Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's! (2010-2011)

We spent a week in Baltimore, MD with family and friends this year for Christmas and New Year's. It had been 2 years since I had spent an extended period of time in Baltimore. I feel like there were a lot more changes in the landscape there in previous visits than I saw this time. The White Marsh area had changed a while back so that wasn't new to me. Victoria and I were exhausted and lost a bit of sleep the week or two before heading off. We were looking forward to breathing a sigh of relief as our daughter requires a lot of attention these days. It was going to be nice to see someone else keep a watchful eye here and there.

I took Victoria out for her birthday to the Melting Pot in Towson, MD. It was good. I hadn't eaten duck before and it was really good. The lobster pieces too. We got the whole Fondue a la France "Big Night Out" special they were running. Definitely recommended (2 Run HR in my book thanks to the duck). It was good to have that extended time together as man and wife.

I took Charlotte out into the woods behind my parents house briefly Christmas day before heading out to my brother and sister-in-law's place for dinner with her family. Charlotte was cracking up at the sound of me walking on dried up leaves on the ground. She was bending way over to watch it as I carried her and it was admittedly off balanced enough that it was difficult to handle her pose and enjoy her laughter at it at the same time! She definitely wanted to see what was going on! It was a good memory as she was introduced to the back yard I have many fond memories of with neighborhood friends. I picked up a monkey ball off the ground for her to investigate as a keep sake.

Before coming to Baltimore I was a tad nervous how I might feel around friends I hadn't seen in a while. It went fine. Seemed easy enough. No awkwardness was felt on my part anyhow. Some close friends I hadn't seen face to face in 7-7.5 years. Time sure does move along.

After arriving back in Dallas, TX a friend at work asked how I felt about being home. I happened to be considering the odds of winning the Mega Millions Lottery jackpot of $355M. It's something like 176 Million to 1. I looked up the odds of being struck by lightning in the United States and it is 300,000 to 1. Someone quacked something about the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. There was a character who claimed to have been hit by lightning 7 times based off the true life of Roy Sullivan. One of the scenes that character pipes up is during the narration of Benjamin Button that is an appropriate answer to my friend's question:

Button: It's a funny thing about coming home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same.

Old man: Did I ever tell you I've been struck by lightning seven times? Once when I was sitting in my truck, just minding my own business.

Button: You realize what's changed is you.

As we left my parents Subaru when we arrived at the airport to return to Dallas I was reminded of the times my Grandpa Smith would get emotional as we said our goodbyes and left Sturgis, MI to return to Baltimore after Christmases or Summer vacations. The trigger: seeing my mom's well up with tears.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable trip seeing so many friends. There's something about seeing someone face to face that just tells you everything is all right that an email, phone call, or letter can't quite communicate.

First Steps

Charlotte started taking a few steps here and there a few weeks ago, and has yet to stand on her own and walk across the floor, but she will pull herself up on something and then walk across the room. I was able to record one of those sweet first occasions.

Christmas Party

Every year our ministry group has a Christmas party, and it's one of my favorite meetings of the year. Everyone brings their favorite holiday food, we have wonderful fellowship, sing Christmas carols, and end the whole thing with a white elephant gift exchange. There are certain rules to our gift exchange though that make it "extra special". The thing is, you can't spend any money on it. So, what comes wrapped up by those we've come to know and love greatly, is anything from a hideous pair of "his and hers" matching Texas flag polos (sorry Steve) to a huge gift box, of, you guessed it, gift bags (compliments of yours truly who had WAY too many baby themed gift bags stored up after Charlotte's baby showers). It turns out to be tons of fun and the crazy part is that you actually find yourself wanting to steel someone else's really bad gift. These are some pictures our good friend, Stump (yes, that's his name), took at the party.

                                

TWMHTHS #8: Corn Bread

I hate corn bread. I don't know why. Sometimes it turns out a tad gritty. Perhaps it is the fake sweetness that just turns sour on you. Maybe it's too dry. I really can't put my finger on why I don't like corn bread other than I just never have. Maybe it is a taste you need to acquire over time? I like corn and I like bread... but the two together, just never did it for me. Pure strike outs. I know, I know, I'm not a southerner. But let's be honest here. Do you ever say to yourself "I want corn bread tonight" on your way home from work? Does your mouth water for corn bread? Just listen to the name "corn bread" and you'll be like... "well that sucks." Yeah that's right, I'm picking a fight with poor lil' ol' corn bread. "So tell me how you really feel Pete?" "Well I am glad you asked. You're a measley lil' strikeout 'corn bread' and you shame the name of 'corn' and 'bread' all at the same time... you're better off jumping into a vat of Mississippi River water. Save mankind from the terrible disease you are."

At the local CBHA meeting
"Hi. I'm Peter and I am a corn bread hater."

