How Our Family Fights the Flu & Combats Colds

It seems that everywhere I go I'm surrounded by little sickies - in the stores, at church, at school, etc.  Every year we hear about how awful the cold and flu season is, but for our community it truly does seem to be one of the worst years I've seen.

Before Christmas break our rather small school had 50 plus students home in one day!  Considering the high school averages about 35 per grade, that is a substantial percentage of the student body.  In fact the high rate of absences warranted canceling many activities, practices and postponing the Christmas concert until January.  (All of this provided me with lots of "found" time to prepare for the holidays and subsequently enabled me to have quite the relaxing holiday season...unfortunately it was at the expense of many a sick kid!)

Christmas break provided the respite that everyone needed to recover from the various viruses that were making their rounds in our school.  The teens in my life are currently healthy, happy and very active, as are their friends.  It's a different story, however, for the little tykes in my life!

Cupcake tends to be the one who brings home the germs that her little friends were so kind enough to share (or give back!)  For those of you who are just starting out with little ones in school, this is quite common.  In fact, WebMD notes that statistics show that preschool kids have about 9 colds per year, kindergartners about 12, and adolescents and adults have about 7 per year, with most children contracting colds during the months of September through April.

Once kids start attending school and activities they are bound to be exposed to a multitude of germs and, for awhile, it may seem like your child is constantly sick as they build up their immune systems.  This can be a tiresome time of life, but there are some things available that can help reduce the duration of these viruses and help boost your little one's immune system.

Below are some of the natural methods that I have used with my family to combat the colds and fight the flu for me, my teens, my toddler and even Hubby (despite the fact that he asks me to do a little witch doctor dance while I'm whipping him up some of these concoctions!)  Our success has been to cut down the duration and intensity of the symptoms, from a typical 7-10 day cold to 2-4 days.  The times things have lasted a week or more with the kiddos, it ended up being an infection which required antibiotics.

Obviously, I am no doctor, so please consult your physician before implementing any of the following products.  Even though they are natural supplements and vitamins, it is possible for things to interact with other medications, so please ask your doctor before incorporating something new to your regiment.

These are items which I have been able to get at our local health food store, grocery store and my doctor's office (Woodlands Healing Research Center.)  All of these I use in addition to the tried and true mom treatments of : fluids, rest and homemade chicken soup!


Vitamin C -  I use this as a preventative on a daily basis and increase it at the first sneeze or sniffle!  For the older family members, I administer a buffered Vitamin C tablet, which helps combat any stomach issues that can accompany high dosages of Vitamin C (we have been known to take 2 or 3 grams several times a day when ill.)  I use a liquid Vitamin C for Cupcake which gets added to her sippy cup, usually a 1/4- 1/2 tsp when she's sick.

Vitamin D3 - This is also a good preventative, especially in the winter months when the sun goes into hiding.  It too is available in liquid form for little ones, just one drop daily provides 1000 IU of Vitamin D!  The rest of us take a 5,000 I U D3 Plus which includes Vitamin A, K2 and E.

EMP - A homeopathic tincture including Echinacea, Myrrh and Phytolacca.  As soon as cold symptoms appear, I give Cupcake a few drops in her watered down juice a couple times a day and the rest of the family takes 10-15 drops 3 times a day.  There are lots of medicinal teas available too with Echinacea which provide a soothing drink in addition to this helpful herb.

Pulsatilla Nig. 1M - Another homeopathic remedy for colds and runny noses.  Cupcake comes running for this "medcin!"  I give her just a few crystals to dissolve in her mouth and the rest of us take a bit more a couple times a day.  This seems to work best if administered right away, when symptoms first appear.

ViraClear -  This is a yummy tasting syrup for cough, congestion and sore throat.  It too seems to work best if taken at the first sneeze and sniffle!  Sometimes I will add the other liquid remedies into this one and just give Cupcake one little medicine cup with my own concoction.  She receives 1/2 tsp of ViraClear three times a day when she's got a cold and the rest of us take 1 1/2 tsps at the same interval.

Oscillococcinum - This homeopathic is best taken at the first sign of fever and flu symptoms, helping to reduce the duration of chills, fatigue, body aches and fever.  All of us are able to take a capsule full of pellets, dissolved in the mouth, a couple times a day as soon as the symptoms start.


Some other items that come in pill form, I only give to myself, hubby and my teens.  A few of these do have kiddie versions available.

Zinc Citrate:  We take a 30mg capsule at first sign of a cold or flu to help our systems combat the oncoming virus.  I recall giving our teens Zinc lollipops, so that may be an option for little tykes.

Thymucin: This supplement supports the thymus gland and immune system.  I usually hand this out for a few days if anyone in the family comes down with something.  There is a liquid variation, called Thymactiv, that I give Cupcake - just a couple drops while she is sick.

Immune-Assist:  This is probably one of my favorite immune boosting supplements!  I take one a day regularly and up to six  throughout the day if I'm sick.  I have found that this, in combination with the Thymucin, Vitamin C and Vitamin D3, is great for helping me keep healthy while Cupcake brings home plenty of germs during the school year.  In fact, this latter combination is part of the "Flu Protocol" that our doctor's office hands out to all the patients for the winter months.

By using these, and a few other vitamins and supplements in my arsenal, I have certainly seen the benefit of cutting down the duration and intensity of various bugs in our family.  It doesn't necessarily prevent illness, but helps us recover much quicker.  Although, I have found that all of these things do help to boost my immune system, especially when taken as soon as I realize the inevitable, for instance when Cupcake sneezed right into my mouth...yup, welcome to my world!

Hopefully, you can incorporate some of these homeopathic remedies and vitamins into your life to help combat the colds and fight the flu viruses that your toddler might be bringing home this season.  Oh, and word to the wise, keep your mouth shut around a sneezing, sniffling toddler!

Disney On Ice: Rockin' Ever After!

It was a magical evening for me and my girls when we had a wonderful opportunity to see the latest Disney On Ice show, courtesy of my friend, Sarah!  It was the perfect birthday gift for me to get to see the look on Cupcake's face as she sat mesmerized by the magic for her first ever Princess ice show!

