Sunshine's party was today...

...you could say she had fun.  :)  Everyone did.

First off, Chuck E. Cheese is LOUD and CRAZY and OVERWHELMING.  It's also stupidly easy to plan a party there...I picked a package, bought a cake, sent out invitations, and...that's pretty much it.

I wasn't in charge of decorating.
I wasn't in charge of food.
I wasn't in charge of entertainment.
I wasn't in charge of...uh, anything really.  They did all the heavy lifting.

Of course, there's still thank you cards to send out (in particular, to the young boy in the picture above), but that's easy.

Anyway, this was my favorite picture of the bunch.  It's way more innocent than it looks.  He went to kiss her cheek, and..uh...missed.  But he's a really sweet kid, and I want to remember this for a just-in-case sort of thing...as in, just in case, twenty years from now, I'm sending out wedding invitations.

All about her

It's October!  And that means it's Sunshine's birthday month!  In fact, her birthday is in five days...

Since we're gearing up to celebrate her, I'm gonna spend a little bit of time today elaborating on her issues (since they come up occasionally).

First, I should mention, she's my fifth pregnancy.  Preceding her are her nine-year-old brother, a brother who died when I was 36ish weeks pregnant, a 12 week miscarriage, and an 8 week miscarriage.  She was high-risk from the beginning, and they gave me a due date of October 22.  On October 7, 2009, I had an appointment with my high-risk doctor, and after a few minutes of measuring her, he calmly told me to go home, pack a bag, and return to the hospital ASAP.  He told me she was measuring third percentile for size, and that meant that something may go terribly, terribly wrong if they didn't get her.  NOW.

I panicked and followed instructions.  Six hours later, I was waking up from surgery and they handed me a little seven-pound girl.  Guess she wasn't undersize after all.

Two years ago, she had a quick little eye exam at preschool.  It didn't go too thoroughly in depth, but they pretty much told us she isn't colorblind.  Since the odds weren't in her favor as far as needing glasses goes (all of us wear them), we took her to our family optician.

Family optician identified a nystagmus (her eyes are constantly moving) and referred us to a pediatric ophthalmologist, who ordered an MRI to make sure there weren't any other causes for her nystagmus. They found optic gliomas (small tumors growing on her optic nerves), an aneurysm in the middle of her brain, and moyamoya (which is a too-narrow artery running along her brain).

I probably don't have to tell you, I didn't handle it well.

But we are blessed to live near an outstanding children's hospital, particularly in the area of neurology, and she's receiving outstanding care and the doctors are keeping a close watch on everything.  So far, everything has remained stable, and I'm grateful.  She's been cleared for air travel, she still loves to dance, she still loves to read, and she's still shining like a star in Kindergarten.

Pictures coming Saturday, after her birthday party.  If I can manage that...

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Something on your October calendar that makes you smile?

Oh goodness, it's a long list!  Sunshine's birthday.  Sunshine's birthday PARTY.  My weekend away scrapbooking with my dear friends.  And of course, Halloween.  (Which has never been my personal favorite holiday, but I do love giving away candy to kids.)

Edit:  How did I forget about the support group's Black and Gold event?  I have no idea how I forgot about it!  It was a great time last year...it's a banquet they hold every year at a local German brewery.

2. Food for the soul or music for the soul...which camp are you in? Tell us why.

Both!  I love listening to music while I'm cooking.  Probably mostly music, though, because that can be added to anything, whether it's coloring or cooking or coffee or walking or...

I've come to realize that I love cooking a lot more than I love eating.  And I do love eating.

3. What are two or three things you've learned recently as the result of an online search?

Mostly recipes.  And also that my son's idea for a Halloween costume is going to be a tricky one to pull off (he wants to be a panda astronaut, so any ideas...any at ALL...)

4. Share your favorite game day recipe. You can describe it, post the how-to, or add a link to the actual recipe. 

These days, I'm all about this jalapeno popper dip.  I adapted it from a recipe I found in a Taste of Home magazine...

1 block cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded cheddar
6 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 teaspoon garlic
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Mix together the cream cheese, shredded cheese, jalapenos, bacon, garlic, and sour cream in a bowl.  Spread into a greased 8x8 baking dish.  Mix together the butter, cracker crumbs, and Parmesan, sprinkle on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for about half an hour.

Super easy.  And delicious.

5. What are your five essential steps for creating the perfect morning routine?

Perfect morning routine...probably have a cup of coffee, enjoy a few quiet minutes, get dressed, get the kids' lunches packed, and get everyone ready to go.

6. What small thing have you taken note of today?

It's done raining!  For now...

7. Sum up your September in seven words or less.

So, so stressful.  I'm glad it's over.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

My daily(ish) morning walk/runs are starting to pay off!  YAY!  (Just in time for me to sneak off and steal everyone's game day recipes...OR bake another pound of cheese.  Whatever.)

