Reader's Digest I ♥ you!

I am having a slight love affair with Reader's Digest. I don't even subscribe to it, it is Rob's technically, but I have one in my van while I have my glorious 20 minutes alone in the car waiting for the kids to get out of school. I just read the December issue and I adored it. It had unbelievable, heartwarming stories and blips of things people did for other people, or amazingly good things that happened to people, that just made you want to go pet a puppy.

The January issue appears to be just as good; it is all about optimism and why life is good. Who wouldn't like it?

But the one quote I read in the January issue that keeps making me laugh every time I think about it, so I wanted to share it with you, is this one, which is so appropriate on a chilly blizzardy sort of day:


"Wearing a turtleneck is like being strangled by a really weak guy all day"

Help! Part Deux

The worry today is a cough (which is valid because a cough does exist) and a concussion, which is totally irrelevant since he hasn't hit his head. I'm talking the worry is on high alert and he's on the verge of tears several times a day. This layers on top of several instances this past week where he gets teary and says he just doesn't feel like himself.

I can't really figure out why this is going on. I am wondering if the reality of scary out-of-your-control things is sinking in with him lately. Of course, there is the Connecticut school tragedy, which I chose to share with the kids, and recently, the devastating loss of the 9 year old son of my high school friend who I've mentioned from cancer. I'm wondering if these instances are weighing on him and manifesting themselves in this way.

In addition, he has been saying for some time (months maybe) that it's hard to breathe and then, will take a deep mouth open inhale sort of breath. I have shrugged that off as something pyschosomatic, as his brother went through this exact same "it's hard to breathe" issue around this same age. I mentioned it to the doctor when it happened with Jack, and he diagnosed it as something that is common at this age where a kid gets hung up on a certain thing like this, but there is really nothing wrong, and after a bit of time, it will just disappear, which it did with Jack. Because of that, and just because it's Luke and sometimes he is a in left field, I haven't taken it seriously.

But what if? What if there really is something going on and I just ignore it, because, well, it's Luke? Hmmm. I think I am going to make a doctor appointment just to discuss it, and see if there are any easy/non invasive things we could do (a chest x-ray? I don't know) to rule out something real, or to possibly just ease his mind. I really don't know. Has anyone else dealt with something like this?

Help!

I'm looking for a little guidance on how to convince a 7 year old that his tonsils are not going to fall out and be accidentally swallowed.

I know it's a common conversation in households around the globe, but somehow, I cannot find any "speaking points" when I google the internets. (I could say the "internet", or the "web", but it's trendy talk for a blogger to call it the "internets" so I'm going to be trendy tonight).

I asked if he is concerned about his head just falling right off, or his arm or leg, but nope, it is strictly a concern surrounding the tonsil area. I had to lay with him tonight to try to ease his mind and make him feel better about it. He claims it doesn't bother him at school, only when he is trying to go to sleep.

Hmm...

And the baby walks!

 

There's really not much cuter than seeing a baby finally take off. I'd say about Friday she decided to spit in the face of fear and just start walking. Now she's about 50/50 walking and crawling! Yee haw! She blew her brothers out of the water on this one by a few months.

 

We finally got to cross off one of the "fun Christmas" things on our list today--making Christmas cookies!

 

 

I wish I could just be a little bit more fun myself when we do this. It's not the mess that I have a problem with, I'm just too picky at how it's done. Don't roll the dough so thin, do the cutouts on the edges of the dough and not in the middle so we can get more shapes in, don't take them off the pan like that with the spatula because the cookie will break, don't dip the knife in different colored frostings so it will look nice, etc. I hope they just remember cookie making as fun and not as "disappointing the mama". It's something I am working on....

 

Speaking of mess, here's just a snapshot of the typical mess I come down to once the kids are all in bed. Maybe this one is slightly worse than normal but you get the idea. This is what happens when the papa works night shift and the mama runs food duty, bath/showers, and homework alone in the evenings. Oh, and yes, we are still eating off of a card table.

You really can't see the amount of flour or sprinkles on the floor. You just have to trust me.

Here's what I've gotten it to as we speak. All cleaned up except that mountain of dishes. Some people could never go to bed with that waiting for them. Somehow I manage....

 

But, I am not complaining. Honestly. Because I got to tuck all my kids into bed tonight. HUGE prayers and love going out to Connecticut. I just can't stop thinking about it. What would it have been like as a parent to drive to that school to see if you could find your kid? Oh my goodness. I keep thinking about all of the Christmas trees with presents wrapped under them for kids who will now never open them. The line that keeps running through my head is from one of the kids who lost a sibling and said, "Now I won't have anyone to play with". Gut wrenching.

 

 

Aaaah

Just finished a nice glass of Pinot Grigio after getting my evening's work done (about 10 p.m. if I'm doing good!) and feeling all nice and jiggly. Thanks Pinot!

I was having a few thoughts about Christmas. I have always swore that I won't be one of those people who make Christmas and all things associated with it a chore, that just has to be done. I LOVE the Christmas season and want to cherish each day while it's here. HOWEVER, I despise doing Christmas cards. It's the one task I absolutely dread. Mostly, it's the "getting the good family picture" part of that chore that I hate the most. Well, my good pal Claudine told me about a website called cardstore.com, where they sell you nice cards at crazy cheap prices, so I tried that out this year. For $25, I ordered 55 cards, and they mail them FOR YOU. If you do the math on this, that is just the price of what the stamps would have cost. I am not sure how they do this but oh it makes me happy. Used an old fall photo, and voila'! the most dreaded of Christmas tasks is over.

I was just reading a Taste of Home magazine, one of my favorites, hoping to find some new Christmas baking inspirations, which I did not find, but I did become inspired to create more holiday traditions for my family. An example is someone who says they always cook a beef tenderloin on Christmas day for their family, or they always have eggnog pancakes on Christmas morning. With all of the hub bub this past year, I have sort of set my baking/cooking loves to the wayside and switched to just doing the basics, but once things "settle down" HA HA!! I said once things SETTLE DOWN! (Who does that happen for???) I will resume my trying new recipes/love of baking/cooking like I once did.

Today

Today, 40 years ago, I was born.                     
And today, this beautiful baby girl turned one.

Take your shoes and coat off people, this outfit was ONLY available at K Mart in 1973. You can no longer find plush terrycloth outfits that also doubled as wrestling uniforms and bath towels.

So, today, we celebrated together.

I cannot tell you how thankful we are to have received this blessing into our lives. One year ago today was one of the greatest days of our lives. I thank God every day for giving us this wonderful gift. She brings so much happiness and joy to our lives each day and I'm so grateful for getting another chance to enjoy more and stress less with a baby.
Pictures from the party yesterday:

 

For some reason she HATES having a party hat on.

 

Pictures from the official birthday day today:

 

And finally, pictures of that unforgettable day one year ago....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You just never know what you'll find when you turn your back.

Assorted

I was scrolling through my recently downloaded pictures and thought I would just share a few random ones:

The annual Christmas tree hunt... slim pickin's this year with the drought....

At least someone is having fun with all of the boxes in our garage

Standing alone the day she turned 10 months and still not walking... c'mon bravery girlfriend!

Mac n' cheese is good, mmm k?

My big and my little. For some reason their size difference struck me.

Seeing snow for the first time

First Thanksgiving

Wisconsin Dells after Thanksgiving. Is she not the cutest strawberry you've ever seen?

With cousin Evan

The boys LOOOOOVE the Dells

Luke loves the big whirlpool tubs at the Dells too

Someone likes to get VERY close to me when I'm on the floor trying to take a picture so I have lots of up close shots lately