I have something to say {sometimes}

flaws.

2008-08-06T08:35:00.002-05:00

You know what is even more unattractive than 1,001 flaws you may have?

Either-
A. Not accepting those flaws and living your life and mind free from those or
B. Not having the courage or will to change those flaws

What will I choose?

cool mom moment.

2008-07-29T12:02:00.006-05:00

I want to be one of the cool mom's. You know the type. These are the one's who throw caution to the wind. Their the one's like my mom who would let you have pudding fights in the living room or the one's like my mother in law who would pretend to eat mud pies. I'm very cautious when it comes to being a mom and safety always comes first, but at the same time, I like to give him freeom. I think it scares a lot of mom's. For example, on the last trip to the zoo, I was one of the mom's who would hold him over the girafee ledge or let him explore freely (me, always close behind him). I get some flack from Grant about this all the time. I worry constantly about Chandler, but I don't my worries hinder his experiences.
My latest 'cool mom moment' was on Wednesday of last week. We were all wanting something sweet after dinner. I pulled out a box of brownies out of the cabinet. Recently, Chandler has become obbsessed about Batman. I'm not sure where he gets this, short of seeing the movie previews. So, I was excited to see the Batman stencils that came with the brownies. As I anxiously waited for the brownies to cook, I carefully cut out the stencils included on the box. The next step was to let them cool a bit, place the stencil on the cut brownie and sift powdered sugar over it. I completed all the steps and was eagar to serve it to Chandler. Then I had a better idea. While he was playing in his room, I snuck outside and put his plate with the Batman brownie on the front step. I then rang the door bell and quickly shut the door. He immidately came running to the front door and I helped him open the door. To his suprise, he found the brownie Batman HIMSELF had left for him. He picked up the plate and ran back to his room to him with his new treat.
Obviously, I was tickled that he loved it so. After he finished his treat, we had to call Batman (aka Dad) to thank him and for Batman to remind him to be good, use his manners and sleep in his bed like a big boy. Personally, I think Dad had to get in some cool points too.
I'm not naive, I know that the older he gets, the more difficult it will be to linger on that line of mom and friend, but for now, when things are simpler, I will enjoy being cool.

the last lecture

2008-07-28T16:38:00.002-05:00

Rest in peace Mr. Pausch. Thank you for inspiring me and the world. I Relay for you as well.

vacation

2008-07-18T07:37:00.005-05:00

It's time for the 2008 Smith family vacation. We are not doing anything spectacular, but we plan on having fun and making lots for family memories to treasure for a lifetime. For the first part of the week, we will be in Heber Springs, staying at Lindsey's Rainbow Resort. Grant & I have been here many times, but not as a family where we can take full advantage of all the things Heber as to offer. The Resort has a pool, play ground and many acres of 'discovery' for Chandler to partake in. We are bringing along a friend of his that he adores and he has so idea she is coming. I'm off to call the Chamber of Commerce today to see if we are able to swim in any part of the Lake today. I've heard differing opinions about the safety of the water; hopefully, we will be able to go there too.

Once we get back, we are going to spend the day in Little Rock. We are taking Chandler to the Museum of Discovery. We thought about the Memphis Zoo, but with it being so hot, we opted out of that. Plus, he has already been to the LR Zoo many times; not that they compare, but we wanted him to experience something different. From the website that they provide, we do believe he will love the museum. I told Grant earlier this week that since he (Chandler) is such a nerd, we will love this. Grant got defensive when I called him this, but I meant in the most loving way. Chandler loves to read, draw, paint, etc. He also loves to explore, climb and learn like any other boy, so this museum as all of that and more. I love nerds and I wouldn't have my boy any other way.

We may also go to the FireFly Studio; it is where you can go and select a piece of pottery and paint it anyway you want. This will be right up are alley. We will defiantly explore the River Market and may go play put-put golf; the rest will be up in the air.

So, it's not the most elaborate vacation in the world, but we are defiantly looking forward to it. Grant & I really need some time off of work and we are so looking forward to spending the week with our little man, making memories. I anticipate sharing tons of pictures when we will return.

Wish us a safe, blessed trip full of wonderful times and memories for years to come.

happy first birthday baby girl

2008-07-16T15:59:00.007-05:00

Happy Birthday baby girl; I can't believe it's been a year already. You've been thru so much already in your life; your a fighter and I'm a proud Aunt.

Love you bunches!

blond hair, blue eyes

2008-07-16T09:46:00.003-05:00

Look at this beautiful boy! We don' t match at all; the blond hair and blue eyes. How in the world did I get so blessed?

The Dreaded Buffalo Gnat, Steroids & More

2008-07-10T09:04:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was a pretty uneventful day, until about 3:30 in the afternoon; Chandler’s teacher from school text me to tell me that his ear is a little swollen and red. I replied, “Ok, what do you think it is?” She thought it was just a bug bite, nothing to be too concerned about, but wanted me to take a look at it when we picked him up. Grant was getting off anyway and I asked him to go ahead and pick up Chandler from school. He picked him up and then called to ask me to leave work to come look at it. Chandler is standing on the steps that lead to our garage and I no more than get out of my car and decide that he is going to the doctor. His right ear is about 6 times the normal size, beet red, warm to the touch and his cheek looks like there is a golf ball inside of it. Needless to say, I was spazzing just a bit. We all got back into the car and I called his pediatrician. Unfortunately, they do not take a walk-in at 4:15 in the afternoon. So, off to Sherwood Urgent Care we went.

