Milk Breath and Margaritas

10th Birthday Outdoor Adventure Theme Party

2012-09-19T11:17:00.000-05:00

Shark Boy (still haven't renamed him for blog purposes), turned 10 this summer. He invited a herd of boys over for a Camp / Outdoor themed party. Here are some photos, for those of you who scan for party ideas!

The dessert table. Lanterns we use for camping, a wooden bowl and a tin bucket with bait (Swedish fish) were perfect accents.

I did a lot with rolls of burlap and gingham and plaid - just unfinished pieces of fabric. I put daisies in Mason jars and in my blue enamel camp coffee pot.

The cake was chocolate with chocolate ganache filling, graham crackers for the tent, sugar cones for trees, candy rocks for the fire pit and the '10', and a lake of blue gel icing, which fortunately tastes good!

You have to have cake pops, right?

Campfire cupcakes.

On the campsite cake he is standing beside his tent. That is a photo I took of him hiking in The Garden of the Gods in Colorado. I printed it on regular photo paper, cut it out, and stuck it right in the icing.

Above - water bottles and Hersey bars wrapped in camp theme craft paper.

He was helping me hang decorations on the pergola and looked at me and said, "You didn't have to do all this." I assured him I did because I love him and it makes me happy to create a great party to celebrate one of the greatest days of MY life - the day this sweet child was born.

After it was over he hugged me and said he really appreciated his party and thought it was completely awesome.

Mission accomplished.

It's Been A Long While...

2012-08-14T13:10:00.001-05:00

It's been so long. I hardly know how to begin.

A great deal has happened to me since this blog was active and part of the reason it trailed off was my uncertainty about whether to change direction at this blog or start over with a new one. I've decided to start posting and work up to what I think I'm supposed to write about and wait for the answer to become clear.

I also have given much thought to my boys blog names - Shark Boy and Bear. I don't want to use their real names but the play names don't feel right anymore. Not sure what to do about that.

Shark Boy is 10 now and in 5th grade, which I can hardly wrap my mind around. Sending him to 5th grade was harder for me than taking Bear to Kindergarten this week, which was an unexpected twist on the first day of school.

Speaking of Bear, he's a real pistol and I wish the teacher much luck. He's darling and sweet as can be but you really can't take your eyes off him. In the last year or so he's cut the tassels off my drapes, "cleaned" the outside of the door of my SUV with sandpaper, peed in the trash can in his room (you smell that long before you find it), used black Sharpie to write his name on his bedroom furniture, burned grocery receipts in the toaster, AND ETC. This is not an unsupervised child. He's like a curious cat and half the time he is genuinely surprised to be in trouble.

My grown daughter and my husband are also fine, in case there is anyone out there from before who still has this blog in their Reader!

In terms of the fluffy side of life, just allow me to say: PINTEREST. I tell Mr. Smith that the answer to everything is on Pinterest. (It's true.) I love it and have been doing a lot of the things I pin. We've designed a new deck and patio from my inspiration board, I've painted faux bois walls in the boys rooms, I've learned to make my own photo canvases and remove stains from anything. I know hundreds of things to do with pallets, Nutella, and Mason jars. I've also developed a serious nesting impulse and decided that next to nothing in my house really reflects me at this stage of my life, including the house itself. (Pinterest can be a bad thing.)

Whew! A post up after over a year!

Maybe I can do this again.

Moo

2012-08-08T17:47:00.001-05:00

April 28

2011-04-28T09:12:00.006-05:00

Today is the feast day of a saint that I have a particular devotion to - Saint Gianna Beretta Molla.

When I first heard about Saint Gianna, I was elated. She was a working mother! She loved her husband and children so much and treasured her home and her family. She liked fashion and theater and music. She loved to ski. She was so - normal.

Saints can seem so utterly different from everyone else. Often priests or nuns who have done extraordinary things for God, they seem to be made of other stuff than me, possessing some quality of spiritual material I don't have. Most of them have spent their lives dedicated to God in a way that is quite simply hard to fathom. They certainly tend to find themselves in circumstances very different from my own.

