In the News

Look who made the front page of our local newspaper! It doesn't say her name, but that is Abby on Santa's lap. The area schools sent letters to Santa, and hers was picked to be featured with about 30 other letters in the Christmas Eve edition. On Monday they invited the kids to come up to the newspaper office to receive one requested item from their letter. Abby got a new sleeping bag. I never thought they would use her picture, because she had her hands up to her face in that mock-shy thing she does. But she must have been the cutest one--even with only half of her face showing. In yesterday's hard copy that picture appeared as a 5X7 feature, on the front page. It was a neat thing for her--to be front page news on her birthday.

That Was Then, This Is Now

I loved Suz post that she did about D, so I'm stealing her idea. Also, even after five kiddos, I'm still completely blown away with how God gives us these little wriggling scraps of life that somehow, amazingly turn in to people. At 8:11 tomorrow morning, my baby girl will be six years old.
Then: I had walked--waddled, really--across the stage on Saturday. I was officially a college graduate. She was born on that Tuesday. "Tuesday's child is full of grace." My sister and I dressed her up in about a million dresses--just like we used to do with our baby dolls. The master and I wondered at our blessing. Two healthy children. We had to figure out the baby car seat all over again and brought her home in the red stocking the Hospital Guild had hung on her bassinet.
Now: She presently is on her birthday date with Daddy at Applebees. Afterwards, he is taking her to the Bath Junkie store where she can have Aunt Jenny's "empty bottle present" filled with something "girly and pink." The final stop of the evening is ballet class. Tonight she will not fall asleep in a Christmas stocking, but her new sleeping bag that barely holds her.
Beautiful then and now.

Going To The Prom and Deviled Eggs

Whenever I have an event to attend that I really don't want to go to, I pretend like I'm back in highschool getting ready for the prom. Do you remember starting at about 10:00 in the morning making yourself beautiful? You had appointments for the whole day. Hair at 11:00. Nails at 3:00. Facial 4:30. You knew at 6:00 when your date arrived you were the absolute best that you could be. Well, I don't really go to a salon for my little flights of fancy, but I take extra special care and concern for every detail of my appearance. When I get where I'm going, at least I know, no matter what else happens or what I must endure, that I look nice. It helps. I take this little mental vacation on days when, lets say I have to appear in court before a cold Russian judge, or sit through a observation review meeting with an administrator I can't stand, or...
ATTEND THE SENIOR ADULT ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PROGRESSIVE SUPPER
Are they very sweet, very nice old people? Yes. Is everyone as kind as kind can be? Yes. Aren't these the same people that have helped you and your family out time and time again? Yes. Is the food delicious? Yes. Is it dull as dirt? You bet your boots.
But I still would not have dreaded it if 8 ladies had not taken it upon themselves to call me especially and remind me of the date and time and that they had hired babysitters for me this year (which was how I got out of it last year) and that they were so looking forward to seeing me. There is something about me you should know: The more you try to make me do something, the less likely I am to do it. The master says I am "like a stubborn ass" that way. T'would be offensive if it were not so true. But obviously my attendance at this party was really important to them, and they have been so kind, and they did take care of all my excuses this year (gosh darn it), so off to the prom I go.
That is my mental health tip of the day. Now for more practical matters. I am taking deviled eggs to the prom. This is how I make them speedy quick and easy. After you have boiled your eggs, peeled and halved them, pop yolks into ziplock bag. Mash with fork inside of the bag. Add your favorite ingredients (I use mayo, mustard, and Tony's seasoning) zip up bag and kneed to mix. Cut off tip of bag and "squirt" yolk filling into eggs. Presto! Fill all your eggs quickly with no mess. Just toss bag when done. No dishes to wash.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend...I think I hear the limo pulling up outside. Ta-ta!

Comments

I have just been made aware that my comments setting has been screwy the past few days. I had a few unwanted comments left on my "new online job" post. I should have known better than to word it like that, I was basically throwing the welcome mat out for spam. I'd inadvertently enabled TOO much comment blockage--no one could get through. And I thought you didn't care!
A short update on our whirlwind weekend. After tests all day at the hospital on Friday, we woke early to prepare for Abby's my little pony party. Her birthday falls right before Christmas, so we try to have her birthday party early every year. In the midst of party prep and party time, I cleaned house, finished Christmas cards, and fielded a hundred calls from church members who had heard through the "prayer chain" a.k.a. "the grapevine" about Randy's tests. Of course, by the end of the chain, we had just discovered he was in the last stages of cancer and not expected to live much longer. The final call of the day was from the pediatrician who proclaimed that, "All tests look very good. Ah-so feed the baby and feed the baby and bring baby to me--two weeks." Much relief on our part. We are certainly feeding the baby and feeding the baby. Sunday church and then Christmas covered dish meal to follow. Abby wasn't feeling well, but I did not want to miss because I played hookey last Sunday. I gave her a very light breakfast and assumed it was just a case of too-much-birthday. Her Sunday school teacher gave everyone a box of Gushers candy, which she woofed down, despite her queasy stomach (I agree with Bill Cosby that all children are brain damaged...and this is proof). Needless to say, that she gushed the Gushers. So thankful, though, that I caught THE LOOK in time to get her out of the sanctuary. She was sick and moody the rest of the day with the 24-hour bug. Randy got it on Monday--the kid we are supposed to feed and feed. So far, no one else has tossed their cookies, but it is only a matter of time.
I let the kids stay home from school today and we did holiday baking. They aren't doing anything at school this week except watch movies and goof off, so I figured, why not? I am growing more and more displeased with this new school. It seems to me that they spend 90% of their time playing. I do not send my kids to school to watch movies! At least they spent their time today reading recipes, writing lists, and measuring ingredients. You've probably gathered from my previous posts that I'm not a big homeschooling proponent, but for the first time since K was four, I am seriously considering it.

