L's 1st glasses

A couple of weeks ago, L came home from school with a blue note.  In red, the word failed was written across the front sheet.  What?!  Failed?!  My kid isn't going to fail anything!  Well, that's what I thought.  Unfortunately, L did fail.  He failed his kindergarten vision screening.

Talk about being able to be knocked over by a feather! P and I honestly didn't believe it, as he has never given an indication that he couldn't see, and even passed the screening at the doctor's office.  Okay, perhaps he used to run into walls when he was an infant and toddler, but besides that, nothing.

I took him for his appointment and learned that his right eye had become lazy. Luckily though, it had not yet begun to roll.  L's vision in his left eye: +0.50, in his right eye: +5.0  That's 10x worse.  When they took the initial photos of his eyes, before asking him to look at the chart, the optical assistant says, "oh, I see we have a problem with the right eye."  Hmmm...when asked to look at the chart with his good eye covered, he was unable to make out the big E, and the even larger W was a bit blurry.

So, its glasses for my little man who really was not thrilled about getting them.  When we went to pick them up, he fought having to wear them.  I tried every tactic imaginable.  Then, P says to him, "You know, mommy and daddy have to wear glasses sometimes."  He put them on, straightaway.  Little bugger. When we got into the car, I cried.  I cried because his right eye is so magnified, it looks so much larger than the left eye.  I don't care what he looks like, I just fear that the other kids will point this out to him, or make fun of him.  I really hope not, especially now that he enjoys having them on because he can actually see!

Starting next week, L has to wear a patch over his good eye for 4 hours a day.  This, he is excited for because of the chance to be a pirate. He is a strange bird, my son, but I love him so!

Its a Lalaloopsy kind of a day

We finally brought the kids' gifts from the extended family in the house. Holy smokes!  The house was clean until we littered it with all the gifts.  Even now, I am feeding the baby, amidst the squalor.  I mean, where does one put all of this, this stuff?! We've got clothes and toys.  Lots of toys, big and small.

One thing that drives me crazy about toys is that they all come with tons of little pieces. The fairies all came with shoes and wings, the princesses with crowns and shoes, and 2 of the lalaloopsies come with little plastic hats.  Its bad enough that these little pieces end up all around the house, but add the fact that I have a soon to be mobile infant and girls that will insist on having their toys fully clothed, and its a nightmare in and of itself.  Last year, I just threw all the shoes and whatnot away, but this year, I got clever.  I used a glue gun. Yea, baby!  Thanks MIL for passing yours onto me.  I didn't realize what a gift it was until now.


My MIL also sent the kids some money for Christmas, so off we went to the store so J could buy a girlie Lalaloopsy or dresses for her tomboy dolls.  The girls each picked a lalaloopsy and a dress up outfit so they could look just like their dolls.  They were happy with their hauls, and P and I were excited to take pics of them in their adorable outfits.

Have you ever had a moment when you feel happy?  No reason.  You just feel content with the world.  On the way home from shopping, that's just how I felt.  I was exhausted, but content.  C had assigned us all names, all but 1 are her BFF's siblings: Me~ Gracie (her BFF), C~Ethan (yes, she gave herself a boy's name), Q~Mikaela, J~Olivia (which she pronounces Hibia), L~Wesley, and P~Cronk.  We laughed about how silly daddy's name was, and he made up silly names for all the kids, Pokemon names, if I understood correctly.  It was just a nice family moment; everyone giggling, no one crying or whining, and smiles abounding.  I wish everyday was a great as that car ride!

Merry Christmas 2011

Just something quick to jot down the silly antics of the day, the memories that I want to be sure will not be lost.    Happy 1st Christmas, baby girl, Q!  Mommy loves you!

After rushing downstairs, for probably the umpteen millionth time, though I told the kids not to go downstairs without us the night before, I decided to take a picture of the kids' reaction to the tree.  This photo is hilarious to me! I said, say cheese, and boom, I'm missing a kid...the klutziest kid on the face of the earth. 

 But, up she pops, happy as a clam!  Gotta love C!

