Thank You Card Etiquette???

If you know me, you'll know I'm WEIRD when it comes to presents. I feel weird getting them, like I don't deserve them and I'm even WEIRDER when I give presents. I love to give things to others but often stress so much about it for so long in advance that I end up with nothing... or something REALLY bad. I'm TERRIBLE. (Evidence here.)

Sooooo when it came to planning Sawyer and Charlotte's birthday I thought pretty hard about the whole gift thing in advance. We live up in the mountains, gas is expensive and I'm am just sooo happy for someone to show their love for us by simply showing up. We don't need presents. Then I remember when I was younger and had a birthday party. I loved seeing my friends, I loved the cake, I loved the party and, well, I loved the presents. It didn't matter what it was, you could of wrapped up an old pair of shorts and I was happy unwrapping something. Friends were not higher on my list if they had a better present than someone else. I liked the shiny paper and it was just another FUN thing to add to birthday festivities. I decided that I wasn't going to not allow presents but we would also open up presents after the party so no one felt weird if they didn't bring a present or if one present wasn't as great as another. Again, I'm soooo weird when giving gifts and I really DON'T expect them but I also don't want to take that part away from my son and daughter.

Decision made, we allow gifts but don't open them at the party.

Now I'm faced with another challenge, the gifts with no name.

When Charlotte was born, a friend sent me the most adorable outfit. I LOVE it!!! The outfit included the cutest tutu skirt and I have taken many pictures of Charlotte dressed in the cuteness. I asked this friend for her address several times and have not heard back. To this day, I have nightmares about her hating me because I didn't send her a thank you card.

So here we are today, I'm sending out the thank you cards and wonder what to do with the gifts that did not have a name attached. I don't want to ask, "Hey did you give us this?" because if they didn't give us anything I don't want them to feel strange about it. Again, I still think it's sooooo freakin' amazing that they came and THAT in itself is the best present you can give us but I also want to show my gratitude toward the nameless gifts.

What do you guys think? what would you guys do?

On another note, if you were the person that gave a gift but didn't get a thank you, do you mention it to the person? Example: Three weddings in a row, we didn't get thank you cards for our gifts. I don't EXPECT a card but the gifts were ordered online and I just want to make sure the couples received the gift but don't want them to feel like I'm implying anything by asking so. Make sense?

So yeah, see why I'm all weird when it comes to gift giving? You can seriously insult someone just because you were trying to be grateful. Ahhhhh! Give me your advice!

Dear Sawyer- THREE Years Old!

Since the weather has warmed up and you and your sister are just CRAZY if locked up inside all day, we drive down to Golden almost every day. The routine is, walk Olde Town, jog up 6 Ave, and finish at the park where you two play before heading home for lunch and nap time. You LOVE the park. You aren't in preschool yet and some wonder if that in some way will contribute you to being shy, not being a people person but that is far from the truth. You spot new kids and make friends immediately. Almost everyone loves you. I sit on the sides and watch you and your new friends play chase, race up stairs, fly down slides and more. It's adorable. Yesterday however was different, there weren't too many kids at the park so you spotted an oder boy and decided to befriend him. I always made it a big deal to teach you to be nice, share, invite others to play, not hit, and always say goodbye to our new friends. It's not that those rules ALWAYS works and I GET a kid having a cranky day but honestly, I wanted to hit this kid you tried to play with. He played with you but only to make fun of you to his other friend. You are still young and too sweet to understand that kids can be intentionally mean. You continued to chase him and tried to laugh at his jokes but the joke was on you. This little punk would run up to the top of the play structure, narrate your actions in a really annoying voice and then send his little friend over to you to play punch you. I wanted to REAL punch him. When we left, you made it a BIG deal to go say goodbye because THAT IS WHAT WE DO. He ignored you and continued to make fun of you to his friend. All I could say is that it was really sad that at his age, he acted so little and couldn't be kind enough to say goodbye while holding back the urge to slap him.

