you going to start caring about our earth?!” I promise the faucet was barely dripping and I didn’t even know it was on but consider me well reprimanded!

One more story. We went on a road trip to upstate New York this last weekend and at one point Ben dropped his binki. Knowing that the road trip would be much more pleasant if he had his prize I took off my seat belt and then turned around to look for the needful thing when I hear, “Where did you learn that mom?”
“Learn what?”
“To take off your seat belt like that. Was it from Shauri or some other naughty person?”
Shawn and I both started cracking up about this. Shauri is Keely’s Aunt who often times tries to get Keely to try things a different way or “think outside the box” if you will. Looks like you shouldn’t go against what her mamma taught her Shauri! : )

Keely's Birthday Week

I am convinced that they (you know, the man) should change the word "birthday" to "birthweek." In my experience kids no longer have a day of festivities; between school, friends and family it seems to last the whole week. Keely's was no exception. She started the week by taking goody bags to school followed by a day (her actual birthday) of getting spoiled silly by getting to choose her whole day. Blueberry pancakes for breakfast, a surprise gift after school (an easel and art table), a movie at the theater with dad, play time at Max's, dinner at Red Robin and cake and ice cream with family that night. I think that she had a great day but after reminding me for the 100th time that it was her birthday and that she could choose/do anything she wanted that day I told her that I knew and she didn't have to remind me any more to which she replied, "But mom, that's what you do on Mother's Day." Touche.

After a little break from the celebrations Keely had her friend party on Saturday night. A "pretend sleepover" where everyone came in their pj's, and brought their favorite stuffed animal and sleeping bag. We started the party with pizza, followed by more cake (a Barbie cake that Keely had been begging for) and ice cream and had a scavenger hunt followed by slumber party games like "musical sleeping bags." Instead of someone getting out though I just told them if they didn't land on a sleeping bag they had to do a silly dance. The girls had fun with this and I suspect a couple of them were actually trying not to end with a sleeping bag. All in all I think everyone had a great time!



Happy Birthday sweet girl!

New York, New York

Once again I took a fall trip to my favorite place. Thanks so much to Amy and Shauri for making the trip and for posting all about it so that I don't have to.

P.S. Just don't believe everything Shauri writes! : )