The Smith Family Times

More Birthday Stuff

Happy 42nd Honey Rob!  You are the second sexiest guy at the pool after the lifeguard who is 18!

(Susan):  Tessa and Rob had a good one!  Tessa and I stayed home Friday night and after re-frosting the cake disaster (see previous blog entry), caught up on our favorite show, Bones.  Rob and Sam caught Star Wars night at the T-Bones minor league ball park.  Sam went down a huge slide that went so fast, he peed!!!!  Makes a daddy proud now, doesn't it?  Saturday was five 11 year-old girls at the pool and then to Shrek the Third.  We didn't have time for the infamous cake and had to serve it for breakfast (with ice cream, of course) on Sunday.  All in all, a good time was had by all!  Looking forward to round two, when the Herzbergs, Hebeisen, and Grandparents arrive Friday for barbecue and jumping!

The 11 year-old summer of fun begins!

Warming up deck side (water is a little cool yet)

Warming up mom-side with mozarella sticks, what could be better?

Make a breakfast wish!

Opening gifts

An early special birthday present from Grandma Judy, seashell jammies which also double as a swimsuit cover up!

Happy Birthday Rob and Tessa!

(Susan):  Sorry, I got interrupted last night blogging and didn't return to finish as I fell asleep with Tessa.  She wanted me to tell the story of this cake.  Friday night we ran to Hy-Vee to get a cake for her sleep-over.  We got an already made one and rung the bell for a decorator to come out and put the salutation on it.  Much to our chagrin, a 90+ year old man came out, not that we mind 90+ year old men, but they maybe lack a little in the cake decorating skills.  We asked for Happy Birthday Rob and Tessa which caused a clear cut case of panic for this gentleman who was only "filling in."  So, we settled for Tessa and Rob.  Still deer-in-the-headlights look.  So we said, "How about just Tessa?"

Here is what we got:

We thought the end results was, well, a little lame.  Tessa didn't want to hurt the man's feeling so we made a bee-line for the frosting aisle before we collapsed in hysterics.  When we got home, we scraped the T-E-S-smudge-A off and re-did it ourselves.  Voila!

Recovery

(CLICK HERE to read Rob's cynical rant on the Presidential election.)

(Rob:) We've had a rough week here at Smith Manor. As many of you may have gathered, this was a pro-Kerry household (read my political blog for further clarification on this) and the election results yesterday were pretty tough to bear.

Tonight I was able to finally find a way to cope with the pain:

At least one good thing did happen this week: I found out that my camera that was stolen last weekend in Belgium is covered on an insurance plan through American Express, as had been suggested by Cousin Nancy on this blog earlier in the week. I have to send in some paperwork including a police report from here in K.C. (I don't hold out much hope that the KCPD will be abe to crack this case), but it should be covered in full! Thanks, Nancy!

Another good thing: Susan finished a quilt for her brother Tom:

And Tessa Jean read a book:

Tessa Jean did make me laugh yesterday for the first time since the concession speech:

(Rob:) "Hey, Peach, did you hear that George Bush won the election?"
(Tessa Jean:) "Yeah, Dad, I heard. I don't know if this is true, but my friend Arlet told me that George Bush was going to tear down Disney World."

Somehow, we'll find a way to survive. I'm going to have another drink, now.

Peace

(Rob:) Just a short post tonight. We usually try to get a picture of something going on with the family for the blog. Sadly, today's big event (a walk around Loose Park), took place with no photodocumentation because we forgot to bring the camera. Tessa Jean rode her Schwinn the whole way even up hills (extra impressive, since this bike weighs a ton and has only one gear.)

Sam had a pretty rough time. He wanted to bring his "potty prize" along, which was a Robin action figure with his own cool Robinmobile. He was playing with it on the playground when some other little boys took it away from him up on the new jungle gym, and when he tried to get it back he fell about 5 feet off a ladder and hurt his arm and head (but not severely.) Then he wet his pants, and it was time to go home. Sometimes it's tough being 3.

