by Sarah | Jun 16, 2011 | All About Family, All About Home, All of Us, Community, Random
Last week I got a last second request to go to my brothers house to babysit my two youngest nephews. I left my riot-act at home and hightailed it over to his place. His house is about 2.5 times bigger than ours. Open, spacious, uncluttered.
By the time I got there one nephew was in bed. Two hours later the other went down.
The house was quiet.
It was a Friday night, 9PM.
I stepped out onto their front porch to relax in some of the beautiful night air…
And silence.
No kids running around screaming.
No neighbors calling hello.
Going to each others houses.
Sharing a drink.
A laugh.
Conversation.
Silence.
I thought about my neighborhood and how at about that time all the neighbors would be out doing all of those things. The kids would be playing, racing bikes, running and screaming.
And once again I remembered.
How lucky I am.
Our house is too small.
Overcrowded.
Definitely over-cluttered.
But our neighborhood.
It’s special.
And there’s no place else I would rather be.
by Sarah | Jun 14, 2011 | All About Home, All About Me, Random
Most of my baking craziness comes out in December when I make hundreds upon hundreds of cookies that my family could never possibly eat all of.
In the fall I go crazy with the bread baking.
The summer doesn’t usually lend to a lot of baking. The heat of the stove on top of the heat of weather just doesn’t lend to enthusiasm toward baking.
Some days you just need to.
I wanted to make cupcakes. Something beyond boring simple cake.
Out of that craving came these. Delicious. Moist. Flavorful. Yum.
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting.
Make them.
You won’t regret it.
Recipe: Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 c. Flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 c shortening
- 1 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 5 egg whites
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 c milk
- 1/2 c pink lemonade concentrate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Mix flour, salt, & baking powder (I always sift mine together into a separate bowl).
- In stand mixer beat shortening until it starts to fluff then very gradually add sugar, mixing well between additions.
- Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Add egg whites 1 at a time.
- Beat in vanilla.
- On low speed add in dry ingredients, lemonade and milk in alternating additions (about 1/3 or 1/4 at a time). Mix until just blended.
- Divide batter among baking cups, filling about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Remove and cool on cooling racks.
- Makes 24 cupcakes
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 20 minute(s)
Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 c. Cut Strawberries
- 3 Tbs Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/2 Sticks Butter (room temp)
- 1/2 c. Heavy Cream
- 2 c. Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Prepare strawberry coulis: Strawberries & granulated sugar in saucepan and cook until juices begin to release. Cool then blend in food processor or blender.
- In mixer, whip butter until it starts to fluff, add coulis and then heavy cream.
- Add in sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency.
Quick notes
I didn’t have heavy cream, so I used 1/4 c. milk. Frosting is still delicious & fluffy, but it would definitely improve with heavy whipping cream.
by Sarah | Jun 11, 2011 | All About Denver, Cystic Fibrosis
Five years of toeing the edge has changed me.
Of looking into that abyss, only to be yanked back..and then shoved right to the brink again has worn down my soul.
You know it’s bad when you look a doctor dead in the eye and say:
“I’m going to have a nervous breakdown…”
And then you DO.
For four years we rode the see saw of “Is it CF? Is it not?” with Angel.
Then came the hospital stay. The genetic test.
All answers pointed to yes.
Then along comes Brandon. All answers leaned in the general direction of no, but then bounced right into the yes area with 2 ‘final’ tests.
The yo-yo was killing us. After four years of ‘kinda’ with Angel we were sure that Brandon would provide us with the clear cut answers.
We were wrong.
Six more months of a yo yo and then…
Diagnosis.
Confirmed CF.
But.
Oh, the but’s.
But.
“But we can pull the diagnosis as diagnostic tools for CF develop.”
But.
“But there’s one more test.”
But.
I’m tired of tests.
Of questions.
But.
“It’s the new ‘gold standard’ test.”
But.
“It’s in testing stages.”
He should do it.
So he did.
Against my judgment.
And the yo-yo springs up again.
The test was negative for CF.
“But it’s just a small piece of the puzzle.”
They say.
“But his diagnosis may remain.”
They say.
“But this test. It shows him normal.”
And I break down.
I am tired.
The string of the yo-yo has broken.
I see the depths of another depressed funk right at the edge of my vision.
All I’ve ever wanted was answers.
One.
Clear cut.
No more questions.
One.
Without a ‘but’.
One.
Without more tests.
One.
Without answers how can we accept our truths?
Without answers how can we adjust?
How can we Redefine Perfect?
I feel like I’m falling off the edge into that abyss.
I don’t like it.
Part of me wants to never ever see another doctor.
Run another test.
I want solid ground.
So that I can find my footing.
Move on and live for a change.
I don’t handle questions well.
Answers are how I survive.
Give me answers.
Solid ground.
by Sarah | Jun 7, 2011 | All About Kennedy, All About Molly
The first time I read them I was four years old.
I stole them out of my brothers room and kept them tight.
That original box set still sits on my dresser.
Dog eared.
Worn.
Missing covers.
Now the girls are reading.
Everything they can get their hands on.
Now I pass these stories onto them.
We read together, they try to read alone.
One day I hope their copies are as worn and well loved as mine.
As well as every other book they touch.
The love of reading runs rampant in Archie & I.
I think they’ve caught the bug.
No better addiction to pass on.
by Sarah | Jun 2, 2011 | All About Denver
This came in today’s mail.
A note for Brandon.
From a Scout Leader.
A Colonel.
So honored.
Touched.
For his recent challenges.
For his bravery in these challenges.
So very honored.
And proud of our boy.
by Sarah | Jun 1, 2011 | All About Molly, Autism
The school year is over.
The book bags hung up.
The pencils returned to their cases.
The boredom sets in.
The insanely hot weather.
The year of struggling for what was right.
IEPs and diagnoses and social anxieties.
In the midst of the struggles, wings emerged from a cocoon.
Some social advances were made – not many, but a few.
But there were wings…
Words on a page brought her in. Drew her with their magnetism. Something to love with words and stories.
Intelligence was her spotlight. Math and reading brought her joy. Her grades excelled in those areas.
In the end there were gains. I’ve made peace with her being in school, though I still worry every day.
So I focus on the gains.
I watch her read, and teach her sister to read with joy.
To have her love what her Daddy and I both love so much.
In the end, we had some wonderful gains.
Last week I got a last second request to go to my brothers house to babysit my two youngest nephews. I left my riot-act at home and hightailed it over to his place. His house is about 2.5 times bigger than ours. Open, spacious, uncluttered.
