Coordinating Lynn Monday December 31, 2007
Posted by gingerbreadman in Yep, I's Nuts.11 comments
It’s never taken much to make me happy – I’ve always been called a cheap date, and that is never more apparent than in my lack of interest in being a Martha St*wart type homemaker. No fancy couch for us, we’ve always had too many messy kids, no stoneware or nice drinking glasses, too many kids who are too rambunctious around the table. No fancy clothes for me, why would I need them? I go nowhere but to the stores and the doctors, after all.
This past year, 2007, has quietly, sneakily started to change all that I’ve just noticed. I don’t know if it’s me finally coming out of the fog of the last three years, my at last acceeding to the fact that I AM consigned as a homemaker and that is it since my disability makes it impossible to work outside the home, or I’ve just decided enough of the schlump and on with the fashion. Or maybe it’s as simple as Laura finally being old enough to handle dishes that might break and realizing she’s stopped spitting up on my tops.
I’ve color-coordinated my kitchen, of all things. Everything is black and red, or heading that way shortly. It all started with this little red toaster Mike and the girls bought me for Valentine’s Day a couple years ago. Good old Mike, always turning gifts into practical use purchases, after all, we needed a new toaster, red is my favorite color AND one of the Valentine’s Day traditional colors, why wouldn’t I love it?
Thus began my black/red kitchen project. My black fridge came after the toaster, and TheRocket finally died so I could buy my Hamilton Beach coffee IV, then I found these Cor*lle plates and TA-DA! I was in heaven. My countertops are black, my linoleum is black and white block patterned. Becca bought me 60 kitchen towels in red or red patterned. I think I am good to go, now all I need is those nifty dark-tinted glassware and a deep red tablecloth and some black cloth napkins. Woot!
I don’t know why this makes me so happy-of course I’m madly in love with my new fridge, I’ve never owned a side-by-side until now, or a brand new fridge either. I suspect people will pity me my rapture over something as silly as a color-coordinated kitchen, but dangit..I’m the dame who only owns two pairs of jeans. Everything else is slouch pants or sweats.
I look back on how I wrote my first Dec. 31st in 2005, my blog on the last day of 2006, and I’m amazed at the changes in me. I found the song "Dear Abby" Cas sent me, and I’m blown away how appropos the chorus is now for me, and how it’s always been ‘my song’
"Unhappy, unhappy…you have no complaint
You are what you are
You ain’t what you ain’t.
So listen up Buster, and listen up good…
Stop wishing for bad luck and knocking on wood,"
Trust Cas to come down to it, whether he meant to or not. 2007 has been the year I realized I am what I yam, and that’s all I need to be, for better or worse. I’ve had to ride out some bad mind trips I’ve given myself, that the world around me has thrown at me, but I’ve gotten through.
The past month has been another one of those "don’t look too hard at all those medicine bottles, Lynnie-girl" struggles. But every day, no matter what morbid thoughts run through my head, I am pulling myself together and marching on through the day. When it gets bad, I pick up my wicked-cool Chili Red stoneware and grin, knowing that even if I can’t keep down what’s on the plate, I can be assured through the heft of that weight that I’m still here, there are things to be happy about.
I love you all. You’ve literally been lifesavers, each in your own special way. Thanks for carrying me through this year that I figured out I’m okay…that I am what I am, and ain’t what I ain’t, and that it’s good enough.
I don’t know why this makes me so happy-of course I’m madly in love with my new fridge, I’ve never owned a side-by-side until now, or a brand new fridge either. I suspect people will pity me my rapture over something as silly as a color-coordinated kitchen, but dangit..I’m the dame who only owns two pairs of jeans. Everything else is slouch pants or sweats.
I look back on how I wrote my first Dec. 31st in 2005, my blog on the last day of 2006, and I’m amazed at the changes in me. I found the song "Dear Abby" Cas sent me, and I’m blown away how appropos the chorus is now for me, and how it’s always been ‘my song’
"Unhappy, unhappy…you have no complaint
You are what you are
You ain’t what you ain’t.
