Kids say the darndest things

This morning as I was sweeping the kitchen floor, Adam said he was thirsty. I told him I was sweeping, and he would have to wait. Then he said mommy I need a drink! I said I was sweeping and that he would have to be patient, and be a NICE boy. Then he said in his nicest nice boy voice, I'm sorry that your sweeping right now momma, but I want a drink! I had to laugh as a got him a drink. He may not know a lot about patience, but he sure tries hard to be nice.

Books, Books, Books...

I love books, but once I became a mother books have definitely taken a back seat. In fact, except for a few Agatha Christies, the only adult book I can remember reading is the DaVinci Code. I just cant understand how all my friends find so much time to read. They have book shelves on their blog, and they go to book clubs. Almost every woman and girl I knew was reading the Twilight books last year. Those books are huge!! How do they do it? A few years ago, when my daughter was still reading children's books, I would pick them up and read too. I love children's books. Even If I had the time for more mature reading, I think I would still prefer the children's books. Anyway... a few months ago, my daughter asked me if I remembered the book we had read with the girl who finds a secret door, and it had dolls in it with button eyes. Yes, I said, I do remember reading that book and I remember it was a good one, but neither of us could remember the name. She wanted to read it again. Only a few days latter we saw the commercial for a movie with the name "Coraline" that was it. We went to the library, and checked it out. The plan was that we could all read it, and then go and see the movie. Kayla read it first, then it was my turn. It was so fun to be reading again. I picked up the book every chance that I got and read. Thank goodness the chapters were short! I could read a little bit in between all of my mom duties, and when ever Adam was not looking, I was reading. I even found myself one day trying to play wii bowling with Adam with the baby in my lap. I was holding the book in one hand and the wii remote in the other, I would read, bowl, read, bowl. I was a woman obsessed, Luckily, it is a short book. The book was good, but I have yet to see the movie. Next I saw a commercial for the movie Inkheart. Another children's book. I thought hey, I should read that one too. Big mistake, again I was obsessed, and this time the chapters were longer and the book was over 500 pages. I found myself reading every chance I could and forgetting to do things like make dinner. LOL! my kids did not mind that to much! Oh well as much as I want to pick up another good book, It will have to wait until I get caught up on the house. Then again, everyone else is doing it why cant I?

We Survived!

I haven't blogged for a while due to a hard few weeks, but I'm back, and still kicking! My nurse went on vacation, and it just happened to be the same week that my husband was gone to D.C. I was bracing for the worst with both of them gone which seemed to last forever due to the fact that my husbands work sent him to meetings in Colorado straight from D.C. and my nurses daughter was sick when she came home so she had to take an additional few days off! Every thing seemed to go wrong that week, including my oldest getting sick, and ending up in the hospital for most of the week. ( Don't worry she is doing much better .) My in-laws called to check on me, and although I told them that I would be fine, the decided to stop by on their way to Saint George. What the heck it was only 9 hours out of their way! I was so glad they came, and for a few days, things went a little smother. Chris is back now, and so is the nurse. All of the kids are healthy, and so am I. It is amazing what you can do when you have to.

Sweet treat(s) of the week

This is the recipe is for you, if your not a planer, and you need something to take to a friend fast. I should plan a head, but never do. I look at my days as they come. When I realize that it is three, and I am going to a friends for dinner at five, this is what I bring. It is quick, easy, and I usually have all the ingredients on hand. Who has time to run to the store. Unlike most women, I hate going to the store. Any way......back to the good part. I think this recipe came from my Grandma Maisaks visiting teacher. I think? If I'm wrong, then give the recipe credit to Grandma!

SPEEDY BROWNIES
2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1t. salt

5 eggs

1 cup veg. oil

1t. vanilla

1cup chocolate chips

(I use two cups. One cup in the batter, one cup on the top)

Combine the first 7 ingredients, and beat until smooth

pour into a greased baking pan, and sprinkle with chocolate chips

Bake @ 350 for 20-30 min.

cool on wire rack

I made these for valentines day. I give the cupcakes five stars and the frosting three stars. the frosting was a bit to strawberry for me. To tell you the truth, I did not measure that part very carefully. oops!

This cup cake goes to Grandma Maisak! It was her birthday on feb. 15th! Happy birthday Grandma I wish we were not so far away, and I could give you a real cup cake, but this one has far less calories!

Perfect Cake Mix Cupcakes

1 box (18.25 oz) cake mix (vanilla, devil’s food, or yellow)

1 cup buttermilk (in place of water called for on the box)

Vegetable oil (the amount on the box)

4 eggs (in place of the number called for on the box)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line muffin cups with paper liners.Follow the box instructions, putting all the ingredients in a large bowl and using the buttermilk in place of the water specified on the box, using the amount of vegetable oil that is called for, and adding the eggs. Beet with an electric mixer until moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and beat until thick, 2 minutes longer. Fill paper liners two-thirds full. Bake 12 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool completely before icing.

