HERE COMES DECEMBER - WEEKLY CHAT 11/28 - 12/04

[mable]

Morning!

Its a gorgeous but chilly morning here. Both boys are at school/nursery all day. Housework is done and now im trying to scrap. Not feeling very motivated today .

Hope everyones well.

[AnnaB]

Anna - we got the tickets!!!!

Anna - we got the tickets!!!!

Yay Marie...!!!!

Sharmaine, I really hope things will calm down for you! Lots of hugs!!!!

It's interesting with the allergy to penicillin. I reacted when I was a kid (and so did my brother) and I've always said that I'm allergic and when needed, I've gotten other antibiotics. Last week when I was at the dentist they asked (like they always do) if I had any allergies, and I said penicillin. She then said that nowadays they were saying that it might not be allergy for real. You can have a "reaction" without it being an allergy. And she said I should ask for a proper test to see if it really is allergy. (Because it's so much better if it's possible to use the penicillin, when that's working, than the stuff you get in replacement (since the replacement is a much broader antibiotics that can be useful in those cases where the penicillin doesn't work and you don't want to create resistance to the replacement antibiotics)). Anyway... I don't know what to believe, because I've always had the fact that "I'm allergic to penicillin" in my mind. But perhaps I should go ask for a test. I'm not saying your daughters aren't allergic... I'm just telling you what the dentist told me. I've never heard any of this before and I was seeing a doctor earlier this autumn and I told him that I'm allergic to penicillin and haven't used it since I was a kid and he didn't say a word about all this.

T-L, I hope you found some mojo and got some scrapping done!

Need to go, Tuva needs me.

[DeniseM]

Hi everyone. Got some tea and a bit of time before work tonight. Bill has been helping me clean so I was able to get both my houses done in 5 hours instead of the usual 8 yes! love that guy.

Marie, how exciting to be going to see Bruce Springsteen. I think his music is so relavent again during these difficult times, like in the 70's. Have fun!

Mable I hope you found some motivation and were able to scrap during your time alone. I seem to always want to create when I can't. when I have time, I don't want to.

Sharmaine, it sounds like you are being stretched thin again. I was so surprised how difficult it was when Jameson was recovering from having his tonsils and adnoids removed. it seemed like it took forever. He was very grumpy....long sigh. Hopefully the visit with grandma will be just the medicine you all need.

How did your Christmas photo turn out Sherry? We did ours on friday last week. It was like pulling teeth, boys and Bill giving me such a hard time but I love how they came out. Used a borrowed tripod and did okay setting up the shots. Could have done some cooler poses but I wasn't going to deal with the complaining!

I am dealing with horrible exzema right now. I have never had it before and it started last week during my crazy 14 hour days for 3 days straight. Is it stress? I am so itchy. I thought of allergies but I am using anything new for washing, cleaning, etc. not sure what's going on but it's crazy.

Going to scrap some more with my December kit, I have 45 minutes.....see.....want to scrap because I don't have time to!!

[jjflair]

Just catching up on the week's goings-on.

Sharmaine, hope the sick bay clears out soon and the girls are on the mend. That's nice that you mother-in-law is coming for a visit, and that it will be a surprise for the kids.

That's funny, Anna, I had a childhood reaction to penicillin, too, and have that mindset that I have the allergy. I won't be running out to get a proper test, but seeing as the "reaction" was around 40 years ago, perhaps the testing procedure has evolved, or my old body has! Interesting. So far the kids don't seem to be allergic to anything. Well, Jeremy would argue that he is allergic to vegetables. Jillian, at 14 is really starting to expand what she eats and is willing to try more things. Jeremy is 12, and we joke that he survives on air. The kid does. not. eat. He is tall and thin, and while some parents complain that their boys eat them out of house and home, I would LOVE to see him do that! The dietician sounds like she has some very good strategies for your fam. Good luck!

Snow sounds lovely, Sherry. We are still sunny here in CA, but, boy have the winds kicked up this afternoon! The yard looks filled with yellow snow (ew!) from all the leaves.

Congrats on getting tix to see The Boss, Marie! I've never been, but my friend Michelle has seen him 15 or 20 times and I hear he puts on an amazing show!

