lessons on celebrating life: afterschool treasure hunt

Meet your darling coming off the bus
from school with the first clue to a treasure hunt.

The prize doesn't matter, of course.
But if you make these crinkle cookies
and add the seasonal Hershey Mint Truffle on top?
Well, shoot.

Whatcha' Wanna Know Wednesday: How do you do it?

Q: It must be hard having a handicapped child.

How do you do it?

A: This question used to stump me.
I got sort of frustrated by it, honestly.
I'd blubber out something like, "You do what you have to do."
or
"What else am I supposed to do?"
But I've learned.....
the answer is so plain & simple:

LOVE.
LOVE.
LOVE.

I LOVE him!
So dearly much.

And because I love Bugg,

I WANT to do anything & everything I can for him.

(I really love that question now!)

Christmastime

There is much to celebrate this season......

A little baby girl!
Bumping, hiccuping,
kicking & flipping in my belly.

Crafting.
Lots of it.
And a whole lotta snowflakes.
Let there be snowflakes!!

I LOVE Mia's colored snowflakes.

Afterschool snack snowflakes, too.
Fold tortilla into a triangle and cut away.
Fry both sides in butter sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar.

Branches linked together with floral wire,
pinecones hung with fishing line.

I think Winter beauty can be every bit

as charming as Spring beauty.
It just takes some looking around.
Or, in my case, driving the streets of our neighborhood,
knocking on strangers' doors,
and asking if I can gather a bagful of their pine boughs,
pinecones, or berries.
A bit awkward.
But they'll remember me when next year comes around.

Use 3 day old popcorn
for easier stringing.

The ever lovely stringing of cranberries

& popcorn while watching a holiday flick.
This is long & tedious & worth every poke in
the fingers.
Brian & Mia joined me, though, & it went fast.

Dried orange slices & some cinnamon sticks.

Martha Stewart placecards

We hosted a dinner
for some loved ones.

It's a must.
If we don't read the book,
we've got to see the play.

And the LIGHTS!

Hope your Christmastime
is merry & bright,
(with a good craft goin'),
and special & meaningful, too.
Tomorrow is What'cha Wanna Know Wednesday!

Watcha' Wanna Know Wednesday: All New on The Bugg's *Special* Life

You're going to love this:

Every Wednesday,
I'm going to post your questions
and answer them!!!
Neat-o, right?!

You can email me a question or
ask it in the comments.
I will post your questions anonymously.

Here are some old ones that I haven't answered yet:

Q: What do you love to do when you get time for just you? Just Bree all alone?

(does it happen)?

In the same way that it is so important to make time for 'date night' with your spouse, do you ever take time for yourself?

If so, what do you relish in and look forward to doing?

Would you take a long walk with your camera in hand, capturing breathtaking views?

Would you read in your pajamas for hours?

A: I love this question!
YES to everything!

My husband & I feel that 'alone' time is really important
for each of us to have.
We've come up with a great solution:
Each week (theoretically, anyway), we get a night out just for ourselves.
We are off duty at 6pm and are free to do whatever.
Sometimes I go to the library & just browse.
Or a cupcake run with some friends.
Maybe I'll just stay home but don't have to be available to anyone.
Craft nights, movie nights, an uplifting church meeting,
shopping. Thrift stores are my fave!
I love my nights off very much. And I love Brian so much for suggesting this!

There may be other moments during the day when I'm able to sneak away for a bit.
Like to take pictures!
Especially of lovely sunsets.
And if I have the right book....something like The Blue Castle....then I'd read
forever in my jammies.

my birthday cake float

Mostly, though, I do a lot of things for me in the everyday.
I do my hair in pin curls & try out new lip colors.
I craft things for my house.
Just now, I spent an hour stringing orange slices & popcorn making
a Christmas-ey garland to hang above the piano.
I loved that quiet time creating something for my home.
I bake cookies for my family, sure, but I make the kind that I like.
And if I want to go out for ice cream,

we're going out for ice cream just 'cause.
Or convincing my husband to take us to Disneyland, spur of the moment!
All the outings & celebrations are for my family, but also a lot for me.
Selfish, maybe.
But I love LOVE making & keeping these special memories
with the ones I love.

Q: You mentioned a while back that your camera broke ... glad to see it's fixed. Is that a new lens that captured that cool shot of the bee flying through the sprinkler?

A: Yes, my camera (the D40) is now fixed. But at this time last summer, I was using my Pa-in-law's D90. Niiiiiiice camera, by the way! But I had also gotten a new lens for my birthday.....this one. It's a telephoto lens and it is way fun. I love being able to take close-ups without being close up to my subject. Such as taking pics of kids running on the slip 'n slide. Yay, I don't get wet!

I still can't bring myself to flirt with the D-5100 that we got like 2 months ago!!!!

the ultrasound

I had my ultrasound.

THE ultrasound.
Where we find out the gender!
And you know......
how everything is going with baby.

We took Mia out of school
so that she could join in on the celebration.
Sister or Brother?!!!
I couldn't decide what to wear.
So I wore blue & pink.
Including one pink earring, one blue.

