Dear Santa...

I think we are ready for you. It sure looks a lot like Christmas around here. All the snow included... ... And Parker is trying really hard to be really good. He has taken a real liking to Ruby. Infact he likes her too much. As he was mauling her I ran to get the camera for some proof. Anyway, we can't wait for Christmas.

Love, the Connors

10 songs.

There is nothing objective about this list. These are 10 of the new songs I enjoyed most this year, in no particular order. They, along with 15 other 2008 favorites, can be found on the imix to the right. I thought it was a pretty fun year for music. Lots of new bands, lots of throwback sounds. A couple big names came up short in my mind (yes, I'm looking at you My Morning Jacket, but not just you.)
This list is not comprehensive. I'm sure there are notable exceptions. I hope you will direct me towards them. I will turn them on and see if Sophie dances. If she does, they goes on the list.

On with the list.

1. Kids- MGMT. Sophie has done some of her best living room dancing to this song. One of three MGMT songs that should be on this list.

2. Skinny Love- Bon Iver. February's album of the month. "come on skinny love just last the year."

3. Slapped Actress- The Hold Steady. Solid rock anthem.

4. The Re-Arranger- Mates of State. My second favorite indie rock husband/wife band singing about trying to make it work. "Love loud. don't lose loud." Great pop music.

5. White Winter Hymnal- Fleet Foxes. Classic folk harmonies, great building arrangement. Awesome beards.

6. Ashley- The Dodos. After years of waiting, my wife can put away the jealous rage she's been hiding when she meets people named Julia, Martha, or Gloria.

7. L.E.S. Artistes- Santogold. Tegan and Sara comparisons are appropriate for this song. So good.

8. Here's Looking At You, Kid- Gaslight Anthem. If the lyrics of Bob Dylan's "If You See Her Say Hello" and the music of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" had a child.

9. I Don't Want to Grow Up- Hayes Carll. Great cover of Tom Waits classic. Singer's significantly less attractive than Scarlett Johansson though.

10. At That Day- Paul Jacobsen. Hope breaking through apocalyptic destruction. "under tables, under door frames, we'll find what we're looking for, at that day."

There may be an album of the year list coming up. I apologize. I can't help myself.

ruby

Ruby Louise Connors

She is here. All 6 pounds 11 ounces of her came face up into the world at 7:18 pm. She seems to be healthy. She has eaten and been washed and is now, I imagine, resting peacefully in the nursery. Ashley was a champ. Due to some thoughtless planning on the part of the Dodo (who closed today in order to host a company party) Ash did not eat the traditional turkey sandwich post delivery. Cafe Rio rose to the occasion. I don't know how it is for other women, but "first food eaten after delivery" is information only slightly less important to Ashley than weight of the newborn. So, with no further ado, our announcement reads as follows:

Ruby Louise Connors

Dec. 8, 2008

6 lbs 11.4 oz

20 inches

Cafe Rio Chicken Burrito

I left Ashley asleep at the hospital. I am home, looking after the two that came first. They are asleep and I am up too late, thinking of this same night nearly 3 and 5 years ago. Thinking of those first breaths and tears; all that pain and hope wrapped up in those little blankets. Child birth refined my definition of beauty a bit. Often, I say something is "beautiful" when I mean to say it is "tidy." It is clean, well put together, and easy to understand.

But that first breath is not tidy.

It's a tiny scream from a shaking little baby. A baby that looks nearly nothing like the cute clean child she will turn into over the next few hours and days. It's the conclusion to hours of watching this woman I want to protect get the life beat out of her. It is painful to watch, and I am assured by Ashley, more painful to take full part in. As a whole, it's pretty gnarly.

Still, it's beautiful. Completely beautiful. And not in spite of it all.

Thank you to all of you who care to meet this little girl. We want her to meet you too.

More pictures later.

Baby update

update from adrianne:4 pm. no baby yet.  ash is hungry.  trying to survive on grape Popsicles alone.  john is not hungry, having eaten many treats.  baby is taking her sweet time. more later.

yippee...

going to the hospital right now to have a baby.

yippee indeed.

so the stars have not aligned... just yet.

