Our Baby is Growing Up

 Our very last baby got her driver's license! I have now taught or had an instrumental role in teaching 10 children to drive.  She had quite a few challenges. When she and Allie went to make test appointments, there was only one appointment open for November. Allie has a job and needs the license more than Stacia.  Stacia had to book out to January 5th.

No sooner than the test was booked, and winter seemed to begin. LOTS of snow...piled so high it became a driving impediment, then ice...and we had forgotten how dark it would be at 0900 in January. 

Nevertheless, she ACED the driving test! And tonight, she was able to take dinner over to Bre's house, while I stayed home and worked on our dinner! 

It's good to have another driver in the house! Her next goal is to learn how to drive her car - a manual. I have doubts about learning to drive a stick on wintry hills, but I have no doubt she'll figure it out. The first step will be to dig the car out of the snowbank it has become and to get winter tires on it. LOL 

Quick Update

I have deliberately stayed away from the computer in the past week, but it's time to give an update. I do still have aches and pains if I miss a dose of Ibuprofen. I have decreased the dosage from 800 mg every 8 hours to 600 mg every 8 hours.  I took the advice to "rest my brain" very seriously this week. I DID have some things I needed to do...but I rested... a lot. I did everything I was told to do to recover as quickly as possible from my concussion. 

I spent a lot of time gazing at candles. I slept more this week than I did in all of 2022. I watched BreZaak's kids 2 days this week. I made meals to deliver to those who needed them. 

Today, I went to church, and, though I had quite a headache after worship, I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

We had a family over for lunch and games, and it was just fine - with the proper Ibuprofen planning. 

I'm doing well. I get a bit confused from time to time. I seem to get tired quickly, and I don't like spending much time on either the screen of my phone or computer. I still get headaches and feel a bit woozy.  BUT I did organize photos just now and managed to type this before throwing in the towel. I will be working at blogging this week. 

I have a busy week coming up, and I will continue to listen to my body's cues. I will rest as much as possible while also trying to get back to the things I "need" to do. Michael keeps reminding me to think in terms of getting "better in 2 days" rather than "back to normal in 2 days." 

So, "Yes, I am better." 

Pickle Fairies

 Stacia wrote her second book as a Christmas gift for her nieces and nephews. She spent HOURS writing, Michael spent hours editing, and then Stacia spent more hours rewriting.  She had thought of having it "really bound" but the timing and pricing were off. In the end, she took it to UPS and they printed and bound it. 

I have not read my copy so I can't tell you much yet...but I do KNOW it's 107 computer pages. And it's meant for parents to read to children. At this point we think Liv is the only one who may enjoy it...but someday the others will appreciate the love and care which went into the gift. 

It's been fun to see photos come back. She gave Jared and Larissa a copy for Noah at some point. Jared was the first to send a photo back. 

Jared

Next, we received a photo of Livie reading Pickle Fairies.

Krista took it along on one of her plane trips and read the whole thing! 

Way to go, Stacia! 

I Saw Stars

This is not a good look for a woman of my age. I saw stars, moons and maybe a couple of pink elephants. I have my first mild concussion. I am fine. I like the dark. Screens are making me woozy so I won't be blogging much, quite yet, and I have so MUCH to blog...hundreds of pictures to sort through and edit, New Year's Eve, The Gingerbread Competition...Ah well. 

The snow pants did cushion the fall

It happened yesterday afternoon. We were all outside shoveling. The girls and I had finished our part and were swaggering over to see what help Michael and Alex still needed when my legs simply went out from under me, and I hit hard. My glasses flew off my head. I was worried I had broken a couple of teeth. I was in pain, dizzy, nauseated...and now I am resting as much as possible and won't be using screens until I can do so without feeling woozy.  I'm doing my best to give my brain a rest...and to not stress about the forced rest. 

Actually, working together outside was a great way to start a new year...and Millie is a great cuddle companion. 

I ache everywhere...I.hate.ice. at least ice on the ground.  BTW, I told Michael to take the picture because I was delaying his efforts to make me move. 

(Editor's note: Yes, she did ask me to take the picture, but no, I was not in a hurry to get her up and moving.)

Prepping for Tomorrow (A day of Christmas)

 OK! I give up! I am a bit confused as to which day of Christmas this is...but I know our wise man will end up at the manger on Epiphany, Jan 6th. LOL 

This is the only photo I have today. We spent the day prepping for tomorrow night - New Year's Eve, family gift exchange, Annual Gingerbread Competition... My bed is piled high with things I need to wrap. I am ready for the family exchange and have gone quite a way to being ready for the Household Gift Exchange - which happens on Epiphany. 

Stacia drove me to Wasilla. She's prepping for her DMV test... I'm hoping the weather and roads cooperate. It wasn't bad today, but they are NOW predicting an ice storm.  I suspect the weather is trying to kill us. We shopped Target and Michael's. Oh, my word, people, "GET OVER BEING SO GRUMPY."