So listen up Buster, and listen up good…
Stop wishing for bad luck and knocking on wood,"
Trust Cas to come down to it, whether he meant to or not. 2007 has been the year I realized I am what I yam, and that’s all I need to be, for better or worse. I’ve had to ride out some bad mind trips I’ve given myself, that the world around me has thrown at me, but I’ve gotten through.
The past month has been another one of those "don’t look too hard at all those medicine bottles, Lynnie-girl" struggles. But every day, no matter what morbid thoughts run through my head, I am pulling myself together and marching on through the day. When it gets bad, I pick up my wicked-cool Chili Red stoneware and grin, knowing that even if I can’t keep down what’s on the plate, I can be assured through the heft of that weight that I’m still here, there are things to be happy about.
I love you all. You’ve literally been lifesavers, each in your own special way. Thanks for carrying me through this year that I figured out I’m okay…that I am what I am, and ain’t what I ain’t, and that it’s good enough.
That was fun! Wednesday December 26, 2007
Posted by gingerbreadman in My Darling Dears.15 comments
Is there some law that states that if you have more than two children in a family that at least ONE of them will become ill during the Christmas celebrations? I think there must be; it happens every single time to us. This year it was the La-less. She came down with a croupy cough two days before Christmas Eve, ran a fever, prostrated herself upon me every moment and demanded hot cloths on her throat and all the cuddling I could give. We feared for our holiday, mostly because she is cranky by nature, but when she is sick – oh boy, can it get ugly up in here.
Christmas Eve Day dawned bright and beautiful here and our Miracle Baby woke up in a good mood and seemingly much improved. Hooray, we all thought! It will be pleasant and light here in our world. Heh.
We went to my parent’s for the big Family Christmas Eve celebration. This tradition is really more revered than the Opening of the Gifts at home on Christmas morn…we all love Nana and Popa and all the family so much, and being together for the holidays is always special and joyful. So much to eat, to talk about, Santa Sightings to report to my youngest nephews and now Laura – and of course the enormous job of opening presents to and from so many people.
Too bad Laura wanted turkey-fish and Nana was serving ham. Too bad Nana had no pepperonis, Laura’s gracious concession to the lack of her turkeyfish. Really bad when La took the lack of Laura-food as a personal insult and decided ballistic was a good emotion to display as her gift to all of us. It was louder than anyone wanted to deal with…and of course with her fit-throwing, Laura threw herself into more coughing spasms and pronounced herself "sick in my throat" again.
Somehow we managed to have a great time in spite of the little elf who would ruin Christmas. We even decided just to find ourselves amused with her and launched a series of "Remember when…. acted a fool?"s. We had a beautiful time together, my brothers, my sis-in-laws, my nephews, my parents, my family. It is always such a GIFT to me when I get to be with everyone.
Christmas morning starts early at our place…around 5:30, because Becca has to travel back to her home and celebrate with the other side of her family too. Guess who wouldn’t get up to see what Santa brought her, to open all the presents she’d been counting every day to get into: Yep, the Alien. It was 10:40 before she got up, and then she really couldn’t have cared less about her gifts.
But oh, the girls were SO happy with everything. Mike was thrilled with all his tools and NFL apparel, and the gifts to me from the girls were all family oriented, so I was of course a bucket of tears of happiness by the end of the unwrapping.
We ate sausage balls and eggs, snacked on treats, lazed around all day taking turns taking naps so someone could watch La. We played Clue, watched A Christmas Story, sang carols and generally just spent the day and night enjoying each other’s company. Eventually even Laura mellowed out and we had peace on earth. We’re having fun playing with her Leapster and Easel and Chalkboard and butcher paper, reading her books and rearranging her animals.
It was a special, wonderful, magical twenty-four hours of family and sharing. The best gift was having so much family around for such a long time. And taking that 3 hour nap Christmas afternoon…that was great too.