I can't slap everyone that hurts you but MAN would I like to! Of course I'm your mom and I should feel protective, shower you with the love you deserve but so many others feel the same way toward you. Sawyer, you are LOVED! You have so many friends for a three year old and so many adults that consider you family not to mention FAMILY that loves you more than we could ever explain. I know you will experience heart break and disappointment but through it all I wish more than anything that you remember all the people that truly love you, a love that is so big it hurts. I hope you remember that there is someone to share that hurt with, you are NEVER alone. The sad part is not this kid making fun of you but knowing one day you will GET it. It will HURT you and that hurts me.

This year you became a BIG BROTHER! Such a huge event! You have a title now, a JOB and you fill it out so well. Your sister is the apple of your eye. You wake me up when she cries because, how can we POSSIBLY let her cry for a full minute. You run into her room yelling, "BROTHER IS HERE!" so proud to be there for her, so happy to save her from her crib. You like to teach her things, and when you find a word you think is easy enough for her, you'll repeat it to her until she copies you. You find her toys, sit her up, pull her to another area that might be more fun, feed her "baby food", wipe her face, bring her diapers, etc. You are an AMAZING big brother! I'm not going to lie, having two kids now is EXHAUSTING, you two take every bit of energy I have to offer and then some. Every single day I clean and minutes later, my work is destroyed. EVERY DAY it looks like a helicopter took off out of our living room. Sometimes you guys just cry or scream, you ALWAYS need meals at the same time, wake up before 6am, don't want to go to bed before 8pm, need to be entertained EVERY SECOND. Every minute of my day is making sure you two SURVIVE. The other day I asked you what makes you happy; I expected the usual things you talk about: trains, trucks, boats, tractors or horses. You looked up at me and answered, "Charlotte". Tear. Every second of my day, exhausted or not, is worth it, I'm the LUCKY one, you two make ME happy.

Since you were born, you've been a mama's boy. You need cuddles and kisses from me every time you wake up or you can NOT function. Secretly, I LOVE this and soak up every second of cuddles I can get. This last year though, you've really warmed up to Daddy. You are "big like daddy" and "strong like daddy" and my favorite, "handsome like daddY". You want to fish with daddy, ride tractors with daddy, go to work with daddy. I think you see yourself on a path to become like daddy and I love it. It's so rewarding to see you love your dad enough to want to be like him. I'm sure your vision of us will change many times throughout your life but right now, we'll take this one!

Three is such a different age. I'm not sure what "terrible twos" are about because three is MUCH harder so far. It's not like you are BAD, you just know what you want, what you do NOT want and you are smart enough to manipulate us into getting your way. The other day you let yourself out of time out, hugged me and said you were sorry for hitting. It was adorable. I turned you back around, sent you to your room and said you are NOT to come out unless I LET you out. You bawled. Inside I was melting, your action was adorable, the expression on your face was priceless, you were so sweet in your apology but I KNEW if I fell for it, you would no longer stay in time-out because I let you get out on your own. I have to dig down for a strength I've never had in order to turn away your sweet apologies and loving hugs because YOU are figuring out just what you can get away with. You are learning our weaknesses and playing on them. You are honing your survival or "get out of time-out" skills and we can't just keep up, we have to stay ahead of you and it's HARD, it's trying. You can reason and if I have to explain something to you, it better be an explanation that will last. No longer can I say yes to one thing one minute and no to it an hour later because you REMEMBER. You are putting together the puzzle that is YOUR world and OUR rules and as parents, we have to make sure the world we create for you has puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly and if we don't make those puzzle pieces fit, you find the loophole and get yourself right out.

Though you are smart enough for manipulation you are also smart enough to be funny. REALLY FUNNY! You are hilarious! I love the things you say. You understand that daddy goes to work to make money so we and pay for certain things so in your head, he goes to work just so we can buy chips and now you want a job so you can make money and buy all the chips you want! It's hilarious! I'm all for that job by the way, raising kids is NOT cheap! Get to it kid!

