Merry Christmas to Dew

Boy, what a busy week. Probably the most hectic week I've had at work all year. Whew! Sorry I haven't blogged. Before tonight I also hadn't done other things like finish decorating. Gotta pay bills and send packages too. Anyway, in the spirit of the season--and 'cause I could use a good caffeine buzz right now, a dear friend of mine sent me pics of a guy building a Christmas tree totally out of Mountain Dew containers, (and some wire, PVC and a tree stand).

He (and I know it's a he 'cause only guys--and gals with problems, would think this is cool) started by sticking coatwire with cans up the PVC pole. Then decorated with lights and a 2 liter top and, voila!

Ain't it a thing of beauty? I want one for the yard. (=

Merry Christmas to Dew and yours from the Ski-Bo!

Probably my most obnoxious Christmas tune this year

This is one of those weeks where I have a bunch of things to post about. Stay tuned.

For now, let's talk Christmas music. I'm one who can listen to Christmas music year round-much to the chagrin of my family. I've gotten a little better with my iPod since I can classify any tune with a genre of "holiday" and filter them out of my Nano manually.

Still, there are some holiday songs that have a permanent place in my device, year round. Most are from movies. They include:

"Snow" from White Christmas
"What's This?" from the Nightmare Before Christmas
"Polar Express", "Hot Chocolate" and "Rockin all over the world" from the Polar Express
"Skating" from the Charlie Brown Christmas special and
"Wizards in Winter" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra
"Hope has come" off the Sovereign Grace "Savior" CD
Oh, and my favorite, "The Chipmunk Song" by the Lost Dogs. If you listen closely, Mike Roe is hilarious as "Alvin".

Each year I try and add something to my holiday music collection. If you've ever rode with us in the van, you've no doubt experienced my wife rolling her eyes and sighing under her breath or my kids saying "ooh, I HATE this song!" (Which only makes me smile and turn up the volume slightly). This year I think I've found a song that borders on being too obnoxious even for me (yet part of me still likes it).

Someone on the web has "composed" Christmas songs in the style of a Nintendo NES video game system. He's half way done with the album (called 8 Bit Jesus) and you can listen or download it for free. I listened to all of it and can pretty much stand only the first song, a version of We Three Kings. Of course I stink at video games (even B can blow me away) so I don't really have any fond memories of the games these tunes were styled after.

Enjoy (and pray for my poor wife during this season--not only for her leg).

Adventures in Shopping

I haven't posted in ages. Yeah....I know.
But you see, I have a good excuse for part of that time.
I broke my leg.
Well, it is a bit more complicated than that, but we'll just leave it at that for now.

This post is prompted by an experience I had today. But we'll get to that in a minute.

Shopping with a broken leg is an adventure.
I don't particularly care for it.
Before I got my cast, I was at Target. I was riding around in a wheelchair. My oldest dd was pushing me. People just stared at me as if to say... "What is wrong with you?!?!" Oh, and then they would just walk in front of you no matter what. That was NOT fun. It gives me great empathy for the handicapped.

Oh, my dd was not performing her duty to my expectations so I began pushing myself around. I was fine with this, but people began giving me odd looks and one lady even LAUGHED at me. It turned out that my hair was sticking straight up due to the static electricity I was generating. My dd was laughing hysterically and my dear Ski gave me the shock of my life when he tried to smooth my hair down.

One night, we went to the library. WHile this was not shopping, it was comparable. It is a long way from the library entrance to the nearest chair and in between, I met up with about 5 librarians who wanted to know all of the details of what had happened. I love our library and the librarians really like us, too. One of them even told us that our family is her favorite patron. Isn't that sweet?!?!?

We went to CVS one night for some things that I really needed. After shopping there and developing a major foot cramp in my good foot, I decided not to shop in stores without wheelchairs until I can finally walk. Silly me.....I broke that rule twice today. Not a good idea. CVS is really huge!! And add to that, I couldn't find what I needed easily. I had to send Ski walking all of the aisles looking for things. Poor guy!!

Now for today....
This morning I had a long awaited drs appointment with a new dr. What an impression to go with a broken leg. On our way home, I needed a few things. I happen to make my own vanilla. It isn't fabulous or anything, but I know it is safe for my kid, it's cheaper, and it lasts forever. Well, since it really doesn't last forever, I needed to make some more. I use a pint of vodka to make it and I know the brand by sight (but not name) and I basically know where in the store it is. Since Ski knows less about this than I do, I told him to drop me off and I would buy it. He went to a nearby pharmacy to pick something else up for me. My first barrier to overcome was the front door. It was not automatic and I almost fell on my way out of the store. Secondly, I knew before I entered that my vodka would be at the very back of the store. It makes me feel like it is a million miles away. The lady was nice and offered to get it for me, but I could not recall the name. Just when we found it, she had another customer come in and she had to go back to the front. Duh....I put my purse on the floor and almost toppled over trying to pick it up again. So my next challenge was walking with crutches, a purse, and a pint of vodka. I made it to the front of the store, but then there were two narrow steps. Oh my!! My leg has been really hurting and I really didn't want to bear weight, but I did for the first step. Step....grimace....and then used my crutches to go up to the top. I then paid and left.

Ski was still at the pharmacy so I went down the sidewalk and sat on the curb in the parking lot. After a few minutes, a car pulled up. A lady got out and went in the store. After a few minutes, another lady got out. She came over to me (which made me nervous). I feel really vulnerable with a broken leg. It is pretty obvious and I am soooo slow. I was ready to pick up my crutch and get ready to bash. :D Anyway, the lady stuck her hand out and had a few pennies in it. She told me it was all she had, but told me to take them. I probably looked a sight. I was very tired from my drs visit and meandering through the ABC store. I probably also looked pretty desperate to go to the ABC store with a broken leg. After I assured the lady that I was fine, she then asked me if I could give HER some money. Oh my......I could not believe it. When I said no, she asked if my dh would give her money. It was rather comical...