OH! I have to tell you about this…it was such a special and loving thing to do: Katie had worked on a PowerPoint presentation for me since September…chronicalling *yeah, I know I spelled that wrong, so what?* all of the lead-ups to Christmas, complete with photos and quotes from everyone. She knows how much it bugs me to forget so much of Christmas each year, so she made this for me so I wouldn’t forget Christmas 2007 and all the laughter and joy and insanity that went with it. Is that not the sweetest thing, the greatest kid, or what?
Happy Holiday Season! Saturday December 22, 2007
Posted by gingerbreadman in Friends.14 comments
I’ve always loved the song "The Little Drummer Boy". Not really because of the Christian theme, as sweet as it is, but more for the important message in the song that all faiths and peoples can embrace:
"I played my best for Him…"
Isn’t that we’re all trying to do through the Holiday Season? Isn’t it what we strive for as humans, interacting in all our relationships? Giving the best of ourselves we have to everyone, in everything that we are and do. The simple act of GIVING, it’s the ultimate meaning of Christmas. It’s so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of buying, budgeting, wrapping, rearranging our days and nights to fit things and people in we forget what it’s all supposed to be about – Gifts of love.
I’m excited about this Christmas Season. It’s the first year since my rupture that I really feel well and have managed to do the shopping, decorating, hustling and bustling by myself. La’s that age now…the FUN year she’s discovered Santa Claus and all his magic. We read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" every day now, and she’s SO excited about Christmas Eve at Nana and Popa’s. we all are.
Here’s a fun version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" I’ve always been fond of…I hope you enjoy it too.
"Twas the Night before Christmas" has lots of nice rhymes
But I fear that the tale doesnt fit modern times.
What is a kerchief? My dad wears no cap.
He snores the whole night, no way its a nap.
But I fear that the tale doesnt fit modern times.
What is a kerchief? My dad wears no cap.
He snores the whole night, no way its a nap.
They tell me that Santa is coming tonight.
Hell be flying in here on a sleigh. Yeah, RIGHT!
When I was much younger I believed all that stuff,
Now that Im older I know its a bluff.
Hell be flying in here on a sleigh. Yeah, RIGHT!
When I was much younger I believed all that stuff,
Now that Im older I know its a bluff.
As this Christmas eve is going so slow
I sneak down the stairs to watch HBO.
Nothing is stirring, its quiet down here.
Security’s on so there’s nothing to fear.
I sneak down the stairs to watch HBO.
Nothing is stirring, its quiet down here.
Security’s on so there’s nothing to fear.
All of a sudden I hear the floor squeak
Someone is coming, sneakety, sneak.
And then as my heart leaps up to my throat
I see a fat man in a funny red coat.
Someone is coming, sneakety, sneak.
And then as my heart leaps up to my throat
I see a fat man in a funny red coat.
He stands by the table and looks through the house
And takes from his pocket a tiny gray mouse.
He says, "Ho, Ho Ho, I truly believe,
There must be a mouse in each Christmas eve."
And takes from his pocket a tiny gray mouse.
He says, "Ho, Ho Ho, I truly believe,
There must be a mouse in each Christmas eve."
His belt buckle shakes as he laughs, look at that.
My gosh this jolly old guy sure is fat.
He looks up. He sees me and gives a big smile.
Says, "I came to see you. Lets talk for a while.
My gosh this jolly old guy sure is fat.
He looks up. He sees me and gives a big smile.
Says, "I came to see you. Lets talk for a while.
"Youre one grown up child that doesnt believe
That Santa Claus comes on each Christmas eve.
Youre a big girl. Your minds filled with doubt.
Its simple, without me the joy is left out.
That Santa Claus comes on each Christmas eve.
Youre a big girl. Your minds filled with doubt.
Its simple, without me the joy is left out.
"I remember the time you sat on my knee
A smile on your face, eyes sparkling with glee.
Dont you remember the thrill you felt then?
With a little belief you can feel it again.
A smile on your face, eyes sparkling with glee.
Dont you remember the thrill you felt then?
With a little belief you can feel it again.
