Monday, December 22, 2008
Torture - Guantanemo style
I have literally figured out how the military can break those pesky prisoners - fix their eyesight. On Friday I underwent PRK laser surgery. Let me preface by saying it was soooo sweet as a Christmas gift to fix my "legally blind" vision. No kidding. Without my contacts I walk into walls and run over small children. And I had so many people tell me how great it would be and how easy it was. Lasix that is. You know, where the procedure takes all of 2 min., you sleep through one day, and are back to work the next?? So easy. But I couldn't have lasix because I am again, legally blind. So on to PRK, without getting graphic on you - it takes a lot longer than 2 min. It involves ridding your eye of that pesky layer of cells that cover it. (Think tiny hockey stick to 'clean' your eye - get the picture?) Then lots and lots of water squirted over your eye repeatedly. Pretty sure that is what the definition of water-boarding is. Then about 2 min. of laser therapy. And you are cured. Or in my case, not. So then you drug yourself into oblivion on pain meds until your eyes have a chance to heal and regrow those cells. So for the last 3 days I would wake briefly for meds and to the feeling of staring straight into the sun. So today, day 4, for the first time, I can see a blurry computer screen and open my eyes without cringing. So fix the prisoners' eyes I say - that'll break em. I am 99% positive that Osama bin Ladan will be located within a week of surgery. And as a plus, it will probably throw those silly liberals a curveball, seeing as how we Southerners are so generous and all.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Our paid Artist
Seth is now officially a paid artist. The county has a yearly Christmas card competition in which he won 2nd place from his school last year. This year, he won FIRST place out of all the 3rd graders in the county! We went tonight to the ceremony and he received his $25 cash!! He is now a $25 millionaire and will be featured in an upcoming edition of the popular Kershaw County Chronicle. It is a shame but he has had a stomach bug all day so he can't really be excited about it. When they called to tell us he had won, I have to admit that mommy got teary-eyed. And it takes a lot to move me to tears!!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
No more baby Wages'
We had Addison's third birthday party this past weekend at my parent's house in N.C. so that the relatives could come. The ensuing dress-up and present opening sessions rivaled a nuclear bomb going off in their living room. The boys were so funny, escaping off to a corner to color or watch T.V. Just trying to avoid the screaming, crying toddlers who were all ready for naptime. But I was just happy to celebrate our break-away from diapers, bottles, and night-time feedings with the girly-est, jewel laden, prissy little girl tea party / induction into big girlhood possible.
Our Aunt Donna gave her the cutest little nurse set with scrubs and medical bag. She then threw in the white coat. Addison rejected the nurse's scrubs for the white coat as she 'wanted to be a Dr.' One day long ago I could relate, then I realized being a mom was much more fun.
So funny with the way she talks to her dolls and is her own best playmate. My parent's entire floor was covered with Barbie and baby doll paraphernalia. I am so proud, I finally have my own mini-me.
My baby is all grown up. She doesn't even look like a toddler anymore, sniff-sniff.
Dress up before our 'tea party'. I call this the 'gangsta-diva' look.
I love making all their birthday cakes. They usually start requesting certain themes months in advance and it is so much fun figuring out new ways to make them unique. But - a little stressful when trying to ice a cake 2 hours before the guests arrive (hey, what can I say? I am a procrastinator). T thinks it is hilarious we always have to take a picture of the cake before we cut it. If I spend 2 hours on a cake, I want those kids to remember it later and torture their wives with "well my mom use to always do it this way...." !!
Our Aunt Donna gave her the cutest little nurse set with scrubs and medical bag. She then threw in the white coat. Addison rejected the nurse's scrubs for the white coat as she 'wanted to be a Dr.' One day long ago I could relate, then I realized being a mom was much more fun.
So funny with the way she talks to her dolls and is her own best playmate. My parent's entire floor was covered with Barbie and baby doll paraphernalia. I am so proud, I finally have my own mini-me.
