Hubble

On Father's Day we dropped Duncan off at the airport to go to Utah for a week of Football Camp at BYU on our way back home we drove past a Pet Smart and saw him....

It was love at first sight, and we took our Hubble home that day. Hubble is a Bassett/Ridgeback mix but you can tell just by looking which gene is dominant. He was born on March 9th, 2010. He is a great addition to our family and we cannot imagine our lives without him. I will post some better pictures later on in the week.

Starting Over.

I am not really going to recap the past 5 months it would be too long and I am sure like a Soap Opera you have not see in a few years, a couple posts and you will be completely up to speed.

I will start with today. Today is Saturday and today our good friend Ed Zdeb, and our Elders Quorum from church moved from Ed's yard across the road, to our backyard 18 yards.. yes 18 yards of rock! It was a site to behold all these wonderful people giving up their Saturday morning to help us out. It was amazing to watch the energy being expended on our "little" well moderately sized back yard and the transformation that took place so quickly. We had so many people show up that in 4 hours we went from


this......

to this!

Now all we have to do is put some sod in the middle (that will be a Edric and Kelsey project 2 weeks from now) our backyard will be done until we start our projects next year. What will those projects entail you ask? A Pergola to shield us from the beating sun that prevents any of us from venturing out to our backyard from 1pm until sunset. A rolling shade that will be attached to the pergola. As sidewalk that will stretch the side of the house and of course more plants, and hopefully a garden that thrives, not just eeking out a few small tomatoes.

Edric took 2 days off work so we could prepare for all the rock and the week prior Duncan pulled all the weeds out of our backyard. It really was a "family project" even our Ward Family helped out with trucks, shovels, wheelbarrows and a constant smile and eagerness to help. We are indebted to them for the time they took and the willingness they showed to help us out. I just hope we can do the same for them sometime in the future.

A New Chapter

Back in April 09' I was concerned about Aurora and her lack of speech. I knew that Christina had speech delay due to her seizures and thought to myself maybe it was just a hereditary trait that Aurora had picked up in the genetic sweepstakes.

I called up Christina's previous SLP therapist Leslie, who had also become a good family friend. Leslie told us to call NEIS (Nevada Early Intervention Services) and schedule an assessment. I was familiar with NEIS as Christina had gone through them for her Speech Therapy before she turned 3. We got in rather quickly for an assessment. During the assessment it was shown that Aurora's speech was a little behind it became secondary to a larger red flag. As a precaution during these assessments a person will ask you about your child. The test is called an CHAT. It is a standard criteria that most parents go through now a days with Autism being so prevalent. Aurora did not pass the assessment. I wasn't concerned at the time and knew that her speech might be the reason and in the back of my head I knew she would sail through the 2nd assessment a few months later when she was speaking more.

The next few months her speech was still behind but it started to EXPLODE when we went to Seattle in July 09' She saw large bodies of water for the first time and loved it! WaWa (Water) was everywhere she looked. We were visiting with family in Portland and Seattle so she was forced to use words to communicate with them instead of her typical gestures which we understood and complied with. (we have since learned we should have ignored them to make her speak)

Aurora had always been an anxious baby but early on in the trip really it was really magnified how attached she was to me, and how anxious she was in strange situations. The first night of our travels we were on the road. We had been driving for 6 hours which Christina and Aurora seemed to enjoy. They were both magnificent car companions. (Duncan had the privilege of flying from UT to Portland as he was at football camp when we left) We stopped in Medford OR about 11:30 at night and the screaming began. She would not sleep in a port-o-crib she would only sleep with me and her arms had to be pulled as tightly as possible around my neck. After a restful (not for me but for Aurora) sleep we headed to Portland.

Our First night in Portland was a hectic one. I was going to a Coldplay concert with my sister Jenny, and her husband Trent was taking Edric and the kids camping with his family. Jenny and I headed out to the concert. Edric got lost getting to the campsite (blame google maps) but in the end Edric and Trent found each other. Aurora some how figured out in the middle of all this that I was not around and that she was going to be sleeping in this port-o-crib thing and not her bed at home. I think that is when she snapped. She became so inconsolable that Edric called me at the concert. I missed his call but when the concert was over we talked and agreed he needed to go back to Jenny and Trent's home and wait for me.

