Red Enamel Cast Iron Pot

One of my favorite Christmas gifts was this amazing 7 qt pot! I cooked a chicken stew for 9 people in it with left overs! It fit 17 yukon gold potatoes and 15 chicken thighs along with lots of fresh spinich (slightly wilted of course)and 10 cups of chicken broth. Tonight it is a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup.

If you can guess what my second favorite cooking related Christmas gift was, you will win a snowman stocking with lots of cooking gadgets and chocolates stuffed inside! Please post below, contest ends on the 8th!

Hope everyone had a very Happy New Year!

Alexia's 22nd birthday

Today is Alexia's 22nd B-day. Twenty-two years ago this morning the Doctor told me she would never walk and mostly likely be blind and deaf, if she lived passed 3-years-old. She is amazing, in the middle of her 4th year in college. Very bright, very social and a sweetheart. She has changed my life and made me what I am today.

Please post a Bithday greeting here as she loves to read this Blog and it would be a great surprise!

Party weekend

This past weekend was very busy. Amber and I threw a Holiday party at the hospital for children (with congenital heart disease) and their families. We had family portraits available (free of charge) with a potluck, Santa and tons of gifts (sold to us with a nice discount by www.atoygarden.com). It was a very fun night. Then, Sunday afternoon I invited 15 of my girlfriends over for a wine and appetizer party, of which I spent all morning 6:00AM to 3:00PM cooking for. It was also a toy drive for the hospital and I received a ton of toys to give to Child Life at Sutter Memorial. The appetizers were a plenty and I received rave reviews for the Onion-Thyme dip I made. I did not use the soup mix recipe, it was all from sratch and if anyone wants the recipe, please post and I will email it to you. I love all my friends, they are so wonderful and as one neighbor said "I have never seen so many beautiful women go into one house at the same time".

Happy Holidays!

Can a seven-year-old get RSV?

If they can then I am sure my son has it or he has the symptoms that would happen if it was possible. What a long couple of nights. He had asthma as a pre-schooler and it had gone away for 3/4 years! Some virus triggered the asthma and now we are back on Xopenex breathing treatments and inhaled steriods. Fortunately, I didn't dispose of my pulmo aide. Although I did have to scramble to get the tubing and mouth pieces, getting them on a Saturday would have been next to impossible (it is a nice perk to have a husband who is a PICU nurse and happened to be working!).

Off to try to get some much needed rest........

Still looking for those words of encouragement

Don't forget, the contest. I have changed the prize but will tell no one, it will be a surprise to the winner! Tell me about a certain person's words of encouragement that helped you through a trying time. We have 2 entries, look back at the November 21st comments.

I wanted also to post about a 12-year-old girl that my husband has been taking care of at the hospital. She had MRSA in her thigh and was very sick. She was not expected to make it, the parents had all but said their goodbyes. She made a complete turn around, is off the vent,they closed the wound on her thigh and is getting better every day. If you google MRSA you will see that most of us have this staph on our skin somewhere but why did hers turn out this way and most of ours hasn't? It has perplexed me enough that I have done some reading. She still has a long haul but she is going to make it!

Advent Calender

Every year I buy Advent Calenders for my kids. I go to Cost Plus and plunk down the $8.00 for 2 chocolate filled calenders. This year I splurged, I bought this life sized Advent doll at A Toy Garden, www.atoygarden.com, for Aden and Alexia, that I will hang on our wall. This store is incredible, I do almost 100% of my toy shopping there, it is a family run business. I highly recommend this place for it's product and customer service. Starting December 1st, I will fill each pocket with little goodies for each of them. Aden absolutely loves it and I am glad I did it, now I need ideas for goodies to put in. any suggestions?

Mood of the day!

This is the energy floating around my home right now. I was enjoying the Autumn/Thanksgiving feeling and BOOM, it is gone. But that is ok, this year's Holidays will be wonderful (like usual) but throw in the Hearts of Hope Holiday Party I am helping to plan, it takes on a whole new meaning. Our support group has come together and are going to have a very special party for some very special children. I am floored by the women in this group and their willingnes to help out. We really have an amazing group and you all know who you are!

Oh! Today I went to the Dollar store (never been) but I got some huge deals! I went in for tape and came out with everything else. How come nobody ever told me about this store? WOW!

I am Thankful for.......

Before I start this, I want to thank Andrea http://himmelberger.blogspot.com/, for giving me the idea. I doubt I will write as well as she but I will give it a try.

