Bunnies, Braces, and Boy Scouts

I can't write about me till I tell you about Meri and Ryan.  This sweet family is battling Ryan's newly diagnosed cancer (6 brain tumors and additional ones in his lungs and abdomen).  I will not do them justice, but they are an amazing family-with four sweet boys (three of them with type 1 diabetes!), and they need our prayers desperately.  Ryan has already started radiation, and they are beginning to fill with h.o.p.e.-thanks to everyone's prayers!  Please keep them in mind, and you are welcome to send them thoughts, prayers, and even donate if you feel called!  Here is their facebook page and their Give Forward page where you can send them hugs or donate!  Just say hi and encourage them..it's been hard to accept the love..they are such givers.  I'm so thankful to have gotten to know Meri-she's such a blessing! : )

And we have still been going..like Energizer bunnies.  I guess in more ways than one. ; )  I'm still making it-not so far to go now, thank goodness.  34 weeks on Tuesday!  Tons of contractions, little back pain today, but hanging in there.  I need him to get a little bigger so he can come right home. : )

Mary Claire had a JDRF Awards Ceremony for the walk we had in the fall, and Clay has finally moved up to BOY scouts, and earned his Arrow of Light (a BiG deal!):

A super fun awards ceremony: awards, go carts, games, and prizes!

Isn't he good to pose for Mama?  This was graduating to Boy Scouts (from cub scouts).

He was one of three boys who was a "Webelos Super Achievers": earning all 20 activity pins! (Totally thanks to his daddy!!)

Here's the special patch (that doesn't go on his uniform!)

Then he got ready to cross over: they removed the navy tabs on his shoulders, his handkerchief, and the little clip.  Then..

His new pack was on the other side to give him new tabs and a new handkerchief!  Look how big they are.  Oh gosh.

He's so excited! ('Cause they camp out at least once a month and a week in the summer!)  Can you see his sweet smiling face in the center?

And after we'd been up front presenting our sweetie with his arrow of light badge and his arrow!

Ok, seriously-Daddy was SO responsible for keeping Clay on track for his Arrow of Light and for all his pins-way to go, both of you! ; )

..and I just get to smile with my boys. ; )  (Ethan had already jammied up for bed!)

Ethan is doing well-we found out after a preschool eye exam that he has astigmatism, and after a real eye exam..he really does have a football-shaped eye (just one, so..), he is getting glasses.  My little boy.  He gets them this week, I think he'll be adorable.  He is so excited!  Now we know why he seems so :clumsy: bumping into the door frames, walls, countertop, even the water fountains at school!  Walls appear to bend when you have astigmatism, and you don't perceive surfaces/dimensions well.  Our friend, Dina, seems to think he'll grow out of it possibly.  We'll go back this August to check again before school starts.  If he doesn't get glasses the other eye will do all the work, and the right one will get weaker.  Can't have that.

And we are going for his kindergarten well-visit tomorrow..he goes this fall, believe it or not (I don't.).  He will surely get vaccines updated, which I've conveniently forgotten to mention to him.  I think I'll spring it on him with a treat/bribe.  And me?..I'm getting my braces off tomorrow-finally!  (well, I hope.)  I was supposed to get them off last Monday, but the lab was really busy-so tomorrow is the plan.  I've been begging/demanding to have them off before I deliver..and hopefully everything will happen in order. ; ) As long as these contractions hold off. ; )


Busy week coming with lots of appointments, Bible study, Bunco, hair, doctors, and Endocrinologist on Friday!! Hoping for a good a1c, we'll see what we get. ; )  Love to be busy right now, it makes the days go so fast..and the next week is Spring Break!  Ches is so excited.  He's taking FMLA (sick hours) after that for the remainder of the spring semester.  I need him, but he's getting to teach from home-a much needed rest/break after years teaching.  We are so ready. ; )
 