Duncan and Christina were more than happy to stay with Trent and their cousins so Edric headed back. After a long time of getting out of the parking lot at the concert we were on the road and home. I walked into Jenny's house to a very upset baby. I picked her up and within 10 minutes had stopped crying and was back to her sweet little self. She slept in between Edric and I that night. The next day I was never from her site. Jenny and I ran a few errands and she went with us. We headed up to Seattle the day after that and as long as I was in her view she was fine. Aurora had always been attached and everyone kept saying she would outgrow it but it was just not happening. I could handle a speech delay I knew all about that but this constant companionship was starting to take it's tole on me. Don't get me wrong I love Aurora, but I felt like she was more of an extra appendage at times than a toddler.Seattle was more of the same but the language explosion she was having was extraordinary. I could not wait to get back and let Leslie know.

In August a NEIS worker came to the house for a short visit and administered the 2nd Autism test to see where Aurora was. The interview which the first time lasted at least 45 minutes lasted only 10 and I was told Aurora was fine. (I would later find out that this interview was flawed on so many levels. )

While Aurora's speech was exploding it was still behind she was not conversing, but labeling everything. She could still not communicate to us that she was hungry, thirsty, tired etc. She was also sleeping way too much. She was, and to this day still does, taking (2) 3 hour naps a day and sleeping 12 hours at night. Aurora's therapy finally began and Leslie who was her speech therapist and Tanja who was her Developmental Specialist got me in to se the NEIS pediatrician Dr. Kinman. We spent the appointment talking about Aurora and her sleep patterns and Dr. Kinman was alerted to Aurora's disinterest in all of us and what was going on. She decided that the 2nd Autism test needed to be readministered and Aurora did not pass. I sat there in shock. Not knowing what do to but get the information they gave me and absorb it I put a smile on my face and pushed whatever worries I had aside. I didn't have time to deal with the ramifications of the diagnosis, I just wanted to start Aurora on the right course of therapy and get her going in the right direction. I came home and told Edric and explained what was going on. I called Granny and Papa Haddow and started being to busy to over think it.

Dr. Kinman told us about The Mind Institute at UC Davis in West Sacra

mento and we got her enrolled in their Autism Phenome Project. A longitudinal study that is looking for genetic markers for Autism. After Christmas we scheduled our time up there Granny Haddow made arrangements to come out and watch Christina and Duncan and all was well. Aurora was doing wonderfully, and her therapy was really making a difference.

My family is very supportive and knows that we have our children's best interest at heart and have really been a beacon of strength for our family. Edric's family does not believe the diagnosis and there has been a lot of resistance to the diagnosis and to make sure that we know that this didn't come from anywhere in their genetic family line. I don't say this to criticize I say this because these are both common reactions. You will have the family members that embrace the diagnosis and do whatever they can to help and then you have the family members who resist and tell you that there is nothing wrong. Both are done out of extreme love for the child. I know that both sides of our family love Aurora with all their hearts. I think it is easier for my family because they have had to deal with my Epilepsy as a child and Christina's. My family has also helped my mother and her struggle with Auto-immune deficits over the years and know that just cause you can't always see it doesn't mean it is not there. Edric's family has such an immense love for our children that I am sure it is hard for them to see anything wrong with Aurora. It is hard enough for them to recognize Christina's epilepsy that Autism is just not in their realm of thinking since in Aurora's case is not readily apparent by her appearance.

On the outside Aurora is a beautiful 2 1/2 yr old. she is cute and does cute things and is relatively quiet. When you truly sit down with her she is still cute and quiet but you start to notice the funny little way she arranges her fingers and holds them there. She does not engage you until you force her to, she will not make eye contact with you (unless food or a favorite toy is involved) and don't even think of touching her stuff. Purple Blanket, Wall-E, Eve, etc. It is hers and hers alone. She loves Sleeping Beauty and wears a green tinkerbell dress everyday and constantly sings the song "Once Upon A Dream" from the movie. The other day I counted and she sang it over 45 times.