After a quick jaunt into the city, with a surprising lack of traffic, we arrived excitedly at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly.  Greeted with vendor upon vendor overflowing in pinks, purples, sparkles and lights, we wound our way around the entire concourse to our seats in the first section.  Had we been familiar with the center, we could have turned right to go one door from the entrance to find our spot, but as we consisted of three generations of purple clad, Polish Princesses...we managed to go left and walk the entire way 'round!  Amazingly, Cupcake (all decked out from head to toe in every shade of purple with her Rapunzel scarf and shirt) managed to keep up quite well, walking the entire distance herself.  I do believe the hot pink sensory overload from the vendors was an adrenaline shot to my wide-eyed Princess loving preschooler (not to mention my Princess wannabe teenager!)

We picked up adorable mugs for the girls, (yes, both of them), overflowing with rainbow snow cones and a cute commemorative bucket full of popcorn, then settled in our seats to watch the show.  We marveled at the perfect spot we had in the last row of the first section off of the ice.  These were amazing seats, allowing us to be close enough to see the expressions on the performer's faces (without cumbersome binoculars) and far away enough that we could see all the action on the ice at once!  We were positioned right in front of the lighting guys who Mom Mom became fast friends with and discovered all sorts of interesting tidbits (42 people in the touring company, 197 lighting cues in the guy's head sitting behind us who hailed from Vermont, and the show will be touring until May...so check out a city near you to get your tickets!)

As the house lights went down and the curtain went up, I watched Cupcake as she sat clutching her new purple Rapunzel mug full of rainbow ice chips, utterly enthralled with the appearance of Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald!  They kicked off the evening, linking stories and characters together with their "talent show."  Pinocchio and the Ugly Step Sisters provided a couple comedy acts before the ice was transformed into an under the sea adventure with the story of Ariel!

The costuming was beautiful as sea creatures, fish and mermaids danced and twirled on the ice!  The highlight of Ariel's story was when she was pulled high into the air above the ice and performed breathtaking high-ropes acrobatics!  There were audible gasps from me and other onlookers as we watched her execute some amazing stunts.

As we waved farewell to Ariel and Prince Eric, Cupcake turned to me, smiling, and asked, "Who's next?!"  She was not at all disappointed when her favorite Disney Princess of all, Rapunzel, took to the ice.  While Cupcake was thrilled to see her purple adorned Princess, I marveled at the life size horse, Maximus, who entertained the crowd as he chased after Flynn Rider!

After a brief intermission, we were transported to ancient Scotland with the Celtic sounds and choreography of the story of Merida from Brave!  Having seen Maximus take to the ice, I was only slightly disappointed that this section contained no skating bears!  The muscle suits of the various Scottish suitors and the cute puppets portraying the triplet terrors added to the humor of this story.  The ending seemed rather abrupt when Mickey Mouse just summed up the story in a sentence or two - so perhaps they were trying to avoid the dancing bear.

The last of the four Disney Princesses to emerge from behind the big velvet curtain was Belle!  All our favorite characters from the enchanted castle welcomed Belle as they bid her to "Be Our Guest!"  The egomaniac, Gaston (along with his faithful sidekick, LeFou, and the trio of blonds) provided much comedy and fun filled skating sequences.  The final clash between Gaston and The Beast, ended with a bang, flash of smoke and the appearance of the handsome prince who whisked Belle off to skate to their signature song.  It was a fitting finale!

All the Princesses and characters appeared on the ice for the grand finale.  It was a cavalcade of fancy foot work, lifts, costumes and choreography that continued to amaze us up to the final bow!  Mom Mom and I not only enjoyed the show, but cherished watching Darlin' and Cupcake completely enthralled with magic of it all.

In my humble opinion, you're never too old to love Disney Princesses!  Darlin' proved that point to me quite well throughout the night as she sat next to Cupcake, equally mesmerized.  At one point she turned to tell me that it was so wonderful it was giving her chills (never mind the snow cone or arena of ice!)  I also got a kick out of seeing both girls quietly singing along with Ariel during one of their favorite songs, "Part of Your World."  Yup, Cupcake knows all the words.

I highly recommend taking your family to become part of that magical world of Disney On Ice.  It will be an evening to remember.  It will entertain Princesses of all ages, as well as Kings, Queens and Princes alike!  There is plenty of action and adventure to keep the attention of sons (and husbands, too!)

May you enjoy your Rockin' Ever After...I know we sure did!

31 Days of Repetitive Parenting: Day 2 "Don't Do Stupid Things."

Really?!  Did I just go from, "I love you!" to "Don't do stupid things?"

You betcha!

Hubby first brought this phrase to my attention well before we had kids (no not for me, although I'm sure he bit his lip from instructing me so on more than one occasion.)  It was his go-to rule for the teenagers that we worked with at the time.  We have continued to use this as a main rule on retreats, activities, road trips, events, and missions trips during the past two decades that we have been involved in youth ministry.  Any of our regulars would be familiar enough with the mantra, that eventually we'd just ask, "What's the rule?", to which we'd hear a chorus of, "Don't - Do - Stupid - Things."

As we had kids of our own, we realized that this rule applied in parenting as well.  Mind you, we held it in reserve until the kids were older and they had a better understanding of what is or is not a stupid thing to do. (I can hope, can't I?!)  Also, we have tried to avoid using the word stupid in our household in reference to other people (does get thrown at the cats quite often!) or differing ideas.  For awhile, they even thought it was the official "S" word!  It has also been banned on several occasions, when our teens began to use it more frequently and we felt that they could use more creative words to express their frustrations.  Not to mention the fact that Cupcake had picked it up - just not the first words I wanted to hear from my tot!

Let's analyze this particular phrase, shall we?  Don't do stupid things.  Please note the shocking lack of an exclamation point at the end of the sentence.  It is not meant to be yelled or exaggerated by any means, but rather to be communicated calmly, matter-of-factly and, dare I say, jovially.  The point is not to limit their fun in any way, but to give them a gentle reminder to think before they act.  Studies have shown that the part of the brain that handles risk assessment is not fully developed until age 25, so we must not let the rolling eyes of the proverbial teenager squash our gentle reminder to them to be careful.

It is our job as parents to teach and guide our kids in making good decisions and this quote allows us to quickly remind them as they pile in the van for the next church retreat to be mindful of all that they have learned.  Usually, it is also met with a smile and a, "Thanks, I will, Mom!"  I found that it's a much better way of bidding our kids good-bye, instead of a laundry list of rules and expectations.  Within that one statement we have conveyed years of parenting lessons, lots of love and given them permission to make their own decisions while having fun.

