We're Alive!!!!

"Finally!" you're saying, "I don't have to look at a picture of that kitten anymore!!!!" I am SO sorry I haven't posted in ages. It's been so long that I forgot my Blogger password and it took me several tries to login! Here, in a nutshell, is what has been going on with us:

- I have discovered Facebook. 'Nuff said!

- This past summer, I went through a bad bout of clinical depression. Nothing brought it on, but life was a daily struggle for awhile. I truly didn't care about anyone or anything. After some medication and lifestyle changes, I am finally back to 100%!

- As if that weren't bad enough, soon after my depression set in Hubby lost his job due to the economy. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as he was there to help me cope everyday and took over all the major household duties. I don't know what I'd have done without him! Please pray for him, though, as he hasn't found work yet. He is looking for a management position in Health/Safety/Environmental or in Quality. We would prefer to live in the southeast if at all possible. If you know of any such openings, please let us know!

- Drama Queen and Pete will be in a play soon, "Hansel and Gretel". They will be playing a brother and sister who get lost in the forest. I am proud of both of them: Drama Queen for being so expressive, and Pete for having his first major role and memorizing his lines so quickly. I am in charge of costumes, which is SO much fun!


- We're still homeschooling and loving it! Drama Queen is especially loving math, thanks to Teaching Textbooks. Wonderful program! Here the kids are modeling the Egyptian costumes I made for them:


- Pete is thriving in Taekwondo. He recently earned his purple belt.

- Pete tried to scam the Tooth Fairy and received this note (created by a most clever fairy), which was later found wadded in a tight ball in the outside trashcan. (It was MIGHTY unusual that he offered to take the trash out by himself for the first time ever!) Any fairy communication was vehemently denied.



(You can download a blank copy here!)

- As you can see, Screech is still Screech! Yes, she's eating with her feet.


She is cracking us up lately with her affinity for bugs, dead or alive. She lets the live ones crawl all over her, then she plays with them for hours until they die. Here she is holding a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach. The people at the nature center had to beg her to get it back!


The only reason she is petting this LARGE tarantula so delicately is because we bribed her. She'd have grabbed it out of the man's hand otherwise!


Here she is playing with dead beetles in lieu of dolls:


Last but not least, Sylvester the cat is growing like a weed! He's no longer that tiny kitten, but he's as sweet and cuddly as ever!


That's it for now. I promise, I'll update regularly now that my love affair with Facebook has begun to wane!

Thank You, Miss S

I hated middle school. I hated the kids. I hated the classes. I hated the teachers. I could write posts on this subject for years and never exhaust it. But there was one teacher that touched my life in a positive way, although I wouldn't realize it until over a quarter of a century later.

Miss S. was my Health and P.E. teacher. Unlike many health teachers I'd had, she actually put a lot into teaching the class. I even remember a bulletin board she made with a huge, hand-drawn louse with the caption, "Have You Been Nit-Pickin' Lately?"

Actually, I couldn't STAND Miss S. She had no sympathy for any of us who endured painful monthly cramps. She claimed that such things "don't exist" and told us to suck it up and dress out. She often left our gym class unsupervised, during which I suffered nearly unbearable emotional bullying. When I spoke to her about it she blew off my complaints.

I remember well the unit she did on first aid. We practiced bandaging one another, making homemade splints, and performing the Heimlich Maneuver. It sure beat my later high school health class, in which we outlined every chapter of the book, did the questions at the end, and did all manner of busywork while Coach C read the sports page and occasionally sneered at the untouchable kids.

Fast forward to this past week. Drama Queen and Pete were enjoying a snack of juicy Arizona oranges (thanks, Grandma!) while I was working on the computer in another room. Suddenly I heard gagging noises - followed by silence. My heart nearly exploded in my chest as I raced to Drama Queen. She was on her way to me, but we took different paths and missed each other. By the time she reached me, her face was THIS COLOR; no exaggeration.

Scared. The. CRAP out of me.

I immediately spun her around and performed the Heimlich Maneuver. After two or three "J" thrusts, the orange membrane popped out onto the floor.

