My Kids Crack Me Up!

The other night we were having friends over.  My son, Ben, was in the kitchen with me helping me get ready.  As he's opening my wine bottle he looks up and asks me, "Mom, should I be a wine guy or a beer guy?"  I told him to drink wine with the ladies and save the beer for the guys.  He agreed.  Now, mind you, he's 8 years away from his first drink, but he's planning his future now.

Adventures of Daniel

I frequently refer to Daniel as a, "Domestic Terrorist."  If you have ever followed him around the house picking up after him, you would understand what I mean. 

Daniel is my fourth child.  My fourth boy, that is.  He came quite unexpectedly.  Someone, and I'm not mentioning any names, was supposed to see a certain doctor after number three and chickened out.  You know I marched him right back to the doctor four months later and ordered a certain procedure to be performed, as I watched.

Daniel is autistic.  I don't want to go into detail, but I will say this.  Every accomplishment, every gain, every nugget I hold on to tightly.  They seem to make the bad days better.  This week is  one of his amazing weeks.  He picked up the phone yesterday and had me call his grandpa.  He carried on a conversation with him!  He walked into the living room this morning with his boxers hitched up and declared, "I look fabulous!"  This week he is a bundle of joy.  Making us laugh at every turn.  He's engaged in everything.  He is excited about Thanksgiving for the first time. 

5 Years Later

Five years ago, I lay in a hospital bed peering down at my newly flattened chest.  Quite a shock.  I had to relearn my body.  When I looked down, I didn't see anything.  Just my shoes, quite a change from my triple D view.

Five Years ago today Dr. West removed both of my girls and the very last few remaining cancer cells that had invaded my body.  It's Officially the day I was declared, "Cancer Free".  

It was a large lump (baseball-sized) in my left breast.  "Mastitis" they kept telling me.  I had an 8 month old baby and I had stopped breast feeding.  How could that be?  When my OB saw it, his chin literally dropped to the floor and the color drained from his face.  He was on the phone with the surgeon within minutes.  

The surgeon took one look at me and said, "It's cancer."  I get sick just thinking about it.

After hearing the diagnosis my family sat around my living room in a cancer coma.  I told my brother to give it to me straight.  I wanted to hear the truth.  What was I looking at?  How long did I have?  He went into the office and came back several minutes later with tears in his eyes.  I had a 28% chance of being here in 5 years.  

You see I had been diagnosed with one of the worst breeds of cancer out there.  Called Inflammatory Breast Cancer it is known to be quite aggressive.  My outlook was grim.

My younger sister had been diagnosed just two years before.  I remember her surgeon telling the family how lucky she was to have Lobular Breast Cancer.  That type stays in the breast.  She was also Estrogen positive which meant she had drugs available to her after treatment to ward off the cancer.

Me on the other hand, was not so lucky, according to the internet.  That was a Thursday night.  I have to say, it was the worst weekend of my life.  Not knowing is the worst.  Not having a plan to execute.

On Monday I met with the Oncologist.  Well, my three sisters, my two sister-in-laws, my husband, and my niece met with her.  Don't do cancer alone.  Dr. Tetef told us that although I was not Estrogen or Progesterone positive, I was HR-2 positive.  Just 5 months before this diagnosis, coupled with my type of cancer, was a death sentence.  However, there was a new drug on the scene.  Herceptin.  They called it the "Penicillin of cancer".

To be continued....

Sweet Shop

Look at the Sweet Shop some of my friends put together for our Volunteer Appreciation at our school.  It could not have been any cuter.

We gave parents baggies to fill up with candy.  They went nuts.  I couldn't believe how much they took!  Do you see the cute platters?  Laura put those together with candlesticks and plastic plates.  They could not have been any cuter. 

Most importantly this day was to thank our parent volunteers.  Without them, I don't know what I would do!

Summer Daze

Well, I had surgery on Tuesday.  The "girls" needed a little adjustment.  I didn't plan on a big surgery and I didn't think I would be out of it.  I wasn't.  Wednesday I took a few naps and a few Motrin.  I feel much better today.  There's no real pain when you don't have any feeling in that area anyway.

My baby is coming home from camp today.  He's been gone for a whole week.  Here's a picture of him at camp.  I really miss him.  He's the boy who takes care of me.  He makes my coffee and brings me a cup when I need one.  In many ways he's the girl I never had.  I have really missed him this week. 

We are planning a big day at the fair tomorrow.  I have gone over the many different food items I can buy from deep friend butter to chocolate covered bacon.  The truth is, I will get none of these.  I pretty much stick to the basics.  I don't want to take a chance of getting sick at the fair.  We usually get the mini-donuts and grilled corn.  Can't go wrong there.  None the less, it's fun to look and smell.  My favorite attraction at the fair is the home goods area.  Where else can you learn about the latest mop or kitchen gadget.  I can't count the number of things we have bought here.  I had a salsa maker that I used for years.  I could still use it.  It's somewhere in the garage.

Daniel had speech yesterday.  I was amazed at how well he listened and complied with the SLP.  He really is growing up quickly.  He gets himself dressed and takes care of his needs.  That's 12 years of mommy dressing and pottying and I think I'm finally finished.  It's time to move on to the next chapter.