Please Pray

I'm not sure any one reads this blog; I don't get many comments of late. But, if you are reading this and you are a person of prayer, please pray for Randy. I took him into the pediatrician for his much belated 6 month appointment (he is seven months old) and discovered that he had not gained weight or inches since his 4 month visit. Just in the past few days I had been commenting to the master that I didn't think he was growing much. He was still fitting into his 3-6 months clothes, size 2 diapers, etc. I'm ashamed to admit it, but it was kind of pleasing to me. My last baby-baby was staying small for a little while longer. Of course when our Asian pediatrician said, "Ah-so you know you baby not grow? Ah-so his head measure no grow eder?" my nostalgia train came to a screeching halt. We had a bunch of tests run on Friday and are still waiting to hear back. I know what you are thinking:

Nursing+ My Weight Loss=Baby's Weight Loss

At this point, I am hoping that is the case. Though I will feel REALLY GUILTY, it is still something that is easily remedied. I've always heard and read that if you do not get enough calories when you are nursing your milk will dry up. I still had plenty of milk, so just assumed he was getting what he needed. It never occurred to me that the quality of the milk and not the quantity might have been affected. We have been stuffing the kid constantly with food since Friday, so if it is a caloric intake problem, he will soon begin to fatten up. And I have stopped counting points. I don't want to let all my hard work go, but I'm also not emotionally ready to stop nursing. He is my last little one to nurse.

Ain't We Purdy?

The signs of the season are upon us. Here is a sneak peak at our Christmas photograph. Lookin' good, huh? The master has his cheesiest of cheesy grins and though he was instructed not to, K is showing the huge gap in the front of his mouth. Can you guess what his favorite song for this yuletide season is? M is being her usual cooperative self and so, no smile. But I must say in her defense that the photographer was a doofus and if I were two, I would not have smiled at him either. Speaking of our photographer, he should have moved Ian over just two inches so that all of Baby R's most adorable face could be visible.
But all in all, for W*llm*rt's 8.95 photo deal they are not bad. Do you like my gold and brown ensembles? It is very hard to coordinate 7 people without spending a fortune. And the men folk do not want to be dressed too fru-fru. Last year we did crimson and black, the year before casual red and denim, the year before winter blue and grey...I'm running out of color schemes here.

Pics

O.K., for some reason blogger would not let me load my pictures for the previous post so here they are.

Of Course, I Now Know

Of course, I now know I was suffering from pre-menstrual syndrome.

Dolly Parton as Truvy

Steel Magnolias

Yes friends, tis true. The reason behind Tuesday's day from hell became crystal clear to me on Friday. But even PMS could not touch Thursday. We were so blessed! I sat down on Thursday evening to blog all about it, but the electricity went out just as I was wrapping up my beautifully worded, detailed epistle of praise and thanksgiving. I'm not even going to try and recapture the moment. Here is a brief synopsis, bullet style.

• The ladies of the church had gotten together and asked to keep my kids for me on Thursday so that I could have a day to shop. I was too ashamed to tell them that I did not have any money to shop, so secretly was planning to clean the house instead. Early Thursday morning, another lady in the church brings by a card from several anonymous folks who wanted me to have this before I went shopping. Inside the envelope was $600. I was crying. My kids were going to have Christmas presents.
• That afternoon I got a call from educate, inc. I had applied weeks ago to become an online teacher for Sylvan and Catapult. Was I available for a telephone interview? Of course! I must have answered all her questions satisfactorily...I start in February. Paid training to start in January. I will be teaching "school" to small groups for at least 10 hours a week and eventually as much as 29 hours a week for $10.00 an hour. It's the perfect job for me! I can teach in the evenings and in my pajamas and still be bringing in $$$$. WooHoo!
• Two more folks dropped by with their Christmas cards and both had money inside. One with a $160 and another with $40.

When the Lord provides he PROVIDES! Can I get an Amen?

We took the kids out of school yesterday afternoon and picked out a tree. The farm we visited had a combine that looked just like 'Frank' from Disney's Cars. My kids enjoyed that more than the trees. But as you can see in the photo, Rina did not get it. For family night, we decorated the tree and made the first cookies of Christmas. Maybe for me the first and last for this year. I did not hit my 10% mark at WW meeting today, but considering the water retention I got going on here, it is not surprising.