Well, it is 11:05am on December 2nd (happy birthday ava hyde and britney spears) and I am sitting here typing at my house. No baby today... no baby this week. I had an amnio test yesterday to test the baby's lung development and the little one's lungs just aren't ready for this world yet. It is hard to argue with modern medicine. I had a really good cry last night, a semi-short pity party, and then I got a grip. So it is all okay. I am fine. I just ate french toast with my kids, I am getting my hair done today, and tonight my mom and sisters ( including Lauren who has missed school for the past two days to be here) and Adrienne who made her Thanksgiving trip extra long to see the baby.. we are all going out tonight. Dinner, movie, whatever. It should be fun. A little girls party.
The plus side of acting like a crazy woman for the past little while is that my Christmas shopping is done, the house is almost all decorated, Parker has a new room downstairs and has been sleeping like a champ through the night and my week is clear. So for a whole week I am going to enjoy my two little kids, do Christmas things with them, go out to dinner, and John can wrap up the huge work project that is finishing this week.
The down side... I hate all of my maternity clothes. I plan on wearing the same thing everyday. Just washing it and putting it back on. So if you see me, pretend not to notice. And the sleep. The couch and I are the best of friends lately. I can actually sleep out there.
Yesterday at the hospital I couldn't help but think about when I had Sophie and Parks. Soph's delivery was tramatic for me and my doctor. He still ranks it as his #2 worst delivery. That being said, I am sure it could have been a lot worse. I still walked (or hobbled) away with a a healthy baby. I am super grateful for that. The plan with Parks was to induce me early ( hence the amnio) to avoid him getting stuck like Sophie. I had two amnio's with him and when he was ready the delivery was smooth. So I am hopeful that all will work out like it is supposed to. Another amnio next Monday, and hopefully if her lungs are ready then, I will be induced on Tuesday December 9th.
To top it all off, I am always amazed by my family and friends. They have been super sweet and supportive, more than I deserve that is for sure. It is humbling to be surrounded by such giving, kind, and wonderful people. Thanks for all of your help, gifts and love. I love you.
Here's to a great week full of Christmas spirit, and lung developing.

update...

Here is the latest updates on our little family...

John: John has been working A TON, and nursing a work injury. The story is way better told in person, so if you get the chance... please ask him. But to summarize: a new co-worker accidentally shot John in the butt with a 2 inch, 18 gauge finish nail.

Ashley: I have been checking off my huge list of "to-do's" before this little baby comes. It has been fun to pull out all the cute little girl stuff I have. The Christmas shopping is almost done and hopefully if all goes well I will be induced next Tuesday, December 2nd on Britney Spears birthday. Seems like the stars have aligned perfectly.

Sophie: Sophie has been growing up. Good timing, I say. She has been playing super well by herself lately and seems endlessly entertained by the barbies in the playroom. She is making up for the havoc that Parker is causing around the house.

Parker: Parker has been destroying. Where to begin? Just the other day he emptied all of my drawers and two laundry baskets (picture clean clothes mixed with dirty) all over the floor to make "dirt" for his tractors to drive on. In the same night he poured soap in Sophie's hair and then poured a box of unmixed drywall mud all over the carpet. It is one mess to the next with that kid. Good thing he is so cute.

Baby Girl: Been preparing for her big debut... kicking, more kicking... and more kicking. :)

All of us: We are thrilled for this Thanksgiving season, and are grateful for all of our blessings.

thirty years ago today...

Happy Birthday Johnny! I sure love you.

Sophie

Sophie had been playing in the playroom -rare, peaceful, Sunday morning kind of playing- when she stepped into the kitchen, with a concerned look.


Sophie: Dad, it is too quiet in the playroom.

John: Ok. What do you want me to do?

Sophie: Turn on some music... (thoughtful pause)

...or get some wild animals.


As if these were two equally reasonable options. Though Ash would probably have my head for it, the thought of turning our playroom into a zoo filled me with some joy. Parker riding a little goat, Sophie braiding the mane of some poor lion. It'd turn sour pretty quick, but the pictures from those first few minutes would make for a pretty solid blog post.

Dear... Part II

Dear Chuck,
You are my favorite new t.v. show. I love Mondays now.

Dear Quickly Approaching Holiday Season,
I really like you and your music and all that you entail. I don't mind that you are around the corner.

Dear Little Baby,
I am so excited to meet you and put a face to all your squirminess.

Dear Good Friends,
Thanks for last night. It was so fun to see you. I felt 19 again...

