Making the Feast

Our day started off with some petty theft, but not of the worst kind.
Just a little boy who simply COULD NOT WAIT I suppose.
After brunch though, it was time to get cookin'!

To launch the process the boy did his "shaking of the spices" dance.

Then we assembled the items to go inside the bird! Oranges and sage are delish!
And then they start working the bird!
It's such a weird holiday at our house. We don't have people over, it's just us hanging out doing our thing, but still - even with just US it's a wonderful family day. We just do our thing and I enjoy the day so much. I'm not sure it would be so special with a crowd.

Home-made whipped cream anyone?
And as you can see, the boy has made us all placemats and is wearing a lovely salute to Native American which he made at school.
Native Americans were well known for their macaroni necklaces I think.

I hope your feast was happy and joyous. I know ours was.

Making the Feast

Our day started off with some petty theft, but not of the worst kind.
Just a little boy who simply COULD NOT WAIT I suppose.
After brunch though, it was time to get cookin'!

To launch the process the boy did his "shaking of the spices" dance.

Then we assembled the items to go inside the bird! Oranges and sage are delish!
And then they start working the bird!
It's such a weird holiday at our house. We don't have people over, it's just us hanging out doing our thing, but still - even with just US it's a wonderful family day. We just do our thing and I enjoy the day so much. I'm not sure it would be so special with a crowd.

Home-made whipped cream anyone?
And as you can see, the boy has made us all placemats and is wearing a lovely salute to Native American which he made at school.
Native Americans were well known for their macaroni necklaces I think.

I hope your feast was happy and joyous. I know ours was.

Making the Pie of Our Homeland

I've always been envious of people with deep seeded ethnicity who would pull out their centuries old recipe for this or that at holidays. You know, that recipe for lutkefisk that Tante Anna hid in her shoe on her way to the new world. Or that special cake with super secret ingredients that can't be discerned and no one in your family will divulge because it's been in your family for 200 years?
Being Hoosier........we're rather......well.
Plain. We don't like a lot of wild or fancy things and we're all mostly German Irish but somehow washed most of that out of ourselves except during Oktoberfest when of course we're all German even the Irish.
So you can imagine my joy when I realized that we did indeed have something PURELY HOOSIER that I could make for Thanksgiving. My favorite pie in the world, that I have sought in every grocery store at every holiday since we moved away from Indiana in 1999.
THE SUGAR CREAM PIE.

It's roots are Amish and/or Shaker (we've had both in the Hoosier state) and folks.....it is now the STATE PIE. HAHAHA. Cuz you NEED A STATE PIE.

So, the husband picked up the ingredients and I lassoed the boy into assistance - he might've been born in Kentucky but his DNA is 100% Hoosier.

It's ridiculously simple to make, and now after reading about it I realize it's the pie you make when you only have a few things around on the farm and WANT a pie.

Waddya know, we've GOT A TRADITION!

We choose the first recipe from a list we found - from someone whose Grandmother's recipe it was, as it said her grandmother was Quaker and that rhymes with Shaker so I figure we'd go for it. If it's not exactly the way we want it, we'll go to the next one on the list.

The bits that bubbled over while it baked tasted delicious by the way.

While it baked, the big boy did another one of our traditions that is a new one - started by his teacher last year, he made place mats for the Holiday. He actually had one at school to bring home but he had to leave school early because of my amnio appt and didn't get to bring it home. But he's such a cheery boy, he didn't care and excited made new ones.

We're ready for Thanksgiving with our Hoosier Pie and our home made place mats! Now- BRING ON THE TURKEY!