I am Thankful for my family both immediate and extended. My children, who have taught me so much and a husband who has been so supportive since the first day I met him.

I am Thankful for my friends. The mom's I have met through Aden's school and the Heart mom's that I have known and have recently met. All, whom I cannot imagine a life without.

I am Thankful for Aden's amazing school, which I have been a part of, off and on, since Alexia was 6-years-old.

I finally, am most Thankful for Alexia's continued good health, the amazing Doctor's that are caring for her. Some of her Doc's as far back as 1986, when we first met them. Dr. Rick Mainwaring, who did her last surgery and gave us the best recovery we had ever had and a friendship that will last forever.

I am Thankful for everything........


Don't forget the contest. I have a heart friend, Amber, who has been my side kick in helping me start the CHD support group and she had an idea for the Hope entries for the contest I am having. Please post your entry soon so we can see what she had in mind! See below.

Tell me about a certain person's words of encouragement that helped you through a trying time and you could win the Hope ornament below.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am looking for a pirate ship for my son for his Birthday which is on December 25th. I would prefer wooden but am open to other suggestions. He will be 7-years-old and is really into pirates. There is one by Plan toys, but that one is geared toward younger children. Please post any suggestions that you have.

Also, the contest. I have a heart friend, Amber, who has been my side kick in helping me start the CHD support group and she had an idea for the Hope entries for the contest I am having. Please post your entry soon so we can see what she had in mind! See below.

Tell me about a certain person's words of encouragement that helped you through a trying time and you could win the Hope ornament below.




I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. We will be celebrating at home with my family and Carl and I will be cooking.

Hope

My darling daughter continues to excel in school. She is almost done with her AA and will transfer schools to work on her BA. Her thought is still to become a lawyer although she has developed a love for Psychology as well. She and I are buds, enjoying each others company very much.

When she was about 4 and we were looking forward to her "repair", I never planned anything for the future for fear of jinxing it. Belive me, when I say, we had many scares! She was so sick many times. During hospitalizations, coded many, many times. Doctors would advise me to just "let go", please sign this form for a no-code etc etc. But, I knew I was taking her home! What would have happened had I listened? I did have some supportive professionals. I remember one Doctor in particular who said "You always have Hope". "When you let go of that, you have given up". I cling to that to this day.

CONTEST
Tell me about a certain person's words of encouragement that helped you through a trying time and you could win the Hope ornament below.

Cod Liver Oil

Everyone needs Omega fatty acids—especially young, developing minds! Nordic Naturals Omega-3.6.9 Junior provides a full spectrum of Omega fatty acids necessary for brain and eye development and maintenance, as well as mood, focus, learning ability, and overall well-being.* Taste-tested by kids and teens, these lemon-flavored chewable capsules are perfect for ages five through teens.

Ingredients: purified deep sea fish oil (from anchovies and sardines), soft gel capsule (gelatin, water, glycerin, natural lemon oil), borage oil, natural lemon oil, d-alpha tocopherol, rosemary extract

As most of yo know my son goes to a non-traditional school called Camellia Waldorf. Alexia went to this school as well and continues to love school, learning and excels at this! It is a private school in the Land Park area of Sacramento that focuses on:

Provides a developmentally appropriate curriculum
Encourages appreciation for the natural world and all cultures
Integrates the arts with academics
Instills a sense of responsibility, respect, and love for learning

When I found out that most of the parents give their children "fish oil" as a supplemental "vitamin" and our doctor suggested that he take it, I was reluctant but willing to try. About a month ago, I too started giving this strawberry flavored capsule to Aden (without a fight) and what a difference in everything he does! The change did not happen untill a few days ago (they say it takes a month) but I will continue this daily routine for many years.

We Have a Winner!!

Thankyou to everyone who submitted a "Why my Christmas Tree is Special), I received many entries (some just emailed to me and not posted). The Gal who won, well, her writing has stolen my heart many times and this was no exception. She also has 3 children who can each receive a ornament from the Crate and Barrel trio and I have a feeling I know who will get the heart shaped one. Thanks Dina, for capturing the "Heart" of Christmas! http://www.jilliansommers.blogspot.com/

Check out the new recipe to the right!

Surprise!!