In reading about the lives of saints, there is always so much to learn and apply to my own life. But Gianna is different, oddly enough because of her familiarity.

Gianna Beretta Molla was full of life and her life was so typical. She went to college, she worked, she planned a lovely wedding to her beloved Pietro, and enjoyed decorating their home. Gianna kept her day job - a bustling medical practice - while having a growing family. She enjoyed going on holidays with her husband and children. Gianna worked for Catholic Action and the St. Vincent de Paul Society as well, and she placed God at the center of all she did. She was vibrant, modern, and deeply faithful. Gianna helped me see something I'd always read and known but couldn't really understand how to implement: we are all called to be holy, and with God's grace, capable of it. Even regular working moms.

Saint Gianna is a model for how women in the modern world can do it. My steps are small, but I look to her and I try harder now. I have been so inspired by her.

When I read that Saint Gianna's feast day was April 28th, my connection to her was cemented forever. April 28th is the anniversary of my becoming a mother myself, the day I celebrate the birth of my only daughter.

Happy Birthday A!

Gianna Beretta Molla was a dedicated doctor, a pediatrician and surgeon, in Italy. She was a happy wife and mother of three children she adored. Gianna died on April 28, 1962 after refusing a life saving operation that would have required killing her fourth child in the womb. She was 39. The baby girl she gave birth to, named Gianna, is now also a doctor in Italy.

Flaming Dinner

2011-04-04T19:01:00.006-05:00

Tonight for dinner I was making Beef Bourguignon. Shark Boy was quietly doing his homework at the kitchen table. I got to the part where I add 1/2 a cup of cognac to my large stovetop pot of vegetables, ignite it, let the alcohol burn off, and then add a bottle of red wine. (Why yes, it is a good recipe.)

I struck a match, stuck it in the pot, and WHOOSH! Bright orange flames shot all the way up into my range hood. I stepped back and surveyed this situation, mildly concerned, for about half a second when I heard:

"THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!"

Shark Boy walked over, looked at the still flaming pot, looked at me, and we both started laughing. It was so funny that I had just set my pot on fire. We watched it dying down, which took several minutes. "Do it again!" he yelled, still giggling.

He sat back down to his homework, but looked up after a minute and asked, "Was that supposed to happen?" which made me laugh all over again.

If you want to impress your kids, ignite dinner. Shark Boy can't wait until we have Beef Bourguignon again!

Photo from our Mother-Son hike during Spring Break.

Keep Clicking

2011-03-31T16:27:00.010-05:00

One thing I've learned about photographing people is to keep clicking past that first or second shot. This is especially true with kids.

I will demonstrate:

Camera ready, I say "Hey, look over here."

And I get this. So I say, "Can you smile?"

So he smiles. Cheese-ball smile. So I say, "No, really smile!"

So he does cheese-ball to the 4th power. So I say "Just smile NORMAL."

So he frowns, of course. So I tell him to say pickle, and he says pickle like an angry sailor would say - well nevermind. So I say, "Geez, are you mad at the pickle?!"

And -- he giggles.

And smiles.

And finally, he looks at me and smiles like a normal person.

When he smiles at me I swear my heart explodes every time. (It's possible I'm not going to be a very good mother-in-law.)

Puppy Update (Oh Help Me)

2011-03-10T09:05:00.006-06:00

Remember when this happened?

And then, way too soon for me, this happened?

Well, our puppy Hunter is now 7 months old. Just like his beloved predecessor, he's an AKC registered Golden Retriever. And he cost about a million dollars (in other words - a simply ridiculous amount of money).

Somehow you think that getting the same breed (and paying out your nose for him) will get you a kind of repeat dog. Sam could never be replaced of course, but another Golden Retriever would have the temperament and intelligence, psychological traits, and a very similar basic personality bent.

Right?

Right?

Sam was beautiful. He was classy. He was a gentleman. He had a certain dignity.

Hunter is beautiful alright.

Practically the Platonic Form of 'Golden Retriever.'

But he's a little off.

Dignified wouldn't be the term that jumps to mind.

