Merry Christmas and Happy New Year... better late than never!

Failed attempts at taking the 2010 Christmas picture...

yes, Sam is asleep

then all hell breaks loose

seriously... I just need one picture... without weapons.  Is that too much to ask?

and the keeper...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 

We hope this holiday greeting finds you all happy, healthy and enjoying the holiday season. This year, I implored my boys (officially renamed Button Pusher, Naughty, Instigator and Enabler) to help me write the Family Christmas letter.  

They are all very good at supplying me with plenty of material...even that being the case you will notice the new slimmer version of our 2010 re-cap.  In the past, condensing our year into a Reader’s Digest version of our lives has 

meant stretching the margins to their breaking point, using a ridiculously small font and printing on both sides the paper.  So in an attempt to cram it all in, some may cite my writing style as an example of horror vacui  (go on...Google 

it...you know you want to).  However, now with everyone (except Patrick) on Facebook or blogging, it has become increasingly easier to keep up throughout the year... somewhat negating the need for an epic Christmas letter.  So in 

the spirit of all good and enjoyable, I bring you the abridged version of what was previously known as the OMG... It’s 2 Pages...Collins Family Christmas Letter.       

Button Pusher is now 9 and in 3rd grade.  Between soccer, Tae Kwan Do, religious education classes, cub scouts and everything else that comes with being an incredibly curious kid, Andrew is just growing up so fast... right before our 

eyes.  Recently Andrew asked me...“Mom, when you were pregnant with me did you have a cat?”  ME: “Yes.”   ANDREW: “And did that cat sleep on your stomach when you were pregnant with me?” ME: “Yes.” ANDREW: “Ahhh...so that must be where I get my cat-like reflexes.” (And he was completely serious!)  ROFL... I love the way this kid thinks...LOL.  And as for his contribution to this letter, I asked him to tell me what he was thankful for and his response was... “Life. Home. Liberty. Justice. World... and that is it Moooooom!”  Seriously, you can’t just make this stuff up.   

Mr. Naughty is now 8 and in 2nd grade.  He attends a special school and he loves going everyday.  His amazing medical team and incredible educational team have helped us keep him healthy, progressing and doing all naughty things a little boy should.  He has a promising career as a movie critic as he moonlights as an escape artist.  Mr. Naughty never ceases to amaze and constantly reminds us that everything is possible... the impossible just takes a little longer.  Just 

when you think you are ahead of the learning curve, Sam will rock your world and dare you to keep up with him.  Sam helped with the Christmas letter too... he deleted it off my computer... twice! So in his own way,  Sam is forcing me to 

learn more about computer science and recovering lost files than I would have learned on my own.  That’s our Sam... pushing us all to be better.  

The Instigator is 3.  Three is an amazingly insightful age that makes you ponder the brilliance of duct-taping your child to the couch (or any stationary object for that matter) and while you ponder that idea and kick yourself for not realizing 

the sheer genius of it sooner... your child orders 28 apps on your iphone. Yes, I said 28! When I asked Sean what his favorite things are... he said... “I like cars and cars racers (Wii Mario Cart) and speed racers... for all my life!”  Yup... that 

about sums it up.  He is a master at accessing the streaming videos on Netflix via the Wii and as a result Sean knows more about animal rescues; the antics of a whinny, bald, five year old and the life of a Phylum Porifera living in a 

pineapple under the sea than any sane parent would be proud to admit to.  It’s when you get caught humming an obnoxious theme song while folding the laundry that you too will know my pain (2 bonus points if you added gestures or 

facial expressions).  And just incase you currently don’t have a song stuck in your head... “Hotdog. Hotdog. Hot-Diggity Dog...” Only a Mouseketool can save you now! 

When asked for his help with the Christmas letter... Patrick, now answering to Enabler, contributed an eye-roll and  an are-you-serious??? look.  Do you feel the love streaming to you through this letter?  Go ahead... sit back and soak it 

all in.  Please know that he put a lot of thought and effort into this and he truly desires to share all his warm and fuzzy Holiday wishes with all of you.  And in doing so his heart grew three sizes this day! 

I wish that I could report that I won the lottery or solved the energy crisis or discovered a way to get more than 6 hours of sleep each night... I guess these things will just have to be added to my 2011 to-do list.  In the mean time I 

am nearly finished with my 2009 to-do list!  Whooo hoooo! 

This Christmas season we remember all our loved ones who are not with us and we send up a special holiday wish to our guardian angels, thankful for their protection.  So now it is time to wrap things up...so with much love in our 

hearts we wish you the warmest blessings as you ring in the New Year.     