Being a semi-invalid is rather interesting.
Dh won't let me drive so I am soooo dependent. Not the most fun. But I understand why he wants me to refrain from driving. At Thanksgiving, I felt like Tiny Tim sitting with my crutches in the corner. And I even entered the home of someone I don't know well by sitting up the stairs. This was so humbling for me. And when I do go out -- like to church, the dr, or a store, I am utterly exhausted when I get home.

But Ski is the best!! He has served me without a single complaint. He is so cheerful and has even given up our bed to sleep near me in our den. And he cheerfully shops and even sticks to my list. He is beyond awesome!!!

As we gather together

A few years ago some great friends, after having us over for two or three Thanksgiving meals, said we now have a standing invitation to their house for turkey day. I can't tell you how much a small act of kindness and friendship like that means to a family of eight. Since B broke her leg three weeks ago, we again, have been humbled and greatly moved by the acts of love and kind support we've received--in word and deed. Prayers, meals, errands run etc., have been a means of grace to us as she recovers and as the rest of us try to pick up the huge amount of work she does for our family. God continues to work on changing my complaining, impatient, angry heart and is helping me resist corrupting, rotten, decaying speech.

The aforementioned family also started a yearly holiday tradition with us. Each of us writes down something we're thankful for on a slip of paper and everyone else has to guess who it was that wrote it. I was thinking about my entry this year when I ran across a quote from Abraham Lincoln from his original Thanksgiving Proclamation. The Proclamation was given in midst of the Civil War in 1863. It's a little long , but worth the read. So in light of the above and given the seasons we're in (holiday, political, economic), think about this:

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

Of Spiders and Such

One of the amazing things about being a parent is discovering who your children are. We can look at them as infants and think we know who they are, but when they start showing signs of being their own person, it is really fascinating to me.

Of all of my children, Boo is the most puzzling. She looks very much like I did when I was her age. My brother has made comments about her being a little "B." So because of that, I tend to think of her being just like me. This is not the case.

Boo is all girl. She loves dresses, babies, barbies, and all things girl. She likes crafts and cooking. She also loves eating good food. She also loves to sing!! She also has a great fear of spiders. We have joked with her that we will buy all kinds of Halloween things and throw her a birthday party with them as decorations. She saw a daddy long legs walking on my driveway and she gave us a blood curdling scream!! She has a love/hate relationship with our kitty. She loves to pet her, but if the kitty makes a sudden move, Boo will flinch. She also is not keen on jumping into the pool.

Boo loves her family. She is not the demonstrative type. But if you spend a little time with her, she will love you back with interest. I have seen a few people outside of our family do this and I am sure that they would agree with me. She is also very compassionate. You might think she is shy, but she is not so with people that she likes. While she is the quietest member of our family, she is not boring. In fact, she is quite interesting to talk to.

Boo is also very serious and practical. I took this photo to reflect that side of her personality. In a family full of silly people, she is always telling it like it is. She has a unique sense of humor, but she will not fall for any jokes. She also tells it like it is. She is up front an honest and will give you her opinion on anything. I remember that we once had a discussion onf someone we knew who did not like broccoli. My kids eat everything (well....except for their allergens). Everyone here eats all of their veggies. Well, Boo said in the most serious of tones, "If you didn't like broccoli, then you would be silly because broccoli is good for you!"

When she was small she had GERD and a hiatal hernia. Because of the hernia, she developed something called Sandifer Syndrome. This is a peculiar posturing that people do to relieve their symptoms. In her case, we would hold her in her arms and she would bend backwards away from us and end up kind of upside down and twisted. I'm telling you this because in some respects, she still has a different perspective on the world. It is as if she is still hanging upside down and looking at things from a different angle than the rest of us.

There is so much that I could say about my girl. She is a neat person and we went through so much together those first few years. It is really fun getting to know her.

For those of you who don't know, I'm a Bobby Bowden fan. B and I met at a Division III school so we don't really have any alumni ties to any college team (though we have family @ Penn State). But our neck of the woods is smack dab in the middle of the ACC so years ago I started rooting for Florida State.

Truthfully they've been mediocre at best since I started pulling for them (hmmm) but they're usually in the thick of things and they're fun to watch for a few hours on an occasional Saturday. N likes them too.

While I don't hear much about the players, except for those that choose to act like thugs and get suspended, I was proud to read about Myron Rolle, one of FSU's best defensive players. On Nov. 22nd, he's chosen to miss the game with Maryland (which may turn out to be critical to our shot at a bowl game and his career possibilities in the NFL) to conclude final interviews in hopefully becoming, get this....a Rhodes Scholar! Pretty awesome!

How about that Gator fans?? (=

I think it's cool too that the FSU coaching staff is totally behind his decision and encouraging him to go for it.

Makes me proud to be a 'Nole fan!

And now for something completely different....

I stumbled across this video. The guy in the clip is NOT singing. The song is actually by a group called Moosebutter ( I don't know why). Anyway, it's a pretty clever video....

2008 FAAN Walk

About 10 days ago we participated in our third FAAN Walk for a Cure for Food Allergies. Every year this event seems to get bigger and better. This year it was held in a local park with the walking route around a small lake. There was also a game/Halloween treat area with non-food treats, craft making area (pom-pom spiders, bead necklace making and temporary tattoos) and vendor area (my favorite) with lots of schwag from companies like Enjoy life foods, Epipens and Crayons drinks. Yes, allergy free juice drinks in crayon shaped cans. Some of them were tasty.


B had volunteered at the registration table once again but this year she had volunteered me and the boys to help set up. We were put in charge of most of the signage. Since we had to be there pretty early (6:30-7am) it was great to have something for us to do. All the kids and I put up signs directing people to the event as well as "food allergy fact" signs along the route.

I was with IZ in the craft area when he noticed the other kids who also had MedicAlert bracelets like he did. (they compared colors) I'm sure he felt pretty good seeing all the other food allergy families there having fun with their kids. And I KNOW he enjoyed the free sample cups of SunButter given away in the vendor area (don't ask how many he ate!)