Today in the car we talked a long time about college.  I want my boys to move away from home and go to college.  I want them to live in the dorms and enjoy college.  I want to make this happen for them.  You can't get that experience back.  Living at home and driving to school is not the same.  I keep telling Joey that he needs to pick a college and he keeps reminding me he's only in 2nd grade!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my 48 year old husband!  I remember spending his 25th birthday together.  How did we get to be so old?  Tonight we went out to dinner with friends and had a great time.  Twenty-four years together and we're still having fun.  Happy birthday sweetheart.

Just Saying

Random things I need to put into the cybersphere:

• Have you ever learned more about someone than you ever wanted to know?  And not in a good way?  
• I spent the entire evening avoiding my son's teachers at Open House because I didn't want to hear what they might say.  (I have really good kids)
• I have so much to do in the next few weeks I just want to go to bed and lay there until June 24th.
• The show Extreme Couponing really bugs me.  They are just organized hoarders.

Thank you for indulging me.

Dan's Birthday

Six years ago today I was holding my new baby in my arms.  The overwhelming love I felt for him then is even stronger today.  Such a sweet boy.  So much has happened in those 6 years!  I am just grateful to be alive.  I am grateful to be his mom.  Happy Birthday my sweet boy.

Matzoh Candy....Yum

So last week I made my matzoh candy...my most requested treat.  It turned out great.  I thought I would share with you how to make it...I realize I don't have any followers, but once I do, this will be a pretty popular post!

First you place the matzoh crackers on the cookie sheet.  They key is to cover with entire sheet without leaving any open spaces.  The cookie sheet was covered in foil, then I put a silicone liner on top.

Put two sticks of butter and one cup of brown sugar in a pan.

Pour the mixture over the crackers and spread to the edges.  Be careful because it's REALLY hot!  Place in oven and bake, watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.  It will bubble up.

Remove from the oven and put the chocolate chips on right away.  Let them sit a minute to melt and then spread all the way to the edges.

Place the candy in the freezer until it sets up (15 minutes or so).

Break the candy into bite-sized pieces.  I make sure it's at room temperature before I bag it up.  Word of advice, if you are going to make this for Passover, make bags for the guest to take home.  Last year I caught someone filling up their napkin with candy and shoving it their purse.

Here's the recipe:

Cracker Toffee

4-6 unsalted matzoh boards or sheets (Or enough

       saltines to line a cookie sheet)

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed firm

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees .

Line a cookie sheet completely with foil. Cover bottom of pan with baking parchment - on top of foil. This is very important as mixture becomes sticky during baking. Line bottom of pan evenly with matzoh boards or crackers, cutting extra pieces of matzoh or crackers, as required, to fit any spaces on the cookie sheet as evenly as possible.

Combine butter and brown sugar in a 3 quart, heavy-bottomed, saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour over crackers.

Place in oven and immediately reduce heat to 350 F. Bake 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure mixture is not burning (if it seems to be browning too quickly, remove from oven, lower heat to 325 F, and replace) Remove from oven and sprinkle crackers immediately with chopped chocolate or chips. Let stand 5 minutes then spread melted chocolate. Chill in refrigerator until set.

Cruise News

Well we are back!  We spent 7 days floating around the Pacific Ocean in search of rest and relaxation.  I think we found it.  The boys had a great time exploring the ship and exercising their independence.  I can't tell you how many times they would tell me their plans for the day and then take off.  They played shuffleboard and Wii.  They swam and dined alone.  I was really proud of them.  Daniel had the best vacation ever!  Bob and I realized it was the first diaper-free, stroller-free vacation in 12 years.  That's a milestone in the Held Family!

Saturday

Just another quiet Saturday around our house.  There are so many projects, yet so little enthusiasm to get them started.  The truth is I'm anxiously awaiting my new Vera purse to arrive in the mail.  Maybe then I get can get some work done.  What I can't wait for is to see my new grand-niece Logan.  I hear she is adorable.  My niece did not disappoint me with her first born, Quinn, who is the cutest thing I've ever seen.  Enjoy your Saturday.  I will post pics of my baking creation this afternoon.

Ooohs and Ahhhhs

I read in the paper last week about a creative family.  During dinner they play the Oooh and Ahhh game.  Each person goes around the table and gives an Ooooh for the day.  For instance, "Today I went to Starbucks and got a coffee."  "Ooooh," replies  my family.  "But," I say, "they forgot the cream."  "Ahhhh" they say.  It's a really fun game to play and could get my family to reflect about their day. 

I have married, and have birthed four children who aren't great communicators.  Asking about their day is like pulling teeth.  My son was the star in the first grade play and I found out the morning of the play (another parent texted me).  My husband swears he tells me things, then tries to blame my failing memory when I don't remember.  The only time they want to talk to me is when I'm perched in front of my show and trying to have a quiet moment.  Only then, it seems, they never shut up.

I'll go first.  "Tonight at dinner we played the Oooh and Ahhhh Game."  "But nobody would play with me."

Great Fun

 

Last week we had dinner and drinks at the Side Door in Newport Beach, CA.  It was a great night.  The Side Door is literally the side door of the restaurant Five Crowns.  Five Crowns is owned by Lawry's Prime Rib.  At the end of the evening a threesome sat down at the end of our table.  We started talking and it turned out that our table mate was the owner.  Not only the owner, but the CEO of Lawry's.  Imagine how I felt recommending items on the menu to him!

57 Days Remaining

With only 57 days left of school I am starting to panic.  Parent Conferences begin tomorrow and I am looking forward to seeing all of my parents and sharing their child's growth.  What scares me is facing those parents whose children aren't doing as well.  What am I doing for them?  How can I do more?  What can I do with only 57 days remaining?