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What have you 'fallen for' recently?
Running.  When I sprained my ribs last week, I couldn't do it, and I didn't realize how much I needed it until then.

2. What's something you're 'squirreling away' for later?
I bought a dollhouse for my daughter earlier today.  I got it from a neighbor, and now I have to hide it until Sunshine's birthday.  Which is in two weeks.

3. How do you like your apples? Sweet? Tart? Crisp? Cooked? Apples are one of the superfoods for fall...how often do you eat an apple either plain or as part of a favorite recipe? What's your favorite variety?
In general, I like my apples crisp and tart.  I've discovered that equal parts peanut butter and caramel sauce warmed up in a microwave makes a lovely addition to apples.  If I eat it as part of a recipe, it's almost some variation on baked apples.  My favorite variety depends on what I'm doing with it...I like a good Granny Smith for just munching, but Galas seem to be nice for baking.  I can't remember what we picked last year for applesauce, but that turned out pretty good.

4. According to Fodor's the ten best fall foliage trips in the US of A are-Aspen Colorado, The Catskills New York, The Berkshires Massachusetts, Columbia River Gorge Oregon, Green Mountain Byway Vermont, Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway New Mexico, Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, Upper Peninsula Michigan, Lake of the Ozarks Missouri, and Glacier National Park Montana. Which would you most like to visit this fall and why?
I've seen a lot of these!  I've seen Aspen, the Berkshires, the Upper Peninsula, and the Lake of the Ozarks.  If I could, I'd go to Glacier National Park Montana.  Something new for my husband and me, and probably a ranch for riding horses for the kids.

5. The topic of legalizing marijuana was raised in the most recent televised political debate so let's wade in too. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form. Four states have legalize marijuana for recreational use. Your thoughts?
It's complicated...in general, I think it's sad that marijuana has been so stigmatized, even for medicinal uses.  If it helps someone, and it can be pharmacy-controlled, I don't see it any different from a prescription pain medication.  As to recreational use...that's where I'm torn.  I've never used it so I have no *actual* first-hand information for an opinion, but the people I've talked to say it isn't much different from alcohol.

As a controlled substance, I think things would be easier--and prisons would be less crowded--than as a forbidden substance.  Would I use it?  Not unless it was prescribed.  But in general, I think imprisoning someone who ultimately needs help is a sad position.

6. Are you okay to watch a movie already in progress or do you need to always see it from the beginning? How about jumping into a TV series somewhere in the middle? Is that okay? 
NO, I need to know what's been going on!  The ONLY time I made an exception was about twenty years ago, when my sister and I were in high school, and they were hyping this story line in Days of our Lives where someone got buried alive.  She wanted to see it, I wanted to see it, so we agreed to get into it.  It would NOT have been worth wading through thirty years' worth of history to get to that.  And now that those characters are gone, it isn't worth getting into it again.

7. Thursday (September 24) is National Punctuation Day. What rule of punctuation trips you up most often? What rule of punctuation, when broken by someone else, bugs you the most?
Mostly, when it doesn't get used.  If I'm reading a thread of debates online about something, anyone who ignores basic rules of punctuation just sounds incoherent.  I cannot cope with those people.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Monday night was "open house" at Scout's school.  I decided to take the opportunity to talk to his math teacher from last year--I don't know what she did, but she definitely made something click--and thank her for her dedication.  She's a gem.

No hodgepodge

No hodgepodge today (condolences to Joyce on the loss of her beloved friend).

So I spent today at urgent care and arguing.  Ain't it fun?

Urgent care--this is how my day started, seriously.  ALL I DID WAS STRETCH AND ROLL OVER TO GET THE ALARM CLOCK.  I felt a pop and a searing pain.

Diagnosis: sprained RIBS.  I didn't even know that was a thing until today.  It mostly only aches until I do something to aggravate it, like sneeze.  Or cough.  Or blow my nose.  Or forget about it and try to stretch...

Arguing: Okay, there's two separate arguments here...

1.  There's an article going around about a freshman at some university who was hazed to death.  The articles I've read keep saying he died during a "ritual".

I'm a proud member of a sorority that I do not speak on behalf of, but I was not hazed.  At all.  If someone dies as part of something like this, IT IS NOT A RITUAL.  A ritual is the passing of fraternal understanding from one generation to the next.  THIS WAS NOT. A. RITUAL.  It was horrible and it was hazing.  No brotherhood (or sisterhood) worth belonging to will NOT inflict pain, humiliation, or danger as a requirement of belonging.  This particular chapter chose to do something outside the purview of their headquarters.

2.  The kid who took a homemade alarm clock to school and got arrested?  Deserves a scholarship somewhere amazing.  He does not deserve our fear.  In a lot of ways, he reminds me of my own (white) (Christian) son.  He likes to tinker, and he likes to make things, and he deserves to be proud of the things he's done.