THANK YOU to all who prayed for great weather (it was beautiful) and who gave or considered giving. I had set a pretty low goal on our fundraising page and had a difficult time updating/increasing it which may have thrown some people off. This year our town's walk ALONE raised $40,000 for food allergy awareness and research! That's AWESOME!!

ps....B here....I just wanted to add that the most awesome thing is that there was food there and Iz could eat all of it!! How cool is that?!?!?! He ate about 5 little things of Sunbutter. :-D My favorite thing was the Enjoy Life chocolate bars (**Those WERE good!! -ski**) . Yummy!!! And safe, too!!! Such a fun day!!

The cool thing about the Internet

One thing that is really cool about the internet is that you get to meet people from all over. If you join any kind of message board or email loop, you will soon feel like you know people. I know that a lot of people think this is a bad thing. But I have not experienced that. I am on a number of email loops and message boards. Most of the ones that I post to, I have been a part of for quite a while. I have met people who live both near and far. I have learned about all kinds of people's lives. I have been challenged to look deeper and to see other perspectives. I have found support when there was none around me. Particularly, when I have struggled with medical issues in my children. I have found people struggling with the same thing when I did not have that luxury in the people around me. I have met all kinds of people. Those like me and those not. Those who are generous and giving and those who are in need. Right now I have a person of great need in mind and I'd like to ask a favor of you.

I have added a prayer list to the right, though it is not up to date at the moment. On that list is yet another woman who I met via the internet. I have never met her IRL, but have learned to know her through her posts. In a rather sudden and whirlwind-like chain of events, my friend has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It is very aggressive and it will be a difficult road ahead. She is a mother of 7 who homeschools and a wife of a pastor. She is a very gifted woman and I have always enjoyed her posts. Please pray for her and her family. They really need comfort and peace. God is really moving in her life through this, but she still needs great prayer. Please take a moment to pray for my friend!!

The Candy Post

Since last night was the night of waaaay too much candy for little kids, I thought that I would do a post on candy. I have almost an insider knowledge of candy. My older brother was basically addicted to sugar. If he had money, we were off to the candy store. Oh and mom and dad did not approve so it was "sneaking" off to the candy store. In fact, one time we got in big trouble because my dad drove by when I was sitting "looking out" on the stoop of a drug store.

Horehounds -- Don't ever eat these. You thought that they were cough drops, right?!?! Well, my daddy, a good old PA German boy insists that they are candy. Of course, he was the one who told me to swallow a raw egg once for my voice. No....I am not naive or gullible. You just have to know my dad. Anyway, my grandmother had a HUGE jar of these beside her bed. Of course, then there is the fact that grandma fed us about a zillion St. Joseph's whenever we stayed at her house. It is amazing that my brothers and I did not suffer from Reye's syndrome or something. Well, anyway....horehounds are despicable and should never be eaten. And those candy stick people should be shot for sticking them among the real candy stick flavors of cherry, peppermint, and sassafras. On second thought, you've got to try them just once in your life!! Go ahead and indulge!!!

Circus Peanuts -- These are another bad idea for candy. My grandmother used to give us bags of these for "going home surprises" Don't ask.... Well, since grandma was old and would often misplace things, I don't think I ever had a fresh circus peanut until I was grown. Nope....fresh or stale, they are not good. I even found a brand that our allergic to lots of candy ingredients ds could have. I bought one bag and I could not bear to ever buy another one.



Dots on Paper -- Do these have a real name? I seriously think that whoever came up with this idea was someone who hated kids. It is about the most disappointing candy I have ever eaten. And my kids agree!!

Playtime Gum -- this was fake bazooka. At our favorite candy store this was a penny as opposed to bazooka for 5 cents. I have looked for reference to this gum but I can't find any. To be honest, it tasted like penicillin. YES....REALLY!!! For a long time I never would chew plain bubble gum because of this nasty gum.

Watermelon Bazooka -- this was yummy!!

Wax Coke Bottles -- Seriously doggone awesome idea for a candy. I used to love chewing the wax, too. Now wax lips and those colored wax bottles were really yucky, though.

Marathon Bar -- This is my all time favorite candy bar. There is nothing like it made in the States although I am told there is a British candy bar that is similar. These used to be like a foot long. I liked them best when they were soft snd stretchy.

Teaberry Gum -- This used to be my favorite of the wierd flavored gums. I have also had Blackjack, Clove and Beeman's. Sadly, I had teaberry gum not long ago. I could not stand it so I gave it to my kids.

Fruit Stripe Gum -- I used to like this alot back in the day

Chiclets -- only the big ones, please

Beechnut gum -- Makes me think of my uncle.

Reese Cups -- This is the only candy I remember my other grandmother ever eating. She always had a stash of these in her house.

Candy Corn -- Tastes best to me eaten out of a tiered candy dish shaped like a man bought in a store in Chinatown.

Mary Janes -- Only the rectangular ones. Yes, Ski....I love 'em!! I probably wouldn't eat them now, though.

Sixlets -- cheap and good

Chocolate -- almost any form at all but preferably without any nuts. Favorites? Hershey's of course!!! See what I got in the mail?!!?!?!? Gotta love having a brother in Hershey. After all these years, he is still my supplier!!! Oh wait...was I supposed to share?!?!?!



Sen-Sens -- Are they REALLY candy? They are like horehounds. My basic theory on sen-sens is that it is candy eaten by old people who sing in choirs. Oh wait....that might be me!! If you've never tried them, you need to!! Come on....you know that you want to!!

Twizzlers -- I am very partial to the black ones. The softer, the better!!

Pop Rocks -- Those were just cool!! I don't think Iz would like them, though. You can still get them, but I don't think I would like Homer Simpson on my candy :(


B B Bats -- These are a yummy favorite from long ago. My favorites were banana, chocolate, and strawberry. I never chewed them. Mmmmmm....

Allsorts -- I am not sure really if I like these or not. They are unique. If you have never tried them, you should.


Butter Mints -- My brother and I would rate restaurants and social gatherings on whether they served butter mints. We used to love those mints that melted in your mouth. The worst mints were the ones with licorice in them. The best by far were butter mints. When we discovered those, they were sure to vanish from sight. I am sure we embarrassed our mother greatly with our fondness for butter mints.