Making the Pie of Our Homeland

I've always been envious of people with deep seeded ethnicity who would pull out their centuries old recipe for this or that at holidays. You know, that recipe for lutkefisk that Tante Anna hid in her shoe on her way to the new world. Or that special cake with super secret ingredients that can't be discerned and no one in your family will divulge because it's been in your family for 200 years?
Being Hoosier........we're rather......well.
Plain. We don't like a lot of wild or fancy things and we're all mostly German Irish but somehow washed most of that out of ourselves except during Oktoberfest when of course we're all German even the Irish.
So you can imagine my joy when I realized that we did indeed have something PURELY HOOSIER that I could make for Thanksgiving. My favorite pie in the world, that I have sought in every grocery store at every holiday since we moved away from Indiana in 1999.
THE SUGAR CREAM PIE.

It's roots are Amish and/or Shaker (we've had both in the Hoosier state) and folks.....it is now the STATE PIE. HAHAHA. Cuz you NEED A STATE PIE.

So, the husband picked up the ingredients and I lassoed the boy into assistance - he might've been born in Kentucky but his DNA is 100% Hoosier.

It's ridiculously simple to make, and now after reading about it I realize it's the pie you make when you only have a few things around on the farm and WANT a pie.

Waddya know, we've GOT A TRADITION!

We choose the first recipe from a list we found - from someone whose Grandmother's recipe it was, as it said her grandmother was Quaker and that rhymes with Shaker so I figure we'd go for it. If it's not exactly the way we want it, we'll go to the next one on the list.

The bits that bubbled over while it baked tasted delicious by the way.

While it baked, the big boy did another one of our traditions that is a new one - started by his teacher last year, he made place mats for the Holiday. He actually had one at school to bring home but he had to leave school early because of my amnio appt and didn't get to bring it home. But he's such a cheery boy, he didn't care and excited made new ones.

We're ready for Thanksgiving with our Hoosier Pie and our home made place mats! Now- BRING ON THE TURKEY!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Happy Thanksgiving!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Everyone Who Told Me Amnio Didn't Hurt - FIRST AGAINST THE WALL!

Well we spent the better part of our day at the high risk OB enjoying all the lovely things they offer.
Like...GENETIC COUNSELING!
And BLOOD DRAWS WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF VIALS!
AND AMNIOCENTESIS! Can I get a WOOT WOOT?

Ok ok ok. lots of people want to know what all went on and what all happened so lemme recap.

First we met with the genetic counselor, who was actually quite nice and very not-scary and she took our family histories for bad DNA, explained the amnio again and then offered us the opportunity to participate in two different studies. One will use our chromosomes to help determine if they can link specific chromosome abnormality to diseases (outside of the big ones they already know about). They're talking about super super small defects or irregularities that have to be seen with the microscope. Of course, I'd be a dick if I said NO to that - it could provide SERIOUS help to people in the future.
The second study is one where they are trying to be able to detect Down's Syndrome via blood draw AS ACCURATELY as they do with amnio. I had to donate extra blood and extra fluid to BOTH of these studies. But again....especially after HAVING the amnio - I'd do anything to help someone NOT have to go through that.

The blood draws sucked as blood draws do. I'm no hero. I'm not tough. People will say "But you've had three kids!" and I'll respond that YEAH, and I'm a total fucking whiny baby throughout the entire childbirth process too. You don't want any part of me during labor until I'm properly drugged up because I am NOT a trooper. WHY? Because there are no REWARDS for being a trooper. So I'm going to be exactly as big of a baby as I feel like being.

But the amnio-ack. Ok I admit I went in terrified and then they TOOK so FUCKING LONG to get to it (we were there like 4 hours) that my husband had to LEAVE because our kids would be getting off the bus. So then I'm on my own. The doctor that we don't like much (not the one from the phone call) was actually really sweet and realized I was scared and did her best to be super kind and supportive.

Here is what it is like. When the needle goes into your skin, it's like a blood draw, kind of like damn that sucks. When the needle goes into your uterus.....it feels like a hot metal rod. I can't explain it any other way. It feels huge. It's not a damn pinch like they said. It's unimaginable and it feels exactly like what it is. A piece of metal inside you.

I might have done better, and be less whiny but the baby kept moving, stretching up into the empty pocket where the needle was.

