Quest of the Nocturnal Baker

Summer Fun For The Kids

2013-06-03T10:04:00.001-04:00

Well another school year has come and gone already! My how time flies!!! Preparations are being made for the 2nd Annual Welcome to Summer Party in less than two weeks. As usual I am busy planning activities to keep the kiddos busy this summer. Here are some ideas I have come across while on Pinterest.

Have a Glow in the Dark Party.

Heather over at "Sit a Spell", had an awesome Glow in the dark party!!! What a fun idea for the summertime! This is a must do on my list this summer for sure!

This game is Synchronized Snack Toss over at Parents.com. All kids like to play with their food so this is a guarantee hit!

Counting Coconuts has a great idea! Freeze toys in a block of ice and let kids get everything out.

My kiddos love reading and actually look forward to their weekly trips to the library. Rebecca over at Simple As That, has a downloadable summer reading log. My kids also decided to have a Summer Reading Club for extra fun and fellowship!

Help raise funds for childhood cancer. Host a Lemonade stand.

Lemonade stands have always been a fun summer money maker for kids. Why not encourage the kids to host a stand for a good cause. On July 19th we will participate with Anthem LemonAid and host a LemonAid stand and raise funds for childhood cancer. Pinterest has some awesome DIYs for stands too!!
Check out my Summer Fun For The Kids Pinterest Page, for some other great ideas!!

Bet on Your Baby Luvs Giveaway!!!!!!! Ends 6/10/13

2013-06-02T19:50:00.000-04:00

"We’re proud to announce the arrival of Bet on Your Baby, Saturdays 8/7c on ABC, in partnership with Luvs!

Every parent thinks they know their baby well, but are they willing to bet on it?

Bet on Your Baby is a new show where parents play fun games with their toddlers, and try to “bet” on what baby will do next! If they guess correctly, the family wins $5,000 in college tuition money, and the chance to play for $50,000!

All of these heartwarming and hilarious games are played in a toy-filled room called the Baby Dome. Do you think that you could predict what baby will do next? "

I am pleased to announce another awesome giveaway to my readers. Partners Hub and ABC are giving away a Three Coupon Pack for Luvs Super Absorbent Jumbo Pack.

" Luvs® Super Absorbent diapers give your baby the protection they need at the low price you’re looking for—complete with a money back guarantee. New Luvs® Super Absorbent Jumbo Packs have an everyday low price of $6.97 at Walmart!"

Take the quiz to see if you would survive the Baby Dome, and watch videos of the cutest contestants on TV in the Game Gallery!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chick-fil-A #FreshMade Giveaway!!!!

2013-05-15T20:14:00.000-04:00

Great news readers!!!! My sponsor is giving away 2 Chick-fil-A salad coupons to one of my lucky readers. Who doesn't love Chick-fil-A by the way?! Chick-fil-A has introduced 3 premium salads and an improved wrap all under 430 calories. This is really great since bikini season is upon us!! So "Take your taste buds to greener pastures" and enter today. Giveaway ends May 24, 2013. Disclosure: This giveaway is being brought to you by Chick-fil-A and Partners Hub. Enter giveaway via Rafflecopter below.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Salted Caramel Brownie

2013-04-23T15:41:00.000-04:00

Yum!!! Check out what I whipped up today for the children's after school snack! If you like the juxtaposition of sweet and salty, you will love this combination!!! Just make your favorite brownie recipe, top with some caramel sauce and sprinkle with some sea salt. Easy Peasy!!!!

Pregnant With Dystonia : A Birth Story

2013-04-18T22:19:00.000-04:00

"Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might"......Push. Grit teeth. Stop. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"...Push. Open eyes. Close eyes. Stop. "Fear not for I am with you"......Push harder, longer. Stop. Open eyes. "I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you"......Push. STOP!!!! Push again! He's out!!! Wait. Listen for baby. No cry. PRAY!!!

As I lay there listening, watching my husband for clues, everyone scrambled into action. It was routine for them, choreographed well. "Is the baby ok?!" No answer. Pray. I look over at my husband with his eyes glued on our precious gift from God. Pediatricians continue to work on the baby. Still no cry. 13 minutes later he was intubated and transferred to the special care nursery. "It's all my fault." "The Dr. warned me this could happen." "I am so selfish....so so selfish."

Let me backtrack a little to my 20th week of pregnancy. Up until then everything was going really well. I was the picture of health and Dystonic flare ups were few and far between. The summer flu paid our home a visit and caused my Dystonia to flare up and I was hospitalized. For those of you not familiar with my Dystonia. I have Generalized Paroxysmal Dystonia. It causes my muscles to contort and painfully spasm. It usually begins with lower extremities and travels upward. Once it reaches my trunk, my breathing becomes compromised and I risk being intubated. For this reason my neurologist suggested I deliver early and not risk going in labor. After weighing the pros and cons, consulting with my obgyn, and praying, my husband and I decided to try to deliver naturally vs. cesarean. Well my 37th week arrived and I was a few days from getting an amnio done to tell if the baby's lungs were developed. As the rest of the east coast braced for Hurricane Sandy to hit, the low barometric pressure ushered in a storm of other sorts.. a Dystonic Storm. I was rushed to the hospital and was given Dilaudid for pain and Benadryl for the spasms. My muscles continued to contort and I had very few options. I was only 1cm dilated and Pitocin was started to speed up the process. The contractions of Dystonia combined with the contractions of childbirth were so painful!!! Prior to labor I was adamant about not taking Ativan or Valium because the baby could be born floppy. As the pain increased the Drs assured me everything would be okay and I agreed to the meds. This is where I should have stood strong. Instead I agreed and my baby was born floppy exactly like my obgyn told me.

