Happiness delivered -- YES, please!

This surprise package showed up at our house on Thursday -- if I have my day right. Pardon me if my head is mixing up dates. As if the holiday season isn't sprinkled with enough insanity, ours was doubly crazy with Dan's health. So, he got this package from my friend Jill, who just might be the most thoughtful person on the planet. And I love that about her, despite my inability to reciprocate her thoughtfulness, she still does all these wonderfully nice things for us! 

What an unexpected surprise from Henry & David -- never heard of these guys before -- but yum, yum. Take a peek at what was inside this gorgeous box! 

I love fancy, gorgeous, intentional packaging. This is the outside of the box. How beautiful! And if this bright red doesn't brighten your spirits and get you in the mood for the holidays, check your pulse! Happiness delivered? Well, let's see....

Pears -- that's how this company got its start. What a great idea to share the story right on the packaging. More beautiful designs, festive colors. This package has it going on! And the pears tasted great!

Havarti cheese -- never heard of it, but it too was wonderful. Yummy!! Soft, mild and melted in my mouth. I think I need some more....STAT! 

Salami -- very peppery. Different, unique and delivered just like everything else! 

Happiness delivered? Well, yes indeed. I think it just was. Thank you very much Jill Morino and Henry & David. Never heard of the latter, but as soon as I find someone to pay it forward to, they'll be getting Henry & David. 

We haven't tried the pepper and onion relish, but it turns out my sister HAS heard of Henry & David. She had already told me about this relish she was bringing to Christmas -- a pineapple jalapeno or something. OMG. I couldn't keep the Fritos out of that stuff. Really. Really. Amazing. 

Another adorable detail on the packaging. The marketing department needs a big kudos here. I knew this was something special when we opened it up!

This is how big the box was -- nearly the width of our dining room table. (Jill spares no expense!) That's Dan reading his Kindle on the other end of the table. Did I mention it also contained mouth-watering chocolates and chocolate-covered popcorn, plus the most simple looking cookies that were deceptively delicious. Happiness delivered. Yes. Yes. Thank you very much! 

Our Chrismas letter, gulp!

Editor's note: This letter didn't get sent out, because I didn't get it copied quickly enough and then many of my cards didn't get sent out either. If you didn't get one, it's not 'cause we don't like you. Life got crazier than normal in December and needless to say, there's been no baking or wrapping either. So, please enjoy this letter and maybe -- or maybe not -- the card you get in January. (I'm thinking of scratching out the 2011 for next year's card!)

Dear friends and family,


I cannot believe I’m doing it – the dreaded Christmas form letter. I secretly swore to myself for years I’d never write one, even though I also privately love reading the ones I receive. For me to do it seemed impersonal, as if I should be telling you these things face-to-face. And indeed. I should.

I cannot believe how busy the kids keep us, leading to exhausting weekends and missed family gatherings. Missed chances to share these things face-to-face. Next year, I’m hoping I will not have to resort to another of these letters, but something tells me we’ll be in for more of the same despite our activity limits with the kids. Also, it was nice to look back on a year that passed so quickly and see that we did – thankfully – accomplish a few things. Here are the highlights from 2011:

Abby just turned 9, which was hard enough, and then Dan reminded her it will be double digits next year. Geez! Feed them and blink – they sure do grow up quickly! Abby tried basketball in the winter, softball in the summer and now she’s playing indoor soccer. I think she’s found her niche – it’s fast paced, forcing her constant attention for an hour. She loves it, and she’s very good! She even got the only goal in the last game of the first session! After six months of discussions and prayer, Abby got baptized in October by Dan. Needless to say, that was quite emotional! She’s still playing piano and singing at church, while crafting nonstop at home. Her fashion sense has continued developing at a rapid, neck-break rate, amusing the teachers and delighting her classmates with mismatched, layered clothing that is often rather unexpected – sometimes even for us! It was a rough start to the school year for her, not so much academically, but socially and emotionally. After meeting with the social worker and her teacher at school, we developed some goals at home and tweaked her ADHD meds. She couldn’t be doing better now. Abby is even leading the third grade in reading points at her school!