My baby is all grown up. She doesn't even look like a toddler anymore, sniff-sniff.
Dress up before our 'tea party'. I call this the 'gangsta-diva' look.
I love making all their birthday cakes. They usually start requesting certain themes months in advance and it is so much fun figuring out new ways to make them unique. But - a little stressful when trying to ice a cake 2 hours before the guests arrive (hey, what can I say? I am a procrastinator). T thinks it is hilarious we always have to take a picture of the cake before we cut it. If I spend 2 hours on a cake, I want those kids to remember it later and torture their wives with "well my mom use to always do it this way...." !!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thanksgiving Milkshakes and White Chicken Chili
So, as an update to my "why? why? whine" - the holiday went great. Wed night we went as a group to Riverbanks Zoo for the Lights before Christmas. It is always so much fun but at 39 degrees, it was a little nippy and we were feeling kinda idiotic! But the kids had a great time and we had fun getting to know our new neighbor and her two boys (that my boys love playing with).
Addison really did not want anything to do with this Santa character. He is the same Santa that has been there every year since we moved here and is just so sweet. I really think he may be the real thing. Santa talks to each child as long as they want, is patient with parents who take about 15 shots of their wiggly kiddo, and is just the cutest man ever. I had convinced her to get within spitting distance of him to tell him that she wanted a Barbie for Christmas. I misspoke and said "you have to tell him you want a Barbie and he will give you one for Christmas." Didn't think of adding, "on Christmas a month from now." So she lets me sit on the arm of his chair for the picture and then holds out her little hand as if to say "alright dude, hand over the Barbie". Then we get a little 3-year old tantrum as we walk away with her screaming "Barbie, my Barrrrrrbie". Little misunderstood, sweet child.
Thursday we had the best dinner at our new friends Chuck and Lauren's. Awesome food and even better, they asked us to play NERTZ!!!!!!! T and I lit up like the Christmas lights! To those outside of our old small group, Nertz is just by far the best and most fun card game EVER!! It is also a game that everyone in SC either doesn't know how to play, plays at my grandma's speed, or hates! So this was our first challenging Nertz game in about 5 years. (We were sorely out of practice and got our butts beat but didn't care at all.) No T tantrums that night! The icing on the cake of that evening is that Chuck and Lauren also have 3 children which played so nicely with our 3. It was nice to have someone else who completely shrugs off the child who peed in their kitchen, the playdough and popcorn in the carpet, and a trashed bonus room. Real bonding!!
Fri. I woke at 6:30, was at Wal-Mart at 6:45, Charlotte by 8:00 a.m. and returned home after the hour and a half drive and loads of caffeine consumed all day at an early 11:15.....P.M. It was great to have our yearly shopping trip bonding with my mom, sister, aunt, and cousin. We had a blast. Love those yearly Steak-N-Shake milkshakes!!
Sat. we hosted a cook-out with a friend of T's and met his wife and girls. We had planned to watch the Gamecocks game but gave up on them at halftime. Good thing we don't really care!! It was fun but after Wed-Fri., I was running on empty. No matter how much caffeine I drank. Then we had a birthday party to go to last night. T had invited other friends over this evening, Sunday. But as I lay paralyzed on the couch, I told him, "you have got to cancel tomorrow night." I realized that with 4 days off, I had barely seen my children face to face and really missed them. That and all day they had been asking, "when can we put the tree up? Why is it that everyone else has decorations up and we don't? When can we make the gingerbread house?" I felt like a heel. A tired, cracked, crusty, old woman's heel. Yuck.
So today we put up the trees (one for us, one for them, and an itty-bitty one for Addison). See, I'm smart like that - they decorate theirs so mommy can have her perfectly placed balls and absolute balance of cranberry strands and OCD spaced ornaments. Theirs is absolutely hilarious. I think if they added just one more ornament to the front, it would probably topple over. We may just find it face down tomorrow morning...
