Wordless Wednesday!!!

The Strongest little man I know. 

My Son...

My little man. 

First Sleep Study to figure out his seizures and 

why he is having them so often. 

It was a long night and him and Daddy didn't sleep well at all. 

We will have to do a few more of theses the next few months. 

Over these few months we will get to know

all the answers. 

We are relying on God to make him better. 

He has already made such a big difference

 in all he has

done to help B 

become better then 

we could ever imagine. 

Blessed by God we are! 

Tempt my Tummy Tuesday!

I love quick and easy recipes. As a mom with twin almost two year olds. A husband that works full time and is a full time student in collage. I have to do things that are fresh, fast, and taste good..not to mention a little healthy. This dish is perfect!!! Enjoy and when you try it please do me a favor and leave me a comment. We used a yummy thick focaccia bread with some olive oil and vinegar. 

BLT Kettle Chip Casserole! 

• 10 eggs
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. Paprika 
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4 cups kettle-cooked potato chips (3 oz.)
• 3 cups fresh arugula, shredded
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 15 strips bacon, coarsely chopped and crisp-cooked
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs and milk. Add salt and cayenne. Gently fold in the potato chips until completely covered by egg mixture.
3. Stir in shredded arugula, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, bacon, and basil. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
4. Bake 60 minutes or until golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Top with arugula and cherry tomatoes before serving.

Meet Me Monday...

1. Whats your favorite horror movie?

This is a tough one to pick just one!  My parents didn't like scary movies, so I would watch them at friends houses. I became really into them when I started dating my husband. He is a October 31st babies....so he totally introduced me to the Horror movies. 

I've gotta say...The Shining really creeped me out. Really, well, actually, they all did! And I'm still a horror flick movie lover to this day. 

Ooooh, I just remembered...did you ever see, 31 Ghosts? We watched it on our first over night trip to Portland! AMAZING it was scary so badly there... not so much now. 

2. Bath tub or Hot tub?

Bath tub...without a doubt, a bath tub! But it's gotta be a deep, with some burn your butt hot water! I can stay in there for hours and hours just keep adding hot water... Man I miss the days with out the cute babies. :) Nah I don't. 

3. Do you prefer to watch a movie at the theater or at home?

At a nice theater.....with no kids, popcorn, big ice tea. rocking seats in the 21 or over theater in Gig harbor... they call it the VIP theater

4. If you could chose a maid, cook or chauffeur, which one would you choose?

A cook! I would love to have all my meals made for me every day all day. 

No just any cook  but a cook that is trained by my Nana. Yup I would ask for a cook right away!! 

5. Electric Slide, Boot Scootin' Boogie, or the Macarena?

Boot Scootin' Boogie, A friend I had in school and we would go on Friday nights and go dance with my Great Auntie Lila, and my two sets of Grandparents. My Nana and Auntie, Shawna and I would do the boot scootin boggie so I have a lot of wonderful memories dancing to that song! 

let's organize our little lives... Family Filing system

 

A family file helps keep the paper clutter at bay.  Usually clutter is a result of items that don’t have a place – a family file provides this much needed place.  It’s important to keep the file, weed it out frequently (about once a week), and get in the habit of using it.  Please note that the Family File should only keep papers that you need to use or reference all the time.  Papers that do not need to be referd  frequently, such as contracts you have signed or your mortgage paperwork, should be kept in a Safe File System or better yet a safety deposit box.

Here’s a list of the files that I have in my Family File and would suggest including in yours.  You’ll probably have more that are not listed here – do what works best for you. I also have binders for each member of the family in a binder. It has everything that we need for any Doctors visit or family emergency that might come up. 

Files to Keep

• To Do, Urgent: this should be the first file in the folder – I go through this file daily so nothing falls through the cracks; examples are bills to be paid, cards to be written, and items of mail that require a response – you can even write “to do list” notes to yourself and keep them in this file
• To Do, Less Urgent: examples will vary widely of what is included in this file and usually includes notes to myself of to do items and less urgent mail
• File for Each Family Member: includes papers for activities in which they participate, and school or work papers
• One File for Each Month: I keep a list in each month’s file of all the birthdays and anniversaries for each month so I know which cards and gifts I’ll need to send; I also keep a list of any annual responsibilities that need to be taken care of that month, and items I will be using at some point during that month (such as concert tickets)
• Crafts or Activities: This file contains magazine articles, print outs of web pages, or written down ideas of activities I’d like to complete in my free time such as scrapbooking ideas, patterns for knitting, or crafts I’d like to do with my kids
• Group Coupons Purchased: This file includes printed coupons that have been purchased through a service such as Groupon or LivingSocial.  Because these coupons expire after a few months, you don’t want them to go to waste – it’s good to keep them accessible.
  

