Here we are nearly a week after Christmas and I am just writing about it. This hesitancy should be easy to explain since this year we were missing a key person. I tried my best to "keep my chin up", but you could tell that my heart wasn't completely in it. We tried for a simple Christmas and I think we achieved it. Our focus wasn't on the worldly aspect of it, but the spiritual. Like it goes, "Jesus is the reason for the season". We had a simple meal, but it wasn't the same because I couldn't call my mom for advice. We are usually awakened it the morning by my mom who asks the children if they opened their gifts yet. She was and is a vital part of any celebration or activity in our life and I'm feeling her absence so deeply.
The children had gifts of meaning and I made them each a fabric cone and filled them with little things like chocolate coins, peppermints, gift certificate to a restaurant and one individual gift that they REALLY needed (April-a lovely key ring, Wyndon-a manly manicure set, Elise-some sweet hair clips and Chloe- $2.00 for some ice cream, her favorite!).
I received a large wooden chest filled with silverware! Quite a surprise!
Mr. Dad received several games to put some "fun" back into his life.
Everyone was happy but we sure missed those phone calls from Mom..
Many Blessings,
Misty
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
When birthday cake goes wrong.
We survived what could have been a disaster today. April had made the cupcakes the night before and they tasted fine.(I am a fresh freak. I have been known to make cakes up to an hour before they are to be presented, but I thought I'd try to work in advance.) They had a bit of a sugary crunch to it. Hmmm, tasted fine, icing should mask the sugary crunch of it. Let's go to bed, it's late.
Next morning, 45 minutes before the party, April goes to assemble the cupcake mountain and it wasn't acting right- nope, it didn't need a spanking, it just wouldn't set up. She took a bite, made a face, I took a bit and by golly, the whole thing went crunch! Hmmm, no icing in the world would mask that texture. Lord, HELP US!!!!!
Okay, I already asked for a "Loaves and Fishes" miracle with the frosting since I only made 2 kinds instead of 3. I didn't think it would be enough for 10 children, but THANK YOU LORD, I came home with leftovers!
Back to the cake saga.......... We had to get out of the door, the clock was ticking, snow and ice on the ground, needed to set up. What's a mom to do??? Send Dad to the store. Well, I had to get cracking since folks were on the way. Wonderfully, everyone arrived late and gave us time to get it together.
When I walked into the door of the community center, the young man in charge said that I had cancelled the party, and since there was no heat in the building, they were going to close early anyway. I asked him if he could hold that closure for me to have the party and do something with all of that food. I probably could have pinched Elise, made her cry and gotten the same results, but I wasn't going to go that low to get results. He said that he would stay if the heat came on and low and behold, 20 minutes later, it did!!!! Wow! It was a Miracle Happening Birthday!! I can't be thankful enough!
The party went well, no one became sick from too much candy from the gingerbread houses they were making, and most of all, Elise was happy!
Success!
Next morning, 45 minutes before the party, April goes to assemble the cupcake mountain and it wasn't acting right- nope, it didn't need a spanking, it just wouldn't set up. She took a bite, made a face, I took a bit and by golly, the whole thing went crunch! Hmmm, no icing in the world would mask that texture. Lord, HELP US!!!!!
Okay, I already asked for a "Loaves and Fishes" miracle with the frosting since I only made 2 kinds instead of 3. I didn't think it would be enough for 10 children, but THANK YOU LORD, I came home with leftovers!
Back to the cake saga.......... We had to get out of the door, the clock was ticking, snow and ice on the ground, needed to set up. What's a mom to do??? Send Dad to the store. Well, I had to get cracking since folks were on the way. Wonderfully, everyone arrived late and gave us time to get it together.
When I walked into the door of the community center, the young man in charge said that I had cancelled the party, and since there was no heat in the building, they were going to close early anyway. I asked him if he could hold that closure for me to have the party and do something with all of that food. I probably could have pinched Elise, made her cry and gotten the same results, but I wasn't going to go that low to get results. He said that he would stay if the heat came on and low and behold, 20 minutes later, it did!!!! Wow! It was a Miracle Happening Birthday!! I can't be thankful enough!
The party went well, no one became sick from too much candy from the gingerbread houses they were making, and most of all, Elise was happy!
Success!
Uh, here I am......
Today is Elise's birthday and I am feeling green. So much green that I had to change the sheets in the middle of the night. So far only 5 1/2 hours of sleep and I feel like I'm being held together by stitches. I wonder if it was the cupcake I ate before I went to bed?