Speaking of reading, Ryker still cannot get enough of books. He breezed through the Harry Potter series that he got for Christmas last year (as did Abby), and his new infatuation is Captain Underpants. Not sure that’s a move in the right direction, but he loves reading so much that he wants to be a publisher when he grows up! He played football again this year and despite being perhaps the youngest player on the team, he did great. He’s hoping to play both offense and defense in the third grade. Right now, he’s playing on a competitive basketball team where they get points for more than just baskets. They must pass and rebound, etc. and I’m proud that he’s become a much better team player because of it. He surprised his coach and parents with an awesome pre-game prayer at a recent basketball game. Ryker played baseball last summer and every chance he gets in the backyard. He LOVES the Cardinals and plays his way through the lineup with his dad (or mom or Abby, depending on who’s available and willing) nearly every night. Both kids enjoyed watching the World Champion Cardinals parade in downtown St. Louis this fall.

Dan started the year with a bad back that got worse as the year wore on. A herniated disc treated with pain medication didn’t seem to improve after several months. Three spinal epidurals and several rounds of physical therapy have given him much relief, but it is definitely not completely restored. And if you know Dan, the year wouldn’t be complete without a project or two or twelve. He built a playhouse for the kids, a loft bed for Ryker and renovated our great room. He ripped out a fireplace (so we can remodel our bathroom on the adjacent wall next) and replaced flooring in the main living area of the house. The master bath has been demolished, so we’re all sharing one bathroom – like the good ‘ole days! We feel very lucky to have Dan around to make our house a home! (A late add-on, most of you know, Dan suffered a sudden bout of pneumonia this week and was hospitalized in ICU. A scary few hours in the Emergency Room as they tried to stabilize him from the effects of septic shock. Once in shock, a minority of patients survive. Those who do, often have organ or tissue damage. Dan seems to be recovering quite well—praise God! What a whirlwind, but it’s been a reminder of how blessed we are with prayers and offers of help from our amazing group of friends and family.) Dan and I both helped lead high school small groups this fall and will do so again in the spring.

I attended Christ in Youth in the summer with our high schoolers, which was amazing! I feel deprived that I didn’t go as a teenager. God is doing pretty awesome stuff in the lives of kids in our community, and I can’t help but want to be a part of it. If you would have told me I would be doing this a decade ago, I would have laughed! After careful consideration, I went from being a per diem employee to a full-time manager at the hospital in Lincoln. I figured it couldn’t be nearly as intense as the 50-60 hour work weeks I had in January through the end of March, when the new hospital opened. I’m now the manager of marketing and communication for Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital – my first 9-5 full-time gig since Abby was 9 months old. We’re so grateful for what my position has provided for our family – not just financially but also in friendships. And having worked around the kids’ schedules for this long, being part of their preschool and early school schedules? What a blessing that we could invest in their lives that way. It’s something I’ll always treasure! I’m still taking portraits, but strangely, there aren’t many people clamoring for them. A chapter closing? Look for more writing, though, next year, as I intend to spend more of my free time improving my blog and expressing my creativity with a pen. I hope you’ll follow along!

I should also mention the big highlight of the year was the kids’ first flight. We spent 10 days in Florida with Dan’s parents. We experienced Disney with virtually no lines or waiting (thanks to my friend suggesting Tour Guide Mike) and then surprised the kids with a day at Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal. We finished up our trip with a few days at the beach with extended family. It was truly a dream vacation!

2011 might have had its share of ups and downs, but boy, we sure feel blessed, mostly because of our wonderful family, friends and church family! Even though we don’t get to see you as much as we’d like, we do think of you often and are so glad you’re in our lives.

Merry Christmas with much love from the Denneys

Dan survived pneumonia and sepsis -- and his first pedicure

My husband is alive and well, relatively unscathed from his recent bout of pneumonia with sepsis.


Sepsis – a word I had heard before but hadn’t given much consideration to. I knew it was serious. I’d heard of septic shock. I knew it was or was related to an infection. And that’s where my knowledge stopped.

There’s a push for more education about sepsis to the general public, because when its signs are recognized, it can be more effectively treated. The damaging side effects of this oft-deadly disease can be halted. Death might be avoided. If only we would all be more aware of how it presents itself.

We didn’t see it coming.

I hope by sharing our story, maybe someone else can be helped. Perhaps it could be you, because sepsis isn’t something that attacks the elderly or those with weak immune symptoms. Anyone can be affected – from a serious infection or even from a small cut.

