And the winners are..........

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to learn about about this wonderful children's book! This book holds a very special place in my heart and I am excited to share it with two of you. So, here you go, the winners are........

Chris Floming and Kristine Morgantini

Congratulations!!! Please send me your mailing address at luvmythreepeat@gmail.com. I hope you will enjoy this book just as much as I do.

If anyone would like to purchase this fantastic book, please visit www.pigupstation.com to learn how.

Now, please go and enjoy your life just as Danny did!!!!! 

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

I guess in this case, absence is completely annoying.  I apologize for now fully posting lately.  My computer is down and blogging is a little difficult without one.  I will be posting some more Epilepsy stories featuring amazing people.  Until then, please know I am not gone for good, just taking a mini break.

Fly Danny, Fly

"Not everyone will see your pig, that's perfectly okay.  Some may notice things you don't or in a different way."

Welcome to the wonderful world of flying pigs, silly fish, and a lively boy.  Chip Gilbertson and Gina Restivo are the outstanding authors of the delightful book 'Fly Danny, Fly'.

The book takes you on a wondrous journey with a little boy and his flying pig, Danny.  Only the little boy can see his pig.  After a while, he starts to wonder if he should keep Danny to himself so that he will no longer be made fun of.  However, the little boy finds that life without his pig is lonely and sad.  A chance encounter with an elderly lady at a bus stop changes everything and the little boy realizes that he needs to let his pig fly free.  This book is filled with characters that will steal your heart and a message that kids of all ages should hear more often 'BELIEVE'.  Believing in yourself will enable you to let your pig fly free for all to see.

Meet Chip Gilbertson and Gina Restivo.  Chip and Gina have been writing together for 3 years.  Fly Danny, Fly is their first book with several more to come.  When asked what message they hoped to get across, Gina said "We all see things differently and it's a gift that we do.  We want to encourage parents and kids to embrace imagination and creativity."

In the process of writing the book and while looking for a publisher, Chip and Gina were inspired by a little boy named Danny Stanton.  Danny lived in their neighborhood and died in his sleep from SUDEP (Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy).  Danny's parents (Mike and Mariann) founded The Danny Did Foundation shortly after his death and their strength and determination inspired Chip and Gina.  They knew now that they wanted their efforts to support a cause.  They finished the book and decided to create their own publishing company.  You can find out more information by visiting www.pigupstation.com.  Part of the proceeds now will directly benefit The Danny Did Foundation.

The authors inspire as much as their book.  Fly Danny, Fly is a must read for kids of all ages, it is our official after school read.  The good news?  Two lucky readers will be able to win their very own copy signed by the authors.  All you need to do is leave a comment on this post.  After sending in a comment, make sure to visit their page, you can find them on Facebook as well.

*Contest winners will be chosen December 27, 2011*

Happy reading to all and remember, Danny did enjoy his life, please go and enjoy yours too.

Emily

Meet Emily, she is living with Epilepsy, here is her story.

Emily was diagnosed with Epilepsy back in 1999 when she was in junior high school, she is now 29 years old.  Her seizures didn't start out how people normally think of seizures.  She kept having "deja vu" moments.  Her mother took her to a couple of different doctors and each told her that she seemed to be making up her symptoms and wondered if she was just wanting some attention.  It was only after having 2 generalized seizures that the doctors confirmed she was indeed having seizures and had been for a while.  The cause of her seizures were never confirmed, she does not have a family history of seizures.  The only thing that comes to mind on how this could have happened were some falls she had taken while playing sports, a new acne medication or the Hepatitis B vaccine she had just had.  None of these can be confirmed, it can only be speculated. 

Back in 2000,the beginning of her senior year of high school,  Emily had her first brain surgery at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland.  She had a grid of electrodes implanted and was scheduled to have brain tissue removed.  Unfortunately her seizures became so bad that the surgery was cancelled and the electrodes were removed.  Next she went on a special diet and had to fax her doctor what she ate and her seizure activity on a weekly basis.  Her mother found a new neurologist who specialized in seizures related to hormones, which most of hers seemed to be from.  The new doctor told her that she was a candidate for surgery and so she made the choice to once again go ahead with surgery.  She had part of her left temporal lobe and left hippocampus removed.  The doctors told her that the risks of this surgery would be complete memory loss.  She would need to take notes to remind her of people and things.  She did experience some memory loss but not to the extent that the doctors warned her about. 

In 2008, Emily received her seizure response dog Callie.  Her dog alerts her when she will have a seizure so she has time to go take her medication or if she is asleep, the dog will go alert someone else to help.  Emily still has seizures, mainly when she lets her emotions get to her.  She has taken a bunch of different medications and have been selected for studies but has yet to find any combination that completely stops the seizures. 

Emily says the biggest affect that Epilepsy has had on her life is not being able to be independent.  She cannot drive or go anywhere by herself.  It took her a while to get used to never being alone but eventually accepted it.  Last year however, she found the man of her dreams.  She had dated before but as soon as they saw her having a seizure, the relationship would end.  She made sure to tell this new guy about her seizures and his response was "I love you for who you are and will be there for you through anything".  He asked her to marry him in February and they married this past July. 

Emily is also very thankful to her mother and father who have stuck by her side and have tried to help find a way to stop her seizures.  When asked what she would like people to know about people living with Epilepsy, she said that having Epilepsy should not define a person.  Just because a person has Epilepsy doesn't mean that they need to be treated differently, Epilepsy will not keep people from pushing forward and it does not mean that they are not "normal".

Thank you Emily for being willing to share your story!!!!  Thank you for being a shining light and helping spread awareness!!!!!!!

Danny

Meet Danny.  He was a 4 year old boy whose life was cut too short because of Epilepsy.  Here is his story.

Daniel George Stanton was born on March 2, 2005.  He was the third child for Mike and Mariann and they couldn't be happier.  At 2 years old, Danny became an older brother as well.  Danny loved doing many things and was very good at athletics.  He mainly enjoyed kickball and basketball.  Danny loved making people happy, he would help his neighbors Pete and Betty carry in their groceries or help in the yard.  Family was very important to him.  He loved spending time with his mom and dad and was very content when he was with his siblings John, Mary Grace and Tommy. 

At 2 years old, Danny had his first seizure.  While sleeping in bed with his mom, his eyes rolled back into his head and he started shaking.  911 was called and they also took him to their neighbors house who also happened to be a paramedic.  That first seizure almost lasted 10 minutes.  At the hospital that night, they were told  that kids sometimes have seizures for no reason and that he could possibly outgrow them.  Danny's parents began having him sleep in their bed to monitor him.  Danny had MRI's and EEG's all of which showed no underlying cause.  He was never even diagnose with Epilepsy, he was diagnosed as childhood seizure disorder.   He was put on medications and told that he again would outgrow them. 

