From the daily archives:

Monday, March 23, 2009

Tonight my son had his very first baseball practice and he was as cute as could be and I am dying to share some pix of the occasion, but my brain is complete mush after taking care of my sick girls all day (and it’s clear we still have a very long night ahead of us).  I will save it for later this week when I can give it the time it deserves.

What a day!

I never got my “Can’t Leave Alone Bars” made during nap time today.  And I didn’t get to blog hop all that much either.   My son has been eager to make his own scrapbook with the pictures he’s been taking as well as a few others and he begged to pick them out during nap time.  Sorry folks, but it was way more important.

And my poor middle child had trouble falling asleep because she just kept  coughing.  And wheezing.  And coughing.  And crying (which causes more coughing), all the while still wheezing.  Poor poor girl.

I finally called and made an appointment for her at the pediatrician.

Sick kids + no naps = loud and whiny.  Baking seemed less than desirable.

I then got a call from a dear friend (and regular commenter here at the circus) asking if I would be home this afternoon because she wanted to bring some crafts for the kids to do since they had to miss her daughter’s birthday party on Sat (4th birthday party since Feb 7th we’ve had to miss due to a sick kid).  And then she said, “Since the kids are sick, how about I bring dinner too?”

I was speechless.

I mean, I didn’t even have to go through labor and delivery and someone was bringing me dinner.

All I could say, was, “Thanks!”

So about an hour later she arrived with a bag full of crafts (home made playdough, paint and all sorts of goodies) as well as lasagna and left over birthday cake.

And my kids went from crying and whining to happy and delighted in about 2.5 seconds.

Next thing I know her daughter is in the back yard and my kids are close behind and we got a chance to chat a few minutes on the back deck.

All seemed well, so well that I figured, “Hey if they are running around in the back yard, they must be ok, so I’ll just cancel that dr. appointment.”

Yea, well minutes after she left we got to the crafts (which the oldest two LOVED) but my youngest child’s fever really started to climb.  And as it did, all she wanted was to be held.

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So, thankful I didn’t need to make dinner.

Especially since we had baseball practice in there too.

As the evening went on, my poor little girl’s health degenerated again.  She was flushed, clingy, crying and had a fever.

I really regret canceling that Dr. Appt. 

I always struggle with Dr. appointments.

Do we need to take them in or is it just something I can handle with some TLC here at home?  Often I wait it out only to regret it and second guess myself that night.  Other times we go and they say it is nothing and I feel like an idiot for dragging my kids in when they could have just stayed home and cuddled on the couch.

Tonight is the night I sit at home regretting and feeling like a bad mom.  And counting down the hours till the pediatrician’s office is opened and she can take a look at both girls.

As soon as bedtime hit, my daughter began her classic asthma cough.  She’ll start to fall asleep, then cough, then cry, then get worked up, we’ll calm her down, she’ll fall asleep, then cough, then, cry, then..

And I am feeling like a schmuck for canceling that appointment.  D- parenting.

Especially when I was on the back deck with the youngest wrapped in blankets trying to ease her croupy cough in the cold night air while my husband is cradling the other daughter in her room as she struggles to fall asleep.

SO THANKFUL my son is a deep sleeper and has missed all the action (Been there, done that.  He was the kind sole that shared this with his sisters).

After the baby was settled in to sleep, I got this great idea to try putting my daughter in the bathroom with a steamy shower going to try to ease her sinuses.   They look kind of swollen and puffy.   And as I thought of that steamy hot shower I realized I hadn’t yet had a shower today.  So I tell my husband how I have the best idea ever.  I’ll take a hot shower while he holds my daughter and she can let the steam ease her sinuses.

I promise it was not a lame excuse to get in my shower for today. Even though you know I needed one and you also know I won’t be getting one tomorrow morning with us calling the Dr. first thing.

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Well the steam room seemed to help.  Not sure which helped more, the steamy air or snuggling in Daddy’s arms while he sang, "It’s not easy being sick" (to the tune of It’s not Easy being Green).  I had showered and dressed and they were still in there together so I grabbed the camera.  Can’t make out much b/c the steam instantly fogged the lense.

Soooo…. all that to say….. I never got my “Can’t Leave Alone Bars” made and I STILL haven’t had much time for blogging… but those of you that visited me this weekend at the UBP, thank you.  Your comments made me smile and I am still planning on making it over to your site this week.  When things settle down.  Because they WILL settle down.  Right??

And, a huge shout out of thanksgiving to my friend from HomeGrownStarawberries and her children for brightening our day here at the circus!

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Need Some Chocolate??

March 23, 2009

in recipes

We’ve been battling some germs here at the circus.  Everything from ear infections, stomach bugs, croup, asthma attacks… we seem to have had it all, and then had it again. 

After this week’s bout of croup went from kid to kid (with the baby waking up today with a fever) I am thinking Momma could use some chocolate.   So, during nap time today I plan to whip up some of these (my favs) and enjoy a little chocolate fix while I try to catch up on some blog reading and commenting.  For those of you that have stopped over this week from the UBP, I am eager to stop on over to your blogs as well.  

 

Can’t Leave Alone Bars
1 pkg         White Cake Mix (18-1/4oz Box)
1/3 c         Vegetable oil
1 can          14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 c             Semisweet Chocolate chips
2                Eggs
1/4 c          Butter

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, combine dry cake mix, eggs, oil.
  2. With hands, press 2/3 of the mixture into a greased 13×9x2 baking pan.
  3. Set remaining Cake mixture aside.
  4. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the Milk, Chocolate Chips, and Butter.  Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 45 secs, Stir
  5. Microwave 45-60 secs longer or until Chips, Butter are melted; stir until smooth. 
  6. Pour over crust
  7. Drop teaspoonfuls of remaining Cake Mixture over top.
  8. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned
  9. Cool before cutting (they taste way better after they have cooled, then warm)

Yield: 3 doz  ( I promise, like the title suggests, you CAN NOT leave em’ alone)!

 

Hope you enjoy this easy and delicious dessert.  And don’t forget to come back this Friday.  My sweet hubby has been staying up until all hours of the night for the past two weeks working on my new custom blog layout…can’t wait to show it to you on Friday and have you enter my give away!

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