Our microwave is ancient. It is built in above the stove top and is so old that the display no longer works. The only way we’ve figured out to get it to work is push the start button several times and then keep an eye on whatever is in there. Early on I tried timing the start button to see for how long it actually set the microwave. The first time: 28 seconds. The second time: 4 seconds. The third time: 2 minutes and 14 seconds. I then gave up on the theory that the start button actually had a set time. Add to that problem, the fact that I am convinced this ancient microwave is leaking radiation so I try to never be near it when it is running. (protecting the unborn.)

So, this morning, being quite the homemaker that I am, I decided I would microwave my kitchen sponge. Supposedly this will eliminate those yucky odors and deliver a fresh, clean sponge. I put the sponge in, push the start button several times and leave the room (protecting the unborn) to go brush my teeth. After I brush my teeth I discover that Xavier is naked and playing in the living room. This is normally not a big deal, but since the school bus was due in about two minutes I went a little ballistic. Got him dressed and shoved out the door ready for the bus.

Well, apparently there is a time limit on how long you should microwave a sponge. And, as you can see by the picture below (yucky, un-microwaved sponge on left; clean and freshly microwaved sponge on right) I exceeded that time limit.

As I was hosing down the sponge and eliminating the flames from the microwave (by the way, turning on the oven exhaust fan will only add to the fire) my son Max declared that I should be banned from the kitchen. In his words, “Mom, you catch too many things on fire!” Thank you dear boy; isn’t it time for you to go to school now?

The pathetic part of this story is that I was genuinely surprised when I opened the microwave. Not just at the fact that I had burned up a sponge and almost our house. In the span of about 4 minutes, I had totally forgotten that I had put the sponge in the microwave. Maybe Max is right. Maybe I should be banned from the kitchen.

Labels: life of a mom, stupid stuff

I made some Bunny Pasta last night for the boys and at the same time, Eli was desperate to have me identify all of the Mystery, Inc. Gang in the book he was holding. The pasta was safely cooking and I turned my back to the stove to read a bit of Scooby Doo when I suddenly felt very warm. For a moment it reminded me of the pleasant feeling I would get as a child, when I would sit very close to our wood-burning stove and my clothes would get really hot. But, I quickly realized that this heat was much hotter than what I remembered as a child. Then, a split second later, I realized that I was on fire! I grabbed a wet washcloth from the sink and beat my back with it. That put out the fire pretty quickly, but as you can see the shirt is beyond repair. I have small blistery burn on my back and several smaller burns on my hands. (I apparently used both hands to put out the fire. Didn't realize this until later...)

But, God is good. As my older two boys pointed out, this could have ended very tragically, because I forgot to stop, drop and roll.

But, the real kicker, besides my apparent lack of safety rule application. I ruined a really great maternity shirt! Argh!

Labels: kids, life of a mom

The surgery was scheduled for yesterday (Sept 11) at noon California time. The surgeon decided he wanted the absolute best anesthesiologist team available so by the time they all gathered it was 2pm. The surgery began and lasted longer than expected. My mom called me at bed time to let me know Jessiah was still in surgery, I prayed myself to sleep.

This morning I called my mom first thing. My brother in law called her at 1am our time to tell her the surgery when very well and they removed both kidneys. The doctors told my sister that he had NEVER seen kidney so big (the disease causes them to keep growing, they were larger than adult kidneys....I affectionately called Jessiahs belly a budah belly)

The miracle. Although it usually takes the body a few days to adjust God stepped in. The new kidney started to make urine RIGHT AWAY! awesome...not only does the body accept it but it works too!

My mom called and let a voice message this afternoon while i was at work. My brother in law called at 10:30 our time...this is only about 8-10 hours after surgery, to let my mom know that Jessiah was sitting up and happily watching cartoons. My other nephew Zacc, Jessiahs cousin, was also up and about walking around but was suffering some pain. From what I have learned the transplant is harder on the donor than on the recipient.

Thank you all for praying, please continue to do so. A quick recovery with no complications would be the cherry on top of Gods SONday :) a bonus would be that the Ronald McDonald house lets them stay as long as needed.

Labels: friends, kids, prayer

Labels: kids, life of a mom, pictures

• We are using Benadryl cream and liquid form if really bad. Seems to help
  with swelling and itch. I also put a thin, long sleeve shirt over them so
  they tend not to itch as much.
• Make a paste with baking soda and water - apply and let dry. My dad's favorite home remedy for us when we were little.
• My daughters got bitten up when we went to Atlanta...Benadryl was the #1 thing I found. We tried the gel Benadryl (helped somewhat) and After Bite (helped somewhat) but the regular liquid Benadryl helped them sleep at night without scratching themselves to death.
• It may only be a temporary solution, but when you are outdoors and don't have much else -- Purell or other hand sanitizer stops the itch for me! My mom always used witch hazel (the Tucks hemorrhoid pads have witch hazel in them and would be convenient) or a low dose OTC cortisone cream. Good luck!
  