And she kept having to withdraw "slightly". Just enough to repeat the most painful part of the procedure over and over and over.

But suddenly I felt a much sharper and WORSE version of the same pain and then she says "OK we're done."

I had been gripped the sides of the table so hard, and clenching so hard, I could barely stand up. They tell me THEN that I can't go to work tomorrow (WTF?) and that I'm supposed to take it easy and lay around like a slug for 24 hours.

I came home and had peanut butter, cheese, crackers, chocolate covered cherry and a glass of wine and slept. I am not sure if I am physically hurt or just emotionally scarred.

I could have results as early as tomorrow for the "fast screen" or it could be Monday due to the holiday.

So there you go. You are all caught up.

Everyone Who Told Me Amnio Didn't Hurt - FIRST AGAINST THE WALL!

Well we spent the better part of our day at the high risk OB enjoying all the lovely things they offer.
Like...GENETIC COUNSELING!
And BLOOD DRAWS WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF VIALS!
AND AMNIOCENTESIS! Can I get a WOOT WOOT?

Ok ok ok. lots of people want to know what all went on and what all happened so lemme recap.

First we met with the genetic counselor, who was actually quite nice and very not-scary and she took our family histories for bad DNA, explained the amnio again and then offered us the opportunity to participate in two different studies. One will use our chromosomes to help determine if they can link specific chromosome abnormality to diseases (outside of the big ones they already know about). They're talking about super super small defects or irregularities that have to be seen with the microscope. Of course, I'd be a dick if I said NO to that - it could provide SERIOUS help to people in the future.
The second study is one where they are trying to be able to detect Down's Syndrome via blood draw AS ACCURATELY as they do with amnio. I had to donate extra blood and extra fluid to BOTH of these studies. But again....especially after HAVING the amnio - I'd do anything to help someone NOT have to go through that.

The blood draws sucked as blood draws do. I'm no hero. I'm not tough. People will say "But you've had three kids!" and I'll respond that YEAH, and I'm a total fucking whiny baby throughout the entire childbirth process too. You don't want any part of me during labor until I'm properly drugged up because I am NOT a trooper. WHY? Because there are no REWARDS for being a trooper. So I'm going to be exactly as big of a baby as I feel like being.

But the amnio-ack. Ok I admit I went in terrified and then they TOOK so FUCKING LONG to get to it (we were there like 4 hours) that my husband had to LEAVE because our kids would be getting off the bus. So then I'm on my own. The doctor that we don't like much (not the one from the phone call) was actually really sweet and realized I was scared and did her best to be super kind and supportive.

Here is what it is like. When the needle goes into your skin, it's like a blood draw, kind of like damn that sucks. When the needle goes into your uterus.....it feels like a hot metal rod. I can't explain it any other way. It feels huge. It's not a damn pinch like they said. It's unimaginable and it feels exactly like what it is. A piece of metal inside you.

I might have done better, and be less whiny but the baby kept moving, stretching up into the empty pocket where the needle was.

And she kept having to withdraw "slightly". Just enough to repeat the most painful part of the procedure over and over and over.

But suddenly I felt a much sharper and WORSE version of the same pain and then she says "OK we're done."

I had been gripped the sides of the table so hard, and clenching so hard, I could barely stand up. They tell me THEN that I can't go to work tomorrow (WTF?) and that I'm supposed to take it easy and lay around like a slug for 24 hours.

I came home and had peanut butter, cheese, crackers, chocolate covered cherry and a glass of wine and slept. I am not sure if I am physically hurt or just emotionally scarred.

I could have results as early as tomorrow for the "fast screen" or it could be Monday due to the holiday.

So there you go. You are all caught up.

Ring Ring:BSA - It's the Clue Phone,It's For YOU!

So last year, when the big boy was in kindergarten, he was mistakenly given a flyer about being a cub scout. He came home ecstatic and that afternoon he and his father went to the school to sign up. He came home crushed, absolutely crushed, because he wasn't OLD enough.

