Happy Birthday Molly- Top 14 reasons why I love you

Happy Birthday Molly Elizabeth, my first born, my guinea pig, my lovely lady. Sometimes I wonder if I teach you as much as you teach me. I feel extremely blessed to have been granted the care and raising of such a choice, strong young woman. 14 years have flown by, I can hardly believe that 14 years ago I became a mom, the one job I always wanted. Thank you my sweet Molly for being, well, YOU!

14 Reasons Why I Love You SO Much!

1. You have the sweetest smile in the world. I can be in the foulest of moods, but as soon as you smile, my Molly brings sunlight to my day.

2. Santa's little helper, mommy's little helper, Mrs. Bennet's little helper..... I could go on and on. No one has to ask you to help, you just offer. Whether it's for help at ballet, school, home, you jump in and help.



3. A stubborn streak to rival yo mommas! What was Heavenly Father thinking putting to extremely determined people in the same house, oh help us. The great thing about being stubborn is that once you are determined nothing stands in your way.

4. Passion! I adore the passion and love you have for ballet. I think I pop at least 3 buttons every recital, I should take stock in the button industry. You have a grace and confidence that every 14 year old should have.

5. Just like your Daddy you never met a man you didn't like. I honestly can say, cross my heart, hope to die, that I NEVER hear a negative or unkind word about any of your friends, semi-friends, heck, any person you know. (Secretly this drives me insane!)

6. Grace under fire and the ability to bounce back are qualities that every person strives for, at 14 you're doing a pretty good job at mastering both. When you injured your knee I was proud at your desire to jump right back into the game.

7. You have a tender heart Molly. When a kiss is needed you give it, when a knee is bleeding you mend it. I will never forget the kindergarten field trip that you brought band aids to just in case one of your classmates got a boo boo. And what happened? Someone scraped their knee and you literally went running to them with a band aid in hand.

8. Music soothes your soul, plus you do have a pretty good sense of what's rockin'! I can jam to any of the music on your ipod, especially Rascal Flats, Twilight, and shhh, the Jonas Brothers.

9. I love your sweet little dimple, just one, not two. You could win any cutie pie contest with that one little dimple on your cheek.

10. You have a softness about you even perfect strangers notice. When Emma was born my OB, after meeting you in the delivery room, struck up a 1/2 hour conversation about the inner glow she noticed in my oldest baby. There is a light shining in you no one can deny.

11. I love that you have no qualms stating the fact that changing a diaper is gross and disgusting, you tells it like it is girlie! Yuck, ewww, gross, no-way, let Katie do it, all phrases that have been uttered from your mouth. BUT, you still do it. And yes Molly, changing diapers is gross, disgusting, yuck, ewww, and Katie can do it whenever she wants too.

12. You've never had a problem holding your own with Ben. Bitefest USA, as Daddy called it, was not an event because you were a meek and mild child with your crazy little brother. You would stand stubbornly strong, quality #3 in full force, when Ben would do his boy thang!

13. I've always seen your inner mommy, a desire to nurture, cuddle, and care for people. You and Ben are 16 months apart, not that far, especially when you were just a little tyke. One day I was making dinner and the baby was crying in the bouncer for just a little attention. What did mother Molly do? You lifted that baby out(as I watched with caution) and cradled and rocked the baby to calm them down. Diapers eww, cuddle aww!

14. I knew the moment you were born that Daddy's genes ran strong with you. As the years have gone by you don't necessarily look like him as much anymore, but his personality traits are your personality traits. Take pride in being just like your dad, I know he did.

Happy 14th Birthday Molly!

Celebrating a Life!

Today would be Duane's 36th birthday, 35 years was just not long enough, but 35 more wouldn't have been either. I miss him horribly, miss all that there was to him. His smile, laugh, clicking jaw, tushy, you name it I miss it.

I wanted to share with everyone just a smattering of the life that Duane lived, and he lived truly a remarkable and wonderful life(not meaning to sound like a movie). I hope you capture a glimpse of who he was, what he loved and why he fought so hard to live. Enjoy!
Duane and Darrell, his big brother

The first time I saw this pic I thought Duane had leukemia! He was so bald.

