Thursday, May 29, 2008

We're back up and running!

Can you hear the angels sing? I can!!!

Our night, last night:
6:22pm - computer arrival at Smith House via DHL
7:04pm - Adam's arrival home from work
7:09pm - computer taken out of box and 're-construction' started
7:14pm - files start copying from old defunct computer to new and shiny machine
9:35pm - essential functions of computer up and running

Adam is amazing! =)

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Final guesses!

So, today we have our 20 week ultrasound!! If you have a guess as to if we'll be buying pink or blue, please post it in the comments! I'll, of course, report back later tonight! =)

UPDATE:
More pink for the Smith household - it's a girl!! We're super excited and can't wait to meet our second amazing daughter!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Life and death

It's such a weird phenomenon - going from something to nothing in an instant. I've spent the last couple days thinking about someone that I didn't know extremely well... asking questions about a Grander Plan and freak occurrences in this thing that we call life.

I went to high school with Kim - we weren't friends, but we were more than acquaintances. Though we weren't related, we actually had a couple family members in common and sometimes we would talk about those people that we knew. We were in the same choir and during the time that I was on the diving team, she was on the swimming team. But there was nothing really out of the ordinary about us - we walked the same halls and we shared some of the same experiences that you share with anyone that goes to the same school at the same time, but that was about it.

Because of our familial relationship, I had the chance to keep up on her life after graduation a little more than I did with some people. Just recently, I had started reading her blog (blogs being one of those things that keep people who normally wouldn't have kept in touch in each other's lives - if even just in a voyeuristic way). She had made some enormous changes in her life since high school. She had recently lost quite a bit of weight, gotten married, and was starting her own business. It sounded as if she were somewhat unsettled in her 'role in life', as many of us twenty-somethings are at times and it was interesting to read about her daily thoughts, struggles and accomplishments. I never posted on her blog - I doubt that she knew that I read it. But I still kept up with her from post to post.

On Friday night, she and her husband - on their way to meet family in Kansas - were killed by a tornado. From the articles that I've read, they stopped along the side of the road to wait out some hard rain that they had encountered a little before 11pm. They stopped in the wrong spot. A few minutes later, a powerful tornado swept up their car and threw it 150 yards from the road. You can read about the story here, here and here.

When something like this happens, I think that it's pretty natural to evaluate your own life. I've been struck by the thought that they (both close to my own age) were too young to die. Of course, this is a dumb thought - as there's no 'coming of age' for death. Still though, the whole thing seems unfair.

We live in an uncertain world - full of risks and dangers, which are sometimes completely unknown. A higher power, destiny, fate - (whatever your beliefs and whatever you call it) controls the things that we can't. I've mentioned before that I do try to put faith in a Grander Plan... and though it's impossible to do at times, it can bring comfort at others.

My thoughts and prayers are with Kim's and Gary's families and friends. I can't imagine how I would react to something like that happening to a close loved one of mine. I'm pretty sure that I would be inconsolable. I hope that they can find peace in their minds and hearts - someway. I take comfort in the fact that Kim and Gary were together when it happened... and I hope, for their sakes, that the ordeal was quick, painless, and fear-free. I choose to think that it was.

As for the questions that I've been pondering the past couple days, I'm nowhere closer to answers. But, I do know that I'm taking time to hug more often and a little more tightly. It's a small thing to take from something so tragic, but it's something.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Our computer died...

...and while we wait for another one, we've gone a little incommunicado. So, I thought that I would post to let all know that things are well here (we've been asked by a couple of people if everything is ok). Yes, we're fine, we're just without our main computer...

It's amazing how much we do sitting there in front of that screen. Anyway, we should be back up and fully functional sometime next week - we're just waiting on DHL now.

In the meantime, I've posted some pictures of Addy here. Happy Friday!!

Thursday, May 15, 2008

My famous and super cool husband!!