From Annie to Ashes

We've had quite a couple weeks-and I keep meaning to update, but I get so tired if I sit down. ; )  Saturday we met our friends and drove to Springfield, Missouri, to see Annie the musical!  It was sold out, a wonderful show, and we had front row seats!  I was surprised at how MANY cast members there were.  There were 19 orphans, and in Daddy Warbucks house, there were about 30-40 staff members serving and dancing.  It was impressive, incredibly well-choreographed, and the sets were amazing!  I have to say I was definitely impressed. : )

When we got there the man told us we were in the Splash Zone.  Instantly I'm thinking of the floor-mopping scene. : /  And another man came up and told him they ran out of umbrellas for the first two rows.  At this point, I was getting worried.  As we sat, we inspected the stage, and the full orchestra under the stage (with a big netted opening in the stage).  The stage didn't look that clean or wet from the night before, so I didn't know whether to believe them or not!  Turns out, no real water.  Ha-joke was on me. ; )  (thankfully!!)

Then we headed down the street, and had a little treat at The Cup (a must-visit in Springfield!) for a custom cupcake.  Three of us got the Peanut Butter Cup, and Angie got the Raspberry Beret.  They were beautiful and delish!  They were pretty big, so we had to use forks.  (and we were being lady-like!) heehee

I seriously wish I'd gotten pictures before we started eating!  They were so beautiful.  Alas, we were hungry!

Hooray for Girls' Day Out! ; )

We also got to visit Build-a-Bear to get Mary Claire a free shirt for her little bear, and Andalynn made a Marine bear for her daddy's birthday.  We had lots of help, and the girls had fun!  Even said the Pledge of Allegiance before they put his little red heart inside. ; )

We picked up our Girl Scout cookie order yesterday afternoon, so we've begun delivery!  The kids couldn't wait to get them home-we ate an entire box (yes, just the four of us!) as soon as we got home. ; )  It was the new lemon cookies, Savannah Smiles.  Yum.  Glad we bought lots of boxes!  Oh, and it was Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday, so we had to indulge.  (Confession: I had to indulge at Krispy Kreme last night as I drove our carpool group to Bunco-they were hot, and we needed a dozen!)  Thank goodness that sweet red light was on!! : )

And..today is Ash Wednesday.  Ches is still out of town, so I got up super-early and got all the kids ready to make Mass in Rogers by 8am!  It was totally a miracle we weren't late (especially with crazy morning traffic!).  It's not a Holy Day, but I asked the kids if they wanted to go, and they said yes.  They were pretty good-I was thankful since there was only one of me.

I've learned how absolutely hard it is to single-parent.  Yesterday Clay called, and he'd forgotten to take his medicine (since I forgot to give it to him!), and I was on my way to pick up Ethan at Mother's Day Out, so I couldn't rush over to the school.  It was stressful.  We made it, but whew-Long Day.

I'm also on my last two weeks of braces. Hooray!  ; )  On Monday, they made some changes, cut a wire, wired some teeth together, and added jaw-locking rubber bands (seriously-they go up and down on all brackets in the back all the way to the front, and then reach across my front teeth in a big X).  They are NOT fun.  I look like a crazy person and can't even lick my lips!  Oh, and talking is next to impossible.  (and Pain?  Won't even go there.  Let's just say I cried like a baby on Monday.)  I gave up yesterday morning, and took them out.  But last night, they were back in.  They are meant to give me a solid bite, since my back teeth barely touch.  I go back next Monday to check on things, and s-h-o-u-l-d get them out the next Monday.  I can't wait!  Never thought I'd have braces off and a baby within the same few weeks! ; )


Pray for the safety and health of all pregnant women, and for blessings as they choose Life! It's a long, hard wait for the joy at the end.  We are totally earning our Perseverence badge.  That's another one to sew on-I'm earning more lately. ; )
 

Oxidized

Do you realize that the really healthy stuff we breathe, yeah oxygen, is both good and bad?  It gives us life, gives our blood something to circulate, but it also causes rust.  And causes aging.  Ick.  So not only do we eat and drink up our antioxidants, now you can anti-oxidize your jewelry! : )

Years ago my friend and I went in together on a jewelry cleaner at a craft fair.  She took it home, and said she'd put half of it in a container and give it to me.  I never got it, and I didn't really stress about it...because I have found this great cleaner (from Wal-Mart)!