Denise, sorry to hear about your eczema. No fun! It could be stress...sounds like you have reason to be, and sometimes it manifests in the strangest of ways. That is sweet that your hubs has been helping you out. Hope you can carve out some time to spend with your December kit and that the creative juice will give you a well needed and deserved reprieve!

Well, Jillian is calling for me to help her with Geometry homework. I'm glad that she asks me, even if I have to skim the chapter to find out how to do what they are doing before I'm of any help! Oy! When she gets to Calculus I might have to hire a tutor for ME!!

Wishing everyone a lovely, warm, and relaxed evening!

[Sherry C]

Denise, II hope your eczema clears up quickly! Our Christmas pics turned out fine, nothing FAB, but sweet. Having the snow in the pics makes them seem prettier! lol I'd love to see yours, I'm always inspired by beautiful photography.

Lisa (jjflair) I was cracking up reading about the geometry homework. If Google didn't exist, my ability to keep up with 5th grade math would be nonexistent.

Off to the gym (reluctantly this morning, because I am so tired!) Ihope to get a little scrappy time in today!

Happy December, everyone!

[AnnaB]

I can't believe it's Friday already! The weeks go by so quickly! Tomorrow there's an Open house at Linus' school. They have an India theme, and are raising money for projects in India. They've been learning so much about India - doing everything from yoga to tasting naan bread and watching movies about what it can be like liveing there.

What are you up to this weekend?

I hope your eczema disappears Denise!

You're so good going to the gym Sherry! It's been forever since I exercised!

[mable]

Morning!

Thank Krunchie its Friday. What a week!!

Hope your Eczema clears up. It could be stress related as my 8 year old Harley gets it when hes tired, stressed, {hes a very sensitive little boy} etc.

Im hoping to scrap for an hour before collecting Euan from Nursery. Then later were attending Harleys school Christmas fete. Where hes being an Elf to Santa .

Hope everyones ok on this chilly morning.

[NickyNoo]

I've just realised I haven't been here all week!! Life has gone crazy-busy again, there's so much to do all the time. There's school stuff, work stuff, hobby stuff (singing), parents coming to stay on Sunday so the house to clean and tidy, school Christmas Fair tonight, playgroup Christmas Fair tomorrow, cakes to bake for both, playgroup nativity to sort out, shopping to do, cards to make and write........stop the world, please, I'd like to get off!!

But that's enough of that. I know I'm not the only one .

Denise, you have my every sympathy with eczema, I get it periodically on my hands and it's very irritating, very distracting. Mine seems to be weather-related, it comes every winter when the weather gets colder (it flared up a couple of weeks ago), but also it can come when it's hot and humid. When it's at its worst, I hate how my hands look, I don't like people seeing it . Really hope you find a solution .

Right, off to do something off my list, I need to decorate the cakes to take to school in a bit .

[DeniseM]

thanks for the well wishes about the exzema. I think I am being a big baby because I have never had it. Hate stuff like this. I haven't had time to get some remedies at the store but not working tonight so will do it after my work day is over. Hopefully that will help.

Nicky, so good to see you here. It sounds like busy, but fun busy! I do love the holidays but sometimes I have to stop and just say no more.

Yeah to the christmas fete Mable. that's the kinda of stuff I love.

Sherry and Lisa I agree with you about the math thing. I stopped being able to help my boys in 4th grade. sad but true. hey, I was a fine art-english lit major. algebra is like a foreign language to me.
need to get going ladies. will be back tonight maybe with a well deserved glass of something.

[jjflair]

Happy Friday! This week has flown by considering I was convinced Wednesday was Tuesday, then suddenly it was Thursday! I got a call from Jeremy's therapist (for his autism) the other night saying he was expecting us. I said, "Oh! Did we switch to Tuesdays? I didn't realize that!" And he informed me that it was Wednesday. Oops!

I'm off to a scrappy Open House tonight! My friend has a business hosting crops, and is revealing plans for her first get-away retreat. I'll be travelling light, just bringing holiday cards to finish up.

Have a great weekend!

[Olivia]

Morning all! Checking in finally after this whirlwind week. Still have a football game tonight and a basketball game tomorrow evening, but things are calming a bit.