Dan fell ill quickly. So quickly that the co-worker he was talking to literally saw the sickness in him come across in his face, his expression. He sent me a text at noon on Monday that he was going home, felt nauseated. He couldn’t express in words how he felt, but he knew something wasn’t right.

Within a few hours, he had a high fever – 103. And he was vomiting a lot. So we assumed it was a run-of-the-mill stomach virus.

I decided I would take the kids out to dinner, giving him privacy and quiet for resting. I checked in on him. He was very hot and weak. But we still thought it was a stomach virus.

Later that evening, Dan noticed there was blood when he vomited. He wasn’t sure if he was coughing it up or if it was in his vomit. He hadn’t really had a cough prior to that day, but coughing up blood is definitely something you want to take seriously.

He began to feel even weaker – so much so that he couldn’t put on his clothes. And while the fever was gone, he was still coughing up blood and just didn’t feel “right.” When he realized I was awake at 4 a.m., he told me what was going on. He called his dad to come sit with the kids so I could take him to Memorial.

His blood pressure was low when we arrived – 93/54 or something. Since Dan’s typically runs a tad bit high, this seemed unusual to me. They immediately put him in a wheelchair and took him to a room.

Within 20 minutes, they had done an EKG and X-ray, drawn blood for lab work, started an IV. Not much longer and he had an antibiotic and pain medication. Immediately they suspected pneumonia, which seemed strange. Dan, a life-long asthmatic on maintenance medications, has had that twice before but not with these types of symptoms. Surely we would have noticed if we thought it was his lungs!

We hadn’t been there an hour, and Dan’s blood pressure dropped below 90 on top. Alarms started sounding, and they had to delay the CT they ordered. He couldn’t have that test done until he was stabilized. That took three and a half hours.

His blood pressure wouldn’t budge out of the 70s. It dipped to 70/41 and nothing they tried – fluids, tipping his feet up higher than his head and discontinuing the pain medication – worked. The doctor finally ordered a vasopressor, medication to constrict the blood vessels. Even that didn’t do the trick.

Somewhere in that timeframe, I sent out a couple texts for people to pray (in addition to using my phone to google about the dangers of low blood pressure…what? Like you wouldn’t!). Word spread quickly around our church, and people were praying specifically for Dan’s blood pressure to come up. I really believe in the power of prayer, and since nothing else had worked, I’m sure it was prayer that helped him “get over the hump.”

He finally got the CT scan right before being admitted in ICU. His whole left lung was filled with infection. So once they were able to isolate what it was, they could start the right mix of antiobiotics.

Because of all the wonderful clinicians at Memorial, all the right things were done that minimized the risk factors for Dan. Sepsis treatment begins with broad-spectrum antibiotics (they did this immediately), IV fluids to maintain blood pressure (he had six liters in the emergency department alone!) and oxygen, which he clearly needed since as soon as he pulled it off his face, his blood oxygen immediately dropped and sounded his alarm.

So what – exactly – is sepsis? According to Wed MD, sepsis is a serious medical condition caused by the body’s overwhelming immune response to infection. Chemicals released into the blood to fight infection trigger widespread inflammation.

“Bacterial infections are the most common cause of sepsis. However, sepsis can also be caused by other infections. The infection can begin anywhere bacteria or other infectious agents can enter the body. It can result from something as seemingly harmless as a scraped knee or nicked cuticle or from a more serious medical problem such as appendicitis, pneumonia, meningitis, or a urinary tract infection,” according to Web MD.

A quick diagnosis is really key to fighting sepsis, and that’s why it’s so important that more people understand what it is so they can recognize it. I read one story of a nurse who didn’t see it among her own symptoms and neither did the health care workers. They sent her home from the emergency room only to call her back in when lab workups came back positive. By then, she lost feelings in her hands in feet. The mother of two ended up with multiple amputations.

But she’s among the lucky ones. According to Web MD and other sources, between 60-70 percent of people who go into septic shock die. Of those who survive, many end up with organ and/or tissue damage.

Dan’s lungs may never be the same. His left lung was already scarred from two bouts of pneumonia. He’ll be more likely to get it again. But there is a vaccine that will keep it from killing him. And he walked away without any additional injuries after spending a week in the hospital.