Singing and Dancing for Granny Haddow

In her mind she is "Princess Aurora". We have viewed Sleeping Beauty and Wall-E more times than we can count but it is what makes her happy and when you find something that can stop a melt-down in less than 2 seconds you stick with it. Aurora can work an Ipod easily and is always taking Edric's and telling him it is "Aurora's Ipod" taking the Ipod away is like taking food away from a starving dog. You might get bit.

Aurora has therapy 2x a week and we go to play group 1x a week. When Aurora turns three she will most likely go to pre-school at Christina's elementary school and she will have therapy at home also. We will continue with playgroups and other social/sensory activities that force her to interact with her peers. Aurora is extremely bright, she is very advanced in some areas, the areas that are most difficult for her are social and emotional. It wouldn't surprise me to see Aurora turn into a bookworm as she gets older instead of going out to play with friends. Well maybe one friend and that is Meadow.

Aurora and Meadow as babies

I must say through all this we have been blessed with the presence of Meadow. Meadow and Aurora were born 11 days apart and are best friends. Meadow is typically developing... and in a lot of way much more advanced than any 2 yr old I have ever met. She has been wonderful for Aurora. Meadow challenges her and loves her and is the best therapist Aurora could ever ask for. I have the wonderful job of watching Meadow 3 days a week and when Meadow is not here you see the difference in Aurora. I believe without a doubt that it was no accident these two girls were born at the same time. They are opposites in ever way you can imagine (just take a look) but if you saw them interact you would think they were sisters. In fact when I go out with them a few people (not very bright people, but a few) have asked me if they were twins. LOL

I think the other day was the first day that I really sat down and took a moment for myself in all this. It has been a few weeks since we went to the MIND Institute. We did a slew of behavioral tests, medical tests, we even did an ERP and an MRI (which they were able to get Aurora to sleep through- undrugged) It was an amazing experience and I am so glad that we could contribute. Aurora will continue to go back for various tests and MRIs over the next 8 years.

This past Friday we received the behavioral analysis from the MIND Institute. I think in the back of my mind I was hoping and praying that they would not see anything and that Aurora would not have Autism even though I knew she did. It was the second opinion that I could not dispute because of the expertise of the people giving it. I knew Dr. Kinman, Leslie and Tanja were right but I wanted them to be wrong. In the conclusion of the analysis they concurred with her previous diagnosis and there is was in black and white that Aurora was autistic. I felt a wave of emotions come over me and I wept. I wept for Aurora and even though I know how bright she is and how far she will go in life, I wept for the struggles she will have socially and have because of how the label of "Austism" is perceived. We all want the best for our children and I felt responsible for this diagnosis, just as I felt responsible for Christina's epilepsy. I know it takes two different genetic codes to make a child and that both sides of our genetics played a role in Aurora diagnosis. Even though I know all this, I still could not stop crying. I think I was letting out a ball of emotions that I had been keeping inside since her original diagnosis. I didn't want this for Aurora. I talked to my sister Jenny a bit and then my friend Leslie. I felt better and was ready to move on to the next step. I am sure I will have a few more weeping moments but I know I have people I can go to.

I think one of the things that I have realized over the past few months and I know Edric has too is that Aurora is special. Everything about Aurora was planned. Her conception, her birth (c-section) We chose to bring this little girl to Earth to be part of our family. We knew before she even came that Aurora was supposed to be here with us. On the other hand Aurora's life has not gone as planned. She is constantly throwing us curve balls and we are constantly readjusting. One thing about Aurora though, everything , and I mean everything that we love about her is a result of her Autism. Her silly fascination with Wall-E and Sleeping Beauty. Her little anxious tics, the way she holds her hands and folds her fingers. The way she only talks when necessary to really get her point across. The way she dances and sings her Sleeping Beauty song over and over. It is all those things that make Aurora into who she is and I wouldn't wish for her Autism to just go away if we were to lose those things that make Aurora into her quirky little self.

So we start this new chapter in our lives of therapy, fighting insurance companies for coverage for therapy ( and no it is not covered in that crazy Health Care bill, trust me I checked), filling out form after forms to get grants for uncovered therapy, finding patience through all the tantrums and hard days, and enjoying the sweet little girl that is smarter than just about anyone I know and helping her along her way.