Adam was interviewed a couple weeks back about some of the things that he does while he's at work. The interview is on the net now. I always knew that he was destined for greatness!! You can see it here if you're interested. Everything that he's talking about is, of course over my head, but he's sure cute as he talks his lingo!!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The perfect picture

Addy's two favorite words are 'cat' and 'baby'. She goes crazy when she sees this picture. "Cat, cat, baby, cat, baby, baby..."

kitty

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

A site for rookie (and maybe not so rookie?) moms

So, I just stumbled on to this site. I haven't had too much time to peruse it, but it looks like there's a ton of information that I might find valuable. I thought that I would share it - just in case there are others out there like me! =)

Monday, May 12, 2008

Procrastination

I have a 'to-do list' of things to do before the baby comes that is a mile long. I've had this list since Addy was about 3 months old. Everytime I sit down at the computer, this list stares me in the face. I always think: "I need to get started on that", but once I get up from the computer, out of sight becomes out of mind. Every night after Addy goes to bed for the night, I think about my list again - and then think: "Oh, I'll start tomorrow". Tomorrow never comes - at least for the things on that list.

So, as of today, I'm making a schedule. I'm going to put my list into a calendar - and the things on it are going to start getting checked off. I think that this should work - I did the same thing when I was pregnant with Addy and things really got accomplished. I painted (with doctor approval), I cleaned, I painted, I spruced up, I painted, I re-touched, I organized... oh, did I mention, I painted? =) (I should mention that Adam did things on this list too, though I really did try to keep the list as 'my burden'.)

So, today's the day. I'm going to get started. Hopefully I'll have progress to report every once in a while too. =) So now, I guess I need to stop procrastinating by writing about getting started, and actually get started. Off I go...

Yet again, more shameless self-promotion

I've been working on expanding Just Because over the past couple weeks. I'm still working on one more area, but that will probably take a little more time to get up and running, so I thought that I would run with everything as it is for a little while. Anyway, if you have a free moment, I'd love it if you checked the site out. Of course, suggestions and comments are always encouraged! Thanks!

http://just-because.com

PS - I've added some more care packages recently too. Graduation, gardening, and relaxation - packs now exist for all of them!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

BBQ Ribs and Charlie Wilson's War

We did dinner and movie again last night - two weeks in a row for us... we may actually get back into the routine! =)

We ate BBQ ribs (from the crockpot, which is super cool). I have noted the changes that I made below.

BBQ Ribs in the Crock Pot
Pork, Baby Back or Spareribs w/ bone

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hickory salt or garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can of Coke
1 bottle BBQ Sauce (I used Hot and Spicy)

Spray crock pot w/ cooking spray. Cut ribs so they fit into cooker. Mix brown sugar, hickory or garlic salt and pepper together. Rub mixture onto all sides of ribs. Place ribs in the crock and pour cola around ribs. Cook on low for 7-8 hrs. Drain liquid from cooker. Brush ribs w/ BBQ sauce. Pour remaining sauce in cooker. Cook on low for about 1 hr.

I didn't use the brown sugar at all. I also used garlic powder instead of garlic salt. I added some seasoned salt and minced onion (from the spice rack - not fresh) too. Any type of rub would work, I'm sure. Finished out the meal with (fresh!) corn on the cob (I'm so glad that it's available again), green salad and corn bread. Oh and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.

Though Adam is getting a cold and his tasters aren't as great as they normally are, this meal still got pretty good reviews. Too bad I can't say the same for Charlie Wilson. We gave up on it about 1/2 hour in. I'm sure that we'll still finish it, but it was not what we were expecting from Aaron Sorkin (the (in our house at least) esteemed and amazing writer and director from The West Wing).

Reviews (out of 5):
Adam - Ribs - ****, Movie - the jury is still out
Melanie - Ribs - ****, Movie - * blech. I'm not as optimistic as Adam is. I'll post again about it if I change my mind after watching the whole thing.

(I think that it's also worthy of note that though ribs can often be messy, these weren't - the meat just fell off the bones as I removed it from the crock pot.)

Oh, also, I've decided to start posting the cost of the meals from our Dinner and a Movie night, just because I'm often comparing the price of meals to the quality of the dinner. Of course, I'm also always looking for good and cheap food too (though this one wasn't even close in the 'cheap' category - I think we'll keep this for future special occasions).

Ribs - $9.42
Corn - $1.75
Corn bread - $2.35
Salad - $2.99
Strawberries - $3.00
Chocolate - $1.29
Total = $20.80

This is more than we usually spend on dinner at home. The strawberries (and of course, the meat) were some of that. However, we had leftover ribs, corn bread and salad - enough for another meal. We also could have had strawberries left over, but they were just so darn good (if I do say so myself!).