This was the first time he had been there so I had to fill out all the appropriate paperwork; with that and the short wait we had to endure, it seemed like an eternity. We finally got to see the doctor. She examined his ear and came to the conclusion that he was bite by a buffalo gnat. A buffalo gnat; what the heck is that? After tons of questions from Grant and me, she assured us that is wasn’t a spider or anything dangerous like that. She told us by him being so fair, blond hair and blue eyes that he is prone to reactions like this. His body isn’t necessarily allergic to them, but his skin is. Ever since he as been able to go outside, we have always had to be precautious of mosquito bites; they tend to love biting him and make his skin red and swell. Now, it’s buffalo gnats! Who would have known?

After examining him and answering all of our questions, she gave him a shot of steroids, prescribed him an oral steroid and an antibiotic. She then dropped the bomb that I knew was coming, “Now, just so you know, the steroids will hype him up and he won’t sleep tonight.” Great, just what I love! So, after a few tears from the shot, a couple of dum dum suckers and a promised toy from Wal Mart, we were off from the doctor’s office. We then went to Wal Mart; I got in line to get his prescription filled and Grant and Chandler were off to the toy aisle. After dropping the prescriptions off, we caught up with one another, as well as, the two new cowboy pistols he picked out. The prescriptions were filled and we were off to meet some friends for dinner at IHop. Needless to say, by this time the ‘roid’s’ (that I so love to call them) had kicked into high gear and my usually laid back, cool guy was going 90 to nothing. He was telling everyone in the restaurant that he wanted his pancakes, “Now,” sliding silverware under the table and crayon sword fighting with me. I was hot, exhausted and obviously ready for this day to be over. The dreaded word’s the doctor kept telling us, ‘he won’t sleep tonight,’ kept going over and over in my head.

****I would like to take a moment now to publicly apologize to the entire staff of IHop, our dear friends Paige & Don and even little Maddie. This was obviously not the Chandler you, or any of us, know. Even though some of it was funny at the time, I’m deeply sorry for his actions last evening, even the attire he choose of snow boots, no shirt, cowboy hat and the belt holster holding his brand new pistols.****

After we finished eating and visiting later on at the house, it was time for bed; those dreaded words still going thru my exhausted head. I fixed his milk, grabbed a couple of his books and we headed to bed. At that very moment, the Heavens opened up and shined on us, he was actually ready for bed. We read his books, he drank his milk and he soundly fell asleep and slept thru the entire night. I was in complete disbelief. The crazy gnat biting day is finally over. I am now off to stock up on any and all bug repellent; I do not want him or us to go thru this again. Chalk this up to another parenting lesson learned.

(With all the craziness, I never thought once to pull out my camera until this morning. These pictures are from this morning, about 36 hours after the dreaded bite. Moms - watch out!)

what do you want to be?

2008-07-09T08:58:00.004-05:00

At last nights monthly Hot Mommies meeting, we had a very interesting speaker. Her name was Laurie Swain. She is a practicing life coach. She was there to speak about how important it is for a mom to take time for herself. In her speech she spoke about your life calling. She wasn’t specifically speaking about your 8-5 job, but what you are called to do. I have often struggled with this because I am one of those unfortunate people that have never really known what I wanted to be when ‘I grew up.’ At one time, I wanted to be Cyndi Lauper, but my mom quickly assured me that wouldn’t work because when I sing, cat’s wail. At another time, I wanted to be a chef or own a restaurant. I even spent part of a summer away at a culinary school. I absolutely loved it, I do to this day, but my ‘type A’ personality wouldn’t let me peruse that, it was too chancy and scary.
So, that leads me to where I am at now. After getting my associates degree, I was ready to get married and ‘start’ life. My first job was in graphic design at a printing company in Newport. I really liked it. I was able to release the need to create and make money. It was hard work a lot of the times; putting together literature that we printed, etc. That business eventually closed and I moved into sales at a local office supply place, then when we moved to Searcy, I worked in an office at a body shop. I enjoy office work and especially the people I worked with. I was there nearly 4 years and needed a change. I went to work at a local hypnotherapy clinic. I was hired to be the office manager, but quickly fell in love with the trade and became trained to practice hypnosis. I loved every minute of it. I was helping people and earning a good living, both of which I always wanted to do. That was short lived. Unfortunately, the owner’s father got very ill and we had to close the clinic. So, there I was, pregnant and with no job.
That brings me to where I am today. I’ve been at SIP for a little over 3 years now. It’s so funny, just the other day a friend of mine was asking what I did and where I worked. Apparently, I’m pretty mysterious when it comes to where I work. I enjoy my work. I am in inside sales. I also do book keeping and collections. I love the people I work with and for, so that is a plus. This may not be my dream job, but I’m happy and I earn an ok living.
After hearing Laurie last night, it brought up that ultimate question,

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

The older I get, the more I get ‘it.’ We are all brought up to get good jobs, make good money, something that fulfills you, etc., but that job doesn’t necessarily mean between the hours of 8 to 5. For me, my calling, if you would like to call it that, is 24 hours a day. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a cousin and a friend. That is my calling; to be the best that I can at all of these things. My husband, my son and my family are my life; they are my calling. Creating the Hot Mommies and reaching out to my community are my calling, my passion.
I didn’t know it at the time, but the person I am today is the person I wanted to be when I grew up.

something new

2008-07-08T10:44:00.004-05:00

So, this is me & my family. That's me, Dona; I'm the girl in the picture. The handsome guy in the glasses is my dear hubby for 11 years, Grant, and the little guy with the gorgeous blue eyes, is our son, Chandler. We live a pretty normal life. I work in sales and my husband is a dj on the radio. Chandler goes to school every day at Little Saints & is the light of our lives. I am starting this as an online diary of sorts. I've always wanted to keep a diary, but just never got around to it. So, I'll jump on here periodically when things happen. My hopes are that one day I can share this ordinarily, quite beautiful part of our lives with my son & so that I can remember it for years to come.