Fast forward and everything eventually worked out. After an extended stay in the special care nursery with some other complications, Atreo was sent home. Today he is a healthy almost six month old baby, full of energy and thriving!

The main reason I am writing this post is to be an encouragement to anyone going through a similiar trial. When my neuro suggested I have DBS, I freaked. I wanted to explore other options before making such a life changing decision. I prayed and asked God to guide me as to what to do. Shortly after I was pregnant and it wasn't all about me anymore. I worried if the baby could feel the pain I was in during my Dystonic Storms. My wonderful Drs assured me everything would be ok. I worried if the meds I was on would harm my unborn child and today I have a beautiful healthy baby! I do wish I would have made a wiser decision about taking those meds during labor. That is the most disheartening thing about my birth story. But God is so good and it all worked out for good in the end. Be encouraged friends!!!

Angry Birds Cupcakes

2013-04-03T22:41:00.000-04:00

I am so happy to get back to doing what I absolutely love. As many of you know, while I was pregnant I took a hiatus from baking and blogging. This was probably because of exhaustion and a lack of inspiration. Well Spring is here and I am renewed and I have been feeling the urge to express myself through various creative outlets. Here's a peek at what I have been up to lately. These cupcakes were made for my "bonus son" Jey for his 8th birthday. The fondant toppers took quite a while but I think they turned out great. This week I am busy preparing for my daughter's "Night Owl" themed slumber party. Taking a shindig to the next level is when I am in my element and I am so excited, (maybe even more than the birthday girl herself). Wish me luck as I am preparing to host ten darlings this weekend. In the meantime check out these cupcakes!

It's been far too long!

2013-03-29T13:23:00.001-04:00

Yes, it has been far too long friends! I haven't posted in such a long time. The truth is I was a bit overwhelmed with the pregnancy and coping with Dystonia. I had to focus all of my energy on keeping my little bundle of joy cooking for as long as possible. I received a lot of emails from folks encouraging me to update them on the pregnancy and my health. Well on October 30, 2012, I welcomed a beautiful baby boy into this world. I will have to update you all on the roller coaster ride that developed in a later blog post, but God is sooooo good!!! As I sit here now I have a gorgeous healthy 5 month old baby sitting in his bouncer. He is the most happy, calm natured child ever. I am truly blessed! My Dystonia flare ups have been rather mild and quite sporadic (knock on wood). Other than that life is crazy hectic, but I am taking it in stride. I am looking forward to getting back on the ball and update you all on all the deets regarding Dystonia during pregnancy. Ciao for now!!!

Gender Reveal, Placenta Previa

2012-06-18T14:20:00.003-04:00

Wow, I can't believe that my pregnancy is almost half way through! Time is going by so fast but at times I find myself wishing it would go by just a little faster. Last Wednesday I went in for an ultrasound to measure my cervix. Because of my Dystonia I have been having contractions and this ultrasound was to be a baseline measurement to compare to later in the event my cervix begins to efface. I went into the appt with a positive attitude hoping merely to get a peek at the baby's anatomy. Well, I found out it is a BOY!!!!! The news was a bit overshadowed by the fact that I found out I have placenta previa. Uuuuugh!!!!! Knowing that my mom had placenta previa when I was born premature and nearly died, kinda caused a bit of anxiety. Anxiety that I do not need having Dystonia as well. What is Placenta Previa? According to BabyCenter.com, placenta previa means that your placenta is lying unusually low in the cervix. The placenta is the organ that supplies your baby nutrients through the umbilical cord."

Source: BabyCenter

I have read tons of forum posts from women, which may not be such a great thing, that say their previa migrated up and they were able to deliver vaginally. Other women like my mom have had severe bleeding which led to an emergency c-section and premature birth. Yesterday, I began to bleed and immediately called my ob/gyn. I was instructed to keep my legs up and go immediately to the hospital if I bleed any further. So here I am today, feeling pretty good. I have been taking it easy, as easy as I can with a house full of children, and praying I don't bleed anymore. I really don't want to be on hospital bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy. I really need all of your prayers for my precious baby boy. I am so in love with him already. Many thanks, till next time:)

"Welcome to Summer Vacation" Party

2012-06-15T20:29:00.000-04:00

I spent a lot of time this week reminiscing about the summers of my youth. My favorite memories consisted of days away at summer camp, long days of unbridled fun, evenings catching fireflies and mouth watering treats ushered to my doorstep by an ice cream truck. Those days were magical and I believe should be for all children. Well in honor of the last day of school and the official first "half" day of summer vacation, I surprised the neighborhood kids with a "Welcome to Summer Vacation" party. Pizza, ice cream and cupcakes hit the spot. Prizes were passed out for best sidewalk chalk art followed by an epic water gun fight. The kids had a blast and it was an awesome start to a memorable summer. Here's a peek into the party!

