Bishop Trip

Spellbinder Books and Black Sheep Espresso Bar- Some of our Favorite Places
I brought the crazy ladies to my former high school...We didn't go in- just looked around the outside.

An Amigos stop, of course.

Jenni's adorable little guy, Jed

The girls and Jed

The gals in the back of Grandma and Granpa's van when we were on our way to Mammoth. They are holding Naughty, Grandma and Grandpa's dog.

Tub Talk with Emma and Grace

Emma and Grace's last escapade in the tub had them pretending to be mermaids.

During tonight's bath, they are playing with little plastic mermaids in the tub in my bathroom, and I can hear them from my computer desk. They like to play what Jeff and I call "How 'Bout."

Welcome to "Tub Talk, With Emma and Grace" (unedited)

Grace: "How 'bout these girls...they are water saving girls."

Emma: "Yeah, and they go around and they save the planet and stuff."

Grace: "And you wanted to help me, but you thought my hair was trash, and you tried to pick it up."

Emma: "And then we saw these people who were bad and they were throwing trash every where. And we had to help the world."

Grace: (in mermaid voice) "Oh No!"

Emma: (makes sound effects for picking up trash)....changes topics...."How 'bout if I touch water I become a mermaid...(changes to mermaid voice) 'Hey, do you want to go for a swim?'"

Grace: "How 'bout I'm trying to get a tan, but I only get a sunburn..."

Emma: "How 'bout I can swim really fast?"

Grace: "How 'bout you tell me I swim fast..."

Emma: (in mermaid voice) "You swim fast!"

Grace: (in mermaid voice) "Thanks!"

Emma: (in mermaid voice) "Hey...I got some new coconut bodywash. Would you like to try it? I made it myself."

Grace: (in mermaid voice) "Oh, please! Does it make you relax?"

Emma: (in mermaid voice) "Yeah!"

Stay tuned for our next installment of Tub Talk with Emma and Grace

Pug Addiction- A Family Tradition

The girls' homework over the past week was to create a poster on our family's heritage, including traditions, customs, culture, etc.

We were trying to think about what our family traditions were. On Jeff's side, his Irish Grandma Mary always made Corned Beef and Cabbage for Saint Patrick's Day. My Italian Grandma Irene makes great spaghetti. Grandma Otti's side of the family opened presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas, and to this day we still open Grandma Otti's presents on Christmas Eve. We eat quiche every Christmas morning because someone in the family did that long ago.

Then we realized that the MAIN thing that's been passed down through generations in our family is THE PUG. Yes...the little dog with the curly tail, squished nose, and velvety ears has been a major part of our family since the early 1900's. I always tell people that my family had pugs before we had cars, and it's true. My mom and I scanned a bunch of very old pictures for the girls to use on their posters, including the infamous "pugs in a wagon with our relatives" picture.

The night after doing the project, I snuggled a bit closer to little Olivia, thinking about how my great, great grandfather heard the same soft snoring sound, looked into those big brown puggy eyes, and fell in love, which started a tradition our family would carry into the 21st century. FYI...I'm convinced that the girls will carry on this puggy addiction, a family tradition, for years to come.

2008- Olivia

2008- Sophie


2001- Jeff asleep with a pug stack (Peggy Sue and Noel -mom's pugs- and Bug and Ace- ours)


1988-ish- Cocoa, Tiffany, Emily, some pugs from my childhood



1985- Cocoa as a puppy


1970's- Felice and Querida, my first pugs, and my mom's first pugs as a married lady on her own. The story goes that my grandma Otti bought my mom Querida as a gift and my dad grumbled and grumbled, but a year later my dad bought Felice. He's been addicted ever since.

1970(ish)- My mom with Felice

Photo on the Left- My mom, 1949 Photo on the Right- My Uncle Tom and Mom with pug

1940-ish- A young Grandma Otti with her pugs

1930- Grandma Otti's Grandpa (my great, great grandpa) with his pug

1900's- My Great-Great Grandpa and family- they are holding a pug in their WAGON...(look on the lap of the boy in the front seat. The boy is Grandma Otti's dad, my great-grandpa Justin Helland.)