Thankful for their story....

This is a story about a Strong mommy! 

One that loves both her children with everything she has! 

This is coming right in the nick of time.

Make sure that you take the time and swing by for this event! 

Music and fun at Majestic Mountain Coffee in Kingston to celebrate their 20th anniversary. There will be hot dogs and hamburgers and coffee with all profits donated to a local boy's medical fund to help. And a band!

Where: 11229 Hwy 104 NE Kingston

When: 4:00 PM

Who: Everyone

How: Stop by!

Enjoy their story as much as I have. 

We will touch base with this amazing mommy and her story often.

so please stay tuned. 

Our story begins four years ago when our son Isaac was 6. He had a fever that just wouldn’t quit and eventually led to him being hospitalized for 2 weeks. He had encephalitis caused by the cold sore virus. You would never think that something so simple, so small, something like the cold sore virus, could kill you or your child but it can, it is rare (1 in 500,000) but it is possible. When the cold sore virus attacks your brain your chances of surviving are miniscule. We were lucky in Isaac’s case because despite the doctors thinking he wouldn’t live, he did. Isaac woke up after 2 weeks in the hospital and he didn’t know who we were and he could no longer walk, but he was alive. Luckily, after lots of rehab those things came back to him and he became your average kid again except with one major difference, he now has epilepsy.

Being the parent of a child with epilepsy is tough. Four years of living with this disorder terrorizing our family has never gotten easier. There have been the times that Isaac has had seizure freedom and while the lack of seizures is a blessing, the constantly wondering and worrying about when they will strike again tear at your heart on a daily basis…the nightmares and fear of them returning is almost as stressful as the seizures themselves. You can be relatively sure that they will one day return but you just don’t know when or where. Will they come back while he is swimming? While he is walking down some stairs? Or will they wait until we think they are gone for good and we let our guards down, wait until he turns into a 16 year old boy with his drivers’ license and is behind the wheel of a car?

Then there are the times when he has daily seizures, when they get so out of control that we become ridden with thoughts of them never going away or of them one day taking our son from us completely.  Most people don’t realize this, but epilepsy is very dangerous. To put it into perspective, epilepsy takes more lives every year then breast cancer does. Shocking right? We had no idea it was so serious before it started affecting our son. Isaac’s worst point was December of 2012 when he had 96 seizures in that one month. It getting so bad led us to Seattle Children’s and phase one monitoring for a temporal lobectomy. 

Brain surgery offers Isaac a chance at a cure, a chance to have a normal life, but it is an unknown. Any surgery is risky and even contemplating brain surgery is anxiety inducing. With surgery comes the risk of stroke or even death which is no worse than the risks associated with uncontrolled seizures but is still somehow scarier. Isaac was approved as a candidate for surgery and given about a 60% chance of being cured but right around the time he was approved, his seizures stopped. It is easy to say yes to surgery when your child is having up to 5 seizures a day but now that he is 4 months seizure free, the hope that the medicine will continue to work forever clouds the decision.  Why take such an enormous risk when it might not be necessary? We made a family decision along with Isaac’s team of doctors to delay surgery until he stops responding to his current medication which can be tomorrow, or never.

You would think that with all the blood draws, ambulance rides, tests, doctor appointments and hospital stays that Isaac would be a depressed kid but he is exactly the opposite. His brave smile and ability to turn any situation into a positive one never ceases to amaze us. Most kids cry during blood draws, Isaac laughs and jokes about it. Most kids are bored and miserable during hospital stays, Isaac makes the most of it by playing games and enjoying our family time. Isaac gives us hope and keeps our spirits high, if he can remain positive and happy through all of this, what right do we have to be miserable? It affects him more than any of us and if he can smile, so can we. We all have our moments when gets to be too much and we break down, but we let ourselves grieve and move on, taking it one day at a time. 

Wordless Wednesday!

                   I love Mary Poppin's and I love this! It is so fitting!!! 
                                    & I do feel like this ALOT!!! 

Tempt my tummy Tuesday....

