imperfect holidays

I saw a Hallmark commercial last night - specifically, the one where the kids start unpacking the ornaments and get lost in their memories of what each ornament represents. You know, this is the one from the year we got our first puppy. This is the year we learned to ice skate. And so on.

I wonder why I can't create that scene. I have bought or made ornaments every year to mark the special occasions. We have ornaments from our trips to Cancun, Hawaii, Mazatlan, Key West, Yellowstone Park, Washington D.C., etc. We have soccer ornaments, Texas ornaments (Brakston is a Longhorns fan), BYU ornaments, and so forth.

However, that is not the magic pill for a magical tree decorating session. Neither is playing the Christmas music. My girls tend to complain that if it's not December, then Christmas music should NOT be played (even if we're decorating our CHRISTMAS tree). Silly girls!

I usually have to beg for help in decorating after I am sufficiently frazzled from trying to get enough strands of lights to untangle, actually light up, and not look gloppy on the tree. (I routinely fail at that last one). The ornaments seem to go up quickly without the reminiscing seen on the commercial. This could partly be attributed to my poor memory as to who the ornament belongs to and what it represents...

Alas, I can come to only one conclusion: my life is NOT a Hallmark commercial!

more California

Besides soccer, what else did we do?
Newport Beach Temple - it's the first time I've been there.
Chandler, especially, spent every possible moment in the hotel pool.

We also went to Huntington Beach and played in the Pacific. I did some reading. We went to In-n-Out Burger. I scrapbooked about a dozen digital pages. Alec watched several DVDs on his portable player. The kids all drank several cups of hot chocolate each day (yes, they're addicts). I got more than 6 hours of sleep a night. Alec loved riding the hotel elevators (oh, the simple joys!).

It was a fun trip and now I'm ready to go home. Especially since I know we'll be re-enacting this soccer trip in January (Las Vegas this time, though.)

Harvest Cup

The outcome is not quite what we hoped for but the girls played great! They played 3 games with scores of 0-1, 4-2, and 1-2. One win and two losses. All fairly close games. All winnable games. They scored five goals and had five goals scored against them. I think that's pretty good for a first year team (don't get me wrong, they've all played for years just not as a team). GO UTAH GLORY!

pirate show

The children and I spent our Thanksgiving in sunny Southern California. There was no turkey and mashed potatoes for us but we did go see a pirate show with about half of McKayla's soccer teammates and their families. The dinner was not very good so it definitely did not make up for stuffing and homemade rolls. The show was cheesy but kind of fun. The kids really enjoyed it anyways and that's what matters!

pie night

I guess my extended family can't get enough of eating or Thanksgiving or togetherness or something. Several years ago we extended the holiday to include a Wednesday night "pie night".

"Pie night" encompasses various soups, scones with multiple types of honey butter, and a plethora of pies.

Last night's menu included chili, cheddar broccoli soup, and chicken noodle soup (with homemade noodles). Yum!

The honey butter choices were regular, cinnamon, raspberry, and blueberry.

And don't forget the pies!

*sugar-free pumpkin
*regular pumpkin
*French Silk
*Weight Watchers key lime
*regular key lime
*pecan
*peaches and cream
*blueberry
*apple

The theory is that we can enjoy the pie when we're not completely full of turkey, potatoes, and stuffing. Whatever...I think it might just be one more chance to eat.

crunchy vs. creamy

I don't know how full-time, stay-at-home mothers ever think they don't use their brains. Sometimes I think it takes all my brain power just to keep track of everyone's preferences.

Take lunches for example. Brakston likes creamy peanut butter. McKayla and Shanley like crunchy. Alec and Chandler don't care. However, whereas Brakston, McKayla, and Shanley all like peanut butter only; Alec likes jelly and Chandler likes honey. Don't even get me started on bread choices: white or wheat, whole sandwich or half...

Some days my job is plenty challenging. lol

quote

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some."

--Charles Dickens

rivalry week

BYU vs. Utah

That's right...Brigham Young University vs. University of Utah. Cougars vs. Utes. Blue vs. Red.

This is a big week in Utah. The rivalry permeates into everything. I can go donate blood this week and do it in the name of BYU because it's a contest to see which team donates the most blood. My friend's child can win bonus points at the orthodontist if he wears either a BYU or Utah shirt. Bets are made at every school and in every office in the state.