I leave you with one final message...

Pugs, not drugs.

Love and Loss...and Love Again!

When it comes to animals, this has been a difficult couple of months for us here at Smith house.

In December, our cat Miss Priss didn't come home. Miss Priss was primarily an indoor kitty, but she had access to the outside through the doggie door. She was with us for four years and always stayed in the yard. You could count on her to come when you called her. When she didn't come home, we knew something was terribly wrong. There have been several coyotes spotted near our neighborhood and we're almost sure that one got her.

Then, our sweet Mr. Marty had lung problems for the second time in a year. The first time, he endured a pretty painful treatment where they "tap" the lung. It worked for a little while, but when the lung problems came back worse than ever, we knew we had to do the most humane thing we could and made the difficult decision to put him down. Both Jeff and I stayed with Marty at the vet the entire time, and we both cried and told him how much we loved him. Marty was a genuinely sweet, loving boy and an ambassador for rescue pets everywhere. Everyone who saw him wanted to know "where we got that wonderful dog" and we were always proud to say, "At a rescue!" Marty was on death row at the animal shelter in Riverside when a rescue organization picked him up. We found Marty at PetSmart and the rest is history. He was humble, kind, selfless, and sweet, and we will truly miss our boy. Grace is convinced that Marty lives "in Heaven in a dog treehouse" and that he is running around with my sister's dog Lennie and a few of our other lost pets. I tend to agree with her. Revelations 19 talks of Jesus coming back on a white horse, and God says He knows of every sparrow who falls, so I don't doubt that there are animals in Heaven. The gals and I are convinced that it will be a reunion for us...with both humans AND animals alike.

Marty and Emma enjoying a book during his last week

So life goes on, and the pain of loss gets a bit easier every day.

...and a day comes along when the girls and I decide that we're short too many pets. Why...we ONLY have three dogs and a pony! There are SO many shelter animals waiting for our love. We decided to convince Jeff that a perfect Valentine's present would be a rescue kitty.

It took some pleading. Some "But Daddy's" and some sad, sad eyes

...and he caved. :)

We spent an entire day at the shelter.

What did we learn?

There are more pets in need of homes now than ever before. When people lose their homes, their pets are often left behind in the empty houses. Pets are left tied to the tree outside the pound. The owners don't even bother to bring them in. While we were at the pound, a lady was walking by and said that she "just didn't have time to walk her dog" and that was why she was leaving him. My sister said the disdain from the shelter volunteer was palpable.

The animals in the kennels outside were wet, and it was a chilly day, so many were shaking.

The cats in the cat trailer were so ready for attention that many of them swatted our clothing and pressed against their cages as we walked by.

I think every human being should have to spend a day at a shelter. Perhaps then they wouldn't demand "designer" puppies from posh pet stores which merely support the puppy mills. Perhaps then they wouldn't look for that special breed from a breeder, but rather wait it out and search the shelters until they found one. Perhaps they wouldn't think of the mutts and unwanted pets as being flawed--in some way, all pets are flawed, and like people, we work through the flaws once we've taken them on as our responsibility.

I think of our pug Bug who had a neurological disorder that caused him to drag his paws. He could no longer go for walks without bloodying his feet, and so Jeff and I brought him along with us in a wagon. Near the end of his life, Bug lost control of his bowels and had no idea when he needed to go. All we could do was let him out more often and treat him with understanding when he had an accident.

I think of Ace, who, at eleven years old is perhaps the most annoying dog EVER. He barks at the door, chases the vacuum, eats poop, and smells terribly, but he is still that same guy I adopted eleven years ago and brought home to Jeff. Heck-old people smell too, but you don't drop them off at the pound!

And Marty, whose life was extended a mere three years because of his rescue...those last few months weren't easy, but we loved him through it.

