The Last Minute Frenzies

         Today another Mom of a feisty one asked her facebook friends how they were today.  How we really were as opposed to just a "how you doing?" greeting like we Americans do. My answer took a minute.  It was, by the way, crazed, smelling of lavender oil and with glitter modge podge in my hair. I cannot complain too much. This is the best I have smelled all year. But the question did make me stop and try to catch my breath and take a look around.   It is absolutely nuts here right now. We have made about 2 dozen gifts in two days and have about a dozen more to go. As I type this we are waiting for the chocolate on our truffles to harden before we package them.  And there is now chocolate in my hair to go with the modge podge.  All over Feisty Pants' face, too, (She didn't want us to wash it off and "waste it")

            We have about ten days before Christmas but only about five to finish all our preparations before leaving for an out of town doctor's appointment and then my folks' place.   And then make it back in time for Hippie Pants and New Years and about a million more appointments.  Every time I turn around there's a gazillion more emails.  And something I have forgotten. And one more person I have forgotten to add to my gift or card list. And cards I have to mail out.  And a package or two to pop in the mail. And a few doctors I have to call and schedule or reschedule or remind they are supposed to be calling me over something or other.  And there has been some drama at school (not really involving us directly, but I HATE when adults act like children and children end up getting the short end of the stick. sigh...)

            So, you will have to forgive me if we are not as cheerful as we should be.  You'll have to be patient if we are cranky and out of sorts and totally unprepared this year.  Christmas will arrive. And we will muddle through. And probably actually have a great time.  And Feisty Pants is not sick. And we smell much better than we usually do.  And glitter and chocolate aren't even the worst things I have had in my hair THIS week. The frenzy will pass.  We will catch our breath.  If the worst thing I have to bitch about is a busy Christmas then I am blessed, indeed.  So if I don't get another post written beforehand, I hope you all also having a blessed and healthy Christmas.  I wish you peace.  Also I wish you plenty of chocolate truffles.  Here's the recipe, messy but easy peasy.  Enjoy!

Cookie Truffles- (we usually triple or quadruple but we have a Goo in our house)

1 package your favorite cookies (we use oreos but any will do)

1 8oz package cream cheese (softened)

1 bag chocolate chips

cinnamon, chili powder and/or sea salt to taste

Crush/chop/crumble cookies into mixing bowl.

Blend in Softened cream chese. Mix well .  

Roll into small balls place on cookie sheet (greased or lined w waxed paper or parchment)

Place in fridge/freezer to harden.

Melt chocolate chips in double boiler.  Roll cookie balls in chocolate to cover. Place back on lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with cinnamon or sea salt or chili powder (for the adventurous.) 

Eat with abandon.

On the Merry Go Round

              So, we are almost into the second week of December and Feisty Pants isn't sick.  Except maybe she is.  But she probably isn't. AHHHHH.  Let me explain. The weather has gotten warm again here in the Southern Tier of New York. (WTF UNIVERSE!?!? It's frigging DECEMBER.  How many snow dances do I have to do in the backyard?)  So it is now in the high 40's during the day. Warm enough to destroy my mood and create a ton of mildew.   So Feisty Pants is a tad on the goopy side. (Read that as snotty and sniffly)  BUT her sat rates are fantastic and she has no fever. But Feisty Pants seems slightly off somehow. But she is mostly fine.  BUT Goo and Hippie Pants have spent the weekend complaining they don't feel good.  Not really "sick"  sick, mind you.  Just cranky and achy and sniffly. And they have the chills and are both complaining of fatigue.   But no coughs or fever or nausea.  But Feisty Pants went to sleep yesterday at 6pm and slept all night until this morning at 7 am.  And is slightly cranky.  But she has no fever and her sat rates (a measure of oxygen in the blood) are fantastic.  But we are gonna sit around and stare at her and worry.  Which is just annoying her and making her cranky. (Are you sensing a theme here?)

                And this is my dilemma.  I have gotten pretty good at handling crises.  (Just plow through it, suck down coffee, fall apart later when you have the luxury of time)   I am good rolling with the ups and downs. (I am TOO.  I don't care what Goo tells you.)  I just am unsure on how to handle the little things.  It's probably nothing.  Either their allergies are just simply stressing out their bodies and making the three of them  a misery, ummm er, I mean miserable or it's a minor virus. (unless it is a curse but we haven't pissed off any wandering gypsy witches lately that I know of...)   So I guess we are just riding this out.  But after having lived through a lot of storms, I now jump at the sound of thunder as it were.

                 Feisty Pants is, at this very moment, bitching up a storm.  Everything is annoying her and her hair hurts.  And her toenails.  And her eyebrows.   But she has a severe scoliosis that causes her pain. And the cp causes fluctuating muscle tone which sometimes causes muscle cramps.  And EVERYONE in this house currently has a sinus headache. (We have given her tylenol, but it has not kicked in yet.) And she is twelve, so let's throw puberty and hormones into the grumpy mix because Goo and I need one more thing to try figure out.  But it's December and it's effing forty degrees out so she could very easily be brewing an infection right about now.   But her sat rates are good and she has no fever.  AHHHHH