This is important stuff people!

That said, we definitely do bleed BYU blue at our home. We try to watch every football game. Even Alec knows the words to the Cougar fight song and if BYU wins, we take the kids out to dinner to celebrate.

GO COUGARS!

epiphany

I have been so incredibly stressed lately. My life seems to be running full speed ahead. I'm out of control. My life is a runaway locomotive; an auto in a tailspin on an icy road.

But, I feel terribly stupid complaining because I do it all to myself. None of it is "happening" to me. I just have SO many things I want to do. Things that I want to improve about myself. I tend to think everything is important.

work in the Temple - check
attend the temple - check
have kids in extracurricular activities - check
volunteer in the classrooms - check
serve on the PTA - check
read the Book of Mormon in 100 days - check
hand make Christmas presents - check
help children with homework - check
blog - check

This list just goes on. I enjoy everything, it's just that sometimes I need to realize I'm not WonderWoman and I can't do it all! The epiphany I had a few days ago was just that my being stressed is my choice. It is in my control. So, either I embrace my stressedness (nice word?) or I cut out something I enjoy or think is important. And I quit complaining. Starting now.

New Moon

Can you stand yet another blogger's post regarding New Moon?

We had a girls' weekend retreat to a cabin in Heber last weekend. My friend, Tami, gave us all New Moon tickets to an opening day matinee as an early Christmas present. So, nine of us arrived early to get really good seats to watch Jacob strip off his shirt (at least that's what I watched).
We actually made a weekend theme of Twilight. Two friends brought New Moon candy bars for each of us. One friend brought a Twilight trivia game. One brought black fingernail polish. I brought bottlecap necklaces I'd made using the Twilight theme (you can see us wearing them in the above picture).
It was quite the event! A few friends gave a holler when Edward appeared and when Jacob was shirtless. Speaking of Jacob, I truly enjoyed the view as long as I didn't think about the fact that the actor is a child! I have a son older than him. If I think about that, it gets creepy.

retreat?

Once or twice a year, a group of friends and I have a "scrapbooking" retreat. This time we went to a cabin in Heber City. We used to all scrapbook but this time 1 crocheted, 2 made beaded watchbands, 1 quilted and the rest of us scrapped.

This year I would also use the term "retreat" loosely. It was a wonderful getaway from the daily routines and stresses. We escaped most phone calls, laundry, nagging to practice the piano, chauffeuring, etc. We enjoyed a couple DVDs, saw New Moon (more on that later), ate well (too well), laughed, built each other's self-esteem, and shared secrets.

However, we did experience a little bit of "pioneering". The well pipes had gotten holes since our last visit and we had NO water. Julie threw rocks at the ice over the creek until she got a hole big enough that we could extract water. We made numerous trips to and from the creek hauling water so we could force flush the toilets. In the middle of the retreat, we made a trip to the local health club so we could shower (we didn't want to scare off fellow theater-goers on opening day of New Moon).

I was actually rather proud of our ruggedness.

I chalk the whole experience up as an adventure and the retreat was worth every trip to the creek! I'd go back again tomorrow.

Sunday - day of rest

Day of rest - ROFL! Whatever.

Today - get up and go pick up Chandler from my sister's home. Make waffles for breakfast. Shower and get ready. Go to church. Attend choir practice. Make rolls and broccoli cheese soup. Try to catch up on 189 emails that came in while I was out of town (at least 11 of which demanded my immediate attention). Eat and drive downtown for a temple devotional.

--scrappinsoccermama needs Mondays in order to recover from her "day of rest."

you know the one

Sometimes in Alec's trouble with expressing himself and getting us to understand him, he comes out with some real gems! While I feel for his frustration, at the same time I can't help but laugh.

One of our family's favorites was a time when Alec was talking about an character in a movie. We couldn't figure out who he was talking about so he said,

"You know, the one with the hair and the face."


That definitely was a ROFL moment!