Danny's parents eventually had him sleep in his own bed but would frequently bring him back in after checking on him and finding him having a seizure, one time his lips were even blue.  Again, the doctors reassured the Stanton's that it was normal and never once did they mention the word death.  After a whole year had gone by, Danny was back in his own bed again.  It had been 18 months since Danny had had any known seizures and the Stanton's were happy.  They trusted that the neurologist had been right and that the course of action they had been taking was successful.

On December 12, 2009, Danny's body was found in his bed.  They tried to revive him, neighbors tried to revive him and so did the doctors and nurses.  Danny died in his sleep to something called SUDEP.  SUDEP stands for Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy.  I am sure I do not even need to begin to tell you of the huge hole this has left in the Stanton family, the sudden loss of a child is a huge blow.  For many people, this becomes the beginning of the end.  Families will never be the same and they somehow just seem to get by each day.  This is not the case for the Stanton's.

Less than a month after Danny was gone, Mike and Mariann Stanton started The Danny Did Foundation.  They have made it their mission to spread awareness of SUDEP.  They have helped numerous families get an Emfit movement monitor that would set off an alarm if a seizure is detected in sleep (monitor issued is based on individual financial need).  You can find out much more information by visiting http://www.dannydid.org/.

With November being Epilepsy Awareness Month, The Danny Did Foundation is holding a campaign.  They are hoping to have 1,000 people donate $25 in order to raise funds to help them raise awareness.  As I write this $2,641 has been raised and we are only in the beginning days.  This foundation is not just another foundation I am writing about.  I am one of those people who have been blessed to receive an Emfit monitor.  I sleep so much better knowing that I will be alarmed if my daughter has a seizure.  Nothing would mean more than to help them so they can continue to help others.  Please take the time to go to their page and learn about Danny and how you can help.  After doing that, please go HERE to donate the $25 tax deductible donation.  You will be making a huge difference in someones life!!!

Luckily Danny was too young to know exactly what was going on.  He went about his days as any normal 4 year old would.  He played with his good friend Charlie, loved being around his Uncle George, age didn't matter when it came to Danny, he loved spending time with everyone.  And that is exactly the legacy his family would want you to remember him by.  Danny cared for others, he loved giving hugs to his mom and dad each and every day.  At such a young age he was able to comfort those around him in such a striking way.  He continues to do this even in death.  I don't know if his family was ever prepared for the amount of love that people would find for Danny, strangers whose lives have been touched by this special little boy.  Danny was a special gift to his family and continues to show his love for others through the work of his parents.

Please take the time to help, learn about seizures and what you can do if you see someone having a seizure.  And please, inform yourself on SUDEP, make it a part of your vocabulary and let others know as well.  And more than anything, please go and enjoy your life just as Danny did!!!!

Emma

Meet Emma.  She is 4 years old, she has Epilepsy and this is her story.

At 3 years old, Emma's mom knew that something was wrong.  For years Emma would stare off and seemed to lose balance a lot more than any other toddler.  Her family was in the process of moving to another state so her mom made an appointment with her pediatrician.  She was told it could be low blood sugar and sent her for tests.  Those all came back normal so she was told that it was typical toddler clumsiness.  Her mom did not feel comfortable with that diagnoses so as soon as they were moved into their new home, she took her to a new doctor.  The doctor briefly talked to her mom about Epilepsy and absence seizures and then sent them home without a diagnosis.  Things seemed to escalate very quickly, Emma's eyes were starting to roll back into her head during these staring spells and they seemed to last for longer than normal.  Scared of what this might mean, her mother took her to the emergency room.  The doctors there were concerned as well and got her an appointment with a neurologist for the very next day.  During that visit, an EEG was performed.  Emma was asleep during the EEG and her mom lay beside her.  Her mother noticed her twitching while she slept and each time that happened she looked at the nurse performing the test and by the look on her face, she knew, Emma was having seizures.  The doctor later confirmed what her mom already knew.  Emma was started on a medication and was told to come back in 3 months. 

The medication Emma was put on suddenly changed her sweet, loving personality and her seizures seemed to get worse.  With a call to her neurologist, a new medication was added.  This new medication only escalated things and Emma became volatile towards her sister and would even get sick from time to time.  After giving her a second dose, a rash was noticed.  After a call to her new doctor, Emma's mom was told that it was probably just the flu.  Her mother ended up switching to a new neurologist who performed an MRI on Emma.  The MRI showed that Emma had a Mesial Temporal Schlerosis on the left hippocampus of her brain.  Her mother was told that in 6 months, if it had grown, Emma would need to have surgery to remove it. 

Emma was put on a new medication to try to control her seizures.  It seemed to work at first but after a couple of weeks, it seemed to stop.  The dose was increased and she seemed fine until it stopped working after another 2 weeks.  At this point Emma had a hard time remembering anything.  She seemed to have complete memory loss some times and would often forget where she was.  There were even times when she didn't know who her mom was.  Emma's mom talked to her neurologist who told her that it is normal with her seizures and not to worry.  At that point, Emma's mom took matters into her own hands.  After reading the side effects of the meds and seeing that all of Emma's symptoms seemed to be the side effects, she called her pediatrician and went in to discuss neurologists.  She also contacted the Epilepsy Foundation in her area who helped her find a new neurologist. 

The new neurologist performed another EEG and discussed medications and possible other treatment for Emma if those don't work for her.  She was slowly weaned off of her other medication and put onto a new one.  the changes in Emma were almost immediate.  She went from having 50 seizures a day and right before Christmas, she was not having any.  Her mother was very happy but yet she still knew something was not right with Emma.  After seeing her neurologist, she was sent to a different doctor who diagnosed her with Atypical Autism and Hypotonia.  She also started physical therapy because of her feet and would soon be walking, jumping and running just like all of the other kids. 

Emma had switched medications once again, had another EEG and another MRI.  This time, the MRI was clean.  Her mom broke into tears.  How could it be clean?  She was told that there was a growth and even discussed surgery.  The new doctor explained that some children's brains do not finish growing until they are 5 and MRI's can often be read wrong.  This was fantastic news for Emma and her family!!!

This past August, Emma started school and is doing outstanding.  She is at the same grade level as the rest of the kids.  She has been seizure free for the past 2 months.  Since she is so young, her mom doesn't notice kids treating her any different and she prays every day that it doesn't change.  The past year has been very difficult on Emma's mom yet she feels this whole experience has made her grow and changed her into a better person.  What her mother fears most is SUDEP (sudden unexplained death in Epilepsy) and would sometimes only get 2 hours of sleep a night being at Emma's bedside.  Luckily Emma doesn't understand fully what is going on.  She knows she has seizures and that she has to take medicine to help control them but that is about it.  One day she will understand Epilepsy more and will not want people to define her strictly by that.

