Piece of Cake

I started taking a Wilton's cake decorating class. I'm two lessons into Class 1 and this is my creation from last night's class. I never would have thought that decorating cakes would be such a fun, creative outlet. So far, I love it and R and the kids also love that I keep making cakes for practice.

What It's All About

Both of my kids have Christmas parties in their classrooms tomorrow - I suppose they are technically "Holiday" parties, which is fine with me. 'Tis the season for kindness and acceptance of all religions, cultures, etc. For our family, they are Christmas parties.

L's class is having their party at lunch time. Parents and siblings are invited, so D and I will be attending. We were asked to bring pickles to the party. Two jars of pickles - one spears, one sliced. I'm not exactly sure the need for that many pickles, but I'm probably being short-sighted. L isn't very excited by our requested contribution, especially when she found out that Q was asked to bring cookies to his class's party.

So, today Q and I spent some time baking cookies while listening to Christmas music. I LOVED it. Q was really into it - he did most of the work - and he kept saying how great it was that we got to spend this time together... just the two of us. I kept thinking that this is one of those moments that you may have imagined before having children, but couldn't really understand how wonderful it feels. Teaching and sharing my part of the world with my children has been better than I ever could have imagined.

Our snickerdoodles turned out very yummy - great job, Q - but the cookies were only the catalyst for one of my new, favorite Christmas memories.

In the Snow, Up Hill Both Ways

Growing up in Montana, EVERYDAY was a snow day and school never closed. We wore moon boots and carried our shoes in our backpacks (and if one shoe fell out of your backpack on the the way to school, you just had to wear your moon boots all day because your mother had better things to do than bring you another pair of shoes - that is understood, so you didn't even try to call). In Montana, back in my day, you walked to school and you walked home from school EVERYDAY. It mattered not if snow was dumping on you and it's below freezing.


Schools in Albuquerque are closed today. It snowed, so schools are closed. I just don't get it.

We Love R

Here's a look back at the last few years (the digital years, that is - someday I will scan in old photos, but for now we will have to settle for a digital selection): R has always been very active; playing tennis throughout adolescence and college, running, biking, swimming, wrestling his wife and kids on occasion. He ran his first full length marathon in 2001 and placed second in his division (you would think all that hair would've slowed him down). Since then, he has run five full marathons (including Boston) and several other distance races.

R loves his family. He has four older sisters who he thinks the world of and parents that he respects and loves to no end. He also loves the family he inherited through marriage and puts up with all the typical in-law stuff without a complaint :)

R has an amazing mind. He is a budgeting genius (just ask anyone he's worked with), so I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that he is also very creative ;) He does all kinds of analytical work from 9 to 5, then comes home and draws amazing pictures, paints beautifully and redesigns every surface he comes across. He's always trying to think of a new way to do something, to make it better.

R loves, loves, loves his kids. He is an amazing father - I tell my kids that they don't know how lucky they are, and I wholly believe that they won the Dad Lottery. I am forever grateful for the way he cares for our children.

R loves being outdoors. Camping and hiking are two of this favorite activities and he loves to share them with his family. He is a fearless explorer!

R is one of the most responsible people I know. He takes his duties seriously and rarely complains. Hard work is never below him - he'll always dig in with two hands. He is also eager to learn new skills and has an impressive knack for doing anything he tries!

R is incredibly handsome. I'm not one to gush, and I don't tell him often enough, but he has a look and way about him that is very appealing (okay, I'm starting to blush... sorry).

R is one to gush, however. He rarely lets a day go by without telling me I look pretty or I've done something well. I know I always have a fan in R, which makes my life really rich. To know the person you care the most about is always there and will do whatever it takes to make life happy... well, that is truly a piece of grace. I was given R - though I'm not sure I deserve him. I suppose I'll just do my best to earn his kindness each day. I love you, R.

Another Excuse for Cake

R just celebrated his 34th birthday! He had to work late on his actual birthday, so we waited until Friday night to get our partay on.

We ate at a noodle place which was pretty good. We've had better, but considering that these were birthday noodles, they were special to us.

R was in a giving mood and suggested I experiment with his birthday cake. I made it from a Williams Sonoma recipe - it tasted really good, but I ended up with a few crumbs in the icing. Regardless, we stuck flaming candles in it and R blew them out (with the help of D, who was still in birthday mode).