One of my favorite quotes:

'The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the ways its animals are treated~ Mahatma Gandhi

The happy news:

We brought home not one, but TWO of the most sweet, lovable kitties in the world. They are brothers, and they love each other like no cats I've ever seen. They sleep cuddled up together, often in the shape of-I know it sounds cheesy- a heart.

The kitties were owner turn-ins. They are nine months old and have the most mellow, sweet dispositions in the world. The girls named them Poe (not the Teletubby...more like Edgar Alan) and Gus (like Augustus, the mouse from Cinderella...ironic!)

The kitties love their new home, and we are going to make sure they are completely indoor kitties so we don't lose any more animals.

The pugs can't believe their luck. They love the kitties, and they love to inspect the kitties, smell the kitty food, and sit next to the kitties, who have an unbelievable tolerance and patience for them. Only Old Man Ace seems a bit crabby, but what else would we expect?

Rescue pets are the most rewarding, loving, grateful pets in the world.

Thinking about a new pet?

RESCUE!

The girls and I (and yes- even Jeff!) would highly recommend it.

Gus loves the basket


Poe is the cozier of the two kitties

Curious!

I don't know many things sweeter than this.

You've got to wonder what these two have been through together!

Where I'm From

Photos courtesy of Galen Rowell (1940-2002)
Mountain Light Photograph, Bishop, CA

I am from tumbleweeds and wild rose bushes

Cottonwood trees

The sun setting behind Mt. Tom

Burnt Sienna and caramel leaking into my upstairs bedroom window

along with beetle chirps and the flutter of bats' wings.

I am from my dad's tropical enchiladas, heavy with cilantro

And the knotty redwood paneling of our house-his version of wallpaper.

From his gruff voice saying, "Don't go barefoot" and "Turn out the lights!" and worse- "Don't make me come up there!"

His tone disguising his love.

I am from my mom's chicken and dumplings- food of comfort like her words-

"Do unto others" and "Love Never Fails"

Best of all, the softness of her fuzzy blue robe

The smell of her Vaseline lotion as she wipes away tears

"Let's start a new day."

I am from Maple and Brown Sugar oatmeal on freezing mornings-

And a radio deejay blessing us with announcements of cancelled school.

Later, the whooooosh of a snowball past frozen ears.

And stinging feet next to the fire.

I am from Dorothy Hamill haircuts, bad perms, and crooked bangs in school pictures.

From cowgirl boots, horse corrals, braided manes, and the smell of leather saddles.

From 4-H hats, Brownies, youth group.

I am from strong grandmothers with quirky personalities.

Grandma Ottilee, who hates her name, is always cold,

and says, "Bingle Bangle Boom!" whenever you fall.

Grandma Irene, whose feisty temper is thick red like her spaghetti sauce,

pulling the car off the road to yell at a pig, "Sueeeyyy!" and cackling with laughter.

I am from journals of poetry, pressed flowers, and boys' names scribbled with hearts over the "i's",

From L.M. Montgomery novels stained with age, bought at used bookstores.

From milk instead of kool-aid and cheerios instead of Cocoa Pebbles

From Love Boat and Happy Days

Tin lunch pails with Charlies Angels

I am from all of these memories

Packed into an antique trunk

And trinkets stowed away in a heart-shaped perfume box

Waiting to be unleashed.

Dawn Smith, 2008

Dented Armor

Last week I had a bit of food poisoning and was flat on the couch not wanting to move. Our living room is at the back of the house, and from the living room you can look into the front room, where there is a floor to ceiling built-in bookshelf. As I was laying there waiting for the pain to go away, I looked up into the front room to find Grace scaling the bookshelf. She was about two feet from the ceiling, hanging there like Spiderman.

"Get down from there!" I panicked. Grace scrambled down as I continued my lecture. "You could fall and break your head open! You could break the bookshelf! Don't ever let me catch you doing that again!"

Grace was upset because she had thrown her Polly Pocket doll up into the bookshelf, and she was trying to climb up to get it. I told her that I was very sick and she would have to wait for her dad to come home from work to climb up to retrieve it.