Short list of annoyances: Chewed through heavy-duty webbed harness, chewed through leather harness, chewed 3 (or 4?) $15 retractable leashes in half, eats plastic, eats fabric, eats wood, eats houseplants, shreds paper/toilet paper/cardboard, humps (Sam would never), is not fully housebroken yet (just shoot me and do I even need to go on?).

Pray for me ya'll.

Love,

Difficulty Bonding in Nashville

My Favorite Athlete

2011-02-09T10:16:00.003-06:00

The Best Christmas Book Recommendation Ever

2010-12-07T22:35:00.006-06:00

This book is one of the highlights of our Christmas season each year. My daughter loved it when she was little, and now for the third year in a row Shark Boy is nearly in tears from laughter as I read him one chapter each night.

It is the story of the horrible Herdman kids and how they end up in the church Christmas pageant, which sounds like standard fare but trust me, it is hilarious. It begins like this:

The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls) and talked dirty and hit little kids and cussed their teachers and took the Lord's name in vain and set fire to Fred Shoemaker's old broken-down toolhouse.

By the time I finish this spectacular opening paragraph, my kids are on the floor - they LOVE it. The book has a great message about the meaning of Christmas, and it is just so much fun.

We also have a St. Nicholas book (St. Nicholas leaves chocolate coins in my kids shoes on December 6th, his feast day), a couple of preschool level nativity stories, and Twas the Night Before Christmas of course, but I'd like to expand our selection. I am going to order this book to start.

What other Christmas books do you read with your kids?

Three

2010-11-22T14:05:00.006-06:00

I don't have a good picture of all three of my kids together (they are moving targets), so I decided to fix that by taking some pictures of them this weekend.

I figured if I planned the pictures, instead of just trying to grab a shot or two during a chaotic birthday party, for example, I'd finally get a folder full of excellent pictures.

Let's have a look, shall we?

The subjects, not paying attention.

(No, she didn't get that hair from me unfortunately.)

Off to a stellar beginning.

Everyone please pay attention at the same time and don't make weird fake smiley faces!

We're getting closer, but baby Bear, oh goodness that face.

One giant step backward with this one. Just look at the faces the boys are making. How am I supposed to shoot in these conditions? How pitiful are they?

Now this would have been really good, except for the statue's head in the middle. (This one did capture one of my very favorite expressions of Bear's. I call it "nonplussed and unimpressed.")

This is where I begin to accept that Bear will never produce a normal smile as long as he is aware of the camera.

Here are the best ones (2 out of 136):

I haven't given up yet. I will get the shot I want before Bear is grown!

P.S. I love all of these pictures. Just sayin.

Um, Halloween? Well, why not!

2010-11-10T21:01:00.003-06:00

It's never too late for Halloween pics, right?

He was so excited to be Harry Potter. He had the tie, the light up wand, and even a scar.

And this one made the most adorable dinosaur ever.

Oh my darling Chubbasaur!

Check back in January for my Thanksgiving post. heh.

Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

2010-10-31T22:00:00.000-05:00

This was a big hit with my men this week. It's hearty and full of fall color and flavor.

Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

4 (1/2 inch thick) butterflied boneless pork chops
1 C apple cider, divided
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
2 green onions, chopped
2 T chopped fresh sage leaves
3/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 large Rome or other cooking apples, sliced
1 t cornstarch

Brown pork chops on both sides in a large non-stick skillet. Remove chops and set aside.

Add 3/4 C apple cider, sweet potato, green onions, sage leaves, salt and pepper to skillet. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes.

Add pork chops and apple, cover, simmer 10 to 15 minutes until sweet potato is tender and pork chops are done. Remove apple, sweet potato, and pork chops to serving platter.

Add to drippings in skillet 1/4 C apple cider and cornstarch. Stir until smooth, cooking over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Boil one minute, stirring constantly. Pour over pork chops.

This had been added to our rotation! A wonderful harvest time recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks: Southern Living Annual Recipes, 20th Anniversary Edition.

Have a great Monday and be sure to check out the other great recipes at Rachel's!

