WHEW!!!

I have had many sleepless nights the past few weeks stressing about this cake. Not making it, delivering it.

I got it there, assembled it, put the finishing touches on it, and got out before I put my finger through it! WHEW!!!

HOLY CAKE!!!

There are 100 windows that I cut out freehand with a knife, piped sections into, and piped a frame onto. I hope it's a while before I get this request again.

Can anyone recognize the temple (who I didn't already know about it)?

Picture Blowout Send-Off

I stand by my title.

Tonight was our last night with Auntie Janie before she goes to New York City to nanny. I guess those kids are cuter than these (yeah, right!), but we'll find ways to keep in touch.

We went up the canyon for a "barbeque" with foil dinners and Emilie's dutch oven peach cobbler. These are my favorite summer nights. Prepare yourself for a ton of pictures (disclaimer: many were taken by miniature rogue photographers)

Riley did NOT want to be in the picture!!!

Sneaky sneaky!!!

Natalie, taking a picture of Sammy, taking a picture of Natalie.

Janie's former nanny position.

I don't know which of my kids took this, but I'm impressed that it looks set up.

Sweet Natty.

Scary Natty!!

Sweet Riley.

Stevie picking his nose?

Stevie's set-up of Star Wars toys. My son is such a geek.

This about sums it up.

We'll miss you Janie. Have fun in the Big Apple!!!

chocolate

It isn't very fancy, it isn't very large, it isn't even a chocolate cake on the inside...it's french vanilla coated in chocolate ganache. It just looks so darn tasty (and it is, was).

Gardening ... Check

My "garden" has been the butt of many a joke for the past few summers, and for good reason. It has been sorely neglected and had gone all Lord of the Flies.

This year I was determined to clean it up and make it pretty again, at least once.

Ta-da!

Miracle

Some people might not consider this a miracle, but I do.

Yesterday there was a lot of commotion around the holiday barbeque and in the midst of chaos, I gave Natalie her daily dose of lantus. This gives her a base level of insulin that lasts for 24 hours. Last night as I was drifting off to sleep a thought popped into my head and I mumbled to Steve "Did you give Natalie her lantus today?". He said yes. I was instantly wide awake. She had gotten a double dose that could make her drop like a rock in her sleep!

Long story short, we tested her every 2 hours last night giving her chocolate milk as needed. In one 2 hour block she dropped from 145 to 76, and that was early on in the night. I have no doubt that if we had let her go all night she would have been comatose this morning.

Shortly after this awful realization last night, Steve asked what made me ask about lantus right then as we were both falling asleep. I did not know. There was no train of thought leading up to it, there was just the thought to ask Steve about the lantus and I acted on it. I have no doubt that this miracle was a result of the frequent and regular prayers on Natalies behalf given by us and many of you.

Thank you.