A Budgeting Tip

It is really not a good idea to go to the grocery store without a list when you are feeling just a teeny bit sorry for yourself and a lot bit tired and yucky.

Well, unless you like wasting money on cookies and ice cream and even frozen waffles for the kids when it costs about 50 cents to just make and freeze your own.

The really good news is we have lots of empty calories anyone can eat for breakfast now. Scrumptious. And now Snow White thinks I'm nice, so that's super good news. That really hardly ever happens. Saaa-weeet.

On the Auction Block

This Saturday, we're having a gathering of the ladies in our church for an "auction" of service and home made goods. No money will be exchanged, but there will probably be food and fun and a bit of inspired learning, too. I'm looking forward to it, but am still trying to come up with an item to auction. I was telling my girls about the activity, and asked them what they thought I should take. "What is something that I'm good at making that I could auction off?" I asked.

Sleeping Beauty jumped in with her suggestion right away. "How about Cinderella? You made her and did a pretty good job. Let's auction her off."

That's some pretty quick thinking there. And, she does have a point. Although, I was really hoping I could make me some money or something.

Obedience by the Letter

A couple of days ago, Cinderella had a hard time remembering to obey. So, she got homework. A three hundred word essay about obedience. And, this is what she wrote:

My Obedience Essay: (three hundred words)

Genesis 6: 19 - Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

Genesis 22: 19 - And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Genesis 26: 5 - Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Ex. 19: 5 - Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

Ex. 24: 7 - And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.

Lev. 18: 26 – Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

Lev. 26: 3 - If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;

Lev. 26: 21 - And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.

Deut. 5: 27 - Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.

Deut 6: 3 - Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

I learned that obedience is important from reading and copying these scriptures.

" I will go and do the things that the Lord hath commanded." 1 Nephi 3:7

Three hundred and twenty-four words. Not exactly what I was asking for, but you can hardly argue with God's Word. (Next time I must emphasize the personal aspect of an essay.)

Business Attire

King started back to his teaching this week. I think it will be sad to not have him around home as much, but now that he's started, it really does feel like a new school year. The routine is good for all of us.

King starts the year, though, as a newly promoted Associate Professor. Which in all practicality means nothing different except he does get a slightly bigger paycheck (and by slightly, I mean it may just cover inflation, but we're grateful because at least he did get something when we were told no one would get raises at all this year) and he gets invited to a dinner with all of the other promoted or tenured faculty. He gets to invite one guest to his promotion dinner, and I'm honored he chose me. Of course he had to choose me, the other people in our family are too young for the alcohol they serve, so it's illegal for them to go.

The problem with this grand invitation is the tiny script at the bottom of the invite. The part where it says, in a manner that suggests they hate to bring it up, (business attire). Does anyone really know what that means? Is that why they write it so tiny? So if everyone shows up in something too casual, we can all feign ignorance? 'What? I didn't see anything about the dress. What's wrong with my jeans?' Or do they make it so small because no one really knows what it means, and they hate to make something so ambiguous a bold part of the invitation?

Have you ever met any college professors? I've met a lot of them, and each of them have their own "business attire". For some, it's ties and dresses (this is where King falls in line--the ties part, not the dresses part, thank goodness) while for others it's shorts and tevas. For some, it's turtleneck sweaters and for others it's jeans and polos. Still others go for the lab uniform of white coats and pocket protectors. It's clear that no one really has the same idea.

And, where do you even start on the business attire of a stay-at-home mom? Well, what does a PTO mom wear anyway--jeans and capris? Skirts and smart sweatshirts with elementary school logos? Or, if they really want to get down to business, sweats and a paint shirt and shoes comfortable enough to make it through an entire field day of supervising gunny sack races.