O Christmas Tree

We put up the Christmas Tree and it ended up looking pretty nice! It is a fake tree that our dear friend Linda gave to us last year and the ornaments I got last year the day before christmas from Costco. They had been $30 and I got them for $8.94. It is not pre-lit but lights are cheap. I think all in all the entire tree cost us about $15. Not bad in my book.

Who is going to do the dishes now?

My dish boy is out of commission for the next 3 weeks minimum! Merry Christmas to him. I must have been put on the naughty list though I am not quite sure what I did to deserve it.

Duncan has played football for 4 year and has never even had scratch on his body. On Monday Nov. 30th he was in gym class playing dodge ball. He was running for a ball when a girl who was playing volleyball on the next court decided it would be "funny" to grab his leg and trip him. His hand broke his fall. I thought at first he had just jammed his fingers but after 4 days the swelling was still there and his whole hand was starting to bruise. We took him in for an x-ray and he broke the 3rd and 4th fingers on his left hand (he can still write thank goodness) and broke the growth plate beneath them. He has a cast for 3 weeks, he will then get a new x-ray to make sure if everything is healing okay. If it is all healing correctly he will get a soft cast for 3 more weeks. If there is still damage to his growth plates he will have to have surgery. Thrilling!

Here are some pictures of the casting process... (since this is the first time anyone in our family has broken a bone this was probably more exciting to us than most people.)

I have really been enjoying my dishpan hands!

This is the first layer, a soft guaze

2nd layer is a cushiony type material

I made him choose red, it is christmas after all

At home for a close up

The final product.

You Get What You Get

and you don't throw a fit.... That is what Christina always chants to Aurora and Duncan. Apparently it does not apply to her.

*Turn down your volume..

The Girls...

Just because Aurora had a completely awesome outfit on the other day....





Just because Aurora had a completely awesome outfit on the other day....

Good things out of bad.

Yesterday I took Aurora to the Neurologist for a very long EEG session so that we could catch one of her seizures on record. The morning went smoothly I got up early baked a batch of Madeliene cookies for the staff at the Dr.'s office, was able to get the diaper bag ready, get Christina ready for her field trip and dress Aurora without any screaming. We arrived on time and went into the EEG room. Aurora was fine with the rainbow belt they put on her and then it all fell apart. As soon as the green cosmonaut hat was put on the screaming began. The next 45 minutes was nothing but screaming, kicking, pulling the hat off, hitting, and trying to bite me. We finally gave up and decided that other measures needed to be taken to get an accurate EEG. What those are exactly we are not sure. We do still have options but none of them is going to make little Miss Aurora very happy.

After the Dr.'s office I decided since I was in Reno I should stop by Home Farbrics. It is this amazing fabric store that has excellent fabric for really low prices. I took my mother last time she was here and even she was impressed. I found some killer fabric. I would describe it but only a picture will do it justice. Even a picture doesn't quite capture how beautiful this fabric is!

I also found another great fabric that I am going to finish up the girls curtains with.

I fell in love instantly when I saw it and I can't wait to make duvet covers out of it. For some reason finding this fabric made all the bad things that happened this morning fade away and all was good with the world again.

Germs Germs Germs

The only time I care about germs is when they are the kind that make my children sick. Church in the winter time is a haven for them. All those sniffly children and adults in small confined spaces that do not seem very well ventilated at times. I have always been a strong advocate for staying home if you or your child is sick. The rest of the family can go with out you and lessons and other things will be taken care of. I tend to keep my girls home more often than not in the winter not because they are sick but because of the people that went to Church who are sick.

Today Christina has to stay home from school because of something she picked up at church yesterday.

My girls are fever prone. If Aurora gets one she keeps it for days, no other side effects thank goodness, and if Christina gets a fever she usually ends up with a seizure or two and spends the next two days exhausted. I feel so badly for my girls when they are sick and I know that other mothers feel the same for their children. My own mother has a compromised immune system and has to stay home on Sundays much of the winter months because people will just not stay home.