Haven't I seen this face before? Could be any one of my Kindergartners.

We all have those pictures!

Family shot, Duane, Richard, Phyllis, and Darrell

Can we say Ben? or maybe Hannah? heck how about all of them!

Duane named one of his hamsters Tracy after a girl in school he had a crush on.

This was the boy I fell in love with, isn't he a cutie!

Lovebirds!

Engagement Picture, so formal!

My goofball!

Couldn't have been happier that day! Amazing how you think that you will never love them more than you do on your wedding day, so false! Love grows and grows and grows!

This was taken at our house in Stillwater, loved that little blue house.

2006

2007 Thanksgiving, right after he was diagnosed.

One of my favorite pictures, this was taken in Colorado. I really was a very romantic feeling looking at him for that picture.

Thanks Angela for the beautiful creation. Again this was Thanksgiving 2007.

Our last Christmas together. Duane was reading 'Twas the night before Christmas, his little part of Christmas Eve.

Ben's baptism

Duane and Emma. He loved holding his babies.

Molly and baby Ben.

Our wonderful trip to DisneyWorld. We only had 4 kids!

I don't know which baby that is, I think it's Hannah, but Duane's face just says it all!

Molly and Ben

Daddy and Jack

Daddy daughter dance, just one of many pictures we have. The girls loved going on a date with their daddy.

Molly and Katie

Duane's last birthday. We now prize that superman mug, it's the "special" mug.

Goofball times 3!

That was the best cake, couldn't have been more perfect.

Duane's last birthday at the time I just thought was maybe a little over the top, I mean he was going to live many years passed his 35th. Just one of the many small blessings we were given. I am so glad to have shared his last birthday with so many friends and family, making his birthday a true Celebration of His Life!

Happy Birthday my love, I miss you, I love you, I can't wait to kiss you again!

Hannah's little hint

So tell me what do you think, is Hannah trying to tell me something? Sunday we were driving home from church when Hannah noticed a man out walking his dog. It was a beautiful day for walking but my sweet three year old called out in such a concerned tone, "Aahh, that man doesn't have a car!"

We need to get out and walk more.

Chocoholics Anonymous-White Chocolate Cheesecake

Look at that beauty, drool with me now, and yes, you have my permission to be green with envy because this is the most wonderful tasting, satisfying cheesecake you will ever devour! Every year for my little sister's birthday I make this White Chocolate Cheesecake from a recipe book I would cry if I lost. Death by Chocolate by Marcel Desaulniers was a present from my honey many, many, many year ago. I think it could have been our first Christmas together. I love this cookbook, not that I make a lot of recipes from it, but that the pictures alone are scrumptious, and of course this recipe is worth it weight in gold.

Duane and I dubbed this cheesecake, 2 a.m. cheesecake because that was the approximate time the cheesecake would finally make it into the fridge. I've always been a late night baker, kids are going to bed, time to bake! Well when the process to make this baby takes around seven hours from start to finish starting to bake at 7 at night is not the best idea. But year after year I would fall into the same trap. Fortunately I had a fantastic husband who would get up at 1 in the morning to put the cheesecake in the fridge or worse, one year it was 3! I tell you these facts not to scare you off just to help you not fall into the same trap as myself. It really is worth the time. I hope you give it a whirl, I promise your family will sing your praises.

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Chocolate Cooke Crust

3 T melted butter

2 1/2 c chocolate cookie crumbs*

White Chocolate Cheesecake

18 oz white chocolate, broken into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 c heavy cream

1 3/4 lbs cream cheese, softened

1 c sugar

1 t salt

6 eggs

1 t vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

1/3 c heavy cream

1 T butter

1 T sugar

3 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2 inch pieces

Preheat oven to 325. Butter the inside of a 9x3 inch springform pan. Mix the cookie crumbs* and the melted butter together and press into the bottom and half way up sides of the pan. Place the pan into the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Using a double boiler on medium high heat, melt together the broken pieces of white chocolate and 1/2 c heavy cream. Should take about 10 minutes to melt. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside.