I was so EXCITED!

Nervous, anxious, but mostly
crazy excited!!!!
Each time I've gone into THE ultrasound
to "meet" my babies,
I've been just so giddy.
Finding out if we're having a daughter or a son is
a pretty big deal!

And getting to see all their sweet growing babyness
is so precious & miraculous.
We've never cared what the gender would be,
and this time was just the same.
Boy, girl......either way would be an absolute lovely welcomed surprise!

Since I have a history of having a special needs child,
I get to go straight to Maternal Fetal Medicine
for an ultrasound with the Perinatologist.
That dreaded 5th floor where I had so many
ultrasounds with Wyatt,
hoping & praying each time that I went in
that something had miraculously changed back to normal.
But I'd done this trek with my last pregnancy,
Baby Ella,
and all had been well.
I was very excited!!! And slightly nervous.

Bugg's brain abnormality was just "lucky."
It's not familial.
Chances of having another baby with the same condition are super slim.
As I've been part of the special needs world,
I'm just amazed at how many things have to form for a typical baby to be born.

There are so many intricate parts to a body.
It just wows me.
And ultrasounds wow me, too.
Getting to see our little gem up on the screen,
moving around, sucking on fingers,
crossing legs just so,
making it difficult to get a good view at first.
I just wanted to laugh out loud!
And I did,
except that makes my belly shake too much.
It was so much fun and any anxieties I had were put to rest
as I watched our babe in black & white.

While I was there in the waiting room,
I couldn't help but think about the other mothers there,
what they must be thinking & feeling.
The grief, the confusion, unanswered questions.
I wanted to talk to them.
The doc had said it had been a bad day.
Oh! I just wanted to hug each one and tell them that,
no matter what happens,
they could still experience a wonderful & full life.
I've been astounded by the mamas
I've met that have embraced this special life and found lots of joy,
whether they got to keep their special ones or send them back to heaven.
I felt so lost, empty, & crushed each time I went to that 5th floor
with my baby Bugg in my belly.
I could have used a hug from someone who "got it."
But alas, I didn't have the courage to give out hugs
so I said a silent prayer for those special mothers.

We got some great pictures of baby
and I'm so glad that I could share
the experience with my husband & Mia.

We went out for donuts afterward.

With pink frosting.

Another girl!!!
Sooooooo happy!

Thankful

What is better than blogging

by Christmas tree light?

Blogging by Christmas tree light
& listening to Christmas tunes
on Grooveshark.
Especially "Christmas piano music."
Try it.
Beautiful!

The Thanksgiving holiday was filled with
all the good stuff:
gratitude, family & food!
And we made caramel, too.

While all the zombie-crazed Black Friday
shoppers were out,
I was enjoying crepes in my HoHoHo jammies.
But Saturday,
I got some steals at JoAnn's.
I'm taking to the sewing machine for a lot of my gift-giving this year.
Yikes. Fingers crossed.

We had to hold Mia back til the day after
Thanksgiving to put up the tree.
She was so ready a week ago.

I love her thrill for the holidays.

She is so my kid!

Bugg was all giggles as we
brought out the ornaments.
How many times a day do I say:
"Wyatt is so awesome."

their bedroom

We did a bunch of hanging out
over the holiday.
Being with family, lounging, eating......
it was good.
But by Saturday night,
I was ready for a holiday adventure.
Something outside perhaps?
Magical. Bright. Christmas-y.
My memory-making wheels were turning & scheming.
Let's do something special.
However,
that's when an impromptu Guy's Night was planned.
Subtract Brian.
Okay, so now what?
I need an adventure.
I want a magical memory with my children
to go down tonight!

And it happened.

I told them,
"Let's go on an adventure!"
We packed up gloves, hats, the hot chocolate canister and
set out for the Riverwoods.
I'd heard about it at Christmastime but have never been.
Oh, my GOODness, it is so magical!
Really? An outdoor mall can be that cool?
YES!

There was live entertainment in the gazebo,

firepits & warmers on every corner,
carriage rides,
Santa visits,
and the lights!
They're everywhere!
It was so fun.
And cold, of course.
And I forgot to pack my coat.
But - miracles!- I found one of the Hunk's coats in the backseat.

Visiting Blickenstaff's toy store is quite an event.
It reminds me of "A Christmas Story"
when all the kids are ooohing & aaaahing looking through
the toy store window at all the toys.
Yeah, that's how it is here.

ooohing & aaahing by Bugg

And you're thinking,
"That girl is crazy!
Taking all those kids out in the cold
by herself at night."
We stayed up past bedtime, indeed.
There was some shuffling.
It was work.
But good golly,
look at this picture:

on the carriage ride

I am so up for a sweet memory
to tuck away forever.
My children were so happy & really good.
They were just taking all the magic in like I was.
They're not always like that.
But this night was ours.
It just clicks sometimes.

I love how Santa reached over
and put his hand on Bugg's hot wheels.
Must be the real Santa Claus!

I am so so thankful.
Thankful for this beautiful season.
Thankful to be a mama.
Thankful for LIFE!