I feel it is a common courtesy to remain home, I mean really do you want everyone to feel as miserable as you or your child does. This was not instigated by the H1N1 virus I have felt this way for years.

I say this year we all stand up and promise to decrease the number of colds and bugs that are spread at church. Do you really want to be responsible for Old Sister Bell catching a cold that turns into something worse or those cute little twins catching a bug that keeps their already exhausted parents up all night with worries and steam baths.

If you aren't sick then wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands so you don't get sick.

A Lesson Learned

Never be late to church.... ever again. As I type this my daughter has a piece of bread which she tore into little pieces and got herself some water to go along with it. Those of my readers who are LDS can probably see where this is going... those who are not I will explain further.

We were actually ready on time this morning when it dawned on me that Christina had to give a small talk in Primary. I had gotten a call the previous day reminding me but still it slipped my mind. The talk took me 5 minutes to write and we were still on our way to being at Church on time. Then it happened, I fell and it was not graceful. I was putting on my boots. I had been standing but realized that this was a job better done sitting. I decided to sit down at my computer chair the one with wheels (yes we can see where this is going) I didn't quite make the chair but instead simply pushed it back and I went down and hit the back of my head on it. IT HURT LIKE @#%@#@#$.... I felt a small bump and Edric said it was red. He keeps telling me I took a dive Pete Rose style (what ever that means) I could feel the headache coming fast. It took me about 10 minutes to get my bearings and get some Excedrin to ward off any pain that might be coming my way.

We got to church just as they were finishing up passing the Sacrament Christina was very upset by this. Not crying upset, instead she gave told us that we kept her from taking the Sacrament and she had really wanted it today. I felt about 2 inches tall. I have felt lightheaded since and my head is aching. I am not quite sure if what I am typing is even making much sense.

What I do know is that my daughter (without the prayer lol) made Sacrament for herself lol. She did eat the entire piece of bread and drank a large glass of water. When she was done, she informed us that even though we were late she still made sure she got the bread and water. I don't think she truly understands the meaning of why we take it but the fact that she knows it is important is a good start. I think I will take this moment as a teaching lesson for Family Home Evening this week. I am now off to lay down and close my eyes... my head still hurts. But like I said I know for a fact that I will never let that girl miss the Sacrament again.

Surfing the net....

So I was surfing the net and found this... I hate high chairs.. we have one we got at a garage sale but it is constantly dirty and crustated. I can't stand it. Aurora is big enough to sit in a chair now but she still has a tendency to fall out. I went looking for a low cost alternative and found this...

Cloth High Chair

Yeah I am going to attempt to make this next week... I would do it this week but take a look at this...

All those little tabs mean an activity... it go so busy that I had to resort to them as my hand writing can be atrocious at times and this way if something changes I just take it off.

I can't wait to go back to the fabric store next week and find some cute fabric that screams Aurora... I think I might be ready to start on their room also which means great curtains. Don't you hate that feeling when your head is spinning with ideas. I think I need a notebook with post its too.

Kung Fu Fighting

Wonder Woman

I didn't take any pictures on Halloween because I am lame and didn't charge my camera battery and I was out of regular batteries for my small camera. I know worst mother of the year award will be sending me a nomination any day now. I did take these pictures of Aurora though and I must say she is the cutest Wonder Woman I have ever seen.

I could apologize but I won't because I don't feel bad

I don't feel bad or guilty for not blogging. I have been living life to the fullest and now things are settling down and I can share. September and October were uneventful and full of events all at the same time. We woke up everyday got dressed or didn't get dressed depending on where we were going, cleaned or lounged, worked and played, cried and laughed, and didn't feel the need to eat our young or call an attorney to find out the price of a divorce. We are still a family that loves each other and the past two months has been the most rewarding, scary, busy, tasty, illuminating, faith and testimony building, and wonderful since I can last remember.

September filled our week nights and weekends with football. It seemed like everything we did revolved around football. We worked around it and Duncan was successful. The rest is a blur.

October was full of traveling, pumpkins, football (again) Dr. visits, therapy, prayers and blessings, Wonder Woman, Fairy Princesses, and wonderful weather.