Fun Stuff:
-You know every letter of the alphabet and what those letters "say".
-You skied with daddy this year and he said you did AMAZING!
-You LOVE your Boppa (Grandma) and Grandpa and ask for them daily.
-You like to help me cook.
-You are a BOY, you love getting dirty and would rather play tractors in the sand than splash in water.
-You think Skype was invented just for you and how could you not? The only people that that Skype us want to talk to YOU!
-You are getting closer and closer to being potty trained though you aren't a fan of pooping in the toilet.
-You have balance down when riding your balance bike and LOVE going fast.

Every single night, I tuck you in, walk out of the room and yell, "I love YOU Sawyer!" You return with, "I love YOU Mama!" We do this several times getting louder and louder with each proclamation of love. You are three now, next year four and soon fourteen but I will never stop yelling, "I love YOU Sawyer!"

Happy third birthday to our boy-o!

I Blame Mrs. Green and Stephanie

That's right. I'm calling out names. LIKE real names. Not even making them up. Changing them for the innocent.

Because this is serious. A very serious subject matter and while I'm at it, feel free to include the names of any other cheerleading coach and captain you have ever known!

HEAR THAT?!?!

And before you get all crazy on me like "Don't start a rant on cheerleaders, we are ATHLETES damn it!" sort of crazy, let me just say, I WAS A CHEERLEADER TOO!

Okay, panties out of a knot? I love you guys! Cheerleading rocks

sometimes.

But not 12 years later.

I mean FOUR years later, think I'm old or something?

Let me also say that Mrs. Green and Stephanie were both awesome. Mrs. Green was my junior high cheer coach and taught me rhythm (though Geoff would argue otherwise) and Stephanie, well, actually I have another bone to pick with Stephanie.

There is this thing called a twist cradle. Sounds fun huh? Actually it was DEATH! It was terrible. I was the girl that would be on top of the pyramid or "flyer" in the cheer world and the big thing then was TWIST cradles. I'm sure cheerleading has changed a ton but if you weren't twisting like a crazy person down from your stunt, you weren't going to win your competitions. We liked to win so they would make me twist. I would stand on top of a few hands all high in the air with nothing but hard gym floor below me. Yeah, we didn't have a budget for mats and frankly the wrestling mats freaked us out; we were sure we were going to get ringworm from the wrestling room so instead of ringworm, we gambled on broken bones. YAY us, we were so smart! So yeah, there I am standing on a few hands high in the air and Stephanie would yell, "TWIST! 1-2" and right after two, I should be spiraling down from the stunt into their arms.

Don't even say this sounds easy. I would rather back flip into a rattlesnake pit than twist cradle! I would cry! Tears would stream down my eyes as they yelled, "HOLLY! TWIST!!! 1 2..."

See, aren't you mad at Stephanie already? I'm like building my case and all because I'm legal and professional.

Besides making me cry and trying to knock me off by making me twist to my death on hard floors, she would make us smile.

Stephanie AND Mrs. Green would make us smile.

"Smile! Okay, do this one while SMILING! Don't forget to smile! Smile at the judges! Smile during games! Smile at the crowd! Smile at all times!!!"

"Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile! SMILE! SMILE! SMILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

So we smiled until our cheeks hurt. We smiled through the pain! We smiled through the fear. We smiled because we HAD to.

And now at almost 30 years old I have the deepest set of laugh lines you have ever seen.

And can you guess who I blame for these?

Dear Cheerleaders: Don't smile.

Use that botox fund for something else. You're welcome.

Major Life Decision: Cursing

I'm not one to curse. In college, people would seriously offer me $5.00 to say the F-word. I just don't FEEL it. It just isn't natural. I don't care and am in no way offended when others throw the F-bomb around but it just isn't my style...

Until recently.

I feel like I have SOOOO much going on. I'm soooo busy and maybe a little stressed that when the smallest thing goes wrong turning a five minute task into a two hour job, I just want to SCREAM

the F-word.

So, should I take up cursing?