I am so eternally grateful to God and to the nurses and doctors at Memorial for the work they did to save his life. My heart breaks, however, for those families who don’t experience such a positive outcome. Help others survive by passing along this story. You never know whose life you can help save!

P.S. I can't tell this story without mentioning that the day before, Abby and I gave each other Christmas pedicures at home. Not wanting to feel left out, Dan and Ryker painted each other's toes, too. So Dan spent a week in the hospital with red and green polish on his toes! If you know Dan, nothing could have delighted him more than to share that story with all the nurses and see them smile when they saw his feet.

Can brains triumph over beauty?

I heard an interesting story on NPR this morning that aroused the feminist in me. C’mon. You knew she was there.


A teenage girl protested a T-shirt sold by (maybe also created by) JC Penney that said “I’m too pretty for homework.” In five hours, the story of a circulating petition to remove it from the shelves was getting 400 tweets a minute. Ten hours after she first posted her opinion via social media, JC Penney ditched the shirt.

The story mentioned a few other instances of companies pulling similar shirts due to social media protests. (I think I’ve found a new reason to love Facebook and Twitter!) One that really ruffled my feathers was from Gymboree that stated something along the lines of “I’m smart like my dad and pretty like my mom.”

Sure, some people may laugh at these messages. And true, as a general rule we could lighten up a little. But the bottom line is they make the shirts because there is a market for them. We buy them and perpetuate the message that girls should desire beauty above all.

That makes me sad. Very sad. Because I have a daughter who happens to be creative, inventive, intelligent and so much more. Very recently she discovered that she can’t be president, because she looks at a placemat of Presidents in our home every day with 43 male faces on it. A girl as president? She deduced: “Not very likely so why bother?”

I hope it does, but I’m not optimistic at the moment. We live in a world that, interestingly enough, increasingly values the looks of women over her intellect, experience or accomplishments. It seems worse now than when I was a teen. In Lisa Bloom’s book, Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World, she reports that 15 to 18 percent of girls under 12 wear mascara, eyeliner and lipstick regularly; eating disorders are up and self-esteem is down; and 25 percent of young American women would rather win America's Next Top Model than the Nobel Peace Prize. "Even bright, successful college women say they'd rather be hot than smart."

I can understand why. Any woman who takes a risk and puts herself “out there” is subject to constant criticism. She will live her life under the microscope. But unlike men in the public eye, women are also examined and critiqued for their physicality.

Is it any wonder girls and women struggle with depression and general unhappiness. The very things they love – reading books, being a leader, generating ideas and being valued for accomplishments – aren’t even embraced by society.

It’s so hard to reinforce to girls that they need to ignore these messages of body type and beauty that are thrown in their faces from infancy on. My daughter told me the other day that she’s worried about having wrinkles when she’s in heaven. Wow. I can’t believe this is the kind of thing a 9-year-old girl feels she needs to contemplate.

I feel the need to remind her and all girls that they should see themselves as God sees them. The Lord says in 1 Samuel 16:7 “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

And what about the oh-so-intimidating Proverbs 31 woman? God’s illustration of an ideal woman. She works hard, takes care of her home, is respected. Her husband and children trust her. Her character is beautiful. Because she has her priorities in order and places God above all, she is revered. From verses 30 and 31, God reminds us that we should be aware of earthly values and how we rank them in our lives: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

What I want my daughter to seek is the blessing of the Lord and her family, not the acceptance of her peers or the things society puts value on. I want her to protest the shirt that speaks of earthly beauty. I want you to join me and speak out against those messages. It’s not just a shirt. It’s a mindset that is stifling our girls and their potential to be the woman God wants them to be.

What can we do today to dispel the myths of beauty? How can we fight against the societal message that girls should chase physical attractiveness all their days? What will you do that will show one other girl or woman that we value one another for our inner beauty?

Mismatched socks and more

“Is today mismatched sock day?”


I cringed when I heard it. The innocent question of a dad to my dear, sweet Abby as she was on her way into the school. I was 30 feet away in my car, and in a moment, they disappeared inside the building. I said a prayer – like the one I say everyday – that this man wouldn’t destroy her sense of self-worth by expressing his opinion of her style.