I went to Virginia for the first time in 5 years. No kids just John and Kathy's originals were invited. It was great. I slept in a nice big bed without being woken up by the chatter and knocking of children, sat for 2 hours at an Indian restaurant with my sisters eating, laughing, talking about everything and nothing all at the same time. I saw my sister Beenie as an adult for the first time in my life.. yes it took me seeing her working at her office for this to happen... sad I know. It takes FIVE GUYS to cook the perfect burger. I learned that my sister Jenny is better than any make up artist at the mall and the best part is that her services are free of charge and she doesn't expect you to buy everything on the counter and you walk away feeling beautiful and refreshed. Heather should never talk on the phone and drive at the same time (thank goodness there are no red light cameras on Hooes Rd.) I have decided that I hate rain, love all songs by Franki Valli and the Four Seasons (go see Jersey Boys) Big girls should not wear shirts that say "Big Girls Don't Cry" and my parents and the Penns have my dream kitchen. I baked and baked on Saturday night and enjoyed every minute of it. I missed Virginia but I love Reno. I can't way to go back with the kids and visit again!

We kept meaning to buy pumpkins to carve but it never happened. I felt guilty for about 5 minutes before I realized that my kids didn't care. I love hearing Aurora say Tik - o -teet" and running from door to door. Yellow hair spray does not look good on someone with dark dark brown hair (it comes out green). Wonder Woman costumes look the best on 2 yr olds.

Winter in Reno usually hits around the last weekend in October this year it has yet to come knocking.. I have not had to use the heat or A/C once in October and I am very appreciative of that especially after seeing my NV Energy bill. WOO HOO!

A lot has been going on with Aurora.. we had a scare with her White Blood Cell counts and I know more about WBCs and what is normal and the possibilities of what abnormal means than I want to. She is fine btw. Aurora is having Absence seizures and was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism but those are things we can handle and work with and they don't scare me one bit. It was reaffirmed to me that blessings and prayers do make a difference work and Heavenly Father is aware of us.

Christina started Karate and achieved her white belt, can kick super high and has found her voice on the karate mat. Football is over for Duncan. Not only did he lose his game on Halloween but got back too late to go out and scavenge for candy.

It is now November we are healthy, happy and ready for the holidays to begin. I will get around to posting pictures later on this weekend or next week. This weekend I am taking Christina to Disney Princess's on ice so I am sure there will be a ton of pictures from that.

Inspiration... German Chocolate Bites

It had been a few weeks since I had taken out my cupcake tins and started baking... my family was craving something sweet so I decided satiate their hunger.

I don’t know many people (besides the crazy ones) that don’t like German Chocolate cake but an entire cake can be daunting when it is so rich with flavor and coconut goodness. I decided to decrease the size and enhance the taste with a smaller bite size version of this delectable classic.

German Chocolate Bites

Coconut Frosting/Filling

3 Egg Yolks beaten

1 can Evaporated Milk (12 oz)

1-1/4 cups of Brown Sugar ( I use light or golden brown)

1- 1/2 sticks of room temperature butter ( I break it up into pieces with my hands)

2 tsp of pure Vanilla (it really does make a difference it you use imitation)

¼ tsp of Salt

1 14 oz bag of sweetened shredded coconut

2 cups of roasted pecans chopped into small pieces

(I originally got this recipe from Martha Stewart but I altered the measurements for taste purposes)


Combine egg yolks, evaporated milk, and brown sugar in a saucepan. Add butter, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, about 10 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl.


Stir in vanilla, salt, coconut, and pecans. Let cool completely. Frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before using.

German Chocolate Cake Recipe

This recipe was on Food Network during a show down with Bobby Flay. I preferred the “Make My Cake” Recipe

4 ounces baker’s chocolate (recommend: Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate)

1/2 cup water

2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 cup buttermilk

Directions

In a micro-safe bowl, melt chocolate and water together in microwave or over a double boiler. Stir until smooth and set aside. In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla extract, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating, until everything is combined.

Using an electric mixer beat egg whites, in a small bowl, until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter.

Pour batter into 3 (9-inch) cake pans or 2 (12 capacity) cupcake tins. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before filling and frosting.