We ended the evening with White Chicken Chili (yum,yum) and the Tinkerbell movie on Disney. And I am going to bed a happy woman. Thankful, happy, and utterly exhausted. So I decided to write this blog at 11:00. Makes sense doesn't it???
As an early Christmas present, here is the Chili recipe:
2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground coriander
2 (4.5 oz) cans chopped green chilies, undrained
1 cup water
2 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini or white beans (rinsed and drained if needed)
1 (14 oz) can fat-free chicken broth
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 cup (or more to taste) Monterey Jack shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (we had to use the dried and it was still great)
** Heat a skillet over med-high heat. Coat with spray or olive oil and brown chicken until done but still moist.
** In large soup pot or Dutch oven, brown onion in oil or spray over med-high heat. Add garlic and saute 2 min. more before adding all spices. Stir in chiles, reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 min. Add chicken, water, broth, beans, and bring to simmer. Cook an additional 10 min. Add hot sauce to pot immediately before serving. Serve with around 2 T cheese over each bowl and tad of cilantro. Great with corn muffins.
** only 5.9 grams of fat per 1 cup serving. How's that for an early Christmas present?? Just trying to balance out the milkshake, folks.
Addison really did not want anything to do with this Santa character. He is the same Santa that has been there every year since we moved here and is just so sweet. I really think he may be the real thing. Santa talks to each child as long as they want, is patient with parents who take about 15 shots of their wiggly kiddo, and is just the cutest man ever. I had convinced her to get within spitting distance of him to tell him that she wanted a Barbie for Christmas. I misspoke and said "you have to tell him you want a Barbie and he will give you one for Christmas." Didn't think of adding, "on Christmas a month from now." So she lets me sit on the arm of his chair for the picture and then holds out her little hand as if to say "alright dude, hand over the Barbie". Then we get a little 3-year old tantrum as we walk away with her screaming "Barbie, my Barrrrrrbie". Little misunderstood, sweet child.
Thursday we had the best dinner at our new friends Chuck and Lauren's. Awesome food and even better, they asked us to play NERTZ!!!!!!! T and I lit up like the Christmas lights! To those outside of our old small group, Nertz is just by far the best and most fun card game EVER!! It is also a game that everyone in SC either doesn't know how to play, plays at my grandma's speed, or hates! So this was our first challenging Nertz game in about 5 years. (We were sorely out of practice and got our butts beat but didn't care at all.) No T tantrums that night! The icing on the cake of that evening is that Chuck and Lauren also have 3 children which played so nicely with our 3. It was nice to have someone else who completely shrugs off the child who peed in their kitchen, the playdough and popcorn in the carpet, and a trashed bonus room. Real bonding!!
Fri. I woke at 6:30, was at Wal-Mart at 6:45, Charlotte by 8:00 a.m. and returned home after the hour and a half drive and loads of caffeine consumed all day at an early 11:15.....P.M. It was great to have our yearly shopping trip bonding with my mom, sister, aunt, and cousin. We had a blast. Love those yearly Steak-N-Shake milkshakes!!
Sat. we hosted a cook-out with a friend of T's and met his wife and girls. We had planned to watch the Gamecocks game but gave up on them at halftime. Good thing we don't really care!! It was fun but after Wed-Fri., I was running on empty. No matter how much caffeine I drank. Then we had a birthday party to go to last night. T had invited other friends over this evening, Sunday. But as I lay paralyzed on the couch, I told him, "you have got to cancel tomorrow night." I realized that with 4 days off, I had barely seen my children face to face and really missed them. That and all day they had been asking, "when can we put the tree up? Why is it that everyone else has decorations up and we don't? When can we make the gingerbread house?" I felt like a heel. A tired, cracked, crusty, old woman's heel. Yuck.
So today we put up the trees (one for us, one for them, and an itty-bitty one for Addison). See, I'm smart like that - they decorate theirs so mommy can have her perfectly placed balls and absolute balance of cranberry strands and OCD spaced ornaments. Theirs is absolutely hilarious. I think if they added just one more ornament to the front, it would probably topple over. We may just find it face down tomorrow morning...