Example-

Yesterday Charlotte choked on a piece of banana and it freaked her out enough to cry for an hour straight. Her crying got Sawyer crying. I had two screaming kids. I gave them a bath to stop the screaming and Charlotte pooped in hers. I pulled her baby bath full of water and poop out of the big bath Sawyer was in and got her dressed. While in Charlotte's room, Sawyer filled Charlotte's bath that is now sitting on the bathroom floor up with water until it overflowed and poop filled water was all over the bathroom. Pulled Sawyer out, he cried for an hour until he found his blanket while I scrubbed every inch of that bathroom until it was all shit (oops, see, there it is!) free again.

We had to be in Denver for a doctor's appointment at noon so I packed up the kids, drove down the canyon, threw them in the double jogger and went for a run.

Because if anything was going to fix my morning, it was a nice run.

And now it's time for a letter:

Dear Cyclists-

I was jogging, pushing both my kids in a double stroller up hills on the widest path I've ever seen. You two were the second set of people to pass me in the 30 minutes I've been running at that point (And end up being the last people to pass me on that hour run). THE PATH WAS NOT BUSY. THE PATH IS VERY WIDE. I stayed to the right so anyone faster than me could pass me with no problems. Running is my release. It makes me happy, it makes me healthy, it gives me a little break from being a mommy and if I want my fucking music turned up, I can turn my fucking music up.

The wind was against us. I couldn't hear you very well while you were right next to me screaming without ANY music on so you think I could hear you when you were BEHIND me yelling into the wind. No chance. And, though none of your damn business, my music WASN'T very loud because I like to be able to hear my kids in case one started crying!

So don't you fucking tell me to run without music so I can hear you better. You had plenty of room to pass me, you were yelling into the wind on this super wide, non-busy path.

Next time to clear up the road, I'll sit on my ass all day, get fatter by the minute and let YOU pay my medical bills.

Because God forbid I turn my shitty morning around on a healthy run.

Fuckers.


So, yeah, I think I'm going to take up cursing. Thoughts?

Sawyer and Charlotte's Lemonade Stand Birthday Party

First I have to say I LOVE this party! It came out adorable and I'm so thankful for everyone that helped me pull this off.

Last year I was way too exhausted, busy, and lazy to give Sawyer a party. I had Charlotte six days before his birthday. Instead we threw some cake mix in the oven and called it a day. This year I wanted them to have a GREAT birthday party. Sawyer is at the age he can remember things and it's Charlotte's first ever birthday. How could we NOT throw a party?!

Sooo, maybe I went a little overboard...

Welcome to our Lemonade Stand Birthday Party!

A few details: After searching a zillion places for something cute to put in the goody bags, I decided I was going to make each kid an apron for the party. Yeah, brilliant idea when you are super busy as it is! After two days and calling every fabric store in the Denver area, I finally found some lemon fabric and went to town. I was afraid the aprons would be too lame for some of the older kids but just about everyone loved them and the kids looked ADORABLE!

Geoff made the lemonade stand and wanted me to tell everyone his goal was to make it look like a kid made it. He says he used his level to make sure it WASN'T level. I love that guy!

Being sure I was not going to cry, I handed the cake to Sawyer while everyone sang and totally bawled. Yeah, I'm THAT mom.

All in all, it was a huge success and am sooo happy we decided to throw a party this year. Go parties!

I wanted to say a huge thank you to Jenny. She helped me nail down a theme and gave me GREAT ideas for party activities. She is so creative and all around amazing!

I also wanted to thank Melissa. Without her, this party would be decorated so lame! This girl is brilliant and needs to start her own party decorating store. She designed the banners, water bottle labels, menu, and just about everything else you see in this party. A huge, huge thank you Melissa, you are soooo talented!

True Stories

On the way home from teaching kickboxing I was singing Katy Perry super loud and my voice sounded TOTALLY amazing. I'm thinking I'm pretty much a rock star... then my ears popped.

Oh and it's Sawyer's third birthday. Happy Birthday to my Boy-o!

Happy Birthday to Charlotte

It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to.
Wake my mommy up 3 times during a power outage and change my diaper with a flashlight if I want to.
Get up at 5:30am if I want to.
Throw all my breakfast on the floor if I want to.

Keeping up with tradition I'll have a Dear Charlotte letter up soon. Every time I try to get something accomplished this week, our power or internet goes out.