To Assemble the German Chocolate Cake:

Start with a layer of cake, top with a generous layer of the caramel/pecan frosting, place the other layer of cake on top of the frosting, frost that layer with caramel/pecan frosting

Around the outside of the entire cake, spread dark chocolate frosting (secret recipe) to cover.

Since her Chocolate Frosting recipe was “secret” I came up with my own a couple of weeks back... I don’t even like frosting and I could eat this by the spoonful.

C.A.K.E.D Chocolate Frosting

4 sticks of Room Temperature butter (unsalted)

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup boiling water

1 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 bag of great semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled.

Melt Chocolate chips and set them aside to cool, combine the cocoa powder and boiling water and mix together. In a separate bowl mix butter, powdered sugar, and salt. Beat on high until light in color and airy. Scrape down the sides and add in the cocoa and water mixture. Add in the melted chocolate chips and beat together. NOW GET FROSTING, or grab a spoon and start eating. This frosting is very soft so if you want to harden it up a little you can stick it in the fridge.

Almost over...

Every June I look forward to school ending and being able to spend some time with my kids. This summer we took some great vacations and really got to spend some quality time as a family. Now it is August and I cannot wait for School to start again. I know there are many that say... hold on to this time you will miss it and so on... but for now I can't wait until Aug 31st. Children are not hardwired to be cooped up in a house hanging out with their mother and I am not wired that way either. Duncan goes out and has a good time but lately the weather has been so hot that going outside is not really an option. I must say though that Aug 31st is a double edged sword for me. Duncan starts school, but that is also the first day of Christina's one month break! I think there is a conspiracy against me!

I must say though I do enjoy having my little shadow at home. Christina loves to do what I do. If I am sitting there folding laundry she wants to put it away and if I am mopping the floors she will try and assist in any way possible. I have become a fan of year round school because it breaks up the time when Christina is home. Next year when Aurora is in pre-school I will have them off track during different months which will be really nice. It will afford each of them some one on one time with mom. The Jr. High and High School are on a traditional schedule that goes from August to June which is perfect for Duncan and his plethora of Summer camps and activities.

To get back on topic though... while I love summer I seem to enjoy the end just a little bit more. I feel like I can get back on track and get a better schedule going for the whole household. I stick to my grocery schedule and bedtimes are never compromised. I do think the reason I enjoy the back to school week the most is because of all the supply shopping. I love shopping for pencils and pens, crayons and markers, paper and notebooks, and most of all things to organize a student all year long. There is something relaxing and almost therapeutic about it.

So say farewell to summer and Hello to crisp fall mornings and light sweaters and class holiday parties that never seem to end from Late October until January. I welcome it all.

Daddy's girls

Edric had ice cream and the girls came running...

Aurora tried to be cute to get it.....

and it worked out just as she planned

then it was time for some wrestling and then....

ring around the rosies..

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!!

The Football season has officially begun at the Carreon House. Actually practices began back in late July but Duncan and his team the Spanish Springs Cougars had their pre-season scrimmages on Saturday and will have their first game on August 29th at the Spanish Springs HS field. So if you are in Reno/Sparks area come one out and cheer!!

Duncan is #9 this year and is playing the position of tight end which according to all the men I have talked... this is the perfect position for someone with Duncan's stature.

Duncan explaining to Dad what he did in the first game... something about getting into someone's head...

Duncan and Dad

Duncan listening to his coaches

Duncan is #9 (the person in all white first in the line all crouched down)

Duncan wondering what the heck the Quarter back was doing... he was supposed to throw to Duncan who is wide open and instead ran the ball to be sacked bad.

One goes and they all go

Whenever Christina goes to time out I don't have to look very long and Aurora is sitting there beside her usually talking and smiling with her arm around her Sissy's back. We have started time out for Aurora and lo and behold Christina does not abandon her sister but hangs out with her also...

Such sisterly love..

July was BUSY!!! and tons of fun!

It has been a while since my last post and my friend Abby's post today (see Idle Prattle to your left) prompted me to update.

Lets see where did we leave off.. Haggling and Wall-E..