R went shopping for clothes for most of his birthday gift, but the kids and I did give him a small token of our appreciation for what a wonderful dad/father/person he is. He had been talking about the movie "Flash Gordon" (the 70's version) for a long time; he watched it when he was a kid and loved it and hasn't been able to find it. I found "Flash Gordon". He was very excited and we decided to watch it as a family (it is only PG). The movie was really... surreal. I'm glad that R was able to relive something exciting from his childhood, but I don't think I would recommend this movie to... people (sorry, R - the 70's were a strange time).

Let the Madness Begin!

Three Rockin' Years

I suppose a birthday is a fitting time to reflect on a person's life. Seeing as D is only three years old, it's a pretty quick reflection. I think he has done pretty well with what he was given thus far :)

Here's a look back; D... this is your life:

You were born in Edison, New Jersey - past your due date, the OB/GYN was kind enough to induce labor - you were 9 lbs. 3 oz. You weren't the cutest newborn in the nursery... in fact, your birth experience left you looking kind of beat up.

You were a beautifully behaved baby from day one. You started sleeping through the night at six weeks (no exaggeration) and you were pretty mellow during the day. You did, however, have terrible eczema and typically looked... well, beat up.

By the time you neared your first year, you were looking creamy white and itch free. You started walking by 10 months and were still an easy-going little guy.

As a third child, you have always been relatively patient while being able to "hold your own". Your main obsession through the years has been trains, but you have also enjoyed super heroes, cars and any kind of sport involving a ball. While you are a typical boy, you also allow your sister to dress you up and play house.

Despite your typical toddler struggles, like learning to share and feeling frustrated with limitations, you're usually willing to just go with the flow (sometimes, I call you the Flow Master - which might be the name of a toilet... sorry). You've developed a quick wit and you have a very extensive vocabulary.

Life is better with you around. Our family is so blessed to call you our own. Thanks for three beautifully rockin' years.

Happy Birthday, D!

Yesterday was D's third birthday. We had a mellow, family celebration which included a Power Ranger cake. D had been talking about having a Power Ranger cake for months. He doesn't really know much about Power Rangers; just that they are sort of like super heroes and Q thinks they're cool - oh, and they come in different colors.

The cake wasn't exactly a smashing success. I didn't have the food coloring I needed, so I had to improvise! It did taste good, so all was not lost.

D was really excited to be having a birthday, and a more than a little possessive about the fact - if anyone mentioned their own birthday experience, D would get all worked up and demand, "It's MY birthday, not yours!"

Today is R's birthday and the poor guy has to work really late, so we've put off celebrating his day until Friday. Hopefully, D will be feeling a little more generous with the birthday wishes by then.

Thankful for Thanksgiving

Every year I dread Thanksgiving. It's sort of a thorn in my holiday side. I always feel a little blue because I'm far from family. It doesn't feel like a big enough event to actually travel for every year, and there are no gifts to soften the absence of loved ones.

I've realized this year that as my kids are getting older, they are beginning to appreciate tradition. This year, my children were excited to take part in the tradition of Thanksgiving. They helped cook and enjoyed being in the kitchen. R and I had little stress because even if the turkey was a disaster, or the potatoes were cold and lumpy, there were no guests to disappoint.

This is not to say I prefer no guests, it just means there are nice things about a holiday sans guests, too. So next year, if you want to come to our place for Thanksgiving, please do. But if not, I will still find plenty to be thankful for.

Desperate Times

R and I have agreed that we will only eat sweets once a week and/or on special occasions (for instance; pie at Thanksgiving and ice cream on the weekend). Generally, I'm doing pretty well with it. I just came off a month "fast" from sweets (allowing for two indulgences when we had family in town), so I have much better control than I used to. This is not to say I have it completely under control. Some days I get desperate for a sugar fix and I snack on my kids' gummy vitamins. I only eat two or three, but this is in addition to the adult multi-vitamin and two calcium supplements that I have each day. Is this bad for me? I'm waiting for my skin to begin molting or my hair roots to turn orange. If something weird happens, I imagine I'll have the willpower to lay off the gummy vitamins. Until then, they get the job done.