A year passed.

We enter 1st grade and AGAIN we get the flyer about being a cub scout. We ALL go to the sign up meeting and sure enough, there is a legion of grown ups in their boy scout regalia taking our money and giving us forms to fill out and and giving us flyers about ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE and guess what the whole family is expected to attend.

I'm not even getting into how bizarre that is compared to the Girl Scouts.

But my problem is this, they took our money, we shelled out money for a UNIFORM and by the time it was said and done, they didn't have a troop leader - den leader - whatever. Nor did they have a PLAN. But they did have $200 of our money.

You would think, that an organization as old as the Boy Scouts would have a PLAN - after all, their bumper stickers proudly proclaim - 100 years of Scouting. Isn't their motto BE PREPARED? Well lemme tell you, they aren't.

We had a pack meeting (that's where all the dens get together once a month). No word about a den meeting. We had another pack meeting. No talk about a den meeting. When we finally start getting communication - they suggest WE do it.

Are you shitting me?

Don't get me wrong. I was in scouting for years. And if we didn't have TWO - count'em TWO special needs children and a baby on the way - I'd entertain it. I don't have any problem pulling our weight and participating. But it just isn't feasible or reasonable.

I said something to one of my coworkers who is one of the grand poobahs locally and some other leader held a den meeting. ONE DEN MEETING. We joined in August. At that den meeting it was again suggested that we be the leaders. Or my husband do it. Oh - and during sign up - there were so many kids joining that it would've been TWO dens. At the only den meeting held, there were TWO KIDS. My kid, and another.

Basically - they lost two dens worth of cub scouts because of their failure to adhere to their own motto - BE PREPARED.

At our last pack meeting, the big boy got a badge. Why? What did he earn a badge for since we haven't DONE anything? I don't know. YOU TELL ME! I'd feel worse, but the parents BEHIND ME also didn't know why their kids were getting them,and they were older than my kid AND IN ACTIVE DENS.

So this weekend, we took a boat that the big boy had painted - one he had been given at his ONLY DEN MEETING (I'm peeved about that can you tell?) and attended the pack's raingutter regatta.

He was the only "Tiger Cub" present. I am sure that this is because the other boy has ALSO dropped out now.

He lost both of his races, but won 1st prize for best design. Oh what was the prize? Oh there wasn't one. Apparently it didn't occur to anyone that there should BE prizes.

So I am now going to help you out, Boy Scouts of America. I am going to help you with some words of wisdom from someone WITH a clue.

1. Everyone has to know what is going on. This means you have to speak loudly, and clearly and concisely. I know you're very worried about some prayer you wrote - but Jesus wants you to SHARE information, not just mumble prayers that no one can hear.
2. Have a plan. I cannot stand to watch 5 adults in the front of a room and none of you know what you are doing, reading from papers you haven't looked at before THAT moment in time. Seriously, it's cool if just ONE of you does it all - as long as that one is prepared. Jesus wants it that way also. He likes it when you don't look stupid.
3. Initiate and instill camaraderie. See - the biggest thing that children, especially young children, learn in scouting is camaraderie. It's the forging of friendships that isn't built around television and video games. You would think, if nothing else, that experienced leaders would be prepared to pick up one extra den meeting a month VS. sacrificing two entire dens. Some of you people live and breathe this stuff-I know you do, I can tell by how well pressed your uniform is. You are failing. Spend less time ironing, more time figuring out how to include EVERYONE.

My little boy has been told by the BSA that he is unimportant to them. He is only 7 so he doesn't perceive this. But I do. It's even been suggested that we just "go through his handbook with him". Wow, cuz that's fun.

I loved Scouting. But this is nothing like Scouting. Maybe I should put him in the Girl Scouts.......

Ring Ring:BSA - It's the Clue Phone,It's For YOU!

