Friday confession: I love Black Friday.

   
   There's a lot of reasons why. These are just my observations, but to be fair they're probably skewed.  I don't go to places that hand out vouchers, and that certainly helps.  So don't be a humbug.  Hear me out.  
     There is a kinship amongst the shoppers on Black Friday.  Outside, people turn to the people behind them in line and start talking while they wait.  They share about their families, their homes, and their friends.  They make excuses for themselves being out at indecent hours.  They compare the QT coffee to McD's.  Then the doors open.
     The line proceeds forward, and the group dissipates.  In the stores, the great kinship of crazies continues.  Moms divide their teens into store sections.  Wives lend out their husbands to reach high objects.  People give directions to where they've "seen" the deals.  Some people loan their cart space to those with heavy loads in line.  I can almost hear "It's the most wonderful time of the year" in muzac in the background.
   Then there's the deals.  Hunters of all ages and sizes are out and about.
   Some people are big game hunting.  They want the deal, the one deal that beats all deals at competing stores.  They're the ones waiting in line several hours ahead to save hundreds of dollars or get "the" toy at the rock bottom price.
     Others are hunting greater quantities of specific smaller game.  They start with a list, and work their way through the stores in a methodical fashion.  They have the areas they need to be "first", because they like to do their giving with a theme.  They need ten of those bath sets that are 75% off.
    Another category of hunters are those who start w/ recipients, a budget, and a general category/store they like.  It's more like snaring than shooting.  Sometimes you win big.  Sometimes you don't get anything at all, except some time alone and a look at the better side of man....and an excuse to nap in the afternoon while your husband wrestles the Christmas tree.

I have nothing cute or funny to say about last week.

   Those of you who know us are aware that last week, boy child #2 had his appendix removed.  The bad news, it was ruptured, so a one port forty-five minute procedure took ninety minutes and three ports.  The good news?  He's recovering with amazing speed, and really only had one "terrible" day.   The even-more-good news:
  I am amazed at how supportive our school was, and the people we know from there:  A gift card to the cafeteria/gift shop from PTA to keep me fed and him entertained, his best buddy visiting with books he hadn't read yet, a gift card to Whole Foods, which set us up once we got home, balloons and a model plane to help try to keep him down once his brain engaged again.  Our school friends are fabulous.
  Crisis moments always make me love my husband more.  I swear he's a better wife than I am.  While I was cross stitching, playing Wii, and hanging out at the hospital, the house was clean,  the laundry caught up, and the kids fed.  When we arrived home, he already had the bed made on the couch.  He didn't even call off our part-time before school friend so he had an extra kid two mornings at 5:45 a.m. 
   I am also grateful for my FB friends, their support keeping my phone dinging from replies on my wall and private messages.
   So to all of you, thanks.  I don't know what I'd do without you.

It's COOKIE time!

    This year, girl scout cookies are already in stock.    This made me start brainstorming for "new" holiday recipes for us.  I haven't searched the official site, so if these are already there, sorry official GS peeps.  I'm just a mom with two girl scouts who are expected to sell about 140 boxes each.  Here are my thoughts so far.  (Not tested yet.)

Winter Tropics Pie

Smoosh Caramel Delights and mix w/ melted butter.  Press into pie pan for crust and chill.  Into Chilled crust, place a layer of thin, sliced banana.  Add vanilla or coconut pudding, made per box directions.  Top w/ whipped cream.  Garnish w/ candied pineapple, toasted coconut, and or caramel drizzle.


Chocolate Candy Cane Pie

Smoosh Thin Mints and mix w/ melted butter and chill.  Put a thin layer of fudge topping between crust and other fillings.  Add chocolate pudding, made per box directions.  Top w/ whipped cream and Andes mints or mini candy canes or round mints.....)


Another thought is to use above thin mint crust for a cheesecake base with a no-bake cheesecake recipe.  I think shortbread cookies or even the lemonades would work well for that too.   We could make a real cheesecake w/ shortbreads for the base.   At camp, we used smooshed shortbreads for cobbler topping and it was sooooo good.  The Thanks-a-lots and Lemonades are larger round, shortbreads.   I bet they'd make good ice cream sandwiches.  Use peppermint ice cream w/ the chocolate, and swirl some sweetened cranberry puree in with vanilla for the lemon.

