Homemade Chirstmas

In my attempt to make my boys appreciate Christmas and giving, I have decided to fill their stocking with homemade gifts.  None of the items in their stockings make noise, have lights, or talk.  You cannot shoot rockets out of these or blow things up.  Hopefully, they will envoke creativity and imagination.  Are they pretty, or well made?...Ummm, no but they are made with love by my own two hands. 

Will they appreicate these items?  No, I doubt it as they are not the flashy, plastic toys they dream of. I just want them to realize Christmas is not about the toys you get and how fancy they are but how thankful you should be that someone has thought of you.  

 

 

Our homemade Christmas started off when Myles and I made homemade peppermint patties for their teachers.  I will be the first one to admit that I am a horrible cook, but these were awesome!

 

I made the boys roads for their matchbox cars out of old jeans and fabric paint.  They love their cars so hopefully these will be a hit.

 

I made them each bags to but their road in.

 

Not homemade but I am adding seed packets to their stocking. 

 

I think we will have hours of fun creating tie dye shirts.

 

This is a gift I know they will not appreciate.  I made them each a book about why I love them. 

 

The inside of the book.  Each page lets them know how and why we love them. 

 

 

I bought $1 frames at the craft store and turned them into......

 

Chalkboards. I used a chalkboard paint and made these beauties.

A Holiday Surprise

Last Monday we received a call that an infant just came into DSS care and needed to be placed urgently.  Josh and I weren't really prepared for a 5 week old baby but we said yes.  Josh picked her up from the DSS office that day.  She is the sweetest little girl.  She hardly cries and is content to watch the world around her. 

She came from an awful situation.  I don't know how a 5 week old could be as dirty as she was.  Dirt under her little nails and the smell could knock out a grown man.  Poor little thing.  Needless to say, she is clean and happy now.

We are not sure how long we will have her as this is a long term placement.  We could have her for up to a year depending on her parents and if they can get it together. 

On my blog, I will not show pictures of her face as she is not my child.  I don't have consent from her parents to do so.  I will not mention her name either.  I will show little snippets of her but will protect her anonymity. 

So far, the boys love her.  They seem to know that she needs to be protected and cared for.  The are on a constant quest to make her laugh.  I can't wait until she is old enough to do so.

One amazing thing that has come from having baby girl in our house, is the wonderful sense of community we have here in Black Mountain.  Almost everyday since we have had her, friends have come over with infant items.  Josh and I had gotten rid of all our baby things as we didn't think we would have another infant.  Our friends have stepped up and helped us out in ways that I wouldn't have imagined.  Everyone has been so supportive.

She is the smallest baby I have ever held.  She weighs 7 pounds and is 5 weeks old.  The boys were bigger than that when they were born.

Look at those skinny legs.

Grady holding her foot.

The first time I saw Emma.  *added April 22, 2017

What a beautiful baby.  *added 4/2017

Can you tell the boys were excited?

Boys, Boys and more Boys

A few weekends ago we began doing respite care for the Foster Care system. For those of you that don't know, respite is when you watch a foster child that is currently with a foster family.  It is essentially giving that foster family a break.  

Our first foster children were 2 and 3 year old boys.  They were great kids and seemed to love playing with my boys.  The especially loved our dogs.  All was really great until they continually woke up crying as they didn't know where they were.  Poor little things.  It is so hard to fathom what is going on in their heads.  They were also up at 5am.  If you know me, you know that I desperately need my sleep.  If I don't get a good 8 hours I turn into a monster.  

The following weekend we got a 5 month old boy.  We had him for a week as his foster family went out of the country and couldn't take him.  He was adorable......until.......he started screaming on Saturday.  He did not stop screaming morning, noon and night.  On Monday afternoon, his daycare called and said he had Hand, Foot and Mouth disease.  I lost it....I was crying as much as the baby.  Turns out it was a double ear infection not a highly contagious illness.  Once on antibiotics he was back to being the sweet little baby that he was supposed to be.

Today, our testosterone levels are back to their normal high.  No additional boys in the house.  I slept a full 8 hours and feel great.  Our foster care journey had been interesting so far.  I have to say, it is incredibly rewarding despite the crazy times.

The boys loved the baby.  They took an active role in caring for him.

I mean, an active role.  This is Myles "fishing for babies".  I swear the baby was laughing the entire time as Myles "reeled" him in.  They did an amazing job with all of the kids.  

Our First Visit to the ER

Last Thursday was action packed for the Scala family.  It was a normal day until 10pm rolled around.  Josh and I were watching TV when we heard crazy noises coming from the boys room.  Poor little Myles had had a pretty bad cold and when he gets a cold it goes right to his upper airway.  He woke up coughing, crying and having difficulty breathing.  He sounded like a seal, a tell tale sign of Croup.  

Josh and I made the decision to take him to the ER as it was getting worse.  He was wheezing and his color wasn't good.  Myles and I arrived at 10:30 and they immediately gave him a breathing treatment.  Little did I know that we would be there until 2am.  What a loooooong night,

Here's my little man after his breathing treatment.  Ahhhh, so much better.  I think he looks a lot like my Dad in this picture.