Thank you so much Emma's mom for sharing Emma's story with all of us!!!  If anyone has any questions about Epilepsy or SUDEP, you can learn more at http://www.dannydid.org/ or through your local Epilepsy Foundation. 

 Let's let kids like Emma know that they are beautiful and loved, every kid deserves to feel special!!!

Cassidy

The month of November is Epilepsy Awareness Month.  For each day of the month I am hoping to profile the many faces of Epilepsy.  While this may not help find a cure, I am hoping it will get the word out that there are people living with Epilepsy and unfortunately, Epilepsy has taken loved ones far too soon.  Please read each story, look at their face and help spread awareness.

Cassidy

This is Cassidy.  She is 9 years old and is currently in the fourth grade.  She enjoys singing, dancing, reading and playing with her friends and sisters.  At the age of 7, Cassidy had her first Grand Mal seizure.  She was up early, ready for her first plane ride with her Grandma to visit family.  She was sitting on her mothers lap when her mother noticed a "weird noise" and her body stiffening up.  She asked if she was ok before noticing her lips were blue and her eyes were half rolled back in her head.  Within seconds her mother knew she was not breathing and as she shouted for help, Cassidy started shaking uncontrollably.  The seizure lasted for 3 minutes and she remained unresponsive for 30 minutes after.  After being taken by ambulance to a local Children's hospital and numerous tests later, she was diagnosed with Epilepsy.

Cassidy had a hard time after being diagnosed.  Her medication she was on was not working completely.  She had seizures at school and never felt like she was in control.  She was bullied at school and found ti hard to ignore the snickers and jeers from the other kids.  Within a year her medications were finally able to stabilize her and help control her seizures.  She has made some great friends who stick up for her when she needs it.

If you ask Cassidy about her epilepsy, she will tell you all you want to know.  She is not ashamed by it and wishes that everyone would treat her and others like her like normal kids.  Being left out o hurts, especially when her Epilepsy keeps her form doing some things the other kids can already do.  Cassidy loves being able to go out and spread awareness.  She has volunteered for The Danny Did Foundation and The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. 

Cassidy is a child living with Epilepsy.  Please help spread awareness that Epilepsy is real and needs to be talked about!!!!



Well Said

I am hoping you all can read this article.  I saw it in a post from a friend of mine on Facebook and love the response.  I think a lot of people out there agree that being a stay at home mom is hard work but I also know that a lot of people think we just sit around on our butts watching soap operas and eating bon-bons. 

I am struggling a lot with the stay at home mom job.  I love it, it is what I have always done and within a couple of months, I will not be employed in that area any more.  Getting a full time job scares me.  2 of my kids are in school so I know where they will be during the day but I still have one at home who will now have to be raised by someone other than me and that bugs me.  Not to mention, I love being there to take my kids to school and pick them up after.  If they want to do an after school activity, sure why not, I will pick you up a little later than normal.  So, getting a job will make me unable to do those things.  As much as people tip their hat to those of us that stay home, I have to tip my hat to those who work.  Those who give up that time with their kids and basically have someone else raise them 5 out 7 days of the week. 

To back up the article though, since that is what i initially intended to write about, let me back it up a little.  This is my day today.  My 2 year old climbed in bed with me around 2:30am.  She kicked and hit me numerous times, then decided she wanted to be awake.  After about an hour of her wanting to chat, I asked if I could put her back in her bed, she said yes and it was as if I heard angels singing.  So, off to bed she went at 3:40am.  I slept for another 2 hours and 20 minutes and then it was time to get up.  I made breakfast, got kids dressed, did hair and drove them off to school.  My youngest is now eating her breakfast and as my laundry washes, I am able to sit down to this for a bit.  As soon as that goes off, I will be thoroughly scrubbing my middles room and washing bedding and cleaning up the rest of the house.  All of this will be done while I also make lunch for my youngest, help her go potty every hour and make sure she knows I am actually very interested in her baby dolls and rocking them to sleep.  At noon I head off to get my middle one from school and 45 minutes after I have to go right back to get my oldest.  We come home to do homework for the both of them and then we have doctor appointments.  Dinner will be served and baths will be had.  Bed time stories and prayers need to be said and hopefully they stay in bed after they are put there.  So, that being said, does it seem like I sit around all day?  Could you understand why i would be tired if this is what I do every day and if I had 10 minutes to myself, how I may want silence?  I am sure the girl who wrote in felt foolish enough reading the response, I am not sure if she was prepared to have it start making its rounds on the internet.

And I pose a question relating to those women who do work.  When you come home form work, your day is like mine, so how do you do it?  I think the grass always looks greener and you wonder how everyone else gets along.  Did I mention I have subscribed to Working Mother magazine to try to prepare myself, lol.  I am worried!!!!  I would like to end with this though.  Whether you stay at home or whether you work and raise your kids at the same time, I think we are all pretty remarkable.  There is so much one every ones plates and sometimes it is hard and sometimes it is not but we push forward and know that there is a silver lining and it will be worth it all.  Good job ladies!!!!!

Reflections

I honestly believe with all of my heart that God prepares us for things that will come about in our lives.  One of those things that happens to you and you have no clue that it is preparing you for what lies ahead.  It is only when something happens to you, sometimes years later, that it hits you.  I was prepared for this moment long ago and I am not alone, I will be alright.  My moment hit me this week, it may have taken me over 2 years to realize it but it hit me.  If you have been following my blog for a while or look back at older posts, you will see that my oldest daughter has Epilepsy.  She was diagnosed back in August of 2009 after having a seizure in my arms.  The visuals I have of that morning are still terrifying to me and I think I have been so focused on her treatment and spreading awareness and everything else going on in my life that I never sat down and realized, almost 6 years ago, 4 years before she was ever diagnosed, I had a taste of what my life was going to be.