Thanks

Here's a few unique things I am thankful for:

1) sharp pencils and new notebooks
2) a library card that allows me to check out 25 items at a time
3) Katharine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movies - they make me laugh!
4) contacts capable of correcting my extremely poor vision
5) my crock pot (my family would get dinner less often without it)
6) creative people who design lovely scrapbook paper and/or beautiful, interesting fabrics
7) the seat heaters in my Suburban on below freezing days
8) cover-up for the dark circles under my eyes
9) Sudoku puzzles
10) that I have thus far avoided the illnesses that have hit the rest of my family


This list is in no way to be considered all-inclusive. (I don't want anyone even daring to imagine I am not extremely thankful for the usual things - Christ, family, health, etc)

homework rant

Do you know who HATES homework more than any child or teen? That's right. ME!

I abhor homework! I hate the nagging it takes to get my kids to do it. I hate trying to explain something that seems so simple to me when my child just keeps staring at me as if I'm speaking Mandarin Chinese. I detest the stress of trying to fit homework in between piano lessons, soccer practice, orthodontist appointments, and meals.

Honestly, I never brought home homework and my mother still thanks me for that!


--scrappinsoccermama is just thankful she has a place to vent!

confession

I have a confession to make.

I've been listening to Christmas music for over a week now! Yep, I'm in the Christmas mood!

I used to be "one of those" people who hated that we seem to skip from Halloween to Christmas without pausing for Thanksgiving. I refused to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. I like Thanksgiving - homemade rolls, pie, family, counting blessings, what's not to like? Why would I want to gloss over Thanksgiving? So, no "Deck the Halls" or "Jingle Bells" for me until late November.

Then a couple weeks ago I was teaching seminary and one of the classes wanted to sing a Christmas song for the opening hymn. A few members of the class voiced their disapproval of singing carols before Thanksgiving. Then, this very thoughtful boy said, "Christmas is celebrating Christ's birth. Shouldn't we celebrate that all year long?" And just like that, my own irritation with radio stations that play only Christmas music from November 1st to January 1st ceased.

So, bring on the "Silent Night" or the "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear". I'm prepared.




--scrappinsoccermama can combine Thanksgiving and Christmas music - I am thankful for Christ's birth!

the big date

Alec had his big date last night. Kevin, Alec, and I picked up Heather at her home. We all went to dinner at Training Table restaurant (Kevin and I were quite concerned about Alec's inability to order and to hold a conversation). Heather was pleasant, talkative, and interesting. We dropped them off at the dance where Heather said Alec wore her out dancing every dance for 2 hours. He was very energetic. Then, he decided he was DONE so we picked them up and took Heather home. Alec seemed to have had a good time but he didn't have much to say.

As promised, I have included a photo although I should have checked them when I took them. Alec is blurry in every photo. Oops!

books I've read in the past month

Here's the list of books I've read in the past month. I've ** the ones I highly recommend.

Don't Tell a Soul by David Rosenfelt
Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
Sarah's Key by Tatianna de Rosney
Playing for Pizza: A Novel by John Grisham
**The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
The Year My Son and I Were Born: A Story of Down Syndrome, Motherhood, and Self-Discovery by Kathryn Lynard Soper
**High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed by Michael Kodas


What have you read lately that you recommend?

sweet goodness

It is no secret that I like chocolate. I like smooth, creamy melt-in-my-mouth milk chocolate. However, I've discovered that once you've experienced a fine European chocolate bar, it is so difficult to truly enjoy a waxy Hershey bar.

For me, it is the same with the Gospel. I believe once you have tasted the sweet fruits of the Gospel, it is difficult to be satisfied with less.

Many years ago I made a goal to increase my temple attendance. At the time, the increase meant attending once per month. The following year, I decided to increase it again -- this time to 18 times per year. I was fairly proud of myself (pride's a sin, I know, but I can only work on one thing at a time). However, at the end of that year, the First Presidency came out with a letter asking everyone to double their temple attendance for the upcoming year. I have to admit that I murmured. (yes, another sin) I kept thinking, why couldn't they have asked this years ago when doubling wouldn't have meant as much. Seriously, they have to wait until I've attended 18 times to ask me to double it? Thirty-six times for the next year? Is it possible? Could I do it?

I did it and found it wasn't much of a sacrifice. It was wonderful! I really loved it and enjoyed my time at the temple. So, the following year I didn't even hesitate to set my goal at attending weekly. Yep, I'd tasted of the sweet, sugary goodness of the temple and I was addicted! I continued going weekly even after I began volunteering in the temple baptistry one morning per week.

