Surprise Visit from Texas!

This weekend we got a surprise visit from Jesse and Lewis Wight our friends from Texas! It was perfect weather this weekend so we were able to go outside and walk around the arch. It is about 2 miles from our apartment so not too complicated to get there. After walking around and playing catch for a bit we went to Pie Pizza (Obama sent the Chef to the white house for an event). It is chicago style pizza, so deep dish and super tasty. The words from Lewis, "This is the best pizza I have ever had!" 

We had plans to go to Forest Park and watch the fireworks and decided we would bring Maggie…bad idea. First of our complications, we knew it was going to be horrible traffic so we thought why not ride the Metro? Once we bought our tickets we hear an announcement geared toward us, "No dogs on the Metro!" That was a change in our plans, so Chris and Lewis were wise…and went to the stop before and put Maggie in her carrier and slipped right on the Metro. Sly…The metro was coming from East Saint Louis and I think that may be the last time I ride the metro. On our way back a man started yelling at another older gentleman who was minding his own business lets just say there were several A, B, C, and F's used… I couldn't wait to get out of there.

The next day we wanted to show Lewis and Jesse The City Museum. It is hard to describe but it is basically a huge adult jungle gym made out of random objects. The best part were the slides and the free falling slide. I was a little nervous to go down one particular slide because it went into a black hole. The other little kids behind me were encouraging me saying, "You can do it!" As I dropped down into the abyss, Chris said just before "Just give her a little time, her mom just died riding this slide." Supposedly a little girl started crying. 

That night we had tickets to the 311 show. This was a memorable concert, The Urge (a local St. Louis band) opened for 311. The whole time I was wondering PTMFUS was. Then I found out when they stopped playing. Waiting in line for the disgusting portapotties the particular one I was waiting for the one farthest away from all the lines trying to get a somewhat decent one. I saw the red lock turn green and then red again. Chris was with me and we were both like uh nope not ready I guess. So then it finally opened green. A man walks out like no big deal and what do you know a women is in there coming out. Oh that is just lovely, I never saw a portapotty like that… "That johnny on the spot is leaking!" a man yells out. The women from the other bathroom tip toes around the massive puddle as chris joins in the oohs…

The second singer in 311 reminded Chris and I of Lewis Litt from Suits. The man could not dance and his voice sounded like "baby voice" as Chris and I tried to impersonate him. He definitely made the show. 

Maggie is all groomed. When we went to pick her up the groomer decided to leave all her hair on top of her head and shave it in a dome. She came out of the room bobbing her fro forward and backward. Needless to say, we thought it would be better to take off the fro…

Farmer's Market Saturday

This week we went to the Farmer's Market in Old Town. Maggie was the most popular dog on the block! We got stopped many times and their was much butt sniffing... between dogs. Afterwards, our friends Stephanie and Joel Welch came to play football at the Con Agra park and had a little fun on the children's slide. Nice to have warm weather in Omaha finally! We are officially less than a month until we move to St. Louis. I can't believe it! Where will our journey take us next?

Love,

The Smith's

I don't think I like this… (Maggie is thinking) then she comes running to me afterwards.

Stephanie and I going down the super fast slide!

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 Mom I don't think I fit…

All ready for Utah!

Poopy Underwear

It was so nice on Friday, Chris had the day off so when I got home for work we wanted to play catch. One of our favorite past times recently. We went over to the park with Maggie and let her roam around in the bushes that are completely ungroomed. A minute later she comes out all proud with a dirty pair of whitey tighties. They were massive! And best of all they had major poop stains on them. Chris and I couldn't keep from laughing and we tried to catch her. She was just too happy frolicking in the grass and playing catch me if you can. When we finally caught her Chris made sure to throw the dirty underwear way on top of the trees so she couldn't get it.

After playing catch for a few minutes we see Maggie again come with something in her mouth…It looked like a big stick, but after a minute I noticed what it was. Old dog poo… She was eating it! Dogs are so gross sometimes! Well to my fun, Chris was on night call, and I had a feeling Maggie would get sick. At two in the morning I hear faint whines and cries. She has been doing this lately for no reason so I just let her cry it out. At five in the morning I hear her howl and cry for at least 10 mins. I get up to what smells like a porta potty leaking in our house. I lifted the sheets off Maggie's kennel and poop…EVERYWHERE! I almost threw up…

I hurried and dragged her outside, forgetting her collar or leash. Poop on my jacket, waiting in the rain, she would not go… 

We went to the 2nd floor of our building where I hosed her down. Still it is 5am and I am half asleep. 