Ready to go home.

Josh's Birthday

Decmeber 5th marked Josh's 33rd birthday.  Myles and I ran out to Hey Hey Cupcake to get him a birthday treat.  Who wouldn't want a box full of delicious cupcakes?  The boys made him a beautiful card and we took him out for Pizza.  It's crazy to think that I met Josh when he was only 21.  How the years fly by.

 

Singing "happy birthday".

 

Of course the boys had to have candles on their cupcakes as well.

A Christmas Extravaganza

This Sunday was Myles' Preschools Christmas Concert.  Let me tell you, getting 60 some 2, 3, 4 and 5 year olds to sing and stand still on stage is quite a feat.  It was a Christmas miracle that no one was injured during the rehearsal and show.  I never want to be involved in something like that again BUT.....it was super cute.

During the practice.

This little sheep wished he was running around in the pasture.  Not excited to practice.

And he checked out....

Almost ready for the big show.

Well, the big day was here but he still wasn't thrilled.

What a great looking sheep.

Check out the kid I was carrying onto the stage during the performance   She was so sleepy, she slept through the entire show.  I'm sure her parents were proud.

Show's over and there's the smile.

Kirsten and I helping the kids off the stage and out of the church.  We should have been paid double for that night.

Story Time with Fredricka

On Tuesday, Myles and I had an unusual day where neither one of us had school or work.  I was cleaning and I noticed Myles setting something up.  Little did I know, he was setting up for a story time.  He called me over and said it was, "Story Time with Fredricka".  Apparently, he was Fredricka.  

We started out by reading a few dinosaur books.  I was instructed to sit on the couch and be quiet.

The dinosaur stories continued.....

Fredricka had my undivided attention.  

Fredricka wrapped up story time with a puppet show.  It was so nice to relax with Myles (I mean Fredricka), having nothing else to do but spend time together.  

On another note, look who came to our house.  The Elf on the Shelf.  As cheesy as it is, the boys love to look for him in the morning.  At night they discuss what our little Elf will be doing while they sleep.  He is always  up to something.  

Thanksgiving with the McPhails

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone.  We had a great one this year.  My family made the long trip to NC for the holiday.  It was so much fun to spend Thanksgiving with them.  We cooked and ate way too much but I guess that's part of Thanksgiving.  We all pitched in and did our part with the cooking.  It was a wonderful feast.  I miss my family already.

The big meal.

I tried my hand at an apple pie.  It was more like apple soup.  I think I get my cooking genes from my mom. (Check out her apple cake from a past blog entry)

The boys and Mimi had a great time playing together.  They used all of their Legos and made a Lego city.

We went out to Bent Creek for a hike.

Mimi and Papaw enjoyed a stroll in the woods.

My folks watched the kids a few nights and we got to party with Uncle Will. 

On the last night, we celebrated my Dad and Josh's birthdays.  They collectively decided on an ice cream cake.  They probably didn't want me to bake anything after they tried my apple pie.

Soaring with the Eagles

Last weekend Kirsten and I made a last minute plan to go to Dollywood.....kid free!!  For those of ya'll that don't know, Dollywood is Dolly Parton's theme park.  Complete with shows and rides.  Josh and I have taken the kids before but have never experienced it without kids.  Man, we had a good time.  Kirsten and I ran from roller coaster to roller coaster  laughing at the folks with crying kids.  Ha!!  We didn't mind standing in lines or waiting until 1:30 to have lunch.  We didn't have to worry about anything.  It was a great break and so nice to have an adult conversation without interruption.  Kirsten, what would I do without you...... 

Our favorite rollercoaster....the Wild Eagle.

Halloween 2012

We had a great Halloween, as usual.  After several costume changes we were ready to hit the streets.  Grady the Ninja and Myles the paleontologist were extra cute trick or treaters.  Mimi was there to see them in action.  We can't wait to see her, Papaw and Uncle Will next week for Thanksgiving.

The Scala boys

We walked up to Church Street, where all the action was.

This was Grady's "scary ninja face".  Grady originally wanted to go as a "naked werewolf".  I promptly told him that he could not run down the streets of Black Mountain wearing only a werewolf mask.  He would have done it if I would have let him.

Going to the first house.

Myles, the man of style, had to do a last minute costume change.  When I say, last minute, I mean last minute.  We were walking out the door and he exclaimed that he didn't want to be a ninja.  He had to be a "paleontologist".  Josh and I scurried around the house looking for items that might work.  We made it happen.

Gramma and Grandpa, thank you so much for the costumes.  I know Myles didn't wear the costume you bought but he has worn it several times since then.  He wore it to the Halloween party at school.   It is still a great addition to our costume collection.  As you know, this boy has a mind of his own.

We carved the toughest pumpkins we have ever picked.  Josh and I got the tops off and that's where we quit.  We never got to the face part. 

Grady scooped out the goo and we baked pumpkin seeds.

Grady could have gone as a skeleton.  Look how skinny this kid is.