Swedish Fish -- You cannot not like these!! They are soft and sweet and delicious!!! My brother would buy a big bag and give me some, too.

Orange Slices -- Oh, oh, oh....YUM!!!! I do not like much fruit flavored stuff, but orange slices ROCK!!!

Barley Toy Pops and Ribbon Candy -- Toy pops are the coolest thing at Christmas when you are little. Sure they got fuzzy from the bottom of your stocking, but they were sooooooo good!! I am not a lollipop person, but I loved my toy pops. Ribbon candy gets a mention here, too because I just think of it at Christmas. Soooo pretty.

Pep-o-mint and Butter rum Lifesavers -- My all time favorite lifesavers!!!!

Brach's Candy for 5 cents -- I could never decide whether I wanted the square caramels, the jelly nougats, neopolitan coconuts, or the filled caramel rolls. Even when my big kids were little, they still had displays in the grocery store. I would tell them to each pick a piece and we would drop our change in the box.

Root Beer Barrels -- Her's another one that my brother would buy. There was a cool candy store that sold penny candy. When my brother didn't have much money, we could still get lots of candy. We could get something like 10 fish for a nickle or something like that.

Candy Cigarettes -- Common....fess up!! You tried these, didn't you?!?! There was even one kind that blew smoke. They were much better than those candy necklaces and lipsticks.

Happy National Candy Corn Day!

Today is National Candy Corn Day! Someone needs to invent an allergy free candy corn (they have egg and gelatin (from beef or fish))--Boo!! But for those of you, like me, who love a big bag of empty calories--go ahead and eat a handful. I know I will. Yum!

BTW, I used to prefer the Autumn mix. I'd eat the pumpkins first, then the chocolate. This year my tastebuds have shifted and I'm back to preferring old-school yellow. I've bought about 6 bags/containers so far this year--they're cheap if you shop around (WM, CVS).

What a strange kid....

My youngest ds is such an odd child.
He has a funny habit of burrowing under anything in order to go to sleep. I will often find a lump in the middle of my bed.

Ski was working from home today. He works in our bedroom and listens to music and pod casts. This is probably so that he can drown out the rest of us making all kinds of chaotic noise throughout the house. Well, I was depositing clean laundry on our bed when my foot hit something soft and warm under out bed. At first I though it was our kitty. She often crawls under there much to Ski's chagrin. But then I heard soft breathing and realized it was my son. There, hidden by our bed skirt, our little guy had found a quiet place to rest in my room under the bed. We all took a look and chuckled at the sight of him. And then we left him there to rest. We have all been sick and I thought that it was best for him to get some rest -- even under my bed.

Iz tells us that when he goes to sleep, he must cover his eyes or they will pop open. Hee-hee. He falls asleep in the funniest places.

We are sick, we are sick, we are sick, sick, sick

Stupid colds.

I think I've finally kicked this latest one this past weekend (no sinus headaches for the first time in 4-5 weeks! Thank you God!)

We had a great time at the FAAN Walk (more to come on that) but we were volunteering so we needed to be there at 7am--which meant getting up WAY earlier than we're accustomed to. Several of us (esp. B) have bad colds now due to lack of sleep--worse than "round one" a week or so ago.

Hopefully this too shall pass. We all stayed home Sunday and I was able to get a little more painting done (front door, one set of shutters completely done).

The Cause Near and Dear to our Hearts

I don't know if you have all seen this video, but some of you have asked me if I have.
So here is the latest news story regarding Iz's allergist and the wonderful research that they are doing up there.

We are all planning on walking for food allergies. All proceeds go to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxsis Network. They are working towards finding a cure for life threatening food allergies, support, education, and advocacy for those who suffer from life threatening allergies and those who care for them. If you would like to sponsor us, please go to our walk website. Even if the walk date has passed, you can still donate!! I know that times are tough, but this is one of the only times when we will ever ask for money. If you don't want to donate to FAAN, please consider a donation to a wonderful support group for parents of allergic children, KWFA. Both of these groups, FAAN and KWFA, are non-profit. All of the volunteers on KWFA are moms(and dads) just like us. KWFA is right there on the front line of support for the every day parents who need an ear, some guidance, or just a great recipe.

The Pumpkin Harvest

What can I say?!?!
I love fall.
Almost all of my favorite things happen in the fall.
My anniversary and five of my children were born from Sept - Dec.

Another cool thing about fall is the pumpkin harvest. And pumpkins are one of my favorite things, too. I love pumpkin anything!! And when I was on the brink of a life changing adventure years ago, I looked out the window and saw about a zillion pumpkins. Since that day, in my mind my oldest daughter and pumpkins have inextricably linked.

This year, my oldest turned 16.
With the birth of this amazing girl, I too was born, but my birth was into motherhood. I was not a very happy or willing participant. I was ever so frightened and unprepared.

Within a week, I found myself not only a mother, but a mother to a very sick little girl. Never in my life had I imagined that I could be so worried and fretful over a person that I had barely met.

In the years that followed, my daughter amazed and delighted me and frightened and puzzled me. When we said our farewells as she faced open heart surgery just shy of 2yo, she assured me that all would be well. When I saw her tiny body after surgery practically covered with tubes and tape, she comforted me with the fact that she had been a good girl and that she wanted to get down to play. The poor child could barely sit up and speak let alone actually get down.

When she was 4 years old and her brother died before he had the chance to be born, she comforted me with her assurances that he was in heaven with Jesus and friends. She comforted me with her hugs and tears and seemed to have a wisdom far beyond her years.

She has proved to us over and over again that she is an individual and is not ashamed to be different. She puts a passion in everything that she does. She loves with a passion and cares deeply for others.

This girl is one of the sweetest and coolest girls that you would ever want to meet. She has a deep love for her friends and family and thinks the best of everyone. She has the most unusual way of looking at things. Many times, she puzzles me and other times she amazes me. She has an artistic eye like her father and while she would be great at photography, she would rather be mixing it up with people. She loves people!! She loves to talk to people and makes new friends.