Warmly and with much love... Patrick, RaeAnn, Andrew, Sam & Sean (Cooper and Kitty 2 too) 

I'll take a Guanfacine Mocha Latte to go please

On Tuesday we saw Sam's neurologist.  Dr. Shah has been a beacon for us during Sam's dark Infantile Spasm storm and has thrown us more than one life jacket.  He is calm and compassionate and he truly understands what an incredible gift we have been given in Sam's seizure-free status and his progress.  Sam's delays are significant but he knows how hard Sam has had to work to be where he is today.  I joke that Sam has worked so very hard to be THIS delayed... and we are so very proud of him.  Slow and steady wins the race.  Dr. Shah knows that everything that Sam is capable of is icing on the cake... his initial prognosis was grim at best and he told us to prepare for the worst but pray for the best.  And Sam did get the best outcome.  Although is delays are considered moderate to severe now, when he was first diagnosed with IS we were told that being able to maintain eye contact for a 3-4 seconds would be a difficult goal.

Sam is now nearly 8 years old and has been seizure free for almost 7 years and free of HYPS for 6 years and off all seizure meds for 5 years.  AMAZING!!!  Sam is now walking, running, jumping, climbing stairs, matching pictures, making meaningful choices, had definitely likes and dislikes, is naughty, rides a bike and many more things that we never dared hope for him to be able to do.  And many people are completely clueless to how incredible Sam's IS success story is... and how rare.  He truly is Blessed and Lucky.

However, IS has taken a toll.  Sam's brain, in a sense, has had to re-wire itself and find new pathways to send messages.  So for Sam to get from A to B... he must go from A to Z to Q to B.  It is the long way around and sometimes he gets there and sometimes he gets lost along the way.   Unfortunately for Sam, he sometimes gets distracted somewhere between Z and Q.  He has been having some issues at school and sometimes he hits or exhibits other poor choices.... impulsiveness,  lack of focus.  This is nothing new but it is often difficult to assess what is a "problem" and what is developmentally appropriate naughty little boy.

So after much discussion and hand wringing and contemplation, we a started Sam on Guanfacine (or Tenex)

Guanfacine (Tenex) was originally developed as, and is still used as, a mild antihypertensive. Like some other antihypertensive drugs, Guanfacine (Tenex) regulates levels of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine; in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, it decreases sensitivity to distracting stimuli, and it therefore may help with focus. For this reason, it can be helpful in reducing ADHD symptoms, either alone or in combination with stimulants.

I have mixed feelings about this.  This topic has been discussed and brought up a lot over the past several years... a topic that has never left a good taste in my mouth but one that I knew I would one day have to swallow. On one hand I feel that Infantile Spasms (not to mention everything else) has robbed Sam of so much and if this will help him make those connections faster and help him to be less frustrated and more focused... fabulous.  On the other hand I hate adding another med to Sam's daily routine.  On the upside... the side effects are very minimal (virtually none) so there really is no down side in trying.  Sam is on the cusp of really grasping so many new things and I can't help but wonder... if he had just a wee bit of help could he finally complete some of those loose connections in in brain and unlock a few more doors???

Am I wrong to ask for more?  Considering the gift we have already been given... is it wrong for me to say "Thank you God for the miracle... now may I have another?"  Is it too much for me to hope for that one day Sam might learn to read, or be potty trained, or have a conversation with me about the weather ???  Am I selfish for wanting more than I was ever promised?

Look at those faces and tell me that I am wrong for wanting so much for them.

So we will see how it goes....   

and then there were TWO!!!!

Please follow the link to my friend  Leah's blog... she is doing something amazing and changing lives forever.  Pop over and read her story and become part of her family's journey by helping Leah and her family bring these two very special children, Axel and Ianna,  home to their forever family (and you could win an iPad).  

I will take "Yummy things from Rae's kitchen for $200" please.

And the answer is... Seriously the best meatloaf recipe ever!

Rae's Fabulously Delicious Meatloaf

Combine at least 2 of the following meats to = 3lbs (ground turkey, lean ground beef, ground venison, jimmy dean sausage (any variety))

*** my favorite combo is 2lbs lean ground beef and 1lb jimmy dean sausage (sage, low-fat, spicy... you choose)

1 cup tomato ketchup (have used salsa in a pinch)

2/3 cup V8 juice (can you spicy if you choose)

4 eggs

1 1/2- 1 3/4 cup bread crumbs (ok to add a bit more if mixture seems a bit to "wet")

4 tsp prepared mustard

1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing mix *dry mix

Mix everything thoroughly in a large mixing bowl.  Seriously, I am pretty sure that you are supposed to beat the eggs first and add all the ingredients slowly... but I just toss them all in and in no particular order and use my hands to mix it all together.  Turns out great every time.

Press meat mixture into 2 loaf pans (yes... that is one for dinner and one for sandwiches tomorrow!)  