A phrase definitely worth repeating!

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31 Days of Repetitive Parenting: Day One "I Love You!"

I know, I know.  You were expecting something a little more creative to kick off the 31 Days of catchy quotes, but let me reassure you that there are still 30 left to come and you won't want to miss out.  I decided to start with the most important one that we say to our kids each day.

Growing up our family said, "I love you" quite freely.  I was used to hearing it and saying it: on the way out the door, after night time prayers, at the end of a phone call (in fact I've bit my lip on the phone to keep from saying it to complete strangers out of sheer habit!)  This vocal family tradition has continued in our family and has made its way into the vernacular of each of our kids.

I smile every time I hear Bud say good bye on the phone to his cousins, with an "I love you."  I laugh along with Darlin', as she lets slip the familiar phrase on a voice mail for her best friend.  I cherish hearing Cupcake tell her siblings she loves them unsolicited.

One time while dropping our kids off at school the young lady in the car ahead of us leaned over to kiss her mom good bye as she headed out the door.  I teased Darlin' as we approached the drop off area, "Aw, she kissed her mom good bye," to which she retorted, "I was hoping you didn't see that."  I laughed and then hid in my heart the next thing she said.  "But, Mom, I tell you I love you know matter how mad I am at you."

True.  Very true.

Many a door has been slammed with a "Good bye, I love you!" or stairs stomped on the way up to bed with a muttered, "Good night, I love you."

What our teens have learned is that love is not a feeling!  They still love us, when they are upset, mad, and apathetic; and we still love them when we are angry, disappointed and hurt.  Love remains, despite our feelings.

This is a lesson that Cupcake is the process of learning.  Just this past week she has started questioning my love.  A few times, after she has been disciplined, she has asked, "Do you still love me?"  Of course, I do and I tell her so over and over through out the day...especially after she has been reprimanded...which is quite often during the Thundering Three's (Terrible Two's pales in comparison!)  Soon she'll be making the connection, as have her siblings, that Mom and Dad love her no matter what!

In the end, my kids have taught me to never underestimate the power of, "I Love You!" and the importance of telling them everyday!

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31 Days of Repetitive Parenting!

This month I'm going to join in on the fun over at the The Nesting Place, where many a blogger is committing to write each day during the month of October.  I came across this writing challenge through Lisa-Jo Baker: tales from a Gypsy Mama.  Check out either of these blogs to see what some of the "31 Dayers" are doing!

As I contemplated what to write about for 31 days straight, I realized that it should probably have something to do with my everyday life.  As the saying goes, "Write what you know!"  Hmmm, with three kids ranging from three to sixteen, I suppose that qualifies me to write about my kids.  Surprise, surprise.  What did you expect at My Mid-Life Motherhood?  31 Days of quiet relaxation?  31 Days of world travel?  I think not.

Come on by, if you dare, for 31 Days of Repetitive Parenting!  A behind the scenes look at our parenting through the typical quotes, sayings, phrases that our kids hear on an almost daily basis.  Sometimes these quotable quips may seem pithy, universal or just plain, odd, to those spying on our family dynamics.  This is our opportunity to give you the "why" behind our "because I said so" and the method to our parenting madness!  Please note the use of the royal "we" regarding these parenting phrases: some will be exclusively Hubby's, some will be exclusively mine, and others we both use...quite often...as our kids could tell you with much rolling of their beautiful, blue, teenage, eyes!

Let the fun begin.  Click on the links below to see our most repetitive parenting quips!

#1: I Love You!

#2: Don't Do Stupid Things. 

#3: I Think You've Got The Wrong Parent. 

#4: COME HERE! 

#5: Just give me a minute! 

#6: I'm so proud of you! 

#7: What are you wearing? 

#8: Are you trying to get into more trouble?

#9: The movie will answer your questions. 

#10: Who's the fun parent?! 

#11: Someday you'll be smarter than me, but today is not that day."  

#12: I'm Sorry.

#13: Say, "Yes, Mommy."

#14: Jesus Loves Me 

#15: We are using our money for other things.

#16: No one ever thanks their Mom for letting them quit piano. 

#17: Bring me a BIG BOOK! 

#18: It's not about you. 

#19: What did I just say? 

 #20: That's the plan.

#21: What do ya think God wants ya to do? 

#22: I don't know. 

#23: How was school? 

#24: Vampires are always bad. 

#25: They have so many other good qualities! 

#26: Never give away the ending! 

#27: What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger. 

#28: Do you want to be like Cinderella or the wicked step-sisters? 

#29: Let's play a family game! 

#30: You can't always believe what you hear from a ______. 

#31: Who are ya texting?

Seen In September

September has seen many first days this year, some monumental and some, well, not-so-much. One week in particular ushered in the first full week of school for all my kiddos spanning preschool to high school.  Ahh, welcome to My Mid-Life Motherhood!

Our high school eased the students from summer haze to school days over the span of two weeks with half days, all school picnic, Labor Day, back to school night and a retreat!  Considering my starting-school-in-August-is-akin-to-heresy-mentality, this more relaxed start to September helped ease me into the back to school mode. In fact, so much so, that I really didn't feel the full force of our fall schedule kick in til almost mid-September!

Cupcake wearing same dress Darlin' did for first day of preschool!

Cupcake's first solo day of nursery school was on 9/11.  Exactly eleven years earlier I had been with my son at his first day of nursery school.  Both gorgeous September days, with unbelievable blue skies and each with different memories for me.  His, I will never forget because after his school orientation we climbed in the car to see more than a dozen missed calls from Hubby, concerned of our whereabouts having heard of the attacks.  The remainder of that day was spent watching the events of  September 11, 2001 unfold before our eyes, etched forever on the hearts of Americans.  Hers, more than a decade later, I spent with my littlest one relishing the time with her as I do each of her milestones, since each one marks the end of an era for me: infancy, toddler time, and now pre-school!

Cupcake enjoys going to school and playing with her new friends ("fans" as she calls them!)  The first day she told me that she cried because she missed me and that a boy got time out.  I inquired of the teacher to find out that neither episode had occurred.  We had a good laugh over her creative imagination (aka, lying!)  The teacher indicated that she plays well with others and enjoys telling all kinds of stories (translation: she talks a lot!)  She has already come face to face with the green eyed monster, when she came home from preschool talking non-stop about another little girl's back pack with two princesses on it.  Cupcake promptly found her princess back pack, proceeded to throw it and scream about how she wanted the back pack with two princesses on it and hers only had one...mind you she had brought her Minnie Mouse back pack to school.  As she was throwing her back pack fit, I asked, "What's your problem?!" to which Darlin' retorted, "Envy, Mom.  It's envy!"  Welcome to preschool.

