Capers and Candy

I remember high school. Really, I do. I also remember my mom complaining about some of the teacher's requirements. Two memories immediately come to mind. An English teacher (straight out of college) wanted every student to provide a cassette tape so she could "talk to us" as she was grading our papers. Dumb idea, and my mom let me know it. Spanish II had a study of the culture and food of the regions of Spain. Mom had to find and then buy saffron so I could make my dish for the class. Prior to her shopping excursion neither of us knew that saffron is the most expensive spice sold. She found out when she was shopping for it, and she sure as heck let me know it when she got home.

I don't remember any high stress high school experiences with Christopher that involved stupid teacher ideas or me hunting to purchase something. However, I had the pleasure of experiencing both with Cameron.

Spanish II is having a culinary section. (I guess not much has changed in Spanish II after all this time.) He found a recipe online. He chose Fricase de Pollo. The recipe was printed and I was requested to go to the store to purchase the ingredients. All was going well until I started looking for the capers. What the hell is a caper anyway? They weren't with the spices. I spent a good 5 minutes reading every label on the spice shelves. No capers. So, I moved on to the next ingredient... stuffed green olives. We hate olives, but the recipe calls for them. Lo and behold! Right next to the olives were the capers. Killed two birds right there. I spent $40 on all of the ingredients, but he was set to cook.

The very next night I was handed a list of candy that he needed for Biology. "Why in the world do you need candy for Biology?" I asked. "So I can make an animal cell. The giant gumball will be the nucleus and the Nerds rope will be the DNA" he replied (smiling large because we all know how much Cameron loves candy). "That's dumb" I said. "What's wrong with styrofoam balls, pipe cleaners, and construction paper?" Still smiling, Cameron said, "She is making it fun."

So on my lunch hour the following day I headed to Dollar General. I picked up the Jolly Ranchers, regular M&M's, and peanut M&M's. Next stop was Wal-Mart. I got the pull-apart Twizzlers. I was slowly making some progress. After work I went to Meijer and got lucky finding multi-colored Rainbow Twizzlers. All I needed was a large gumball and a Nerds rope. The young lady that was helping me look for these last two items recommended that I go to the candy store at the mall. I tried Gander Mountain first because they have some obscure candy and it was much closer than the mall. I struck out and headed towards the mall.

I walked into Inside Scoop at the mall. It is a store with candy floor to ceilling and hundreds maybe thousands of stuffed animals. It was a Willie Wonka candy room that I stepped into, and under normal circumstances it would have made me smile. Picture this... I walked into this candy store and an absolutely adorable young store clerk, who was as effervescent as shaken ginger ale, and who had a smile from ear to ear bubbled, "Hi!!! How are you this afternoon?" My reply was short and to the point, "I'm tired and I'm frustrated."
Clerk: "Aaawwww!!!! That's too bad. How can I help make your day better?"
Me: "Lead me to a giant gumball and a Nerds rope and I will be very grateful."
Clerk: (giggling and smiling) "I bet your child is making a cell for Biology. Right? I just had another mom in here buying these."
Me: "Did she buy anything else?"
Clerk: "No. She was having a hard time finding these pieces of candy too!"
Me: "Makes me feel better."

So now I type this and I think to myself that my mom is smiling as she reads this. She probably has a smile as big as that candy store clerk's smile. Her saffron and cassette tape are my capers and candy 28 years later.

Oh, and the olives that led me to the capers? Cameron wouldn't use them even though the recipe called for them. He very much dislikes olives also. I have a reminder of my journey in the pantry.

Copied from Cathy

I imagine many of you follow our family as well as Cathy's family. For you guys, please excuse this duplication. For everyone else please read the entry Cathy made on her blog. Every time I think of this I laugh.

Every. Time.

Twindom
Here's the situation as I saw it: Faith had a Strawberry Shortcake cup of water, without a lid sitting on the counter. It's a cute cup, really. Eva walked into the kitchen and saw that cup. She put down her milk and started frantically reaching, signing, grunting for Faith's Strawberry Shortcake cup - again, without a lid. I told her no, but I offered her another cup of water, with a lid - which started a huuuuuuge, size toddler two, temper tantrum. She got down on the floor, face red, screaming as loud as she could, smacking her little arms and kicking her little feet. I was just watching - I'm a believer that tantrums are much easier if you just let the kid scream and throw the fit (as long as they are safe.) Cawood came and found his twin horribly worked up. He very calmly walked over to her, patted her back, rubbed her head, picked up the water sitting beside her and offered it to her. It was very, very sweet watching him care for her. But when he offered her the water she lashed out at him, smacked in his direction and pushed him away. That little boy took the cup of water that was in his hand (still completely calm,) bopped her over the head with it and walked away.

Stewing

It's not been a great week. It's not been a bad week, it's just not been great. Stick with me:
Monday we found out about our classmate and the cancer diagnosis.
Tuesday I found out that Pher is eating squirrels.
This week Todd is working days instead of nights except for Wednesday when he worked from 8 am - 9:30 pm. On the way home he blew a tire on the highway. That was not a big deal except that the air compressor was in the garage insted of his trunk. At 9:55 I was on 69 north to deliver the air compressor.
Wednesday and Thursday have been inventory days at work. Usually this is not a problem, except this year everyone seems to be on edge about it. By the end of the day on Thursday, I was whooped.