I have never before considered a wet, sloppy mess to be so beautiful.

I have seen many pictures describing the Heimlich Maneuver, but they don't present it as clearly as Miss S did in seventh grade. (This video, however, does an excellent job.) Thanks, Miss S. I would gladly endure the taunting, bullying and loneliness of middle school all over again to be taught by you once more.

NOTE: Often when a person is coughing or starting to choke, our first instinct is to slap or pat the person on the back. DON'T DO THIS; it could make it worse. Please watch this very short video to ensure that you know how to do the "J" thrust properly. It just might save a life!

The Stealth Sickness

We've had some kind of stomach bug go through the house. I've nicknamed it "The Stealth Sickness" because a child will be fine and playing happily one minute, then will suddenly throw up without warning. This is followed by diarrhea. Lovely. Pete had it first a few weeks ago, and it lasted a few days. Then he got it again a few days ago, and then Drama Queen got it. This morning Screech told me that her tummy hurts. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least Pete and Drama Queen have the bowl technique down pat, so this minimizes cleanup. I have them keep a gigantic plastic bowl nearby at all times. A few days ago, Bunny watched as Pete, um, utilized his bowl. I would have expected her to be frightened or even disgusted, but instead she asked earnestly, "Is that cat food? Is that chocolate milk? What is it, Mommy?"

My son - the magical fountain of food. At least Screech didn't try to sample any!

We have had a few messes to clean up due to the stealthy nature of this illness. (They're better! Wait, they're not! It's all over now! Uh oh, here they go again . . . ) Early this morning, as I slept peacefully in my cozy bed, Hubby dealt with the aftermath of one of Pete's episodes. Pete had been bowl-less because we THOUGHT he was better. And this was after having had a huge dinner of a curried chicken and broccoli casserole. Emphasis on the broccoli, Pete's fave vegetable.

My hubby, he is a saint.

I didn't get halfway through typing this post when Screech started throwing up. Poor thing, it scared her to death. It freaked her out and there was a huge mess. The second episode (15 minutes later), she did her thing right in the bowl. I heaved a huge sigh of relief as she heaved in the proper place. Then she proceeded to wipe her mouth on a decorative Christmas pillow.

The Good Ole Days!

The email read: "This Thursday will be a dress up day for all history classes. Wear clothes or accessories from the 1920's."

My first thoughts:

a) What on earth did kids wear back then?
b) Where am I going to be able to find anything like that?

Then, I Googled "children's clothing 1920's" and boy, was I excited! Two reasons:

Short pants.
Knee socks.

Up until he turned five, I used to dress Pete up every Sunday in dress shorts, white high-top shoes, white knee socks, and a little bow tie. I know, some of you are gagging at the mere thought, but I LOVED it! Oh, those sweet, chubby knees!

And, believe it or not, Pete loved it, too! He always, said, "Mommy, do I get to dress fancy today?" And he loved his bow ties (he called them simply "bows").

I was so sad when he outgrew all of that. I could still find the outfits, but the shoes were way harder to find. And he was just so . . .big. Wistful sigh.

Which is why I was so thrilled to dress him like this for 1920's day:


Oh, I could just put him in a bowl and eat him up with a spoon! And how did he feel to be dressed this way? Loved it. His only complaint was that the bow tie wasn't real.

Drama Queen's dress is from Strasburg. I bought it for $1 at a consignment store. Yes, as in one single dollar. It probably cost $120 new. Please don't hate me.



This was so much fun! I am tickled pink that Drama Queen loves wearing dresses and that Pete still loves "dressing fancy"!

Aaaaaugh!!! There's No Escape!!!!

Our babysitter loves to tell us all the cute things the kids do and say. Recently she told us that when she was playing Trivial Pursuit Junior with the older two, Drama Queen was struggling with the question, "Name a state which is named for someone famous." She thought and thought, then suddenly she brightened and shouted, "Hannah Montana"!

(Sigh. My work is cut out for geography this year!)