My Lovely Lady Bump, Lady Antebellum, Memories

2012-06-11T11:25:00.001-04:00

It's Monday morning again. The weekend flew by and I guess the saying is true, "Time flies when you're having fun!" Earlier this year I put steps into motion to truly enjoy this year. As I reflected on the prior year I realized that other then my wedding, most of my memories were etched into my mind because of the pain associated with them. That really struck a chord with me and I vowed to change that. So off I went devising a plan to create memories with my family. For Valentine's Day I gave my husband a gift we could both share, "Twelve Months of Dates ". We started off totally psyched every month to open a new envelope and reveal the date for the month. I am ashamed to say we are a month behind. Life got in the way as it usually does and our schedules did not permit date night. So this month two dates are on the calendar and I can't wait to share the deets with you all when the time comes. As for the children I learned to take time and make the ordinary mundane tasks a little extra special with spontaneity, patience and the help of awesome ideas I found on Pinterest. Here are a few that were a hit!!!

Fill the room with balloons on morning of birthday!!

Tooth Fairy door.... Love

Letters from the "Tooth Fairy", so cute!!

Great source of inspiration!!!

Make bathtime fun by adding glowsticks!!!

Okay friends, since we are talking about memories. I will share with you the deets about my awesome weekend. A few days ago I posted that my husband surprised me with tickets to see Lady Antebellum. Well I went last night and it was as great as I expected. Not many people know that I am a country music fan....sometimes I can't believe it myself. Well Lady Antebellum is pretty much my fave band and my husband has earned a lot of bonus points with this surprise. Lady A put on a great show and their style of country music is just what I love, not in the least bit twangy, harmonious and full of energy. Nonstop singing and screaming has my voice a little scratchy today but it was so worth it. Oh and the baby must of enjoyed it as well because the kicks were nonstop. Here's a 17 week belly pic and some pics from the concert. Ciao for now friends!!!!

My 17 week lovely lady bump!!!

Darius Rucker!!!

Lady Antebellum

Singing along..so fun!!!

"We Owned The Night" tour 2012

Dystonia during pregnancy....yea or nea on a baclofen pump?

2012-06-08T11:25:00.000-04:00

Okay guys, I have truly been mum the past few weeks since announcing the great news about my pregnancy. The truth is I have been really scared and didn't want to jinx anything. I know I shouldn't think that way, but lately as soon as I say something great something not so great happens. Well as of today I am officially 17 weeks preggo! Up until last week, this pregnancy was going swell and my belly was sure following suit! I have gained 10 pounds so far despite my daily bouts of nausea. My crazy cravings have been watermelon and string beans. MMmm I truly can't have enough! Okay let me get back to last week. Well after what I considered a rejuvenating, blood pumping swim in the pool, my dystonic storms decided to return after a brief hiatus. The drastic temperature change caused my muscles to go into overdrive and contort relentlessly. Despite the occasional mild cramping in localized areas my dystonia has been rather mild and this episode scared the crap out of me, especially being pregnant. I was hospitalized and after four days asked to leave because I could not bear "poisoning" my baby anymore with narcotics. While in the hospital, the drs. suggested I have a baclofen pump inserted in my spine, hence the mad dash home. Now the dilemma I have is deciding whether or not to have the surgery. I have been praying and know God will give me wisdom and peace to make a decision. So friends if anyone out there has had to have surgery while pregnant or better yet a baclofen pump installed please let me know how it went. I want to make a prayerful, informed decision.

As for the rest of my life, well I can't complain. I have been preparing to make memories home with the kiddos this summer. I have stocked up on all sorts of arts and crafts supplies and the kids have completed their summer bucket lists. Oh and how could I forget, my husband has surprised me with tickets to see Lady Antebellum this weekend!! Super excited!!! Well I guess all that's left is a baby bump update. I will save that for a weekend post. Be blessed guys!!!

I Make People, What's Your Superpower?

2012-04-20T19:52:00.000-04:00

Howdie yall!!!! (in my best country accent)

I'm back in all my glory and ready to take on the task at hand. Now I really do have a good reason I have been M.I.A for over a month, please cut me some slack folks!! I was just not allowed to share the awesome news with all of you until I got the go ahead.

BABY MAKES SEVEN!!!!

DUE: NOVEMBER 13, 2012

That's right I have been blessed with a bun in the oven and I am excited and a little freaked, gotta be honest. Our crew will be expanding this fall and it is truly a blessing!!! Initially with this wonderful news, was a little bit of apprehension. My readers, dear family and friends all know my battle with Dystonia. After the birth of my last child, childbirth caused the dormant genes to activate and Dystonia reared it's ugly head. I have read of many circumstances where childbirth caused the disease to go in remission and in some cases never return. With that being in the back of my mind and the neuros recommendation of DBS, pregnancy became an option. I said to myself, "If it is the Lord's will, it will be done." Well months later and I am writing you with my ever present burgeoning baby belly!! My dystonia has been rather mild and I am praying that the same way this Dystonia came into my life will be the same way it leaves. Keep us in your prayers. I have a wonderful support team, awesome doctors and extremely supportive husband. My kids have been lifesavers and are so psyched to have another brother or sister. As for my blog, well I guess that makes it a mostly Dystonia, baking and pregnancy blog. Please stay tuned to my journey!!!