"Santa Claus comes for each child at the start.
The rest of their lives I live in their heart.
If you are a youngster or wrinkled old guy
You still can hear sleigh bells ring cross the sky."
The rest of their lives I live in their heart.
If you are a youngster or wrinkled old guy
You still can hear sleigh bells ring cross the sky."
He turns as he says, "Will you please come out here?"
And there on the driveway stand eight cool reindeer.
They all nod to me and then snort in chorus,
"Whos this pretty girl now standing before us?"
And there on the driveway stand eight cool reindeer.
They all nod to me and then snort in chorus,
"Whos this pretty girl now standing before us?"
I wave as I tell them, "Im Anna May."
As the big burley guy crawls into his sleigh.
He says, "Its my new team, a real with-it crew.
I’ll let Captain Cosmos give their names to you."
As the big burley guy crawls into his sleigh.
He says, "Its my new team, a real with-it crew.
I’ll let Captain Cosmos give their names to you."
"Heres E-mail and Hat Rack, Cool Dude and Charley,
Im Cosmos, theres Awesome, Brucie and Narley.
Head Cat is Santa, the North Poles his home,
We see him all year cause we hang out in Nome."
Im Cosmos, theres Awesome, Brucie and Narley.
Head Cat is Santa, the North Poles his home,
We see him all year cause we hang out in Nome."
Then they take off and fly to the roof
Tap a short rap and give a "high hoof."
All turn and shout, "Tonight reindeers rule.
The eight of us wish you a crazy cool Yule."
Tap a short rap and give a "high hoof."
All turn and shout, "Tonight reindeers rule.
The eight of us wish you a crazy cool Yule."
Then Santa shouts, "Its true some things change.
But believe in the basics." As he speeds out of range.
Then I hear repeated, as my willing ears strain,
The words I now love, my favorite refrain.
But believe in the basics." As he speeds out of range.
Then I hear repeated, as my willing ears strain,
The words I now love, my favorite refrain.
"Twas the Night before Christmas" has some things outdated
But The Story, dear folks, is not overrated.
Throw open the window, and rejoice in the sight!
"Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night."
But The Story, dear folks, is not overrated.
Throw open the window, and rejoice in the sight!
"Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night."
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KILL the BOY! Thursday December 20, 2007
Posted by gingerbreadman in My Darling Dears.19 comments
Well, I’m eating my words lately. Remember "Tell your kids everything about sex, share and they’ll share back, that’s how to have a healthy relationship and safe kids" me? Yeah, I’m gettin’ over that and moving on towards "KILL THE BOY and LOCK HER UP!"
In my head, anyway. Out loud, to Emily, I’m open, listening, encouraging and comforting. Let me tell you, Ladies and Gentlemen – now I know what hell is: listening to your 14 year old daughter talk about "tingles down below" and assuring her it is normal.
Jeremy and Emmy have been ‘going steady’ for almost six months now. It took them three months to kiss (thank you school and your PDA rules!) and then they were both too innocent and new to this whole physical thing to go any further. I liked that, just fine. Talking about how the idea of tongues interlocking was gross to her was bliss – I even foolishly smiled and told her she’d change her mind once they tried it. And gosh, I was right!
Emmy has always been very shy and reticent about the idea of sex. She clung to the notion that she’d never feel interested in ‘those feelings’ no matter how many times I told her the right boy and hormones would change her mind. That was a month ago! Why do I have to be right so often?
I’ve always told all the girls everything about sex they wanted to know, needed to know, I could think of to tell them. Jess and Becca were equipped with all the info I could think of to share, I was ever-encouraging and reassuring that they could come to me with any and every feeling they had, but Jess was more a "Do it and then talk about it" girl, and Becca…well, to say she’s private about her ‘personal’ life is akin to saying Santa Claus is nice to good girls and boys.