We used to live in Virginia.  Because we were so close to Washington DC, we would travel there every now and again and see the sights.  We had the hotel we always stayed at and were able to walk to the metro stations and take ti around all over the city.  I am not sure of the name of the station that was near our hotel but it had a huge escalator that got you underground to the metro.  I am not sure if I am giving the size of this thing any justice by just saying huge, this thing was more than huge, I am sure if it went straight up and down it would be at least 8 stories tall.  You could not see the bottom when hopping on it and halfway through, you could no longer see the top.  It is not terrifying, it goes slow but being on an angle really screws with your head.  I think it was our second trip up to DC and we were once again on the gigantic escalator, looking forward to spending a day in our nations capital.  About halfway through, a woman who looked to be in her 20's collapsed.  A gentleman with her jumped over the rails and used the stairs (I forgot to mention the stairs that ran in the middle of the escalators, if you were a super athlete and wanted to use them) to run to the bottom and turn the escalator off.  Some people around the woman were screaming but the people with her remained calm and asked everyone around them to calm down as well.  The escalator eventually stopped and within minutes they had the girl off and being taken to the bottom by using the stairs.  I was pretty shaken.  What the heck just happened?  Would she be ok?  I remember my oldest asking if the lady would be ok and I told her I didn't know but it looked like they knew what they were doing.  After the escalator started moving again and we made it to the bottom, the girl was sitting on a bench drinking a bottle of water and people around her were making sure she was ok.  Since we had to wait for out train, we were able to hear them talk to others.  I heard things like "yes, she is ok, this happens all the time"  "She is ok, the seizure was a typical seizure for her", they kept asking if she felt fine and she was responding as if nothing had happened.  I was very confused.

Who knew that 4 years later I would be in the same spot.  Only, it wouldn't be routine for my family.  That morning brings back bad memories, seeing her not breathing, her lips turning blue, her body violently shaking in my arms and her unresponsive for more than 30 minutes after, we thought she was gone.  After those 30 minutes she was ok.  She sat up and was eventually smiling, able to answer questions.  We took a couple ambulance rides and were admitted to a children's hospital in our area where she went through numerous tests and was diagnosed.  I sat in awe this week after remembering our DC trip.  That could be us one day, seizures can come even when you are on vacation, they don't care where you are. 

Another thing that hit me from that day was the way it was all handled.  They knew what they were doing, they knew what to tell the people around them and they knew the kind of help their friend/daughter/sister, whoever she was, they knew what she needed.  I did not know what to do that morning.  Luckily my mom and my daughters father were there and were able to tend to her while I called 911.  But they still made mistakes and it is all because we as a society don't know what to do.  We may vaguely remember what was told to us years ago, put something in their mouth so they don't swallow their tongue.  Did you know it is impossible to do that?  This week a friend of mine shared a clip form the Dr.Oz show.  He actually went over seizure safety, never before have I seen this on day time television.  It was a great clip, he pulled a lady form the audience to help and show what she would think to do (which was obviously not right) and then he proper things to do.  If you have a couple of minutes, please watch the video and be informed.  You never know if something like this can happen to your loved ones or if you see a stranger who needs help.  My friend Julie who lives in Japan told me that she was at a local market and saw a lady having a seizure and everyone was standing around watching her, not knowing what to do.  She was amazing and stepped in.  I am sure I don't have to tell you how amazing that act is to me and how much she means to me, she is a rock star!  So, please watch and be like Julie, help someone when they are in need!!!

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/seizure-first-aid

Epilepsy Awareness Month is next month and I am planning some special events.  If you live in the Southern California area and would like to get involved, please let me know.  If you do not live in the area and would like to help anyways, please contact me.  Together we can make a difference!!!!!

My Internal Organs Are Working!

How do I know my internal organs are working?  Because I feel these babies in them.......

Yes, these are gallstones and no, they are not mine.  The reason these are not mine is because mine are still within the confines of my gallbladder.  They may look like sweet little pebbles that would look pretty in a rock garden but they don't feel so pretty.  They hurt and they make you nauseous and they need to be taken out in one way only.  So, next week I go in to have a surgeon consult and we discuss my surgery and hopefully I will feel some relief shortly there after.  The good news with all of this?  I have dropped a good amount of weight since even water can kick my butt and send me running for the bathroom.  As much as this weight loss excites me, I do not want to keep my friends within me for much longer.  So, I apologize for not being on here as much, I try to lay down as much as possible and do nothing, ti seems when I do too much they get aggravated and voice their opinion.  I do have some exciting things coming up on my good 'ol blog though.  I hinted a while ago about some flying pigs and pretty soon all will be revealed.  So, stay tuned and tell your friends, I promise it is going to be a good time!!!!

Crazy Day In This Crazy World!

I don't think that October 3, 2011 was a very good day for quite a few people out here in southern Cali.  Mine started out crazy and ended crazy and I am glad ti is now October 4, 2011.  Our first bout of crazy times hit when I realized that my middle girls earring back on her left side was actually implanted within her ear lobe.  After dropping the oldest off at school, we headed to the ER.  It was there that they found the other side was in there as well, not nearly as bad as the other side since I had pulled the earring not knowing it was in there.  So, 2 needles, a scalpel and 2 sliced open ears later, her earring backs were out and in a cup for us to take home.  My girl was brave, she didn't cry at all and the doc repeatedly told me how good she was and even rewarded her with a purse filled with coloring books, markers and clay.  We were able to come home for a brief second before getting my oldest out of school early to head to her neurology appointment.  Little did we know that as we passed a point on the freeway, a shooting was going down on the northbound side.  We soon found out when we got down to the hospital and the freeway was empty and the nurses informed us.  How were we to get home?  Side streets aren't too bad right?  Wrong!!!  When an entire southern Cali freeway is evacuated, it makes side street driving beyond ridiculous.  3 hours later, when it normally takes 45 minutes tops, we were home and feeling very lucky to have not been on the other side of the freeway at that moment.

I feel that I am completely aware that evil exists in our world.  I would like to see the world through rose colored glasses and at times, I do.  I like to seek out the good and bring smiles to peoples faces and have a smile on my own, but I am very aware that not everyone thinks this way and that some people may want to seek out the complete opposite.  I just don't understand driving down a freeway and shooting at random cars.  As I drove home it made me think, how would I deal with that?  I could stop and get us all down, but my younger one is strapped in a seat where she is unable, would she be harmed?  It is such a scary situation.  On the news last night a reporter went to the door of the family of the suspect (who is still out there at this very second) to ask if they knew he was capable of doing this and where he might be, etc.  The sister answered the door and just seemed to not care.  She had no clue where he was since he had moved out over the summer and didn't care where he was.  Not that I feel any sympathy for the man and what he did but I have to think, they seemed so uncaring.  Did he grow up thinking he was not loved and therefore started to hate people, people he had not even met?  After growing up, did he not have friends who cared or  a family who noticed his absence form love and took him in?  It really makes me want to smile more at people, especially those who look like they might need one.  Is it too hard that as a society, as children of God that we can band together and take care of one another whether blood related or not?  I know this is my rose colored glasses speaking but I think a little kindness can go a long way.  There was the story that was circulated years ago about a kid who was going home to kill himself because he felt that no one cared about him.  When he dropped his school books after getting off the bus, another kid came up and helped him and walked him home.  The kid decided not to do it and years later at graduation told everyone in his speech and the friend had no clue he had saved his life.  How amazing is that?  A small act of kindness kept a child form taking his life.  As a society I think we can all step up a little, show some compassion and you never know, maybe you will keep someone from trying to kill others or take their own life!