I borrowed my Nana's food Dehydrator to make some yummy food. I am going to be drying pears, apples, pineapples and so much more. I am pretty excited! I have a list of things I want to do to save for the fall and winter!! 

Pears are one of the best fruits for drying. Dried pears are a delicious snack, and they are also wonderful sprinkled on salads and added to compotes. Here's how to dry pears so that you end up with the tastiest result possible as well as safely preserving them for long-term storage at room temperature.

The gritty texture that pears sometimes have comes from tough cells called scleroids. Most of the scleroids are under the skin, so peeling the pears before dehydrating them results in a better texture.Peel whole pears with a vegetable peeler. Cut into quarters and slice out the cores and stems. Cut into 1/2-inch slices.

As you slice the peeled pears, drop the pieces into acidulated water (1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice per quart of water). This step minimizes browning while the pears dry. Drain the pear slices in a colander.

Arrange the drained pear slices in a single layer on dehydrator trays. Be sure to leave space for air circulation between the pear slices (none of the slices should be touching).

Place the trays of pears into the dehydrator. Dry between 130F to 140F (54C to 60C) until the pears are leathery with no moist spots (usually 8 - 10 hours). Turn off the dehydrator and allow the pears to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Store dried pears in tightly sealed glass jars away from direct light or heat.Place the trays of pears into the dehydrator. Dry between 130F to 140F (54C to 60C) until the pears are leathery with no moist spots (usually 8 - 10 hours).

Turn off the dehydrator and allow the pears to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Store dried pears in tightly sealed glass jars away from direct light or heat.

Meet Me Monday

1. What do you enjoy doing the most with your spouse?

Um. Folks,  We can't talk about things like that. ;) Kidding. Well, not really, but you know.

I love talking with him. Hashing out the world's problems and concluding that the only thing that is right in this world is ME!!! 

Being married is really one of the most wonderful and difficult things in the whole world. Spending everyday with your best friend, the person who knows you best, the one with whom you can totally and completely be yourself...it's amazing.

I guess, really, what I love most is just being with him. Spending time in silence or talking, just being. I love it. Sometime I forget that. I need to try and sit and remember just why and how much I love him. I would be completely lost with out him by my side.  Most important are four things. 1) he is an amazing daddy! 2) he is loved by my parents so much. 3) My Nana and Poppie love him so much too. 4) he is an amazing husband. 

2. How do you eat your taco? From the top or from the side?

from the inside of a Frito's bag.... Mostly My favorite way to eat a taco is as a salad. SO this is a WIN WIN for me.... With yummy ranch dressing and thousand too! :) And fritos!  Now I want a taco salad.

3. Have you ever shut off the basement light and ran like a fool because you knew someone was down there and would get you?

Heck yes, I do!! Seriously, that serial killer is just biding his time, waiting to grab your ankle and make you his next victim if you don't move too quickly.

What's even worse? Shutting off the light and then getting to bed because HELLO!! That serial killer is now UNDER your bed, just waiting to grab your leg as you leap (oh, come on...you're telling me you don't LEAP into bed when it's dark? Liar.) into bed.

So, yes. Always I run like a fool. And look?! I'm still alive.

4. If you could change one thing about you what would it be and why?

I would get a tummy tuck. Even when I was the thinest I have ever been I have had a tummy. So if I could change anything about me it would be that! Oh and my arms... I would change my fat bingo arms in a second too! Man, I wish I was a real housewife so I could go to Beverly Hills and have a top Doctor of the stars fix me all up! 

                                  

5. What age do you think is appropriate to have the "bird and the bees" talk with your children?

When my parents told me, is when I asked! I was about 5 and they told me. In a very direct way. I will tell my boys when they ask. I will tell them where babies come from and how that happens.  I will use real terms Like "PEE PEE" and "WHO WHO" Something fun..... I am not looking forward to it.... AT ALL! 

Wordless Wednesday....pinch me!!!

I love both my boys for such different reasons. They are a lot alike but they are so different in so many ways... This week is about F, he is amazing he was born  laughing I swear. He makes me laugh every day all day. He is full of energy. He protects his brother with everything he has. He is amazingly helpful to me and always wants to try so hard to do it himself. I love when he is getting ready for bed he has to lay with mommy until he is almost asleep then he has to move to daddy. I sometimes want to pinch myself so I know this isn't just a big dream? How could I be so lucky?! 