Traditional first day of school picture!

Bud began his high school career as well as he completed his junior high days...with a bang!  He's been enjoying his freshmen year immensely.  So far he has landed parts in two plays (school and community theatre,) and been elected President of the freshman class.  In addition, he hopes to do basketball, join the debate club, try tennis and make the county band.  He's full of ideas, eager to get involved and I look forward to seeing all he hopes to accomplish this coming year!

Darlin' started out her Junior year driving everyone to school, under the watchful eye of her drivin' instructor, Dad.  I watched prayerfully as she backed very slowly down the drive way and drove out of our development.  Then I waited anxiously til I could call Hubby to confirm the safe arrival of all our precious cargo at school!  After the first half day of school, I thought we would be in for a tough tear-filled year with Darlin'.  She came home that day so overwhelmed at the prospect of taking three Advanced Placement classes and I wondered if it had been the right decision.  Since then, she has masterfully accomplished all her work, managing her time quite well and doing so without the tear-filled panic I had imagined.

Each and every milestone my kids hit is what make My Mid-Life Motherhood memories something to cherish.  They certainly keep me entertained from princess back pack to drivers permit and everything in between...it's sure to be a memorable school year!

Dancing "IN" The Stars!

Last night the kiddos and I sat down for a bit to watch the season premier Dancing With The Stars: All Stars!  It was with eager anticipation that we watched the first dance with one of our favorites, Joey Fatone.  We were not disappointed.  Even Cupcake declared with wide-eyed enthusiasm, "dancin' IN da staws!"

From the first dance of the night to the final routine, (by none other than Emmitt Twinkle Toes Smith himself) we were wowed at every step of the way.  I for one, found it much more enjoyable to watch the traditional opening night Cha Chas, with stars who could already dance!  Typically, I would cringe at the awkward attempts of the poor stars from previous years to pull off a Cha Cha the first time out.  Last night, however, they came out, hips swinging!

My teens and I enjoy watching together, munching on popcorn critiquing the costumes, dance moves and judges comments like we were ballroom experts. There are many teachable moments, but mostly I do enjoy the chance to hang out with them...despite the fact that I keep shushing them so I can actually hear the commentary (thankfully, we got DVR!)

I am certainly looking forward to this season as we see some of our old family favorites returning: Shawn Johnson, Bristol Palin, Apolo Anton Ohno, Melissa Rycroft...just to name a few.  It was great to see them back with more confidence in there dancin' feet.  It's gonna be an amazing season to watch!

Hope you can join us for a little fun with DWTS over the next few weeks.  Check in on Tuesdays for my recap and result show update.

Let the dancing begin!

Result Show Update

No love lost here to see Pamela Anderson be the first one booted off this all-star season.  I had hoped she would be the first to go, not only because I can only handle so much of her personality, but more so because she is not nearly at the same level as the rest of the dancin' stars.

Beauty and The Beast 3D Opens Today!

Last weekend my daughter, Darlin', and I had the opportunity to see Beauty and The Beast in 3D! Many thanks to "Aunt Sarah" for sharing her tickets!

Beauty and The Beast 3D opens nation wide today, on Darlin's 16th birthday! It was a nice little pre-birthday treat to take her to see this Disney classic on the big screen. The fact that it was in 3D was like icing on the birthday cake!

If you have a teen like mine who loves everything Disney and has grown up idolizing Belle, Aurora, Cinderella and Ariel, then I highly recommend seeing this classic in all its glory. It was a wonderful experience for her to watch it come to life at the theater after all those years on a tiny little TV.

Premiering before Beauty and The Beast 3D is the new short Tangled Ever After. Darlin' and I were laughing throughout it - one of the funniest shorts I have seen in a long time! Here's a clip to enjoy:



(We did receive free tickets to this advance screeing, but the opinion is all mine!)

Driving Miss Baby!

Miss Baby asleep in the car seat!

During our most recent excursion, we had to prepare ourselves for many long hours in the mini-van with two teens and a toddler.  Obviously, keeping Miss Baby happy was of utmost importance for the sanity of we weary travelers.  Just in case you too will find yourself traveling home for the holidays, here are a few do's and don'ts with baby on board!

DO

• keep favorite toys, loveys and blankies nearby for quick retrieval.
• bring special books or toys that are only reserved for car trips or splurge on something new. We were entertained for quite a while with Miss Baby's new Merry-Oke microphone. She kept hitting the buttons to play Jingle Bells and would sing "Ha Ha Ha" to the tune...we were literally laughing all the way!
• remember coolers and ice packs for milk, formula, juices or snacks that won't keep well in the car.
• pack plenty of kid friendly snacks for those miles between rest stops.
• extra padding for car seat. We have an insert plus a piddle pad. Inevitably, Miss Baby will have at least one longer stretch in the car seat where she may leak through or spill.
• take advantage of your radio, CDs, DVDs, MP3, iPad, iPod, Kindle, Nook, smart phone or any other electronic devices at your disposal that may keep your tot and teens occupied, distracted or otherwise engaged. This can provide some much needed respite for the driver from typical interrogations of ETA and refereeing sibling spats.
• take a break and let your toddler out for a walk, diaper change, potty break, snack or just a bit of fresh air. It will do the whole family good to get out of the car for a bit!
• consider your tot's temperament. Are they shark like, needing to keep in a moving car to stay asleep or will they transfer easily to the crib for the night? On our latest adventure we chose to drive through the night and found Miss Baby woke up when we pulled over in the wee hours of the morning for a quick snooze at a rest stop. Once back on the highway, she was sound asleep!  
• keep baby awake if you want her to sleep at the hotel. Otherwise, you may all be ready to hit the hay while your toddler decides to recite the ABC's or play for the next few hours!
• plan your rest stops around baby's schedule if you are still nursing. It may mean a few extra hours to the trip, but will make for a more comfortable ride for you and baby in the long run!
• bring a pillow or blanket for yourself or older kids to grab some sleep for those hours while someone else is driving.
• enjoy the time with your family in the confines of your car. Play road games: 20 questions, license plate poker, count the cows, alphabet game, numbers, etc. Your little one will soon learn that family trips can be fun and will enjoy the laughter that ensues!

