happy spring, jerks!

It's been a bitterly cold winter. But the beginning of daylight savings time, some sunshine, and hearing the birds chirping in the mornings over the past few weeks had me feeling hopeful that I'd made it! I'd survived another winter! But on the first day of spring, Mother Nature dumped a pile of snow on us.

23 weeks down, 17ish to go

It was actually our first/only significant snow of the year. This winter was cold, but we only got a few dustings of snow - the kind that melted before you could even put your boots on and head outside. I always get suspicious that there will be a spring snowstorm if we have a snowless winter. If it's going to be cold, I don't mind there being snow in the winter, but once it's spring - no thanks! I lived through five Syracuse winters where it snowed from October through May, and there's a reason I left that city behind when I graduated from college!

But it was nice to have Larry home from work and to cozy up with my family - dogs napping, fire in the fireplace, chili simmering on the stove, peanut butter blondies baking in the oven.




The snow will be melted by tomorrow, and hopefully Mother Nature gets the message that winter is over. I'm ready to bust out my Tevas for real! Here's what I'm looking forward to this spring:

+ A belated fifth anniversary trip to California in April. It's not Hawaii as we'd originally planned, and I won't be drinking virgin tropical drinks or wearing sundresses on the beach, but staying in a cabin among the redwoods and exploring Big Sur still sounds pretty relaxing. Plus, it doesn't require an 11 hour flight to get there!

+ I feel like I've finally hit the sweet spot of pregnancy. The first trimester (and let's be honest, beginning of second trimester, too) symptoms are gone, and I'm not yet feeling heavy and uncomfortable. (Yes, I know I look huge in the photos, but maternity shirts do a really excellent job of accentuating the bump! So far I've gained a quarter of the recommended weight, which means the belly will quadruple in size over the next 17 weeks. Yikes!) But right now, during the day I'm starting to forget that I'm pregnant, until I see my own reflection and think WHOAH! Thankful to be feeling pretty good right now and hoping to make the most of it.

+ Getting back on the trail! I can't wait to get outside and hike this spring. My regular winter walking loop around my neighborhood has gotten so boring, so I'm looking forward to a change in scenery. And maybe I can find some friends to walk with so I can get in some social time, too. It's been a long and lonely winter.

+ Getting back in the pool. When I first found out I was pregnant, I said to myself "I'm going to swim and eat spinach salads every day!" Yeah, that lasted about a week. Then I spent two months lying on the couch and surviving on scrambled eggs and pears and bread. But it's not too late for me to start swimming again. I just need to see if I can squeeze into my swimsuit!

+ Trying new recipes and reading more books. I'm finally starting to enjoy cooking and reading again! I've been making lots of trips to the library and am looking forward to spring at the farmers market and eating fresh veggies. (Maybe I'll finally start eating those spinach salads again!)

+ Creative projects. Creativity has taken the back burner lately, and starting up on painting/drawing/sewing projects again sounds daunting. My brain and hand feel rusty. I need to make this happen.

+ A last hurrah getaway with Larry. I don't know if I'll feel like traveling in May, but I'd love to go to Savannah for a long weekend. I hate the term babymoon, and last hurrah makes it sound like Larry and I won't have any fun after the baby is born (hopefully this isn't true - we're looking forward to doing fun things and traveling with the baby), but a short trip for just the two of us before finishing up the baby prep sounds great. If we can't make Savannah happen, then maybe we'll just take a road trip to somewhere within driving distance of home. The Eastern Shore? West Virginia? We'll see...

Speaking of baby prep, we haven't started yet, so that's also on the schedule for spring. I feel like we have to finish all the house projects that we haven't done over the past 10 years of living here, get our shit together, AND get ready for the baby. Overwhelming!

Lots to do and look forward to. Happy Spring!

expanding our pack

We're adding another hiking buddy to our pack of boys this summer. Baby Smith is due in July!

Surprise! I'm pregnant! (Emphasis on the surprise!) And yes, I lugged a tripod into the woods to take this picture, and it was extremely awkward, but I made sure we were deep enough into the trees so no one else could see us.

I'm 16 weeks along, and comfortably out of the first trimester, though I have yet to feel the "magical burst of energy" that was promised to me in the second tri. In fact, I'm just now starting to feel the slightest bit of relief from the absolute crushing fatigue that plagued me from weeks 7 through 15. I spent all of December and January lying on the sofa taking multiple naps each day and proclaiming to Larry that I felt like "rotten garbage." My rotten garbage analogy took on a life of its own when Larry would try to come up with a more disgusting analogy each day: "Do you feel like dirty poop today? A truck stop bathroom? A leaky porta-john?" Yes, yes, and yes. And it's a good thing we're having a boy because we both seem to have the sense of humor of five year old boys ourselves!

When I told Larry I was pregnant, he laughed. Then he said "You know one thing our kid will never do?" and I said "Go to Disney World?" and he said "How did you know?!" and then we high-fived and laughed. So we're already on the same page when it comes to parenting. Sorry, kid - we'll take you to as many national parks and foreign countries as we can afford, but never Disney!