Weekly Winners

2010-10-30T21:51:00.004-05:00

One of my all-time favorites - this lovely wave.

An abstract wave.

Butterfly at the Beach.

St. Meinrad Archabbey, Indiana

(Morning prayers at 5:30 y'all. One of the greatest things on earth IMHO is hearing the bells call you to morning prayer while it's still dark outside. And I'm not a morning person!)

And then the sunrise!

And this my friends, is THE absolute hands-down weekly winner. I couldn't even begin to explain why.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Visit Lotus for many awesome Weekly Winners.

Weekly Winners - Furbaby

2010-10-16T22:29:00.006-05:00

October 10-16
Hunter comes home.

Visit Lotus for more Weekly Winners.

Music & Molasses

2010-10-13T16:06:00.003-05:00

Just popping in (POP! HELLO!) to remind everyone about the Music and Molasses Festival at Ellington Agricultural Center this weekend.

I've talked before about how much I love the Ag Center, and how it made me a friend.

The annual Music & Molasses Arts & Crafts Festival is a celebration of the harvest season. You can watch the molasses being cooked up and get ya a taste at the sorghum mill, listen to Bluegrass music, and browse the traditional crafts and homemade foods for sale (PIE). Horse-drawn buggy rides too.

This is the first time in a couple years we've been in town the weekend of this festival and I can't wait to take the boys. If you see me there say HI.

(From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Not a sponsored or compensated post.)

Wish You Were Here

2010-10-07T10:55:00.003-05:00

Blue Ribbon Day

2010-09-15T10:02:00.004-05:00

Y'all - I won two Blue Ribbons at the State Fair (squee!) and one Honorable Mention ribbon. I am so surprised and so thrilled! I never thought I'd win a Blue Ribbon at the Fair, and if you'd told me it would happen someday I'd have immediately thought "pie." Surely it would be for a pie. But Photography? Never in my wildest dreams. This photo of Mr. P and Bear won 1st place in the Human Interest category, and was in the running for Best in Show. It was taken in January during Nashville's big snow.

Cell phone shot of the exhibit. Mr. P was so excited for me. It really was sweet.

This magnificent rose won 1st place in Color Flowers. The photo was taken at Chateau St. Jean vineyard in Sonoma County, California in June.

Look - an absolutely horrible cell phone photo of the exhibit. (Um, wonder who took this crappy photo?) (I was really really excited ok?)

And this received an Honorable Mention in Color Landscape. This stunning place is Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado, taken in July.

This was a great confidence booster for me to just keep shooting. I don't have any grand plans for my photography, but I love it and I want to be good at it. I also want a do-over on my trip to France now. When I look at the few pictures I have from that vacation - I DIE.

Remember if you're close to us, the Tennessee State Fair is up and running now through September 19th!

Tips for Entering the State Fair Photography Competition

2010-09-14T18:14:00.000-05:00

There are lots of ways to improve your photography. I tried (and quickly failed) to do a Project 365 this year (take at least one photo a day for a year). But last month, I decided to enter the Tennessee State Fair Photography Competition and see what I could learn from that experience.

The judge at our state competition is professional photographer Jerry Atnip. He gave a Jury Talk Saturday about how to enter (and win) State Fair or other photography competitions. Here are my notes from his talk:

Why Enter A Photography Competition
To boost your confidence, to build your resume, it forces you to practice, you learn from seeing what other photographers enter, it forces you to look more critically at your work, exhibiting (not to mention winning) brings exposure to your work.

I would add to this that it is really fun! I loved looking at everyone's images, seeing mine on display too, and getting to meet and talk with other photographers.

How To Select A Competition
Research the competition and make sure it's legitimate and not just a way to collect entry fees. See if it's been around for a while and look at past winners if possible. Be sure the competition suits your photographic style/genre, and that the entries are at or above your level. Read the fine print of the rules for any indications that you are giving up rights to your images. Never give up your image rights. If possible, research who the judges are; are they people you want judging your work?