I got home from work at 5 on Thursday. I was beat, grumpy, my hands were terribly itchy (eczema), and my head was fuzzy from the number of Benadryl I had consumed during the day. I walked into the mud room from the garage and was overcome by a delicious aroma. "Yes," I thought, "Todd started dinner." No way he could have. He wasn't home from work yet. I walked into the kitchen and spotten an unfamiliar Tupperware bowl on the counter. I lifted the already ajar lid and the delicious aroma wafted out of the bowl. It looked much like vegetable soup. I asked Cameron if he made this for dinner...

"No. Go ahead and taste it" Cameron stated looking at me with that beautiful Cameron smile. "It's Christopher's squirrel stew."

That, dear friends and loved ones, is how my week has gone!

Classmate

We have a classmate that has been diagnosed with cancer. I don't have many specifics. We've heard both brain tumor and skin cancer. Whichever it is doesn't matter. The bottom line is that he is very ill. He recently found love and happiness, and now they have been struck with this devastating news.

We've all witnessed the power of prayer, and I ask that you please keep Matt and Lori in your prayers. Thank you so much.

Uncle Leo remembered

Tuesday night I called Pher. I wanted to hear my son's voice. I asked how he was doing and what he was doing.
Pher: "I just got done skinning me a squirrel, Momma."
Me: "Where are you?"
Pher "AJ's house."
Me: "Where are AJ's parents?"
Pher: "Right here."
Me: "Are they aware that you just got done skinning a squirrel?"
Pher: "Yes."
Me: "How did you get the squirrel, Christopher?"
Pher: "AJ, his brother, and his dad killed it."
Me: "What? How?"
Pher: "I don't know. I'd imagine a .22 or something."
Me: "What are you going to do with this skinned squirrel?"
Pher: "Well, I'm going to eat it."
Me: "I should have known."
Pher: "Yup. Gotta go."
Me: "Christopher, you can come home and eat."
Pher: (chuckling) "Yes, Mom, I know. Love you. Bye."

I posted some smart alec remark on Facebook about not asking him what he's going to do with a dead squirrel ever again. Cousin Jennifer commented and stated that "your uncle" (a.k.a. her father) killed a squirrel, cooked it, and made them taste it once. Yes, Uncle Leo would have done that I fondly remembered.

You see, Uncle Leo was born in the wrong century. He should have been born in the 17 or 1800's. He loved the primitive life. He loved muskets & gunpowder, cooking over open fire, and reliving what life would have been like in that era. I remember Uncle Leo and Aunt Judy taking us to 'real life' forts in upstate New York. I remember the stories about the people living in the forts defending it against the Indians. I remember their authentic attire. I remember my Uncle Leo telling me that the people who pretend to be living in the Fort or the Camp would talk and act like they were really living there. If I were to talk to them about things of modern times, these people would not know what I was talking about. I remember trying to fool them. I remember never being able to get them to 'break character.' I had a flood of memories... fond memories of my Uncle Leo and Aunt Judy and them exposing Matthew and me to the rich and full history of upstate New York.

At that point I started to think that Christopher may have inherited his free spirit. It might not be as acquired as I thought. It could very well be an inherent part of his being. Grandma Jan had a wandering relative (I can't remember if she said it was an aunt or uncle). I have an uncle that enjoyed primitive and sparse living. Christopher is like his family, and it's sad that they are family members he never had the opportunity or good fortune to meet.

Josten's School Spirit

I think this company has a monopoly on high school class rings, graduation gowns, invitations, key necklaces, glasses, frames, mugs, autograph dogs and all other high school crap that kids suck their parents into buying. Why do kids "have to" buy this stuff? Once the order arrives, the mugs and glasses just sit and collect dust. Key necklaces are worn for maybe 6 months. The crap just sits in parents' homes after high school graduation. You get my point.

We bought Pher a class ring. He wore it. He really did. Our kid that complained about high school wore that ring for his freshman and sophmore years of high school. It's a cool ring that has musical instruments and his graduation year of 2010 on one side. His name "CHRIS" and a peace sign are on the other side.

It's now Cameron's turn, and he is just as excited about ordering his class ring as most every other freshman gets. He got to design his online so he could "see it" before placing his order. His will have a guitar and his graduation year of 2014 on one side. The other side will have his initials "CAM" and an open bible with a cross.

Emma started to get upset that Cameron gets to order a class ring and she doesn't. "It's not fair" she wailed. "It IS fair. It's how it is. When it's the year 2016 we'll discuss your class ring. Until then, here's a catalog for you to look at." Baby girl designed out a class ring, and you bet it had diamonds in it!

Visit

He was home. I asked how long he was going to be home. His reply was simply, "I don't know. I'll be here until I leave again."

He was home for about 3 hours.

Grandparent Assignment

Emma's teacher gave the class a grandparent assignment. The children had to write about them. Through Emma's eyes we get to see how Emma perceives her grandparents...

Monkeying Around

Boy Scouts at 7:00. Emma wants to go to her friend’s house for “just a few minutes.” I told her to be home at 6:30. At 6:32 she came in through the garage, holding her left arm, and crying. She fell off the monkey bars at her friend’s house. Todd did a range of motion test and we decided that the ER was the next step. It may be broken… again… because she fell off the monkey bars… again.

We had a record setting visit to Parkview North ER. In and out (with x-rays taken and read) in 60 minutes. It’s not broken. It’s just a sprain that hurt like crazy. Once again they gave her a splint. Once again the nurse said that she can take it off if her arm is not hurting.

Oh, we didn’t make it to Boy Scouts. Better luck next week, Cameron.