Good grief! There is no escaping this girl. We don't own Hannah Montana anything. Drama Queen has never watched the show even once. I think the only way to get away from Hannah Montana is to boycott Wal-Mart. And the mall. Well, all stores.

Sheesh. The Amish really have the right idea on some things.

Scary, Scary, Scary!

Screech's thing to say lately is, "That's scary, scary, scary!" (I think we have another Drama Queen on our hands!)

We had a moment that was "scary, scary scary" this morning. Hubby woke me at 6:00 AM and said, "I don't want to alarm you, but do you know where Pete is?"

I'm wide awake.

The last time we saw him was when we tucked him in bed. (Of course, my mind is racing, thinking of JonBenet Ramsey, Elizabeth Smart, and Polly Klaas.)

I asked if he checked between the wall and his bed, as he is always falling out of bed and sleeps so deeply that he usually continues sleeping wherever he falls. Of course, he had already checked all over his room and closet. We ran all over the house checking every room and closet.

Bathrooms - no Pete.

Kitchen - no Pete.

Living room - no Pete.

Screech's room - no Pete.

Drama Queen's room - no Pete.

Closets - no Pete.

Homeschool and computer rooms - no Pete.

Laundry room - no Pete.

Attic - no Pete.

Garage - no Pete.

All the doors are still locked. We are trying not to freak out, but we cannot figure out where he could have gone. Just when we were getting ready to call 911, Drama Queen comes out of her room.

"Are you looking for Pete?" she asks.

Um, YEAH!!!!!!!!!

She proceeded to show us a little pallet she had made under her desk - which was hidden by a toy box - where Pete lay sleeping soundly with not a care in the world. She told us that he came to her room during the night and told her that his room made him have bad dreams. Little mother that she is, she took him in.

"He just went right to sleep," she said.

WHEW!!!!!

What a sweet, caring sister! What a precious brother-sister bond they have!

What a couple of stinkers they are.

The story unraveled a little while later when I went in to get them up. That's when I saw a large, homemade banner that said:

SLEEPOVER!

I asked Pete, "Did you really have bad dreams?"

He thought for a moment, then replied sheepishly, "Drama Queen planned it."

Of course, we missed every sign there was:

- Pete's bed was neatly made (he always does this as soon as he gets out of bed);

- Pete never, ever has nightmares. In nearly six years, I can recall his having only one; and

- What kid goes to his sister when he has a nightmare, anyway?

I'm telling you, I need to get my mommy radar fixed.

Mess of the Day # 21 and #22 : Art Supplies

I am so sorry that I haven't posted since I got back from my vacation. I have been having some health issues that started while I was on vacation, and it has been incredibly hard for me to get caught up on everything. (To give you an inkling of how it's been going, I still have not completely unpacked and cleaned out the van and we've been home since July 15!) I'd rather not go into detail on what's been going on with me, but I promise, it's nothing serious! The issues are not resolved 100%, but I'm feeling MUCH better. Actually, the side effects of some medications I was on were worse than anything, and thankfully I'm done with all of those!

I will post about my vacation - which was WONDERFUL, BTW! - another time, because I haven't felt like uploading all the pictures, etc. (I have so many that I need to find a website where I can share entire photo albums.) In the meantime, I want to share some sweet and funny things that the kids have done and said recently.

At one point, while I was on several medications and felt SO bad because I had been unable to sleep for several nights in a row, I got really depressed. (This was also partly due to a side effect of one of the medications.) Everything was getting to me: I was laying around all day and watching the house get trashed while I did nothing about it; the laundry was piling higher and higher; I didn't feel like playing with the kids; and everything was falling further and further behind. I was also bummed because I had huge plans to complete several projects around the house after we got back and before we started school, and of course they haven't been touched. I felt like I had been robbed of my summer. I told myself that I was a horrible mother because my kids were stuck at home all day with a slug of a mom who laid in bed 24/7. I commented to Drama Queen, "Honey, I'm so sorry that I haven't felt like playing. I wish I could do something special with you, but I just don't feel like it. I will as soon as I'm feeling better." She replied, "Oh, Mommy, we're already doing something special. We're together everyday!"

