The Working Mom by Kay Luna

I can’t believe I denied myself for so long. LOL!

I didn’t want to read any of the books in the “Twilight” series, because I thought they were for kids — and they were so popular, that I wanted to rebel against the craze and ignore it.

But I got sucked in, pun intended. Ha! And I devoured every last one of those vampire books by Stephenie Meyer, just as fast as I could get them.

After I read the first book, I decided to watch the “Twilight” movie. Ugh. I hated it. I’ve got bigger hopes for “New Moon,” the new movie that opens at midnight.

Are any of you heading out at  tonight to it in the theaters??? If so, I’m jealous!!!   Let me know what you think about it after you see it.

I feel like I’ve been neglecting you. Sorry about that.

But I’ve been preoccupied with work … and with my grandma, who is almost 92. She fell down twice this week and is feeling sort of “mixed up,” as Babycakes described it after visiting her last night. She isn’t hurt badly; just sore and a little disoriented.

We came to a decision — mutually, with Grandma — that it was time for her to move into the assisted-living side of the senior living complex now. We got her moved immediately to a temporary room on that side of the building, so she can get more help during the day. And any day now, we’ll be hauling all the rest of her goods over to her new apartment and getting her situated there.

It’s been hard on Grandma.

But it’s been draining for my mom. She’s my grandma’s only child who lives in the area, so the burden is completely on her. My sister, cousin and I have tried to help, but it’s mainly on my mom’s shoulders, and that’s hard.

She’s taking care of all of it beautifully, while still seamlessly working full-time. I know she feels torn, wishing she had more time in the day to deal with it all, but I think she’s balancing it all and handling things like a pro.

Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to gently explain to Babycakes — whose auto-biography should be called “101 Ways to Ask, `Why?’ ” — what’s happening with Grandma.

I told her that Grandma needs a little extra help, so we  are moving her into a new apartment where people can help her more. She asked, “Why?”

So, I explained that Grandma had fallen down and needed more help.

“Why did she fall down?” she asked.

“Well, remember our book, `Love you Forever?’ ” I said. “Remember how the mom gets older and older, until she’s very old and sick? And how her little boy rocks her in the chair and takes care of her?

“That’s what’s happening to Grandma,” I said. “She is getting older, and her body isn’t working as well as it used to, so she needs us to love her and help her more.”

Her reply: “OK.”

So, when we went to visit Grandma last night, guess who ran over and threw her little arms around her in a big hug? Yep.

She jumped up to help Grandma change her shoes, and then tucked the extra pair under her bed. She helped tuck Grandma into bed before we left, and praised my own mom for ” being so nice” to help with the covers.

When we asked Grandma which lights she wanted on when we left,  Babycakes put her little hands on her hips and said, “Yeah, Grandma. Because when we leave, it might be dark in here.”

Always thinking, that girl.

So, we’ve got one more task checked off our list.

Our annual Christmas card photo has been taken. And it’s pretty darn cute, if I say so myself. But I wasn’t sure we would ever get Babycakes to smile.

She was shy at first, and having none of the photographer’s tickling, silly faces and funny talk about stinky feet (Mom and Dad cracked up, but Babycakes still looked quite serious).

But when I mentioned ice cream coming for good girls who smile in their pictures — well, everything turned around! The sun came out of the clouds! Birds began singing! Little cartoon bunnies hopped into her lap! (Not really, but you get the point).

I’m a cheapskate, and didn’t want to spend a lot of money on these photos. Thankfully, I didn’t, after spotting a holiday portrait deal advertised in the Times. Otherwise, we would have done the same thing we’ve done over the past few years: Taken the photo ourselves at home.

Last year, I made a background of wrapping paper, dressed Babycakes up in her Christmas dress and asked her to sit with a few holiday props. Then, I snapped photos until I was certain I got a good one.

When she was 1, my husband took her Christmas photo in our living room, using a tablecloth as a backdrop.

If you need some inspiration, here’s the link to a blog written by a Miami Herald photographer, who offers professional photo advice about how you can take your own Christmas photos at home, too.

In other news, I let Babycakes have her first “play date” at our house on Friday night. I helped out a friend who had to work late, and brought home her 3-year-old daughter with me after work.

They were hilarious, running around, playing dress-up and tea-party together. The best was when I heard them singing nearly all the words to “You Belong With Me,” by Taylor Swift. What the heck?! LOL!

What’s new with you?

Come one, come all!!! It’s time to learn about super-couponing.

This Saturday is Jill Cataldo’s first speaking engagement in the Quad-Cities, where the “Coupon Queen” herself – who writes a national-syndicated column in the Quad-City Times — will host two super-couponing classes.

They’re FREE. And they’re going to be a blast.

You can choose from two sessions: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Moline Public Library, 3210 41st St., Moline. They aren’t taking reservations; it’s first-come, first-serve, so you might want to get there a little early.

If you want to learn more about the “Queen,” check out her Web site at http://www.jillcataldo.com/. 

I hope to see you all there. Please come up and introduce yourself if you notice me first — I love to meet my reader-friends!

I’m a sucker for “Daddy’s girl” stories. I get kind of emotional about it.

So, I couldn’t help but laugh, and cry, watching John Travolta swell up with pride — and shed some tears, too — about his daughter, Ella Bleu, acting in her first movie.

They appeared together on “Ellen,” which was Ella’s first time on a TV talk show.

This has to be such a bittersweet time for the Travoltas, after recently losing their son, Jett.

But watching John hugging his little daughter, crying with happiness and pride … oh, it just gives me goosebumps. And it makes me want to go hug my own Daddy. It also makes me love my husband even more; he soooo loves our Babycakes (and our son, too).