So here I am in uncharted territory – dealing with a child who wants to know everything about ‘those tingles’ and how they make her feel guilty, counselling Jeremy through Emmy because he is as uncertain about all these new feelings as she is and trying not to have a nervous breakdown. I don’t get the play-by-play afterwards, I get it before – "Mommy, I feel guilty because when we kiss, I want to do more." "Mommy, sometimes I want him to put his hand there, even though we don’t and I’d freak out if he did."
Basically, "Mommy, am I normal? Is it okay to feel this way?"
Here’s where it gets hard, folks. Telling her it IS okay to feel that way, to have those feelings, to feel tingly and achy while at the same time trying to slow it all down and give her the necessary tools to put on the brakes, too.
Heh, I’m trying for World Peace, too.
I walk such a fine line, between wanting to reassure her that humans are wired to derive pleasure from intimacy while cautioning her on how important it is to remember how young she is, how unsure the future is, how imperative it is to protect not only her body but her emotions from going places she can’t come back from, might not want to go when she isn’t in his arms. It’s so easy to get carried away in the moment, impossible to take back actions…how once you’ve gone to one level it’s that much easier to get to the next one without even realizing it.
Teaching our children it is normal and right to have those feelings and thrills while cautioning them not to act on them – what a scary thing it is. Making them understand you really, truly can’t go back to holding hands is tougher than you realize when you take into account that not only are you trying to get them to wait as long as possible to plunge into the world of sex, but you’re holding how your kid might feel about themselves and their bodies for the rest of their lives too.
For now, Emily is steadfast in her determination to go to her marriage bed a virgin. But a month ago, the idea of second base made her shudder, too, and in that "If he tries that he’ll draw back a nub!" shudder, not the one she’s looking at now. It’s funny how you want more than anything for your kids to talk to you about their feelings, and then when they do, most of you wants to go screaming into a room and lock the door…
Right after you lock up the kids and KILL the BOY, of course.
I write all this out, sharing my angst and Emmy’s feelings because I know so many of the rest of you have teens and are feeling my pain. Someone’s gotta be going through this besides just me, right?
Alien landed 4 years ago Monday December 17, 2007
Posted by gingerbreadman in My Darling Dears.18 comments
Four years ago, there was peace in our household, even though I didn’t realize it at the time. I foolishly thought two well-behaved older teens, a twin set of 10 year-olds and an 8 year old was a big, chaotic family. I imagined the worst was already happening and one more little baby wouldn’t make a big difference in our lives…how much crazier could it GET, after all?
I didn’t realize that it all depends on the baby, though you’d think I’d have known after having FIVE already.
So Laura Grace came into our lives, our family on Dec. 17th, four years ago. Five weeks early, she started out with a bang and a roar – almost six lbs of red, raw energy topped with the longest, blackest hair you’d ever seen on a baby. She never had that newborn squall that characterizes the just-born, oh no, not this child. She came equipped with a pterodactyl piercing screech right from the get-go; she wanted what she wanted, when she wanted it and she wanted it yesterday, dadgumit! Her first nicknames were Babyluv (from her Daddy, who didn’t know any better, poor man) and Pterodactyl. The latter was much more attuned to her personality.
From the beginning our little raptor was formidable. She took her milk in like she was starving every time, did her patented screech if she wasn’t held enough (like that was going to happen with all her sisters around?) and could not abide being in anything but clean diapers. "Change me NOW!" was her cry, before she was even finished going.
As she grew, we realized we had a powerhouse on our hands. She more than surpassed all the milestones for her ages, went after everything she wanted and did with a ferocity that was almost frightening sometimes. She became furious when she couldn’t reach that ball she was crawling for, the sister who wouldn’t pick her up, Daddy putting her down before she was ready to stop snuggling. Stubborn? I didn’t know what stubborn was before I met this child. Just goes to show what two absolute muleheads with strong wills create when they mesh DNA.
Laura has the ‘youngest child’ syndrome. She demands being the center of attention, the comic genius, the ultimate actress and performer. We’ve spoiled her dreadfully, Daddy, Mommy and the slaves she calls her sisters. There is no more adored child in the universe than the La.