DON'T

• leave crayons to melt on the floor, door jams or seats...speaking from experience here.
• forget extra bags for trash between rest stops. It's also important to remember to throw them out when you get home or you may find some surprises...again, experience!
• forget the diapers and wipes!  Pack them in several different bags, so you will not be stuck in the hotel with an empty diaper bag in the middle of the night, sending hubby back to the van to search for the box of diapers...need I say it? That's right...experience.
• yell too loudly at your teens while baby is sleeping...uh...hypothetically!

Happy Trails!

Family Memories With Harry Potter

Today Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is being released on DVD and Blu-ray, so I thought it was a fitting time to post our fan film and recap of our summer fun with Harry!

Harry Potter and The Hollow Baggies

Production Costs: 

• Costuming - $31.00
• Filming - 3 days 
• Editing -  several late nights
• Family Time - Priceless

Family Fun

Here at My Mid-Life Motherhood there's a certain art to balancing the various ages and interests of our particular family members. One thing that seems to span the gap in our humble abode is our love of movies! Even Cupcake enjoys her "show!" when she gets to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or join the family for some good ol' Disney classics. 

Over the summer our family enjoyed celebrating the climax of the Harry Potter films in our own unique way.  Well, I suppose it's not all that unique to other Harry Potter fans, but I'm the only midlife mom I know who:

• was as excited as a teenager at the prospect of seeing the epic conclusion to the movie series of a generation!
• dressed up as Mrs. Weasely for the midnight show!
• enjoyed seeing it again on IMAX 3-D opening weekend!
• spent hours creating puppets with my teens of our favorite characters for our family fan film! (Nothing says family bonding like arts and crafts time with your teens on silly paper bag puppets while your toddler naps, am I right?!)

On our way to the midnight show!

"Random Death Eater" & "Mrs. Weasley" 

My son and I enjoyed dressing up to see the midnight show on opening night!  We had a wonderfully fun audience, which made the experience superb.  Lots of cheers, hoots and hollers could be heard emitting from our theater during the film.  Many people came decked out in the Griffindor colors, Hogwarts uniforms or unique Harry Potter themed regalia.  The theater passed out special Harry Potter 3D glasses, too!

A Rare friend joined us for the 3D show!

Loved the Harry Potter 3D glasses for everyone!

I wasn't sure how my 13 year old would stay awake for the entire show, but we soon realized that it was impossible to sleep through such a film.  It is an action packed war movie!  Between the fast paced film and the caffeinated drinks, he managed to enjoy the entire adventure!

Fun first midnight show for Bud!

Hard to believe I was seen in public dressed like that?!

Having kept ourselves filled with popcorn and soda, we made our way home for bed in the wee hours of the morning.  Naturally, we excitedly talked about our favorite scenes and grew eager with anticipation to see it on the even bigger screen with the entire family!

Lookin' good for 3 AM!

Perfect full moon to end the night!

After recovering from our midnight antics with Harry Potter we enjoyed seeing it for a second time on opening weekend at the IMAX theater!  Darlin' had missed midnight show because she was away on a mission trip, so we made it another family event to see it on the really, really, really big screen.

Joy & Expectation!

Darlin' and Joy decked out for the movie...wand in hand!

It was quite an experience to see it in IMAX 3D.  I truly felt that it was worth every penny.  The 3D effects were superb on such a large screen and made everything come to life - that element was lost on the smaller screen.  As wonderful as the experience was the first time around, I found it even more enjoyable the second time around...perhaps a good night's sleep had something to do with it!

Picture Perfect

Photo Ops with the stars.

They searched every display til they found Ron!

Farewell to Harry Potter!

Our family has thoroughly enjoyed our time together reading the Harry Potter books, watching the movies and making our own family fan film.  Darlin' and Bud even had the chance to go to the new Harry Potter amusement park in Universal - the perfect spot to whet their appetite (with a little butter beer) for this epic finale to an exceptional series!

Epic Movie Display

Over Packing Baby

I am notorious for over packing all the possible baby items we may use on a family trip. Usually each of us has a bag or two depending on the length of our stay, but Baby fills up the rest of the mini-van!  How is it that the tiniest of us inevitably needs the most stuff?!

I came across this printable packing list from What To Expect and thought I would pass it along to any of you who may be traveling with your tot over the next few weeks.  As Thanksgiving approaches and we plan a possible road trip to visit family, I will most certainly use this handy-dandy guide.  Perhaps now, we can sit comfortably in the car for hours on end rather then perched awkwardly next to the tote of toys, backpacks, diaper bags, boxes of wipes and bags of diapers!

"Animal Six"

In recent years our older kids have become involved in the theatre.  They have participated in several school productions and have thoroughly enjoyed the Theatre and Kids summer camps.

Last year was the first time that we encouraged them to audition for a community production through Theatre and Kids, because they were slated to do Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe!  As the Narnia books and movies are beloved family favorites, our children were eager to audition...especially Darlin'.  I encouraged Bud to go for it too, even though it was his first year at a new school - with all new routines, teachers and a lot more homework.

They worked hard to memorize their monologues. Darlin' auditioned with a dramatic piece for Galadriel, from Lord of the Rings, (accent and all,) hoping to play Susan or the White Which.  Bud, who just wanted to get to do some stage fighting, chose something a little less, well, dramatic: Syndrome from The Incredibles!

One of my worst fears was that only one of the of kids would get a part in the play and the other would be left "standing in the wings."  A few days later we were excited to find that both kids had received roles in the play!  I was not prepared, however, for the result.

Our son had been cast as Edmund!  Wow!  What an accomplishment, to land a lead the first time out?! (Naturally, he was thrilled that stage combat would be involved!)  Our daughter...Animal Six....  In case you're wondering, tears were involved.

King Edmund

To make matters worse, I tried to console my daughter. I explained that they probably wanted an older girl if Bud was playing Edmund.  Probably taller, more experienced, etc.  The next day Darlin' arrived at school to find that the "new girl", whom we had invited to audition, had landed the part of Susan.  Same grade, same age, slightly taller, in fact they look like they could be sisters!  Poor Darlin'.

