Uncomfortable in my skin...

I have really sensitive skin.

In fact, this year, I've developed some kind of allergic reaction to my wedding ring.

If I wear it, I get a really itchy, ugly, red, bumpy rash around my finger. It clears up within a few days of removing the ring. I've cleaned the ring very well and still no relief. So for those of you who have noticed that I haven't been wearing my ring, there's no trouble in paradise. I'm just suddenly allergic to it. I looked it up and apparently its not abnormal for body chemistry to change with age and skin reactions to occur when in contact with various metals -gold included. Ugh.

Several months ago, I switched laundry detergents because 3 for the price of 1 Dynamo at Meijer was significantly cheaper than "All: Free and Clear." However, the dermatitis I'm suffering from on all parts of my body that come in contact with clothing is telling me that cheaper isn't necessarily better. Even my head itches because I lay on pillow cases washed in Dynamo. I'm pretty sure that after this week of laundry all my clothes will finally be washed in All and maybe my skin will clear up and I can stop scratching.

I have, however, had one pleasant skin related incident occur within the past months. I recently started using Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion and it has made a world of difference on my arms (I have keratosis pilaris-don't Google it, because the pictures are the absolute WORST CASE SCENARIOS - which I do not have).

The sensitivity of my skin is a constant reminder that it's crucial to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading in my life and sensitive to the needs of others while at the same time maintaining a necessary level of "thick-skinned-ness" (i.e. not taking someone else's rotten mood personally or not taking offense at another's harmless, albeit thoughtless, joke).

I hope everyone's turkey turns out perfect - with a nice, brown, crispy skin. I'm just hoping mine thaws in time. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

You guys all been good and practicin' real hard...so Santa'll bring you a new saxophone?

Last night on the way to church, a particular version of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" came on the radio...for the 53rd time that day.

Halfway through the song, Kayla declared, "I don't like this song!"

"Why not?" I asked.

"What does this guy think? That he's the boss or something?"

"Why do you ask that?" I was completely unable to stifle my hysterical laughter.

"Because he's all bossin' people around! 'Ya better watch out! Ya better not cry!' Its like he thinks he's The Boss or something!"

She still doesn't understand why I thought she was so funny.

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (Radio Version) - Bruce Springsteen

Brain Dump Tuesday

I have a confession.

I think Aaron is really funny. For whatever reason, I feel like its necessary to act like I don't, but I really do! I constantly laugh at his ridiculousness.

A lot of people who attend our church think he's really funny in his messages on Sundays. But that's not even the really funny stuff. In fact, I think his "pulpit jokes" are usually pretty lame. Its the insane stuff that makes me laugh so hard I cry.

For example, Karis got this for her birthday:



And do you have any idea the type of nonsense he's recorded on that thing? Right now, I won't let the kids play with it because I'm afraid they'll delete what is on it. (In case you're dying to know, its him singing in a really eery voice, "I love chicken popcorn..." which I'm not even sure what that means, but its hilarious! I'm laughing right now as I type this).

After reading what I just wrote, maybe he's not that funny. Maybe I just have a really weird sense of humor and he's learned how to cater to it over the years.

Yeah, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm pretty sure what that's it.

***

As you may have heard, Kayla hates Gym Class for two reasons:
1.) She hates doing "gym stuff" (her words) because she's not good at it
2.) She has gotten numerous "time-outs" for talking while she's supposed to be doing "gym stuff"

She has begged me to allow her to stay home on Tuesdays - Gym Day.

Incidentally, the entire Warren Consolidate School District had last Tuesday off due to elections. Kayla declared that it was an answer to her prayers. (Great. What do I do with that?)

This week she wanted to "take Tuesday as a vacation day." Awesome. When I said no, she later on tried to trick me by listing all the outfits she wanted to wear this week - Tuesday's being a dress, leggings and her suede boots. I almost agreed before I realized she was trying to get out of gym by "forgetting" her tennis shoes!

Well, last night, she gave herself a doozy of a bloody nose. I'm not making this up: She kneed herself in the nose. Yes. Her knee made heavy impact at a high velocity with her nose.

Anyway, when she awoke this morning, the nose was gushing again. It took me a while to get it to stop. Then I said to her, "Be careful today in gym so your nose doesn't start bleeding again."

Her reply was, "Maybe you should just let me stay home or write me a note to get out of gym."

She's really working every angle of this. I started to think she kneed herself in the nose on purpose. But then quickly realized that it was a fairly athletic feat that she'd performed and just knew it must have been an accident due to her her skill level in "gym stuff."


***

And finally, I think I've spent a lot of time this afternoon making a pot of soup for dinner that no one is going to like. It was kind of something I made up as I went.

Every time I've ever done that its been a monumental failure. When am I going to learn that I am not my mother and that I've disappointed her in so many ways (for proof, click here) ? She's in heaven shaking her head at me in disgust as I type this...

I'd better go now...my hideous soup is probably boiling over...like that would be such a crisis.

All Saints Day...

Dear Karis,

You turned 2 years old yesterday. When you woke us up by yelling "MA! MA! MA!" at the top of your lungs, we decided to come into your room and serenade you with Happy Birthday. Your response was an ear-splitting scream followed by jumping up & down in your crib yelling "DOP IT!!! DOP IT!!!" (Stop it! Stop it!)

You are quite the force of nature...and we wouldn't have it any other way. Your intense drive to squeeze every last drop out of every second out of every ounce of the day delights us, exhausts us, makes us laugh and frightens us all at the same time. I've been told that its our job to help you channel all of that into something productive someday.