My only daughter’s sense of fashion is … well. Um. It’s unique. VERY unique. Always has been. Mismatched socks are just the beginning. And honestly, hasn’t this father of an 8-year-old girl ever heard of the brand Little Miss Mismatched? Even Justice is selling packs of three not-quite-identical-but-color-coordinated socks.

But in our little farm town of 1,200, Abby is ahead of the curve – a trend setter. Perhaps. Though some of her other approaches to fashion might be more “out there” than her friends would dare attempt. Although she continually reaches for comfortable items – ie. ripped, torn, stained or shrinking – over practical. That kind of drives me nuts. I let her know. A lot.

As usual, she shrugs her shoulders as though I couldn’t possibly understand why wearing the same socks from two days ago, despite being unlaundered since, is perfectly OK. I – the mother who blissfully circles the cute coordinated ensembles in the Children’s Place fliers, which are oh-so-adorable! – simply don’t “get it.”

The very first time Abby put on something I deemed “questionable” was when she was 4. Jeans with a skirt pulled over them. She wore similar outfits daily. It was a logical solution to a new issue. In preschool, they played on the playground when the weather was appropriate. That included some chilly days, so the jeans-over-skirt look helped her stay warm and wear the only thing she really liked – skirts – such a blatantly obvious solution for a preschooler. Except she was the only one who thought of it.

That kind of creativity and problem solving for a 4-year-old made me think, "Who am I to mess with that kind of genius?"

Naturally, we got comments. The first ones were praise: “I think it’s so neat that you let her dress herself.” I felt good, perhaps even a sense of relief since other moms realized I couldn’t have possible come up with those styles on my own. Then came some sideways glances and flat-out criticisms, thankfully directed at me while she was still little.

This year is different. Abby is a third-grader. Peer groups are forming. Peer pressure is rearing its ugly little head. To top it off, this fall she adopted a new look: a tank top over long sleeves. Shorts over leggings. Tall mismatched socks and funky high top tennis shoes.

“Um. Abby,” I started out a conversation with her the first day she dressed this way, unsure of how to proceed in a way that wouldn’t make her think I was judging her. “It’s possible if you wear that some of your classmates will make fun of you. Kids can be cruel, you know.”

“I know, mom,” she answered flippantly. “I really don’t care.”

That a girl! I thought.

Then a few weeks later, Abby brought it to my attention that teachers stopped by her room frequently to check out her outfit of the day. Oh. My. Gosh. I had a moment. And shame on me! It wasn’t the kind of moment where I was concerned the teachers might be mocking her, but the horrible kind when I wondered what they thought of ME – the mother of “that girl.”

It didn’t take long for shame and guilt to overcome me. God’s good at putting me in my place. And maybe he wanted me to know that not just over Abby’s fashion sense but over my life in general, I was putting too much emphasis and energy into what other people think of me. It was one of those eye-opening reminders I very much needed. As I reflected on the school year thus far, I realized I had indeed been fretting relentlessly over how others perceive me. Of course, I know better but wasn’t wise enough to realize that ugly sin was dancing in my subconscious.

Abby later shared with me that all the kids in her class think she’s cool because of how she dresses. That makes her very happy. It occurred to me that it’s one way she sets herself apart from the crowd, and as she’s become more introverted, I think it’s her way of expressing herself and starting conversations. She truly loves being unique in a world where women and girls are socially trained and pressured by the media to conform to the world’s standard of beauty.

There is only one standard for Abby: being herself. She never attempts to dress like anyone else or act like anyone else -- famous or otherwise. So unlike my young (and truth be told, current) self. And so, how awesome is she? How much can I learn from my lovely little 9-year-old? How much can she teach others?

Mostly though I pray she never loses her sense of style, which is – I believe – a very core part of her identity, an identity I very much adore.

The Tooth Fairy

So, the tooth fairy came to our house a couple nights ago. Actually, it was an early visit for the tooth fairy....right after dinner.