 And here she is with her bounty.  Favorite toy?  It has to be the Jasmine Barbie.  I had no clue that it would be because really, I didn't even know that she knew who Jasmine was.  Toy she took to bed?  The lalaloopsy doll (not pictured) that my mom bought for her, Lalaloopsy little, Pita Mirage.  Cute memory: When C was unwrapping her gifts at my parents, she got to her last gift, a big box. "What do you think it is?" we asked.  "Its music," she exclaimed.  Too stinking funny because it was the piano she had asked for.  Clever little monkey, that one is!

 Here's L's take which includes DS games, Pokeman guys and lightsabers to play with P.  Favorite toy: lightsaber  Went to bed with: Lalaloopsy little Matey Anchors that my mom bought him.  He's never had a doll or anything like that before, so he was thrilled to get one so that he could play with the girls. Though, I'm pretty certain that he would have taken his castle to bed with him (that my Aunt S bought him), if he could have.  Classic memory: P made fried toast just like his dad made when he was a kid, with ketchup on it and when L was carrying it into the living room, it landed ketchup side down. "F*ck!"  Yep, my little angel used a 4 letter word.  Merry Christmas!

 When I asked J what her favorite toy was, she exclaimed, "my lalaloopsy."  That's the coveted silly hair doll, but its Sugar Crumb, not the Jewel Sparkle that I had wanted to get her.  She loved her...until she realized that she wasn't wearing a dress.  From that moment on, she attempted to trade dolls with C, or at least get her swap outfits with her.  I've never seen a kid try to swap out toys on Christmas before.  There was no way I was going to let her trade C because I got her the Rosy Bumps and Bruises doll, a nurse.  It just really fits her, and especially since she will probably have surgery this year, there was no way I was going to let her trade.
Favorite toy: Disney Princess Fairy 6 pack. She played with them the whole morning.  Went to bed with: Lalaloopsy little Scribbles Splash, even though she was disappointed that she didn't have a dress, either.  We have promised that she can buy some clothes for her dolls tomorrow.

 Had to share this picture of J in the first outfit she opened, from her godmother, my girlfriend Kristen. She was so thrilled to have a sparkly dress and leggings.

And here is C, in her new outfit that my sister got her.  Thought I'd share the photo since no one will probably ever see her in this again.  Let's face it.  Unless they are super comfy pants with a boyish t-shirt, she is just not interested!

Did I mention that L got a lot of DS games? We recently found out that he has to wear glasses and a patch over his good eye (left) for 4 hours a day because his right eye is very lazy and the vision is over 5 times worse than in his left.  During his vision test, he was unable to make out the big letter E on the top of the chart.  The even larger letter W was blurry to him.  To get his right eye functioning again, and hopefully better, the optometrist has prescribed playing his DS while he wears his patch.  This kid is thrilled!  Its definitely made the prospect of wearing glasses more palatable.

This is my favorite gift.  Friday night, I realized that I had shorted C 1 gift, so I had to go grab her something from the store on Christmas Eve with a fever of 101.6.  Oh yea, it was a fantastic shopping experience.  I went out for puzzles and maybe some lace up cards, but happened upon this reader. There are no buttons to press, instead, the machine simply reads the books to the kids.  It recognizes when they turn the page.  Awesome!  Both girls loved it!  Score! Even better is that I paid $13.99 when it was marked $27.99.  Double score!

 Let me not forget to share the joy of Santa, for L decided it would be nice to leave him a $.  Not sure why, and I don't think he's entirely sure why either.  My guess?  There was a dollar bill in plain sight, so he thought, "why not throw it on there.  I might get an extra gift if I do!"  Strangest thing was though, that in the morning, L asked P and I if we wrote the note from Santa.  He's never questioned us on his existence, but still asked about the note.  Strange, strange.

A picture of my favorite little baby girl, Q.  It was so great to see her enjoy her toys, talking and laughing with them.  She'll be 6 months on Tuesday.  I love this age!

