Week 20 Recap (5.13.13 - 5.19.13)

Well, this was an eventful week for us...mostly, because we got to bring Scout home this week! But, let's start out on Monday. I began the deep clean of the kitchen - a process that ended up taking the entire week. We also confirmed Steph would be coming to visit with Beth and that evening Andrew and I finished Season 5 of True Blood so we are all caught up for Season 6 starting in June. Tuesday Liam and I met Jacquie and Elliot at Baby Gym (it's becoming a regular thing), we got one of the old couches picked up by someone and I worked some more on the kitchen. Then, an hour before Liam's bedtime, the scariest thing happened - he fell outside and hit his forehead on the concrete. He's fine but the sound it made was horrible. On Wednesday, I worked some more on the kitchen as well as tackled a bunch of other chores. Then, that evening was the main event - we drove down to Rickreall to pick up Scout! And we spent the remainder of the evening acquainting her to her new home. Thursday was a pretty low-key day at home for all of us, just getting to know one another. We did take a walk to the park and ended getting caught in the rain. Friday was busy - Andrew took the day off from work, we got the last old couch picked up by some college kids, Scout had her first vet appointment and we walked to Breakside for happy hour, stopping at the small garden store just down the street to purchase an elusive jalapeño plant; for some reason, they are scarce this year. Saturday I spent most of the day cleaning the kitchen and doing other chores while Liam, Andrew and Scout hung out. That evening, Ed and Laura came over to watch the Timbers v. Whitecaps game, which we had recorded. They also brought us Los Gorditos burritos for dinner - so good! It would have been great to see the Timbers win, but considering how they played, a draw was a good outcome. Sunday morning, we took a walk first thing in the morning. Then, I weeded all morning and during Liam's nap, Andrew and I planted the rest of the garden. I finally finished the kitchen spring cleaning that afternoon. Sunday night was all about working on Project Life for me while watching Mad Men and Game of Thrones with Andrew.

And here are some snapshots from the week...

And the video pick of the week...Andrew and Liam goofing off!

Week 19 Recap (5.6.13 - 5.12.13)

We continue with another week of stunning sun and warmth. Truly the most unbelievable spring we've experienced in Portland and quite possibly the best in memory ever. Monday was a pretty mundane day - cable appointment, grocery shopping, catching up on the blog and Project Life, putting working for Rafia Dental on hold, Andrew and Liam went for a bike ride. But, that afternoon we did get some exciting news - Oak Grove Goldens called to tell us it was time to pick a puppy! Tuesday, Liam and I made a trip to PetCo to stock up on puppy supplies. We took a walk to the park - it was really warm out this day! I made chorizo mac 'n' cheese for dinner and our next-door neighbor Andrew came over for beers on the patio that night. On Wednesday, Liam and I went to the Humane Society to pick up our registration packets for the OHS Annual Doggie Dash. That evening was the big event of the week - we drove down to Rickreall (outside of Salem) to Oak Grove Goldens to pick out Scout! She is such a sweet little girl - I cannot wait to bring her home on the 15th! Thursday was a pretty typical day - the biggest excitement was our monthly Orkin visit. On Friday, Liam and I took our walk to the park early because it was going to be another hot one. That afternoon we went grocery shopping and I went out on a limb and bought steelhead trout to grill for dinner - it was fantastic! I worked on some of my Birds Of A Feather projects, we watched some True Blood and Andrew and Liam went to the park after work. Saturday was basically split into two halves - the morning we met a bunch of friends at the Waterfront downtown for the Annual Doggie Dash. We could not have asked for better weather. That afternoon I spent spring cleaning the downstairs bathroom - it took forever and was hard work, but the place was immaculate when I finished. Sunday was Mother's Day and it was a wonderful one for me. Andrew made me ricotta-stuffed French toast with caramelized bananas and mimosas for breakfast, I got a Spa Day at Dosha for a gift, we went to the Timbers Game and watched them beat Chivas 3-0,  I took a late afternoon nap, we picked up Screen Door carryout for dinner and finished off with dessert from Pix while watching more True Blood. Of course, I spent lots of time with my baby boy too! After all, without him, I wouldn't be celebrating Mother's Day.

And here are some snapshots from the week...

To make up for last week's absence of a personal video, we have two for you this week! Both are from Wednesday night when we picked out Scout - our new puppy. It was so much fun watching her and Liam interact. We are so excited to bring her home!