I guess this is maybe similar to what mom's experience? I now sorta get it…

Sunday I was sick :( I slept forever and am still tired! I had to go get medicine because yesterday I checked the drawers and there was no medicine. I really needed to the store and got some zicam and airborne. I get back to the house and look in the drawer and the old zicam where it was empty yesterday was now full and there was medicine and a bunch of cough drops… I thoroughly looked through and Chris did too! I should have looked again! It was kind of a cool experience although I broke the sabbath and felt guilty, you just never know when a spiritual experience will happen. 

Easter Begg Hunt

We did an Easter Saturday this weekend because I will be gone next week in Boston supporting my mom running Boston and welcoming my brother home from his mission! I am so proud of her for qualifying and I am so proud of my brother for serving a full time mission!

 On Saturday we took Maggie to Turner Park right outside our Midtown Crossing apartment. There were probably around 100 plus dogs. All the dogs and owners were in a circle being tempted by all the goodies. There were Easter eggs all over filled with Doggie

treats. I saw a couple of dogs cheating before it started. It's okay Maggie cheated too. I was a little worried that Maggie would get sick, but she seemed to truck on through treat after treat. I attempted to make an easter bunny outfit for Maggie. Of course Chris thought it was a mess and kept saying we are going to dress her outside right? Instead we settled on dressing her in the hall. The sparkles all fell off my old shirt I decorated for her. Now the hall has sparkles everywhere and pee stains. I am pretty sure we left our mark here on Midtown.

Maggie was in the costume contest at the end of the Easter Beg Hunt. She had balloon bunny ears, pink sparkle shirt, and a cotton tail I tied on her little stub tail. We didn`t win first place but I still think Maggie was the cutest dog there :). She even got a doggie cupcake! 

The winning puppy and the lamb costume

Happy St. Patricks Day!

The Holy Family Shrine (seen below) is a blue dot in Nebraska. If you don't know what a blue dot is, it basically means it is a "top tourist destination" in Omaha. This shrine or church was made for all religions to worship. It is beautiful! I have never seen a building like this, made with almost all windows and a small waterfall inside. The water trickles from the entry way all the way to the front where there is a small pond. It is very relaxing and I could spend hours in there just meditating. On one side of the building is a main highway, which I don't get why they built it right there. It's kind of noisy outside but you don't hear anything inside. On the other side of the building are rolling hills that look like they go on forever.

St. Patricks day was so much fun! Chris and I made a green breakfast for dinner. I of course had to add green veggies like broccoli and spinach to the egg scramble. 

Maggie wanted some too. 

Chris had the day off on Saturday! Finally, so we decided to live it up. We went to the dog park, although it was probably about 20 degrees. We also went to the batting cages where you could take all your rage out on slow soft ball pitch. It was so much fun, I forgot how much I loved baseball!

To sell or not to sell, that is the question...

I'll be honest…we were on the fence of selling Maggie. Since I got into my nursing program at SLU I have had to be realistic and think what I am going to do with her next year. We made a deal with a couple from Iowa who wanted to buy Maggie for her grandson's birthday. She gave us less than a week deadline. The day before we were supposed to sell her I got so sad, it didn't even click to me that she was going to be gone. So sunday rolls around and the weather is horrible, they decide not to come up that day and pick her up, making Chris and I reflect more. We got cold feet and decided to back out of the deal. Her text expression was "OMG, Amanda already showed the boys the pictures. She had told them grandma was getting them a puppy to bring home when they came at Spring Break!" 

Well no more Maggie for you! So we are going to "try it out" at least for the first part in St. Louis.

Maggie also got spade this week, they say it is supposed to calm her down. I don't know about that, she is still her hyper crazy self. Supposedly in a couple of months her hormones will change so I will definitely be watching for that.

It was Girls Night and we decided to be super creative and complicated and make sushi. I forgot to buy crab for the California Rolls so instead I made chicken, it was actually pretty good! Our neighbor across the hall has a juicer so later I brought a bunch of veggies/ fruits over there and we made carrot/apple juice! I'm not much of a juice person but the all organic juice was to die for.

Other than that Chris and I have been frantically trying to get a list together of apartments for this year in St. Louis. We want to live near SLU and the hospital but that means we have to live near downtown a little more on the sketchy side. I think it will be fine since we don't have kids and to be very careful. There are some nice pockets in St. Louis but let's just say I was shocked the first time I went there ;).

A couple of tests and a good hard working husband makes this weeks Omaha Smith's very busy! 

Love you all!

Maggie and her cotton ball. I mean look at her, how can I sell that face?

Delectable Sushi Roll

All protein waffle no flour, who would have known ;) Plus extra STRAWBERRIES!!