Exhale.

There is procrastination, and then there is waiting. Just in case.

I do both really well.

But clicking the little "submit" button to order the necklace, that was definitely part of the waiting game. We knew how we wanted to tell Alexis. It had been figured out for weeks, but never spoken out loud. More importantly, no commitment was made.

Just in case.

Even when it became clear that It Was Time, I hesitated for yet another week. I was willing to risk having all sorts of plans fall apart because just in case. Even after that hesitation, I figured out how I would deal just in case. I checked out the order cancellation policy, the return policy, and had a third backup plan. Because SERIOUSLY just in case.

You don't know that you're holding your breath until that moment you exhale, and I definitely exhaled as Alexis opened that tiny box. The first step in a chain of events was done.

But then I held my breath for another week. While Alexis bounced around, constantly wearing her necklace and showing it to everyone who would pay attention to her words for even a millisecond, I held my breath.

That procrastination thing and that just in case thing sometimes get intertwined, so doctors appointments are running a bit behind schedule. That's to say, I waited until it wasn't possible to wait another minute before I scheduled the first one, so they are all going to be a week behind the usual.

So, we told Alexis before anyone had heard a heartbeat. Risky business, that.

But then that appointment came to pass and everything was fine. Everything was perfect.

You don't know that you're holding your breath until that moment you exhale.

Now we go back to holding our breath. Just in case.

The Fifth Annual Christmas Crazy Shenanigans Start ... NOW.

Four years.

FOUR.

Four years in a row, y'all have blown me away.

It's time to make it five.

For those of you who haven't been around for all of that amazing, there's this thing I have done for the past four years right around this time of the year. It's this thing where I post a couple of links and BAM! the internet turns those links into magic.

Christmas magic.

LITERALLY.

I post some links and that magically turns into kids waking up Christmas morning to a tidy pile of toys. Sometimes those kids are waking up in transitional shelters that they are staying in while they recover from violence. Sometimes those kids are waking up in an emergency shelter -- sometimes an emergency shelter where they have been for just a few hours -- right after violence shatters their lives. And sometimes those kids are waking up in a more permanent situation, even as they balance life with counseling and other services as they move on from a life touched by violence.

You do that.

YOU.

So, let's do it again. It's time to create some Christmas Crazy for kids who are receiving services through local domestic violence agencies. We're starting with Center for Victims, but the joy will spread to other shelters if we can pull together enough love from strangers.

It starts with a little PayPal link. Click the button to throw your pennies into the Christmas Crazy pile.

An Amazon wishlist is also in the works. I'll post it as soon as I finish building it.

Let's do this.

Ramen Stir Fry

I feel like everyone has a Ramen fancy-ing recipe or two. If they don't, they should because RAMEN.

What?

Who says I can't love Ramen? Because I totally do. I love it when it is made exactly as the package tells you to make it, but I also love it when I make it fancy.

And by "fancy" I mean it takes ten minutes to get it on the table instead of three minutes. I also mean it actually contains something resembling vegetables and protein.

So. FANCY!

But not really.

The best part of me and my so-called Ramen hacks is that I started doing them in college. One of my favorite people in my dorm taught me all about adding frozen vegetables to Ramen and I've been hooked since. Which is to say, I did it wrong as a really broke college studen, but it was all preparation for today. Or something.

Ramen Stir Fry

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 package extra firm tofu (or whatever protein makes you happy)
3 packages Ramen (any kind)
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (I like broccoli, carrots, baby corn, and snow peas)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

1. Toss the glorious little package of sodium that comes with the Ramen off to the side. You can use it for something else later or throw it away. I won't judge.

2. Cook the Ramen noodles. I go for the microwave method, but it doesn't really matter. Drain the water when they're done.

3. Press the extra liquid out of the tofu and then cut it into cubes.

4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss the tofu in there and fry it until it's lightly browned on all sides.

5. Throw the vegetables in there. Yes, I know they're frozen. It's OK. They will heat up as they get to know the tofu.

6. Once the vegetables are warm enough to make you happy, toss the soy sauce and Sriracha sauce in there. Add the Ramen noodles and stir everything up.

7. Pretend that was a lot of work, even if it wasn't.

8. List your favorite Ramen fancy-ing method in the comments because I *love* fixing up Ramen in new ways.