So last year, when the big boy was in kindergarten, he was mistakenly given a flyer about being a cub scout. He came home ecstatic and that afternoon he and his father went to the school to sign up. He came home crushed, absolutely crushed, because he wasn't OLD enough.

A year passed.

We enter 1st grade and AGAIN we get the flyer about being a cub scout. We ALL go to the sign up meeting and sure enough, there is a legion of grown ups in their boy scout regalia taking our money and giving us forms to fill out and and giving us flyers about ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE and guess what the whole family is expected to attend.

I'm not even getting into how bizarre that is compared to the Girl Scouts.

But my problem is this, they took our money, we shelled out money for a UNIFORM and by the time it was said and done, they didn't have a troop leader - den leader - whatever. Nor did they have a PLAN. But they did have $200 of our money.

You would think, that an organization as old as the Boy Scouts would have a PLAN - after all, their bumper stickers proudly proclaim - 100 years of Scouting. Isn't their motto BE PREPARED? Well lemme tell you, they aren't.

We had a pack meeting (that's where all the dens get together once a month). No word about a den meeting. We had another pack meeting. No talk about a den meeting. When we finally start getting communication - they suggest WE do it.

Are you shitting me?

Don't get me wrong. I was in scouting for years. And if we didn't have TWO - count'em TWO special needs children and a baby on the way - I'd entertain it. I don't have any problem pulling our weight and participating. But it just isn't feasible or reasonable.

I said something to one of my coworkers who is one of the grand poobahs locally and some other leader held a den meeting. ONE DEN MEETING. We joined in August. At that den meeting it was again suggested that we be the leaders. Or my husband do it. Oh - and during sign up - there were so many kids joining that it would've been TWO dens. At the only den meeting held, there were TWO KIDS. My kid, and another.

Basically - they lost two dens worth of cub scouts because of their failure to adhere to their own motto - BE PREPARED.

At our last pack meeting, the big boy got a badge. Why? What did he earn a badge for since we haven't DONE anything? I don't know. YOU TELL ME! I'd feel worse, but the parents BEHIND ME also didn't know why their kids were getting them,and they were older than my kid AND IN ACTIVE DENS.

So this weekend, we took a boat that the big boy had painted - one he had been given at his ONLY DEN MEETING (I'm peeved about that can you tell?) and attended the pack's raingutter regatta.

He was the only "Tiger Cub" present. I am sure that this is because the other boy has ALSO dropped out now.

He lost both of his races, but won 1st prize for best design. Oh what was the prize? Oh there wasn't one. Apparently it didn't occur to anyone that there should BE prizes.

So I am now going to help you out, Boy Scouts of America. I am going to help you with some words of wisdom from someone WITH a clue.

1. Everyone has to know what is going on. This means you have to speak loudly, and clearly and concisely. I know you're very worried about some prayer you wrote - but Jesus wants you to SHARE information, not just mumble prayers that no one can hear.
2. Have a plan. I cannot stand to watch 5 adults in the front of a room and none of you know what you are doing, reading from papers you haven't looked at before THAT moment in time. Seriously, it's cool if just ONE of you does it all - as long as that one is prepared. Jesus wants it that way also. He likes it when you don't look stupid.
3. Initiate and instill camaraderie. See - the biggest thing that children, especially young children, learn in scouting is camaraderie. It's the forging of friendships that isn't built around television and video games. You would think, if nothing else, that experienced leaders would be prepared to pick up one extra den meeting a month VS. sacrificing two entire dens. Some of you people live and breathe this stuff-I know you do, I can tell by how well pressed your uniform is. You are failing. Spend less time ironing, more time figuring out how to include EVERYONE.

My little boy has been told by the BSA that he is unimportant to them. He is only 7 so he doesn't perceive this. But I do. It's even been suggested that we just "go through his handbook with him". Wow, cuz that's fun.

I loved Scouting. But this is nothing like Scouting. Maybe I should put him in the Girl Scouts.......