Lord Help Me!

See this sweet face?  This face makes me smile.  It reminds me of a time when she was tiny, when the only care in the world was what barbie we would play with that day.

This is here now, taken only a couple of months ago and I swear she has grown since then.  How does this happen?  Ok, I don't need the talk about how kids actually grow, it just boggles my mind.  And even more so than the typical "how are they growing so fast?" on their birthdays.  This past Friday we were getting in the car to go to a Girl Scout meeting.  Since my oldest is allowed to sit in the front seat if we aren't going too far, which is crazy to believe as well, how did she grow out of a car seat?!  Well, I got in first after getting the other two strapped into the back and then my oldest hops in the front.  A breeze was sent my way and ti didn't smell like we were in a car, more like we were in a swamp or on a farm.  I automatically went to the "what the heck is that smell?" face and even said it out loud.  The kids all at once said "it wasn't me", we may or may not have a gas problem in our house, lol.  I decided to lean in to my oldest knowing it would not be her and low and behold, IT WAS HER!!  I took her in the house and sprayed her down with pretty smelling things and the very next day we took a trip to get some deodorant.  Now, not only can she ride in the front, she wears deodorant?!  I don't know if I am ready for this.  I was more than ok being the one and only girl in this house using things like that.  She has also been moody, very weird moody.  She wouldn't talk much and said she has decided to be more calm......what?  This lasted for 3-4 days and then she was back to normal.  My mom laughed when I told her I was worried.  She told me, from experience mind you, she raised 2 girls herself.  She told me to watch around the same time every month because this just shows where her cycle will be........her what?!  She is 9!!!  Ok, 9 1/2, she would kill me if I didn't add that 1/2, it just seems so young to me.  So, as my title states.......LORD HELP ME!!!  I am not ready for a tween or deodorant or cycles.  I want to wrap her in a baby ink blanket and rock her to sleep!!!!!!!



Remembrance

Today a lot of people are reflecting on where they were and what they were doing 10 years ago.  Some might say they don't want to hear it but I think it is wonderful that, if for only one day, we are all on the same page and are banding together!I am not going to go into exactly where I was or what I was doing but I am sure my story has similarities to all of yours, I sat in shock wondering what this all meant and crying and praying for those people going through those 102 awful minutes.

I actually started reflecting a couple of days ago.  I was one of the 1.4 million people without power on California.  On the radio station they mentioned it being a terrorist attack.  They said some terrorist severed the line between Arizona and California and therefore, we would be without power for a very long time.  At that moment, it went from your average power outage to a full blown "what the heck does this mean?!" moment.  I went from being excited to not have tv, live by candle light and spend good quality time with my girls to being absolutely terrified.  Where should I go, what should I do?  Do I need to drive somewhere safer, but what place would be safer?  I remember thinking, if I am this terrified sitting in the comfort of my home surrounded by my family, I cannot imagine what it was like being inside a burning building, watching the building right next to yours crumble to the ground knowing it was probably going to happen to yours.  You are alone, your family is not there to comfort you and you are scared......terribly scared!!!  I don't know what I would be doing.  I would hope to have enough strength to get on my knees and pray to God, to find a phone and make sure to make one last call to let my loved ones know how much they meant to me and how I would be there with them, watching over them for the rest of their lives.  Or would I take it all into my own hands, not wait for the building to take me, to end it all.  This picture still haunts me 10 years later.

This picture gets me for numerous reasons.  First, this poor man had to be absolutely terrified, no one in their right mind would jump out of a huge building unless they felt it to be a better option.  Not only that, but he looks so peaceful, almost as if he has come to terms with his fate.  Is he praying, thinking of his family, what he did with his life.  No one knows, there is even speculation on who exactly he is.  This picture just haunts me and puts it all into perspective.  When you see the buildings coming down, you see buildings coming down, you know there are people inside but you see a building.  I guess seeing an actual man who was int he building, falling like the towers did soon after gets me.  I hope we can all remember this unity we feel and share far past this date!  We may not always agree, but we are still mothers, father, sisters, brothers, friends, we all have people who think we are special and we are all special.  God did not create us to hate.  And please remember to pray for our country and everyone in it far past today as well.  Prayer is a mighty thing and brings joy to others and joy within oneself.  God Bless you all and God Bless America!!!

Why Blog?

Last night a friend of mine posted a question on Facebook.  She was curious out of all her friends who blog or read blogs, what they want to read about.  I sat there for a minute and thought about why I blog.  I am in no way a famous blogger and do not have a huge following.  I do not have ads that if clicked, pay me money.  So why do I blog?  My blog originally started as a way for my friends and family to see what was going on in my life.  I lived out of state for many years and every time I got a phone call, it was always the same thing, "what has been going on out there?"  Instead of repeating myself, I decided to write it out and post pictures so when they did call, we could just chat and not have to get caught up.  I was not a very good blogger back then, not to say that I am now, but I had so many pictures and instead of posting pictures that matched what I was writing about, I posted a random picture with each blog post.  That is why, if you read some of my older blog posts from years ago, the picture might seem very random for what I posted about.  I would like to believe that my blogging has been more creative and informative.  I feel like I have been through so much and have grown up a lot and there is hope that you can see that in my blogging.

So, why do I blog?  I blog still so people can be caught up on my life.  I blog so that I have a place that I can look back on and see my growth and the growth of my girls.  I also blog to help spread awareness and bring about change in this world.  Epilepsy is a huge part of my life and I hope that more and more people can come to this blog and not feel like they are alone in their journey and for those unaffected in a personal way, hopefully they can find some info that will open their eyes and give them that little push to get involved. 

So, with that answered, now to what I like to read in other blogs.  If you look on my side bar you will see a variation of blogs that I read almost every day.  Some of them are my close friends and I read them to stay up to date on their lives when I am not able to be with them.  Others are funny and provide fun, interesting and new recipes I would like to try.  Some are for my business of making cupcakes, it is always good to stay on top of what others are doing to stay up to date.  But for the most part, I like to read about other moms and other women and their journeys.  I like to feel like I am not the only one who struggles form time to time.  That I am not the only one who is having to raise her children on her own after a long marriage didn't work out.  I LOVE to read of triumphs, break-throughs and miracles of these very same women.  I guess the common denominator in all of this, I like to read about real people.  People who like to write and express themselves.  I am hoping that my friend who pondered this question is indeed looking to write a blog because I think she would be phenomenal!  Her life, from what I have seen, is a wonderful journey and I feel like she could be a beacon of light to so many!  I love how her one question has made me sit to think about all of this, that right there should be proof enough of her sheer power and what a wonderful blog she would have.  So, what do you want to read about in others blogs?  Why do you blog? 