She got the nickname ‘La-La’ once she discovered music. She sang before she talked, danced in everyone’s lap, rocked and rolled to the ever-present music in our house. She could do the Cha-Cha Slide at age two, was crunking to Will Smith and 50 Cent and banging her head to Metallica and Guns N Roses. She’d dance in swirling ballerina moves to country, sit quietly and listen to classical, one small hand keeping time with the notes. She sings in her sleep. Now that she’s seen the movie August Rush, she conducts as music plays as well, and I’d swear she does it in time.
Laura has grown from a rapacious little pterodactyl into a bondafide Diva Extraordinaire in her four years here on Earth. From a shy baby who wouldn’t allow herself to be touched by anyone except the people in her household she has slowly evolved into a toddler who greets strangers in stores with a brave "Hello Lady/Man/Grandma, I’m Laura and this is my Mom". She’s gone from crawling up walls to running pell-mell around the place, creating havoc everywhere she goes.
She’s a sprite, a fairy, an Alien in the world she was dropped off in. She’s endearing, playful, rowdy, cheerful, bossy, stubborn, fiesty, funny as heck and the best thing that ever happened to our family, regardless of all her insane personality traits. From her obsession with my mole that transfered to an obsession with my scar to her demands that we all kowtow to her every whim and shock and dismay when we don’t, she’s pure delight. There hasn’t been a day since she came that everyone in this family hasn’t had a big laugh over La-la’s antics. She’s our delight, our reminder that no matter how tough we are, how smart we think we are, how cute we are told we are, there’s always the La coming along to burst our bubble and remind us who the Queen in the family is.
I can’t believe she’s four now. I don’t remember life without her, what we did when it was just the five girls and me and ‘Daddy’. It seemed like such a quiet time back then-peaceful, ordered. The week before Christmas Eve four years ago taught us all what we’d been missing-the Grace and Presence of a bonafide Alien. As the Borg are famous for saying, "Resistance is Futile".
No kidding. And no one wants to resist. Our Laura Grace has opened everyone in this family up to the possibilities of wild, imaginative insanity, and just how much of a joy it is to plunge head-first into it.
We love you, Laura Lala. Thanks for dropping into our family and assimilating us into your world.
When the Cat’s Away…. Sunday December 16, 2007
Posted by gingerbreadman in My Darling Dears.12 comments
Woe betide the parent who leaves the children alone in the house around Christmastime!
Becca came home for one of her none-too-often visits yesterday, arriving just about an hour before Mike and I were scheduled to hit the Big City for some Christmas shopping at the mall and then attend Mike’s work party/buffet. I hated not getting to see much of her, but her work schedule is wacky, and she needs at least one of her days off per week to do errands and just rest in the other town she calls home with her grandparents. But, we’d planned this night off to shop for a long while, and it couldn’t be helped.
It was nice to know we’d have a responsible adult with a car there at home with the kids while we were gone though – no more worrying about having to drive like mad-demons on PCP back to the house if something were to happen. We knew Becca took charge of the kids well and I’d find my home straightened, chores done and Baby fast asleep when we crept back in late.
Ha Ha. It is to laugh.
In the inimitable way our family does everything…the girls made Holiday Cookies.
My poor doggie!
Needless to say, when I trooped in around eleven last night, I didn’t find a clean kitchen, chores done and I was greeted by two very sugared-up Klingons. Laura and Jack had been into the sprinkles. We also found out that while Jack loves breads of any kind…he does NOT lick flour off the floor.
And poor Becca…she was passed out on the couch.
Wanna cookie?
The best gift I’ve ever given Tuesday December 11, 2007
Posted by gingerbreadman in Friends.12 comments
I have an Aunt and Uncle who mean the world to me. They’re fun, funny, loving, warm and affectionate people. I call my Aunt Therese ‘Aunt Tickle’, because from way back to the beginnings of my childhood she always played Tickle Monster with me. She’d call to me from across the house, telling me she needed to have a serious talk with me, and gullible child that I was, I always came running. She’d get this mischevious look in her eyes, sit me on her lap, whisper in my ear that it was time she told me a few things and then lock her arms around me and TICKLE the living daylights out of me. We’d end up rolling on the floor together, and I always felt her love for me shining through.