Dear America,
I am proud of this historic moment, and now I think it is time to unite and be nice to each other again.

Dear Pre-Pregnancy Body...nope... Dear Pre-Wedding Body,
Please come back one day. Please. Pretty Please. I know you are somewhere underneath all this.

Dear Hubby,
I really like you.

Dear Dinner,
Can you consider fixing yourself?

Dear "To Do List",
I'll get to you I promise. It's just that sometimes all these other things are just more fun to do.

Dear Fingerprints and Messes,
I have been told I will miss you one day. I can't fathom that... but I surely like those little hands that are responsible.

Dear Loved Ones and Plethora of Friends,
Blame the hormones if you must... but thanks for making our life richer. Just feeling particulary sappy today and figured you should all know that I appreciate each one of you. Really.

Halloween

Hope your Halloween was magical. Ours was filled with lots of candy, a little bit of Steelers, and some Wizard of Oz. It was perfect.

Ever More...

Parker's favorite phrase lately is... "ever more". I have no clue where he picked it up. But here is a sampling of how he is using it in his day to day encounters with me...

"I no want this noodles, ever more."

"I not go sleep Mom, ever more."

"I want fire engine, hold it please, ever more."

"I dig dirt,ever more."

"I love you Ashley Connors, ever more."


I'll take the last one for"ever more." Silly kid.

Sights and Sounds

Ash is in St. George with her sisters right now, celebrating sisterhood. I expect she will call tomorrow and tell me she spent somewhere in the ball park of $150,000 on her wardrobe for the closing weeks of this historic pregnancy. "Honey," I can hear her say in response to my suggestion that this is both inconsistent with her brand and slightly insensitive in these tough economic times, "we'll give it away after we have the baby."

Until that call comes, here are a few, unrelated, unordered things that I have enjoyed hearing and seeing lately-

I

Sophie has been discussing how her role in the family will change after the new baby arrives.

S: "I will feed the baby bottles sometimes and I will make the baby happy and I will be very gentle."
me: "That will be very helpful, Sophie. Thanks."
S: "Yep. And I will clean up my toys, and help Parker clean up his toys, and at night mommy will have to be with the baby so you will put me to bed and you will also put Parker to bed."
me: yes.
S: "And we will need to make a robot of you. And Parker will have the robot you and I will have the real you."
me: slient. Lost in thoughts of whether or not I would like hanging out with robot me and how expensive it would be to buy two of everything.

II

During a discussion of the presidential candidates speeches at the 2008 Alfred E. Smith dinner in New York- a chance for the candidates to show a rarely seen humorous side- one of my favorite radio host, Scott Waltermann, praised both men by saying "they stood up there and they killed" which to me said "they were really funny." I was happy to hear this news, but unimpressed really. Perhaps sensing this, Waltermann continued, "They literally killed." which to me said, "By use of force, Barack Obama and Jon McCain stood up at this light-hearted, non-partisan dinner and actually took the lives of their listeners." Now that's good radio.

I try to make a point of visualizing, whenever someone uses the word "literally," whatever activity is being "literally" described. The images associated with the misuse of this word are solid gold. Literally. (see, now visualize a miniture solid gold statue of Obama and McCain slaying the crowd at a politcal event, Obama looking kind of the the Terminator- part metal, one red eyed; McCain dressed perhaps in animal skins, like those little Mormon figures of Ammon, sword over his head, maybe some sheep somewhere, ... )

III

Ashley, that sweet, hip girl who I first saw all those years ago stepping out of her black VW beatle in a plaid mini skirt, is now driving a mini van. And loving it. A mini van is not like a mustache. It is not so uncool that it's cool. It is too practical. It is just straight up uncool. Yet she makes it sexy.

There is a great scene in Loud, Quiet, Loud- a documentary about the Pixies (sang the songs "Where is my Mind," "Here Come Your Man" "Wave of Mutilation" and 2008 first song of the year "Hey")- where you see Frank Black driving in the car with his wife. The band has just started a very critically and financially successful reunion tour, their first, and the Blacks are driving around the neighborhood in their minivan when she starts laughing out loud.