I bawled my eyes out. What a blessing she is!

Pete has been so helpful. When I was feeling my worst, I tried not to rely too much on Drama Queen. It would be so easy to do that because she is so responsible, but I have to remind myself that she got that way partly because she has been given so much responsibility. So, I try hard to give Pete the same opportunities. He felt like such a big shot the day I let him fix lunch all by himself! He has also been great about entertaining Screech.

Screech was actually pretty good on my worst days. It was simply a matter of slogging through until lunchtime, after which I could put her to bed and enjoy a 2-3 hour respite. (God has showered me with blessings in this regard; all of my kids have been excellent sleepers and nappers!) She did manage to get into a few things, though. There was more to get into because Drama Queen and Pete weren't putting things away (and I wasn't up to making sure that they did). Here is her latest handiwork:



I would like to personally thank the people who invented Magic Erasers, as well as the people who invented washable paint, crayons and markers! I don't even allow non-washable art supplies in the house anymore. I have a few Sharpies and permanent markers, but they are well hidden. Even Hubby, Drama Queen and Pete don't know where they are!

I'm going to try to get back into the blogging groove this week. Talk to you again soon!

Here's Why You Haven't Heard from Me Much Lately:

Whew! I am worn out! I am taking a break from packing in order to print some maps and directions, but I decided that my brain needed a break as well! (: Drama Queen had her birthday party today, which was loosely based on a luau theme. She and her 15 buddies had a ball. (Yes, I know that's a lot, but it's so hard to choose who not to come when she has so many friends.) There were many more that were not able to come. Here are a few highlights:

Playing "Fish, Fish, Shark" (Duck, Duck Goose):

Playing a fun relay game:


For Lunch - Octopus Dogs:


(I know they look gross all tangled up together, but they looked cute on the plates!)

Okay, this REALLY looks gross. It was supposed to look like an aquarium. I think it better resembles a lake that has been used as an illegal dump for radioactive waste. The Finding Nemo fruit snacks swelled up and looked a little grotesque. Oh well. The kids liked it!


We had so many girls that we had to put them in two separate rooms:


Okay, I know Disney princesses don't technically go with a luau theme, but here's how you take advantage of a bargain (7 bucks!):

Finally, those who know me in real life will get a kick out of this mistake the bakery made on Drama Queen's cookie cake (I didn't bother to look at it when I picked it up):


Well, tomorrow we're off on a whirlwind trip! We are so excited. We have rented cabins in Canada with Hubby's family and we're going to spend a week together fishing, swimming, and just hanging out. The kids and I are taking the scenic route so we can visit family along the way, then Hubby will fly up and meet us.

Y'all, I have worked SO hard packing for this trip. You have no idea. I used to be terribly disorganized and almost always ended up pulling an all-nighter any time we went somewhere. This time HAD to be different, due to the sheer amount of stuff we need. You'd be so proud of me. I had the kids' clothes packed a week ago! I have been organizing, doing some serious laundry, making lists, and setting things aside to pack. (All the while planning the luau party to boot.) I was feeling pretty smug and proud of myself, until something came along and did THIS to me:

I had no idea that a little old wasp sting could cause so much pain! I've been stung before, but it was always a non-issue. I never had a reaction like this before. My arm has felt like it was in a vise due to muscle cramping, and the pain has kept me up for two nights straight. (Think of the feeling you get when you get a tetanus shot, then multiply it by a factor of, say, 1000.) I had to go to the doctor to get an antibiotic for infection. It has made it hard to lift or even move my arm, so it has been so hard to finish packing. The trip to the doctor and naps to make up for the loss of sleep haven't done much to help me accomplish anything, either.

So, here I am again, staying up late to get ready for a trip. At least it's not my fault this time!

I will probably not be back on the blog for nearly 3 weeks. I look forward to posting pics of our trip and telling you all about it when I get back!

We're Ready!

Can you tell that Pete and Drama Queen are just a teeny bit excited about our upcoming trip?


The wild blackberries in our backyard are ripening. Yum! Hope there will still be some when we get back! Assuming there are any left when we leave, considering how fast as Drama Queen has been eating them!