Ski and I think that she is one of the bravest people that we have ever met. She will not be deterred by what anyone thinks. She is not afraid to be her own person or to walk a different path than the others around her.

She is so fun to watch with little kids. She just gets in there and talks to them. She thinks that they are funny and interesting. And the girl has a passion for the Lord that puts me to shame.

I could say a million other things about my sweet 16 girl, but I am going to stop before she comes after me. :)
Happy Birthday, my love!!
Thanks for being such a great daughter!!

Pardon me...

While I sneeze.

Yes, friends, I have a cold.

You know what though...I think everyone has it. I was out running errands by myself today and a clerk at Dollar General was sniffing away. I don't know which was worse...me sniffing away or her.

My week has not been a happy one. I had to do my shopping and I had a terrible experience at Target. And I looooove Target. I am so disappointed with them. Not only did I have to deal with poor customer service, but then I had to explain the entire dismal story three times and spend 1/2 hour of precious time on the phone. And I am still not confident that it was resolved. In fact, Ski asked me if I needed to go there and I still find myself growling on the inside. All I can say is that I hope a few Target employees are sneezing now as well.

Oh...and then there was the chicken broth. I have wonderful coupons that I got in the mail for chicken broth. If you combine them with a sale going on at one of the local stores, it is a sweet deal. The only thing is I think there are a bunch of people near me who had the same coupons. All of the chicken broth is sold out at the two stores closest to me. I might try again tomorrow, but I am not hopeful.

Ski went out with our oldest dd to a sports kind of thing tonight. Before he left, he assured me that I could just make a normal dinner for all of us. Well, I fell like the stuff under a rock so dinner was not the first thing on my mind. Thankfully, my oldest son volunteered to make spaghetti. I wish that I could enjoy it. He makes a killer sauce. But I think I might be having some soup instead....

I am hoping that tomorrow both I will be feeling better and that it will not be raining. Ski and I need to do some painting!!

Off I go for more medicine....

18 years and one week

B and I decided from the very beginning that this blog would be about "us". We could've had the primary focus be our 6 skibums, food allergies, homeschooling, parenting or any other field where we might be considered a "subject matter expert". However, without revealing too many of our intimate secrets, we really felt the story of our God-given life together would be what we would find most interesting and rewarding to recall and blog about.

If you've read any of our posts, you've already figured out that B is, far and above, a better writer than I. If she is Dickens, I'm Salinger. If she is Puccini, I'm PDQ Bach. If she's Shakespeare, I'm Ogden Nash. If she's Sunflowers, I'm The Twittering Machine.

I hope you enjoy reading the classiness of our posts (hers) and get a chuckle from the goofiness too (mine). I find both can be profound at times.

I say all this because, after 18 years and one week of marriage to the girl of my dreams, it's time for me to post my "anniversary" blog. I had too many thoughts swirling around in my head that I wanted to share about this beautiful, sexy, caring, creative, brave, Holy Spirit-led woman that in a great cosmic mystery to me, I've been binded to by a "third cord" that can't be broken. It's taken me a while to process but I think it comes down to this:

God's mercies are new every morning.

Huh? What does that mean? Well, it's like this. I believe that in heaven, we'll never fully know everything about God. Even in His presence, we'll still be learning and in worshipful awe of his character, faithfulness, power etc.

God intends, on many levels for my marriage to be a reflection of this relationship between Christ and the church (His Bride). I believe one illustration of this is, just as we will always be discovering something new of God to love in eternity, I still find (after 18 years) that I am still finding new things about B I never realized, new passion and desire for her, new respect and admiration for who God has made her to be, new beauty that continues to reveal itself like so many sunset skies or a finely made wine. Every day. New mercies, new mercies, new mercies--from our steadfast, faithful, powerful God--through B--to me. Wow! How amazing! I REALLY don't deserve her.

I am SO thankful to God for you B. I will NEVER see you as "old, boring, yesterday" if you ever fear that. Please don't. You are ALWAYS a joy to me-- from when I kiss you on the head when I leave early in the morning to when I snuggle up close to you at night.

I look forward to our next 18 years in grateful anticipation.

I love you.

When I Wasn't Looking

When I wasn't looking for it, God blessed me with the dearest friend I could ever ask for and so much more!!

When I was growing up, I moved around alot. I hated going to new places. I always felt like an outsider. While I now have some fond memories of places that I used to live, I had terrible time making friends. I always wished for a sister when I was younger because I thought that would give me a sure fire friend. It still makes me sad to hear people talk about their sisters. It is also a motivation that I had to have at least two girls and two boys -- so everyone could have a brother and a sister. As the years went by, I floated in and out of relationships with females. Nothing ever clicked and to this day, I have a great difficulty with female relationships. In college, my favorite friends were guys. No, I wasn't THAT girl. I didn't flirt with them or whatever. I just liked talking to them. They seemed to be more real than the girls that I knew.

One guy and I struck up a friendship over music. We would trade things back and forth to listen to. We all had the same friends because our school was small. Everyone knew everyone else. So we would hang out all the time. Often we were in the computer lab in the library late at night with about 20 other people. You would get locked in and could stay as long as you wanted. I was always down there working on Lit papers. Uggh!! One time, he asked me to go to a concert with him and I was ecstatic. Three of us, him, his girlfriend and I, drove several hours to see a great group perform in Trenton, NJ. On another occasion, we went to an album signing together and his car broke down. We were supposed to meet back at school with friends to see another concert, but they left before we returned. He borrowed a car and we drove down together to the concert. We talked the whole time -- just as friends.

Towards the end of that year the dreaded finals approached. As luck would have it, I was not feeling well. My friend came and studied with me in my room while all my friends went to late night breakfast. He would read my dark and sad poetry and not even bat an eye. He would patiently wait for me to say things -- back then it took me forever to say ANYTHING. As luck would have it, this sweet guy told me that he had more than friendly feelings towards me. I told him thanks, but no thanks. Friends was fine with me. But this guy was persistent. Over the summer, he wrote lovely letters that made me laugh and even took me to a concert. He told me all kinds of things and shared poetry with me that he had written. He sent me a birthday gift. I was scared to death.