I entered the State Fair competition because I happened to be on their mailing list and was sent the entry information for the entire Fair - show animals, vegetables, creative arts, the whole thing. It hadn't occured to me to enter the Fair (or any other competition), but I thought it would be really interesting, and it was only $2 per photo to enter, so why not?

How To Select Images
You are the first juror and you have to edit yourself. The judges won't know or care about the backstory of the photo (how early you got up, how wonderfully photogenic your kid is, etc.); the photograph has to stand alone. Be original, think differently, and enter something the judges won't see 10 others of. Have technical skill (learn the rules of photography, then learn how and when to break them), but also have a vision so the image isn't flat. Tell a story, evoke an emotion. Keep it simple. If you ask for opinions, don't ask your mother. Family tends to think your work is all awesome.

I had no idea how to choose images. I picked out the three (you could only enter three) that I felt were the strongest technically (composition, exposure, etc.) and also just - well - pretty. One of the three had a clear story/emotional component.

The Rules. Follow Them.
Follow them to the letter. If it says 16x20 mounting, don't submit a bigger one to get noticed - it won't be judged. Turn your images in on time and don't ask for an extension. The shows are hard work for the organizers - be respectful of the guidelines. Do not ever put an identifying mark on the front of the picture. The judges need to look at the images without knowing whose they are.

Presentation of the Image
Be sure it's neat and clean. Mount/matte on black or white, even if the rules do not specify this. Anything else is only a distraction for the judge, even if that blue looks really pretty. On the back of the mounting, put a big arrow indicating which way is up. It can be surprisingly hard to tell sometimes, and you want your photograph judged and displayed properly.

Strategies For Winning
Look at past winners if possible, or at winners from similar competitions. Select your categories carefully. In Tennessee for instance, "Aquatic Life" will likely be a small category and "Color Flowers" will be big (lots of entries). Once you pick a category, do something different. Look at images from masters of that genre. Submit a unique point of view.

Be Prepared To Lose More Than You Win
It will just work out that way. If you lose, there are 100 possible reasons. Do not be discouraged!

If You Win
Tell people about it! Take the exposure that a win affords you. Thank the organizers and judges.

Next, I will post my entries and tell you if they won anything.

Have you ever entered a photography competition? Do you have any pointers?

Weekly Winners - Tennessee State Fair 2010

2010-09-12T11:04:00.004-05:00

Winner - Amateur Decorated Cakes. How cute is this thing?

Let the games begin!

Oh holy cow. This flop eared baby cow almost came home with me. I want one!

Husband and wife, waiting for their showing.

Whut?

My favorite ride.

The Tennessee State Fair started yesterday. Y'all go on - it's so much fun!

Visit Lotus for amazing Weekly Winners.

2010-09-11T07:26:00.003-05:00

A re-post.
***

I was in my office, a steaming cup of coffee warming my hands. The background noise was National Public Radio's morning news, as it was every day. My desk faced the windows. It was a bright blue day.

I'd been chatting with one of my staff, a friend, who had just disappeared from my doorway. I turned back to something on my computer. I was wearing black pants and a blue blouse; an odd thing to remember.

My phone rang, it was my mother. She said I needed to find a TV right away. They were showing a plane flying into one of the World Trade Center buildings in New York City.

a small plane? like a little private jet?

no, a commercial airliner.

oh my God, are you sure? it has to be an accident... it's a horrible accident. but wait, how could that be an accident? it can't be an accident.

My friend reappeared in my doorway.

have you heard?

**************

News came of the second plane. Then another one. Then another one. With each attack a low level panic grew. How many cities? How long will this go on? Has a war started on our soil? Will other forms of attack be unleashed in the next hours and days - chemicals, bombs, violent groups of men (who?) storming into our cities to do - what exactly?

New York City. Washington, DC. - oh God those people...

Nashville? We are safe here?

As that longest of days wore on, I picked up the phone a few times to call my daughter's school but didn't. They would call me if they were sending children home. I'm sure it's fine. Nashville can't be very high on the list.

Who's list is this?

********************

Almost three weeks later, I was in the backyard with my dog when I heard the steady hum of an engine. Blinking into the sun, I saw a single airplane moving slowly and steadily across the sky. I wiped away tears, looking up at the first plane I'd seen since America was attacked. I watched it until I could no longer see it, wondering if the people on board were frightened.