Uncle Chuck is an odd duck. He loves books and puzzles, world events and conspiracy theories. He’s also nuttier than a pecan pie. I’ll never forget the year at Thanksgiving dinner Mom made the mistake of asking him to say Grace before we ate. He started off fine, thanking God for our blessings, our family, etc. Then he proceeded to thank the turkey for it’s sacrifice, talked to God about the farmers and workers who had grown the wheat for the meal, the cranberries that had been picked, the vegetables grown. Something about the stock market, and then Aunt Tickle finally interrupted with a quick, loud, "Thank you, Heavenly Father, AMEN." It was weird, trying to eat after that prayer. Good old Uncle Chuck. I love that man.
Everything good and loving is all I’ve associated with this Aunt and Uncle. I have many, many since both my parents had lots of siblings, but none as close to me, even if they lived in Illlinois all my life and I only saw them once a year.
This year I wanted to do something special for them for Christmas. Aunt Therese has never forgotten a birthday in all my years, always sent loving cards out of nowhere as a surprise, and given so lovingly all my life to me and the girls.
I wracked my brain trying to figure out what to do for them, and suddenly it occured to me – I knew just what to do.
Gina of GBees.com! Of course! A special, ordered gift basket to my specifications just for them! I contacted Gina, who was absolutely thrilled to do something for someone she knew, for people so worthy.
The beauty of Gina’s basket to Aunt Tickle and Uncle Chuck is that she worked with me completely on each piece that went into the basket. She shopped for gifts I mentioned I thought they’d like, we worked on the candy and nuts and I even got to pick out the wrappers for the candy bars! And I don’t mean CHOOSE which wrapper I wanted, I mean the design of the wrapper was changed to meet exactly what I wanted. So my favorite Aunt and Uncle now have a sleigh basket full of goodies specifically hand-picked for them, complete with customized, personalized wrappers for their candy bars. It is beautiful.
I couldn’t be any more happy with the gift I got for them. Those roses are CANDY!! Gina was a dream to work with, and I know it wasn’t because we were already friends, she gives this kind of wonderful service to every customer at http://GBees.com . I told her how much I love what she came up with, and she’s as much concerned with how Aunt Tickle and Uncle Chuck love it as I am…and more interested in how they like it than she is about how much I love it. THAT is customer service!
I have no doubt my beloved Aunt and Uncle are going to be bowled over with their gift. They know it is the thought that counts, and not only did I work to think of something special for them, but GINA worked her butt off to make it a special gift, beautifully done, not only to my specifications but her own.
Now I know where to go any and every time I have a special gift to give. Something not only from MY heart, but Gina’s as well. What more can you ask for in giving a gift to someone you love than to have someone work so hard to make it everything you as the customer will love but also the receiver will appreciate and be thrilled to get?
Gina can be reached at http://GBees.com for all your wrapping, gift basket, cards, labels, invitations and other goodies you could ever want. Custom, quality work for a great price, made with care and consideration.
AND she didn’t want me to blog this until after she and I both knew if Aunt Therese and Uncle Chuck liked the basket or not. Please. I’m the customer, and I adore what she did. I feel so good about this gift…I haven’t been so excited about giving someone a present in ages.
Thank you, Gina, so much, for all you and your husband did to make this gift special. I hope your Christmas is as special as you’ve already made mine, allowing me to do this for two special people in my life.
Just Some Photos Thursday December 6, 2007
Posted by gingerbreadman in Friends.18 comments
I thought I’d put a few photos up since I haven’t thrown a pic of La onto the blog in a while and some people may be tired of reading about her all the time and wondering what she looks like. It’s easy: she looks just like Daddy…only she’s beardless. There’s a few of the girlies in there too, and some of Becca’s macros of the tree ornaments.
