Kookie Krums

Cookie Dough Teeth

Cookie dough. Tooth polish. I swear. I thought the hygenist was joking. She wasn't. Ok, so let's start at the beginning. Hailey and Jada went for their dental appointment last week. I took them together, so Jada could watch Hailey and see what was going on, in case she would be nervous by herself for her first visit to the dentist.

Let me just say I cannot go to the dentist without being heavily drugged. It was all I could do to take the girls for their appointment without having a panic attack. But Hailey loves it, and was completely excited to go. She is so not my child in that regard. Hence a better example for Jada than I would be. Hailey even drew a beautiful picture for the dentist. The picture I would draw for him would not be described as beautiful. Although I like our dentist personally, I do not like his profession. Not at all.  Anyway, I digress. 

So Hailey gets her teeth counted, then it's time for that polishing stuff. See - I'm already starting to break out in hives. The hygenist asked Hailey if she would like cookie dough for her tooth polish, and Hailey looked at me like she had just gotten in on the biggest surprise ever! "Yes! Just like Mommy's cookies!"  I think she meant that as a compliment. Trust me, my cookies have no correlation to the dentist. I'm not quite sure how I feel about something so delicious as cookies being involved with something so - hmm - as the dentist, but it seems wrong on so many levels to me. Hailey, on the other hand, loved it. I think she thought I had worked out this amazing special treat for her ahead of time. I didn't correct her, but I'm not that on top of my game right now.

So ever since she's been giving us these cheesy smiles, saying "Look at my cookie teeth!! Look!" Jada was not convinced on the cookie dough, and chose the peppermint instead. Wise choice in my opinion. And Kahlee didn't even go, but hey, she jumped right in when I asked for a show of the shiny teeth!!

A Birthday Party, Chest Pains, and the Emergency Room

Not a good combination. Not that you were on the fence about that. Let's back up to the beginning. I woke up Friday morning feeling like I had a toddler sitting on my chest. After checking (twice) all said toddlers were still tucked in bed, and I couldn't shake this feeling. But I am a mom. And a business owner. And the world keeps turning. Move forward to Saturday morning, when now the toddler is still there, but there's also shooting pain in my chest and in my left shoulder. Too bad. It was our little foster girl Kahlee's second birthday party. Actually, probably her first birthday party, because she probably didn't get to have one before. So we got everything ready for the party, still debating whether to go to the park like the invitations announced, or move everything to home since the weather was so cold (remember, I'm a Floridian).  We ended up deciding on the park, bundled up, and away we went. At the park, I couldn't even lift my girls in and out of the swings, and the pain was getting worse. But we played, we had cake, we tried to blow out candles (it was pretty windy), and we opened presents. Then we had some friends come back to our house, some to check out my craft room (that needs to be downsized - let me know if you're interested), and some just to hang out. Around dinner time everyone had left, and now it was hurting to breathe. Hubby stepped in and sent me off to the emergency room.

Let me just stop here and say thank goodness for my Aunt Cathy, who always steps up to take my hand and sit with me, shop with me, eat with me, cry with me . . . you get the idea. She came and picked me up and took me to the ER, and then stayed with me until way too late at night. Can I just ask why you always end up sitting in an emergency room half the night?? The people on tv are done and out in thirty minutes to an hour, tops. I'm just sayin'.  Well, the doctor wanted to be sure - extra sure - it wasn't a problem with my heart. So he "recommended" I be admitted for the night. I didn't go down quietly, I can tell you that, but when the nurse came and snatched my shoes, I knew I had lost the battle.

So four doses of nitroglycerin, one sleepless night, one ER nurse who shouldn't be allowed to start IV's, several nurses way too chipper for the night shift, and one heroic doctor who had a wife with five kids at home and understood my dilemma of staying in the hospital for one more minute, and I was discharged with a diagnosis of pleurisy.  By the way . . . I do wish I would have had a camera, as my husband came to get me with all three girls in tow, and I was wheeled out by a transporter who couldn't stop shaking his head and laughing as he pushed me with two girls in my lap - all the way to the truck. Oh yes. When you have children in your lap in the wheelchair, apparently you get vehicle-side service. No stopping at the curb then!

So here I am, still feeling like . . . well, you know . . . I have to thank my good friend Kelly, who's been working at the shop since before Christmas (and she's really good at it, I mean, she used to own the store and all, she taught me everything I know), for jumping right in and letting me get some much needed rest while the kiddos are at preschool. And if you came by the store today and found the lights off and the door locked, I am truly sorry. I found my way to my sofa and never moved again. Until my wonderful friend brought over a hot dinner. With warm bread. And gooey brownies. I am a happy girl.

Santa's Sleigh was FULL . . . .

Very full this year. And by the time I finish, you'll understand why you haven't heard from me in a while! We began the month of December with one VERY excited four year old, one excited-but-didn't-know-why one and a half year old, and an Elf on the Shelf. And yes, the Elf is noteworthy, because he became a part of our family this year. Literally. As in, my four year old Hailey is still asking for him every day (he leaves on Christmas Eve to go spend the rest of the year with Santa) and telling God in her prayers every night how much she misses him.

Kookie Krums began the month of December holding our breath, wondering how the current economy would effect holiday sales. We spent the rest of the month trying to breathe . . . in between keeping up with all of the orders and the frantic baking, arranging, baking, arranging, and more baking!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, to every last customer, from the one who bought over 120 bouquets to the one who tried a bite of our cookies for the very first time. We adore all of you, and are so grateful you let us be a part of your holiday celebrations and gift giving.

We ended December with one VERY sad four year old - we couldn't stay in California after Christmas and had to leave Papa and Grandma behind - one tired one and a half year old - AND . . . one very new member to our family, a sweet almost-three year old girl!  I know . . . I told ya you'd understand! Mid-December I received a call on a Friday morning saying a little girl was coming available for adoption, and needed a home today. Those of you who know me personally know this phone call has been a long time coming, much awaited, my heart's cry, and oh-so-anticipated. Our sweet new addition has just fit right into our family. She didn't miss a beat with the chaos that is our lives in December, and the three little sisters are just in love with each other.

Our arms are full, our hearts overflowing, and we are greatly anticipating this new year with the newest version of our family, and a business that - thanks to each of you - is thriving despite what the "experts" tell us.  I personally wish each of you great things for 2009, and hope this year is full of amazing moments, precious memories, and a lifetime of smiles.