About 15 minutes later, Emma came over to me looking VERY sympathetic. "I'm sorry you are hurting, Mama," she said, as she hugged me tightly and patted my back. I was struck by the incredible compassion from my selfless daughter, and turned to kiss her cheek, when I saw- the horror!- that she was signaling to her sister that the coast was clear to climb up the bookshelf. Emma was a decoy, there to distract me, as her sneaky sister began her treacherous climb up the shelf!

Of course, I let them have it. "How DARE you try to trick your poor, sick mama! You disobyed, and snuck, and lied!"

I sent them to their rooms for a time out.

Ten minutes later, I called them back so they could apologize. Emma was inconsolable.

"I have a dent!" she wailed.

What?

"You have a zit?" I asked.

"A dent! I have a dent!"

We went back and forth, until she finally cried, "I have a DENT in my armor!"

Grace had to explain the rest. "Mr. Fairchild (their vice principal) told us that whenever we do something bad, we put a dent into our good armor."

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at these two naughty ladies who had tried to tag team me only moments before.

I think a lot of us wish we could scream at the world, "I have a dent!" Imagine seeing our past mistakes as dented armor. :) I know mine would look pretty awful. Although I love the analogy of dents in our armor, I am grateful that we can buff out the dents with good behavior and forgiveness so that our armor is shiny and new. Best of all- God doesn't see the dents, only the hearts behind them, awash in His son's grace. :)

The gals would be MORTIFIED if they knew I shared this with you. :)

January=Change, Hope, Redemption

I know I haven't posted much lately...I've been so busy at school and here at home.

I always do some serious reflecting in January. This January, like the rest of the country, I'm feeling the change in the air. Barrack Obama's inauguration is on Tuesday. For the first time I can remember, they're encouraging us to watch it at school. My girls wrote letters to President-Elect Obama for a homework assignment. They were entered into a contest to be published in a children's book. Emma's letter asked him to "please help every animal and person of this land find a home...and eat your fruits and vegetables and get plenty of sleep." Grace told him she thought he would make a great president, and she drew a picture of her and President Obama standing next to each other holding hands. She said, "He's not black, mama" as she was coloring him, and then chose a lovely coffee shade of brown to shade his face. That moment almost made me cry. As it was when he was elected, I felt so inspired to see my daughters witness such an amazing moment of history.

Back to back with Obama's election is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and holiday. For the first assignment back at school, I had my class read his final speech, "I've Seen the Promised Land." It's such an ironic and inspiring speech since he died the day after giving it. It echoed many themes of today and was so relevant for our students. In the speech, King compares his struggle to that of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. During the last lines of his speech, King states, "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!"

I think Martin Luther King would be so proud to witness what is coming on Tuesday. It is such a giant step toward the Promised Land of equal rights that he spoke of. Step by step, we will get there.

In other news:

My girls will be 8 years old in a week. As usual around their birthday, I get a bit melancholy. Just moments ago I held them on my lap for stories in the rocking chair. We all fit on the chair, but now Emma's height keeps creeping up...she'll be to my shoulders before you know it! Grace's feet just keep growing longer and longer. We just bought her new shoes and now she needs them again. I told them both them must STOP growing for a few years. No more birthdays, no more growing. 7 and 8 are wonderful, fun, inquisitive ages and I want to enjoy this as much as I can while it lasts. They are so beautiful, both inside and out.

Emma (L), friend Kylie (middle) and Grace (L) at Kylie's 8th birthday party


Finally- Jeff and I just celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. In one way, I can't believe 14 years have flown by so quickly, but in another way, I can't imagine my life without him. It just seems like he's always been there. :) I just adore that sweet man.

January is a month for changes. It is a month for reflection. It is a month for renewed goals.

My goals:

• To lose my Christmas weight (and a bit more.) I was eating pumpkin pie like it was its own food group!
  
• To be on time in the morning. I'm always rushing out the door for school. I am a definite snooze button hitter. I arrive at school on time, but in the midst of the most horrifying parent traffic. I end up frustrated and disgruntled, and it's only 7:30 am. Not a great way to start my day. I know I should move my alarm across the room and GET UP to turn it off, and then not get back in bed. I should...