Topping (optional)

mix 1/2 cup ketchup OR chunky salsa

1 tsp prepared mustard

4 TBS brown sugar

Mix it all together and spread on top of meat loaf.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 1 hour (check at about 45-50 minutes and drain if needed... my oven sucks so please note that your cooking times may vary... I usually end up cooking it for about 1 hour 10 minutes or so).  The meatloaf will start to pull away from the sides.  The sides and the topping will probably look a bit burnt... but it is not... it is just the sugar carmelizing... YUM!  Drain as needed and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.  

enjoy :)

Other yummy things I might feed you if you came by my house for dinner

You may have noticed that I have been in a domestic mood lately.  Don't worry... my house is still a mess but it smells really good from all the baking.  A girl has to prioritize!

**SPOILER ALERT... legume haters... just stop reading now... nothing beyond this point will be of any interest to you.

So on the menu for tonight was Apple Bean Bake, pork chops and corn bread.  Now I will admit that is is not one of the boys favorites (I don't know... something about beans and gagging and how if Aunt Tammy doesn't have to eat beans...LOL) ... but seriously, I did catch Sean up on the table licking Pat's plate while we were cleaning up the dishes.  Sometimes I wonder about that boy.

So in keeping with my simple and easy theme... this dinner ranks 2 on the difficulty scale (10 being difficult and something I would probably never attempt anyway) and an 11 on the yummy scale.

Apple Bean Bake (please keep in mind that I usually double this recipe)

48oz jar Randall's Great Northern Beans... drained

4 tbs butter

3 cups tart cooking apples (peeled/cut)... I have one of those apple peeler/corer things and that works great.  It slices the apples very thin and then I cut them into bite size pieces. and I tend to be pretty generous with the apples too.

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tsp cinnamon (or nutmeg... or both)

salt to taste (it does not need the salt in my opinion)

melt butter in a large skillet.  add apples and cook for about 10 minutes until apples are tender.  stir in everything else.  brown sugar should be dissolved and everything well mixed.  put drained beans in a 2 quart casserole baker and pour apple mixture over the beans and mix well.  bake in pre-heated oven at 375 for 1 hour.

My cornbread of choice is the .46 cent box of Jiffy cornbread mix in the little blue and white box.  I use 2 boxes and make johnny cake.  The pork chops can be grilled or baked or fixed however you like.  

I love this apple bean bake recipe even better the next day.  That is the reason I usually double the recipe to ensure there are lots of left overs :)

It's the Great Pumpkin (puree that is)

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!  

So we started out the morning with Pumpkin French toast... devoured!  Bacon was a side note but nearly ignored in the shadow of Pumpkin French toast with warm homemade liquid gold (maple syrup).  Now this is another ridiculously simple recipe that has lots of bang for the buck.  

Yummy Pumpkin French Toast

beat together:

6 eggs

1/4 cup pumpkin puree... ok to use a bit more if desired (right from the can)

1 TBS vanilla

1 tsp nutmeg (or cinnamon, cloves or pumpkin pie spice)

* note... no milk is used in this recipe... crazy I know!

Dip bread into mixture and place onto skillet/pan.  Brown both sides and serve! 

Then since I already had an opened can of pumpkin puree... I just had to do something with it... and cheers for Pumpkin Bread erupted from the crowd!!!

This is another yummy recipe that my kids devour.  And note that I substitute applesauce for the oil which gives it a great flavor and significantly cuts down on the fat.  And as always, I am pretty positive that there is a right way and a wrong way to add ingredients.  I am almost certain that there are some things that are supposed to be mixed together in a separate container and then added slowly with care.  Well, that is not how I roll!  I am here to tell you that I just dump it all in a bowl in no particular order, turn my mixer on high and in the end it all turns out great!  

Yummy Pumpkin Bread

mix together:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup applesauce

3 eggs

2 cups pumpkin puree (from the can)

1 TSP vanilla

(optional... 1 cup chopped pecans)... note that I NEVER add the nuts but have been known to add craisins or raisins or nothing at all

Lightly spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray then dust the pans with sugar (yes use sugar... not flour!  The bread will come out easily and make a sweet crust).  Split batter between the two pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean (or knife or fork or whatever you poke it with to determine doneness).  Cool completely before removing bread from pans.  Enjoy!

faith, hope and a little bit of pixie dust...

I can hardly believe that a year ago this week we were on Sam's Make-A-Wish trip.  And since then we have gone to Six Flags and Noah's Arc Waterpark on our Give Kids the World Passports... our passports expire this week but I am awed by the generosity of all the organization who participate in the program. 

With a little faith, hope and bit of pixie dust we are making plans to visit Disney and volunteer at Give Kids the World in the future (what better place to celebrate your 40th)!!!  The kids still get excited every time they see anything Disney related.  Sean loves "The Mouse" and Sam still loves his princesses and Andrew is trying hard to grow enough so he can ride on the "really big rides".  

This was an incredible experience that our family will never forget.