Where Have I Been?!

There I was, thinking that when my 2 oldest would be in school that things around here would get a little easier.  How on earth are they more busy and complicated when I have one less in the house for a good part of the day?  Guess I have been slacking some in the blogging department.  As I said before, my TWO oldest children are in school.  How on earth did my middle girl get old enough to be in school all day?  I know a lot of people say it but it is true, they grow up way too fast!

She is loving kindergarten and has many stories at the end of the day!  She had me walking her to her line on the first day and by the end of the week, she wanted me to just drop them in the car line.  Not only is she becoming more independent but she is showing just how courageous she can be.  On Friday I got a call from the school nurse, who also happens to be a good friend, who told me that a kid in her class had pulled out one of her earrings.  It was bleeding pretty good yet my small one only wanted a band-aid and be sent back to class.  I was able to talk to her on the phone and she told me about all the fun stuff that had happened, nothing about her bleeding ear.  So, once the bleeding was controlled and band-aid in place, she went back to class.  A couple of hours later I get a text from the nurse saying a kid on the playground pulled out her other earring.  Same thing, no tears, no crying, just a quick "please band-aid me".  I can tell you one thing, my oldest would have been home with the first one milking it for all it was worth........I think I would have done the same thing.  I am learning my middle is thick skinned and can handle what is thrown her way, I am so proud of her!

Something else I am proud of?  People standing up for what is right.  A couple of days ago, a good friend of mine posted a link from Talk About It.  The Talk About It site was created by actor Greg Grunberg.  His son has Epilepsy.  We had the honor to meet him at our Walk To End Epilepsy last year.

He is a strong advocate for the Epilepsy community and is spreading awareness day in and day out.  Recently he saw a trailer for a movie where a guy calls another guy "little seizure boy" as a way to make fun of him.  The actors are not small named actors and they also happen to be friends of Greg's.  Standing up for some people can be difficult especially in that line of work.  If you stand up and say something you may not get another gig again, you may tick just enough people off that you become headlines for all the wrong reasons.  But he didn't think twice.  He automatically tweeted to let people know and for them to ask the production company to re-think their ways.  Some may say standing up doesn't work.......this time it did!  The production company issued an apology and was re-editing the part in question.  How amazing is that?!  It doesn't matter what your cause, what makes you want to make this world a better place, standing up for what you believe in can and does make a difference!  Yes, some may say, words don't hurt.  but try to be on the other end of those words.  Seizures are no laughing matter, they are life altering and the people suffering don't deserve to be made fun of.  This year we are not able to attend the walk but we will be there in spirit.  If you live close enough, please consider joining a team or making your own and walk to find a cure and spread awareness.  If you don't live in CA and can make it to Pasadena on October 16, please consider sponsoring someone who will be there.  My good friend who told me about the above story will be there walking with her son and many others.  If you want further info, you can always go to the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles website or ask me for more info :)

I hope everyone has an great extended weekend!!!

How To Mend A Broken Heart

Growing up is a tough one.  Before school let out, my oldest found out that her best friend, a boy named Adam would be moving.  He was only moving about an hour away but to a 9 year old, that is forever away.  You see, my oldest isn't the most out-going child.  Once she knows you, she is more than willing to chat and open up but she has a real fear of people not liking her.  She is so scared that someone might say something and has had a hard time with bullies since the first grade.  Back then we didn't know she had Epilepsy and she seemed "weird" to other kids.  She was doing things that we didn't know where they were coming from and kids don't take very well to the kid who doesn't act "normal".  Even after she was diagnosed and started treatment, the meds did not always work.  It took us a good 8 months for her to finally find one that did the job.  In the meantime she would scream in class and not remember it later, she even once hit a kid on the back of the head before screaming and then crawled under desk and cried.  I am not condoning the assault on the boy but i do have to say, she remembered none of it.  It was almost scary when she said she had no clue what I was talking about and later that night before bed, she came downstairs crying her eyes out asking "did I really hit someone?  Is he ok?".  My heart broke.  Girls seem to be the worst in all of this.  There was a gang of girls who stuck together and they were set on making her life a living hell.  The ring leader eventually moved away and things got better but never 100%.  In the meantime, she made a friend.  A little boy named Adam.  I questioned it at first, shouldn't she be besties with a girl?  We surely cannot have a boy over for sleepovers and the typical girlie things, should I tell her to find someone else to hang out with?  I asked her why she liked this boy so much, wondering if it was a crush and she told me "he is just like me, he doesn't say mean things and he makes me feel happy".  During an open house in one of her journals she even wrote about her best friend saying he was "different like me".  Adam is in the special ed class with Cass sometimes so I guess in her eyes, he has some flaws just like she does and they mesh well.  So, besties it was and has been for 2 years.  And then he moved away.  I was never able to get an address for his new place so it seems, for now, they have lost touch. 

Today while I was making dinner she came out with a clay heart she had made at a festival a couple of weeks ago.  It was torn right in half and she was teary.  I asked what happened and she said she was thinking of Adam and it just feel in two.  We did have the talk about destroying personal property in a fit of rage but after that, it broke my heart.  She went to her room and after dinner was in the oven, I went to check on her.  She was sitting in a chair looking out her window with tears streaming down her face.  She told me without looking back at me that Adams favorite color is green just like the grass.  In her hands was her friendship bracelet he had bought her (they each bought one for one another, he actually bought her another one after she bought him one because it wasn't right for her to only have one, so sweet), she wears one on her wrist and the other one was too small to put back on after she had to take it off so she has it in her special box.  When I sat besides her, she melted into my arms and cried.  I don't know if I am prepared for broken hearts!  If she was older and it was a boyfriend, I am totally prepared for the "you deserve better, now lets go shopping and eat junk food" speech but how do you deal with losing a best friend?  As an adult it sucks, I cannot imagine how her little heart is breaking.  As I speak, she is moping.  She wants to snuggle on the couch and just chill and that is not her personality.  I told her I would try to track him down but that was all I had in my arsenal.  So, people help me out here, how to you help your child mend a broken heart?

Four Weddings

Is anyone else out there addicted to this show?  The other day when I was sick, my girls and I played bums and laid on the couch all day.  Between cartoons we would watch cooking shows and other age appropriate things and that is when I came across Four Weddings on TLC.