Strawberry Jam Butter cream

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

5-6 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup Strawberry jam (the really smooth kind)

red food coloring (enough to make it a pretty pink color)

Place butter and jam in a mixing bowl or an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream until well incorporated, about 2 minutes.Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until you reach desired consistency. If frosting gets too thick you can add a little milk to thin it out.

Update on Zach

Just wanted to let you know that Zach is doing better. This is a picture of him in a wheel chair that we are borrowing from his P.T. until his comes in. He is not very happy about it, but when asked to smile, he always does. We took a walk with Adam, and saw that they are finally putting in a playground at the park YEAH!! Adam wanted to just stay at the park until they finished putting it up, but we had to go home for lunch.

ONE HOT BABY - NOT SO HOT MOMMA

After Zacharys Wonderful night full of sleep, I started to notice that he was getting sick. I should have guessed it. His fever was 101.7 so I took him into a Dr. My insurance just dropped my original Doctor, who I loved, so I was off to the new Doctors office. By the time I arrived, the fever had broke, and he was back to his extremely cute self. I think that he is one of the cutest babies ever, but that's just mom speaking. The Doctor said that he looked good, and his ears and lungs were good. Maybe it was just a stomach bug. That night his fever came back, and he was crying most of the night. His fever kept rising all day on Wednesday. When my husband came home Wednesday around 5 I took his temp again. It was 103.7 scary hot. We started pumping in cool fluids, gave more meds., and put a cool cloth on his head. By the time My call got through to the office it had closed, but I left a message for a nurse to call me back. After talking to the nurse for a while, she suggested I take him to the hospital. I took his temp again, and it was going down. An hour latter, he was back to 101. Still high, but looking better. He was starting to perk up a bit. He was looking so cute with a wash cloth that I thought that I should take some pictures. As soon as he noticed what I was doing, he started to smile. He was hot, in pain, and miserable. He had been crying all day, but once he saw the camera, he knew that he had to smile. His smile is such a gift. I LOVE IT! He is the ultimate example of enduring to the end. Lets all try and smile a Little more today, and say a prayer for Zachery.

We chose not to take him to the hospital and I am taking him back to the Doctors today. Thursday @ 11:00. We'll see what happens next.

Happy it's 2009

You may, or may not know this, but I have to say that 2008 was my worst year on record. I started 2008 by learning that my new baby had a terminal non treatable disease. The same disease that my 4th baby died from 8 years ago. It was devastating and I was so lonely. I was missing my friends in Florida, and my family was about to have their worst year ever making it hard for them to support me. Only a few months latter, my husbands grandfather died from cancer. It was sad for us. We were not able to go to the funeral because my baby was going into surgery to get a feeding tube which he desperately needed because he was rapidly loosing his ability to swallow. That summer my sister from Florida was visiting My mother in Utah. She was pregnant with twins. I really wanted to go out and see her, but we thought that the baby was to fragile for such a long ride. Just before she was scheduled to fly home to Florida, she went into labor. It was way to early to have her babies (3 months early). The doctors could not stop what had started, and she had her babies. She lost one, and one was in the intensive care. I had to go and support her as she buried her baby. His name was Joesph named after his father. He was buried not far from my baby Sarah who was named after my sister. It was a very sad time from all of us. It brought up a lot of sad feelings remembering what I went through with my Sarah, and I could not help but think that the next funeral I would attend would be that of my precious baby Zachary. On the way home Zachary had a cluster of long hard seizures. We were about an hour from the closest city and four hours from home. I was worried that we would have to call 911, and be stuck in a hospital far from home. With a lot of medications, and silent prayers Zachary finally calmed down and fell asleep. We made it home but Zacharys seizures were getting out of control. We ended up in the Hospital again to get some help regulating the medications, and calming his seizure pattern down. It was one of many visits in 2008. Back home in Utah, my sister was living with my grandma Maisak. She could not go home to Florida because her baby was in the intensive care and nobody knew if he would live or die. The poor baby was life-flighted to Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake where he underwent numerous surgeries and stayed for many months. Five months latter the baby was doing miraculously well, and was able to go home. Only a few days latter, my sister and her family flew back to Florida. Things, however did not seem to calm down for my family. By the end of 2008 My Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. My grandma had terrible pain due to back problems, and my husbands Grandmother is in an assisted living facility and not doing well, requiring daily visits from my in laws to help make sure she has all that she needs. I was so happy to see 2008 go! And I am hopeful in 2009. I so much want to be happy this year, and I'm trying my best to have a positive attitude. So far so GOOD! In January my dad had surgery to remove his prostate, and it went well. I was nervous for February because Zachary's nurse who comes three times a week at night will be out of town for 9 days. Last night was our first night of a long week, and guess what, Zachary slept all night long! Not normal behaviour. I was so happy for the good start to a long week. Chris will be going out of town soon, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Wish me luck, and I hope that everyone has a wonderful 2009!