Tis' the season for giving baked goods

The day started and ended with baked goods.  My J and I went to school and decorated a gingerbread house and cookie.  It was a nice little bonding experience, even though she told me help another kid cause she can do it all by herself.  Gotta love the independence!

Christmas is right around the corner, and tomorrow is the last day of school before L is on vacation.  I've spent a lot of time contemplating the perfect teacher's gift...one that is inexpensive, not wasteful, and will be appreciated. I definitely wanted to stay away from chachkis (okay, I have NO clue how to spell that) and stuff that will just get filed away in a drawer or regifted.  Believe me, I know about regifting, as I'm the queen.  Just don't tell anyone.

I finally happened upon a gift: homemade goodies with a small present.  I decided to make the cake batter bark that I had at the cookie exchange a week ago. I adapted it, slightly, to stay within my budget.  Here's what I did:

1. Melted a bag of Hershey's dark chocolate chips and poured onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Put in the freezer for at least 20 minutes (I was also making cookies, doing laundry and starting dinner while doing this, so sometimes, it was longer)
2. Melted 2 bags of white chocolate chips.  Then mixed in 3 heaping teaspoons of yellow cake mix.  When it had cooled about 5 minutes, I removed the dark chocolate from the freezer and spread it on top, then sprinkled green sugar and red cinnamon sugar on top before putting it back in the freezer.
3. After 20 minutes or so, I removed the bark from the freezer, broke it into pieces, placed it in tupperware and put it in the fridge.

I learned a couple of things:

1. Pour the white chocolate on the dark IMMEDIATELY after removing the dark chocolate from the freezer.
2. Do NOT make a second batch without cleaning the white chocolate bowl.  Reason being, some of the cake mix will remain in the bowl and when you melt the chocolate, that mix will burn.
3. Don't let your hubby try it because then he'll keep sneaking bites.

I learned a tough lesson with the white chocolate chips burning, resulting in the need for an additional homemade goody.  The solution was Cleta Bailey's toffee squares.  These are not toffee, at all.  I didn't really think they were, but I think I just expected them to be more toffee-esque.  They're more like a chocolate and nut topped cookie. Regardless, they were quite good, good enough to be included with the bark.

At a Christmas party the other day, I was able to score a $15 Dunkin' Donuts gift card and a miniature bamboo cutting board. Let the regifting begin!  J's teachers are getting the DD gc and this cute box of treats to share since they always have a cup of Dunkin' joe in the morning.

L's teacher, let's just say that he loves her, apparently loves apples.  He decided a while ago that he needed to get her some for Christmas.  I must say that I'm proud of this clever idea.  I put her treats on the bamboo cutting board and that is going to be given with a bag of organic Gala apples.  Pretty clever, huh?  Well, I think so, since I haven't a creative bone in my body.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I signed up to bring 30 cookies to J's Christmas party tomorrow as well.  The kids are 4, so I really wanted to bring something they would love.  There was a fantastic set of Halloween cookies that another mom brought for that party, and all the kids wanted to have them.  They didn't necessarily eat them, but they wanted them.  What can I say?  I want them to want my cookies, too.  The hunt for a whimsical cookie ensued, and the kids and I chose these melting snowman cookies.  Even P got in on the decorating.

Here's hoping the kids love them.  We even made extra so L could give 1 to each of his classmates.

Here's hoping all of our efforts are enjoyed because I know a tired little girl...and her mommy!

Okay, ignore the outfit.  I did mention that I've been busy, right?

I will leave you with 1 last photo of my kids, niece and nephew at J's Christmas party last night.  Gotta love C's face.

Oh, look! My brother snuck in the back, too!

Cookies, Marines and Toys

The Marine Corps Reserve Unit in Forty Fort sits right on Wyoming Ave.  If you live in NEPA, you pretty much know that Wyoming Ave is the main drag to get you from Luzerne to Lackawanna counties, without using the interstate.  I have driven down that road so very many times, and each time, since March of 2007, the drive evokes apprehension, nausea and just an all over icky feeling.  It reminds me of that day in March, when my family was escorted into the gymnasium, when the vehicle carrying my brother's dead body pulled in; the day he came home. 