This continued until a couple months ago. For some reason, the universe seemed to conspire against my going. I would end up teaching seminary or Kevin would be flying or ... Not even really good excuses, I just couldn't seem to make it EVERY SINGLE WEEK. (except the baptistry volunteering of course).

A few weeks ago, I noticed that I was really struggling in life. My act was just NOT together. No major events or setbacks had occurred so what was my problem?

It became quite clear as I was back at the temple this morning. I had been experiencing severe withdrawals. That's right - I hadn't been feeding my temple addiction. Such peaceful relief to be back at the temple and taste once more of its goodness. I already feel like my life is getting back on track. I feel positive and hopeful.

I truly feel that if you've experienced one level of gospel-living, you can't go backwards without serious consequences. Move forward or pay the price. Personally, I'd like to keep feeding my addiction.

Friday the 13th

Today is the third Friday the 13th of this year! No kidding. That is the most Friday the 13ths that are possible in any given year. I am not superstitious by nature. I allow black cats to cross my path. I walk under ladders. I step on sidewalk cracks. Whatever.

So, I kind of like Friday the 13ths just because it's a big joke to me. Something to poke fun at.

I've tried all day to think of a superstition I do have -- NOTHING! I get zippo. I don't think I have a superstition unless you count the garlic I wear around my neck...just kidding.

games

Chandler is off-track. Other than flying to Texas and going to the Lego exhibit, we have not done a ton of really cool stuff. We have, however, played lots of games together. Both Chandler and I love board games! Here's some of our favorites:

*Settlers of Catan
*Cities and Knights of Catan
*Ticket to Ride
*The Farming Game

We have spent many hours over the past 3 weeks playing those games. We also love to do puzzles together.

I think we're both hoping Santa will bring a new fun game for us to play at Christmastime (or a great puzzle).

he DID it!

I'm still in a bit of shock and unsure whether to laugh or cry. Is it one of those sickeningly sweet tales that will be recounted in a testimony meeting or is it a horror movie that will have me running and screaming?

It's really nothing out of the ordinary for the parents of most teens -- boy asks girl on date, girl accepts, they go out. But this is not most teens, this is Alec.

Yes, really and truly, Alec asked a girl to the Spontaneous Dance on this Saturday and she accepted. They exchanged bracelets and everything (the Live Strong, Lance Armstrong-type bracelet -- no beads or sissy stuff). Alec is officially going to his first high school dance WITH A DATE.

I didn't even find out from Alec. His school teacher emailed me that Alec had asked his peer tutor, Heather, and she was willing to go if I was okay with it all. What a sweet girl! I like her already and I haven't even met her.

I have, however, talked to her on the phone. I had to call and make the arrangements. In fact, since Alec will NEVER drive and Heather cannot have passengers (not 6 months past her birthday - Utah law), I will have to drive them. The phone call was a bit awkward. Maybe I just got a glimpse of what a teenage boy goes through.

I'm not sure how the whole evening will go. After I got the email I asked Alec if he'd asked Heather to the dance. His response? Probably (Good luck, Heather! ) I can take comfort in the fact that, as his peer tutor, at least she should already know what she's in for. Besides, if Alec is going to a dance, this is a good one. It is very casual - not even matching t-shirts or professional photographers. One person pays for dinner and the other pays for dance. Either the boy or the girl can ask. Alec does like to eat and to dance so that part should be okay (as long as he doesn't decide he'd rather be watching Pirates of the Caribbean that night.



--scrappinsoccermama promises pictures on Saturday.

dollar store is an oxymoron

Can you actually get out of a dollar store only spending a dollar? I can't. Trips to the dollar store generally cost me twenty bucks or more.

Don't get me wrong. I love dollar stores! I can find SSSOOOOO many things I just can't live without - wooden clothespins, lemon-scented dishsoap, a 300-piece Hannah Montana puzzle, a bag of Bit-o-Honey, etc...Real necessary stuff! Dollar stores are great! They just cost a lot more than a dollar.

LEGOS!

Chandler and I drove up to Park City today with my friend, Jill, and her daughter, Abby. Our express purpose was to view a Lego art display at the Kimball Art Center that we'd read about in the Deseret News. Abby and Chandler and off-track so we needed to do something fun with them, and Chandler is a certified Lego-freak!