If you haven't read her birth story yet, check it out. It's my favorite post of all time.

Happy 1st birthday to my Baby Girl!!!

REI is a c-blocker

You know how obsessed I get about things right?

How I get a little nutty?

Example: THE TANK TOP. I think I wore it over 100 times two summers ago and now that I fit into it again, I can't wait to wear 101 times more but this damn snow is preventing me from setting a tank top record and that is, ummm, pissing me off?

Well, I also have a stroller obsession. A jogging stroller obsession. OBSESSION!

I recently sold my Baby Jogger. He is totally dating another woman. He went from me to her in like a day. Whore.

I sold him because I got my REI coupon in the mail.

Hi freak out excitement, nice to see you again! They have been promising me this coupon since December. I've been waiting a LONG time.

So I sell my double Baby Jogger because it's not quite keeping up with me on runs.

It's like pushing a small car but to its credit, that one jogger was not suppose to be an actual JOGGER. And it's a GREAT stroller but I need one that I can take for long runs.

So I'm getting back with BOB.

Image here.


Though I kinda want to date other men on the side. Well, if one doesn't cut it...you know, don't be a judger!

And when I went to get him, REI said my coupon wasn't good for another week. They totally cockblocked me!

I put all my hope into one man, BOB.

And he isn't with me.

I'm empty inside.

REAL LIFE Mystery Diagnosis Part 2

If you are just tuning in, Ali, a friend of mine got super sick. No one could figure out what was wrong and doctors would prescribe a pill but not actually listen or care. I asked her to tell her story on my blog. Read part one here. Yes, many of you were correct, Ali has Lyme:


Finally in August 2005, my daughter Nikki (my hero) called me from the Turks and Caicos and told me about a disease I had never heard of, Lyme Disease. I didn’t remember ever being bit by a tick but when I went back in my journal, I found that I had gone camping just prior to getting married and just prior to the onslaught of symptoms. I had also been told it was a “spider bite.” I researched and found a doctor (Dr. M) who listened very carefully to all my symptoms and “clinically diagnosed” me with Lyme Disease. My Elisa came back negative, however my Erlichiosis and Bartonella came back positive. In fact, I was told my Bartonella titre was very high. Dr. M. told me that the Erlichiosis test indicates I was in fact bit by a tick. Thank goodness this doctor was able to begin treatment on me. While undergoing treatment (long term antibiotics) I began to slowly recover.

I went to see a new General Practitioner whom I asked if she would take me as a patient. I told her I had Lyme Disease. She agreed to take me but when I began to worry that Dr. M. would soon retire, I asked her if she would treat me. Her response was “Absolutely not.”

In the summer of 2007, I was bit by what I think actually was a spider in the garden. My hand immediately became swollen. The months following this my symptoms again began to explode. I went back to see Dr. M. and he suggested I get an MRI of my brain. I was experiencing horrible pain in my head where I thought my head was going to explode. I had a sharp pain in the top of my head one day and that night I could feel a bump. I had my husband look and he said I had clear fluid oozing from it. I was in a great deal of pain throughout my body. At this point, I was still working full-time. I lost my balance at work and fell against the classroom wall. Since it would take one year to get in for a regular MRI, my husband and I decided this was urgent and that we would be willing to pay for a private MRI. Dr. M. filled out a requisition for a private MRI.

Unfortunately, in Jan. 2008 Dr. M. was forced into retirement by the College due to treating Lyme Disease.

I went back to see my GP to refer me to a neurologist to read and interpret the MRI and to take me off work since I felt I could no longer endure the pain. When I got to the appointment (my mother came with me) my regular GP had a Locum in for her while she was on maternity leave. My nightmare got worse that day! As soon as I mentioned Lyme Disease, he would not listen to a word I was saying. He said there is no Lyme Disease. He said I was just depressed. I kept trying to tell him that I wasn’t depressed I was in a lot of pain. He finally banged out a letter on his computer and referred me to see a neurologist. My mother left the appointment in tears and couldn’t believe the way these doctors treated me. I knew I wasn’t depressed and I knew I had to find someone to believe in me. It was going to be a very long, and hard journey.