Dear Sam

2010-09-07T19:38:00.010-05:00

I miss you old buddy.

I remember when you were about 8 months old and you ate an entire bag of Hersey kisses that you pulled off the dining room table while I was at work. You ate them wrappers and all and I called the doctor in a panic because you ate all that chocolate. You were fine though, especially after you puked up a giant ball of foil in the front yard.

The time I was maddest at you was the cupcake incident. I baked and painstakingly hand decorated two dozen cupcakes for Sugarplum's Sunday school class party (you would have been just over a year old). I went to bed Saturday night with two cookie sheets full of cupcakes on my stove top and woke up Sunday morning with THREE CUPCAKES - the ones you couldn't reach, standing on your giant hind feet. You snarfed (again, wrapper and all) all those cupcakes, spitting out only the tiny red cinnamon candies, and otherwise not making a mess at all. You didn't even get sick.

But in 13 years the number of times you did wrong were precious few. You were a good, good dog Sam. You loved us and only wanted us to be happy and you made us happy.

You were a gift for Sugarplum when she was eight years old. The time when she could hold you like the great fat baby you were was fairly short. Golden Retrievers are big dogs.

You went through Puppy Preschool at a pet store, and months after graduation we went back and you were so excited to be there you took off running down an aisle and Sugarplum could barely hold on to your leash. She fell and you dragged her all the way to the back of the store on her belly. ("Stay" wasn't your best subject back then.)

Right beside me, you watched her grow up.

When you were five years old a tiny baby boy came home and you did not like that. At all. You kept a very wide berth, preferring to stay in another room altogether from this small intruder. But a boy emerged, one who loved you and spilled food and in time could toss the frisbee, and all was well. You were his best buddy.

When you were ten years old another one came. You were older and more tolerant this time, giving a groan and an eye roll, steering clear until this one too, could throw straight.

You loved frisbees and water. You could run and leap so high to catch that flying disk, and you could stay underwater longer than I would have thought possible. You loved to go camping and canoeing, you loved snow, you loved to dive off the end of the dock in Florida or dive for rocks anywhere there was a river or lake. Even as an old man, this past winter, you went sledding with us.

I remember when your puppy smell faded away I was sad, but you always had the softest ears. You acted like a young fool for years, waggling not just your tail but your entire body at everyone and howling with joy at family and visitors alike. I thought you'd never grow up.

Then I watched your nose go white and your soft brown eyes grow wise. In time, you got slower and quieter. Sitting on the floor with you that last morning, petting and kissing your warm head and telling you how much we love you and what a good dog you are, the best dog there ever was, was the best goodbye you and I could have had, though just so very hard.

In the last few weeks, Bear sometimes says "I want Sam to come home now." We all do.

About your daddy...I promise Sam, no one ever loved a dog like he loved you.

You were so special, so beautiful inside and out. You were truly a golden boy, and there will never be another Sam Golden.

I love you and I miss you.

Your Mommy

Sam Golden Smith

August 12, 1997 - August 21, 2010

Easy Baby Bries - Apricot and Cherry

2010-08-15T19:53:00.006-05:00

I don't have good photos of these recipes because they get eaten up before I can get my lens cap off!

These two brie recipes are easy as can be, fool-proof crowd pleasing appetizers.

Brandied Apricot Brie and Cherry Pecan Brie (pictured above)

Brandied Apricot Brie
Mix together 1 C apricot preserves, 2 teaspoons of brandy, 1 1/2 teaspoons of orange juice, 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Heat mixture in microwave for 30 seconds to a minute - until it's just starting to bubble.

Place a wheel of brie in a shallow serving dish, pour the apricot mixture over it, and microwave until the brie is soft and melting. (In my microwave it's about a minute.)

Serve with French bread.

And even though I've made this three times this summer, these are the two pathetic photographs I have:

Trust me - it's very pretty. I'll try to get a decent photo next time!

Next up, Cherry Pecan Brie.