Dan was in Abby's room helping her clean up (aka barking orders while lying on her bed), and Ryker and I were in the kitchen discussing techniques for getting that front tooth out of his mouth. I was suggesting a twisting, versus a pulling, manuver. As Ryker twisted, I did something a little mean. I gave his hand a little smack. With cat-like reflexes, he caught his tooth as it fell out of his mouth, his eyes enormous in disbelief. He was so excited, because I just told him I'd never helped either one of my children pull a tooth. Ryker was glad I got to have a part. Isn't that sweet, considering I'd just lightly punched him? Anyway, he ran to tell Dan. And then he got all excited that the tooth fairy would come to bring him money. At the same moment, he and Abby remembered -- oh right. there is no tooth fairy.

A couple weekends before -- Sunday, Sept. 25 -- when Ryker asked a question about Santa. It was the 157th example of one of them asking a Santa question that we'd been successfully dodging for quite some time despite promising we'd share with them the real Santa story, the better Santa story about Saint Nicolas. So Dan corralled the kids and -- in front of unsuspecting grandparents -- spilled the beans, all the beans. Santa, the Easter bunny and the toothfairy all came tumbling down. They took it rather well, and throughout the day, Abby would have little revelations like, "Oh, you had to put together the xyz toy that one year!" And "You picked out the American Girl doll you knew I wanted." Ryker, I'm sure, is still processing it all.

So, Dan says "Here's your toothfairy money," and reaches in his wallet to hand Ryker a dollar bill. We -- Dan and I -- exchanged a look. YES!!! The moment we've been waiting for, the night we don't have to plan and plot, sneak and lie to try to get a dollar under a pillow only to fail miserably and make up a story about the toothfairy's schedule and try again the next night. HIP. HIP. HOORAY.

And maybe sniff. sniff. My babies are growing up. No more toothfairy. No more Santa. (Personally, I've never been keen on a creepy six-foot bunny sneaking in the house on Jesus' sacred holiday, so there's a lot of relief on that holiday!) I've got to snap out of it. It's not like it's the end of their imaginations....we'll have so much more to look forward to and experience together. And it's time to enjoy, and I mean really enjoy (my plug for Ryker-isms) the real meaning of Christmas!

Farewell to Football

So, this weekend was the climax of Ryker's second football season. This year, he played exclusively defense on a darned-good team -- undefeated! I thought the defensive line was superb, but I am also a little foggy on what a down is, so consider it motherly bias. Ryker is developing a bit of a nervous personality. Funny, I didn't see it coming with the thumb sucking, nail biting and general clingy behavior he exhibited in his early years. Hmmmm. Anyway, he gets VERY nervous before football games and spelling tests. On the way to the championship game, he would not stop talking about how afraid he was. Finally, I told him to pray. It always makes me feel better. This is him praying in the back seat on the way to the game. I assumed he would pray for peace or to play well or to not be so nervous, but he prayed for what every 7-year-old boy would pray for: to win!

Unfortunately, they didn't win. They had an amazing season and sadly played against a team that would have quite easily won fairly, but the boys were pulling on jerseys and hitting from behind. It was sad, especially when one particularly large kid on the other team shoved two kids from our team from behind with his shoulder. I was feeling really sorry for the first kid -- who was hit hard and bowled over on the ground. Imagine my surprise when it was No. 50. He got up, but a few moments later was trying to pull off his helmet and was crying. Broke my heart! And then I did a terrible thing. I told Ryker if he wasn't seeing stars he should go right back out and play. Oh, the horror of this mother! What? It wasn't like I told him to go do it right back to the other boy! The mom behind me already said that! It was a tough game. Here's the whole team, proclaiming their undefeated status during the season. Sorry about the lighting. There were 40 moms and grandma types with cameras, and someone made them move from perfect shade lighting into this patchy sun. Makes me shudder!

I couldn't resist this last shot as we were getting in the car. I wasn't sure what was more dirty -- my boy or my Jeep. But only the boy got a bath. Can you believe that front tooth didn't come out during the game? It's hanging on my a mere thread. And now, more than 24 hours later, it's still in there! That hit hurt more than yanking that tooth out will!

Burnt rice and pecans in the shoes

My kids are creative and intuitive. They are also onery and downright rotten, which makes them about normal...I think. And I love them for all they are, even on the days they frustrate me.

Maybe because there's so much drama with Abby at school or because I'm working full time outside the house again. Or maybe because I'm older and wiser and have the gray hair to prove it. I don't know why, but I didn't completely lose it this morning when I smelled something burning right about the time we were getting ready to leave for school.