We're excited that you're able to communicate with us in English now - without "Ma" as the interpreter. Daddy's favorite thing to make you say is "Apple Cider"... it IS pretty, stinkin' adorable. And you're really starting to follow directions now - when they are phrased "positively." "Karis, please go get me those socks..." and you obediently trot over to retrieve the socks.

However, if I were to say, "Karis, please do not stick that fork into the light socket..." you would giggle maniacally and run faster toward the thing that could end your life. And then if I begin the "1...2...3..." countdown that ends in dire consequences, you think its hilarious to finish counting for me and run like the devil away from me.

But we'll get that figured out eventually. Right?

Karis Layne, every day with you is an exciting adventure filled with lots of noise and laughter. A lady at church summed it up pretty accurately at the Fall Festival this weekend (where we had you dressed as Chewbacca - your sister was Princess Leia) when she heard you squealing with laughter in the Bounce House when she said that your laugh is "infectious." I couldn't agree more. People can't help but smile when you are around.

We love you so much and are so proud that you are the little Boo Bear that completes our family. Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mommy

Better than Yu Gi Oh...

So, we downloaded the Jesus is My Superhero Hillsong Kids album...and of course Kayla wants to hear one song over and over and over and over again whenever we're in the van.

And that song is the title track. Its cute and catchy and makes us dance. Yes, I dance in my van with the girls when this song is on. We rock out.

Here are the lyrics (I was going to just post a link to the site that had the lyrics, but there were all these ads for tooth whitening products and the pictures of yellow teeth and close ups of bacteria were kind of gross, so I just copied and pasted the lyrics in their entirety - sorry):

He's the one who makes the sun shine
He's the one who that puts the moon in the sky
He's the one who hung the stars
One by one

He's the one who makes the birds sing
He's the one who makes your dreams so high
He's the one who makes me smile
Day by day

Jesus you're my superhero
You're my star, my best friend
Jesus you're my superhero
You're my star, my best friend

Better than Spiderman
Better than Superman
Better than Batman
Better than anyone

refrain

Better than Yu Gi Yo
Better than Barbie
Better than Action Man
Better than anyone

If you've heard the song, you know that the "better than..." parts are basically the singers yelling that portion into the microphone - with very strong Australian accents, I might add. (And by the way, I think Australian accents and New Zealand accents are probably two of the coolest accents in the world.)

Anyway, the first time I heard the song, I kept thinking to myself, "Who is this Bobby they keeping talking about? 'Better than Bobby...' Must be some Australian cartoon or something I've never heard of..."

I asked Kayla if she knew who Bobby was. She enlightened me that it was, in fact, not Bobby, but Barbie. "Better than Barbie..." Ooooohhhh....like "throw another shrimp on the bobby (barbie)..."

That's kind of legit that I'd hear that incorrectly, right? (Please validate me.)

Later that day, the whole family was in the car listening to the song, yet again. One of the "better than..." shout-outs played and Aaron got a really weird look on his face. "What did that guy say?"

"Better than Batman," I replied.

"Oh, I thought he said 'Phil the Fat Man.'"

Here's the video

Dripping Orifices

For some reason, Kayla is having a really rough time over Aaron being out of town. Its not that uncommon for him to travel out of town for several days at a time for conferences, speaking engagements, missions trips, etc. This time its a family wedding.

Normally Kayla is out of her mind with excitement because when he's gone she gets to sleep in my bed. This time though, there has been much weeping. And by much, I mean "what-in-the-world-seriously-can-you-get-a-grip-child" much. Of course I don't say that out loud. Thank God for inner monologues.

Anyway, the crying and nose blowing combined with the change in the season and the aridness of our home once the furnace comes on, has cause Kayla's nose to bleed several times over the past few days. She woke up last night at 2 a.m. with a gusher. We're fairly used to this because she gets them pretty regularly. Always when the seasons are changing. Always when there's been any nasal congestion. Always when a lot of crying has transpired. Always during allergy season. Always the same nostril - the right one.

I used to get them as well when I was her age, so I'm not alarmed. And I've talked with her pediatrician about it. She's not alarmed. Although she did seem concerned when I asked if it was possible that Kayla had been abducted by aliens and had a device implanted into her nose. No, I didn't really ask that. But Agent Mulder would have.

Well, I got a call from the school today because she had one and they couldn't get it to stop. So I packed up Karis and headed out into the torrential downpour to stop the bleeding. Which I did, with ease. I'm really good at it. The key is to tip the head forward and pinch very firmly. VERY firmly. Almost too hard. Kayla and I usually get into a big fight while this is happening:

ME: Tip your head down.
HER: Ouch! Stop! You're pinching it too hard!
ME: I have to in order for it to stop bleeding!
HER: MOM-my!! It hurts! (tears start to well up)
ME: Don't cry! It'll only make the bleeding worse!
HER: I HAVE TO CRY! You're hurting me!
ME: Knock it off or you'll bleed to death! Is that what you want? To bleed to death from a bloody nose!
HER: Mommy, that's not funny! Don't say that!
ME: Who's trying to be funny! It's 2 o'clock in the morning...I'm in no mood for funny. I'm not even sure if I'm conscious....

And by that time, the bleeding will have stopped.

Luckily, that conversation didn't transpire at the school. She was very brave and let me pinch as hard I needed to and there were no tears. I asked if she wanted to come home for the day and the reply was, "Are you kidding? Today is Friday Frenzy! We get ice cream today!"

Ice cream trumps all bloody nose-related sympathy for today. We'll see about next time.

Fall Pictoral

Last weekend's 2nd Annual Hlavin Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza







This weekend's trip to Yate's Cider Mile