"I think it's pretty funny," she says, "the idea that people are like, 'oh the Pixies are back together, oh my gosh, Frank Black, he’s so cool!' And you’re running around in a minivan." She continues through the laughter, "Oh, He’s so angry. And interesting..." She pauses, collects herself, and finishes her thought, "And I think the Grand Caravan really reflects that."

Wifey + Minivan= sexy. It's crazy math, but it works.

IV

We have been enjoying the release of last years tv series on DVD. Particularly enjoying rewatching 30 Rock season two and watching, for the first time, Chuck. We are open to any additional suggestions.

Pack's Pumpkin Patch

Since Lauren was in town for the weekend we decided to have some serious fun....picking pumpkins at the Pumpkin Patch and lunch at Apollo Burger. Hard to beat that kind of fun. Hurry back Lauren... we love you!Thanks again Mushie and ladies for a really fun afternoon. We love our pumpkins and it is always fun to spend time with family!

Right Now...

The stunningly beautiful and uber talented Heidi Snyder tagged us... so lest we dissapoint... here it goes.

Right Now...

Ashley is loving: turkey sandwhiches, when Parker takes a nap, my kids quietly coloring, the idea of a new car, making soups and other fall things (pumpkin cookies, gingerbread cake) and hearing my cute hubby play the guitar.

Ashley is not loving: how dirty her floors are, and feeling like there is no more room in her belly.


John is loving: the "kitchen sink" sandwich at Leger's, playing indoor soccer, and fall.

John is not loving: that his record player has a broken needle.


Sophie is loving: shopping for Halloween costumes, playing soccer, singing at preschool, and dancing.

Sophie is not loving: going to bed... ever. I feel like this may never change. She is a true "Connors" in her sleep habits... Heaven help me.


Parker is loving: his tape measure, his hammer, waking up in the morning.

Parker is not loving: CHANGE. Anything that has to do with changing.... diapers, clothes, pajamas, etc. Once he is wearing it- he believes it shall stay on his body. This poses a difficult situation for me a lot. I belive in changing diapers and clothes at least occasionally... what a nut!

And now we tag: Ralph Nader, Justin Timberlake, and Bobby Flay.

Fall Wonderland

Following the stock market's lead, Utah temperatures plummeted overnight.

Yesterday (Oct. 11)

Today (Dec. 21- or so it seemed)

Thank you, tomato killing storm, for giving us a chance to build a snowman and reminding me I need some new gloves. You can go now.

oh sweet sweetness...

About six months ago a few couple friends of ours (Sterling/Brandi and Michael/Adrienne) and John and I went out to dinner. John and I had just got back from Mexico for a weekend getaway. This got brought up in our dinner conversation and Michael insisted that we all go sometime. Well- to be honest I thought it was a great idea but like most great ideas- it would come and go. About a month later Michael called and told us he was booking his tickets so we needed to pick a date. So we did. And then we got tickets. About a week ago Sterling and Brandi bought tickets and we were off. I am amazed it happened... I have to say a big thanks to Michael and Adi for taking the initiative and getting us out the door. I haven't laughed that hard, that many times, for a long time. It was a really fun weekend. Thanks guys! The view from our balcony. It was really nice to wake up to this every morning.Dinner at Mary's. A delicious fish platter and an awesome waiter. (not included in picture)A crazy water volleyball game- Connors vs. Barnetts. In the third game we lost by one point. It was devastating. John and I even had matching bandanas. This is proof that I got my seven month pregnant belly out of the water. Yeehaw. Too bad we still lost.Michael and Sterling posing in the pool. At least I think this is what they are doing.John and I in the town. After we ate breakfast at Regina's.

The girls. Brandi, Me and Adrienne. It was so nice to just sit back, order pina coladas, pretend to read and watch the boys entertain themselves with jet skis, random games, pool time, etc.
Dinner at The Friendly Dolphin. Yum.

Thanks again guys for a great weekend. It was so fun to get away and spend time with friends. (And thanks to everyone that juggled our kids and made it possible for us to go! We love you.)

tired and talented.

Tonight I am tired. Pregnant tired, maybe. Life tired, I think. The kind of tired that is unexplainable to my sweet husband who wonders if I will ever be the nice person he married all those years ago. Before hormones of pregnancy one, two, and three reared their ugly head. Tired because putting my kids to bed tonight took WAY too long and was way too emotional. I think Sophie came upstairs six times, and Parker had a ginormous meltdown about everything regarding bedtime tonight. I thought about this little one kicking away in my belly- and it made me tired, not that I am not excited, because I am, but tired thinking about adding more chaos to the chaos that already exists in this little house.