When I returned to school, he was there again. And one day, he didn't come by. He gave up on me. It was then that I realized that he had indeed won my heart. So I knocked on Ski's dorm door and the rest is history.

I tend to be different at times and most people I know roll their eyes or think I am over the top. My friends would always call me crazy or weird. But Ski has never, ever said that -- except when he would write notes to me on the college center board. He would get angry when my friends said I was wierd. Ski saw something else. I am not sure what, but he seemed to like it.

After 22 years of being friends, I can say that I am the happiest, luckiest, and most blessed woman alive. I am married to my very best friend in the entire world. He makes me laugh and smile. I can tell him anything and he always listens to me. I would be so different without him. When I am with him, I am never afraid to be myself. I act nutty, I laugh, I cry, I talk late into the night, I dance in fields and parking lots, I walk in the rain, and I am silly. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to spend last week walking on the beach several times a day with my very best friend. We would look for shells, shark teeth, and glass, dodge waves, watch our crazy kids chasing the gulls, and just talk. It was a glorious way to spend the end of our 17th married year together. Ski loves the color orange and it is so appropriate for him because he is like a fireball of sunshine that has lightened the dark crevices of my melancholy heart.

Ski, after 18 years, my heart still skips a beat when I see you and I miss you every moment that you are apart from me. I can't wait to tell you all the mundane things in my head. I love to sit and drink coffee with you and I love to hold your hand.
I am so glad that I have you in my life and I am so glad that God looked for the perfect friend and husband just for me. You are the man of my dreams!!!

Happy 18 years!!!

Ahoy, ye scurvy bilge rats!!

Avast!! Captain Aye-Z here! If ye landlubbers ain't aware of it, today me and me crew, the ski-dogs, er, I mean SEA-dogs are celebratin!

Aye, Mateys, ye may be be too late for some fancy piratin' if ye be readin' this now. But next year, remember September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day!! Arggh!

A week from now we'll be traversin' to the shores of North Caroliny to spend some time cavortin' around in Davy Jones' locker!

So whether ye be swabbin' the deck, or hoistin' the Jolly Roger, here be some videos to celebrate a bounty-filled weekend! Savvy?

The Price of.......

On Friday, I was on one of my favorite message boards.
Inevitably, the discussion turned to the price of gas. I don't know if this happened where you live, but on Friday, people were lining up at gas stations for gas. So here I was reading many posts about gas and lines and the prices.

And once in awhile, I would go to the live feed from a Houston news station on the hurricane. I was close to tears a number of times just thinking and watching the whole thing. It did not help that I had read a book once long ago about Isaac Cline, a meteorologist who tried to warn people about the Great Storm in 1900. He knew it was going to be bad, but no one seemed to listen. So many people died in that storm -- including Cline's wife. The rebuilding of Galveston was just fascinating, though.

Do you know what I couldn't stop thinking?!?!?! While everyone is complaining about the price of gas, there are thousands of people who don't know if they will have a home (or a job) to return to. It is a small inconvenience when you think about it that way. I was relieved that Hanna bypassed us. I have heard many stories about when Hugo came through here. I didn't want to experience that. I would hate to have to leave my home not knowing if it would be there when I returned.

I still remember

I know it shouldn't surprise me but I was sadly disappointed with the coverage of 9/11 this year. I mean, were still at war here--and we may actually be winning! So would it be too much to ask for a single primetime TV program made to honor our armed forces, police, fire and other civil servants? We could have a concert, or a mini-series, a "memories" type program or a "where are we now in the war?" special.

But no, instead we get the usual weekly dose of schlock--Big Brother, Ugly Betty, America's got Talent. (Sorry if you like those shows) It makes me mad that the networks think we're more interested in watching folks run from hurricanes or politicians ripping on each other than taking one day and honoring the living and the dead who have given their lives to acts of heroism.

I mean we have special programming commemorating July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think some small thing should be done on "Patriot Day--9/11". B and I went out to Micke-D's for lunch today and she asked me why the flags at the bank were at half-staff. The media is obvioulsy NOT getting certain messages out to everyone. (Though they seem obsessed with "change" and if a conservative woman could stand up to the Russians and Chinese) It's sad and more than a little disgusting.

B and I decided to go out tonight on our weekly date. I wore a polo shirt with American flags all over it. It may sound small and silly but it's what I can do to try and honor those who have fought for and preserved the freedom we enjoy in this country.

I appreciate it and I won't forget.

Happy Birthday IZ

Well, IZ is now six. Boy I'm getting old! I remember being six--I got a red two-wheeled bike (with a white banana seat) and we moved shortly after that to "dairy country" in NJ where I would live most of my preteen years in the mid to late 70's. I hope some day to utter those awful words to my grandkids "I remember when I was six...back in my day..." while the poor kid's eyes start to glaze over.

A few months ago, we'd go to Walmart or Target and IZ, who had rounded out his Pirates of the Caribbean figure collection withChristmas gift $ in January, would tell me he now wanted a Buzz. Now I assumed he wasn't talking about Starbucks, Mt. Dew (or worse) but instead had found one of my boxes of toys in the closet and had seen/played with the talking Buzz Lightyear I have. The skibums like to push all the "try me" buttons in the toy section, and IZ especially likes the noisy playthings.

However, after searching around in several stores, I discovered the current version of a talking Buzz was, well, kinda lame. They've added some LED "laser" lights but most of the buttons on his chest (which used to say different phrases) are now just dummy buttons that do nothing. I could picture IZ pushing them in vain frustration. The clincher, however, was hearing B say, "please don't get him a Buzz Lightyear, I hate him."

So, after combing through a few more stores, I hit the Wiggles jackpot with a guitar that plays their songs, CDs, a DVD and more. IZ loved the gifts--and the cake as you can see. Sorry, Buzz.

