the 1st of February

Today marks the 8 year anniversary of my first date with SmithCale at our beloved alma mater, ACU.

SmithE is six months today, she was getting her sweat on with us <sans sweat>

and it's been one year since Lolo's passing.

 While it saddens me that SmithE will never know Lolo, I'm happy to have known her and am better for it. 

Upon revisiting this picture, I realize her message lives on.

Family. 

Food for Life,

BSmith, forging one day at a time

It's OK to be OK

Since SmithE goes to bed around 6 p.m. ,bless her, it practically makes eating out dinner an impracticality. She's saving us so much money, which also proves she is ours. 

Sometimes dinner is just OK.

Even though you made your own apple chutney and added curry flavors to your beef, which SmithCale and I discussed might be a spiritual dilemma for most Indian peoples.

Times where creativity isn't a disaster, but isn't the stellar winner you'd hope it would be. 

The flavors are muted. Not harmonious. 

Just OK. 

Then there are times when you don't notice your failings until the bitter end.

Like adding the preferably non-edible end of a green onion in a bowl of stir-fry.

It'll pass. 

Cooking is like anything you do. There are good days, great days and just OK.  

Even the OK days are a gift and the great days to be treasured.

Food for Life,

BSmith, forging one meal at a time

Pork Sandwich Pizza

Personal Note:  Remember when we made Tamales? We had leftover shredded pork that I had frozen in two-person portions.  Remember also when I used to make my own pizza crust? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Well, I still do from time to time, but I am known to stock up on these, also a fan of their pitas and Naan bread, when they go on sale and shove them in my freezer for dinner in a pinch. 

Plan of Attack:
1. Heat oven
2. Decorate pizza
3. Bake

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp yellow mustard
6 oz pulled pork
¼ C red onion, chopped
1-2 oz. Shredded cheese of choice
4-5 dill pickle slices, chopped
Scooping ketchup

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Spread mustard onto crust and top with cheese, pork, onions, pickles and dollops of scooping ketchup.

3. Bake 10-14 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is desired crispness. 

4. Enjoy!

Food for Dinner,

BSmith, forging one meal at a time

Mobile Entertainment

Since I cancelled my XM subscription last August after being endlessly hassled by the customer "service" rep., my car entertainment didn't matter because I had a baby.

But when I went back to work in October, and my county-of-work was 90 miles away, entertainment was necessary.

DID YOU KNOW PODCASTS ARE FREE, sometimes it takes me a while. These hardworking people spend their spare time entertaining us, for FREE. I wanted to share the podcasts I am currently enjoying:

The Manic Mommies

source

I listened to almost all 300+ episodes and have literally LOL'ed, which is sometimes hard to explain especially when it's about loose dog stools after having swallowed 1/2 a nerf football, carpet staples and decorative berries.

They led me to my next obsession:

Naptime Radio

source

with Heather & Kate. Hilarious. Warning: Do not listen if you take yourself/motherhood/parenting seriously.

Finally for the foodies

source

Lynne Rossetto Kasper has the best voice ever. She describes food in such a way that would make the pickiest eater pine for orange glazed slow roasted pork loin with braised Brussels sprouts and double pear tart with caramel drizzle for dessert. Get ready stretchy pants. 

Food for Entertainment/Education/Different POV,

BSmith, forging one day at a time

My Height Limit

I realized a little too late, that I had reached my height limit for my heels.

For those who know me, know I enjoy a good pair of heels. At church certain people remember me for my shoes. I guess I could be known for worse things.

Last Saturday my cousin got married in Tyler. So, of course, I wore heels. The wrong ones.

How high are they? Embarrassingly. They are my standing/sitting pair, not my walking pair. They look deceptively walkable in the picture, they aren't. Mistake #1.
                                
I would have been just fine if I could have just slowly walked into the church, the reception hall and back to my car. Too bad the reception hall was across the street up a hill. Mistake #2.

Luckily my Nanny is 87 and she and I needed a ride up the hill. But then I left before she did and I was too proud to take off  my shoes to walk down the hill. Mistake #3.

I DID NOT FALL small victory, but I took a very slow walk of shame like a newbie in heels across broken cement and across the street. By the end my right ankle had decided I was too old to be doing this and began to start bowing and giving out.

So my new rule is that if I can't carry SmithE and walk at the same time confidently I won't wear them. Don't  worry that's still pretty high, and only in Gianni Bini brand and MIGHT look like these
                                       
                                           

Someone is about to find the deal of the year at Goodwill.

Food for Safety,
BSmith, forging one day at a time