I think this one is my new favorite. It's sweet and zingy and uses two of my favorite things: cherries and balsamic vinegar!

Mix in a bowl 1/3 C cherry preserves, 1 T balsamic vinegar, 1/8 t freshly ground pepper, and 1/8 t of salt. Pour mixture over your Brie round and heat in microwave until the brie is soft and melty. Top with toasted pecans.

Again, this is it for the pictures:

Y'all, this is SO good. Serve with water crackers, bread, or toast points.

Two super easy, no cook, wonderful appetizers!

Have a great Monday and be sure to check out the other great recipes at Rachel's!

The Bull Ridin' Song

2010-08-11T22:00:00.000-05:00

Last fall Mr. P was flipping through the channels on TV and stopped on Professional Bull Riding. My boys were riveted, especially little Bear who was not even three yet.

Bear fixated on bull riding with all his toddler energy. We did a cowboy birthday, he got boots and a hat and some chaps, and he rides his spring horse so hard it moves around the room until he tosses himself from the saddle (gets bucked off) and leaps to the sofa (so he doesn't get trampled).

His favorite bull rider is a young man named (music warning on this link) J. B. Mauney (pronounced "mooh-nee") . Three-year old Bear sort of mushes those initials together and calls him "Jackie Mauney," which charms the socks right off of his Mama. Here is J. B.:

( I love that hat.)

Bear also likes a rider named Kody Lostroh. Kody won the world championship last year and took home $1.5 million dollars.

This weekend the PBR comes to Nashville. Bear is so excited. The other night he grabbed a toy microphone and sang me "the bull ridin' song" which I'm seriously thinking should be the opening act at the PBR. I don't know if this indicates Bear's calling as a bull rider or as a heavy metal rocker, but it sure would get the crowd going!

I present: The Bull Ridin' Song

The Bull Ridin' Song from Amy Smith on Vimeo.

You want to go see some bull ridin' now don't you?

(not a sponsored post)

Shark Bites - Daddy is in Finance Edition

2010-08-10T22:23:00.006-05:00

"He's getting so big," I said wistfully to my mom, placing my hand on Shark Boy's head.

"Oh no. I don't want to grow up," he said firmly.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I don't want to have to deal with this terrible economy."

8th Birthday

Ann

2010-08-09T20:46:00.010-05:00

Last year I began receiving thoughtful e-mail comments from a reader named Ann, who found my blog when I posted about Nashville's wonderful Ellington Agricultural Center.

Ann's father was the governor of Tennessee from 1959-1963 and again from 1967-1971. The agricultural center is named for Governor Ellington and the gorgeous white house on the property is called Miss Catherine's House, in honor of Ann's mother.

I found out that Ann is an artist. Painting, jewelry design, stained glass, bead work - she does it all. Earlier this summer, I finally met Ann and saw her wonderful studio. And look what I got:

This stunning creation is a statement piece for sure. I absolutely love it. Turquoise is such a magnificent color, the shade of western skies and caribbean oceans. And that pendant - it's very heavy. Can you guess what it is?

It's marble!

Even the clasp is pretty.

And the earrings - I love them. I wear them a lot, with and without the necklace.

Ann may want to knock me on the head with a marble pendant for mentioning this, but when your new friend was a personal friend of ELVIS PRESLEY for years, trust me, you just have to get that right out there in the open. Because ELVIS Y'ALL!

This is beautiful Ann. With beautiful Elvis. They make a super cute couple actually, don't you think?

Other things I love: this fantastic bear painting (I think I need that for Bear's room. Quick! Send money!) and the Jade and Pineapple quartz necklace (Oh those colors would go with absolutely everything!).

I love my turquoise necklace - my Ann Ellington Wagner original. How amazing would it be to have such artistic talent!

Check out her web site at the link above, and if you are in Nashville visit the Ellington Agricultural Center. It's one of my favorite places to take the kids.

(This post was not in any way sponsored or compensated. I am simply friends with the artist.)

Isn't blogging the best way to meet the coolest people? All of you just re-entering from BlogHer - am I right?