Belly rubs and kisses,

Inda Nila

Becoming an Advocate for Dystonia

2012-03-28T10:20:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone! I know I have been M.I.A. and have really been out of the loop lately. I really missed blogging several times a week but honestly I just haven't had much inspiration lately. For the past few weeks I have really been feeling out of sorts and I really don't have an explanation for it. For the first time in who knows how long my dystonia has been rather mild....knock on wood. Spring did it's thing and ushered itself in along with the lovely pollen...hey isn't this what I wished for? I have begun purging my home of all things useless , in an attempt to become more zen. My calendar for the next few months has begun to fill up with all sorts of crafty, totally ambitious projects. So what's my deal? I dunno but I am definitely gonna pick myself up by the bootstraps and get myself together. There's way too much to be inspired by so here goes nothing.

During my brief hiatus, I received correspondence from the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation. I have been praying for a way to become an advocate for Dystonia and the answer was right before my eyes. So I have decided to become a part of the Dystonia Advocacy Network and become a Legislative Advocate. I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to share my story with Members of Congress and ask them to support the Dystonia community. I really encourage anyone with Dystonia to get involved today. It is a really simple process. Here's the link!! On a sidenote, while reading the latest pubblication from the DMRF, I was so encouraged as I read stories about young people with Dystonia who were being proactive to promote awareness and fundraise in support of the mission. Truly an awesome thing. They have even given me the inspiration to coordinate a Dystance4Dystonia race in the future.

Well friends, I am back on board and really excited to share whatever comes my way in the coming months. Ciao for now!!!

Birthday Well Wishes To My Sister!!!

2012-03-06T20:47:00.001-05:00

My Sis, Raiena

Today my lovely sister had a birthday....she turned.....(don't worry, I won't tell!!) Happy Birthday Sister!!!! I am so lucky to have a sister that is gracious, kind, down to earth and a wonderful friend!! I was sitting here thinking of all the great things I could say about her, how she encourages me to never give up, always cheers me up with her optimism and loves me in good times and bad. Her resilience, Christian growth and angelic voice are among the things I admire the most about her. I am blessed to have her as my first friend and confidant. So sister, I send you hugs and cyper-cupcakes this birthday!! I pray God continues to use you and bless you abundantly this year! You are a gift from heaven!!!! In honor of sisters everywhere, check out these lovelies!!!

source: Pinterest

Before I go I promised to update you all on how the Random Acts of Kindness are going this week. Well it has certainly been a blessing to see how God presents opportunities for us to bless others. The kids have really been awesome and have come up with some great ideas for our month. The older boys have taken the apartment complex by storm and are offering free trash pick ups to our dumpsters that are quite a hike. This Sunday my husband was presented with an opportunity to join in when he saw a sweet lady putting air in her tire in the rain. Although he has done this before in the past, I knew it would be wonderful to encourage men to do this more often.

Trey doing his Random Act of Kindness.

This next one was such a blast. My youngest son and I went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch and decided to go through the drive through and pay for the person behind us. We had to wait a minute for the next person to pull up and order. I paid in a jiffy, was presented with a rose from the Chick-Fil-A crew (what a surprise!!) and sped away trying to be under the radar. As we pulled away my son expressed how good that felt! We drove away smiling from cheek to cheek and prayed we were a blessing to the mystery person.

My rose from the Chick-fil-A crew!!!

Mystery person in rear view mirror.

Stay tuned for some more Random Acts of Kindness. I hope I have encouraged you all to pay it forward and look for some opportunities to make someone's day!!! Blessings!!!

March is here....Morning Ramblings

2012-03-06T06:04:00.000-05:00

I woke up so many times last night. Guess what was on my mind?! This blog!!! I haven't posted yet this month and it has been really workin' my nerves! Friday's Vlog was postponed because of technical difficulties and this weeks report on my family's RAOK (Random Acts of Kindness) took a backseat to me sitting in the E.R. again. Friends I have really been feeling a lot better lately, but this past week was a challenge. I really do think my dystonia gets worse with the bad weather, like a lot of ailments. I just wasn't prepared for the twist, and turns to return with a vengeance. As I sit at my computer this morning all is well. So I must take advantage of it and update you wonderful people.

March is here!!!! I am so excited! There is something about the ushering in of sunnier, longer days that brings me pure joy! Ahhh, spring is almost here... On the first my husband opened his March envelope for our Twelve Months of Dates. We were all prepped to enjoy a Spa Date at home, but we were pooped and fell asleep before we got a chance. So we will have to schedule that date for a later time. Basically I purchased all kinds of pampering items like facial masks, foot scrubs and polishers, massage bars, and bath fizzy thingamajigs. (Yes guys can get pampered too!!!) It's been really stressful so this date is a must do, and I highly recommend it be included in your kit if you are doing the Twelve Months of Dates. As for my baking haul Vlog, I will have to post that this Friday and I will have to update you all on our Random Acts of Kindness for Lent later today. We have really been blessed with opportunities to bless others and I am so psyched to share with you all. Well that's all folks, it's almost time to wake the kiddos. Have an awesome day!!!

Leap Day.....Come on March!!!!

2012-02-29T19:36:00.001-05:00

Happy Leap Day "Shiny Happy People"!!! I have been waiting for March 1st, and was so disappointed to find out this year was a leap year. Uuuugh!! I'm not trying to rush time ~~but~~...well I guess I am. What is leap year exactly anyway? I really have the spring itch!! Is there such a thing as a springtime junkie?! Well if so I am she!! Here's what I am so psyched for, I could just do flips!!

