Causes to Smile

sometimes we get a reminder there’s more to life than just the dark clouds…sometimes the blue sky comes and there’s a pink rubber ball in your life…
sometimes all you need is a dozen Gwen Stefani roses on sale for 4.99$

Hap Bir Da Han!

thanks for making me your mama! ♥

Hap Birt Da Hay

I got up today, took Scotty to work, grabbed a cup of coffee,
made biscuits, drank coffee, made a cake, roused the boy, made frosting, roused the boy, drank more coffee, found clothes, frosted the 1/2 cake
and we made it to brunch at Sunnyside up on time! So, if you, too, would like a cake that looks like this
(ironically, Hayden’s slice is the only slice left)and leaves only this for you to nibble onfeel free to click and enlarge these delicious photos ♥

You, too, should make one of these!! Linda, I got the recipe right!

Apple Cake (Carrot cake with apples instead! with Caramel Frosting)

350 for 35-45 minutes, grease and flour pan

1.5 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs

mix well

then add:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp cinnamon
.25 tsp nutmeg
.5 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

mix well

then add:
3 cups tart apple (betty calls for chopped, I julienned because I don’t have a grater I used two medium granny smiths)
1 cup nuts, if you fancy ‘em (we’re nutty enough thankyouverymuch)
(note: you could be adventurous and add other fruit combos, too, like apricots, dried cherries, craisins, etc.)

bake til toothpick comes out clean 35-45 minutes, at 350.

Caramel Frosting
1/2 cup stick/solid fat of your choice (I used Smart Balance buttery, butter, coconut oil, etc)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup liquid of your choice (I used soy milk, coffee, cow’s milk, etc)
2 cups powdered sugar

melt fat over medium heat,
add sugar and heat to boiling, stirring constantly, boil 2 minutes
reduce heat to low and add liquid
heat again to boiling
remove from heat and let cool.

Sugar can be added when mixture is tepid.
(I splashed a bit of vanilla in mine, too)

Frost and lick and nibble to your hearts delight, we did! ♥

10.5 Years Ago Today,

3832.5 days ago, I hadn’t yet met the little guy with a mole on his arm. He was still safely tucked inside me. He hadn’t yet asked for an apple cake with carmel frosting for his Birthday: Version 10.5. He still had a daddy and a sister, awaiting his arrival. And a big fat cat. I’m so glad he was born ♥

Avoiding the February Funk

Food. Never, ever underestimate the value of Food for February. I surround myself with whatever nourishes my soul…
even when I can’t eat it myself, I am sure to prepare it with great loving care
And sometimes I eat what I really shouldn’t…
simply because it feels good to do so.
see?
Fabric and Felting – a newly combined enchantmentAfter whipping out this little bag, with yarn from my mommy, I did my very first lining… with fabric from Linda. Now to get this guy in the mail in time for Hannah’s Anniversary… Fun! I take entire days off from being mopey and miserable, just to jump into fun with both feet and my whole heart. We celebrated Freya Day yesterday, with yummmmmmy sushi Rowan had me make silly faces for her to photographAnd I bestowed upon her, a sacred Spongebob Bandaid. For which she showed the proper reverence and gave him a place of honor. Photos ♥ Documenting new life is cathartic to those stuck ruminating on an old life. Documenting active, happy life reminds me of the role models I have for Living an Active Happy Life! and Fitness… just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming
sometimes one foot in front of the other is all I can do. Thank the gods I can do that.
There’s Yoga. I’m in love with the quiet of yoga.
Yes, the quiet. What a perfect discovery for this month.
Quiet.