I couldn't immediately find the source. And while I was searching for appliances that might be to blame in the kitchen, I saw a blur of colors zoom right past the window...on the outside of the window. To their credit, the kids had backpacks, lunches and jackets neatly lined up on the sidewalk while they were running around and hollering in the front yard at 7:30 a.m. I called them both in so I could question them on the burning odor. Abby quickly admitted that she "did it" and then moved the kitchen garbage can aside. Behind it: a old Winnie the Pooh plastic bowl full of burnt rice. She wanted to make white rice for her brother, and according to her story, there were no directions on the box. (I doubled checked. There are.) I think she didn't add any water, and it was a black, stinky mess. We cleaned it up together, and I quietly thanked God that once again her mishap wasn't disastrous. We talked about having adult supervision in the kitchen, which is tough because she can make a lot of things on her own. But, even though she can, doesn't mean she should do it while I'm in the shower!

Later in the day, after the kids were picked up from school and we began settling in to evening routines, I found a trail of mulch on my bedroom floor near my son's shoes. Not unusual. Except one piece is literally the size of a pecan and as hard as a rock. I couldn't walk around with a pecan in my shoe all day. I'm relatively sure that I wouldn't last 30 seconds, and I'm not willing to experiment and see if I can. But I'm keeping the mulch...just like I do every day. We're planting a flower garden, and the school playground is funding the mulch! :-)

Harry Potter spectacles, please!

So, I picked up the kids from school today -- something I miss terribly already -- and Ryker immediately begins jabbering, which is A. weird. He never recounts his day and B. hilarious. He only talks about recess, as if it was the highlight. Well, I suppose it probably was.

Turns out his new group of recess buddies are still a mix of genders but also play Harry Potter just like last year. What's different is that his new friend, whom I don't know but love based solely on his ability to get my stubborn son to relent, insists on being Harry Potter. And Ryker who believed last year that he WAS Harry Potter and asked us to call him as much, has allowed it, graciously agreeing to the part of Ron Weasley. (He might be more accommodating based on who is playing the part of Hermione, but I don't have all the details as the boy rarely tells me much!)

Today, he's excited because we're on our way to the eye doctor. And the new Harry Potter told Ryker if he has to get glasses then he'll let Ryker play the part of Harry Potter for the rest of the year! Whoa, whoa, whoa! (He couldn't verify calendar or school year, but this is big news nonetheless.) Frankly, I was sort of pulling for Ryker to get glasses simply because the story was so cute, and I wanted him to turn into the triumphant hero in the end.

I figured he would try to intentionally "throw" the examination like Abby did last year. I gently reminded them both that no amount of fudging could fool the doctor. Ryker appeared to "try" to fib, but alas -- like his mom -- he just does not have a poker face. I thought Abby learned her lesson after last year, but she lied straight through her eye exam for the second straight year.

Either one of them would look adorable in glasses. Seeing as their parents both are nearsighted, and mine is pretty bad, I figured one or both would end up in them eventually. Turns out, both are just slightly nearsighted. Nothing our doctor recommends glasses to correct yet, and it's nothing either have ever complained about. So we'll check in again in another year. In the meantime, I might have to hit Amazon and get Ryker some Harry Potter costume glasses so he can play the part at recess sometimes. 'Cause I love my little Harry Potter!

First day ... and second ... at work

Well, the first day at full-time work in nearly eight years was fine and no different than any other day. Frustrations were running high by day two. It doesn't help that my transition is going hand-in-hand with the start of the school year. We're tired, cranky, whiny and irritable. And it just goes downhill from there!

Day one had a chaotic night. We knew in advance it would be madness! I get off at 5 but needed dog food -- there were a few scraps in the bin, and the wrath of the puppies isn't one I want to face! Dan picked up the kids from ASP, dropped Ryker off at voice lessons, went home to put together the homemade pizza with the crust I made two days earlier -- which failed to rise, and no, I didn't forget the yeast, though it might have expired as there was no date on it -- and had 20 minutes before he had to swap Ryker for Abby. Then he had 25 minutes to feed Ryker, dress him in full football pads and get him to practice. I hit Wal-mart for the dog food, milk, cheese and chicken for Tuesday night's dinner (I could have saved us all a lot of hassle by skipping the chicken -- more on that later) and went straight to a client's house in Athens to drop off a photo order and then to pick up Abby at voice. Abby and I got home, ate pizza and changed into our "workout clothes" for a bike ride. That's about the time I remembered I had milk, cheese and chicken in the back of the Jeep that had been there a good hour or so! Abby whined through a two-hour bike ride and then convinced me to buy a tow-behind bike that will attach to my bike. Not a bad idea, and so when we went to see the end of Ryker's football practice, I got on my iPhone and ordered it. $89 and delivered in two days -- perfect timing for our bicycling event Saturday if we get the hang of it by then! We got home, and I went for another bike ride -- or should I say a "real" one -- while Dan contended with crabby kids some more.