The show puts 4 brides up against one another.  They all attend each others weddings and give a score for overall experience at the end of the wedding.  Then, after all four weddings have happened, they all give points for first, second and third place for dress, venue and food.  After all points are tallied, the winner is announced when their husband arrives via limo with flowers and a card letting them know where they will go on their honeymoon.  They have been to Aruba, Maldives, Italy, all kinds of beautiful places and I am hooked!!  My oldest and I now watch together, I set my dvr to record first runs and repeats of all episodes and so I can watch whenever I want.  I know it may sound a little much but I love weddings.  And unlike all the other wedding shows where you want them to just get on with it and show the good parts, the good parts are all you see.  You get to see a snippet of the ceremony and then the fun stuff afterwards including the reception.  For the most part, all of the brides have been very sweet with one another.  They are all strangers so they could very well just be mean and talk about how much better their wedding was or will be but they all seem to enjoy the day along with the bride.  This morning I did watch an episode with a major sour puss.  This one chick made the worst faces during one of the ceremonies and then complained about the food and how much she didn't want to dance, it was pretty annoying........she ended up coming in last place by the way.  Anyways, if you haven't seen it but love weddings, I definitely recommend watching some episodes.  Or be neurotic like myself and tape them all for your viewing pleasure :)

Festival Fun

I have to say, living in Southern California definitely has its perks!  Over the weekend on a beautiful breezy beach day, my girls and I were able to head out to the Sawdust Festival.  For those of you who don't know what this is, it is a huge arts festival with tons of art vendors, food, music and kids activities.  It takes place in Laguna Beach, I am sure you all know that area from all the reality tv shows based out of here and yes, it really is that beautiful.  The actual festival sits inland from the beach in a canyon so you don't get any beach views but we did see a lot of this......

Not only did we enjoy the sights but the food as well.  Yes, we ate nothing but greasy food but the kids thoroughly enjoyed it.  Whats better than fish 'n chips with a side of fried veggies?  Oh yes, how about a salad for dinner to counter act all that greasiness sitting in your belly, it was much needed!!!  And not only was the art fantastic but we got to see a magician, get balloon animals and hats, make some crafts and even watch a glass blower make a beautiful bowl.  I can now see why they charge so much for one small item, ti takes so much to make one tiny piece of art, it is beautiful.  And the best part of it all?  My kids did not touch and we did not have to be forced into buying something expensive :)  In a setting where there is glass and art everywhere you turn, a mom is bound to be neurotic with the "no touching" rule and I am sure my girls heard it a million times that day.  However, it all paid off.  While perusing a glass necklace vendor, my girls sweetly glanced at the jewels and marveled at the pretty colors and picked out which one they liked best and the words a mother always wants to hear came out of the owners mouth...."you have such well behaved kids".  Did I just hear the angels sing?  I thanked her and smiled and then smiled at my sweet girls, I was so proud, all of the death glares and threats of "if you touch" (ok, so I don't threaten them but they know I mean business) totally paid off.  It was a great day that ended on a healthy fresh salad and sweet food coma note and I would love to do it all over again!

Exciting Things Are Happening Around Here

In the coming weeks, this "little blog that could" is going to have some extremely exciting things going on.  It may or may not have some flying pigs and one remarkable little boy stopping in, all I can say for now is "Pig Up"!!!  Don't know what that means?  I think you will soon and I am sure you will be saying it yourself.  Stay tuned!!!!

Short Stories

I love children's imaginations!  The other day I took my kids to the park and suddenly the playground turned into a pirate ship.  The Queen, Princess and lowly shipmate (my poor youngest, I sympathize, I was the youngest too) were trying to escape the dastardly pirates.  I sat there and remembered just how great the imagination of a child is.  I vividly remember when playgrounds transformed or my Grandma's hot tub was now the entire ocean and I was Ariel.  I don't know when that goes away but it obviously fades over time.  It is so fun though to experience it yet again with my own kids.  My oldest is in summer school.  They do a lot of arts and crafts and fun things but they also get some work in as well.  Last week she came home with a short story she had written.  I typically read her papers right away in case there is something I need to sign or send back, but in this case, it was work and so i set it aside.  I finally was able to read it last night and I had to snicker.  I love her imagination.  Her personality shines even in the papers she writes for school.  Remember, she is still only 9 so it is not long but I love it still.  So without further ado, a story by Cassidy.......

One day at the ice cream store, the owner was worried because the freezer was broken.  Next, Cassidy; the store owner, was going to buy a new freezer.  Then, Cassidy drove in her Chevy Cruze to go to Sears to buy a freezer.  After that, she got sad because they did not have a glittery freezer.  Finally, she found a glittery freezer at Lowe's.

She has had an obsession with the dang Chevy Cruze, it is her dream car and I think I am ok with that.  At 9 every time I saw a Mazda Miata I drooled and told my mom I would have that car one day.  At least hers is a practical sedan!  I can see her driving off to college in her dream car with her brand new glittery freezer for her dorm :)

When Life Gives You Lemons........

Dance in the aisles of a pharmacy of course!!!!!

Nothing quite like breaking it down to KT Tunstall in a pharmacy aisle :)



Dance Recital

Yesterday, all of the hard work my two oldest girls had been doing definitely paid off.  Costumes were on, hair was curled and make-up applied (applying heavy make-up to my 4 and 9 year old was never something I thought I would be doing but I guess it is a necessity when on stage).  The girls looked so cute.  Kendall did a tap number to a Shirley temple song called "Baby Take A Bow"....

Cassidy did an Irish number.........

They were both super excited and a little nervous to get on stage and show off what they had been learning.  The morning did make me nervous as well.  While doing Cassidy's hair she got overheated and had some small seizures, a part of me didn't want her to even go after that.  But she was able to rest before we left and said she felt fine so it was off to the theater.  Littlest sister was super excited, she had her program and her tickets ready......

Both girls did awesome!!!  Not a step was missed and they couldn't stop smiling and telling all their friends what a great job they all did.  I am not so sure of the oldest one will continue with dance.  She is more of a home body and enjoys cooking and helping out around the house and more indoor activities, this was a great learning experience for her though and she really impressed me!!!  I do think this is just the beginning for Kendall, she not only loves to dance but the studio told me they wished they could lower the age for company members because she is amazing.  I am sure you can only imagine how much she eats that up.  So You Think You Can Dance in the year 2025 may be in her future :)

Fourth Fun

This fourth of July I was honored to be able to make some cupcakes for a friend of mine and in doing so, I was also invited to be a part of the festivities.  My girls were super excited, they were able to spend the entire day in the pool.