July has been our busiest month yet. We had a family reunion with Edric's family that went well. We celebrated the 4th in a very low key way... dinner as a family and since our town was the only one within about 40 miles having fireworks we opted for PBS and watched the ones at the Nations Capital which made me terribly home sick. Edric promised a stellar Halloween full of decorations and even a party if we could avoid the 100,00 + crowd in Sparks... so I caved.

Duncan flew off to Utah on July 5th for BYU speed and power camp, thanks to our Dear Sweet Jenny O for picking him up and driving him down and our Dear Sweet Ryan R for picking him up and taking him back to the airport. Duncan had a great time and increased his vertical jump, his speed and from what I see on the scale out the Cannon center out of all their food.

On July 9th Edric and I headed off with the girls (Duncan got to fly to our destination) to the Northwest. We drove through beautiful Mount Lassen National Forest and enjoyed all the greenery that Oregon and Washington have to offer. Living in Nevada for 5 years, you almost forget what the color green really looks like.

My wonderful sister Jenny bought some Coldplay tickets for my birthday. July 10th my actual birthday we went to the concert while Trent , Edric and all the kids went camping in a Yurt. The concert was amazing (we had 3rd row center) and I had flash backs to my first Coldplay concert in SLC with Edric, Jenny, and Jimmy.

Chris Martin Rocking out!

When we got out of the concert I got a call from Edric that to our surprise Aurora did not like camping (not really a surprise lol) Edric drove back to Jenny's house and we met up where I got some great birthday snuggling from my little girl... it was more like she was holding on to me for dear life and scream at me for leaving her with the masses.

The next day Jenny and I ran around with Aurora running errands, Trent corralled all the kids from the camp site and Edric got some much deserved sleep. It was followed by an evening of boating for the dad's and older kids and Edric and I tasting the most delicious burgers in the world.... FIVE GUYS!!!! I am hooked for life.

On Sunday afternoon we headed out of Portland (we hope to be back soon) and were on our way to Seattle to visit Edric's brother Edmon and his wife Julie. You name it we did it! We went to pikes of course, we shopped downtown, we took the ferry to Bainbridge (we hope to eventually move there) we ate the most delicious gelato on Bainbride from Mora's iced creamery . We went to an adorable yarn shop, and a cute fabric store... it is what my dreams are made of.. all within walking distance. We had Ivars clam chowder on the Ferry, fed the seagulls and watched for jelly fish.

The boys on the Ferry to Bainbridge

Sharing Ivar's clam chowder on the Ferry

Aurora and Dad chowing down at Honey Court

There was a lot of eating on this trip, we tried Malaysian food which is wonderful, we had excellent Dim Sum and Chinese, and we went to a place call theLunch Box Laboratory their burgers are amazing!!!

A Lunchbox Lunch!!

Edmon and Duncan at Lunchbox

We of course tracked down a FIVE GUYS and ate there too. We had an awesome lunch at Essential Bakery, soo good.

Christina and Julie at Essential Baking

The best place we found was thanks to Shay Wotring a face book friend of Edric's she told us to track down Molly Moon's so we did and ice cream will never be the same to me.... Salted Caramel has now ruined all other ice cream... I can't go back now!

Molly Moon's (it is worth waiting in line for)

We went and saw Jim Henson's puppets at sat on the stoop at Sesame Street and we visited Bruce Lee's grave. We went to Lake Washington's beach with the family and the Museum of Flight for the boys. We had excellent filipino food at Edmon's in-laws, we played video games, we swam in the pool, the boys had a few male bonding nights out and then before we knew it we were traveling through Mt. Shasta 3 hours from home.

Bruce Lee's Grave

We know how to get to Sesame Street

The Wright Brothers.

Building Sand Castles

Lake Washington

Christina started school the day after we got home, Duncan started football practice too and things have been full steam ahead ever since. July was amazing and one I hope my children will remember because I know I will.

The only thing I regret was missing my Dad's 60th Birthday party but we were driving home that day. There is even a happy ending to that thought.. I get to visit VA in October (with no children) I think for the first time in a long time my parents will have all their girls back in their home... which means for some good times!