In the end, I'll probably go with a skirt and shirt. Always my fall-back outfit, usually in black and white, just so I don't stand out. It's my staple attire for all kinds of business. Because, surely, there can be nothing nicer and more acceptable than looking like a nun, no matter where you are. (at least, that's what I'm hoping)
photo via

Better

On this, the third day of my infusions of medications, I am handling it much better. My friend took me to the hospital today since King had to work (thanks Wendy!) and I managed to actually have a coherent conversation with her all the way home. (At least I think it was coherent, I suppose I could have been out of it enough that it wasn't when I thought it was.) I feel lousy, but more like a VW Bug ran over me, rather than a freight truck, so that's good. I'm handling it better. I even didn't have a headache when I woke up this morning. Maybe it will work.

So, I forgot to mention something else about my appointment with the headache doctor this week. Besides the IV and the working to get the Botox approved by the insurance, should I need it, he thinks that I should change medications. Because, the one I am on now is not working. It's helping a lot, and is probably the only reason I was able to enjoy my summer vacation, I think, but he thinks if it were working, then I would only have an occasional headache, and not one every day. So, he's switching me to a different kind. Not an anti-depressant or anxiety med, not a beta blocker, and not a seizure med. It's a memory enhancing medication.

Which is why it is hilarious that I forgot to mention it in my last email. Hahahaha....I crack myself up every time I think about it.

Clearly I need to get out more.

Or stop drugging myself.

Or something.

Anyway, the drug is called Namenda, and has been shown to help migraine sufferers as well as Alzheimer patients. We'll see if it helps. I start on it next week. It will be a bonus if it helps me remember to buy milk when I stop at the store to get chocolate chips.

Ugh

So, the headache doctor ordered one more round of IV medications for the next five days. I feel sort of like a truck ran over me. I think my head still hurts, but I'm too sick to care. If I still have a headache after five days of this, I'm going scream. And then get Botox injections. If the insurance approves them. And if I still like my doctor after this, which seems unlikely. And if I feel like driving over an hour to get them, which just sounds too far right now. And expensive.

Bless my husband who is the kindest man on earth and, among other countless things, will drive me to the ends of the earth if I ask him to, but luckily he only has to go 45 minutes to get me my IVs.

Bless my girls who give me hugs and kisses and are incessantly patient with a mom who feels lousy.

Bless my friends who are willing to clean my house and make my family dinner and even drive me to the hospital when my husband is working.

Bless my sisters who talk to me and let me complain to them even though getting a divorce or being sick-as-a-dog pregnant while chasing three boys are much more miserable than having your arm stuck five times for an IV.

And mostly, bless my parents for teaching me that Jesus Christ knows me and loves me and is there whenever I need Him. Because sometimes that really is the only thing that gets me through the day.

Enough complaining. Now, back to bed...

Malicious Muffins

Sometimes I have to use the hour before the girls get home from school to "gear up" for the afternoon with the girls. This makes me feel incredibly guilty at times. I spend the whole day missing them, and then the few minutes before they actually come home dreading that moment. Mostly because I know when they walk in that door, hungry and tired, they can lose their facade of holding together the emotions that happen in a pre-teen body and just be themselves. I'm happy they feel safe at home and well loved enough to be comfortably surly, but it does take it's toll on me occasionally. Things are substantially better if I have a snack they want to eat ready when they hop off that bus. Which is why I made Banana Muffins yesterday.

Now, I must tell you that about a week ago I made banana bread and found that out of the blue, my two youngest daughters no longer like banana bread, and my oldest is "sick of it". But, I had mushy bananas and only a little time to pull something together. I added flax seed and wheat germ to the mix, and a little extra cinnamon. Wah-la! "Cinnamon Nutmeg Muffins" were born. Slightly different texture and taste, named after a different ingredient in the bread, but banana bread to be sure.

They loved them. "What are these called again?" asked Sleeping Beauty.

"Well," I hedged, "I call them Cinnamon Nutmeg Muffins."

"What is it that is sort of mushy in them? It's good," said Cinderella.