Today, well, today, I purposefully drove to the reserve unit, apprehensive, but full of spirit.  My girlfriends and fellow members of the MOMS club had a cookie exchange this morning, and each woman brought a new unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots.  Last year, the Marines that served with my brother came to the meeting and collected the toys, but this year, they were unable to be there.  So, my girls and I delivered the donations to Forty Fort.  The Marines there were nice.  I said my brother's name and there was a sense of recognition that comforted me.  The girls gave them cookies and they were appreciative.  

The Gunnery Sgt was kind enough to take the girls to see the trucks that their uncle used to drive.  I, well, I stood back, taking it all in.  The sights and sounds.  The smells.  How they differed from that day.  How life continues on while he lies sleeping.  A strange feeling came over me.  It wasn't the feeling of loss that I anticipated, instead, it was a feeling of calm.  I knew that I was okay, that I am no longer suffering from the depression that my grief sent me into.  I felt calm, knowledgeable of my space, but in tune with the moment, the now.  I was given my brother's binder, a binder of documents and articles that pertain to Dennis.  I found comfort in knowing that they were there.

But, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows.  I spoke frankly with the GSgt.  I told him of my disappointment, of my family's hurt at their hands. I shared with them the pain that they have caused my retired Marine father by failing to acknowledge my brother's death at any point after the 1st couple of months.  No one has yet to call or write to my parents, acknowledging Dennis's death.  He was the 1st and only Marine to have lost his life from that unit.  My father expected more.  He expected that Dennis would not be forgotten.  I have been assured that in March of 2012, my father will receive a call.  I hope that it won't have been "too long".

My Grown-Up Christmas List

I'm making Christmas cookies for a cookie swap tomorrow...Cleone's Nutmeg Cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 1/3 cups margarine
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the milk and lemon juice in a small bowl; set aside a few minutes to sour. Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl. Beat the margarine and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat the first egg into the margarine mixture until completely blended, then beat in the vanilla with the second egg. Mix into the flour, then stir in soured milk mixture until just incorporated. Wrap cookie dough in plastic, then freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Roll dough out on a heavily floured surface, then cut with cookie cutters. Alternatively, the cookies can be rolled into balls, then pressed down with a fork. Arrange cookies onto prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are golden brown, about 10 minutes

How did I decide on these?  Well, the recipe makes 5 dozen, and I need 6-7 dozen.  I figure I can stretch it into an extra dozen or so.  And...all the ingredients are in my refrigerator and pantry.  Talk about a last minute idea.  I'm hoping I won't be up too much longer past midnight.  

As I was mixing my dough, Christmas songs were dancing in my head, including my brand new favorite song, Amy Grant's "Grown up Christmas List."  I just love that song, and it got me thinking about what my grown up Christmas list would be.  Well, I have multiple lists, and here they are:

THE IMPOSSIBLE LIST

1. For my brother, Dennis to be with us again, in body and spirit

2. World peace

3. The end to hunger and disease

DREAMS FOR MY FAMILY

1. For my husband~his dream house, dream car, and the promotion he deserves

2. My mom~peace

3. My dad~good health

4. My brother, D~a drug-free and fulfilled life

5. My brother, A~a wife that will love and cherish him

6. My brother, G~a healthy baby boy

7. My sister~a healthy baby, preferably a girl ;-)

8. My kids~outdoor play equipment for our yard

My Selfish List

1. KitchenAid stand mixer

2. Cuisinart Ice Cream/Yogurt maker~large

3. New kitchen

4. Wall removed from between my living room and toy room

5. New bathrooms

6. New house

7. New carport

8. The remains of my old carport removed

9. New wardrobe once I drop this excess 25 pounds

10. A vacation, just P and me

11. A really good carpet cleaner

And, my final Christmas wish is simply for the health and happiness of my friends and family.  I hope that we all may find it in our hearts to remember that this is truly the season of giving, not receiving, and that the best thing to give is our love and support.

Merry Christmas to all of you!