Source: Pinterest

Are you as ready as I am to get your hands dirty? I just love gardening, toiling in the soil. Just waiting for the last frost to plant my seedlings.

Source: Pinterest

I can't wait to trade in my trusty Uggs for my beloved flip-flops. (sidenote: get pedicure!!)

Source: Pinterest

I even am looking forward to spring cleaning....such a rejuvenating time.

Source: Pinterest

Although I suck at tennis, I am looking forward to hitting the court.

And Oh do I yearn to go on an early morning springtime trail run...hopefully my legs will cooperate.

Let's not forget my husband gets to open March's envelope for our "Twelve Months of Dates".

I also am really psyched I have several baking gigs this month....Cha Ching!!!!

Source: Pinterest

Oh, Daylight Savings Time, spring forward.....I just love longer days!!!

I am off to bed early folks....sweet dreams!!!

Random Acts of Kindness

2012-02-26T19:37:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday, wonderful people!! This morning I stumbled upon this video on You Tube and was inspired! Isn't this an awesome idea!! Well the season of Lent started on Ash Wednesday and lasts until Holy Thursday. I have been trying to think of something to do with the children to teach them about it. Although I am a non-denominational Christian, I think it is a wonderful season to celebrate and pay tribute. During Lent people usually abstain from an activity you enjoy, pray, fast and pay penance. So from now until Holy Thurday, we will perform random acts of kindness. Giving back is so important and I want my children to learn how to be selfless at an early age. While searching the web for some ideas I stumbled upon Tracy, who has a blog called TSJ Photography. She did this with her children on the days leading up to Christmas. Here's her version: Random Acts of Kindness. So we started today, and will do some pre-planned RAOK and others as the Lord presents opportunities to us. Although we are a little late, Ash Wednesday was last week, we will make up for it and keep you guys posted.

Today we visited the Fire Station and gave them cookies, (Cranberry White Chocolate Chip) and thank you notes. I decided to do this as our first RAOK because the paramedics and firefighters have been such a blessing to me. On several occasions they have been dispatched to my home . Although they were not too familiar with Dystonia, they were proactive in researching how to help me and did so quickly and courteously. They are such a blessing!!! My middle son even included a thank you for them responding so quickly when he had an asthma attack during school.

Hey Ari are you in there?

Armon having fun!!

Jey in the drivers seat!!

We even got a tour.....the kids thought that was cool!!!

Click here to purchase the RAOK kit!!!

Click here, or check out my Amazon Store to purchase this book.

"How Full Is Your Bucket? for Kids" is an awesome book that encourages children to do random acts of kindness. You can also purchase a "Random Acts of Kindness kit" on my Amazon Store page for those who aren't too crafty. Either way I encourage you all to give this a try , you will feel such a sense of satisfaction to know you have made someone's day! Stay posted to hear what other cool ideas the children and I come up with. God bless and make someone smile today!!

Girl Behind The Blog....Vlog Friday!

2012-02-24T11:55:00.000-05:00

Hola, Ladies and Gents!! Today you are in for a rare treat because it is the premiere VLOG (video blog) for Quest of the Nocturnal Baker. I missed the "Girl Behind the Blog" link up and decided to do my own VLOG series for my readers. If this is your first time stopping by welcome!!! I am so glad you are here and please stay awhile!! Now without further adieu.......Here's Inda!!!

Okay folks that's all for today! I have 250 cookies to bake for tomorrow...FUN!! Have an awesome weekend!! Ciao!!!

P.S. Check out this awesome necklace giveaway! Visit Lulu's Cottage and leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway.

Cast your burdens.....

2012-02-20T20:01:00.000-05:00

Today my blog will be my cyber-couch, that's right sometimes I feel like getting things off of my chest and today's one of those days....time for therapy. Well this weekend started off pretty awesome. Then like some swift change of winds, my world began to spiral like an unyielding cyclone. Oh, Dorothy how did you do it? First of all Saturday our truck was towed out of our apartment complex due to parking in the wrong spot. So I am sure you all know how expensive and difficult it can be to deal with towing companies, "I am just doing my job.....yadda yadda yadda". Later that evening my husband began to complain about not being able to hear out of his right ear. I thought he was just ignoring me every time I said something and got no response. Well after 24 hours of this I talked him into going to the E.R. Within minutes they found out he had a ruptured eardrum, as a result of who knows what. Well the doc gave him prescriptions, one was $299 and the other was $150..you gotta be kiddin'?! Thank God for Walmart's $4 dollar program and the kindness of the E.R nurse who gave him some drops when he returned for different prescriptions. Well I was really looking forward to caring for my husband since he wasn't feeling well, but guess what reared it's ugly head that evening. Dystonia, awful, awful dystonia....so off to the E.R. we went again to get some Benzos and an Anticholinergic. Luckily I don't remember a thing about my visit after they administered the medication. The Dr. wanted to admit me but I was adamant about not staying. NIH is less than a week a way, I have some baking orders to fill and my bonus son's birthday is tomorrow. Who has time to spend in the hospital?!