I know it may seem ordinary for kids to be in the pool but this was a huge thing for us.  Because of my oldests Epilepsy, she is not supposed to be in water.  Don't get me wrong, people with Epilepsy are allowed to be in water but it can be deadly.  And I feel a little blessed in the fact that she hates water.  Ever since she was little, she has been massively fearful of water and would not go in so when she was diagnosed and we were told the dangers of her swimming, we were actually ok with it.  I felt like God made her scared of water because he knew that one day, it could be dangerous for her.  However, the house we were at has a hot tub and the water temperature was the same as the pool.  She started by putting her feet in, then moved to the steps and eventually was touching bottom in the middle.  Granted, the water maybe touched her shoulders at that point but that is a huge step for her!!!  I was pretty proud.  My middle child who is scared of absolutely nothing was a little fearful at first but before we knew it, she was swimming like a little fish.  And my youngest was the least fearful of all.  She was in a little round fish floater and I just kept hearing "look at me, I kickin' back" and "I swimmin momma", she had a blast.  And not only was it at a dear friends house, my family was there too.  The girls got to hang out with cousins and my Aunt and Uncle, which is always a good time!

And the best part?  We didn't have to go anywhere for fireworks.  The fireworks are shot off basically in their backyard.  So, after a short sing along by ukulele, we sat around the pool holding on to sweet babies and taking in a wonderful patriotic display.  It was a great time.  Thank you Mollie for having my girls and I over for the celebration!!!

Happy Birthday

Today my brother should be celebrating his 36th birthday beside his wife and daughter and instead, the hole that was left years ago still resides and we will celebrate without him yet again.  Cancer is nasty and it sucks.  Cancer didn't care that my brother wanted to be a dad and husband and give them the life our father never gave us.  I know birthdays in heaven have to be better than the birthdays we have here on earth but I still wish he was here to celebrate with.  One more hug, one more I love you and one more joke to get me through the day.  Then again, after that "one more", I am sure I would want more!  Happy Birthday Justin.  I doubt you are reading blogs in heaven but I just don't feel right not wishing you a happy birthday in some way.  I will celebrate you today, I will tell your nieces more stories and keep you here with us in spirit.  I love you!!!!

Raise Awareness

I write this blog to keep people updated on the goings on in our lives here.  I started this years ago, mainly for my family since I was living out of state and I would always get asked what was new and didn't want to repeat it all the time.  Somehow it has turned into something more.  I am sharing our life's struggles, our highs and our lows and throwing some recipes and fun stuff in from time to time.  Almost 2 years ago we started walking down a new road.  My oldest was diagnosed with Epilepsy, you can read her story over here.  It took me a little while to feel like I was standing strong again, it really knocked me down for a while and ever since then, I want to raise awareness.  Not only for her, but for kids who no longer have a voice, in the video below, it is summed up perfectly, "life isn't fair, sometimes it just isn't".  That statement is so true.  Seeing my child lay in a hospital bed hooked up to IV's and undergoing numerous testing, I think, life is not fair.  I wish I could take her place for her and go through her pain for her but I also think, no one should have to take her place.  It isn't fair for anyone to have to go through this.  Please take a moment and watch this video.  These are just a handful of families who have been affected and thee are numerous more out there.  I am one of those families.

After watching, if you feel the need to help or want to know what you can do for families like me, please just let me know.  One thing you will find about people living with Epilepsy is that they want people to know and they don't mind people helping raise awareness on their behalf.  Thank you in advance!!!

Three Blessings

9 years ago I was thrilled when I found out I would be having a beautiful baby girl.  4 years later I was a little disappointed to find out that it was another girl, but I was content and was happy my older girl would have a sister to bond with.  When my third turned out to be a girl, I was devastated.  I know a lot of you will think of how selfish and sick that sounds but I had my heart set on a boy.  When trying to get pregnant, I tried everything written on how to conceive a boy and I even started calling my belly the little boys name I had picked out.  So when the ultrasound tech asked if I wanted to know what I was having, my exact words were "Of course, I mean, I already know it is a boy, but you can just confirm that for me", the poor lady had no clue what to say, I feel so bad for putting her in that spot.  She looked at my two girls in their with me and said "looks like another little princess is joining the family".  I about died and asked her to check a couple more times.  How had I been so wrong, I was not meant to have three girls, I needed my boy!!  I know I heard God laughing at me that day, wondering how on earth I thought it was up to me.  Now that my girls have grown some, there have been many times that I have looked at them and knew it was exactly how it is supposed to be.  I look at my baby and think, there is no way I can picture having a boy.  Last night, we celebrated.  My oldest will be going into fourth grade after summer vacation and my middle one into kindergarten.  And how do girls celebrate?  Girls night in of course! We put on jammies, rented and movie and ate junk food to our hearts content.  Right before bed time, I chased the girls around the house and we ended up in my room.  At one point I was crawling on the floor about to jump up onto my bed where they were huddled and I knew I had to get my camera.  As I sprang up to shrieks of laughter, I saw my three little blessings holding on to one another and giggling.  It was a picture perfect moment and it was drilled into my head yet again, it is supposed to be like this.  Would I love to have a little boy?  I think ti would be amazing to have a son, to watch a boy grow into a man and make a life for himself but I am perfectly content with my girls, I couldn't imagine my life without it being with them.  As soon as the laughter died down, I did go get my camera and we had fun taking pictures.  And another thing about having all girls?  Taking pictures is a breeze, they all sat with me as we took a picture, looked at it and said "lets try that again"  15 tries later and we finally got some with all of us in it.  In all the chaos that is my life right now, I feel so happy that I have these three blessings in my life!

Olive Garden At Home

I need to say that I am not responsible for the recipe, however I really do wish that I was!!!!  I had some zucchini in my fridge and wanted to make a pasta dish with it but had no clue what to do.  I was wanting a really good alfredo sauce but had yet to be happy with one.  And that was when this super yummy recipe came into my life.  It jumped out at me with the title, it said ti is better than Olive Garden!!!  I was pretty skeptical when reading that.  Olive Garden alfredo, while I am sure it is loaded with way too many calories is also extremely delicious.  I can never order anything else except their chicken alfredo with angel hair pasta every time we go because I love the sauce!!  Because of it's claim, I had to try it and OMG, yes I said OMG, it is freakin fantastic!!!!!!  I dipped my spoon in when it was done to get a taste and I screamed OMG!!!  (I normally never use that term but it was warranted) The shriek of OMG brought my kids running wondering what was going on.  I told them how amazing dinner was going to be and thank the good Lord above, they agreed.  I didn't have any angel hair pasta on hand but I used regular spaghetti noodles and put some garlic sauteed zucchini on top.  Needless to say, dinner was OMG fantastic, you must try this recipe asap!!!!!!  Head on over here for the recipe and in the meantime, enjoy some delicious pictures (I don't claim to be a great photographer because, well, I am not, but food still looks good to me no matter what).....

This was my kids plate with cut up noodles :)

Oh that sauce, I think I might dream of that darn sauce!

On a side note, I was told that I HAD to take this picture!!!!  I happily obliged, they did however come running when they heard me shrieking with delight!!!