Since we don't have a new picture, here's an old one from when Tessa first met Sam:

Blog note:
Some may have questioned mentioning the coalition war dead in yesterday's post. I feel as most everyone else does that remembering our fallen soldiers is an American, not a partisan sentiment. However, the way it was presented in conjunction with a quote from an extremely partisan film (in response to a statement by the President that I feel was very flip and cavalier considering the tragic results of the opposition "bringing it on") may have been offensive to our conservative readership, and if it was, I apologize. I want this to be a place to come and see what's going on with Tessa Jean and Sam et al regardless of your political bent and you shouldn't have to be subjected to stuff that might get you all riled up. I've decided to have a different blog to espouse my own potentially controversial views in the coming weeks leading up to the election--- details later.

Also- I had the numbers wrong:

As of Tuesday, Aug. 24, 1090 coalition soldiers have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq in March 2003. 962 U.S. service members have died, according to the Defense Department.
The British military has reported 64 deaths; Italy, 18; Spain, 11; Poland, 10; Bulgaria, six; Ukraine, six; Slovakia, three; Thailand, two; and Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia and the Netherlands have reported one death each.

Since May 1, 2003, when President Bush declared "Mission Accomplished", 824 U.S. soldiers have died — 611 as a result of hostile action and 213 of non-hostile causes, according to the military's numbers Tuesday.
Since the start of U.S. military operations in Iraq, 6,690 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department's weekly tally.

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• Song of the Day:
"She changed the lock on our front door now my door key don't fit no more
So get it on over (get it on over) scoot it on over (scoot it on over)
Scoot over skinny dog cause the fat dog's movin' in"

--Yesterday's answer: "It's the Same Old Song" by the Four Tops (1966)

(No correct guesses)

• Movie Quote of the Day:
"You know you don't have to act with me, Steve. You don't have to say anything, and you don't have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and... blow."

-- Yesterday's answer: "Fahrenheit 9/11" (2004)

(No correct guesses)

Hodgepodge

(Rob:) Here's a mixed bag of stuff to consider:

- It's hot again here in K.C. (the cool weather couldn't last forever...)

- Every morning, when I get up and start walking around the house getting ready for work, our two cats (Jack and Gus) will come tearing across the floor from behind me, then cross closely right in front of my feet and streak towards their food dishes. They seem to believe that they hold the power to alter my path by drawing me into their wake, pulling me into "the food place," where I will have a good chance of putting some food in ther dish. It hasn't worked yet, but you have to admire their persistence in trying it over and over every day.

- Here's a good CD to pick up if you like old-school gospel-flavored R&B: Mavis Staples (of the Staples Singers)-- "Have a Little Faith"

- As a sports fan living in K.C., I couldn't be happier that the NFL season has nearly begun and the Royals' season can begin to fade away like a faint memory of a bad dream...

- We were driving around last weekend listening to some John Hiatt and a verse from a song called "Memphis in the Meantime" came on that went:
"Maybe there's something in the air..."
And then Sam said- "There IS something in the air, Dad! BIRDS!"

- Here's a "Doonesbury" from last Sunday that is funny and scary at the same time (click on it to make it big enough to read):

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• Periodic Obscure Song Lyric (post-Beatles Britpop):
"The city streets are empty now (the lights don’t shine no more)
And so the songs are way down low (turning turning turning)
A sound that flows into my mind (the echoes of the daylight)
Of everything that is alive in my blue world"

-Thursday's answer (from the old blog)- "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies (1969)

The first SFT no-prize goes to Carla!

•Occasional Movie Quote (modern war):
"Archie Gates: No unnecessary shots, Conrad, 'cause we know what they do.
Conrad Vig: Make infected pockets full of bile, sir.
Archie Gates: That's right, Conrad, that's what they do."

-Wednesday's answer (From the old blog)- "Dracula" (1931)

Uncle Tom wins the no-prize... of the UNDEAD!