I remember once, one of my coworkers declared to the others, "She must have done something terrible to have so many things go wrong in her life". I found this out via hearsay, so I just ignored it temporarily. Later it actually really "irked" me and I was really "heated". I had to realize and share with my coworkers, as a Christian there are hills and valleys in life, storms and rainbows after the storm. God allows these storms and clouds, in our lives to bring us to the throne of grace and bring showers of blessing to us. How awesome is that!! Trouble doesn't last always, after the rain is a beautiful rainbow, God is constantly molding us into who He wants us to be. What I really want to share with you all is God is truly faithful, he answers prayers and all he requires of us is to put all of our worries in his hands. Just like the song says, "Cast your burdens unto Jesus for he cares for you". God will transform the thorns in our lives into sweet flowers. if we have faith, pray, believe and thank God in advance. Well thanks for stopping by today! I think my therapy session is complete. Blessings friends!!!!

Twelve Months of Dates.....Bier Garden Review

2012-02-18T11:46:00.002-05:00

Bier Garden....Good Times!!!

"Guten Tag" or Hello, in German to all of you beautiful people who have stopped by my blog today!!!! Earlier this week I shared with you all the deets about my awesome Valentine's day!! My gift to my husband and myself for that matter, was Twelve Months of Dates all packaged up and ready to go. It's been almost seven months since my husband and I got married, and between my hospital stays and having four children between us "date night" has definitively been a rarity. Last night was our official first "date night"and it was so much fun!! Since we started dating, whenever we passed Bier Garden he commented on wanting to go there one day. So being the sweet, intuitive wife that I am......(a little credit here) I made sure that was one of the destinations for one of our dates.

Now for the fun part, the review! First of all my husband, enjoys beer, I'm talkin' beer connoisseur, better yet beer snob. So the fact that Bier Garden offers over 300 different types of beer was definitely a plus. Prior to arrival, I checked out the menu and honestly was not too enthusiastic about the culinary choices but was willing to give German cuisine a try. Boy were we surprised to find a gem of a restaurant nestled in Olde Town Portsmouth!! From curbside the appearance was a little leery. A shabby chic garden alley steered us to the restaurant and bar entrance. I imagine in the spring and summertime this garden would be rather quaint. After putting our name on the waiting list, we were told by a sweet hostess that our wait would be about 30 minutes. So off to the bar my hubby went and returned with two brews. Did I mention I HATE beer, Uuuugh. During our wait we sat outside taking in the view, people watching and sipping our humongo glass of beer. Okay, it was actually not so bad. We decided to try, Aventinus Eisbock. The first thing you smell and taste is banana, rare huh, transitioning to subtle notes of toasted malt, coffee, and cinnamon...and absolutely no after taste. Did I mention, this beer has a 12% alcohol content, uh....one humongo glass was all I was gonna try, trying to be a good sport here!

Schnitzel!!!

Well the wait went rather quickly and we were seated in the outdoor enclosed heated patio. Immediately our jovial waitress welcomed us and recommended Schnitzel with mushroom gravy, which my husband ordered. I ordered Goulash and a pretzel roll, trying to play it safe. The food came out quickly and looked appetizing. We split the Schnitzel, which was a lightly breaded pork loin fried and topped with mushroom gravy. It was everything I wished it would be, tender, flavorful with a subtle hint of lemon beneath the abundant mushroom gravy. The side dishes were German potato salad, too sour for my liking and Spatzle noodles, sorta like mini dumpling noodles. My Goulash ( a hearty Hungarian beef stew) and warm Pretzel Roll with Spicy Mustard was DELISH. Overall our date night was a success and I highly recommend Bier Garden!!

I am sharing my Twelve Months of Dates ideas, with you all in hopes that I can encourage couples to keep love alive in their marriages. Take time out for yourselves and reignite the flame you had while dating. Stay tuned for March's Date Night recap.... AUF WEIDERSEHEN( Goodbye)!!!!!

Valentines Day Recap...Fun Times!!!!

2012-02-14T21:16:00.000-05:00

Rave reviews from the kids!!

Well another Valentine's Day has come and gone, and it was a GREAT day in my humble home. This was our first Valentine's Day as a blended family and I wanted it to be extra special. So I decided to make a tradition of having a special candlelight dinner for the children every year. My intention is to teach the children to make the holiday special for their significant others in the future and mold them into passionate, loving men and women of God. I think the best part of everything was in the preparation. Doesn't it feel good to surprise your loved ones with well deserved attention and extra special details that express your love?!!! I really enjoyed making this day memorable, and it was a breeze with the wealth of information and creative ideas off of the web. I especially enjoyed the Curtain of hearts, my version was a little different than the one on the link but the idea was the same and the kids loved it! They also enjoyed a candlelight Lasagna dinner with individual round Ghiradelli brownies and Strawberry and Pineapple jello shooters for dessert. I loved the Crush soda bottles for that extra touch of whimsy. And let's not forget a box of chocolates at each place setting. The kids were a riot.....really hamming it up. Gotta love it!!!

Check out the brownie!!1

Looks like she is enjoying her lasagna!

My two oldest boys...hamming it up!!