The egg-celent decision

Well, I think we have come to a firm decision.
We could drive all the way up there and possibly fail the skin test and then have a pointless journey for nothing. We could drive up there, pass the skin test and maybe pass maybe fail the challenge. Or we could just wait a year.

So......we will be shelving egg for now. As his appointment draws closer next year, they will call us and tell us what to bring. We will bring eggy things along and if he passes the skin test, we will challenge.

You know....I sit and wonder....What will egg gain us?
I can't think of much. Besides, I don't like eggs. I don't like the smell of them cooking in my house. And if he passes, we will have to be sure that he eats them fairly regularly. Blech. Then I will have to make sure that I buy eggs, he has eggs for breakfast, I will have to bake with eggs.... I will have to hunt down my cookbook that I lent out because I will actually be able to use it. Ok...maybe I could actually make a loaf of bread for the kid. I don't know.

Well, at least I have a year to think of the possibilities. Eggs just are not that thrilling, you know? Seems like they will cause more problems than opportunities. We'll see.....

Another year goes by....

About three weeks ago now, Iz and I made the yearly trek to the allergist in Durham. Ski could not accompany us so I got to drive the entire way by myself. I had planned to leave early the day before and take Iz to a museum. But things did not work out that way. The Saturday before the appointment, we decided to visit a peach orchard and pick fruit. Silly me....I did not check the place out ahead of time. We had 1) bugs flying around 2) people doing stuff with fertilizer 3) guys boiling peanuts and 4) people walking around with ice cream cones. We tried our best to keep Iz away from the food stuff, but it was an unexpected glitch. After we were done picking and paying, we were in the van off to find some lunch. Lyd was scratching because she got stung by something. Iz was scratching all over his face. So, I dug out the benedryl and discovered that I had forgotten both the medicine spoon and the syringe that I usually carry. This was a blessing in disguise. From previous experience of having to syringe from the lid of the bottle, I knew that the lid did not hold a full dosage. So, I poured some in the lid and gave some to both of them. The only problem with this is that Iz was not supposed to have any benedryl or other antihistamines for 4-5 days before his appointment. How long have I been doing this? And I still forgot!! Well, he had less than half of a regular dose so there was hope. On Monday bright and early, I called the allergist office and left my question. I waited and waited and did not get a call back. At about 1pm I finally left hoping that we would be ok for the appointment. Of course, I got to Durham less than an hour before the museum closed so that was pretty disappointing. The drs office did call back around 5pm and we were cleared to still come.

Oh, and I went through a McD's drive through and ordered apple dippers for Iz. It's the only thing that he can eat there. Of course, we chuck the "sauce." They gave me most of my order, but told me I would have to pull up and wait. I could not figure out why. Turns out, they brought me TWO APPLE PIES?!?!?! That made for one sad kid. I promised to stop again on the way, but never did because I ended up getting lost a zillion times and I forgot.

Another fun aspect of this trip is that the temp was in the high 90s and the ac in my car decided not to work. Well, it actually worked, but the blower would not blow. It wasn't too bad if I was driving 70 mi/hr, but in the city it was terrible. We were a pair of sweat balls. Silly thing is that the air has been working fine in the car ever since we got back. Go figure!!!

Iz and I stayed with a couple that I had never met before. They were super nice and Iz liked it there alot. A few funny things about that stay. They live in a lovely neighborhood 10min or less from the hospital. Besides people and lots of dogs, there are also highly disputed chickens and a mule/donkey wandering around. Very odd. We went swimming at their club. We didn't bring suits, but she was able to find something for me to wear and Iz swam in shorts and undies. Shhhhh....don't tell!!! Because it is so hard to cook for Iz, I stopped at Whole Foods and got food for both of us. But, Iz did end up eating all of their applesauce. John now calls him the Applesauce Kid. Oh, and Iz thought it was hilarious that their little dog eats gobs and gobs of Cheerios. (Vet approved, of course....)

The next morning, we headed off to the hospital. This entailed alot of sitting, waiting, some talking, no skin tests, and a blood test for RASTs. He was glad not to have to endure the skin testing, but the pic below is his opinion of blood tests.



We had a hard time with the blood test. He remembered and had told me that he would be good. I knew that if Ski was there, we would have done well. But Ski was not with us, so he cried, screamed, kicked, and the nurse finally got him calm enough to draw some blood. I promised a visit to the museum (I should have looked at my watch first), but that didn't help either. I guess butterflies don't sound interesting when there is a nurse coming at you with a needle.

I couldn't believe the time when we got out of there. It was LATE!! We got the kid some lunch and I thought I would wait to get something for me. Silly me. Once again, by the time lunch was over, it was too late to go to the museum and have it worthwhile. So, I drove to Raleigh and checked out a homeschool store and met a lady in person that I had met online. By that time, I was starving so lunch/dinner for me and then off we headed for home. I was exhausted driving home so called Ski to find the nearest Starbucks. They overcharged me and I got a free drink coupon and some coffee and Iz had some dinner. And finally we arrived home about 10 or so.

So.....three weeks later, I called to get our test results. Sigh.... Everything is the same as last year. They might have gone up a smidgen or down a smidgen, but still in the same classes. There is a slim possibility that we could challenge egg, but the nurse thinks that the Dr. will make us wait another year. Better to wait than challenge too soon and fail. I am not hopeful since his score actually went up .17. Not much, but up is up. Besides, last time the dr told us that he would not challenge unless his RAST was a 1 and it isn't a 1. Nothing else is near challenge level. I suppose that I should be glad that we did not go up a bunch on everything like last time. But we still love that little guy no matter what. We think that he is cool beans with or without allergies. So, we are the same old same old. Don't change anything. Keep avoiding. See ya next year......




PS....I did take him to Rita's where he got a yummy treat. In fact, he had TWO yummy treats when I took him. He traded mine for his and then he twisted my arm to get another one. Lucky for me, they were all free!!!!

Toot, Toot, Chugga, Chugga......Wiggles!!