Place the cream cheese, 1 c sugar, and the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on low for 1 min, on medium for 1 min, and on high for 1 min. Scrape down the bowl, then beat on high for and additional minute. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, 2 at a time, beating on medium for 15 seconds after adding, and scrape down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate mixture, then beat on medium for 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter until it is smooth and thoroughly combined. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared springform pan, spreading evenly.

Place a pan partially filled with 4 c of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven( at least 3 inches below the center rack). Place the springform pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 15 min. Lower the temp to 250 degrees and bake for 15 min. Lower the temp to 225 degrees and bake for 15 min. Then lower the temp to 200 degrees, and bake the cheesecake about 2 hours and 45 min. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven undisturbed for an additional 2 hours. Remove from the oven and cool at room temp for 1 hour. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 12 hours (leave in the springform pan).

After the cheesecake has been refrigerated for 12 hours, prepare the chocolate ganache. Heat 1/3 c heavy cream, 1 T butter, and 1 T sugar in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Place the semisweet chocolate in a bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 3-4 min. Stir until smooth. Pour over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Use a rubber spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the top. Refrigerate for 30 min. To serve take a warm damp towel and wrap it around the sides of the springform pan. The heat should loosen the sides of the cheesecake enough that it releases perfectly. Serve the cheesecake with a puree of raspberries.

*I use 2 ready made oreo pie crusts that I smush into crumbs. You can make chocolate cookies and make crumbs out of them or just use chocolate graham crackers too.

Well worth the effort, time, and calories! And now you know why I call it 2 a.m. Cheesecake!!

Happy Birthday Katie Rose!

Today is Katie's 11th birthday and to honor my 3rd monkey here are 11 facts about my little girl.

1. She has an irrational fear of aliens. The aluminum foil is example of her trying to keep the aliens out of her brain. Just add a few glasses of water around the house and we are now living the movie Signs.

2. Katie is a hopeless romantic at heart in training. She will giggle at the first thought of romance in anything, cartoons, movies, and especially her siblings lives. Molly REFUSES to unlock her lips to who she crushes on because of the "giggle factor".

3. When Katie was little she had this cool, funky pair of sunglasses. We called her "Hollywood", not just because she looked like a starlet, but that she acted like one whenever she wore them. Fast forward a few years and introduce Rock band into Katie's life and we have now confirmed her nickname "Hollywood" to be even more appropriate.


4. Katie dreaded being the middle child! When Emma was born she was thrilled beyond belief that she no longer held the spot of middle child. Poor Jack.

5. Katie was cooked on cupcakes, donuts, and cookies, that's how I explain to her why she has such an incredible sweet tooth. Krispy Kreme could be the staple to her diet and she would never tire of it's doughy goodness.

6. Wizards of Waverly Place is her favorite TV show so she tells me, but I have to say she is a 100% Doctor Who junkie! She even took a picture of the new Doctor and the current Doctor to show her teacher. What a great sport Mrs. Bennett was, she listen to that silly girl gush over her favorite Doctor.

7. Katie just oozes cheerleader, ballerina, actress, life of the party. What ever that girl want to do she accomplishes, now if I could only get her to desire a clean room.

8. Look at those freckles, I love them to pieces! Katie inherited her Daddy's freckles, his nose and that one crooked tooth, all things that she loves to have of Daddy.

9. This past summer I became known as "Not the Katie, not the Katie!" Do you remember the TV show The Dinosaurs? Emma loves, I should say adores her Katie, and I might add, so do I!

10. Katie is an excellent student, always well behaved and respectful. Despite the hardship our family went through this past fall, she still pulled off straight A's, I was so proud and I know that Duane would have been super proud.

11. Katie Rose was named for Duane's great Grandma Katie Rose. We knew that her named fit perfectly a few hours after she was born. We looked at her perfect, honestly and truly, little round face and noticed the most beautiful rose complexion. She was our Rosie.

Happy Birthday my baby girl, Momma loves you.