The Week in Pictures

It's been a busy week, so I haven't blogged much. To catch you all up, here are some pics from this past week and the weekend:

Had ice cream at this AWESOME little place:


Went to Yellow River Game Ranch to see and pet the animals:




Those who know me in real life will understand the significance of this pic:

And this one:


Open wide!



AWANA Awards night. Drama Queen and Pete each finished their books! Drama Queen will move up to TNT next year.


Drama Queen's first Girl Scout campout. She had a ball! She's only been in this troop a few weeks, and she's loving it.

A few girls from Drama Queen's troop participated in a Memorial Day ceremony.

Have a great week!

Unbelievably Blessed

5:00 am

(whispered) Daddy, is it time yet?

No. Go back to sleep.

6:00 am

Daddy, is it time yet?

No. Go back to sleep.

7:00 am

Daddy, is it time yet?

Okay!

Drama Queen's Cafe

All entrees are prepared with love
and served on a lovely Disney Princess lap desk.

Tall Stack Pancakes with Syrup
Served on a special "You're the Star!" plate

All Bran Strawberry Medley Cereal
served in the coveted butterfly bowl

Fresh Fruit

Beverage (Diet A&W Root Beer)

Dessert (the sweetest kiss you've ever had!)

Drama Queen had plastered these signs on the doors to my bedroom and bathroom. I happily obeyed!


What a precious doll she is!

Later this morning Drama Queen said, "Now, Mommy, you are not supposed to do ANY work today! We are going to do everything for you! Don't. Do. Anything!"

I answered, "Well, I was getting ready to take a bath. Are you going to do that for me?

Drama Queen replied, "No! That would be GROSS!!!!"

Here is a miraculous picture of me and my three angels. (I say, "miraculous" because everyone [read:Screech] is smiling! This has never happened before!)

After church Hubby and the kids took me to Carraba's Italian Grill, my absolute favorite restaurant. The food is absolutely divine! I ordered Chicken Bryan (grilled chicken breast topped with goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, and a basil lemon butter sauce).

Oh.

My.

Word.

This is the best stuff I have ever put in my mouth! It was soooo juicy and just packed with flavor through and through. I don't know how they do it. No matter how long I marinate chicken, it always tastes so bland and chicken-y on the inside. Here's a pic (my camera doesn't even remotely do it justice):


Our server was AWESOME. I wondered aloud whether or not I would like goat cheese, then suddenly he dashed to the kitchen and returned with a small plate of it, carefully sliced and topped with herbs, no less! (It was yummy! If you like cream cheese, you'll love this stuff!)

And the bread! Oh, the bread! They bring you hearty, piping hot bread with olive oil and fresh herbs for dipping. This is not the Subway-tasting fluffy stuff that many restaurants serve; it tastes homemade! I could make a meal on the bread alone. (Well, that and the Word of God! Matthew 4:4)

Since it was my special day, I had part of my meal boxed up so I'd have room to splurge for dessert. I don't know what it was called, but words cannot fully describe its chocolatey awesomeness! It had layers of rich, fudgy brownie, chocolate mousse (or something similar) and real whipped cream. It was topped with the richest, most velvety chocolate sauce I have ever tasted. This obviously wasn't from a can! It would make Hershey's taste like water. If you take my recipe for Chocolate Ganache, use 1/2 semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 milk chocolate chips, and add extra cream, you'd probably be really close to what this was like.

Not wanting the kids to be left out (I shared my dessert with Hubby), I ordered kids' sundaes for them. The cooks were probably a little distracted, because they accidentally sent adult size sundaes! Look at these!



The sundaes were topped with the same decadent sauce. They were incredible! The ice cream was wonderful by itself. It, too, was the real deal and didn't taste like it had artificial anything. The vanilla flavor was not overpowering so it complimented the chocolate sauce perfectly. Next time I'm getting this! Hubby and I ended up finishing (as much as we could, anyway!) Pete's and Drama Queen's. Screech, however, ate every last bite!


Happy Mother's Day!

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