The Healing Brownies

This week I was planning what to make for a cookie exchange for a Relief Society get together.  I was going back and forth and then realized there was only one thing to make.  

Sara King's Brownies

Back in the early 2000's I was in the middle of a heartbreaking divorce and my life was not playing out the way I had always planned.  I had given birth to my son Andrew in 2001, and while he brought a great deal of joy and happiness to my life, there was a cloud of worry and sadness that was overwhelming.  I had two friends Lisa and Sara that surrounded me with fun and laughter, and filled my belly with good food, and brownies.  Sara was a master brownie maker and I think she made them twice a week a times, perhaps more other times.  Lisa and I would hover and salivate over a fresh batch and then fight over who got the edges.  Those brownies not only gave me a few extra pounds, they filled me with hope for better days and helped me feel the love and support that I needed most.  

Sara King passed away this summer after a battle with cancer that no one should have to go through.  Unfortunately, these brownies couldn't heal her, but they healed me many years ago and they are helping me heal from her loss.  Every time I make these I remember her, and I laugh and I cry and I create quite the scene in my kitchen.  I remind myself of Sara's tips, to only use a fork when mixing and never over mix the eggs and sugar.  

I know there are a lot of people out there still missing Sara and trying to heal from her loss.  My pain is not anything worse then the next person, but I can at least share this and hope these brownies help you heal as they are helping me.  

Yours will probably never be as good as her's were, mine are not, but feel free to give it try and you just might find yourself a little more healed each time you make them. 

Happy Birthday Tom!

It is fun getting older, isn't it?  Well for me, at least Tom is always 9 years and 10 months ahead of me and he gets to do it first.
Happy Birthday Tom!

Thank you for being old enough, so you can take care of us in all the ways you do, and for being young enough that you are still willing to ride the tubes behind the boat with me. 

Hopefully soon, you will start to look your age a little.  I wouldn't want people to start thinking that I am older then you. 

For those who are worried, we did do the regular.  Enchiladas, cake, and same silly grin while wearing the Olympic Movers t-shirt.  Is this ever going to get old?

Counting Your Blessings

This has been my theme, or mantra for the last few months.  It started with a Facebook post from my sister-in-law Cori that stated, ""Count your blessings...name them one by one" (Cori, you probably have no idea how this blessed me).  The post stopped me in my tracks for some reason and made me think.  Shortly after that, an article in the Ensign touch upon blessings and reminded me as well that I should count them.  So I did, and have continued.  My list is up to 507 now, and I am still going. Many of you who read this blog are included in the list, and many who hardly know me are included as well.  You my have done something small that you don't even realized impacted me in a way I won't forget.  The best part about all of this is it is reminding me of the love the Savior has for me and it is helping me remember all the love I have for those in my life.  

I have learned from the scriptures, when I am fearful of what is to come or what challenges arise, I will not receive the blessings promised me, in exchange for my faith. 

D&C 67:3

"...but behold, verily I say unto you there were fears in your hearts, and verily this is the reason that ye did not receive."

D&C 17:20

"And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full." 

Of course at the top of my list is my family.  I am lucky to have each one of them in my life, yes that includes Sean.  Even when he forgets the living room is not a ball field, and spits on the floor. 

Thanks Josie for the picture.

Allergies

There are certainly worse things in the world to have to deal with, but allergies are a bit of on inconvenience.  I am glad we figured out why this boy has not been able to breath well since birth, and we are taking the steps to make our house more Sean friendly.  So far, we have discovered that he is allergic to dust mites, not just a little, but like a lot.  We have been removing what we can in our home that may contain dust mites, as well covering his bed with the right allergy proof bedding.  He is also allergic to cats, dogs, all grass and weeds, cockroaches (thankfully we have none of those) and walnuts.  For now, we have accepted it will be a life of daily Allegra, and I will be doing a lot of hot water laundry.  It is annoying, but I have already seen a difference with just some small changes. 

The biggest change was to our sofa downstairs (yes Jeff, your old one).  We discovered it was high in dust mites and almost sent Sean into an Asma attack every time he sat on the couch to play the Wii.  Now in it's place is an empty room perfect for baseball, football, and anything else the boys want to do in there.  In a few weeks they will be disappointed when a new sofa arrives and interferes with their "ball field". 

Yep, Sean is 5.

September 22, Sean turned 5.  I feel like we got off a little easy as it fell on a Sunday this year.  We took cake pops to primary, then came home to pizza, presents and cup cakes.  Our neighbor friend Patrick came over and played with Sean all afternoon, and it seemed it was just what this 5 year old needed to feel special.  I was worried as we headed out the door for church, when I heard Sean exclaim, "I can do whatever I want today," but I didn't get any bad news about behavior so I think it all went fine. 

 

It is hard to believe it is 5 already, but at the same time he is only 5.  We have many years to go with this kid under our roof.  I sat with my friend Nancy at a football game hearing of her quieter life, and perhaps more trips with her husband, now that her kids are getting older.  I cringed with a bit of jealousy, but then perhaps I will just send Sean to her house to shake things up over there.   We don't want things getting too quiet over at the Hanaike's.

Transitional Kindergarten

Sean and Josh eating lunch at School.

This year we had a choice with Sean and school.  He qualified to start kindergarten this year by 6 days.  We went back and forth on whether or not we should start him, and when I found out our friend Sean missed the cut off by about the same amount of days, it sealed the deal.  Our Sean is a big kid and looks bigger then most kindergartners, but he is young.  He is athletic in every way, but can still become a pile of mush on the floor in social situations.  Waiting one more year felt right. 

 

Our school district was offering a Transitional Kindergarten class for kids that missed the Kindergarten cut off, and turned 5 in the fall.  We tried to get in, but were wait listed, since we could of technically started Kindergarten.  I had resolved in my mind we would continue with our pre-school as we had been doing when I got a great call just 2 weeks ago.  There was room!  Sean was going to enter Transitional Kindergarten that Monday, the 9th.  We were all ecstatic when we found out he would have Kira's old Kindergarten teacher, Mrs Marinas, and would be in a Kindergarten/TK split along with our friend Josh from church.  It couldn't of worked out better for all of us.  Sean is making new friends and enjoying his new school.  We get to carpool with our friend Sean, and the best part is we no longer have to pay for pre-school.  Hooray for all of us!

 

Kira and Andrew have also been back in school, no pictures this year.  Kira is a Junior, and Andrew is in 7th grade.  Back to the routine of early morning seminary, homework, tests, band, and flag football.  Is it horrible that I am already counting down until summer?  For some reason, this year, I was not excited for the school routines to begin again, when in the past I have loved it.  It was a great summer this past year, and I just hated for it to come to an end.

 

Here we go, off to the races for 2013-2014.

Lately...

these two have been my running buddies.  I have been trying to make fitness more of a priority and since I am not willing to get up at 5am and run with Tom, it really only leaves the evenings.  Just as dinner is finished, and the tiredness of the day kicks in, Sean seems to perk up and want a bike ride with Tom.  They race me to the ocean and cheer me on, sometimes quite loudly.  It is just what I need to keep me moving, and I am grateful to have it.  I am hoping this will last at least until Day Light Savings, and then I am moving back inside on the treadmill.  There is just something in me that hates to be out in the dark.