As I was telling my kids something at lunch, my three-year-old replied, “whoever cares, Mom.”  Of course her siblings thought that was hilarious so we now have an automatic time out proceedure for “smart talk.”

By a stroke of luck we recently snagged a dining room table and china cabinet from an estate sale.  While we were setting the cabinet up I noticed it has a light on the top shelf to showcase my Precious Moments figurines - just kidding.  I pointed out the light to the kids and now my third grader thinks it would be the perfect place to put his Chicago Bears pennant.  I feel like we have been living like a couple of college kids but now we will now finally have room to host Thanksgiving.  

So does anyone remember having to sit at the ”kids’ table” at the holidays?  I remember some years I loved it and others I hated it.  One year my cousin decided to demonstrate how she drank her milk, only she didn’t know a grown-up had come around and filled it, so the milk went all over her head.  I still feel young enough to be sitting at it!  I’m not sure where my kids will sit this year but I have to say I’ve been to some family gatherings where I would have preferred sitting at the kids table!

Have you ever told your kids that you won’t ask them to try anything that you haven’t tried yourself?  I have heard myself say these things at the dinner table or when trying to get them to venture out… but not what I had in mind the other night.

We found out last summer that Babe-o’s is very allergic to tree nuts, which include any nut except peanuts.  After shopping at Costco and having the samples (lunch)as we went, we neared the checkout and tried a dried fruit and nut snack.  Right away she started scratching her tongue and coughing.  By the time we left she had hives all over her face.  I didn’t know what was going on but my instinct was to get home as soon as possible and give her some Benedryl.  On the way home in the car she slumped over in her carseat and I had to call 911.  The ambulance met us on the road and off we went to the ER.  So now we avoid all tree nuts and anything made on equipment that processes tree nuts.  We also carry around a shot called an Epi-pen in case she would eat something accidently that has nuts in it. 

So as I was getting the girls ready for bed Babe-o’s brought me an Epi-pen. I thought it was the fake practice one since it was not in its case and was missing the grey “safety” cap.  I said, ‘bring it over to mommy and I’ll show you how we use it.’  I slammed it into the top of my thigh and when I pulled it up there was a big needle sticking out!  I had to lay down on the floor and tell them to go get daddy.  Now I know it works and I might also add that it hurts.