We’re only five days away from Sammy’s very first Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk! FIVE DAYS! We’ve been absolutely amazed at the support that has rolled in through the last two months. You can see on our sidebar widget that we’re about 80% of the way to our goal of $2,000. I still can’t believe we were able to dream of hitting the $2,000 mark.
With five days remaining, I’m feeling like our goal is definitely within reach. If you’ve been thinking about donating but haven’t done so yet, this is the time. We’d really love to have as many people a part of the team as possible. You can give anonymously if you’d like, and no amount is too small. The money goes to the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota for resources for individuals and families with Down syndrome. We have already benefited tremendously from the help they have given us during our transition to this “new normal” I talked about in Sammy’s birth story. Since Sammy birth just four months ago, we’ve met three families here in Duluth with brand new babies who unexpectedly have Down syndrome. The resources for families are incredibly important. Thank you so much!!
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I just had an odd mama moment. I heard Ella in bed calling for me, saying, “Mama, Mama, I’m thirsty.” I went up to her room with a very small glass of water, and while she drank it, I thought, how did this happen? When did I become a mama?
Do you ever catch yourself in a moment like that, feeling like it should be years earlier, a time when you couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to be the keeper of a little life, let alone more than one little life? Yet when I heard Miss Ella calling for me, I knew exactly what to do and exactly what to say to her that would encourage her to go back to sleep without wanting to crawl out of her bed and see what I was doing. Sometimes I’m just amazed at what has happened on this path of life. I’m married to the most amazing man alive. (It’s true. I could write a book with all the proof.) I have two beautiful babies who brighten my world countless times a day with their smiles. I love practically every part of my life (I could do without laundry) and we’re on an adventure that’s about to take us halfway around the world. Whoa. I can’t even get my head around it.
I know this is all rather contemplative. I’m pretty sure I know what’s bringing it on. In just three days I’ll wrap up the first year of my thirties. Yes, it’s my birthday, just around the corner, on Friday. I will be the big three one. I’m not one who hides my age when the day comes around. First of all, I know I don’t look it. I hear that all the time. What? You’re married? Um, yes. And I have kids. Gasp. I’m used to smiling and saying I’m older than I look. I think it’s kind of funny. Second, age brings so many good things – wisdom, experience, adventure. I’ll gladly take more of all of the above.
This is going to be a crazy busy week, so I want to have some blog fun just for my birthday. I was recently playing around with a few ideas and created a mug for The Little Yellow Kitchen. I just received two of them in the mail, the only two that exist, and I want to give one away! Yes, you could be the winner of the very first Yellow Kitchen mug!
To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this blog post telling me about the best birthday cake you’ve ever had. Be sure to include at least your first name with your comment. I’ll end the comments at midnight on Friday, select the winning post with random.org, and post the winner on Saturday. For an extra entry into the giveaway, become a follower of our blog! You can do so by clicking “Join This Site” in the column to the right. If you’re already a follower, let me know in a comment. Be sure to check back Saturday to see if you’ve won!
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Pete just headed to the hospital for a night of baby deliveries, the little ones are sleeping soundly, and I have a list of costume ideas to put together for the walk this weekend. Sometimes these nights alone are just what a mama needs. I’m going to put in a movie and get to work.
Happy end of September!
My best birthday cake, isn’t a cake. Its banana cream pie my grandma makes me. For me it is so special to still have my grandma and that she makes me homemade banana cream pie, only dislike about it is I have to share it 😉
Jaimie Dinehart
I also follow your blog.
Jaimie Dinehart
Luke bought me a chocolate sundae cake from a fancy bakery that uses quality ingredients. it was so yummy!
Better than sex cake: a delicious concotion of caramel, chocolate, health, and whip cream.
Christina Krol
Last year my mom made me a homemade chocolate cake with chocolate frosting that was amazing:) Have a blast this weekend. Wish I could be there!
My fave cake growing up was DQ ice cream cake. But now, cheesecake or brownies are my go-to. So I guess none of those are *real* cakes though – then chocolate, dense and moist.
Yay for you guys and your fundraiser!
Cute mug!
Ice cream cake!
Rob’s is white cake with PB frosting (his grandpa always had it for his b-day) 🙂
Rob and Kristine Lager
The best birthday cake I have ever had were the ones my Grandma used to make when I was little. They were made with love. (Boxed cake mix with homemade frosting)
Emily Maki
My favorite cake is ice cream cake! Yum! I had a mint chocolate chip one once that was so, so yummy! Anything with ice cream is my weakness!
And I’m following you!
Hi, Angie! Even if I don’t win the mug, you should make them available to those of us that wish to get them! 😉
My Mom always made angel food cake for every single birthday for my brother and I, usually with the “confetti” mixed in. We ate it topped with fresh strawberries or raspberries and a dab of ice cream. I turned 27 this year, and I still had my cake went I went down to visit her around my birthday. You remember things like that. 🙂
LOTS OF LOVE!
The cake I remember the most was for my 11th birthday. My mom decorated it. Unfortunately, I did not appreciate it at the time.
Such a great logo and super cute mug! My favorite birthday cake was a baked oreo cheesecake. Really rich and oh so tasty! I think my mom really disliked making them but couldn’t say no on my birthday, ha!
Hope you have a lovely birthday day with your beautiful family 🙂
Amy Seip
Randy makes me the most scrumptious, completely from scratch, ginormous cheesecake every year for my birthday! It can’t be beat!
Hey Angie,
I know what you mean, when a mama is alone, it’s like almost everything is invisible and you can work and get so much done!
I would have to say the cake i Loved had to be the chocolate cake frosted with lavender and dark purple. I also was wearing an outfit w/accessories of all dark purple. It was the ‘purple’ birthday and all my pictures show how happy i was! 🙂
I also follow your blog and enjoy being encouraged by your posts!
– Lexie ><>
Even though my sister’s birthday was three days before mine(yes not even a full year later) our mom went to the trouble of making separate cabbage patch doll cakes one year-in our favorite color for the same celebration with our gamily. Sister’s pink and mine purple:) it must have been Love.
Best wishes,
Krista
Even though my sister’s birthday was three days before mine(yes not even a full year later) our mom went to the trouble of making separate cabbage patch doll cakes one year-in our favorite color for the same celebration with our gamily. Sister’s pink and mine purple:) it must have been Love.
Best wishes,
Krista
My best birthday cake ever was a white cake with rasberry filling and chocolate all over the top. It was awesome and so moist.
Vickie Heller
Oh and I also follow your blog
I grew up with Baskin Robbins mint ice cream cake until I was out of high school! So, one year when a friend wanted to bake me a cake, she asked me what my favorite cake was. It took me a while to realize that I didn’t have a favorite cake, and I didn’t really like cake because I grew up with Ice Cream cake! Well, my friend was determined to make me the best cake ever (that wasn’t ice cream). It was a coconut cake, poked with cream of coconut and frosted with coconut icing. You may think that was a coconut over load, but honestly, it was The. Best. Cake. I ever had! She has redeemed the traditional birthday cake for me. That was just a couple years ago 🙂
Good post. : ) And the mug is so cute!