Of course, they are girl scout cookies.  Who really needs recipes?  For those who hate to bake, they just got their ticket to the cookie exchange.

I'm occupying my chair.

I've spent a fair amount of time the last few weeks reading about various political/enconomic opinions, both from Occupy KC and from the more conservative end.  So this is not an "about kids" post.  Economics, health care,etc. are issues that affect my children though, so I like to be informed and when the time comes vote accordingly.
    An article I read yesterday stated that "15 states had a surplus."  http://news.yahoo.com/amid-deficit-gloom-states-enjoy-surpluses-160127940.html
What I would like is to find another, more detailed article listing all fifteen of these states and what they have in common.   Some of the individual measures they've taken are kind of disturbing, but surely there are others that are not, and those will likely be repeating themes.   Then, when reforming our national economic policy consider whether these measures would be feasible  on a larger scale.  If there are sacrifices included we don't think we should make, then we'll have to look at solutions like tax increases.  I'm 99% sure that any realistic solution will include both substantial program cuts and tax increases.  
   When it comes to health care I have similar thoughts.  There are already systems in place that works quite well for federal and state employees, and military retirees, and such.  Why not look at these functional systems, and find ways to expand them instead of reinventing the wheel?  At least it would be a place to start. 

Who am I, mom?

    Well son, that's for you to decide.  Tonight instead of E1's class, they had the privilege of watching the Kansas City Youth Ballet dress rehearsal for their performance tomorrow night.  He really loved it, the leaps, the lines, the music....but I suspect dance may be heading the same direction baseball did a few years ago.  He'll be a fan, but it doesn't mean he wants to be a player anymore.
   He knows he "can" do it.  That's not the issue this time.  The issue is "does he want to work that hard at this."
    He already works hard at school, and takes great pride in his work.  He knows education is important, and strives to do his best.
   He works at playing his cello.  He loves that thing.  He takes pride in it.  He can do something beautiful with it without necessarily being center stage.  It is it's own reward, and doesn't suck so much time out of his life that he can't do other things.
      That what he's contemplating about dance right now.  In order to excel, he'd have to work not just at the dancing itself, but building up his strength and flexibility.  He also would have to be more comfortable being watched and to trust those around him more; it's really hard for an introvert to put himself out there that far.  He'd have to learn to let go of some of his perfectionism.  He'd have to have a thicker skin about peer opinion.  He knows these are good things, but are they good enough to get up earlier every morning?  Are they worth the cost in time & pain?  Is there another, gentler, avenue he could learn these things from?
     These are not questions I can answer for him.  He has to decide what he wants, and what he's willing to "pay" for it.  All I can do is be there for him, no matter what he decides.

    

Last weekend we took a risk.

    I let E1 go to a birthday party with pizza.  It was the first time I'd let him go someplace like that since kindergarten.  He didn't eat the pizza in first grade, but still got sick.  It took him months to fully bounce back.
     I had heard that in middle childhood, preadolescence, sometimes kids like him were less sensitive.  This seemed to be true.  He had managed a couple of carefully managed paper plate, good hand-washing carryout pizza at the end of the party parties just fine, so maybe we could stretch it a little further..So we took the plunge.  He did do better.  It only took about a week for him to bounce back.
      No,  he did not eat the pizza, or the cupcakes.  He brought his own food.  It was just from the grease being spread around and probably picked up on his hands which wiped his face...you get the idea.   He had all the hallmark symptoms of being "glutened" Sunday and Monday.     He almost stayed home from school Monday he felt so bad, but it was Halloween and I was his room parent.  He did stay home Monday night, when he had previously planned to go to another party or trick or treat with his siblings to get them extra candy and earn himself a trade, like picking out a bag of marshmallows.  He hurt.  He was tired.  He was socially sensitized out.
    In the midst of all this, I made a judgement call.  I reverted back to the no high-cross contamination foods in his environment policy.  The experiment from the weekend had failed.  This meant no powdered cheese coatings and no greasy gluten essentially.   I don't mind cookies and cupcakes, but I draw the line at cheese chips (does that stuff ever really get off your hands?)  and on-site beginning of party pizza.   When he's already down, no sense in kicking him again, especially in an environment he had no control over being in, like the school party.   Yes, some parents thought I was nuts and overprotective.   Others, soothed my nerves and came to my aid, reminding me I had nothing to be sorry for.   
    I don't always have such blatant examples, but despite having the disability form from his doctor, and third party testimonials from past accidental incidents from people like teachers and preschool directors, I deal with these attitudes of "let him be normal" or "find a balance.  A little exposure couldn't possibly matter that much" or "how can food change a kid's personality?" so many times I've lost count.  There's pressure from other parents, family members, and well meaning friends to "not be so diligent."    But caving to that pressure gave me a sick kid last weekend, who didn't find himself fully again until Thursday.   There's a reason we have different pans and utensils for GFDF food at home after all.