It literally requires no polishing or rubbing-you just dip, rinse, and dry.  Seriously-don't leave it in there longer than ten seconds or so! : )  I think it's just a chemical reaction to get the oxidation off, but it leaves crystals in the liquid.  I've had mine a few years, and I'm pretty sure it'll last forever.

Here are the before pictures:

Icky gray (can't even call it silver!)..

dull..

can't wear it!

And the afters!

Can you see the shine?  This was purchased as a khaki washcloth, but after washing my face (with closed eyes) with my deep-cleaning peroxide face wash, it bleached.  So check out the jewelry, not the washcloth!)  I don't think the cleaner will hurt your washcloth, but I use an old one...just in case!

Ahhh..fresh and shiny!  I only use it on the dark stuff-I leave my jewelry hanging, so that's why it gets all gray.  But, I like to see my options right in front of me, not hidden away.

Yesterday I got one of my brackets removed and re-placed.  When they took it off, they sandblasted it to get the adhesive off, and in the process?  It turned gray.  All my other brackets are shiny silver, and then this ugly gray one.  It just keeps getting worse (except I didn't even tell you that the only teeth that touch when I "bite down" (in quotes, since I can't really), are two in the right front.  Talk about weird.  So, my chewing is downgraded even more.  I can chew the middle of bread, and still oatmeal and yogurt.  Good old squish.

Ok, I digress..anyway, guess what comes to mind?  The cleaner!  I dipped a q-tip, and dabbed it on my bracket.  Yep, I'm wild and crazy like that.  (I should mention the cleaner contents are known by the state of California to cause cancer, so be careful-that's why I do the quick water dip!) (I'm guessing they don't cause cancer in Arkansas? Just kidding.) so shortly after my dabbing, I rinsed, swished, and prayed.  It didn't work, if you were wondering.  Still gray.


Are you oxidized?  You just need some antioxidants and some good prayers.  They clean you right up-as well as my fresh, new silver!

Brush Your Teeth

So I learned something new today.  A mirror is my new best friend.  Ugly piece of green spinach-stuff in my braces (it's only getting worse).  That's what I saw in the mirror when I came out after Mary Claire's dance class.  After seeing a friend, and talking all through dance with another person..ugh.  Could someone have helped a girl out?  Just tell me! (please!?)


Do you need another laugh?  'Cause I can just keep going.  As soon as we got home, I couldn't wait to brush my teeth (see above).  I changed into jammies, pulled my hair back in some clips, and put toothpaste on my brush.  I set it down to put my headband on (and stopped for a minute to wash Mary Claire's hair), went back...and my toothbrush was naked.  No paste.  Where on earth did it go?  I looked all over the counter, sink, floor, even in the drawer...where could it have gone?  I got more (thought I was crazy), and brushed.  Mary Claire looked at me and said, "What's in your hair?"  I told her clips, then looked in the mirror.  A big hunk of (what about Mary) blue up there!  Good grief-how did that happen?
Yes, toothpaste in my hair, I tried to pull it all out, but now I have stiff hair.  What a charming day.  I just keep feeling more and more beautiful.




ps-We have finished the preliminary application for adoption with Bethany.  I had to email them since every time I log on to my "portal" lately, it says, :no documents found:.
But we found them, got them completed, and they have been received.  Now we get to see if we get to go to the informational meeting.

The Braces Diet

I think I've discovered a new bullet-proof weight-loss technique.  It's called Braces.  Not only are your teeth too sore to eat anything but oatmeal and yogurt (and you have to eat super slow to relearn eating carefully), you also lose your self-confidence and you want everything else to be going for you.

I'm not sure I can stay committed.  I do realize they are already on (p.s. I got braces yesterday), but I'm wavering.  I thought I wanted to straighten my "premenopausal teeth" (teeth that start to move towards the front of your mouth as you approach menopause).  No, I'm not proud to talk about it, but I have noticed my previous braces (near-)perfect mouth getting more and more crooked.

