a little sunshine...

 ....that's Rhys.   Her mama picked me up at 5:30 yesterday, a dark rainy morning.  She was chattering away in her car seat, all optimistic about going bye-bye.  We got to her room, where she was greeted with a cheery nurse, and a stuffed Build-a-Bear with tiny little scrubs on!  This children's hospital provides one to each kid who has surgery, through a network of volunteers, so cool.  

I was impressed that she didn't have to get the IV put in until after she was put under...she had some "sleepy" meds before she was wheeled away to surgery, in her cute little gown with tigers on it.  So she was a happy camper, not at all distressed.

Kathryn and I found the hospital Starbucks, then wandered back to the waiting room where we had protein bars and our Americanos.  When Rhys woke up, we joined her in the recovery room.  Mariel, who works at the Cancer Center next to the Children's hospital, brought us lunch:  wood-fired pizzas.  Carb-y or not, I didn't much care, it was SO good.  

We were there until about five o'clock, then all was okay to go home.  I am just totally impressed with laparoscopic surgeries!  I don't love everything about modern medicine, but some things are just amazing. This little girl had her appendix removed and was ready to go home the same day!  I'm sure she has some rough times ahead as she heals up, and doesn't quite understand the pain, but Tylenol and Motrin will help.   Poor little girl...:)

This fine morning started out slowly, just like a Saturday morning should.  I slowly cleaned up the garbage that Suri had gotten into...we lock the lid of the can and drag it into the laundry room and close the door.  But a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, and someone opened that door after I put it away...Sonja said it was her, and Paul said it was him...in any case, she had herself a doggy picnic...the leftover pulled pork must have smelled so good, she had to get at it.  No surprise she's really not feeling well today, all panting and anxious.  She also left a puddle with some poop islands in it, in the living room.  Yes, a wonderful Saturday morning, ha.

I went out and about with Miss Sonja and Miss Camille, they bought something off Marketplace, a hair thing-y...they said they're sharing custody as they split the cost.  I didn't ask how much it was...but the house was really nice, where we picked it up.  We then went to Marshall's...I got a dress...not even for the wedding, it's an orange-y, autumn-y dress, I just loved it, it was $30...eeks.  I bought some goat's milk soap, one Christmas present for Wulf, and five bags of chewy ginger candy.  (The place setting gifts for the wedding are going to be His favorite candy, (ginger chews) Her favorite (sour gummy worms), or Their favorite (Reese's))

We also went to Aldi where I got some ribs for tomorrow...because we have a smoker, and ribs are good:). The girls got pizza slices, then we came back home, put things away, and enjoyed the sunshine and breezy weather on the deck.  We also put away some toys and cleaned off the deck a bit.  

I made a small batch, 18, mini gluten-free cupcakes for the wedding.  I colored them pink, so they'll be easily discernible.  The buttercream will still be vanilla and white, so they won't stand out too much, but I can let the gluten free people know they can eat the little pink cupcakes.  All of Camille's macarons are gluten free too.

Our dinner was uneventful.  Cam wasn't very hungry because she had the pizza for a late lunch, so she had oatmeal.  I made some hot sausages for Paul and I, and some salads.  Sonja went out to dinner with Oscar and a few friends. 

Oscar's family is supposed to come here for a visit this week, as they're in the U.S. for the wedding.  You know how you just get used to how things are, if there's a pile of clutter, you sort of don't notice it anymore...then someone is coming over, and OH NO, we need to get this cleaned up!  I have been using the extra dining room table for the wedding stuff...ginger candy and cupcake stands and cake platters...we also have one of Jonathan and Oscar's friends staying here, so we need to wash bedding and vacuum that room.  

I need to make the macaroni and cheese, write a detailed list for the perishables for the rehearsal dinner, and buy the rest of the "favorite" candy.  I need to make sure I have everything for the buttercream, Thursday is Make The Frosting day, Friday is Frosting Day.

There's a social kind of trepidation that comes with making wedding cupcakes and cakes.  It's a dread, that it'll all flop.  I've baked for lots of weddings now, and some other events when Emily had her catering business, and it's always that tension, that pressure!  Then the euphoria when it comes out nicely!  Of course we are our own worst critics, so it's never quite good enough....

I really hope they all come out all right being frozen then thawed...and I hope they look nice...ugh.  The good thing is I'm focused on the cupcakes and the cake and the food for the rehearsal, and haven't thought much about how I'm going to look.  Which is fine, because I mostly don't care.  For Sonja's sake of course I want to look neat and nice, but...

Oh, I need to get the picture loading function working soon, so you all can see wedding pictures, and cupcake and cake pictures!  

Ah well...have a good evening, a good night!