Another working weekend...

Sorry, nothing exciting from the weekend. All we both did was work our butts off. Gizmo had his monthly trip to the groomer, seemed to be more like a vacation he was gone so long. 8 hours is a long time to bath and cut a dogs hair, but we sure don't want to do it ourselves.

My mom was here tonight to stay with us after her day of working in town. We went out to dinner, standard Applebee's trip, then a few shopping stops before Ed had to be home for the annual Fantasy Football draft. Mom and I enjoyed a bottle of wine over "Pursuit of Happyness", cute movie but I was expecting more of an ending. Oh well, can't have it all I guess. Well might have a more exciting update after the Brewers @ Cubs game tomorrow, if i come out alive in my Brewers apparel. Wish me luck. Also, heading to MN to see Kieran, Blayne, Molly and Peach this weekend. Gizmo is ready for a playdate after 8 hours in a cage today! Hope this finds you all doing well.

It's Our Anniversary

Another eventful weekend for us. Started Friday morning when I arrived home from work, we dropped Gizmo at Karen and Doug's house and hit the road, headed for Chicago with a truck full of furniture. Destination, Dustin Smith's, Chicago IL. I started with a nap, while Ed and Dusty did much painting in Dusty's new condo. When I arrived I assisted with painting, by 7:00 pm we had two coats of paint in the main area of the condo (living room, kitchen, everywhere except the bathroom and bedroom), and one coat in the bathroom and bedroom.

When we were done working for the day we headed out for dinner. We ate at a place called King Crab. It was delicious, both Ed and I had an assortment of seafood, not something we have often, so it was quite the treat. Afterwards we sat at the bar and Dusty relished in the oyster bar, 65 cent oysters as long as you were drinking at the bar. I tried one, wasn't too bad, but I couldn't sit and eat multiple like Dusty was. Then we moved on to another bar, had a few more drinks and shots, and then headed home to bed as we had moving to do the next morning.

Saturday morning we were up bright and early, unloaded Ed's truck of all the things we brought with from WI, then headed to Dusty's old place to move all the rest of his things. Moving in Chicago is much different than WI, more traffic, no parking, and a 2 hour time slot. Needless to say it wasn't easy, but it got done. (Did I mention the amazing view Dusty has from his new place, the Sears Tower is only a couple blocks away, full view from his living room) We were on the road home a bit later than planned but we made it in time for our next scheduled event. Forgot to mention the new table I scored due to Dusty's lack of room in his new place, a wonderful 4 person tall, cherry wood table, now located in our kitchen. Goes perfect with my decor and taste!

Saturday evening, we participated in the Joe Bowe Memorial Bowling Tournament to benefit Suicide Prevention. This was our first time bowling since our last night of league in April, neither of us were real happy with our scores overall, and it was 9 pin tap. Yikes. Oh well, some practice will be needed before league starts in less than a month. We went for dinner and then home to bed as we were dead tired after a long busy weekend so far.

Sunday, Our One Year Anniversay!!!!! We headed to the Brewers Game. Being that the one year anniversary thing is paper, my brilliant idea was to get Ed tickets to the Brewer game, well I waited until last minute when the only tickets available were standing room only, so we didn't sit in nice seats like we are used to but we had some handicap seats in section 406. At least we had a seat, and it was the thought that counted, right? Well, the game was fun, minus the fact that we couldn't tailgate because it was raining, so we ate Subway in the car, and also the Brewers couldn't pull off a win. Our next planned Brewers game is the end of August, Brewers at Cubs, with Dusty and Julie, could be interesting. Brewers fans in Cubs territory, Wrigley Field. Wish us luck. Should be fun, can't wait. So anyway, we will be enjoying our Anniversary cake momentarily, but because we didn't freeze it according to the instructions last year, might not taste very good, so we made a backup, Funfetti cake, our favorite. Because Ed can't wait for surprises, he gave me my gift earlier in the week. He got me a palm pilot that I have been talking about wanting to get. I was going to ask for it for Christmas, but he was actually listening when I would talk about it, and bought it. Gotta love him.

Well, one year down, and many to come. Hope everyone has as fond of memories as we do of our special day, one year ago!

Brooke's Wedding Weekend...

So the excitement started on Thursday when we arrived in Moline, IL. Thursday night was the rehearsal dinner as well as the Bachelorette Party. I am afraid to say I have no pictures from the rehearsal dinner, just a bunch of people eating and reminiscing about Brooke and Paul. But boy do I have some good pictures from the Bachelorette Party. Really it was a low key gathering at Terri's house, Smiths, Dombeks, and friends. Started with some alcholic beverages and some panties on a string. Which led to a stripper in purple, followed by some questions answered by Paul for Brooke to guess and ended with some Bridal advice. So back to the stripper, Brooke absolutely did not want a stripper, said she would run out of the house if Tara and Nicki even thought about getting one. This led to Ed's phone ringing around noon on Thursday asking if he would be interested in making an appearance at Brooke's bachelorette party, which he agreed to. Therefore, Tara and Nicki came up with a stellar outfit for Ed to arrive in, Purple shaggy coat and hat, with some white heeled boots. Turns out he riffled through my suitcase to find some black shorts to wear underneath that rather resembled spandex on him of course. Needless to say, Eddie sweated through the purple jacket and made a grand entrance to some stripper music and embarrased Brooke but didn't make her mad. He sure was a trooper.