In the Michael's parking lot, a gentleman was determined to take the spot my cart was stuck in. There were two other spots right beside it. He could have pulled in, but it was saner to pull up close to me and glare while I dragged the cart through the sludge and out of his way.  In Walmart a lady seriously tried to run me over with a cart. We aren't sure what the problem was...I was in the main aisle, she was in a side aisle moving to the main aisle. I had to jump out of the way, Stacia had to jerk our cart out of her way... We were having a good time, I made a point of cheering up each cashier we met and as many shoppers as possible, but some folks are simply determined to be grouchy today. 

I got a call after dinner asking if I had eggs. I also got texts and FB messages. I guess there is a local (or is it national) shortage. As I continued to get messages, Stacia made a quip about menopause, which led me to reply I was going to post on FB, "I have no eggs. I'm in menopause." ::snort:: Stacia, Allie and I thought we were terribly funny...I believe Michael rolled his eyes at us.  In any event Michael and I took 10 dozen eggs to a neighbor. 

We could not make it past the 4th Home Alone...just couldn't do it. We were happy to watch episode 3 of Season 3 of The Chosen tonight. This is a really great series. 

But now...I must go get a mountain of things moved from our bed. 

Another Trip to the Burn Center (5th Day of Christmas)

Izaak took the day off work and was able to drive Bre, Jojo and Trudy to the burn center today.  We had been told today's appointment would hurt, but Jojo was given meds before they left to help with the pain. They headed up to the burn center to have his wounds checked, cleansed and rewrapped. Izaak says it best, his hands are "gnarly." Poor Baby. 

I had purchased some Christmas crafts to do with grands, but this has not been the typical year, and I haven't spent time with the grands, and I kept forgetting to take things when I went to spend Tuesdays with the boys. 

Today, I brought some of my goodies. Wood cut outs and paint, our hot potato and snacks. We never did get around to playing hot potato or eating snacks. We had breakfast and then got out all the paints. 

I think they turned out cute! I thought the kids would want to sneak them into Bre's decor, but the girls had other ideas, and Gideon followed their lead. They had an eye for where they wanted to display their crafts. 

The infamous stovetop 

The kids asked for playdough next. Sure thing...

Japanese Ramen by Bella 

Gideon and Bella started making models of different characters from the Christmas story. Cute. Then they asked me to choose the best one of each. I asked them why everything needed to be a competition, and then I remembered their mom and aunts and uncles on game night and the annual gingerbread competition. OK - got it. 

Bella presents Baby Jesus 

This Mary is amazing...note the baby bump and the cane for walking after riding on the donkey all day. 

Gideon presents an Angel 

I was happy to squish fun-colored playdough. 

Annie ignored the competition and made pans and pans of PIZZAS. 

Everyone got home from Anchorage about this time...we'll save the rest of the fun for the next visit. Jojo will have another appointment in a week. 

So Glad Daddy could go today! 📷 by Bre

I needed to go shopping. Our family gift exchange is on NYE. I thought I'd go home and get Allie and Stacia first. When I got home no one was available to watch GG...we didn't go shopping.  Dinner was quick and easy - rice and burritos. 

We are settling in to see if we can get another Home Alone done....who knew? 

4th Day of Christmas at the Burn Center

On Christmas Day, this cutie had an accident involving a ceramic stove top. I alluded to his accident in our Christmas post. We got a call that Bre needed to run to the ER; one car wouldn't start, and the other was ice/snowed into place. Cory ran Bre and Jojo to the ER. Izaak stayed with the others. 

He's a trooper - quite a cheery 2-year-old too. He has second degree burns on the palms of his hands. They are bad.  The ER doc here wanted him seen on Tuesday at the state's burn center. Bre spent all day Monday calling trying to get him an appointment on Tuesday. They told her the earliest they could do was Thursday.  This morning she took the wrappings off his hands and sent a picture to the nurse at the burn center. She showed them to the surgeon and the backup surgeon. They told her to bring him in as soon as she could get to Anchorage. They told the ER at the Anchorage hospital that they were coming. 

Bre still had the problem of her car being immobilized. Izaak had the van at work and was unable to get off work. Papa drove Bre, Jojo and Trudy to Anchorage. I spent the day with Bella, Gideon and Annie. It worked.  It was a LONG day for the Anchorage crew; come to think of it, it was a long day for all of us. LOL They went ahead and did "surgery" - cut away all the skin that was blistered and damaged. 

Still smiling 

Papa held Trudy for the first time today. He was thrilled. 

Jojo seems to be getting a bit suspicious of "special trips" with Mom and Uncles or Papa. 

Meanwhile, back at the house, the kids and I played.... Bella taught me how to play checkers. I played with Gideon too. I did win, but I had to really think to do it. LOL 

We played with playdough. I've decided I need to buy some fresh playdough for the house. I think it would be therapeutic to play with playdough every day.  The kids made cakes. 

I went home when Izaak got home from work.  The girls and I threw together mac/cheese and ham....for the girls and GG. The boys weren't home or had already eaten; Michael was still on the road. I didn't feel like eating. 

We started a Home Alone marathon. When I suggested this, I thought there were TWO movies. ::snort:: SIX????? Ah well...we have made it through Home Alone 4. 

The 4th Day of Christmas draws to a close.