• afterbite! it works great - I know you can get it at andersons or walmart.
• I bought some itch ointment at Wal-Mart called After-Bite for kids. It is especially formulated ( for kids) not to burn. This is only true if you get to them befor your child scratches it open. Otherwise, it does not seem to burn or sting when I use it on Jason, but is sure stops the itch.
• There is a tube of stuff liquid called after bite (the itch eraser) I found it at meijers in the pharmacy. on the bottom shelf It runs around 2.99 Hope
  this helps.
• Last weekend - I used my "mud" (it's blue) spa by bath and body works on my husbands bites - he thought it worked.
• Calamine lotion or ice packs...they're real bad this week, huh??
• I don't know if it's been mentioned but deodorant works! You rub it on your bite & actually kills the itching sensation. We do it all the time, lol.
• We use Gold Bond anti-itch cream

Labels: kids, life of a mom

Bad things happen. All the time. But, those bad things (fortunately) don't always have a direct impact on your life or in your community. But sometimes they do.

Monday night a young father & his son from this community were killed in a plane crash. His wife is a kindergarten teacher at Xavier's school. The boy who was killed was a fourth grader at Max's school. The grandma & grandpa were very active in our church for a number of years. It's a sad, sad time as they struggle to make sense of this tragedy.

Bryan wrote a beautiful post about it. You can read it here.

You can read the latest news story here.

Please keep the Hutchinsons in your prayers. And, please remember to show your love to your family because you never know how much longer you will have them with you.

Labels: prayer, tragedy

This is what My Pizza says about Me.

Labels: stupid stuff

Eli loves to swing. I mean LOVES to swing! He would swing for hours on end if I would push him for hours on end. The longest I've been able to go is 90 minutes. (Which I think is pretty darn long!) A lot of times I will take a book outside with me, sit and push the swing with one hand while I hold the book with another hand. But, sometimes we end up at the swings and I don't have a book with me. Early today was one of those times.

But, I had a revelation. (Desperate times call for creative measures!) I figured out that if I turn backward and push the swing from behind I can get a really great upper arm workout! How awesome is that?!? (I've been noticing that my upper arms are starting to take on that old-lady-jiggle. No offense to any old ladies who have that jiggle, but I would like for you to keep it and for me to not get it!)

So, that's my revelation of the day. Yes, I lead a pathetic existence. I know. Sad, but true. (But, I can feel the burn, baby!)

Labels: girl stuff, life of a mom

• Just finished watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone with my boys. We borrowed the book on CD and Max and I really got into it. So much so, that we both read the book because it was going to take over 7 hours to listen to it on CD. Max has found that the hour-and-fifteen-minute bus ride home from school makes for good reading time. (Xavier has discovered that same bus ride makes for a nice, after-school nap.) So, anyway, we both finished the book (Max reading on the bus, me reading at night) and tonight we rented the movie. Quite an excellent story. Not sure how I feel about the wizard/witch thing, but it is an excellent story. I can see why it is so wildly popular.
  
• Still not very excited about being pregnant a fourth time. Bryan gets upset with me when I say things like that. He will lean over and yell at my belly, "We love you, Baby and we can't wait to see you!" Yeah.... Guess who's going to be changing the diapers at 3 AM.... It's not that I don't want a fourth child. This child will be much loved in this family by all of us. I have no doubt about that. It's just that I was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Those of you with multiple children know what I'm talking about. You get to a point where your kids are somewhat independent and they don't need you 24/7. Some women love being needed 24/7. I would not be one of those women. I crave solitude and space—two things that are in precious short supply when you have children under the age of three in the house. But, God has His reasons and I should not doubt him. And, I am learning to stay in the present. (Because the future scares the beejeezus out of me!) When I start worrying about how it's all going to work after the baby is born, I remind myself that God says,
  

  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. The Message version is good too: Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. And the NLT is a good one too: So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.

  
  So, I just keep plugging away, staying in today and (trying) to let tomorrow worry about tomorrow.
• Xavier started kindergarten this week. He loves it. Both he and Max have second-year teachers. Both teachers look so young! But, they both seem very gentle and nice. Max was relieved to find good friends in his class. Boys that he knew from before and was good friends with before. That was a wonderful blessing from God. Xavier didn't know any of the kids in his class going in. He hasn't talked much yet about the other kids. I hope and pray that he makes a few good friends this year. He's such a tender soul. He seems to bruise easily and I think that good friends would help protect those tender places.
  
• I am actively working on three new websites right now with one more in the hopper. It's a busy, busy time. I don't have anything from those new sites that I can post yet, but I've been doing quite a bit of graphic design work for the church. I just completed the new design for the Shawnee UMC logo. Here's a sneak peek: http://www.shawneeumc.com/sumc_earth_logo.jpg (It's pretty cool, if I do say so myself.) Here's another logo I did. This one is for Harvest for the Hungry, our huge food drive for the West Ohio Food Bank. http://www.shawneeumc.com/harvest.html
  
• OK, have to get the boys to bed. They've been running around downstairs... mostly trying to maim one another I think. But, no one has been injured to the point of running up here to tell me. So, I guess they're OK. LOL

Labels: design, God, kids, life of a mom