Preschool Party Ideas

Good Monday morning!

The Showcase Pic this morning is Roxie and Kendall ON THE WAY to the Argo Drive-In at 9:15 (Mall Cop)... not coming home at 11:30.

The Gallery Pics as predicted are of the girls at Alabama Adventure Sunday afternoon which was the second part of Kendall's Birthday Book. Should we or shouldn't we? That was the question of the day during Sunday School yesterday morning. Would the rain miss us by going above us... or come later... or totally dissipate? Or would we decide to go and be hit by tornado warning after tornado warning ALL afternoon?

Well, what can I say? We're sassy, adventurous, IMPATIENT, Alabama girls. We went for it! (And thankfully, it paid off.) Everyone else in the State of Alabama yesterday afternoon was the safe, we'll-wait-until-next-weekend-because-it's-not-going-anywhere, patient kind of Alabamian. WE HAD THE PARK TO OURSELVES FOR FOUR WHOLE HOURS! That may not sound like a lot of time to you, but in the first hour alone, we rode 12 rides. We NEVER waited and if we wanted to stay on a ride and ride it again and again and again and again... we did! And as everyone knows, that's almost as much fun as the ride itself. It was great. It was cool. And at the end of the day, Kendall and Roxie declared it a success. Life's good.

Again, I don't feel bad about not having any pics of Austin in the Gallery, because next week is PROM WEEK, so the focus will once again be on him. Josh is okay with this... for now. He'll be getting some picture time in the near future. Don't worry.

Thought to Ponder: The only thing worse than bathing suit shopping for yourself is bathing suit shopping for your 12 year-old daughter. She tried on three I would have gladly paid $150 each for, but the pattern on one was too, too different. The pattern on the other one was too, too simple. The pattern on the third didn't matter because it didn't go with curly hair. WHAT?? (All three had very good coverage and a good price... my only two criteria. I was only kidding about them being $150 each.)

Survivor - Okay. Mikie and I watched Survivor last night. It was very good, but very confusing... almost like LOST. There were so many alliances going on, I wasn't sure who was going to be voted off. But in the end, the only thing that really matters is that J. T., the Alabama boy, is still there. Everyone loves the Alabama boy. And who can blame them... he's what "southern" is all about. (Evelyn, get ready. We're driving to Sampson to take a "famous person" picture for my scrapbook when he wins the million!) The other guys "running the show" are all running out of time. When you have a big ego, it puts a huge target on your back (Surivor-speak), and there are a lot of huge egos in that little camp (Coach, Taj, Tyson, etc.). It's only a matter of time.

A Little Bit of My Story - Part 1

I bring up the following not for pity or sympathy as I said before, but to make it more "common" and not as taboo.

On December 16, 2006, almost one year to the day from when Josh became so ill, I had a panic attack.

I was sitting beside Mike watching Austin play basketball when my vision began to diminish in one eye. It was very apparent, very fast and immediately after my vision faded in my left eye, I felt as though every bit of energy ran out of my body... from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. I felt heaviness. I couldn't breathe. I felt as though I was watching everything around me from somewhere far, far away.

I touched Mike's knee and told him something was wrong. "What is it?" he asked, watching me. I explained as best I could what was going on, and then I told him I was going to go out of the gym and call my doctor.

He got up to walk with me, but I since I was able to move and walk and talk, I wanted to do it myself. I stayed in his sight, called my doctor and explained what I was feeling. He told me to get to a hospital immediately. He said I could possibly be having a stroke or a heart attack.

I motioned for Mike and he asked a friend to sit with Josh and Roxie for the remainder of the game. We didn't even tell them I was sick because there wasn't time, and I was afraid of what it would do to Josh. I knew he couldn't come with us in the car in case I did have a heart attack. It would be devastating to any child, but Josh was still so sick himself, we couldn't risk it. We called my Mom and she immediately went to the gym and arrived a few minutes after Austin's game was over.

Some people have asked why we didn't call an ambulance. I knew Mikie would be able to get me anywhere I needed to be faster than an ambulance. Also, I didn't want to risk the kids seeing me leave in an ambulance. Again, I was thinking it would do more damage to Josh's condition.

At the hospital, I was hooked up to all the machines and given oxygen and they took a lot of blood. After a couple of hours, the symptoms started to subside. After more and more tests, they came back into the room and said I was diabetic. My blood sugar number was 212. It was supposed to be between 70 and 100. To me, that sounded extremely high, so I felt confident they had discovered the problem. What I found out in the days to come was very frightening to say the least... and had nothing to do with diabetes.

Josh and I (along with Mikie, Austin and Roxie) had been fighting his mental illness for a year, and although there was improvement, the fight wasn't over. And now, I was about to begin a new fight of my own... a fight which continues to this day... a fight which will be much more difficult this week (April 20 through April 24) because I have chosen to discuss it and thus, it will be in the forefront of my thoughts.