Well the kids weren't the only ones who had an awesome Valentine's Day. My husband surprised me with my special request of flowers that I can plant in the earth and see bloom year after year. I'm that kinda girl, forget about the stuffed animals, I love me some flowers!!!! We were so happy to simply spend the day together and we had lunch at our FAVE spot. Kam Ho Restaurant. Mr. Kam is the owner and gives us such great service every time we visit. He even showed us some Tai Chi and shared some ginseng powder with Trey because he's been fighting a cold for a few weeks now. If you are in the Hampton Roads area give Kam Ho a visit, you will be delighted!!

Mr. Kam

Shrimp Fried Rice with hot oil...yum!!.

We agreed to focus on the children this year but as a newlywed I really wanted our day to be memorable. I pinned this idea on Pinterest for Twelve months of dates, and was sold. So my mind started reeling on 12 special pre-planned and pre-paid dates, for the hubby and I. It was a hit and we are so psyched to go on our special dates! Here's my version of this super date idea. I included twelve envelopes, each with details of different dates, most of them are things we have never done. I also included a photo card, two journals with pens for us to complete after our dates and exchange at the end of the year. My husband officially opened the first envelope today and our first date will be to Bier Garden for lunch and a stroll around Portside. Here's a peek:

Twelve months of Dates!!!

I hope your day was as full of blessings as ours was. We enjoyed family, special friends and focused on what is the most important thing God asks us to do......Love one another!!! Stay tuned to hear about future, Twelve Months of Dates posts!! Ciao for now friends!!!

Great News......Appt. At NIH!!!!!

2012-02-09T09:12:00.000-05:00

Hola!!!!!! I rarely do three posts in a week, but I just had to share with you the good news! Yesterday I received a call from NIH (National Institute of Health), one of my neuros referred me to them and after reviewing my medical records they decided to take my medical case on. I am SOOOOOO excited!! I don't even have to wait a year and a day for the appointment, just a few weeks. For those of you not familiar with the NIH, it is one of the world's foremost medical research centers funded by the federal government. The medical treatment is cutting edge and of no cost to the patient. How great is that?! Above all, I will become a partner in research towards the discovery of a cure for Dystonia. This is especially important to me, having the genetic form of Dystonia which is hereditary. Well, this month has been one of waiting and praying. God is really an "on time" God, and I am so grateful for the favor He has given to qualify for treatment.

That's the dish friends, other than that, I have a busy baking month ahead of me, some fun things planned for the kiddos, and some great post ideas for my blog. So all is well in my neighborhood, hope you all can say the same!! Ciao for now!!!!!

Banana Split Cupcakes

2012-02-08T15:03:00.001-05:00

Sheesh, just when you have a good thing going, folks wanna know what the secret recipe is.....just kiddin! I am so happy to oblige my fellow novice bakers with my "secret" recipe which is actually no secret at all! Now don't get used to all of this happy go lucky sharing....one day I would like to finally make some MOOLAH with this baking stuff. In the meantime, I will share one of my most requested cupcakes, especially from the kiddos. If you love banana bread, you will LOVE this moist, delicate cupcake that will tantalize your tastebuds. Last summer I was looking for kid friendly cupcake recipes to add to my farmer's market menu. Finding lots of great recipes was not the problem, I wanted to tweak them and make them my own. So after some trial and lots of ERROR, I had a winner. Now you will too. You guys are sooooo lucky!

Banana Split Cupcake

Yield: 18 Super duper cupcakes!!!

Ingredients:

Banana Cupcake
1/2 Cup shortening
1 and 1/2 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup mashed overripe banana
1/4 Cup buttermilk
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
3/4 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon salt

Frosting
1/2 Cup unsalted butter
2 and 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons milk

Chocolate Sauce
2/3 Cup dark chocolate
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
4-6 Tablespoons water

Decorations
Multi-color sprinkles, nonpareils
Banana Chips
Maraschino Cherries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Slowly add eggs, vanilla, banana and buttermilk. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture.
Fill cupcake wrappers about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
Frosting-While cupcakes are cooling, combine powdered sugar, butter and milk until a smooth consistency for frosting.
Chocolate Sauce- Place chocolate in microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time until chocolate is completely melted. Combine powdered sugar and add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until sauce is at a pouring consistency. Let sauce cool.
Assembly- With a large piping tip ( I use the 1A size for this) and pastry bag, pipe 1/2 of the frosting beginning from center of cupcake to outer edges. Place cupcakes in freezer for about 15 minutes for frosting to harden. After chocolate sauce is cool, dip cupcakes in sauce and rim with sprinkles or nonpareils. Return cupcakes to freezer for about 15 minutes.
Fill pastry bag with remaining frosting with a large star tip and pipe swirls on cupcakes. Top with maraschino cherry and banana chip.

Tips: Here are some extra tips to make your cupcakes outstanding.

First of all, have your eggs at room temperature when baking.
I use a ice cream scoop to get cupcakes that are all the same size.
Baste cupcakes with simple syrup before frosting. Combine water and sugar in a 1:1 ratio and boil, let cool.
If you do not have buttermilk, you can substitute with regular milk combined with a tablespoon of white vinegar. Let it sit for about ten minutes so it can begin to curdle.
You can also make this cupcake with butter rather than shortening, I prefer the texture the shortening achieves.
Lastly you can find banana chips in your local grocery either in the chip aisle or near the dried fruits.

Well you absolutely must give this recipe a try, you will not be disappointed! Happy Baking!!! Here's my Amazon Store filled with baking must haves. Click here!!!