Week 18 Recap (4.29.13 - 5.5.13)

Another unusually beautiful spring week here in Portland. It's really making getting the spring cleaning done difficult! So, on Monday Dr. Rafia called me and basically begged me to come back to work. That afternoon, Weylan, Jamie and Oscar came over and the men moved couches while Jamie and I took the kids on a walk. Then we all hung out and had some drinks on the porch for a bit. I worked on my Memorable Seasons May Kit that night. Tuesday I had two good phone conversations with Katie and Nana. I finished the spring cleaning of the family and dining rooms. Liam and I went for a walk. And our new couches came! Whoo-hoo! Wednesday Liam and I met Jacquie and Elliot at Baby Gym. Andrew attended the Timber vs. Green Machine Make-A-Wish match over lunch. Liam and I went to Mall 205 that afternoon to run some errands. It resulted in Liam losing one of his shoes which I did not notice was gone until we got home. So, as soon as Andrew got home I drove all the way back there and proceeded to search Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond and the parking lot for his shoe. I also stopped in Home Depot and Pizzacato to see if someone dropped it off in either store. After two hours, I was ready to call it gone and then saw Famous Footwear. I decided I'd make one last attempt and stop in there. They had it! A man had found it in the mulch outside and brought it in! I was so happy because they were brand new shoes and not cheap! That night, Andrew met Justin out for drinks at Baseline. Thursday we took a walk to Peninsula park, I had my first Birds of a Feather May kit reveal posted, we went over to Brad's that evening to celebrate Jen's birthday before heading to the Timbers game. They had so many opportunities for a goal but sadly it ended at a 0-0 draw against the Revolution. I woke up feeling awful on Friday. But, I still managed to take a walk with Andrew and Liam to the park and to pick up a few groceries at New Seasons. We pretty much laid low the rest of the day - watched some True Blood and Andrew put together the new dog crate. Saturday I was still not well, so I barely managed to get the mint julep cupcakes made for the Bosse's Kentucky Derby party. I ended up sending Andrew and Liam all decked out in their Derby party gear there without me and I napped the afternoon away. That evening Andrew went to Ben's 40th birthday party while I slept some more. Sunday I felt better so we met Ashley, Justin and Ollie at Lower Macleay park for a hike. After the hike, we went to Fifth Quadrant for lunch. We had a lazy afternoon around the house, just enjoying the 85 degree weather!

And here are some snapshots from the week...

And sadly we have another week with no video clip. But, in lieu of a video from us, I am posting a video highlighting the Timbers and Make-A-Wish Oregon fulfilling the wish of 8-year-old kidney cancer survivor Atticus...

Week 17 Recap (4.22.13 - 4.28.13)

Catching up from being a couple weeks behind! It's been nuts here lately. We've been busy spring cleaning, reorganizing, working on the yard and getting all ready for summer! Anyways, here's a recap of week 17...

Let me start by saying the weather here has been insanely gorgeous. Sunny and warm everyday. Don't get me wrong - I am not complaining but this is so not the norm for us. I'm afraid it's going to turn back to a typical Pacific Northwest spring at any moment...but so far, we've been lucky. Monday Andrew hung the new Nagshead Hammock swing on the porch so we could spend some time enjoying the beautiful weather. We took our usual walk to the park. I got my Birds of a Feather kit - fun stuff! And we hit the hay early. Tuesday Liam and I started off the day with a trip to Baby Gym to meet Elliot and Jacquie. We spent some quality time enjoying the new porch swing. I spent more time working on the basement. Andrew and I finished season 2 of Game of Thrones that night. Wednesday was more of the same - walk to the park, basement reorg and started season 3 of Game of Thrones.  Thursday I found out that Andrea & Clayton got jobs in Ft. Collins, CO and would be moving in June. I am excited for them but was secretly hoping they'd end up in Portland. More working on the basement. Orkin came to address our ant issue - which only produced a multitude of ants in the master bedroom - yuck! We caught up completely in Game of Thrones so we're now forced into watching one episode a week. Friday was busy! Liam and I met Jamie & Oscar down on Mississippi for lunch at Little Big Burger and a walk. We finally got the garage door fixed after three different trips out by two different companies. That evening Andrew, Liam and I met a bunch of friends at Lucky Lab in the NW for Happy Hour and dinner. Saturday was another busy day. We went to the zoo in the morning, followed by Besaw's for lunch and Andrew and I worked together during Liam's 3.5 hour nap (!) and finished the basement reorg. We grilled out fresh salmon that night - yum! Sunday was a big chore day - we cleaned up the porches, screened in the back porch, mulched, went to the park, I switched out my seasonal clothes and we did take a break to go to the park. And that was our week!

