by Sarah | Sep 15, 2009 | All About Family, All About Home, Holidays
Did you know that there are only 100 days left until Christmas?
Two days ago I got hit with the bug. Yup, already. I’ve told Archie to make me list of his co-workers and friends that he wants included on the list. Because I’m making plans.
Last year I made well over 1000 cookies, that we pigged out on, I sent in a plate w/ hubs to work, I went to a cookie exchange and took a plate of ALL my cookies-not just my exchange cookies. I took them to my parents – and we ate them ALL.
This year I’m all about the homemade gifts. I can’t go into too much detail because people read this blog that will get some of those gifts 😉 But I’m making my list, and I’m checking it a dozen times.
I have recipes lining up to make even MORE cookies than previous years, and candies. I’ll make gift bags of the goodies for friends and family…and for family I’ll also have some non-edible gifts.
The girls are getting homemade clothes, and I also have purchased clothes for both them and Brandon. So far I’ve only spent about $40 total and have all of their clothes shopping done (this far in advance! NEVER happens!).
I have gifts planned for all the youth (older, younger, and unborn)…and simple gifts for the extended family. If all goes well no one will be without a gift – even if it’s a goodie bag of dessert 😀 I’ve also started giving hubby ideas of what I want *G* Now if he’d do the same (although he’s sort of predictable…I think I can guess)
I hope you’re making your plans…it seems so far – but it passes by so fast! I hope to finish early…there are other holidays to plan for 😉
******
Any blogging buddies that want a care package of my goodies better email me now so I can add you to my list!!
by Sarah | Sep 11, 2009 | All About Family, All About Me
I know what today is. I know what it means to our country. I remember every detail of 2001 in vivid detail…but since before 2001, this date has been difficult for me, for my family…in 1996 my family’s core was lost, the heart of us…my grandfather…so my post on 9/11 is for him. Perhaps tomorrow I will put up my other 9/11 reminder. Oh, and at surface glance I hate this picture of me, but then I see the pure joy on my face dancing with my grandfather and aesthetics be damned, it’s my favorite picture.
It was his birthday. I was young and such a very short kid…and he was TALL. I remember watching him put our coats in the closet and staring up, up, up at him and asking, “How tall are you?” With his sparkling eyes and laugh he informed me that he was over 6′. My eyes grew wide, and all I could say was, “But you’re so close to the ceiling! If you have ANY more birthdays you’ll go right through!”
His chair sat by the front door and the minute he sat the race was on – who would get the privilige of sitting on his lap, carrying on as deep a conversation as a child was capable of. Who would get to play with his round pot belly, and listen to his laughter.
He worked for GM and he was proud of it, and so were we.
When I close my eyes I can still smell his pipe and see the pipe carousel on his dresser. I can smell the cigarettes that he and grandma smoked.
I remember that after he retired he would watch soap operas during lunch.
And I remember the weddings – when my cousin and I would trade off and share him for the dance. “Grampa” by the Judds.
I remember his smile.
I remember his belly.
I remember the strength that he always carried in his soul and body.
I remember the pain that shot through my heart at the word…”cancer”. Once it was uttered it was less than a year. 10 months.
I remember the first time I saw him in the hospital-and how I had to run from the room because it made me physically ill to see my big strong grandfather lying in a bed weak and hooked up to tubes.
I remember his fight.
I remember when it was acknowledged in our hearts that the time to fight was over.
I remember how he held on – hours past when we thought we would lose him – because he would not let go until he’d gotten to hear the good-bye of all of his grandchildren, and my brother had been in surgery for his shattered wrist. Half an hour after the final phone call, he was gone.
I remember the sound of the tennis balls scattering across the hallway when my professor’s assistant walked up asking if she knew where I was…and all I could do was run to my car to get home as soon as I could.
From there it’s a blur…a long car ride from NC to NY. The arrangements. The funeral home. The droves of people I didn’t know, but who all knew him, overflowing the room.
The pain has lessened, resorted to a memory. For the most part I remember the love, the good things, the joy. But on this day every year the pain comes back to the forefront.
We love you still, and will always love you, Grampa.
by Sarah | Sep 10, 2009 | Random
Brandon started school a couple of weeks ago and since then I just have been in the midst of a whirlwind. It’s not that I haven’t had time to blog…I’ve just had so much to talk about, I couldn’t seem to focus on one thing! So, for today you get some bullet points of things that have happened over the past few weeks and hopefully in the next few days I’ll get back into my posting schedule again.