• To schedule in time for ME. During school, I run at a maximum speed, going-going-going, and often don't schedule "me" time. Time to exercise, or even stretch. Time to take a hot bath. Time to have a massage. Time to get coffee with my girlfriends, or even to call them on the phone just to chat. Time to go on a date with my husband. I feel like I live at such a rapid pace that I end up plopping in front of the television and tuning out the world- just to recuperate. I need that, but I also need scheduled time for me. Part of that will be learning to say "No." Part of that will be getting more organized and using my time more wisely. Part of that will be spending less time doing things that aren't productive toward anyone or anything. (Myspace?)
  

Those are my three goals. After writing them down, I realized that they are really all tied together.

I leave with with a few of my favorite quotes by Martin Luther King Jr.

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence."

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."

"The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important."

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Don't they just give you goosebumps?

Grace's Thanksgiving Story

One Thanksgiving

By Grace Smith

One day three indians wanted to have the best Thanksgiving ever.

So one indian wanted to have a turkey for Thanksgiving. The next indian wanted to have a chicken for Thanksgiving. The other indian wanted to have a pig for Thanksgiving. The next day was Thanksgiving. So the three indians went out to hunt for what they wanted. The very next day they went out to hunt for what they wanted. The very next day was here so they were sad 'cause they hadn't found a turkey, chicken, or pig for Thanksgiving. So they cooked their food and they were about to start eating but "DeegDong" the doorbell rang. Then they heard a noise and it was "Gobl Gobl Gobl, Bock Bock, Oink Oink. They got the door. One indian yelled, "Yes!" It was the turkey, the chicken, and a pig. The indians said, "Sit down, this is going to be the best feast ever!" Then the turky, chicken, and pig ran. The animals sat at the table and then the indians, turkey, chicken, and pig had a good feast.

Fun With the Scanner

I went to dinner at my mom and dad's tonight because Jeff took the girls on a quick, one-night camping trip with some other guy friends and their kids. (Remote, desert tent camping...not my thing.) After dinner, I went up and dug out some photo albums, looking specifically for those homemade costumes I had written about in my previous blogs.

I was able to find pictures of me in four costumes:

The Bride- 1976 or '77

The Gypsi- 1979

The Cat- 1982?

Crest Toothpaste- 1983

Good times!

About as Martha Stewart as I Get...

Olivia-Bee

Princess Sophie

The Girls' Pumpkins
Kathleen's Dad Jonathan Saved the Day with the Pumpkins!


The Gigantic Pumpkin and its Proud Creators


Emma Toucan

Grace-aroo

Well...I pulled it off. I sent my daughters out on Halloween dressed appropriately (and creatively.) A little bit of thread, some accessories, some face paint, feathers, and an old brown wash cloth became a Toucan and a Kangaroo costume. The girls were so excited, and they wore their Heelies trick or treating in order to zoooooom to each house- maximum candy efficiency!

We wanted a quiet night with a bit of trick or treating and a simple dinner. Poor Jeffy had to work late, and after a busy, busy week, I couldn't handle a carnival or Halloween party without back up. We did have a couple of monkeys visit- cousin Jonas and baby Kathleen came over in their monkey costumes. Kathleen's dad Jonathan brought over a gigantic pumpkin, which he allowed the girls to draw on and help him carve. They ended up carving three pumpkins, and we saved all of the seeds so that Christine can make her yummy pumpkin seeds. :)

Sophie and Olivia dressed up like a princess and a bee. My dad sat on the porch handing out candy while we hit the neighborhood houses. My mom walked the neighborhood with the girls and me and we reminisced about all of the Halloween costumes through the years. Best of all- Grandma Otti (who has been really sick and on Hospice care) was feeling good enough to come down and try to steal some of the girls' candy- a yearly tradition.
Cousin Jonas the Monkey

Gracie's Pouch

The Pugs Dressed Up- Of Course


Baby Kathleen Came Over to Monkey Around