"Hi Peter."

"The first step to recovery from Corn Bread Hating Addiction is to admit we are powerless over corn bread hatred—that our lives had become unmanageable."

Ok. I have issues with corn bread. I admit it. So imagine my surprise when I came home to some dish that was accompanied by a corn bread prepared by my wife that I actually wasn't just ok with but actually liked. And who knew that yogurt was the ingredient it was missing all these years? Here's a corn bread I actually could be peaceful with:

This corn bread variant scored a 1B (Single) These kinds dishes are like solid hits in baseball. Sometimes they just beat out the throw to first base, but it is far from scoring still. And as a coach, fellow player, or fan, you're okay with a man on first base. It's a delight to see when you have a perpetual strikeout magnet like José Canseco at the plate (yes, I know Reggie Jackson has the most career strikeouts for any batter in the MLB at 2,597, but Canseco is the one that comes to mind first and he is # 5 on that list at 1,942).

For corn bread I like, contact my wife for the recipe. Otherwise please don't serve it to me. I'll be nice and thankful, probably try to cover it's nasty taste up with butter before eating it, but I won't ask for seconds. Please don't be offended if I turn down your corn bread.

Charlotte's First Birthday!

Charlotte turned one last week (November 5). I can hardly believe this year has already come and gone. It seems like just yesterday I was so excited for her arrival and waiting not so patiently for her to make her way into this world. So many friends told me to savor each moment I have with her because it all goes by so fast. It does indeed! But I am very glad to say I truly feel I've savored. She is such a joy in our lives and I feel so blessed to get to spend my days with her, seeing each new development as it happens. I could hardly imagine the day she would belly laugh or crawl across the floor to me or even lift up her arms to be held, and now it seems like all those things happen in abundance each day and every time is a delight.

This was the morning of her birthday, getting ready to eat Daddy's birthday breakfast treat - Dunkin Donuts. She's wearing some costume jewelry a friend of ours from church gave us, and she insists on wearing it sash-style.

Opening birthday cards from family and friends.

Opening a pretty pink birthday dress from her Grandma Taylor.

Having fun checking out her new play kitchen from Grandma and Grandpa Smith.

Pete grilling hot dogs and burgers at the park for Charlotte's birthday party.

Charlotte enjoying her first birthday cupcake.

TWMHTHS #7: Pardon the Pause for Some Chocolate Milk

My apologies for the delay on getting out some fantastic food finds over the past few months. Have no fear. I have been taking photos of the good treats although a few photo ops were missed (sorry Erich, I wish I had snapped up some shots of that Brisket... definite Grand Slam to the BBQ starved man at that time; many apologies to my wife's homemade alfredo sauce too).

So let's get The Way to a Man's Heart is Through His Stomach series jump started with something I like to call, My Little Secret to the best Chocolate Milk... and no it is not salt. But first, a story:

It's Discovery
Growing up in Baltimore, MD we often found our Christmas and Summer vacation travel destination in Sturgis, MI (no, not that Sturgis of Harley lore). My family, having been born there, returned to see the extended family. We either stayed with my mom's side or dad's side of the family usually alternating between the two.

My parents were not coffee drinkers (although my dad has become one in recent years). However, my grandparents on both sides of the family drank coffee. I distinctly remember my brother Andy trying and liking my grandma Moss's coffee while in the early elementary age years. The Smith grandparents had a house layout that basically had a kitchen as a main passage way between one side of the house and the other. As kids we felt more comfortable accessing the refrigerator there. On the way through the kitchen we'd grab a small glass and pour ourselves some Tang or cold water. Eventually I tried this stuff called Half and Half from the local Burger Dairy. Not too bad. I'm into the whole creamy thing. Turns out my grandpa used it in his coffee at times, though many times he'd drink his Folgers black (I remember the red metal cans of the stuff!). Well this one time, I decided to pour in some chocolate syrup. That's how I entered into the whole Half and Half world... and yes there are more ways than one to use Half and Half that I will reveal on down the line some day. There you have it, My Little Secret to the best Chocolate Milk.

I rate the stuff a solid 3B (Pretty darned good! Definitely a good place to score from) because there's really no way to put it other than it is the best Chocolate Milk you'll ever have. Missing a desert? Grab a small glass and enjoy a good surprise like watching a triple in baseball. Maybe give it a straw and feel like a kid again... sneaking in your new discovery on vacation!

There's a bear on the lose.

Charlotte just got to experience her first Halloween and it ended up being a good one. We went to a friend's house and met up with a few other families. There were tons of kiddos out on the street trick-or-treating and the whole group seemed to have a really great time.

Charlotte mauling  playing with baby doll at the church nursery Sunday morning.

Heading out to trick-or-treat. She insisted on wearing her pumpkin as a purse through most of the evening.

The whole crew heading out.