I might feel ill, but I don't really get SICK! So now I am off to some ginger tea, ginger ale and a boiled egg(or two).
I will survive and get these chicken wings cut up, cooked, cook a pot of rice, make 3 types of icing (one for the cupcakes, one for decorating the graham cracker houses, and one for gluing those things together). Am I a glutton for punishment or am I a born party planner?
I might feel ill, but I don't really get SICK! So now I am off to some ginger tea, ginger ale and a boiled egg(or two).
I will survive and get these chicken wings cut up, cooked, cook a pot of rice, make 3 types of icing (one for the cupcakes, one for decorating the graham cracker houses, and one for gluing those things together). Am I a glutton for punishment or am I a born party planner?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
What's Cooking Dec 5-10?
Here is my new addition to the blog because someone consistently asks "What's cooking at your house"?
Saturday 5 Dec
-Homemade Kolaches with cream cheese or cherry filling
-Pizza at Shari's house, snickerdoodles
Sunday 6 Dec
-Mini sausages surrounded by phyllo pastry.(It was supposed to be puff pastry but I picked up the wrong package.
- Philly cheese steak sandwiches with lots of red, yellow and green peppers, corn on the cob
Monday 7 Dec
-Fried egg with 1 slice of ham served on a cheese bap (a soft bun baked with cheese on the top)
-Ramen noodles with chopped cabbage and sesame oil
- Crockpot!! Smoked ribs with sauerkraut(I added some onions, chopped cabbage, carraway seed and cream of mushroom soup to mellow the flavors then cooked it for 8 hrs)Served over boiled potatoes
Tuesday 8 Dec
-French toast and Lincolnshire sausages ( I saved 2 for another breakfast)
-crockpot meal rehashed for me. Boiled potatoes with bacon and cheese for Chloe
-Tortilla soup! It was really good. Filling but not a overeat sort of filling
Wed 9 Dec
-Eggs scrambled with minced Lincolnshire sausages and parsley, crumpets with butter and strawberry preserves.
- sandwiches
-Filipinana- chicken adobo, beef bulgogi, garlic chicken, sesame chicken, lumpia(eggrolls), sliced fresh veggies and rice
Thursday 10 Dec
- Sausage balls, toast with jam
-I can't remember!
-Chef's Delight (fridge cleanout)
That's all folks!!
Saturday 5 Dec
-Homemade Kolaches with cream cheese or cherry filling
-Pizza at Shari's house, snickerdoodles
Sunday 6 Dec
-Mini sausages surrounded by phyllo pastry.(It was supposed to be puff pastry but I picked up the wrong package.
- Philly cheese steak sandwiches with lots of red, yellow and green peppers, corn on the cob
Monday 7 Dec
-Fried egg with 1 slice of ham served on a cheese bap (a soft bun baked with cheese on the top)
-Ramen noodles with chopped cabbage and sesame oil
- Crockpot!! Smoked ribs with sauerkraut(I added some onions, chopped cabbage, carraway seed and cream of mushroom soup to mellow the flavors then cooked it for 8 hrs)Served over boiled potatoes
Tuesday 8 Dec
-French toast and Lincolnshire sausages ( I saved 2 for another breakfast)
-crockpot meal rehashed for me. Boiled potatoes with bacon and cheese for Chloe
-Tortilla soup! It was really good. Filling but not a overeat sort of filling
Wed 9 Dec
-Eggs scrambled with minced Lincolnshire sausages and parsley, crumpets with butter and strawberry preserves.
- sandwiches
-Filipinana- chicken adobo, beef bulgogi, garlic chicken, sesame chicken, lumpia(eggrolls), sliced fresh veggies and rice
Thursday 10 Dec
- Sausage balls, toast with jam
-I can't remember!
-Chef's Delight (fridge cleanout)
That's all folks!!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
CONTAMINATED!!!!!
Okay, we are on the border of an outbreak here. Sunday evening, Chloe had large blisters on the soles of her feet. Try as I might, I couldn't think of what could have caused it. New shoes-no, new stockings-no, running a mile or two in combat boots-impossible, she can't even lift a pair of boots! What happened?
Darryl thought that she got into bathroom cleaner, but even if she did that, she would have confessed shortly thereafter especially if there were any ill side effects. She knows what a burn feels like since she put her hands on a hot BBQ grill in the summer.