* Just a few days into school, Brandon came home with a note. It was an invitation into his schools “Odyssey of the Mind” program. It’s a Talented and Gifted program that focuses on Literature, Art and History. Only 15 students are in this program. After 3 years of advanced math and science programs – this kid is just rocking school! I’m so proud of him!!
* My aunt came in to visit from Buffalo. She’s the “Cool” aunt we had when we were growing up…6 years younger than my mom and always was about keeping the kids happy – no matter what the parents say. Nothing’s changed. Not that I ever fight her when she wants to do things w/ Brandon…but sh emakes it seem like I’d object *lol* It was so wonderful seeing her again!!
* When she was here we all went down to Nashville, IN. I love that place and really need to make an effort to get there more often. Next time w/o the kids and a photog friend would be perfect…so many things I missed out on capturing.
* Speaking of which – I have 400+ (maybe 500+ now) photos sitting on my camera and hard drive waiting to be edited and shown off!! I swear Ive been so blog-lazy the past couple of weeks. Hopefully I’ll dole those out nice and slow for you…instead of bombrding you with tons of pics!!!
* I have absolutely NOTHING planned for Halloween – not even costumes…but I might let the kid have a halloween sleepover. I’ve got some nasty Halloween recipes that are perfect for the gross out fans that are 10-11 year old boys.
* Archie actually broached the subject of homeschooling with me – something we haven’t dared discuss in months (hot-button issue in this house 😉 ). The results of our latest discussion is that homeschooling may be the best thing for Riley – but only Riley. He thinks Angel would thrive better in a social situation – and I tend to agree. We’ll see how this progresses.
* While I have nothing planned for Halloween, I’ve already started with Christmas plans/decorations/presents. Tomorrow I resume sewing on the girls clothes that I started a little over a month back. I have purchased some stuff for Christmas presents for the in-laws/parents/Archie…but that’s all I can tell you because they all read this 😉
* Hopefully we sell the mustang in the next couple of weeks. It goes in the Auto/RV this coming weekend, and we know the neihbor is interested in it. If we sell it, we will be discussing just how the money will be divided…including Christmas and something Archie wants into there along with getting our truck repaired. It won’t go far-but I’m sure it will go far enough…
* Living in the middle of nowhere does not lend well toward great craft supply shopping. I got exceptionally frustrated tonight – might have been less so if I’d gone out earlier and really been able to spend time in JoAnn. Oh, and WalMart recently remodeled our store…it now SUCKS. Not only is everything moved around and no longer cohesive (seriously, no rhyme or reason to how they did this)…but their stock is SERIOUSLY down – they have NOTHING. Stupid WalMart.
* I’m so excited that the fall is here. I really get my baking mojo on in the fall…and it’s already started. I cannot wait to get to the orchard and get some baking pumpkins for this year. I have lots of pumpkin to freeze for use later. Cookies, breads, cakes…yummmmm…
* I know I’m missing a lot, but I can’t remember now. hopefully you’ll get a new post from my husband tomorrow…he has this week off for vacation so he has no excuse to NOT write one (*nudges Archie* HINT)
by Sarah | Aug 28, 2009 | All About Erik, All About Molly, Autism, Fatherhood Fridays
The things we take for granted in our lives is amazing. We forget to stop and see the small miracles that occur every day, we just look for the big ones. I’m guilty of that when it comes to Riley. I thought she would grow and advance just like every other child. I didn’t want for her to have the problems I had to go through.
We went to the geneticist for over a year before we got a diagnosis. He wanted to observe her and watch how she grew before he said anything definitive.
After so many visits he was finally ready to tell us. The diagnosis was autism, specifically pervasive developmental disorder (PDD-NOS). My wife and I were stunned. It didn’t change how much we loved her, looked at her, or treated her – but I felt responsible. I was the one with all the problems growing up, and the lingering ones as an adult. My wife had a typical childhood, no major problems to speak of. Her first child was neurotypical. No, if Riley was ill, it was because of me and my blasted genetics.
Riley was still not talking, or smiling much. But she was playing “outside” of herself. Any situation where a lot of people were involved made her extremely uncomfortable, often resulting in a “meltdown” as we called them. She did not like for anyone to initiate touching or hold her unless it was herself. We saw a little girl locked inside herself, and we had to find the keys.