Dan, meanwhile, had the living room turned upside down form the last piece of the fireplace he ripped out earlier. He had to cover up a spot that was churning attic heat into the house, not to mention clean up for the Boy Scout meeting that was now an hour away. Finally at 6:12, we all strolled out of the house into the Jeep with nary a plan in hand. The tank was beyond empty, further cramping our schedule. Dan's ingenious idea -- the corner gas station 10 minutes away that had a Subway. Perfect! Everyone loves Subway. So the $5 chicken turned into $25 sub sandwiches. But Dan and Ryker made it to Boy Scouts on time. The downside: we had to drop them off so they would get there right at 7 p.m. I was going to leave my cell phone so Dan could call when they were done. Guess what? I forgot. Then Abby and I walked across town to get ice cream cones and I left my cell phone behind! We were nearly home an hour later when I realized I hadn't brought my cell phone. Then I realized that it hardly mattered since he didn't have his phone -- I was supposed to leave mine for him! It was still about 30 minutes to the time when Dan thought the meeting would end, so I cleaned up the kitchen. We headed out with 15 minutes to spare, so I figured I was doing pretty good. Then the boys spotted us and hollered about halfway to the park. They didn't try to hitch a ride; they decided to enjoy the evening on a stroll home. Ryker was happy. Abby said it was the best night of her life. I guess chalk one up for the parents, but we'll definitely need another plan. Subway for dinner every night will break us!! And don't even get me started on the Amazon shopping. That web site is very dangerous!

I'm back!!!

I miss blogging! And I apparently need another hobby, so why not? Perhaps you detect the sarcasm??? I'm starting a FULL-TIME job on Monday. I'm excited, inspired, enthused, honored and...scared! I've worked part-time jobs or home-based jobs since Abby was 10 months old. I went back to my full-time job when she was 3 months old, and I lasted 7 months. (And I thought I was bad at math!) She will be 9 this year, and it was exactly eight years ago that I left my full-time position as health reporter at the Herald & Review in Decatur. Gee...time really does fly!

So, what am I thinking? Well, specifically I'm thinking about college savings and a 401k. We've made some headway on our finances the last few years, but we want to move forward on Dave Ramsey's baby steps. Unfortunately, my photography business is stagnant -- I've made $8,000 a year all four years! Of course, I never took out a loan, and each year I invested more and more to make my business better. :) It's been great to us, allowing me grow in my skills and even get fantastic art of my own children during these years that race by so quickly. And I've learned a ton about marketing, which is the field I'll be working in! I'll actually be working at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln, where I've spent the last three years working two days a week. I love the people there and everything I do, so it's definitely something to look forward to!

My kids spent most of the summer in "school" at the Montessori Children's House, and LOVED it -- the structure, the learning, the adventures. That convinced me the timing is right. There are some things that scare me more than others, such as the day they turn 13 and can no longer go to "camps" and the church after-school program. I mean, this is the age they are bound to get into big-time trouble with time on their hands. For the school year, Dan will be home minutes after they get home. So that pretty much solves that dilemma. And a friend of mine said she still hired a high school or college student to ferry her kids places when they were this age. I know I won't leave them to an empty house! And I've got a few years to write a plan. Frankly, if I can't figure it out, I also have no problem leaving the workforce and returning home either. I love that type of flexibility!

I hope I'll find the time to blog -- maybe late at night since I don't watch television -- so I can share my adventure, keep family up-to-speed on the craziness of this life, inspire you with stories about money, faith and raising an ADHD child, and maybe even make you laugh or smile from time to time.

Stay tuned....