We took IZ to his first concert. His favorite band, The Wiggles, was playing their last show in the U.S. before returning to Australia for a well-deserved rest. (Boy, those guys NEVER stopped moving for an hour and a half show!). Naturally, he hated it, as you can see by the big grin on his face!

1000 songs

My iPod Nano is now approximately half full. I have 8G of memory which they say equates to 2000 songs. I now have 1002 non-Christmas songs in iTunes. When I first got it about a year and a half ago, I went through every CD I own and loaded all "iPod worthy" songs into iTunes. I've also loaded songs from other sources as well as sermons, podcasts and movie audio.

I love to keep my iPod in shuffle mode so I always have a fresh song or audio piece playing while I'm in the car, running, or just waiting for the bus. I've set the probability of hearing the same song or artist at 50%. I've also created 2 playlists that I will use on dates (since B doesn't care for a lot of my musical choices) and a "church" one for helping us focus on God as we ride to Sunday morning or youth group.

Saying all of that, I was curious to see what the most frequently played songs/audio cuts were now that I've hit the 1000 song milestone. I think it gives a good picture of my rather eclectic, (some would say weird) musical tastes. So here's my "Top 25 Most Played" tracks in order--I may blog about this again when I hit 1500.

1) To Alsan's Camp - from the Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe soundtrack. This was a surprise to me. I do love soundtracks though.

2) Startin' Monday - Terry Taylor. A folk classic about procrastination from Terry's Avacado Faultline solo CD. I'm not sure what that says about me. But I guess you can draw your own conclusions.

3) It's Rainin' - Kirk Franklin. Nike plus allows you the option of picking a "power song" to get you going if you need a musical "boost". I've never selected one but this would unofficially be it if I did. I love the bass line, the choir singing all out, and Kirk acting crazy at the end of the cut. No matter how tired I am while running, I always find myself playing "air bass" and singing along.

4) I'm Ready - Randy Travis. I love his voice. Makes me jealous. This is a gospel tune about "going the distance" which is pretty neat to listen to while running. There's a word or two I would change to be theologically correct, but otherwise, it's a great song.

5) House of Faith - Geoff Moore. This one surprised me. The song has been around for quite a while so I guess it has staying power.

6) C'mon Rock - Stryper. Glad to see an 80's metal hair band make the list. I like other CDs better, but have had "The Yellow and Black attack" for a long time.

7) Tree House - Adam Again. A classic anti-Aparthied song from a classic CD "Ten songs by Adam Again". I had to order a copy of a CD re-issue to get my hands on that track.

8) Audio from Napoleon Dynamite, "This is pretty much the worst video ever made". Makes me smile every time.

9) What it comes to - O.C. Supertones. The 'tones were my favorite band--until they folded a few years ago (snif). I still love ska.

10) Yo Ho, A Pirates Life for me - Yup, from the ride at Disney (not the movie).

11) King of Grace - Sovereign Grace. Surprisingly, the only "worship song" in the list.

12) Take a chance on me - ABBA. I think the shuffle play picks this one a lot because the group begins with "A" - though I can't fully figure out the pattern.

13) Penny Lane - The Beatles. I have a lot of Beatles.

14) Grim Jamming Ghosts - A remake of the song from Disney's Haunted Mansion. This type of music makes B question my sanity.

15) More audio from Napoleon Dynamite, "Whaddya gonna do today Napoleon?" "What ever I FEEL like doing!! GOSH!"

16) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles. Boy, do I have a lot of Beatles.

17) Praise the Lord - Five Iron Frenzy. A crazy song from a crazy group.

18) Hoist the Colours - Hanz Zimmer. More Pirates. This time from the third movie's soundtrack.

19) Three Legged Dog - Lost Dogs. The Lost Dogs are my current favorite group.

20) Sadie Hawkins Dance - Relient K. Relient K is in my top five groups--but that's probably another blog.

21) Superfly - O.C. Supertones. Horns, guitars, ska-rockin' AWESOME!

22) Real Love - The Beatles. One of the last two songs made (post humously) by all four Beatles. I really, REALLY have a lot of Beatles.

23) Let's Go - The Cars. 70's rock. What can I say?

24) What's This? - Danny Elfman. The best song from Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas.

25) Don't Bring Me Down - Electric Light Orchestra. There's a good chance any song that was on the pop charts from 1977 - 1979 will eventually make it onto my iPod. There are exceptions of course.

So there you have it. The top 25 Most Played songs on my iPod (as of today). Makes you feel sorry for B as she shakes her head in disbelief doesn't it? Don't worry, I'm used to it!

More signs of aging

Ok....I suppose I need to confess.

I loved the punk/post-punk era and the first "alternative" genres of music. I'd tell you my favorite band of that era, but I wouldn't want to shock you too much. :) Let's just say that I liked unusual music -- still do. Most of these groups were British and I liked most of it from the wild and crazy to the sublime. Most of them few people I have met have ever heard of. I still have some of this music hanging around. And I still like it!! While not really punk, post-punk or necessarily alternative, I really liked Elvis Costello years before most people knew who he was. If you still don't know, you are missing out, IMHO. And I bet you have heard his songs. He has been in alot of movies lately and even on a tv commercial. And his song "Green Shirt" was on Muzak way back in the 80's. It really is a shame. I think EC rocks!! He can sing almost anything and sound good. He has such a rich a deep tone. I have been glad to see a kind of resurgence of him lately.

Well, the point of all of this rambling is that one of my punk/post-punk/alternative groups was playing over the Muzak in McDonald's!!! I am truly appalled! Imagine munching a Big Mac or a McChicken to "In Between Days" by The Cure. There is something just not right about it. Is Robert Smith now wearing a leisure suit and loafers? Is he now sporting a Fade? I always LOVED his hair along with that unique voice. There is just something unsettling to know that this band who used to be cutting edge is now served up with fries and happy meals. I can't imagine a whole generation growing up thinking that The Cure is old fogey music.

So, my friends...I am beyond old. I have entered the age of my parents. My favorite music is now playing over the sound system in McDonald's and soon it will be playing in elevators at the mall. What ever am I going to do!?!?!