                                                 

                                                 

I love my little guy! 

Tempt my tummy tuesday!!!

This recipe for sweet corn and squash gnocchi was one I stumbled upon, and when I was at the farmers market Saturday I got the local fresh veggies to put into it....When I made it last night it was a Zillion and ten degrees in the house. WOW! It was hot. So I sent the little's and daddy out to play in the shaded back yard. While I made dinner so fast! The big plus was our kitchen didn't get that warm. 

I love gnocchi,  I definitely haven't used it before. I have seen it packaged at the grocery store, but have never used it before. Now I am in love and I will be using it a lot more. Thanks to this new recipe, I will definitely be stocking up from here on out. More than just convenient, the brilliance of gnocchi is that it cooks in mere minutes, and the beauty of summer produce is that it needs next to no cooking. Combine the two and you have a lighting-fast, healthy, and—most importantly—delicious dinner on the table.                                                                                                                    

Gnocchi with Squash & Sweet Corn

1 (16 ounce) package vacuum-sealed gnocchi (from the dried pasta aisle)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small zucchini, very thinly sliced
1 small yellow squash, very thinly sliced
1 cup mushrooms. Fresh. 

2 cup sweet yellow corn kernels (from about 4 ears)
2 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Juice of  1 lemon
2 ounces soft goat cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon fresh dill. 

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Toss warm gnocchi with 1 tablespoon butter and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a large, flat-sided sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the butter until it begins to bubble and turn light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn. Add the zucchini, squash, corn, mushrooms,  and garlic and sauté until warmed through, another 2 - 3 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir the cooked gnocchi into the vegetables. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with small hunks of goat cheese and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Meet Me Monday....

Well hey there! Happy Monday... sit, relax and enjoy a little getting to know me... if you want to.

1. What is a must in a hotel room?

You know, most people must have work out rooms, mini bars, king sized, fluffy beds with oodles of comfy pillows...but me?

Are you ready for this?

A large bath tub... and fluffy towels and yummy smelling bath soap and lotions! 

As a hotel reviewer it is something that I must have to really give ya a good review you need all those things! My favorite hotel tub...was the hotel 1000 in Seattle. 

2. Which Olympic event would you be best at? 

I have been swimming sense I was around a year old. I was in private lesson's in pre-school and put on the swim team from the 6th grade on. I did it until I became too busy chasing boys... My favorite thing to swim was the butterfly stroke. It was my favorite. I felt so free and at peace.  It should have been something that I stuck with.

In my dreams, I'm still good at swimming...specifically, When I'm swimming in a pool, I'll pretend I doing what I wish I would have done and that is training for the Olympic's for the butterfly stroke. 

3. What's your stance on the Chick-fil-A subject?

Well, without getting "too political", my stance is that the Chick-fil-A owner has every right to an opinion without getting crucified, no? Free speech, right?

From what I understand, the guy (who is a known Christian) was just asked his opinion on the same-sex marriage debate. Asked. A. Question. He didn't randomly call up a local radio station, all activist like and "spew hate"...the dude was just asked a question, which he answered honestly.

But, I am not for having any business not serve a gay person. They have all the rights and all the reason to be loved and love other people. 

but we need to become a world where it isn't even a second thought. I know in the world we have people that don't think anyone out side of their same race shouldn't marry another race. That it was only a few years ago where one race wasn't allowed to drink out of water fountains the other race drank out of, or even use the same toilet and had to sit on the back of the bus.  We wouldn't stand for that now would we? Then we shouldn't stand for small minded people now! Especially in a public business. 

4. One thing you said you'd never do as a parent, but totally have.

I don't recall even really "saying" this....wait yes I do.. Crap! I said my kids would never eat at Mc Donald's, or any fast food place.. But with as much as we are on the road with Brock's doctors appointment we sometimes just have to go through the drive through and better yet to keep them awake some fries or a chicken breast cut up and to make myself from feeling like a little less of a shit parent I give them something a little on the healthy,

 they do have apple snacks that the boys totally love!! 

That makes it all better right?!!?

5. What's the weirdest thing you've ever found at a yard sale?

I love me a good Yard sale....Now you will discover that I'm a totally goodber when it comes to Yard sales! My idea of a complete perfect Saturday is a trip to some of the local farmers markets and then the rest of the day going to the yard sales in the area. The weirdest thing that I have ever heard of being seen at a yard sale wasn't by me but by my cousin. 