I had just started the journey to understand OCD and the horribly debilitating effects it had on someone's life. Now, I was going to have to start a new journey of my own. A journey I was certain I wasn't equipped or prepared to travel... alone or with God. And once again, I was partially right. I wasn't equipped or prepared, but God was and still is.

Josh and I are still struggling. This week's stories will be strictly about my panic attacks. I wish I could say they are totally under control (they are most definitely not), or I have totally overcome them (I most certainly have not). But once again, I believe being quiet and embarrassed or ashamed is not the way to go. For me or anyone else out there suffering in silence, it is just that... suffering.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you the little story about how I found out diabetes wasn't the culprit causing my symptoms... and how I learned to love Diet Dr. Pepper!

Preschool Party Ideas

When I say "Preschool Party," I am referring to the little birthday parties you give your child at his or her preschool. I know many of the schools have specific rules, but in our area (and in our little preschool particularly), we were able to bring snacks for the entire class to celebrate our child's birthday. We were not supposed to bring party bags or gifts or play games, and it was to be held in the time frame of the normal snack time.

This may not apply to everyone, or you may have better ideas on how to handle the infamous Preschool Party. However, after having nine such parties (three for each child), I found a few tricks which made these parties SO much easier... especially when I was hosting with a younger brother or sister in a stroller.

Here are just a few ideas...

1. Whatever the theme of the child's birthday party is going to be at home, carry the theme over to the Preschool Party. For example, if I was having a Super Hero party at home, I brought Super Hero paper plates and napkins. If I was having an Indian party at home, I made Indian headbands for all the kids to wear during snack time. If I was having a Safari Party at home, I went to the library and borrowed a cassette tape of "jungle" music to play during the party... anything to set the mood for the party theme.

2. Instead of bringing individual cupcakes, a huge bag of cheese puffs and cups which had to be refilled time and time and time again, I used white lunch bags. I packed the bags with foods which went with the party theme. For a princess party for Roxie, I packed individually wrapped princess fruit snacks (plain fruit snacks for boys), slice and bake sugar cookies (with pink and clear sugar on them), white popcorn (keeping away from ORANGE... a very non-princess color) and a red jello cup.

3. Instead of trying to keep refilling their drink cups over and over, I bought individual Kool-Aid twist top drinks, individual mini-Sprites (caffeine-free) or juice boxes in a cooler (already chilled). I put these out with their snacks. When they were finished with their drink, they had to go to the water fountain (just like their regular snack time).

4. I also decorated the bags with theme stickers. The birthday child would help with this one, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. I would fold the flap down and close the bags with one final sticker (Princess, Batman, Dora the Explorer, etc.), and it was ready to go.

5. When I entered the school, I had two Wal-Mart bags loaded with 20 birthday snack bags, 1 medium cooler on wheels with the drinks (one for each child and one for the teacher), and one more Wal-Mart bag with the plates and napkins, my camera and a cassette tape for "mood" music. That's it. When I left the party, I had one empty cooler, my camera and my cassette tape. (And sometimes a baby in a stroller.)

You may have some amazing ideas in this department. Feel free to share. Preschool moms need all the help they can get during this busy time of their lives.

Something I started doing during their elementary years was helpful, too. We were allowed to bring cupcakes to the lunchroom during the birthday child's lunch period, and they could pass them around to the other kids. After years of noticing tons and tons of uneaten cupcakes with all the icing licked off (homemade OR store bought), I started sending a list to school a couple of days before the birthday. It listed every Krispy Kreme doughnut our local grocery store carried (seven different varieties). The child simply had to sign their name under their favorite doughnut (glazed, chocolate glazed, chocolate sprinkles, apple cinnamon, etc.). The morning of the birthday lunch, I would go to the local grocery store, pick up the correct amount and kinds of doughnuts and arrive at lunchtime with my two boxes.

I again had "theme" napkins. The children would come to me, I would give them the doughnut they had chosen a couple of days earlier on the birthday napkin, and they would sit down and enjoy their treat. (The teachers loved it, too.) I always bought three extra glazed in case someone had been absent on the day we sent the sign-up sheet, etc. It worked out great... especially for the guys who didn't want theme cupcakes when they were 11 years-old and in the 5th grade. Doughnuts are universal AND cool.

Have a wonderful Monday. Tomorrow I have a new dinner casserole donated by my friend, Melaney. You'll just have to add a vegetable or two and/or a salad and you're set. It sounds good, and I will be fixing it for Wednesday night dinner. Wednesday's Seasonal Tradition will be our last "spring" tradition as we move into Mother's Day and Graduation activities coming up during the incredibly busy month of May. I have a romantic date for Mom and Dad... meaning no kids! I also have a great devotion book for elementary age boys and girls. All three of mine enjoyed it... but I think it's geared more for the male species. You can be the judge. Lots to do. Lots to talk about. You won't want to miss a minute of it!!

I'll talk to you tomorrow.