Once Upon a Time in My Very Real Life,

I wrote the fateful entry “Spinach doesn’t cure Leukemia” and this very blog was born, three years ago.
Three years ago today, I was hanging out with a very happy & chipper Hannah (post transfusions & pre chemo) and a miserable & bored Hayden. Only our second night in the hospital, the novelty had yet to wear off completely. We managed pretty dang well. We had the PS2 and some movies. The cafeteria was practically room service!
Three years ago today I was filled with Hope. A Big Strong Hope, it felt bigger than my whole Self. Then my universe shifted; I still got hope, it’s a hope of different things now. A whole new reality.
A lot can happen in three years.
And most of it’s pretty dang cool. Like this blog. It’s a work in progress, I’m still collecting stories. In fact, I’m now collecting quilt square stories! I’d like to highlight them on Hannah’s blog, in the artist’s words and any photos taken while creating: hahamommy@gmail.com ♥
A year ago or so, my friend Lisa called me. From the hospital with a little heart thing that was no big deal, no worries & certainly no panic… My thoughts are with her family, as they relive these last few days with her on their first cycle of anniversaries. A lot can happen in a year.
Jinger called a couple of weeks ago, her best friend is a new widow. Ginger wrote me a couple of days ago, this February her little girl has AML ♥ I was in the throes of postponing my emotional reaction to February. A lot can change in a week. Oh baby, a lot.
It’s February. Ah, the Gift of February.
Another opportunity for me to remind all I can to love, love, love, love, love.
You will never, ever regret a single moment of love in life.
Breathe in deep the love that is in the universe for you.
The Present is a Gift of Eternity.

08.01.2006

I thought sure the date was wrong on this one… he’s so little and it was just 2.5 years ago… he was that little, just 2.5 years ago… holy cow.♥ Friday Foto Finish Fiesta ♥

Great Busy-ness

It is such a treat to have Hayden’s companionship throughout the day! ♥ I’d learned to snatch good moments in the few hours our awake times overlapped, it’s nice to have bigger chunks of time together lately. Today, I quieted his starving/missing mama roar with a surprise french pastry… his was like a round croissant with custard and blueberries. I snarfed without chewing savored a pain au chocolat. Strawberry Tarts for later along with another pain for Scotty
maybe… I think I hear it calling for me…
whew! I managed to take pictures, then eat *only one* of the tarts…Then we went on a quest for Scotty’s Anniversary Present -because a tart from a tart might not be enough- we got a way-too-long-overdue oil change for The Snarfler. We waited in line for a looooooong time (like 1/2 hour); we’d stocked up with fun stuff from Michael’s: duck tape, practical joke gag thingies (i.e. rubber mouse), and two varieties of farting goo (Michael’s has a new 1$ aisle!), plus the oil change guys gave us a newspaper so we had a conversation topic resource at hand! It was pretty dang jovial for a boy with stinky feet and a propensity for boredom and his striving-for-cheery-and-making-it-happen mama ♥ The oil change itself was pretty quick and there were cameras from three different angles while the action happened! The guys were extra sweet, probably because we were still so sweet after the long wait.
Now, the pastries digesting, I hear happy, happy noises from the boys wrassling in the living room. Charlie prefers to hang out in here with me. The quietest place in the house. Surprise!

The Norwegians and The Ewok House

What a crazy day of numbers! I’ve got this stat counter thing, so I know that an average of 35 people read this blog every day. Of course, I already knew most of the folks who commented for a prize… I’m still seeking a way to find the other 20 or so really quiet folks ♥ I was so excited today to see my numbers peaking in the 70s!
They were from Norway, seeking Ewok House. I’m sure they are disappointed, I don’t think George Lucas would have agreed with my assessment!
So now, I will use freetranslation.com to write a letter to the terrifically sad Norwegians:

Ønskevelkommen til min historie ! Jeg er glad du fant meg. Mitt Ewok Hus er ikke meget interessant, er mitt liv utrolig interessant imidlertid. Jeg håper at du blir og leser hva jeg skrev, kommer tilbake og leser mine skrifter når som helst. Fortell meg som du er om. Takk deg. Igjen Mottakelse !

I wonder if they know Red Stangland? Vet du Rød Stangland ?

Find us on XBox Live

HeyHay98 is LIVE!
Yesterday, my recently-returned-to-day-shift son had a desperate need to be social (when you’re awake regularly at the wee hours, socializing is incredibly difficult and rarely even discussed). Social need for folks who just weren’t up to being social (homebodies themselves, who didn’t feel particularly healthy and energetic yesterday). While health and energy were beyond my ability, at this moment, to provide, I had spied, just the other day, XBox Live gift cards at… ready for it?… 7-Eleven!!! Not only did I not have to find plastic (we’re currently living without even debit cards) nor a total of $50, I got to go see my friends at our neighborhood mom & pop and make my son infinitely happy for a mere $7.99. Ah yes, I am well aware of the financial long-run benefit to 13 months over 1 at a time; I’m even MORE aware of the joy that $8 right now will bring has already brought into our home, far more than the waiting for mama to stock up $50 in one shot has ever provided.
Linda, you should get a shot of the other side of today’s XBox action
Ah, technology ♥