As Molly grew, we were enrolled in an assistance program that helped us find and meet her special needs. She met with various therapists each week to help her reach goals that were set forth to bring her development up to speed. She also was able to attend a special needs pre-pre-school , which she started out very withdrawn, but ended up comfortable and playing/learning/chatting with the other kids and teachers. My Riley was coming around, and I couldn’t have been prouder.
Riley began to talk, she had been saying some words, but now she was really talking. It was very difficult to understand her sometimes, at least for me. My wife spent all day with her and it was easier for her to pick up Riley’s speech. But she was improving. Her weight was always on the low side, but her height was average to tall. Her was growing, and it was long platinum blonde with curls at the end. Her hair was very fine, but it was healthy. Her appetite was increasing, but there were certain things she would not touch, probably due to texture or feel. She would give quick hugs, and sometimes we could kiss her. She was improving all the time, making big and small leaps in progress.
Today Riley is a little personality. She is still withdrawn and still has her “quirks” – but daily she reminds us of how far she’s come – and how much farther she is destined to go. I still struggle with what I’ve done right, or wrong – and with my own self-blame…but nothing cheers me like a hug and a kiss from my own mini-me. My Alligator. My Riley.
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I apologize for the delay in the latest installment from Archie!! I kept forgetting to edit it. This was the final installment in the ‘Real Men Don’t Cry’ Portion. I’m hoping to keep nudging the hubs to make posts on a variety of subjects – because I know he has a lot more to say! So Fatherhood Fridays are far from over!!
by Sarah | Aug 21, 2009 | All About Me
Time marches on, life moves forward and things change.
My first REAL job was here, at this Hardees. Yes, this exact one. I worked there with several of my friends off and on throughout high school.
Tonight I drove past and all that is left is rubble. They’re rebuilding, putting in another Hardee’s – but it will never be MY Hardee’s.
The Hardee’s where Jeffy almost broke my nose one night when I was NOT actually employed there but helping them close up.
The Hardee’s where we spent hours chatting in the parking lot while I gave, and got, back rubs…and braided the boys’ (yes, boys’) hair.
The Hardee’s that I worked at and got so much grease embedded into my hair JUST by working there, that it took 3 months after I left for good for my hair to ACTUALLY become clean.
The booth that was OUR booth. We ate there, talked there, I even had my interview there.
The booth that I sat in and laughed my BUTT off because for the first time in my life I’d seen someone literally GRAY in the face!! Kel-Kel…I swear I will NEVER forget that New Years party…and I wasn’t even there.
Our manager, Dave…who I still see and looks like a crazy mountain man now…but was a cool manager.
The tons and tons of free chicken I took home because it was leftover. That my family pigged out on at every sinle party we had…and it was GOOD.
The endless amounts of 1/4-cheese ketchup&mustard only w/ fries that I ate…I still dream about the damn fries.
And last but not least…that monster under the CIRO-D. It haunted us for years…and even after the remodel that monster was there…hiding in the fat vats. We all knew it…but the destruction of the building has taken that all away…
Hardee’s – I hated you, but I loved you. We had some hilarious times there…especially when the closing team was a group of band geeks. I’ll miss you as I knew you…filthy and disgusting as you were.
******
And no, I can’t believe that I just waxed nostalgic over Hardee’s…but it really made me sad. The building NEEDED to be demolished…but I’ll still always remember it fondly as my first place of employment…where I worked with a lot of my friends and I continued to hangout and ‘work’ at after I STOPPED collectin paychecks.
by Sarah | Aug 20, 2009 | All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, Crap, Cystic Fibrosis
I spent the better part of the weekend (from Thursday to Sunday) sleeping. I was sick, sick, sick…and have just now started feeling better. The worst part of being sick was having two sickies with me (*thing 1 and thing 2*) that were just as miserable as I was.
Riley recovered fast, but it clung to my Angel like glue. The cough lingered and she was put on antibiotics (drugs…woohoo). She recovered a bit, but continued to cough. And cough. And cough – waking up at nights. It wasn’t continuous – just lingering. So, as luck would have it we had our regularly scheduled visit to the CF clinic yesterday. Her lung functions have gone down, so the pulm has extended and increased her antibiotics….and added steroids.
So after all of this, I’m finally back. Still keeping an eye on my baby – but I’m here! Sorry I was so MIA. Whateer this summer cold was made of, it kicked my ass!
And the Rock and Roll?
Well, it’s RIGHT HERE!!
Did you know that there are only 100 days left until Christmas?