Larry and I are both still in shock over the news and I probably will be until I give birth/for the next 18 years/forever.

Him: I don't think I'll believe you're pregnant until I have proof!
Me: You mean like seeing a human come out of my va--
Him: No! Like when you have a belly!
Me: Well I kind of already have a belly...
Him: No, I mean A BELLY. Like THIS! (Pats his own belly.)
Me: How many weeks gestation is that?
Him: 46 years!

Yeah, I went there. And I'm finding that the secret to surviving pregnancy (and I'm assuming childbirth and parenting, too) is to have a sense of humor. I'm so glad I have Larry to keep me laughing when I feel like rotten garbage.

P.S. I definitely don't plan on turning this into a baby blog, but right now this pregnancy is a big thing happening in my life, so I should probably document it. I know I'll be glad I did in a few years. This is a blog about my life and my family, so our baby will definitely appear here, but hopefully interspersed with and included in posts about our other interests: travel, art, books, music, food/cooking, hiking, etc. My goal as a parent is to integrate our child into the lifestyle we already enjoy and to include him in the things that we already love to do. But right now, I'm too mentally and physically exhausted to have other interests - the double whammy of pregnancy during my winter hibernation season left me unable to read, watch TV, put on real clothes, or do anything besides listen to music while lying under a blanket. Hopefully I'll be back to blogging the backlog of trips we've taken over the past few years soon, but I'll also share a couple posts per trimester about the pregnancy. 

the headless squirrel

Sigh.

Another day, another dead animal in the backyard, another haiku (or six). What luck that decapitation has five syllables!

More backyard drama:
Banjo has a bloody beard.
A headless squirrel.

Just another day 
in the Smoellke backyard. The
body count is high.

Two dogs, one body.
At least it wasn't a fox.
Stop killing things, jerks!

Another squirrel.
And what happened to its head?
Decapitation.

"The head is torn off!"
Larry investigated.
"Want to see a pic?"

Yummy squirrel brains.
A backyard delicacy.
Banjo licks his chops.

another one bites the dust

Our yard has been teeming with wildlife this spring and summer. There's a family of foxes - including two baby foxes, who we often see romping and rolling in our yard on weekend mornings. I haven't been able to get a picture of them, but fox kits are just about the cutest things I've ever seen. Gravy and Banjo disagree. I'm surprised they haven't broken a window in their rage that these critters are playing in their yard! I've seen the vixen almost every day over the pasts few weeks, too. And the bunnies! SO MANY BUNNIES. Bunnies, bunnies, everywhere.

I've watched three bunnies zip around our yard chasing each other, and then witnessed two of them doing unspeakable things in the bushes. (Making more bunnies!) I've watched tiny baby bunnies - some the size of hamsters, some the size of guinea pigs, hopping across our patio on a daily basis. They are fearless and clueless and sometimes get within two feet of me. I've tried to scare them off to prevent bloodshed. With a greyhound and a coonhound constantly patrolling our backyard, I suppose it was only a matter of time before the inevitable occurred. I only wish it hadn't happened right in front of me!

Unfortunately, it's time for more haikus.

Dear Rabbits, I tried
to warn you about the beasts.
Our yard is not safe.

Why do you come here?
Two eighty pound dogs wait to
kill you with their mouths. 

Hippity hopping
Baby bunnies everywhere
No sense of danger.

From flat dog to fast 
dog. Gravy is built for speed.
Zero to fifty.

Greyhound on the loose.
Run bunny, run for your life! 
Oh no, you're too slow!

Lounging on my chair,
drinking a beer. Gravy runs.
Baby bunny dies.

A flash of red fur,
Gnashing teeth in the flowers.
RIP bunny.

In a split second
Gravy runs, grabs, and kills it.
Apex predator.

A murderous scene
Happens in my own backyard
Cold-blooded killer.

There's fur in his teeth
Now he has a taste for blood
Let's catch another!

Scream bloody murder.
That was me yelling at dogs.
Please don't call the cops.

Yard full of babies.
So tiny and sweet. Gravy
chews on bunny meat.

A summer's evening.
Peaceful, calm. Interrupted
by canine killers.

Mother Nature, so
cruel. I did not need a
front row seat for that.

Woke up the next day.
More baby bunnies in the
yard. They never learn.

weekend adventures | a short hike on the AT

I've been dreaming of hiking lately. Probably because I've been reading a book about thru-hiking before bed and having some great conversations about hiking with my book club friends. But I think it also has to do with the general dissatisfaction of being cooped up inside all winter and suffering serious wanderlust. Whatever the reason, I spend my unconscious hours each night walking down an endless path.

Last weekend it was 7 degrees here, so when I saw that today's forecast was in the 60s, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to get the whole family out of the house and onto the trail. For once we even planned ahead the night before (by marinating some food for tonight's dinner) and got up early (7:30 on a Saturday!) and on the road. Where we promptly got stuck in traffic. This is the reality of trying to go anywhere within 2 hours of DC. So as we were sitting in traffic, we talked about where we should move. (Out west?)