For months I began to relapse since I was refused treatment and my life once again became a horrendous journey. I went from doctor to doctor being told it was all in my head and that there is nothing wrong with me! They actually laughed in my face. I am an educated human being. Here in Canada the doctors only rely on the Elisa for diagnosis and refuse to do a western blot if the Elisa test is negative. Since my Elisa was again negative, doctors would not believe me, treat me, and were unbelievably unprofessional. In August 2008, my husband Gary whom feared he was going to lose me to this disease took me to the U.S. There I found a Lyme Literate MD who confirmed the diagnosis of Lyme Disease and began treatment for that and Bartonella, which is all out of pocket. He was appalled that the British Columbia medical system would allow me to become so ill and do absolutely nothing to find out what was making me so violently ill. It is now estimated that I have spent upwards of $100,000 out of pocket to get my life back just in the past 2.5 years.

Where am I now?

I’m doing pretty good with my Lyme Disease. I am now off antibiotics and taking natural microbials. Since going back to work full-time, unfortunately my thoracic problems have signifantly increased. Since my Thoracic Specialist and I now feel that I am strong enough, we are exploring the option of surgery. I have very little use of my right arm (dominant hand) and if I continue on this path there could become permanent nerve damage. I am really hoping within the next year, I will be able to have this repaired and that I make a full recovery. I have been explained all the positives and negatives of this surgery and I have chosen to proceed. My goal and my dream is to be able to hold my grandchildren. That, I would not be able to do today.

(Note from Holly: Hear that Nikki, your mommy wants BABIES. Get to it!)

My hero (my daughter) saved me from this disease. Nikki’s and Garry’s love was always unconditional even in my darkest days. My blog is called Healing Waters because I truly believe having the opportunity to spend time with Nikki and soaking in the beautiful turquoise waters allowed me the peace and tranquility I also needed to heal. I will be forever grateful to them both! I love them dearly!


What Parents Need to Know :

Please look at this website to see how to avoid tick bites, risks, prevention, and ways to remove a tick!

You need to ensure your child is protected against ticks and that you do a thorough tick check every time you come in from the great outdoors. That means every nook and cranny possible (between their toes, in private cavities, belly buttons, armpits, ears, behind their ears, throughout their hair). Ticks like to crawl to and feed in warm, moist areas of the body.

A tick can be the size of the period at the end of this sentence or a poppy seed. This is the nymph stage. Hard ticks are flat but as they feed they become like a raisin.

Ticks need to be removed ASAP. The sooner you remove the tick the less likely for disease to be transmitted to their host ie. your child, you, or your pet. If you are not comfortable removing the tick yourself, take immediately to a doctor to have it removed. KEEP THE TICK IN A LABELLED ZIPPERED BAG WITH THE DATE, WHERE ON THE BODY IT WAS REMOVED, AND PLACE THE HITCH-HIKER WAS MOST LIKELY PICKED UP! KEEP IN FREEZER IN CASE YOU NEED FOR PROOF DOWN THE ROAD!

Personally, I would insist on antibiotics for my child if the tick was attached (if the doctor refuses, ask him/her what they would do if this was their child)!

Tick removal tools would be a great addition to your first aide kit! You can purchase those probably at hiking stores or online. The one I keep with me is called Tick Twister.

Children can get Lyme Disease.

Mothers can pass on Lyme disease through the placenta to their unborn child.

Don’t ever think this can’t happen to your child! I am not a hiker and I only went camping that one time. So please, Stay Safe!


Helpful links:
www.canlyme.com
www.ilads.org
www.underourskin.com
http://www.lymedisease.org/
Just recently (end of March 2011), through the Freedom of Information Act, an individual was able to have a document released which is a report the government of BC did on Chronic Lyme Disease back in May 2010 by Dr. Schmidt. Please read this important document for all those who may one day suffer from this horrific disease. http://www.canlyme.com/Schmidt_2011.pdf

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month so please educate yourself and others about this disease so you don’t ever have to take the journey I and many others have been on!