It was amazing!

See here

My favorite is the Monopoly Box although the mirror piece is incredible as well!

things that really suck

1) auto accidents that are your fault
2) getting sick on vacation
3) finding out you're done with a favorite calling by sitting in church and having them sustain your replacement (even though you haven't been released)

Yep, that last one happened today. They put in a new Stake YW Camp Director and I've never been released. Didn't know it was coming. And found out in Sacrament Meeting. Not my favorite way to find out I'm done with a calling. (I'll admit to shedding more than a few tears.)

I guess it's time to follow Chandler's wise advice. My funny child was going around the house this morning singing Count Your Blessings. The funny part came from him singing not the real words of "name them one by one" but his version:

"name them one by five"


--scrappinsoccermama is going to forget her hurt and go count her blessings one by five!

a new pet peeve

I've been doing quite a bit of sewing this year (for me, anyway) and I have discovered a new irritation - fabric stores that insist you leave a yard of fabric on the bolt.

This happened to me yesterday. I found an absolutely great fabric that I really wanted to buy ONE yard of. Unfortunately, there was 1 1/2 yards on the bolt. So, with the rule of having to leave 1 yard on the bolt I had two choices:

1) buy the extra 1/2 yard (or in other words, throw away $5) or
2) not buy the fabric

I chose not to buy.

It seems ridiculous to me. What if other businesses operated this way? I'm sorry, we have three theater tickets left. You can't just buy two tickets. or Yes, you ordered one burrito from us, but we had enough pork barbacoa to make three so you'll have to pay for all of them. or We accidently printed extra Deseret Newspapers this morning. You'll have to pay for two of them today. I could go on and on but I'm sure you can see the absurdity of it all.

I just don't get it. Fabric stores are in the business of selling fabric but why do they get to dictate how much? If an extra 1/2 yard is left, sell it as a remnant or make it into a fat quarter. It's not like they are stuck with some unusable product - people do buy fabric in 1/2 yard increments. I just didn't happen to need an extra 1/2 yard today.

--scrappinsoccermama guesses the best she can hope for is that someone goes in, buys the 1/2 yard and leaves the 1 yard minimum for me to go back and buy. I really did like the fabric.

Fitness Formula (not!)

2 early morning seminary classes
+ 1 morning at the temple
+ 1 morning home with sick children
= not a good Jazzercise workout week.


Yes, I totally feel like a slug this week. I wish my low workout count was because I was on vacation or sleeping in or something fun but alas...

In keeping with my list love, here's my reasons I LOVE Jazzercise:

* the music covers all sorts of genres
* the music includes today's and yesterday's hits
* I've made lots of new friends
* it's a good workout
* it's totally adaptable (you can do high intensity or low or high impact or low...)
* the routines change daily
* it contains a good mix of cardio, strength, and flexibility
* it has helped my balance improve immensely
* it makes it seem that even a klutz like me can dance
* the instructors are great
* it is FUN!

I've been Jazzercising for about 7 1/2 years. I figure exercise that keeps me going strong for that long, is a fantastic thing!

list love

I love lists! Seriously, I am completely obsessed with lists. I make lists for everything. Here's why:

1) Lists keep me organized.
2) Lists help me prioritize and be efficient.
3) Lists help me remember important things.
4) I love the feeling of satisfaction when I get to cross something off my list.
5) Lists help me keep my head on straight.

I make lists to keep me awake in dull classes. I make lists so I can go back to sleep at night. I make lists on any paper I can find. I have lists by my computer, on my fridge, and in my purse.

Do you have a list-obsession?

sick kids

Aargh! Three, that's right - THREE-, kids are sick today and stayed home from school. I'm thinking I'm going to run away to someplace less germ-infested! I just can't think where that might be.


Related Topic:

All of this household illness just makes me wonder about Newsweek's recent revelations that while so very many high risk people have been unable to obtain the H1N1 vaccination, many companies such as Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase have been able to procure it for their employees. Even the detainees at Guantanamo Bay have been vaccinated. Do we, as a country, have our priorities a little confused? Why in the world are investment bankers receiving this vaccine prior to little children and pregnant women and others on the high-risk list? I don't get it.