Friday, Eddie and I went golfing with Ed II and Uncle Chuck. Played 18 holes, first time I have played probably since one of my wedding showers last year. I took a lot of strokes, but I am proud to say I did beat my husband on one hole. Had a lot of good shots but lost track of my score really early. And needless to say, I am super sore today. You don't realize the arm muscles you use.

Friday night was the wedding, outside! Did I mention the weather was 95 and humid all weekend we were there. Good thing the wedding was short and sweet. Dinner followed the wedding inside the lodge where air conditioning was provided. After cake and toasts, dancing was started. Due to the fact the wedding was 'dry' not many Smiths made an appearance on the dance floor. The evening came to an end rather early for most, 10 pm-ish, which led to a very late night. When we all left the wedding, we changed out of our sweaty clothes and into something more comfortable.

The late night started at the Wonderwhy aka Wonder dump in Moline. Played some shuffleboard and had a few beverages, then we piled in the Pacifica courtesy of Uncle Rick and Aunt Jill and proceeded to the Stoney Creek Inn where we joined the Dombek clan and many others. Here is where more beverages were consumed, a few rounds of captain puff, and bar closure at 2am which didn't make us all leave either. Approximately 330am we ventured to Meg and Chucks and proceeded with another round of Captain Puff and finally home to bed around 4am. The wake up call for breakfast came rather quickly at 830am but we made it, Village Inn it was.

Saturday we did a lot of laying around, well at least I did, was competing with a minor hang over. Ed didn't join the men for golf, food and deydration was a bit more important. Helped with aunts with some preparing for Birthday party and Jenna and Ryan's Wedding Party, took a real nap, oh and made a trip to Whitey's (super ice cream joint), then finally about 430pm showered for the last two parties of the weekend. Because we decided to come home saturday night we made brief appearances at both Jenna and Ryan's party as well as Tara's 30th Bday party. We were on the road by about 815pm to head home, pulled in the driveway about 1130pm. Boy was it nice to sleep in our own bed. Then this morning we bought out the grocery store and picked up our spoiled son from Karen and Doug's house. He is sure exhausted today, he must have had a busy weekend too.

Pickerel, WI

Last Friday, August 3, we took a trip up to Pickerel WI to visit Grandma and Grandpa Blodgett. This was our first time visiting their home in upper WI, at least upper compared to Pewaukee where they used to live. We arrived around 4pm on friday, let Gizmo explore the yard, which was rather large compared to what they are used to having for many years. Then we went out for a fish fry a few miles away in Pearson, i think. All of us had fish except Ed of course, he had a burger. Aunt Karen joined us up by the grandparents for the weekend too. That was the extent of friday night since I had worked the night before and only slept 3 hours before leaving that day, and Ed had worked at 5am friday morning also. So off to bed we all were by 10pm.

Well we thought we were going to sleep. Gizmo was a bit to excited about what was going on in the rest of the house to actually sleep on his bed, so we let him in the bed with us. That was a mistake, 2 adults and a dog sleeping in a full size bed, didn't work so well. So that meant a night with lack of sleep again between trying to stay in the bed with the 3 of us, and Gizmo whining at the door to get out of the bedroom, the zzzzz's were few and far between.

Saturday we went out for breakfast, then we took a trip to the Liquidators store, which Aunt Karen calls the "Duncans" of the north. Bunch of cheap stuff, from tools to toys, to gift wrap, to gardening stuff, to seeds for the garden, you name it they had it. After that shopping excursion we headed back to the house where we let Gizmo run again, played some basketball, played catch with Gizmo, took a nap, had a late lunch/early dinner since our breakfast was so big. Showered and then decided it was time to head home. I had to work on sunday night and we weren't looking forward to lack of sleep for a second night, and we had seen all there was to see in Pickerel WI. So we got our trip in to Pickerel this year, don't plan to return until next spring, they get lots of snow which doesn't interest me at all.

Sorry i forgot my camera this weekend so no pictures, until Aunt Karen fixes her camera and gets hers to me. More excitement for next weekend, heading to IL for Cousin Brookes wedding. We don't get to stay home any weekends in August! Putting some miles on the Hyundai!!

Our new nephew, Kieran Blayne Smith...

Well our newest news for the last week has been the birth of our
nephew, Kieran Blayne Smith. He was born 6:03 pm Friday
July 27, 2007. He was 7lbs 15 oz and 22 inches long. The family went home from the hospital on monday and are settling in nicely. Peaches is adjusting to her new brother also, sounds like she is doing very well with the little one around.

Here is the big boy with his Build A Bear from his favorite Smith aunts and uncles. (that would be us, Dusty and Julie). Makes him look like a little guy!

Looks like Mom and Dad were having fun with his abundance of hair already too.

We are very excited to welcome the little man into the world, we can't wait to see him and spoil him.