I am particularly frustrated with two little boys right now...I know that they are only 8 and 5 but in the mornings when we are trying to get ready for school it is like having 2 toddlers. No one can seem to get themselves ready to leave without asking me 5,003 questions or having to have 5,005 reminders to do this or to do that, or have you done this?...GRRRR

Part of this in my fault because clothes don't always get laid out or lunches made the night before. Plus I have a great fondness for the snooze button. But still even on days that we are not in a hurry and Jess is helping me, we still have to constantly remind them to brush teeth and put on socks and shoes.. They'd rather play and Carter (my pest) wants to irritate Ethan (the morning grouch). If they are still doing this at 18 and 15 I'm gonna lose my mind!! Anyone else suffer from these type problems?

Denise the excema sounds like it is stress related (my other pretend degree is in medicine..snicker snicker ). I have a small place on the inside of my right elbow that flares up and itches when I get stressed and when the weather gets cold and my skin gets dry. Ethan had problems with it on his face in the winter when he was a baby, but it has gotten a lot better as he has gotten older. We keep a steroid cream on hand that clears it up pretty quickly.

[jjflair]

Oh, Olivia, I have been there! It's a lot better now that the boy is 12. Jillian, my 14 year old has always been pretty independent and stays on track.

Here's a couple of things that have helped with Jeremy. Kind of like a chore chart, we had a morning routine board. It was an 8x10 magnetic board and I had "To Do/Done" across the top and then down the side the list of morning things like eat, brush teeth, put on shoes, etc. Each task had a magnet that he moved over to "done" upon completion. My mommy mantra became "check your board" instead of specific commands and questions. It started as a visual schedule, then became text as he got older. We then progressed to some little cards that I printed out and laminated. I put one by his breakfast that reminded him to put dishes in the sink then head to the bathroom. In the bathroom I had one on the mirror that said, "brush teeth, wash face, get backpack".

Anyway, it helped my morning sanity a lot!

And, yay! It's Friday!

[Olivia]

Oh, Olivia, I have been there! It's a lot better now that the boy is 12. Jillian, my 14 year old has always been pretty independent and stays on track.

Here's a couple of things that have helped with Jeremy. Kind of like a chore chart, we had a morning routine board. It was an 8x10 magnetic board and I had "To Do/Done" across the top and then down the side the list of morning things like eat, brush teeth, put on shoes, etc. Each task had a magnet that he moved over to "done" upon completion. My mommy mantra became "check your board" instead of specific commands and questions. It started as a visual schedule, then became text as he got older. We then progressed to some little cards that I printed out and laminated. I put one by his breakfast that reminded him to put dishes in the sink then head to the bathroom. In the bathroom I had one on the mirror that said, "brush teeth, wash face, get backpack".

Anyway, it helped my morning sanity a lot!

Thanks so much! I have read about these in the past and have considered making them for the boys, but just haven't done it. It is nice to get a reminder and am account of them working well. I think I will work on this during our Christmas Holidays so we can start the next semester a bit more organized. I am all for some Mommy sanity!

[jjflair]

Thanks so much! I have read about these in the past and have considered making them for the boys, but just haven't done it. It is nice to get a reminder and am account of them working well. I think I will work on this during our Christmas Holidays so we can start the next semester a bit more organized. I am all for some Mommy sanity!

And with your beautiful scrappy skills, I bet you will make something gorgeous! Good luck!

[AnnaB]

O, I hear you about the mornings Olivia! And Linus and Alva are 8 and 5 too. But things have been slightly better lately. I do have to tell them what to do a zillion times, but I still feel that things are going better than earlier this autumn. I guess I've also learned when I need to tell them to come down and start putting the shoes and clothes on... i.e. a bit earlier than if they did everything straight forward without stopping.

We've been to Linus' school this morning, because they have an Open house with an India theme, in order to raise money for projects in India. The kids had made lots of things that they were selling and there was also a "flea market" and fika, of course.

I bought three ugly paintings (prints) in cool frames that I'm planning to alter.

Johan, Linus and Alva are still there. They'll be home in about an hour.