What about you — are you a daddy’s girl? And if you’re a dad, do your daughters have you wrapped around their little fingers???

OK, I’m feeling a little better about the month of December! Teehee!

I’ve decided (with Hubby’s blessing) to celebrate Babycakes’ 3rd birthday on the first weekend of December, instead of waiting until her actual birthday — Dec. 21 — and squeezing it in among all the holiday stuff.

We’ve had terrible luck with the weather on her actual birthday over the past two years. Well, actually, her whole life. The day she was born was incredibly foggy and cold, too.

Last year, it was well below zero and the snow was blowing so much, with white-out conditions, that the state police closed several highways (including the one that my in-laws had to take to get here).

It didn’t really matter that only a few people could make it to her party, because she was only 2 and didn’t really know what we were celebrating, anyway.

This year, it’s different. She’s going to be 3, and she’s very excited about this birthday party stuff. She knows she wants the theme to be princesses — what else? Haha! — and she wants “cake, ice cream and games.”

So, we’ll have that, long before the holidays and bad weather (hopefully) can get in the way.

Tonight, we’ll be making homemade party invitations with construction paper, crayons and princess stickers. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Actually, I only ended up spending about $10 for the materials for the invites and all the decorations for the party. Woo-hoo!

Any suggestions for princess-themed games???

Let’s take a break from my “the holidays-are-coming-and-I’m-not-ready freakout” (thanks for your patience with that, by the way) to discuss Veterans Day deals.

My Savvy Saver column today highlights two restaurants — Applebee’s and Golden Corral – that will be serving free meals to veterans in honor of Veterans Day. One is happening Wednesday, and the other is Monday, so you might want to check out the link to get details before you head out.

Since writing that column, I’ve learned that active and retired military will get in free to the exhibit halls on Wednesday (Nov. 11) at the Putnam Museum in Davenport, as a way to thank them for their service.

And Hy-Vee stores will offer free buffet breakfasts to veterans from 7-11 a.m. Wednesday, too.

Do you know of any other local specials at restaurants or businesses to thank our veterans? If so, please let us know here.

I’m LOVING all the Turkey-Day disaster stories you’re posting for me. They’re hilarious — and you’re making me feel a little bit better (just a wee bit) about holiday cooking.

I mean, everyone flubs up now and then. Then, we can all laugh about it later! HAHA! So, please — keep the stories coming. I think this could make a really funny story to run in the paper, so some of you might be hearing from me by e-mail to see if you’d be willing to let me use your real names. Some of these stories are just TOO GOOD to keep to ourselves.

My worries about holiday cooking are going away a little, but not my anxiety over the holiday-season planning in general. What’s the big deal? Well, due to some unforeseen family situations popping up, our Christmas traditions are getting turned upside down this year. 

So, I’m finding myself reflecting a lot about what new traditions we might want to create, and how we can go about doing it.

Plus, I have my daughter’s 3rd birthday, and my husband’s (cough, cough, cough — hate to bust him out on his age!) birthday to celebrate and plan for in December, too.

Seriously, how do you juggle it all at your house? I know I can’t be the only one worrying about this already. Maybe it’s not people or events you’re juggling, but finances or service work around the holiday season.

If any of you might be willing to talk about this issue (using your real name) for a possible story about how people divide up their time at the holidays, please let me know.

In the meantime, please keep making me giggle.

Hey, why don’t they tell you to look in BOTH ends of the frozen turkey before you cook it (or do they, and I just ignored it???!!!)? Ha!

Because I nearly cooked a plastic bag full of giblets (eeeuuuwwwww!!!) the last time I attempted to cook a turkey for the holidays. Therefore, that was the last time I ever attempted such a thing. TEEHEE!

Thank goodness, my mother-in-law was there as I got ready to put the turkey into the oven, and she happened to check inside the bird and found the bag. Disaster averted.

But I remember one year when we couldn’t avoid disaster. That was the year when the oven’s pilot light blew out and Mom couldn’t relight it — and we couldn’t think of anyone to call for help. So, she pulled out the electric skillet. Oh, yes, I said ELECTRIC SKILLET. And that’s where she cooked our Thanksgiving turkey. Yeah. Not so good. Ha!

So, what’s YOUR biggest turkey-cooking/Thanksgiving Day meal disaster (or near-disaster)????

Well, I think I do. I haven’t met her in real life yet.

But my sister is friends with baby Lucy’s mom, Heather Kernan of Rock Island. So, I’ve heard a lot about her. I’ve listened to my sister cry and worry about Lucy, who was a few days shy of turning one month old when she suddenly got very sick.

On Aug. 22, Lucy was taken to the hospital because she didn’t want to eat, and soon was flown to Peoria’s OSF St. Francis Medical Center. She was diagnosed with meningitis. And then, little Lucy suffered a stroke.

“Her stroke has cost her her eyesight, and possibly given her cerebral palsy (we won’t know for a few months),” her mother wrote to me in an e-mail. “Her glands aren’t working right, and she has a rare form of diabetes. Her worst-case scenario, according to her doctors, could leave her only with the ability to eat and breath on her own.”

A benefit fundraiser for Lucy and her family is set from 4-10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Eagles Lodge, 4401 W. Locust St., Davenport.

The event — which includes food, a silent auction, bake sale, 50/50 raffle and music — is meant to raise money to help offset travel expenses for Lucy’s numerous medical appointments in Peoria, and for developmental tools to help prevent delays.

We run information about lots of benefit events for very worthy people all the time, and they all touch my heart. But this little girl holds a special place in there, after listening to my sister talk about her family’s plight for so many months.

So, if you have it in your heart to help Lucy, or just want more information, you can e-mail loveforlittlelucy@yahoo.com or call (563) 349-6889.