I'm a turkey hugger.

      I love direct deposit.  I stalk grocery stores as soon as the paycheck hits the bank.   Tonight, the most important place on my moonlight list was Hy-vee.  88 cent a dozen eggs and 2.99lb boneless ham w/ free Honeysuckle turkey made this an exciting hunt.
   I arrive to prowl the produce.  No decent pears left.  I'll come back early morning Saturday and try again.  I score some cheap applesauce.  I round back to the meat department and get the 1.77lb boneless,skinless chicken breasts & .99lb chicken thighs.  Then I turn to hit the "meat specials" case.  They had the wrong brand of turkey.
     For most families this is a "so what" moment.
     For mine, it's an " arrrgh, how many flippin Hy-vees am I going to have to stalk" moment.   This is the curse of having food related allergies and chronic illnesses.  The wrong brand just won't do.  It has a gravy packet already contaminating the bird.  It has artificial coloring.  It may have MSG.  Bad news bird indeed.
      I huff and puff my way through the rest of my short list.  Miracle of miracles they had the Udi bread for E1.  The cheap eggs were still there...but they're out of a couple other items I was looking for as well.   I grouse my way back to my car and head an entire mile or two southward to Hy-vee #2.
    I really wasn't that hopeful walking in the door, but I had to know.  I raced to the back of the store and behold, a dazzling array of turkeys in the correct brand, in fine, non-frosted but still frozen condition.  I was so excited I grabbed the perfect turkey and hugged it.  I guess it doesn't take much to get me excited these days.  Here's hoping I'm as successful when I go on the prowl for our Thanksgiving Tom in a couple weeks.    Worst comes to worst I'll cook two free hens.  Now I know where to find them I'm truly grateful.

It's November!

     The first thing I'm thankful for is that Halloween is over, and went smoothly.  This year Mario stayed home, a red shiny skulled skeleton handed out candy, and I took Darth Vader, the mystery glow-in-the-dark-butterfly-masked princess, Snow White, and Spiderman trick or treating.  The weather was perfect!  Maybe  a little too perfect.  It was an 1.5 hours before their legs were tired enough to head home.
     Once home we sorted through their loot, collected a 2 piece of candy per child parent tax, a one piece of candy per child big brother tax, allowed them some time to eat their favorites, and put the rest of in a gallon zip-lock bag with their name on it.   This candy is their treat food for the month of November, 2 pieces per lunch. 
    We turned off the porch light, and skeleton boy came in.  He hadn't suffered too much with his portable DVD player outside with him.  He said only one kid was too scared of him, or maybe his pet skeleton Sheldon, to take candy from the bowl.   Everyone rounded out the evening with hot chocolate and was off to bed.
     So what's the second thing I'm grateful for?  It is November 2nd now after all.  I'd have to say the extra down time we have for most of November.  It's kind a lull in kids sports and school activities, so we get to breathe for a bit...even spend a weeknight at home once in a while.  With six kids, down time is always something to be grateful for.