"Hmmm, well, I ran out of eggs so I used flax seed and instead of shortening, I used applesauce, and I did add a little sour cream to the mix, too. Who knows what makes them good? But, they are tasty."

"Yep," they all agreed.

Now, I am fully aware that any statement is a lie if it is intended to deceive, which is why I am asking you to avoid using this fine example of deceit in a Sunday School class that my children attend. I'd like to serve these muffins again, and am pretty sure since I haven't been struck with lightening yet that it's safe to assume that there was enough fiber and flax in those muffins for the health to outweigh the sin. That's what I'm going with, anyway.

And, just in case your kids hate banana muffins, too. Here is my new recipe for Cinnamon Nutmeg Muffins. Tasty.

Cream together:

½ cup applesauce

1 cup sugar

Add:

½ cup sour cream

1 cup mashed bananas

1 egg

1 TBSP milled flax seed and 3 TBSP water (or one more egg)

½ tsp. vanilla

Mix in:

1/3 cup wheat germ

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp., plus a pinch cinnamon

1 tsp. soda

½ tsp. salt

Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Are You As Sick Of This As I Am?

Some of you are just plain sick of hearing about my headaches. I fall into this category. Definitely my husband does. But, there are others who have emailed asking me for an update, so here's a quick one---

Last week I went Monday through Friday to the hospital 45 minutes from my home to get some anti-seizure medicine by IV. Monday I was just exhausted, Tuesday I thought I would die, or at least throw up several times on the freeway, but then every day after that it got a little better. Mostly because I figured out that I needed to eat and drink a little during the IV meds and give myself a few minutes before jumping in the car to head home. Luckily King was able to take me each day, because I certainly was too tired and loopy to be driving.

As far as the headaches go, they did decrease in severity, but didn't go away like they were supposed to. And three days later they are back in full force. Tomorrow, I have another appointment with the headache specialist, and we'll see what the plan is from there. He mentioned before that if the hospital IVs didn't help that we may do that again with a stronger medicine, and then move on to Botox injections in the nerves that control migraine headaches. All I can say is I certainly hope those nerves are near my eyes, or on my forehead in certain areas. It would be nice to look good and feel good. Or, at least look good if I can't feel good.

So, that's the deal. I'll let you know more as I know more. Thanks for your prayers and support. They surely help!

For Sale

One child.
Female, between the ages of ten and twelve.
Toilet trained.
Knows how to do chores such as make bed, vacuum, clean bathroom, fold laundry, and mop, but occasionally fakes naivety.
Clever, cute, and clean.
Comes with mostly complete wardrobe, brand new school supplies, and overactive emotion chip.
Ballet, swimming, or piano supplies will be included depending on which model chosen.
Price negotiable, and based on my medical bills.
So don't think you'll be getting a good deal or anything.

The Power of the Unrelated

A few days ago, a friend of mine showed up at my house to drop something off just as I was leaving to go to my Physical Therapy appointment. I told her to head in and talk with my girls, and hurried on my way. About an hour later, as I was leaving my appointment, my cell phone rang. It was her, telling me she was leaving my house and taking my girls with her.

"Wait," I said, "if you are just leaving my house, you've been there an hour. Did you clean my house?"

"I didn't, but yeah, it's clean. That's why I'm taking your girls. They worked hard."

And, sure enough, I arrived home to a sparkly clean house, and it was delightful. But, the best part to me is the residual effect. The part where Snow White and Sleeping Beauty fold their pajamas every morning and put them away, and slide open their curtains, and make their bed. They do it because she told them that's what you do every morning. Never mind that I've told them the same thing two thousand times. If she said to do it, they'll do it. Amazing.

Now, our evenings would be a lot quieter if only I could have her come throw her power around a bit more and convince them that "shower" is not a dirty word and is not an unreasonable request to make on a nightly basis. It's amazing what one can accomplish when not related to the child's parents. I bet she could even get them to brush their teeth without complaining. Maybe. It takes a lot of effort, you know, to brush those pearly whites.