Dystonic Ramblings: Quest for Alternative Therapies

2012-02-07T12:10:00.000-05:00

Hello once again friends! I really have to get on the ball here! It's been over a week since my last post and I am so excited to share with you an update! A few months ago, I introduced you all to Dystonia and shared my interview with the media in this post. Last week I shared with you all the fact that I have a very important decision to make in the near future. I have seriously been contemplating taking a leap of faith and getting Deep Brain Stimulation. This is a MAJOR life decision and I take it so serious. Having prayed about it, I have also decided to be proactive and try alternative therapies in the meantime. Now I promised my sweet Titi Provi, that I wouldn't try any "Holistic Crap" and I am certainly not going down the wayside. I have weaned myself off of a lot of meds that were making me weaker according to my neuro. I am starting to feel a bit like my old vibrant self, and that has me "cheesing" from ear to ear! I have had quite a lot less dystonic flare ups, and when I do the duration is nearly not as long as usual.

Okay here are the deets! Oh, do I hope my Dystonic Storms do not return with a vengeance.....Anyhoo. Well after doing a lot of research and reading medical journals, I stumbled upon some very interesting finds. Sort of like striking gold...well at least to me. My first awesome find was a website called Earth Clinic. This site is chock full of natural home remedies for all types of maladies. After browsing through some forum topics I became intrigued with the concept of oil pulling. Oil pulling is a traditional Indian folk remedy that includes swishing oil in the mouth to remove toxins. Here's a link to the oil pulling forum page. Please check it out!
Well I was full of toxins and figured what's the hurt in swishing with natural oils, so I gave it a try. It has been almost 2 weeks and have been oil pulling daily upon rising. I use EVOO and try to swish for 10 minutes without activating my gag reflex. At first it was a little challenging but after a few days it became easier and the oil is actually pleasant on the palate. I immediately noticed my teeth were whiter and seemed stronger. My gums and tongue are a bright pink color.....bonus points! Lately I have been dealing with sinus congestion and shortly after giving this a try, my sinuses began to drain and relieve my headaches. I have also noticed that I have been sleeping like a baby and have much more energy, (which may be a result of not taking my muscle relaxants). Ok, as for cons, I have broken out with several rashes on my legs which I have read is a result of toxins leaving the body. The rashes went away after about a day and recur occasionally, no biggie. So for me Oil Pulling is great and my family will continue to incorporate it into our daily routine. Another remedy I stumbled upon is the consumption of massive amounts of carrot juice to keep dystonic activity at bay. I will have to review this at a later time, after giving it a go for more than a month. I do know that I will not consume as much carrot juice because I am trying to avoid too much Vitamin A in my diet, still worth a try though. Finally I have commited to change my diet. I have decided to cook with Coconut oil after watching this video about it's benefits. It's amazing! Also after reading tons of medical journals I have found out that my dystonia may be a result of my body not metabolizing protein as well. I am not a medical authority, but I am still being proactive and trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together for my own well being. I have decided to try the PKU diet, which is basically a low protein high veggie diet...Oy Vey do I love me some protein!!! But I would really love to drastically see a change in my dystonia and not have to succumb to drastic measures to be well. Well that's all for today folks! As always God is Good! I know that if it is His will to heal me it will be done and I will be sure to give Him all the praise! If I must live with this, I will also be sure to give Him all of the praise and continue to advocate for a cure, and fight the good fight!

Friends thanks for letting me share my journey with you! My inspiration comes from so many of you all that share your journeys with me and encourage me to remain faithful, strong in spirit and it's absolutely a wonderful blessing!!! Ciao for now!!!!

Dystonic Ramblings.....Reality of DBS

2012-01-28T12:09:00.000-05:00

I can't stop looking at this picture. While on "Pinterest" I followed someone with a Dystonia pin page, she had this pinned and I am in awe. What was the artist's intention, inspiration? Everyone interprets art in their own way. Why does this resonate so loudly with me I am actually experiencing tinnitus? I leave it only to return and study it.......why? When I close my eyes, the black metal contraption drilled into her skull and piercing somberness of the woman's eyes, remain etched in my memory. The dimly lit sky in the foreground gives way to a partial cloudiness while her dystonic reflection floats in nothingness....

It's weird how God prepares us for things in life. Sending people in our lives to teach us strength and dignity a midst pain and turmoil or maybe he sends us to a picture, a passage. I have been sitting, clearing my mind and body of chaos and static so I can hear clearly. I have laid my petition before the Lord and thanked him in advance. Is this the answer I have been waiting for? We are to be still and know who our God is and wait......right?! But doesn't God require us be proactive, make some decisions on our own... How do we know without a shadow of a doubt that the decision we make is God's will? Will the answer come in a dream.....that would make things so much easier. (sigh) As you can see I have a major decision to make in the near future.

My Dystonia has progressed rather rapidly. I have been hospitalized over 20 different times within a year. My neuro (renowned movement specialist) says if he were me he'd go for Deep Brain Stimulation. According to him, my life would spiral downward into a debilitating existence without it. So I have decided to take this time (about a month) to be still, reflect, pray, listen, prepare. Praise the "Living God" that He is the same God that spoke directly to Moses and can speak directly to me.........sshhhhhh, now I must listen.