Skinny Is the New Chubby

I bought L two clearance shirts from Target today. When I showed her these shirts, she was excited about the first and told me to "take back that one" on the second. Okay. I'm not sure when she came to the conclusion that she could take new clothes for granted, but I'm kind of frustrated that she has. I had previously told her, about a pair of jeans she wasn't instantly thrilled with, that I saw Hannah Montana wear jeans "just like that" and she was convinced. I couldn't think of a good "persuasion technique" off the top of my head for the shirt, so I'll have to convince her why she should love shirt #2 later.After trying on the first shirt, L exclaimed, "Good thing! Now I can pretend to be skinny!"

"L, you are skinny. You know that, right?"

"Uh, well I'm just saying now I can pretend to be skinny. I like this shirt."

WHAT?!

A Visit to Station 18

Q's Cub Scout den visited a firehouse today and siblings were invited to tag along. So the kids and I (poor R missed out on the action) went to visit our local firehouse - Station 18. The experience was really educational. The best tip I came away with; if you are trapped in a room because of a fire, and you are waiting for the fire fighters to rescue you, stay by the window but DON'T OPEN the window - it creates suction and all the smoke and fire will be drawn to the room.

Q was pretty eager to answer every question the firefighters asked - even if he didn't know the answer, he'd raise his hand and say, "Umm. I don't know." When the boys were asked, "If you are on a second story and you can't get through the house to go outside, what should you do?", Q said he would take his pillow, throw it down on the ground outside and jump off the balcony onto the pillow. Hmmm... I think we might need to discuss a fire evacuation plan at our house.

Almost... or Totally

So I said D's static issue was almost enough to make me get his hair cut - I changed my mind :)

He's Electric

I don't quite understand why D gathers SO much more static electricity than the rest of us, but he does! It almost makes me want to chop all his hair off... almost. I typically just lick my hand and run it over his head to help alleviate the craziness - I know that's gross, but I just can't stand to see it that way. It makes my eyes water.

Throw Uping

Early this morning (like, 1 a.m. early) L came into my room and said she had been "throw uping". Poor thing was covered in puke and it was all over her bed. So, R and I changed the sheets, put her in the bath and got her back into bed. I was feeling pretty unsettled because, besides the smelly puke and sad little L, I was dealing with the fact that said puke was, in fact, blue. Kind of blueish-green, really. I was worried that perhaps she had ingested something really bad, but she's six years old and probably knows better. I thought about calling my mom to ask if she had ever run across blue-green puke. I settled on scouring the Internet for clues.

Our previous pediatrician once told me that the Internet was a "mixed bag" when it came to medical advice and mothers shouldn't rely on it. At 2 a.m., I was presented with two possibilities; bile from deeper in the intestinal tract - totally normal, or an intestinal blockage - head to the emergency room. I wasn't feeling particularly panicked, and I like to think mothers have a bit of a sixth sense about their children's needs.

As the night (really morning) progressed, L continued to empty her little tummy two or three times an hour. Each puke was progressively bluer. I was racking my brain to figure out what she could have eaten that would, seemingly, fill her stomach with blue. Then, out of the blue (ha, ha) I realized the culprit.

The afternoon before, we had gone to Q's football team party. There was pizza and soda and cake. The cake was really good... it was also covered in blue frosting; the kind of blue that instantly turns your teeth, tongue and lips bright blue. Why I didn't make this connection before, I don't know. It could have to do with the fact that I was trying to think during the time I'm usually sleeping.

So, I felt some relief to know that L was likely fine - other than the "throw uping." After a long night and several sets of sheets, L finally fell asleep. She woke up feeling good and went downstairs to watch t.v. She then puked on the couch. Luckily, she had already gotten rid of all the blue puke and was producing pretty colorless stuff.

We've been doing a little better the past few hours and she has been able to keep a little food and juice down. After making her eat a little toast (I don't know why she hates toast), L said to me, "Mommy, thanks for helping me get better." Being a mother can feel like a thankless job at times (cleaning up puke is one of those times) - but, L gave me all the thanks I need. I gave her a gentle hug and told her, "That's what Mommies do." I've rarely been more grateful to be a Mom than I was today - and I don't think that's the sleep deprivation talking either.

Love Hurts