And before you get too bored reading about me being tired, I shall share with you my new found talent.

The other day Sophie colored a page super well. I told her one of her talents was coloring. This is the conversation that followed:

S: What's a talent?

A: You know, something that you are good at.

S: Like my coloring.

A: Yep. What do you think another one of your talents is?

S: Um, dancing and karate. ( mind you she doesn't know a thing about karate...)

A: Oh really. Those sound good. What is one of Daddy's talents?

S: Guitar!!!

A: Yah, What about Parker?

S: Going to sleep. ( This is very debatable...it really is one of his non-talents... is there such a thing?)

A: Ok, What is one of Mommy's talents?

Super long pause. No answer. No answer.

A: You know... something Mom is good at, anything.

S: I know... driving!!


Well. Better something than nothing. And my sister Adrianne pointed out that this isn't our own mother's talent.. so maybe it is worth being excited about.

(and no offense Mushie... you have other talents...a whole lot of them)

my little blue unicorn...

Sophie is playing soccer. It is quite cute. Mostly she just runs down the field, kicks the ball, then turns to us on the sidelines and gives us a huge smile and two thumbs up. It is hard not to love that. Maybe she will develop some soccer skills one day... maybe not. Either way, I love her to death and she is so fun to watch. Her team is called the blue unicorns and I think so far this season they are 0-4. They don't know the difference. Parker is still wearing his "new" jersey everyday... ( he now sports an official Willie Parker jersey that for the life of me I cannot get him to take off) and he sits on the sidelines and cheers..."Go Gopie!" We are loving being a little soccer family. (and a little Steelers family too!)

Sgt. Peppers in a box, Nebraska on my wall, and Paul.

The first album I ever bought was the Robin Hood Prince of Thieves soundtrack. I was 12 years old. I'm not sure whether I used the album as a soundtrack to my loneliness- singing along with Bryan Adams softly as the 12 year old girls passed me by uncomfortably; or a soundtrack to the personally scripted robin hood re-enactments I was staging in my basement (a practice that may help explain the aforementioned loneliness.) Both propositions are damning so I haven't really sought any historical clarification. This much I do know, sometime that year I found, in the basement (or, as I may or may not have been calling it privately, "Nottingham"), a box with my parents records. Within an hour I had heard, for the first time, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Shortly thereafter, Tad Henderson requested Tyler and I take a break from writing letters to Pittsburgh Pirate center fielder Andy Van Slyke asking for his autograph and come upstairs for dinner. There he played us Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, again on vinyl. And almost in an instant, Bryan Adams became "my youthful mistake."
Had I never found those records I may not have cared that the videographer put Butterfly Kisses on my wedding video without my consent.
Or that the U2 version of Unchained Melody was used at some dance in high school instead of the Righteous Brothers (though both are quite good.)
Or that Cha Cha told Dan that Jeff Buckley wrote Hallelujah.
Or that Paul Jacobsen released a stellar album this month.

Had I never found those records this might all be meaningless to me. (And I may still be referring to myself as "Locksley.") As it is though, I have the sleeve of Nebraska, a recent Christmas gift from Tad, framed and hanging on my wall.
And I have listened to Paul's new album all week.

Six days before the end of the month, I am officially declaring Paul Jacobsen and the Madison Arm September's Album of the Month.

Paul is a great songwriter, and this is an album full of great songs. The collection comes together, for me, as a celebration of all that makes us human. It is a testament to the quality of the writing that an album whose characters seem to be consistently longing for something they can't reach can leave it's listener feeling so hopeful. These songs find the beauty not only in the divine but the desperate. Try "You're the Song," "Western Skies" and "At That Day."

No matter which side you come down on in the Bryan Adams debate, this is a really great album and we think you should own it. We think this so strongly, in fact, that we bought it for you. We've got five of them. Tell us if you want one. (you want one.) You can also get the album at cdbaby.com (http://cdbaby.com/cd/pauljacobsen2

If you are in Utah, Paul will be having a seriously stacked bill CD release concert on Saturday night at the Fort Douglass Theatre near the University of Utah. This is a really great venue for those of you who have never been there. Dominic Moore (sooo cool) and Sara Sample will open. Show starts at 7:00 and 10 bucks gets you a ticket and a cd. Come with us. I'll buy you a soda.