We ended the evening with White Chicken Chili (yum,yum) and the Tinkerbell movie on Disney. And I am going to bed a happy woman. Thankful, happy, and utterly exhausted. So I decided to write this blog at 11:00. Makes sense doesn't it???
As an early Christmas present, here is the Chili recipe:
2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground coriander
2 (4.5 oz) cans chopped green chilies, undrained
1 cup water
2 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini or white beans (rinsed and drained if needed)
1 (14 oz) can fat-free chicken broth
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 cup (or more to taste) Monterey Jack shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (we had to use the dried and it was still great)
** Heat a skillet over med-high heat. Coat with spray or olive oil and brown chicken until done but still moist.
** In large soup pot or Dutch oven, brown onion in oil or spray over med-high heat. Add garlic and saute 2 min. more before adding all spices. Stir in chiles, reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 min. Add chicken, water, broth, beans, and bring to simmer. Cook an additional 10 min. Add hot sauce to pot immediately before serving. Serve with around 2 T cheese over each bowl and tad of cilantro. Great with corn muffins.
** only 5.9 grams of fat per 1 cup serving. How's that for an early Christmas present?? Just trying to balance out the milkshake, folks.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thankful for Fulfilled Promises
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
- Psalm 100 (NIV)
That is the song that I can sing this Thanksgiving morning! When I really felt that God wanted me to go to Africa, I told T "If He wants me to go, He will take care of it." With around $4000 in expenses due right before Christmas, it took a good bit of faith to send in that $395 deposit back at the first of November. Please don't think I am bragging, I am not usually known for my strong faith. While I trust in God for my salvation and for His love and care of me - I still have the sinful heart which worries incessantly about job security, children's health, safety. If it were only so easy to give it all to God!
But this morning, I am thrilled to write again that our God is an awesome God!! Last night, we had a call from a friend who wanted to donate the remaining portion of my need!! Just to show you how wonderful God is, I wanted to show you my 'excel' worksheet of trip bookkeeping:
(I promise you I do keep neater records for the speech therapy practice) If you could actually read it, you would see that as of today, Thanksgiving, $4196 has been donated! In ONE month!! And currently, the trip expense and my airline ticket to Washington have been purchased. The total?? $4184 !!!!!!!! I am in awe. When I wrote the remaining balance on Monday to Compassion of $1055 from savings, I was at peace thinking, "I knew God would take care of the trip and He saw fit to have this money in our account to be able to use". But He showed me, how much closer could the amounts be?!
In addition, we have several friends who have called to let us know they have checks in the mail so I think my Visa and shots will also be mostly taken care of. (If any additional funds happen to come in, I will be donating them to Compassion's fund to help alleviate the hunger in Ethiopia. )
So next time I worry about a pay cut, or about the risk of travel accidents, or childhood diseases, or fish-hooks in the eye - I need to just stop and remember,
"For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations."
So thankful that applies to our whiney, unfaithful, generation too, aren't you????
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
- Psalm 100 (NIV)
That is the song that I can sing this Thanksgiving morning! When I really felt that God wanted me to go to Africa, I told T "If He wants me to go, He will take care of it." With around $4000 in expenses due right before Christmas, it took a good bit of faith to send in that $395 deposit back at the first of November. Please don't think I am bragging, I am not usually known for my strong faith. While I trust in God for my salvation and for His love and care of me - I still have the sinful heart which worries incessantly about job security, children's health, safety. If it were only so easy to give it all to God!