So what was it? This was one of those times when I even questioned my sanity. Lord what is it??? Monday morning came and I was mental toast. I almost had it figured out when I looked at her hands and they were blistered also! AAHHH, I know there is a simple answer but it didn't hit me until I called to get her an appointment at the pediatric clinic. When the lady asked me about all of her symptoms, she paused for a moment and it hit me-Hand Foot and Mouth! That's what I thought and that's what she said. Oh, what a weight lifted off of my shoulders! I wasn't crazy after all and my memory still worked, albeit 12 hrs later, but it still works! Now the diagnosis was made and the rules of good conduct were stated to me: Stay home and try not to contaminate anyone else-playgroup, visiting friends, etc, Wash hands frequently,Tylenol for any fever and keep her well hydrated. That hydration thing is easy, she is a major drinker, has an affinity for watered down orange juice and the occasional cup o'milk.
I notified all the other families that she has been around and no one else had it. The hospital told me that my other little people were probably too old to get it, but make sure they keep clean. Okay- we are in QUARANTINE!!!!
Now where did it come from? Hmm, Africa Sunday? Playgroup? I want to KNOW who gave it to us!!!!!!!!!! So, that question may never be answered but I won't lose sleep over it. And to all those parents who let their sick children out and contaminate others, SHAME ON YOU! I am going to pray hard for folks like that because they give others so many troubles that don't need to happen for the sakes of convenience or whatever.
Marimbe from church has it, but she had a fever before she got the spots. Shari and her crew have it, but they have it worse than us- the sores are in their mouths! Bless them, so much pain. I'm sorry folks- if I had only known beforehand that we had been exposed I would have kept her at home.
The High School nurse thought I was talking about "hoof and mouth disease, but wouldn't listen to an explanation of the correct condition, so i've marked her off my list of sane people.(She is forgiven but clearly a confused person).
Now April has the spots on her hands and Wyndon has some bumps in his mouth.
Elise has a few on her hands so another week in the house for us!!!
Send reinforcements!
Here is a picture of what it looks like. http://allaboutyourchild.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/hand_foot_mouth.jpg
Darryl thought that she got into bathroom cleaner, but even if she did that, she would have confessed shortly thereafter especially if there were any ill side effects. She knows what a burn feels like since she put her hands on a hot BBQ grill in the summer.
So what was it? This was one of those times when I even questioned my sanity. Lord what is it??? Monday morning came and I was mental toast. I almost had it figured out when I looked at her hands and they were blistered also! AAHHH, I know there is a simple answer but it didn't hit me until I called to get her an appointment at the pediatric clinic. When the lady asked me about all of her symptoms, she paused for a moment and it hit me-Hand Foot and Mouth! That's what I thought and that's what she said. Oh, what a weight lifted off of my shoulders! I wasn't crazy after all and my memory still worked, albeit 12 hrs later, but it still works! Now the diagnosis was made and the rules of good conduct were stated to me: Stay home and try not to contaminate anyone else-playgroup, visiting friends, etc, Wash hands frequently,Tylenol for any fever and keep her well hydrated. That hydration thing is easy, she is a major drinker, has an affinity for watered down orange juice and the occasional cup o'milk.
I notified all the other families that she has been around and no one else had it. The hospital told me that my other little people were probably too old to get it, but make sure they keep clean. Okay- we are in QUARANTINE!!!!
Now where did it come from? Hmm, Africa Sunday? Playgroup? I want to KNOW who gave it to us!!!!!!!!!! So, that question may never be answered but I won't lose sleep over it. And to all those parents who let their sick children out and contaminate others, SHAME ON YOU! I am going to pray hard for folks like that because they give others so many troubles that don't need to happen for the sakes of convenience or whatever.
Marimbe from church has it, but she had a fever before she got the spots. Shari and her crew have it, but they have it worse than us- the sores are in their mouths! Bless them, so much pain. I'm sorry folks- if I had only known beforehand that we had been exposed I would have kept her at home.
The High School nurse thought I was talking about "hoof and mouth disease, but wouldn't listen to an explanation of the correct condition, so i've marked her off my list of sane people.(She is forgiven but clearly a confused person).
Now April has the spots on her hands and Wyndon has some bumps in his mouth.
Elise has a few on her hands so another week in the house for us!!!
Send reinforcements!
Here is a picture of what it looks like. http://allaboutyourchild.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/hand_foot_mouth.jpg
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)