the going ons of today:

diagnosis: strep throat.
doctor's recommendation: round of penicillin.
dosage options: one shot right now OR liquid doses of penicillin taken 3 times a day for ten days.
mom's choice: shot. all the way.
dad's choice: no way on planet earth are they putting a needle in him. (ahem, who will be administering those five bajillion doses to a resistant, mild-to-moderately crabby 5 year old for ten days...? mom. oh, that's right.)
kortland's choice: anything but the shot.
what we did: 10 bajillion liquid doses.
can't win 'em all...
(well, I can't anyway... now, as for Kortland, that's a different story entirely - and I wouldn't have it any other way.)

Kortlandisms of Monday, November 17, 2008
*Looking at a picture I took of his enormous tonsils: "Oh, my uvula, he he..."
*Helping mom make cookies after family night - right after mom adds the vanilla: "Oh, mom, I smell the cookie dough now and it smells a-maz-ing!"

I happened to pick up a delightful, DECEMBER edition of

MARTHA STEWART

Living

while in the doctor's office waiting room and it totally made me want to get my Christmas bake on! Her candies and cookies and holiday treats are UNREAL this year! I kid you not! I went straight to the grocery store to buy oranges, lemons, and grapefruits to make the "candied citrus peels" featured within its beautiful pages. In fact, they are currently boiling in a syrupy sugar sauce on my kitchen stove as I type. Oh, how I love
Holiday cooking...
More than that, oh how I love pretty cooking, and Martha, Nigela, and Miss Donna Hay know pretty cooking like nobody's business.

Now, on to my thankfuls.

I'm thankful...

1...that my son has swollen lymph nodes as the direct result of a streptococcus bacteria and not because he is fighting an unknown and terrifying form of cancer hidden somewhere in his body. Hey, there's some serious "looking on the bright-side" for ya! I figured out a way to be thankful that my son has strep! Beat that! (note to reader: "beating that" will pretty just much mean that you're crazier and more paranoid than I am...so it's not really much of a victory when you think about it.)
2...that my cousin, Lexi, dropped in for a little visit today. I love that girl! She is so cute and sweet and she has the greatest energy of anyone I know. Being around her automatically makes you happy. She's so great, and I don't see her nearly as often as I'd like to. That was a treat.
3...for my brother drew. Today is his birthday, and I am so thankful he was ever born! We fought like cats and dogs when we were little, and he can still be the biggest turd on the planet when he wants to be (emphasis on "when he wants to be") but I am insanely proud of him and the great man he has become. Whenever someone needs help - he is the first one there and the last one to leave. I've never seen such an intelligent, brainy person who is so willing and able to get his hands dirty! The kid puts his head down and goes to work (for free) like no one I have ever seen! I can't even tell you how many roofs he has re-shingled (for free) or other home repairs he has done for the people in his life (for free). He is such a fun uncle and gives Kort wonderful, thoughtful presents for his birthday and Christmas (which, he totally isn't expected to do, but is just the way he is). Another thing I love about him is that he "tells it like it is" like no one I have ever known! Ha ha! All of his friends can attest to receiving more than a little tough love from their buddy Drew from time to time, and I am pretty sure that most or all of them are better people because of it. I think that's because when Drew censures someone, he does it from a place of love, and he does it as a friend who sees the amazing and infinite potential within the friend he is dealing with. Potential his friend had no idea even existed within himself. drew sees it and he makes sure his friends know it's there and makes sure to kick 'em in the pants when they're not living up to it. I'm so excited that he's going to be a lawyer. He's going to tear it up in the courtroom and make the world a better place while he's at it. I also love that he married a fantastic wifey who I love very much. She is so smart, and fun, and kind! They are such a great pair, and I see wonderful things waiting for them in the future. He's a great guy, and I'm so grateful he's my brother.

p.S. It's 8:45 in the evening and my office window is w.i.d.e. open! How much are we loving this November? I know, right?! I'll stay in Utah forever if November promises to love me this good every year.