Despite her smaller role, Darlin' faithfully attended rehearsal, helped her brother with lines and encouraged her new friend (she'd be the first to tell ya that she portrayed Susan wonderfully!)  To her credit, Darlin' embraced the essence of Animal Six and delivered her lines with much gusto. 

Animal Six

In an effort to encourage Darlin', while being supportive and excited for Bud's leading role, our family decided to sport T-shirts to the production.  On the front we had a logo for Narnia and on the back in huge letters it read: "GO ANIMAL SIX."  Under that, in fine print it read: "and Edmund too!"

All the cousins sportin' their supportive T's!

We even made a toddler version for the baby to wear...you can imagine that it attracted a bit of attention.  Both kids were thrilled and it brought a lot of levity to what could have been a touchy situation.  Amazing how T-shirts can calm teen drama, eh?  Who knew?!

This year the kids both participated in the Theatre and Kids summer camp.  Bud as a camper and Darlin' as an apprentice.  They each learned new skills and developed greater confidence in their performances.  Our daughter had a wonderful opportunity to participate in the One Acts, in which she really shown as a narrator in Sleepy Hollow and as a little girl in another one act.

Little girl, large lollipop!

School arrived and they each anticipated auditioning for the upcoming production of Jane Eyre.  Soon after school started, each of the kids decided to run for student council...can  you guess where this is going?

Darlin' lost her Vice Presidential race with grace.  The very next day, my son returned home from school and excitedly, but quietly, pulled me aside to announce that he had won his race, he was Junior High President!

It was Animal Six all over again.

Despite Darlin's loss, I felt that President did deserve a few cheers and she too congratulated him on his success.  Of course, I continue to address him as Mr. President, being the proud Mama that I am!

As auditions for Jane Eyre loomed ever closer, my only thought was, "Please, Lord, not another Animal Six?!"  I truly felt that my heart would break should Darlin' watch her little bro achieve, yet again, in an area where she too desired to excel but instead found herself deflated. Besides, I would like to wholeheartedly support his (and her) achievements without any sense of guilt.

With so few boys that audition, I was pretty confident that he would get a part, but with so many girls that try out I new it would be a fierce competition for any major female roles.  My hope and prayer was that both of them would get parts that they were excited about, content with and eager to perform.

Both kids worked hard to find and prepare a monologue.  Darlin' performed one of Jo's monologues from Little Women, while Bud portrayed Mr. Knightley reprimanding Emma from that Jane Austen classic of the same name.

It was with great trepidation and anticipation that we eagerly awaited the posting of the cast list.  In fact, we tried for 45 minutes to find out where it was posted, to no avail.  Finally, Hubby sent Darlin' a text to congratulate her on being cast as...drum roll please...Jane!

You can only imagine the excitement when we finally found out that the curse of Animal Six had been broken!  Darlin' may still be in shock over the fact that she landed the lead for the next few months!  Naturally, there was great celebration in our house that both kids received roles that they are enthusiastic to perform!  Apparently, Bud plays St. John Rivers, who proposes to Jane...so we're all wondering how that's gonna play out?!

Thankfully, both our kids have a great sense of humor.  They embraced the Go Animal Six T-shirts last year, in fact it was their idea!  Upon learning of her role,  Darlin' even called her Aunt to inform her that she had indeed been cast as Jane and not "third bush to the left" as our family had been teasing. (Gee, we're supportive, eh?!)  As I mentioned, it's a good thing they have a great sense of humor.  Suppose I'd rather prepare them for worst case scenarios and be pleasantly surprised!

And pleasantly surprised we were!

Congratulations to my kiddos!  Well done, Mr. President and Jane Eyre!  Wonder what kind of T-shirts we'll make this year?!

GO ANIMAL SIX!

Our budding actors!

Adventures in 2-D!

If you are looking for a fun family movie night this weekend, then I highly recommend you gather the kids, make some popcorn, and enjoy Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Across the 2nd Dimmension.  It premieres this Friday, August 5th at 8 p.m. Eastern time on the Disney Channel.  Set the DVR as I guarantee your kids (and even you!) will want to watch it again!

This past weekend, my son and I had the privilege of attending a fun-filled advance screening of the new Phineas and Feb movie courtesy of Radio Disney.

Special Passes!

There were all sorts of trivia games with great prizes to reward the early birds. They even gave away several Phineas and Ferb portable DVD players! Many of the movie goers were sporting their favorite Phineas and Ferb character T-shirts, of which Agent P was a particular favorite. All the kids walked away with Perry bags, a 2D movie poster and great coupons to Dave & Busters!

Agent P Sports Bag

We enjoyed the film immensely! Naturally, I had a greater appreciation for the nuggets of humor they threw in for the over forty twenty crowd. The montage homage to famous TV and movie duos with a Dr. Doofenshmirtz doppelganger was one of my favorite parts. Buddy and I enjoyed recounting our favorite scenes and quoting the movie on the ride home, at lunch, and to the family for subsequent days!

Catching the Radio Disney Car before it zoomed away!

It was one of the best laugh-out-loud kid's movies I've seen in years. As my son can attest to, it truly was a laugh a minute and even a bit touching...but we don't want to give anything away, so you'll have to tune in when it airs on Friday to see for yourself. You can bet that we will be laughing just as hard this weekend when we watch it again!

The Inevitable Question Has Been Asked

On our recent excursion westward, I had the unfortunate experience of being asked the inevitable question.  To my chagrin, it happened a decade or two sooner than I had expected.  Drum roll please.  "Is that your grand-daughter?"  What?!  Are you kidding me?!

At the ripe young age of 42, I had anticipated being mistaken for Cupcake's Grandma in the distant future.  Possibly at her college orientation, ya know, in my 50's!  But absolutely no sooner than that!  So you can imagine that I was quite taken off guard when the inevitable question arrived more than a decade early.

We were headed west on the PA Turnpike and had stopped to take care of a much needed diaper change (for Baby!)  I finished changing her diaper, passed her off to her older sister and continued packing up the diaper bag.  As I headed out of the rest room I could hear a lady remarking at how cute Cupcake was as she strolled hand in hand with her sister.  The lady then noticed me exiting the restroom, proudly encumbered with the diaper bag, and quipped, "Is that your grand-daughter?  She's adorable!  She looks just like Shirley Temple!"  Trying to keep my composure, I smiled, kept walking and promptly told my kids what had just happened.