Click on the "John is listening to" image to hear more from or about Paul Jacobsen.

good morning.

I looked out my big front window today. I live on a really beautiful, tree lined street and in front of every house today is a flag. It looks so neat. Late last night on the phone with a friend I was reminded that today is September 11th. She and the young women helped put them all up today. One of the emotions that September 11th always brings brimming to the surface for me is love. Weird, maybe... maybe not. It just seemed to shake people enough, or at least me enough, at the time- where I really felt love towards everyone. I wanted to hold the people I loved a little tighter, and I wanted them to know- for sure- that I loved them.

It seems like the blogging world allows you to step into people's lives so innocently. While there are blogs that are happy, funny,honest, and maybe not so honest- lately I have been touched by the blogs that have made my heart hurt. I have seen the nie nie buttons on people's blogs, and have started to read cjanerun to keep updated on the plane crash victims. I stumbled across my sweet friend from High School, Kim, who just found out her five year old has leukemia. My list could go on and on. I think everyone really is fighting their own battles the best they know how.

So, even if just for today, I am going to try better. I am going to hug my kids longer.I am going to be more patient. I am going to kiss my husband the second he walks in the door. And I am really going to try to slow down long enough to remember what really matters. And today, that started with a waffles for my kids, and waffles and a diet coke for me. Now I am going to go snuggle with my kids, while the dishes sit undone.

oh sweet, sweet vanessa...

I have a few embarrasing moments under my belt. I have fallen down in public way too many times to count. I have broken stools while sitting on them. When I taught, I once read a book to my second graders with a huge hole in the crotch of my pants- just at their eyelevel. ( I believe I was like 10 months pregnant at the time- so I really couldn't see it). Besides these so called embarrasing moments- I have been told recently that I also have somewhat embarrasing taste in music/media.

For example:

I rented What Happens in Vegas and made John watch it with me.

I LOVE the High School Musical movies. Love them. Seriously. I could watch them over and over. I cannot wait til the third one comes out!!!!

I have a crush on Zac Efron's dance moves. I know he is like 5'2' or something. I just can't help it.

I think the t.v. show Hannah Montana is funny.

Why- you say- would you ever admit this on your blog? Well here is why. I have now seen in concert:
1. Hannah Montana
2. The Jonas Brothers
and
3. Vanessa Hudgens

(as somewhat of a disclaimer: they were all events that I was given tickets to. Hannah Montana/The Jonas Brothers was b/c of the very hip and cool Katie of "Katie and Elliot". And mind you- she gave me 30 tickets to the taping of the 3d movie concert and I got to distribute them to a many happy teeny boppers and chaperones. Jonas Brothers rocked. So does Katie.)

I have a very nice cousin Jamie. She married a very cool guy named Steve. Steve is on the board of directors for the State Fair. He offered us Vanessa Hudgens tickets- and a little meet and greet with the Gabriella superstar. Who can turn that down? Not I! So, my Mom and Dad, Sophie, Naomi, Kate, and Annie and I all set off to the fair for the show. It was really fun. We got to go into the little venue early where we waited for our chance to say hi to Vanessa. They walked us around a little trailer and there she was in all her 4'8" glory. ( I don't really know how tall she is- she just looked TINY sitting there. Like a little peanut.) She was beautiful actually. And Sophie was thrilled because in our 30 second exchange/paid photo op she told Sophie that she had beautiful eyes. So hopefully we will get to order our pictures and have proof of that moment, since they wouldn't allow us to take our own pictures. Here are other pictures of the fun filled fair night and the "$25 in tickets" ferris wheel ride that we took afterwards.

Here is the group ( minus me) waiting to meet Vanessa.Steve- the man who made it happen. Thanks Steve! You are the best.Sophie, Mushie and Kate sharing drinks and french fries. We love the fair. Annie waiting. What a cute smile.This is proof that my awesome Dad was there. He was a good sport!

PS. Some of my other favorites that I wholeheartedly endorse: Bananarama, The Outfield, YAZ, Michael Jackson, Enrique, Just Married, Sweet Home Alabama, P.S. I love you, The O.C, Smallville...