And here are some snapshots from the week...

And here is the video pick of the week. Liam just out for a stroll in the park...babbling and waving his arms like a crazy old man.

Week 16 Recap (4.15.13 - 4.21.13)

Wow. What a week. Not so much with what happened in the Smith household, but more in current events. The Boston Marathon bombing, the failed gun control regulation, the Texas fertilizer plant explosion, the ricin letters sent to President Obama and a Mississippi Senator...it was quite the week and I think the TV was permanently set to CNN the entire time. Anyways, here's a look at what we experienced during all the trials and tribulations our nation faced this week. Monday was full of small to dos and all three of us to a walk to the park since it was nice out. I had to swing into Rafia Dental to grab the email list to send out the newsletter. And of course, we then heard about the marathon bombing. Tuesday was another beautiful day so of course a walk was on the agenda. Liam and I also met Elliott and Jacquie at Baby Gym that morning. I tackled lots of cleaning and that night rewarded myself by starting the second season of Game of Thrones with Andrew. We were blessed with another nice day on Wednesday and took a long walk with a stop at the park. I got lots of scrapping done and that night I had a haircut - cut it short in the back - and picked up carryout from Chipolte. Thursday was crazy busy - tons of chores, grocery shopping, a walk and then Sara, Christian and Simone came over that evening for dinner. Friday I had a mellow baby boy on my hands so we laid low most of the day. We did take our daily walk and I spent most of the day watching the marathon bomber manhunt on CNN. Saturday morning Andrew and I tackled the first weeding session of the year - a necessary evil of home ownership. That afternoon we attended Tascha & Darin's wedding while Beverly baby-sat Liam. That evening, the three of us watched Toy Story and after Liam went to bed, Andrew and I switched over to Game of Thrones. Sunday started with more weeding in the morning. Thankfully, we finished it. Then, we rearranged the dining room to create a play area for Liam and Andrew baby-proofed the entertainment center so we could put the gates away. That afternoon, Lindsey and Nigel came over to watch the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. And that was our week.

And here are some snapshots from the week...

And here is the video pick of the week. Liam got a balloon from the sales guy at the furniture store and for the next 24 hours, we could not get that thing out of his hands...

Week 15 Recap (4.8.13 - 4.14.13)

I know I am behind posting so here is the recap from a week ago. This past week's will be posted tomorrow!

Monday was a busy day in the sense that there were lots of "to dos" to check off the list. The biggest item was working on the Rafia Dental newsletter. We also received out tax refund (whoo-hoo!) and watched three episodes of Homeland. Tuesday was a pretty uneventful day except for the fact that we put a deposit down on a golden retriever puppy that we hope to bring home next month! Wednesday I was exhausted but we still had a busy day. Liam had his 15-month checkup with Dr. Birk. He's doing great! This was also the day he also figured out how to bypass the gate at the base of the steps - oh joy. That evening Ashley and Justin baby-sat so Andrew and I could go to dinner at Ox and then we picked up Salt and Straw ice cream on the way home and shared our dessert with Ashley and Justin. Thursday was full of chores, a walk to a park and carryout from Breakside for dinner. We also picked up a growler of Salted Caramel Stout - a once a year offering from them that we love. Friday was Andrew's cube moving day at work. I spent the day cleaning the floors and going grocery shopping. That evening, Liam accidentally turned the shower on during his bath time; he was not happy. Saturday morning we planted the first round of veggies in the garden. That afternoon we went shopping for new couches and found some - camel-colored leather Stanton sofa and loveseat - that we should have in our house in three weeks! Yippee! That evening we went out with Ed and Laura; first stop was dinner at White Owl Social Club and second stop was a nightcap at Cascade Brewing. Sunday Andrew made some tasty chicken and rice soup and then he headed out to Tracy's for tacos and then off to the Timbers game. The Timber's beat San Jose 1-0! I stayed home that night with Liam and scrapped my Inspired Tp Scrap Weekend Warrior class layouts. And that was our week!

And here are some snapshots from the week...

And here is the video pick of the week. Liam got a balloon from the sales guy at the furniture store and for the next 24 hours, we could not get that thing out of his hands...