But this morning, I am thrilled to write again that our God is an awesome God!! Last night, we had a call from a friend who wanted to donate the remaining portion of my need!! Just to show you how wonderful God is, I wanted to show you my 'excel' worksheet of trip bookkeeping:
(I promise you I do keep neater records for the speech therapy practice) If you could actually read it, you would see that as of today, Thanksgiving, $4196 has been donated! In ONE month!! And currently, the trip expense and my airline ticket to Washington have been purchased. The total?? $4184 !!!!!!!! I am in awe. When I wrote the remaining balance on Monday to Compassion of $1055 from savings, I was at peace thinking, "I knew God would take care of the trip and He saw fit to have this money in our account to be able to use". But He showed me, how much closer could the amounts be?!
In addition, we have several friends who have called to let us know they have checks in the mail so I think my Visa and shots will also be mostly taken care of. (If any additional funds happen to come in, I will be donating them to Compassion's fund to help alleviate the hunger in Ethiopia. )
So next time I worry about a pay cut, or about the risk of travel accidents, or childhood diseases, or fish-hooks in the eye - I need to just stop and remember,
"For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations."
So thankful that applies to our whiney, unfaithful, generation too, aren't you????
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Why? Why? Why? whine
As a mom, I can honestly say I love my job. I love my job as mom to three monkeys, and I love my job as a speech therapist where I can train other moms for an hour a week to talk to their little monkeys. But about once every couple of months, I find myself sinking into that pit of mommy pity parties. Why do I have so much laundry to do? Why do I have to clean the toilet, again?? Why do I have to go get groceries at 10:00 at night?? Why do I have to sweep the "always dirty" floor again? There are just not enough hours in the day!! It must have to do with Eve screwing everything up for us women!
Then there are the "why can't I's??" Why can't I just go on a drive for coffee whenever I want? Why can't I sleep in until 10 on Saturday? Why can't I spend copious amounts of cash on a new wardrobe? Why can't I make time for myself to make friends and actually call or hang out with them (without young'uns tugging at our pant-tails)?
But then, I snap back into reality and realize - I need to quit asking WHY and instead WHO? Who is it that God gave 3 healthy, beautiful children to? Who is it God picked a wonderful man out for (a completely opposite but perfectly matched fit)? Who is it that God allowed to have a job where she can both be a part-time mom and part-time money maker? Who is it that God destined to live forever, with Him, in a place without tears, laundry, or toilets? Oh yeah, that would be me....
So yes, I do get tired. Irritable. Crabby. But then I take a step back to be thankful for the many blessings I have. Even as I feel sorry for myself with my lack of close girlfriends - T invites new couples over both Saturday AND Sunday night and I sigh, "more cleaning, more cooking" Why, oh why? Then I think - God is stepping in, yet again to try to please this ungrateful and whiny daughter with adult play dates. So this thanksgiving, I'm going to stop whining (at least for one week.. maybe)
BUT - I still can wish for the frozen coffee can't I????
Then there are the "why can't I's??" Why can't I just go on a drive for coffee whenever I want? Why can't I sleep in until 10 on Saturday? Why can't I spend copious amounts of cash on a new wardrobe? Why can't I make time for myself to make friends and actually call or hang out with them (without young'uns tugging at our pant-tails)?
But then, I snap back into reality and realize - I need to quit asking WHY and instead WHO? Who is it that God gave 3 healthy, beautiful children to? Who is it God picked a wonderful man out for (a completely opposite but perfectly matched fit)? Who is it that God allowed to have a job where she can both be a part-time mom and part-time money maker? Who is it that God destined to live forever, with Him, in a place without tears, laundry, or toilets? Oh yeah, that would be me....
So yes, I do get tired. Irritable. Crabby. But then I take a step back to be thankful for the many blessings I have. Even as I feel sorry for myself with my lack of close girlfriends - T invites new couples over both Saturday AND Sunday night and I sigh, "more cleaning, more cooking" Why, oh why? Then I think - God is stepping in, yet again to try to please this ungrateful and whiny daughter with adult play dates. So this thanksgiving, I'm going to stop whining (at least for one week.. maybe)
BUT - I still can wish for the frozen coffee can't I????
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