We finally made it to Gathland State Park, but not before stopping at a tiny pastry shop in the town of Jefferson, Maryland, because sitting in traffic builds up an appetite! (Or because I'm always hungry?) You know you're not in DC anymore, when you can buy a muffin for 90 cents! They also had tasty Ranger Cookies for 60 cents each, made with rice krispies, coconut, and pecans - must try making these at home.

Once in the park, we headed out for a hike on the Appalachian Trail. I wasn't aware that we'd be hiking in snow, and it definitely wasn't 60 degrees in the mountains (more like high 40s), but once we got moving it ended up being the perfect temperature for a hike. However, as soon as we started up the trail, I became acutely aware of how long it had been since we'd been hiking - my lungs were burning as we huffed and puffed up the steep incline. I also was testing out a new pack that can carry both my camera gear and a water bladder, and was reminded of how much I hate carrying stuff when I hike. At one point, I got tangled in a web of camera straps, backpack straps, and dog leashes. Argh!



But then the trail flattened out, my lungs stopped burning, I got my rhythm, and everything felt great. We were out in nature, spending time as a family, and moving our bodies - just what all four of us needed...until we noticed that Gravy's foot was leaving a trail of blood in the snow. Well, shit. He didn't seem to be bothered, but I certainly wasn't going to make him hike on a bloody foot, so we turned around...

...and went to a winery instead. We only made it 3 miles on the trail (I guess it was more of a walk than a hike?), but it was just what the pups needed. They lounged at our feet while Larry and I enjoyed a glass of red while looking at a frozen pond, complete with tiny island.



And I have to admit that my legs were sore (pathetic) and I was ready for a nap (that might have been the wine) by the time we got home. But spring is just around the corner, my wanderlust will soon be soothed by a trip to California, and I'm inspired to get back into hiking this year. First stop: Joshua Tree.

snowzilla!

We were promised a big snowstorm over the weekend, and for once, the meteorologists nailed it. Snowzilla dumped over two feet of snow here in the DC area. The news channels started warning us about this storm almost a week ahead of time, so there was almost too much time to prepare. I went a little crazy stocking up at the grocery store and library. Eat all the things, read all the books!

By the artist formerly known as Winter Storm Jonas.


Larry was enraged when he spotted his nemesis, cucumber, in the grocery haul.

As much as I hate winter, I love being snowed in. If only I could spend all winter curled up by the fire with a book, a drink, Netflix, Larry next to me on the sofa and the dogs at my feet, and a house full of delicious food as snowflakes fall outside. Nowhere to go, no responsibilities. (Ok, I always have responsibilities, I just choose to ignore them during a snowstorm! Healthy eating habits are also given the boot when snowbound.)

Larry and I had six days at home together (he worked from home for some of those days) and being shut-off from the real world was glorious! I didn't get amazing pictures like I did during Snowpocalypse 2009 and Snowmaggedon 2010 (still some of the best pics I've ever taken), but we still had a fun weekend. Here's what we did:

+ Finished watching Making a Murderer.
+ Read four books: Snapper, Roller Girl, Relish, H is for Hawk. (Most boring book ever! But I highly recommend both graphic novels.)
+ Cooked up a storm: French Toast, Huevos Rancheros, Carrot Cake Pancakes, Mushroom Lasagna, Banh Mi Pizza, Nachos, Buttermilk Brownies, Banana Bread. Trashed the kitchen in the process.
+ Ate dinner on the sofa every night and stuffed our faces while watching Netflix and OnDemand. (Are there any good movies out there right now? We've watched so many movies lately that have been horrendous. Recommendations needed!)
+ Packed up all the Christmas ornaments and other holiday detritus that had been hanging out on the coffee table.
+ Wasted hours researching airfares and looking at travel websites. We still haven't decided where we'll go to satisfy our wanderlust, but it looks like the Caribbean and South America are out for now due to the CDC warning concerning the Zika virus. No worries though, there are lots of other places we want to go! (I generally don't freak out about these things, but I'm crazy allergic to mosquitos, so why not just go somewhere less mosquito-y and not risk bringing a disease back to the U.S.?)
+ Attempted to play in the snow with the dogs. They love snow, but when Larry and I bundled up to play with them they were over it. Both of them stood on the porch and looked at us like we were fools.

I got so sick of people knocking on our door trying to get us to pay them to shovel our driveway. 

Happens constantly where we live, even while it's still blizzarding outside. No thanks!

After a couple days, we went outside and excavated the car from its frozen tomb. I've never understood why people are so obsessed with shoveling snow immediately? It's the weekend, the government/most businesses are closed, there are two feet of snow on the roads...WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GO? I prefer to hang out inside and enjoy the time off. (And let the sun do a little melting.)

But we did eventually dig out. That was when I realized that my favorite tool for digging out the car (my SnoBrum that I bought in Syracuse when I was a college student) was in the trunk of the car. Under a six food snow drift. So I dug out with a kickboard instead! Worked perfectly!


Two thumbs up for Snowzilla!*

* We were very fortunate not to lose power, have damage, or have any injuries. Many people along the east coast were not so lucky.