Little things make me happy. So when a friend of mine has on the most incredible shade of lipstick I have ever seen, I am all over it. Turns out, it is Cliniques, Different Lipstick in Surprise. Perfect for dark haired (natural or not) fair skin women (or men I guess). I am a Mac wearer by nature, any form of makeup I own is Mac but I couldn't resist this! For $14 and a sweet smile by the Nordstrom Clinique lady, I walked out a happy camper and even bought some to stuff in Alexia's stocking. Don't forget the contest, which ends this evening at Midnight. See post below.

Every six months..........

November and May are high stress times in my life. That is when Alexia has her twice yearly appointment with her Cardiologist. On the surface I know that she is doing fantastic but deep down I can't help but wonder if I am missing something, she did go to bed at 10:00PM the other night, that must mean something, her INR was .1 lower than it usually is or she didn't have seconds at dinner last night. Ridiculous, I know.

On another note, Joao (from Ecuador) had his OH surgery to repair his large VSD on Thursday and will be getting discharged tomorrow. 22-years ago that would have guaranteed a 10 day stay, at least. We have come a long way baby. To read about this amazing boy go to: http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/482336.html

CONTEST!!!!

Several months back I had a contest on why you needed a CHD hat and a delightful writer responded (so did many) but Jenni had won. I sent her hat and Target gift card and it was returned to me last week, the box was in tatters and they couldn't recognize the address. Since my computer crashed and I lost her address and hope she can respond to this, so I can re-send the package. If anyone knows how to get a hold of Jenni from the Three Jones please let me know.

New Contest: What makes your Christmas tree so special. You can win a set of three mother of pearl ornaments, including a heart, star and tree from Crate and Barrel. Contest ends Wednesday, 11/14.

Halloween!

Halloween party for the first grade!

Finger Knitting!

Aden has now mastered finger knitting. Where he goes to school, they have a "subject" called Hand Work, and they are learning how to finger knit which prepares them for knitting with needles. He will now move on to making his needles and then will start knitting.

The Protected Path

Aden's school does the most wonderful thing the Saturday before Halloween. It is called the Protected Path and there are 2 routes you can take, one for 5 and under and one for 6 and older. There are stations along "the luminated path" with skits acted out (fairytales etc). Alexia and I were on the younger path and we were Tree Fairies. We sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (did you know there are acutally 3 parts to that song):

twinkle twinkle little star
how I wonder what you are
up above the world so high
like a diamond in the sky
twinkle twinkle little star
how I wonder what you are
are you an angels twinkling eye
are you a gateway in the sky
so you guide me near and far twinkle twinkle little star
stars in apples seed pods pears
stars in berries every where
so you guard me near and far twinkle twinkle little star

That was a feat to learn in 2 days! At the end we gave out shink red "magical" apples, the children were mesmorized! The night was so entirely magical.

The First picture is of my wizard Aden and his friend Juliette the Queen!

Pumpkin Patch

Today some of Aden's friends and me (and my friends) all went to the pumpkin patch after school. We took a train ride around the patch and climbed a hay bale pyramid. It was quite warm out but had a great time! My "farmer" son found a persimmon tree and the group found a pomegranate tree and we spent lots of time picking and eating.

Lego's, the cost and the guns!

Being the pacifist that I am, I vowed I would never buy my children anything with guns. So about 5 months ago Aden received a basic lego set that he has been playing happily with since. He decided that he wanted to spend some of his money (holiday's last year) and could I please take him to Toys R Us to get some more Lego stuff. OK, first of all I don't like Toys R Us and second I couldn't believe how much they charge for these Lego sets!!! Aden bought two small sets, Star Wars (yes, the SW's has guns in it) and Castle, to the tune of $36.00! Yikes!! But, as far as the gun thing goes, I figure it is part of him and his desire to "play" with toy guns and he will make them out of whatever he can anyways, he has shaped his toast into one before. I figure if I let him play with them, maybe he will get tired of them eventually. Oh well, he is happily playing as we speak. Any other moms have any thoughts on gun play?

Good Stuff

Life has been so good! I recently helped organize a Parent Evening called: An Evening With Your Child's Heart Team. The photo below is of me and about 1/3 of the other mom's that showed up. We had about 100 people come. There was a panel of experts from Child Life, PC, Peds Anesthesiologist, Peds Intensivist to the PCV Surgeon. We rolled in a heart lung machine and the perfusionist was there to demonstrate! We had the Child Life therapy dog, Greta, giveaways, dinner etc. It was wonderful. We had about 5 adults with CHD throughout the audience and they had a lot to offer. One mom wrote to me and said: "I left the Hilton feeling emotional, enlightened, supported, and hopeful!"