Her and her husband were having their baby a few years back and went to a school yard sale. When they got their they found a diaper Genie, they bought it and took it home. My cousin, took it home to clean it and inside it was full!!! FULL OF OLD SMELLING SHIT FILLED DIAPERS!!! I laughed so hard when she told me.... 

Then when we were looking for baby things I kept seeing them at every yard sale I went to, it made me laugh each and every time!

 Thank God my sister sent me a clean one for one of my baby shower gifts.

I am not perfect!

There is something I would have never admitted 3 years ago when I became a Mom that I wasn't perfect at it. I wanted to have everyone think how perfect I was. What a great wife and mom I was... but I have to let you in on a little secret. I am not.  It all started when my twins yes both of them hit the floor.   

 I remember, I was mortified when a friend of mines little one fell off the couch when I was watching her other child. I was able to brush it off. Then it happened here with not just one baby but two...and not just once but like a zillion and one times!  The littles are like two billy goat gruff's. Always climbing and walking on things they shouldn't. The back of couches, the toy tractor that they climb on in hopes to climb over the baby gates! When this has happened the first few times I had feelings of guilt in my head like, “You are such a horrible mom!” and “Why weren’t you just watching?” and “You are so stupid to put him on the couch to just roll over." Now when it happens I feel like shit at first but then I say to the boys, "Well listen to what Mama and Daddy have said and not climb on things, and you wont get hurt." 

I never thought I would have a son with Cerebral Palsy but I do. I never thought I would be able to handle twin boys, but I’m still alive. Sometimes, I feel like it is just barely, but I’m making it through,  I’m walking blindly through my way of motherhood. Sometimes I am doing great and somedays not so much, Worrying about B's health makes me wanna just sit & cry. Many of nights I have had to just let it out in the shower when I am finally all alone and everyone is asleep in the house. There I can cry and no one can hear me. If I 'm not done its okay, I can quietly cry myself to sleep. Then wake up to to the littles laughing and talking on the monitor. This is when I know I am living the dream and doing everything perfect. Perfect for myself and my family.  
                             

But, truth be told. I still cry a lot because motherhood is no joke. And, although some things I feel like I have down and mastered, like feeding the littles at a restaurant with little to no screaming now....( I said a little)  I cry because motherhood has me on the seat of my pants every day all day.  It is so true that with each stage, comes a different challenge. I never thought I’d be thinking about or going through but I am and it going to be alright. We are going to make as a family.
                                       

I don’t think any of us moms have it completely together. And, if you are looking at a Mom and you think she does, just think again. She probably is just doing the same thing you are, crying in the shower when everyone is asleep.  Or maybe sneaking a little wine into a baby bottle at times?                                                     
                                      

I use to want to make sure everyone thought I was perfect... the perfect wife and mother.... Then on the 3rd of July when my sister was visiting with my brother in law and nephew. I totally lost it.... B was sick and throwing up and having seizures... I wanted this visit to be perfect to have nothing wrong. That didn't happen. When we went to dinner I completely lost my shit. I now know that it is okay to let people know that I mess up so badly. I’m tired of showing all the perfect moments. I want to be real. Sometimes a little to real.  Let me tell ya a little secret. It’s hard to show people how badly I am. I need to be real. I saw this on Tell Another Mom 

Because being real means…

Swallowing your pride and saying you need help.

It means being open about your feelings even if they hurt someone else’s feelings.

It means sometimes saying no.

It means accepting that you have faults and forgiving yourself.

It means being as nice to yourself as you are to your friends.

It means owning up to the fact that you just screwed up royally and then moving on.

It means letting someone see your house messy.

It means sharing your whole self with someone, not just the parts that you want people to see.

It means not trying to keep up with the mom that does seem “perfect”.

It means letting go of the image in your head of what kind of mom you should be.

It means looking at another mom and seeing her for who she might be on the inside.

Let’s just stop comparing. Stop trying to live up to. Stop trying to perfect this thing that is impossible to perfect. There is no right way or wrong way to do things when you’re a Mom. So, stop pretending that there is. We are evolving and changing every single day. We are screwing up, starting over, and resolving to do better tomorrow. We are imperfect. And that’s just fine! It is all ok. Because when you look in your babies eyes they think you are perfect. To me my babies and husbands idea of perfect for me is what matters the most.