Needless to say, they all found this quite humorous.  I was more in a state of mingled shock and laughter.  After a few minutes, however, the realization of the comment had dawned on my eldest daughter and she was insulted that it had been assumed that she was the mother!  It was my turn to have a good laugh at her reaction!  At 15 it's in the realm of possibility and perhaps, may be a more common occurrence in the particular area we were traveling.  With this thought I realized that I
could well have just been paid a compliment.  If turnpike lady had assumed that Darlin' was a teen mom and I had been a teen mom, than she undoubtedly pegged me for in my 30's!

30's?!  Yup, that must be it!

Cupcake's First Play Date!

Yesterday, Cupcake had her first official play date with a little friend. Now Baby, (suppose Toddler or Tot would be a more appropriate nickname as 2 is quickly approaching!) has played with lots of other children at church, parties, picnics and events, but yesterday was the first time where she had one little girl her age over to play.

It seems that there was "something in the water" the year that she was born, since most everyone we know who had babies at the same time all had boys! At church, in our family, our neighbors - boys, boys, boys and more boys! She won't be lacking for possible prom dates in about 15 years! The only girls near her age are either too far away to see on a regular basis or a year or two ahead or behind, which won't matter too much in a few years when they can play together more easily.

Imagine my delight, when we finally met another little girl her age, just a couple months apart!  The two little girls have been playing together at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) this past year.  Cupcake and I have been going to MOPS since she was a month old.  Naturally, the other mothers I'd met at MOPS had boys the same age.  All but one! (Logical conclusion: she and I must drink the same water.)

Official play date time arrived and Cupcake answered the door at a run, very excited to greet her friend!  Her little friend (along with her older brother) enjoyed a quick tour of the place and settled in at the playroom (surprise, surprise.)  We Moms enjoyed chatting and catching up at a safe distance from the fort that was being created, managing to evade attack and being drafted into service!  The girls enjoyed emptying bins of toys, riding the princess car, looking at books, playing with baby dolls, throwing balls, building with blocks and of course, storming in and out of the fort which our guest trooper had created with our baby gates!

It was impressive how well they all played together (or even next to each other which is typical for two year olds!)  Proud Mid-Life Mama was glad to see how well Cupcake shared her toys and books, not a single tear was involved (what more could one ask of a couple of two year olds?!)  It was nice to see her finally have someone her size to play with and sit with in her seesaw chair!  They actually squeezed in one side together while her friend's brother sat on the other side and gave them a nice little ride (always helps to have an older bro who knows the ropes.)

After cleaning up all the toys, very cooperatively I might add, they all decided that our house was perfect for running around in circles whilst squealing.  Considering this is one of Cupcakes most favorite pass times (especially when she finds herself in an echoey library, church hallway or grocery aisle), she was thrilled...truly in her element!  At one point, Swiffer, our white, fluffy cat became the center of attention, but she was not nearly as excited about it as the rest of them!

Eventually, the time came to bid our guests farewell.  The girls each said adorable good byes. Cupcake waved and watched wistfully from the door as her little friend made her way to the car with her family.  After a quick lunch I carried an exhausted little Tot up the stairs to bed, a smile on her face the whole ride.  I asked her if she had a good time with her friend and she kept saying, with fatigued delight, "fren, fren, fren."  She rolled out of my arms and promptly fell asleep for a much earned nap.  Hopefully, her "fren" did the same for her Mom, too!

Top Ten Things I Love About...Spring Break!

1. Sleeping in!
2. Staying up late with kids to watch DWTS while munching homemade popcorn.
3. No packing lunches for school...yay!
4. Shopping for Easter dresses.
5. Baking chocolate chip cookies for my daughter's friends when they come over.
6. Hosting our family Easter egg hunt for the first time since our teens were little...sniff...sniff!
7. Decorating Easter eggs.
8. Ending my Lenten fast with a Starbuck's Decaf-Non-Fat-Latte-Please!
9. Heading to the shore to celebrate Easter with family.
10. Celebrating the resurrection of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Hope you all have an enjoyable, restful, refreshing Spring break and can truly celebrate the real meaning of Christmas this Easter!

Allergy Free Fun Fridays! Clara's Chicken Casserole

Last night I was at a loss for what to make for dinner.  I hunted through the cabinet and created the recipe below.  My teens, who typically are not fond of my making-it-up-as-I-go cooking style when it results in a casserole, really liked it and ate it quite willingly.  In fact, my son, ranked it a 4 out of 5 marks.  Apparently, he only grants 5's to pizza or ice cream, so I'm feeling pretty good about my concoction being teen friendly.  I know I really enjoyed it and was surprised how tasty it was as leftovers for lunch, considering I had used the gluten free pasta.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner! 

Here is Cupcake enjoying her chicken casserole with her new fork.

  She liked it so much that I decided to name it after her!

Clara's Chicken Casserole (WF, GF, {SF})

1 large can (12.5 oz) chicken, drained (or 1 1/2 -2 c. cooked chicken)
2 cups GF macaroni from bionaturae
1 box (12 oz) Pacific Natural Foods organic cream of mushroom soup
1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. white cooking wine (optional)
4 slices cheese (American, cheese or provolone)
1 pkg. frozen broccoli or 1 bunch fresh
1 tsp. fresh chopped chives

Cook broccoli slightly, drain and place in bottom of casserole dish.  Spread chicken on top of broccoli.  Lay cheese slices on top of chicken. 

Cook pasta for 6-8 minutes in pot of boiling water, til not quite cooked.  This is key for the gluten free pasta, if you over cook it then it will fall apart in the casserole.  Drain and place on top of the cheese.  Mix together milk, wine, soup and most of the chives.  Spread over pasta in casserole dish.  Sprinkle with remaining chives. 

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

A Day The Life Of My Mid-Life Motherhood

Hit snooze button at least three times before waking to musical toad playing over baby monitor.  Shower, dress, greet Babycake and provide her with her coveted Disney Princess books to keep her occupied for a few more minutes.  Grab much needed cup of coffee.  Pack up lunches for Hubby and kids.  Make sure son leaves with all his school supplies so there is no need to make an extra trip to school!