Admittedly, my son doesn't tinker these days.  His goal these days is wowing his violin instructor, and he's succeeding madly.  I'm so proud of him.

My daughter's dance season started a week ago.  She loves dance, and I love that she loves dance.  It's too early for a verdict there.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Last thing you did on the spur of the moment?
Oh goodness...probably going to see LST-325 this weekend.  She was only in town for a week, and she sails this morning for another destination.  LST-325 is a WW2-era landing ship, and she was part of the invasion at Normandy.

2. How well informed do you feel about the current Syrian refugee crisis?
Not well at all, I'm afraid.  I have a hard time keeping track of the events because it all starts to sound the same, and all awful.  I think this is one of those times where we can't just sit back and say it isn't our problem, because right now the refugees need someone on their side.

3. What have you changed your mind about?
Well, I don't like getting political, so I'll avoid politics here if I can.  But I'm gonna talk for a moment about Michael Vick.  There's a lot of people here who are furious that he's on the local football team, and admittedly I was one of them.  Ultimately I decided, that even if he's not that nice of a guy, he's not the only criminal in the NFL, and being angry about him but not the others makes me a hypocrite.

4. A medium sized non-poisonous snake found it's way into the pool trap this weekend. If you'd been sitting poolside would you have fished it out? Gone running? Called for help? Pretended not to know? Continued swimming?

Call for help.  I'm not too worried about snakes (there's a couple that live in my yard, and they can stay as long as they keep the mice under control), but I don't know enough about how to safely rescue them from a pool trap.

5. September 10th is National TV Dinner Day...what's your idea of a great TV dinner? (Or at least a pretty good one!)

Pizza?  Cheese and crackers and fruit?  Something easy and non-messy?

6. Samuel Johnson is quoted as saying, "Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other." Would you agree? Where have you seen that played out recently? What's the second greatest virtue?

I think I agree--I have a hard time with statements like this, because someone's likely to think of something I haven't thought of.  But Mr. Johnson makes an excellent point that without courage, the rest of them are a little hard to manage.

I'll call the second one honesty.  If nobody can trust you, what good can you do?

7. What are three words you have trouble remembering how to spell?

Joyce (the wonderful lady who coordinates the Hodgepodge) pointed out Cincinnati.  I have to agree with that--it always takes me at least three tries.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm recovering from a head cold--this one hit fast and left fast.  Yesterday it had me worried--I was getting more and more frustrated while trying to do something about the dishes, because I kept running out of room to put them, and it was only then that I realized I'd been trying to put the dirty dishes in the refrigerator instead of the dishwasher.  For just a moment, I was worried I'd accidentally taken too much cold medicine...

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What's on your September calendar? Anything fun? 

fun...hm.  Well, my daughter's dance season starts, my son's scout season starts, we have tickets to a baseball game, my husband is traveling to Ireland for work, my son's school is hosting an open house, and my Bible study starts.  More or less, all those things in that order.  I'm especially looking forward to the Bible study and the baseball game.  On the plus side, the weekly breakfasts with my sweet friend seem to be continuing.

2. You might be described as a natural born _____________________?

People tell me I'm a natural comedienne.  If I'm funny, it's not what I say, it's how I say it.

3. September is National Courtesy Month...what one act of courtesy would you most like to see more of in your home, town, or the world at large? 

It would be nice if people would just be nicer to each other in general, but especially if we could do it while DRIVING, or on all points surrounding matters of faith or politics.

4. Eager beaver, chicken out, clam up, or let the cat out of the bag...of the phrases listed, which one have you related to most recently? 

Probably eager beaver.  I was so excited for the kids to go back to school so I could get things done here that I can't do while they're constantly bickering.  I was also eager for the constant bickering to stop.

5. What's your movie theatre snack protocol? Do you chow down on snacks during the previews or wait until the movie begins? Do you buy snacks or refuse to pay those kind of prices? What's the last movie you saw in a theatre? How many thumbs up would you give it?

If there's to be snacks with us at a theatre, it stops with popcorn.  The prices on everything are so extreme that I've never been sure it was worth it.  The last movie I saw in a theatre was Catching Fire, and I thought it was pretty good.

6. Henry Ford is quoted as saying, "Nobody can think straight who does not work. Idleness warps the mind." Agree or disagree? Why?

Agree, but only to a point.  Constant exertion doesn't do your mind any good.  Nor does constant rest.

7. What's the last job you completed or task you performed where you had to 'work like a dog' until it was finished?

Cleaning up this mess!  

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

I think I found our backyard visitor kitty yesterday.  He wasn't wearing his harness anymore, but he looked like the same cat.  He was napping on someone's front porch.  I'm so glad it seems he found his way home...I only wish I'd known he lived there much sooner.