Down dilemma

I just finished reading "The Year My Son and I Were Born: A Story of Down Syndrome, Motherhood, and Self-Discovery". While I couldn't relate to a lot of the medical struggles (Alec has thankfully been very healthy), there were many emotional aspects with which I could relate.

One of the biggest dilemmas I have faced is whether to stress normalcy or embrace differences. Did I want to push Alec to act normal, to be normal, to achieve at a normal rate or to accept him how he is? I have strived to find a balance between the two. I dress Alec in clothing normal for someone his age. I urge him to use socially acceptable behavior. Yet, I try not to stifle his exuberant personality. He lives life fully and loudly. Still, I often second guess myself. Should I have pushed him more when he was younger? Would using flash cards from an early age have advanced his academic development? Maybe, but wthen ould he have been more unhappy? Does his happiness count for anything?

The only decision that was crystal clear to me was not using "drugs" to enhance his development. I vividly remember sitting in a conference room in Primary Children's Medical Center for a lecture on a "natural" drug that was being shown to have an effect on mental development. It also was touted for its ability to change facial features so the individual didn't look so "Down". I felt slightly nauseous about that. I knew without a doubt that I never wanted Alec to feel like I didn't love and accept him just as he is! Never should he feel he isn't good enough or that I want him changed.

Another thing I have always struggled with is the people who say, "You must be a very special mother to have a child with Down syndrome." I don't feel special. I don't think I had any super mothering abilities that made God trust me with this child more than he trusted someone else. Instead, I think Alec has helped me be more kind, more tolerant, more compassionate. He has enabled me to see the best in others. If I'm special at all, it's because Alec has helped me to become that way.

I've also never liked the stereotypes. People often say, "I just love people with Down syndrome. They are always so happy!" While Alec has a great capacity for happiness and love, he is a very normal teenage boy with a whole range of emotions. He gets angry, sad, upset, frustrated, mean, etc. What I do love about him is that when he's happy, you KNOW it!

I often worry that my scholastic expectations for Alec are too low. However, I love him dearly and care mostly about his happiness. He is a good person and I know he feels the Spirit in his life. He loved doing the "right" things - fulfilling his Priesthood duties, going to the temple, etc. I think that no matter how inadequate I might be as his mother, he will turn out just fine!

pretty in pink?

Chandler is currently off-track. (For non-Utahns, we have a year-round school system where the elementary students go to school for 9 weeks, stay home for 3 weeks, go to school for 9 weeks, etc.) I have been enjoying having "my little buddy" back home to run errands with me. It reminds me of his pre-school years.

It is a riot to have him with me because he comes up with little gems like this one:

Mom, my favorite color is pink.

It is? Why?

Because only real men can handle it.


He still has just as much impatience in the stores as he did as a pre-schooler though.

spiritual thought

I shared this with my seminary classes today and thought it bore repeating:

Christ became like us so that we could become like Him. --Brad Wilcox

McKayla's Birthday

Today is my beautiful baby girl's 14th birthday! She is truly beautiful both inside and out!

Some things I love about McKayla:
She is patient.
She is kind to everyone.
She is a hard-worker.
She is self-motivated.
She is completely reliable.
She is the child everyone wants.
She is spunky!

It is amazing how good she still looks after 4 days camping at Oakcrest. She is shown here with one of her best friends - Dakota.

She even looks good after TWO soccer games in almost 100 degree heat. (Maybe the silver medal helps)

I feel very blessed to have such a talented, sweet, fun daughter!

The birthday celebration was fairly low-key since it was a Sunday and a Fast Sunday to boot. Also, she wants a big present for Christmas so asked that we combine her birthday and Christmas so as to ensure she gets what she wants. We did serve her requested dinner of chicken, stuffing, mashed potato casserole (or what would otherwise be Thanksgiving leftover casserole). And we had a Thin Mint ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.

We'll do cinnamon rolls for breakfast tomorrow and treats for her soccer team tomorrow night and probably treats for her SOAR team at some point. Maybe her birthday will end up being a birth week - she deserves it!

Halloween lament

Oh where, oh where have the Almond Joys gone?
Oh where, oh where can they be?
We've got Tootsie Rolls and a candy cane
But Almond Joys - only three.


Seriously, I love to raid my kids' candy for Almond Joys. They don't like them and they're a fave of mine. Only three to be found this year. Sad.