Rescue Babycake who has since lost interest in books and is clamouring to get out of crib.  Wrestle with her to change her diaper, get her dressed and brush her hair.  Enjoy a game of "boo-pee", as she calls it, as I pull her dress down over her head!  Come to the conclusion that somehow I have given birth to a future fashionista who is refusing to wear sneakers and insisting on her pretty little Easter shoes!  Teach Baby her "cute question."  I ask "How'd ya get to be so cute?" And she responds "It's in the genes!"  (That's a bit advanced, so she just pats her pants...it's quite adorable.)  Fondly recall the other kids' "cute questions": "Could you be any cuter?" "I don't think so!" (accompanied by an adorable shake of her blond curls!)  And, "How cute are you?"  "Too cute!" (which turned into "Three Cute" and so on, which he will still answer in a mom-I-can't-believe-you-are-asking-me-that smirk!)

Head down stairs to feed baby.  Share my breakfast with her to prevent her from hurting herself as she violently signs "please" by thumping her chest vigorously for my eggs!  Clean up spilt milk from her inevitable sippy cup throws.  Marvel that my laptop still works, despite having been splattered as a result of such shenanigans.

Put Baby back in crib with Noah's Ark set to play with while I get ready.  Put make-up on, pack diaper bag and gather all our needed items to load in the car.  Smile at Baby while she eagerly cleans up her toys and wonder how to cultivate the cleanly gene in at least one member of our household....

Drive 20 minutes in a light drizzle, all the while enjoying the adorable "concert from the car seat" as she "sings" along to her favorite music.  Teach Ladies' Bible study at our church and enjoy the time of sweet fellowship with the other women while Babycake has a wonderful time playing.  Feed her some lunch before heading back home.  Regret handing her the cereal cup as she removes the lid and dumps her corn puffs on her lap.  Smile at the sweet baby sound asleep with corn puffs strewn all over herself as we pull into our driveway.  Very carefully transfer the tired tot from the car to the crib so as not to rouse her, because "2 minutes in the car equals 2 hours in the bed!"

Tidy up in the living room for company tonight.  Wonder how Baby has survived this long as I pick up choking hazards of pencils, pens, erasers, dirty tissues and other dangerous objects strewn about by our two teens!  Check periodically to make sure Baby is still breathing - neurotic, I know.  Contemplate removing Valentine's and birthday cards.  Decide against it since they are concealing most of the snowmen that are still decorating our house.  Ponder packing away snowmen since April starts tomorrow.  Justify not doing so since it may snow!

Clear the Laundry Chair (yes, admittedly failed Fly-Baby here), fold laundry and wonder where I'm going to put all the new hand-me-downs Babycake has received.  Thank God for the friends who have given us so many clothes that we don't need to buy Baby a thing.  Set those items in laundry basket on the landing to take up and deal with later.  Bring down dirty laundry from upstairs, while carefully avoiding the basket on the landing!  Start new load of laundry so no one in the family is forced to leave home to join a nudist colony.
  
Relax a bit watching NCIS on DVR while eating lunch.  Wish bon-bons were on my D.I.E.T. (Don't Ingest Enjoyable Things!)  Wonder what a bon-bon is anyway and why are we stay-at-home-moms supposed to be eating them?  After lunch make wheat free, sugar free chocolate crisp treats to appease my chocolate cravings.  Start soup stock for dinner.  Check time sensitive emails.  Research items for our upcoming Mother-Daughter banquet.  Start on this blog post.  Google "bon-bons".  Invent term, "google regret", after viewing delectable chocolate treats on said search.

Heed the call of the wild child as she wakes, with quite a racket, from her 3 and a 1/2 hour nap - woohoo!  Beam with delight as she talks gibberish, telling me all about the toys she's playing with and attempts to say "birdy."  Regret such a long nap when I discover that she's completely soaked through and needs a wardrobe change.  Frantically change her while both phones are ringing with requests to be picked up at the bus stop.  Throw Baby in car.  Rush down through the mist to pick up my teens half way up the hill.

Monitor snack time, piano practice and evade pleas for homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Cuddle with Babycake to read and sing some songs. Delegate daughter to babysitting duty. Be thankful that I had tidied up a bit so the house was in drop-in condition when someone stopped by.  Strain soup stock, splashing the floor and burning my arm in the process.  Thank the Lord that Baby was not underfoot in the kitchen at the time.  Wrap arm in ice and attempt to chop veggies.  Finish soup. Vacuum, sweep, and mop the floors.  Chuckle at the fact that my kids are discussing how cool it is that a major chord inverted sounds like a minor chord in one of John Williams' Star Wars pieces.  Enjoy the piano concert, otherwise known as practice.  Marvel at how much they have learned in their years of Suzuki piano training. Evade more pleas for cookies.

Call the troops for dinner.  Reprimand the baby repeatedly for throwing her sippy cup. Try not to laugh when it becomes a game.  Grumble when her soup bowl ends up on my freshly mopped floor.  Discuss school with older kids. Watch familiar dynamic of brother teasing sister about boys.  Realize this is a new phase for us.  Evade further pleas for cookies. Pause to take candid shots of Baby looking like a little flapper with her headband.  Clean up Baby and keep her occupied in her chair with toys while teens do homework.  Load dishwasher. Wash pots and pans.  Consider training kids to do dishwasher or pot/pan duty like "Aunt" Joan always did.  Regret my lack of chore training.  Elicit son for babysitting duty in order to give in to pleas for REAL chocolate chip cookies.  Chalk it up to PMS!

Bake cookies. Savor one fresh-from-the-oven real chocolate chip cookie.  Justify it as reward for 14 lbs lost on aforementioned D.I.E.T! Give Babycake a bath and bedtime bottle. Greet Hubby from work. Complete last minute tasks before welcoming visitors.  Wish Mother-in-law happy birthday. Take Baby up for bed.  Cuddle and sing our night time songs while she hums along.  Cherish the moment before putting her to bed.

Greet friends for ministry meeting.  Deal with Baby who won't calm down for Big Sis.  Tuck Baby in again. Return to meeting.  Pray, laugh, plan, ponder.  Bid them good night.  Put away goodies.  Ask Hubby to try my earlier cocoa concoction.  LOL when he says, "I wouldn't serve 'em!"  Make note not to leave agave out of that recipe in future.  Sit down to complete blog post.  Chuckle at Hubby on his laptop too. Realize laundry is not done.  Sigh.  Wonder how working moms get their laundry done. Have quiet time with Hubby.  Kiss each child while they sleep.  Wish there had been less cleaning and more fun and cuddling. Collapse in bed after moving laundry basket in the way to be dealt with later....