Oh, and for those tired of the same old Christmas songs, I’ve got one for you…but it’s a bit irreverent.
22 years now Wednesday December 5, 2007
Posted by gingerbreadman in My Darling Dears.13 comments
This is the year, the day I’ve been a Mom longer than I’ve been anything else in my life. My oldest daughter, Jessica, my Bright and Shining, turns twenty-two today. It’s funny, it seems like so long ago in some ways, and I feel like I’m still learning to be her Mommy in others.
From the moment I first learned I was carrying her, the first time I heard her heartbeat, the first furtive movements she made inside me I could feel, I wondered and worried what kind of Momma I’d be. If I could handle the years ahead, grasp the importance of realizing that from my pregnancy until the day I died I’d in some way be influencing how my child grew, learned, took life on…how she saw the world and how she let the world see her. Having Jess was the turning point in my life-the positive pregnancy test turned me from the party girl to an abstainer, from a devil-may-care to a watcher, from a self-interested twenty year old into a Mother.
She was over 3 weeks late, and her coming out party was induced (something that ended up happening with every single one of my kids, that trend-setting kid!), long, tough. It’s true, you work for those things most worth having. She was advanced from the beginning and hasn’t stopped that momentum for a moment. Jess did everything early, did everything well, exceeded every expectation I ever had for her from infancy up to today. She truly is the Bright and Shining Daughter.
My Jess the rebel, who went to school with her socks mismatched, her striped and polka-dotted clashing clothes and her hair in disarray because she liked it like that, has turned into a fashion plate today. We all call her for help when we’re trying to figure out what to wear, what’s in, what looks good on us and what doesn’t. That woman never, ever looks bad, damnit. I have no idea where she picked up this particular part of her personality, it sure didn’t come from my side, and her Dad is even worse than I am. Like most else, I suspect she found her flair from books and magazines.
She’s still the most well-read of our bunch, I may read more often, she reads substance. She’s addicted to John Irving books, Harry Potter, any feminist writer she can get her hands on, political thrillers and psychology. My baby girl, my oldest, the one who gave me the title of Mom, has managed to figure out a way to stay sane, funny, strong and charming as hell while still being a stubborn, hard-core feminist hot-head who can cook like a champion chef.
For four years now she’s been making it completely on her own. Working long hours, going to college full-time, in her own apartment in another city from either her Dad or me. She calls all the time, keeping me up to date on all her crazy comings and goings, her stellar grades, being promoted yet again at her job, the hilarious things she’s up to in her personal life…when are you taking me to that Drag Show again, Jess? I can’t believe how well she’s turned out, in spite of me most of the time. Her childhood wasn’t fairy-tale-like, everyone knows she and Becca bore most of the housekeeping chores and helping with the little kids while I worked and went to college, Jessica never let it get in the way of loving me or the sisters she was made to help raise. Both Jess and Becca kept us afloat during those long years, I couldn’t have done it without them.
There’s so much I couldn’t have done without Jessica. Gotten through my aneurysm experience, gotten through the nasty divorce with my abusive X, dealt with so many of the issues of finding out I’m crazy and dealing with it, just having my friend, my daughter to talk to when things seemed tough. Jessica is the one who came and stayed with the family when I cracked up a few months ago…giving up work time and her life at her home to take care of mine. She and Becca have done that more than once to get me through my crises.
I’ve been blessed to be a Momma for 22 years now. People ask me all the time what I was thinking having SIX kids. It’s really simple…when you have a First Child like Jessica, why would you stop? My Bright and Shining Beloved Oldest is all anyone, everyone would want in a daughter, a child, a friend. She’s made me better than I ever thought I could be, taught me more than all the teachers I’ve ever met, given me more than I can ever say or repay. I’m who I am today because of this day 22 years ago…the good parts, anyway. The bad parts she hasn’t straightened out of me yet. But don’t worry, she’s going to be a psychiatrist…she’ll get me squared away one day.
Happy Birthday Jessica. I love you.
I'm The Gingerbread Man 