I bought another complete braces package this past fall at our church's annual dinner and silent auction, and it included any kind of braces, but I thought I was being honest with myself when I turned down the Invisalign.  But now.. I'm really regretting not choosing something I could take out.  I mean, you could keep eating, and brush with no obstruction!  You could brush without catching your bristles.  I had totally forgotten what braces were like, and I have a new appreciation (also for Mary Claire who still has them).

yes, so no jokes.  I do feel like I'm in pain.

I also think one of my front brackets is on crooked.  They use this new technique (Mary Claire didn't even use it when she got braces last June!).  They mount the brackets on the models of your teeth, then dip them in rubber trays.  Then the trays are pulled off, and they contain your brackets.  After your super dry teeth are cleaned and prepared, they put on the trays with your brackets, activate the glue with the blue light, pull off the rubber trays, and voila!  Braces.  Except my tray was crooked, and I think the bracket is crooked.  Boohoo.


I also had this problem where my upper canine teeth were bumping into my bottom brackets, so they built up my middle molars with this blue stuff.  Now my back molars don't touch, so I can't chew very well.  I'm kinda gumming stuff.  I had some banana bread from Arsaga's at the library, and I'll just wait till dinner.  It hardly seems worth the effort.

(See that top left front tooth bracket?  Doesn't it look like it's on crooked?)  I know it's creepy-just scroll down, and say a prayer for me. ; )

Ok, I'm going to quit whining, and see if I can add more pictures for you! : )  I think it's been over 24 hours since I bought more memory... Hooray, it worked! : )

My sweet webelo (notice the hair cut??)

There was a contest for the best table decor-didn't our troop do a great job? (I was no help!)  They had the path the boys have taken, and they are all "driving" their pinewood derby cars!

Here's Clay and his yellow Corvette!

The boys loved reading all the road signs and seeing each other.

A group picture with Grant DuCote, their fearless leader : )  Notice Clay is still in navy?  I didn't know they could bump up to the khaki till Saturday!  Ches said he thought it made my life easier to not buy a new shirt and put on all new patches, umm..I like khaki better! : )

Ethan didn't want to let go of his big brother.  He wants to be a boy scout too.

Ok, now for the scruptious-worth-five-extra-pounds-if-you-eat-them cookies:  Doubletree's (as in the hotel) Cookies.  These are what you get warm when you check-in and each evening thereafter.  (Yes, I'm an expert at cookies) (and hot donuts).  I'll give you the recipe in a moment..let me give you some advice.  Mine started spreading like crazy on a pan (you use 1/4 cup scoopfuls-and only about 7 or 8 fit on a cookie sheet) and looked like eggs! (big lumps in the middle, thin all the way around)  So, I pulled them out, sprayed two muffin tins with Pam, and then baked.  Much Better.  You could also refrigerate the dough till chilled, then try to bake on a cookie sheet.  I remember them as looking like they had been cut with a biscuit cutter (with sides), so I preferred the muffin tins.  I'd also use half as much batter per cookie and cut the baking time-these are huge! : )

Is your mouth watering? (I mean, if you don't have braces?)

Doubletree Hotel's Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half wheat, half white)

1 cup old-fashioned (rolled) oats, uncooked

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup butter (I used half butter, half margarine)

3/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups walnuts (you can chop them if you like smaller chunks, but they are super-yummy to bite into if you don't!)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F .
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, cream butter in large bowl. Add both sugars and beat on medium for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour mixture, mixing well. Add chocolate chips and nuts and stir until just combined.
4. (Here is where I'd refrigerate the dough :covered: overnight or use a muffin tin.) 
5. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls on non-stick baking pans, 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Cool; transfer to wire racks and cool completely. Store in tightly sealed container. 
6. Let me know how absolutely indulgent they are! : ) (and they kinda tasted like Chili's Paradise Pie cookie/brownie if you added some coconut!)

I've covered my brackets in wax, I'm trying not to eat often (cause then I have to brush again, and rewax), but I'm trying to focus on the positive-the possible calories I'm missing out on.  Do you need some of the baked cookies?  :o)