Mother’s Day

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It’s hard not to think about where I was a year ago…I was almost to the point that I was paranoid about not getting sick this year. It was last year, at this very function that Nishad started to shiver and I took his temperature to find that it was 101.8! That night, I prayed over him– as only a mother can. I asked that whatever he was fighting off be released into me as I was older, bigger and stronger than his little body. Regardless of what you believe, I believe that I just may have took that on. I would do it again in a heart-beat too. The following day I woke-up in extreme pain, vomiting and was alternating from a fever to the chills. Around 1p.m., I told Ashish that we should go to Urgent Care. My friend L, celebrating Mother’s Day with her own three children, unselfishly dropped everything and came over to watch our boys. It was at Urgent Care that they sent us directly to the ER as my white count was at almost 27,000. Something was very wrong. Hours later, we would find out that I had pneumonia. I would go in 10 days later, on my last dose of meds, to see how things were progressing. Ironically, unknowingly, my sister (12 years my Senior) had a doctor appoint for her health as well back in Chicagoland on that very same day. I would get a thumbs up, and she would be sent to the hospital. She wouldn’t leave the hospital. She died that night, 10 days after Mother’s Day, 7 days from my Mother’s Birthday– the same age as my Mom when she passed away from breast cancer; 47. Though my sister wasn’t in the best of health, they had no warning that she would pass away. They actually admitted her into the hospital to stabilize her glucose level. She had just come back from taking a group of people to Walt Disney World. Apparently, she was in poor condition prior to leaving as well as when she was there. Her death certificate says that the reason for passing were cirrhosis of the liver (non-alcoholic) and staph. Though I wasn’t 100%, I knew I had to head back to Chicagoland to support my niece and be there to say goodbye to my sister. Though she and I didn’t have the best relationship, I loved her and I know she loved me. I know in my heart, she has found my mother and has found peace. Like my Mom, she was gone too soon. There is an unsettling feeling that rests in your bones when you wrap your head around losing your Mom at 47, and your sister at the same age as well. I don’t want to rush past the next 13 years, however, please forgive me if I REALLY celebrate 48.

Tiger giving me some love in his classroom.


Nishad proudly posing with me after we shared a strawberry short cake.


Nishad and his bestie. I’m so glad they found one another. J is a great kid and Nishad just adores him and his family– as a matter of fact, so do we!

Happy Easter!

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We made it back in time from the Dells for some Easter fun. You guessed it, we don’t lie to our kids about the Easter Bunny just as we don’t lie to them…period. It’s all in fun and “make-believe” and what fun it is to pretend when you are 2 and 4 years old!

We decorated eggs, Daddy hide eggs on the front lawn early in the morning, and the boys opened baskets filled with Regina’s candy in St Paul. This old-fashioned candy shoppe is only a few blocks away from my school. We love to support small, local businesses when possible. It’s a great store, filled with some of the richest stuff on earth…

The boys spent the morning playing in the back yard in their sand-box. Oh, how great it is being able to utilize the back yard again! We do love our private lot…we’re so fortunate that we were able to select a lot that doesn’t back up to another backyard. It really does create a beautiful backyard experience. And…I am looking forward to many more experiences in our backyard ahead as it appears Spring IS finally here! Yes, we made it through another winter.

Though times were very busy this month and I didn’t get Easter/Spring cards out, it doesn’t mean that we didn’t think of you! I’m learning with being a Mom, wife, business owner and student that I must prioritize. Though I wish there are more hours in a day- there just are not. I’m also making a conscious decision to “de-stress” my days. Sometimes, though I love to do things for others and send out cards, it can create a lot of added pressure and stress on me when I’m attempting to juggle a million other things. I know that most people in my life fully understand, and would rather see my happy and healthy instead of receiving a card. I’m lucky to have your understanding… And, this means, you’ll never know when you will get a card in the mail! ::::Slow down, calm down, trust the process…be peaceful. That’s where I’m at right now.

Happy Easter!

Coco for coconut

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With so much chocolate to be found on the days leading up to Easter, and the baskets that have chocolate over-flowing from them, I refused to make anything chocolate. Last year I made a carrot cake, but this year I decided to make something different with my own twist on it! A Coconut Cake complete with a light cream cheese-coconut frosting, filled with a stingy glazing of lemon curd. Of course, if you prefer not to make it, you can buy some “good” lemon curd for about $6-9 at Byerly’s as well.

This cake reminded me of some of the cakes you could get back in Chicago at your neighborhood bakery. It can’t get sweeter than that!

Spring Break 10

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I had to start off with a Beverly “signature” shot of the boys holding hands with their backs to me…

I completed my first tri–mester at St.
Catherine’s University (straight A’s on all assignments handed in for both classes, might I add) and the boys finished their last day of school…which meant, it was time to celebrate! The boys and I had 1 week off for Spring Break, which was a welcomed break.

Especially, with the wave of strep throat that swept our household. I had my first case of strep throat ever back in mid-February, only to get it again and then poor Nishad got it was well (apparently, there were a lot of cases in his school). In addition, we had Tiger at Urgent Care because he scratched his eye at school. They gave him ointment and he is fine now. We also had his 2 year wellness visit (albeit a little late) where his new pediatrician gave him a happy clean bill of health. She mentioned that Nishad was tall, but it just may be possible that Tiger will be even taller than Nishad (both our boys are going to over tower us- which is fine with me!). Oh, and we can’t forget the doctor visit on behalf of Nishad’s ear. Both my babies have never had an earache (knock-on-wood), so I thought in

stantly when Nishad complained of his ear, it unfortunately struck. However, after going to the doctor, we found out that he has impacted ear wax. Which, was frustrating as doctors in the past have told us “he’s a waxy guy” and it’s not an issue. Well, it became an issue. The hardened wax would enlarge when water seeped in which was very painful. This explains why he loves swim class, but didn’t like to float on his back. So, all in all, we made about 6 trips in one month to the doctor’s office or urgent care. I felt like we were on a first name basis.

The boys had a fantastic time in the Dells! At first, I thought of driving to Chicago, but because I would be by myself and it was an 8 hour trip, I decided to pass on that. I found an amazing water park/hotel that is wonderful because it is p-e-r-f-e-c-t for the ages that our boys are! The decore is a bit dated (as many things are in the Dells), but it’s clean, at a great location and it has a great indoor (and outdoor) water park! The boys and I played miniature golf at Timerland which only cost us $7.50 because they were free. We went to Alligator Alley (a reptile museum) that cost $13.85 for admission (Tiger was free) and food for the gators with a 35% off coupon. I left there feeling sad for the reptiles. They are in cramped spaces and the water is pretty dirty. The boys did get to see reptiles up close, but you really didn’t get a sense that the people that worked here really cared for these creatures. You could even buy a live rat or a mouse and watch it be killed/eaten by the reptiles. We bought stake to fed them- but that was still disturbing. I would pass on Alligator Alley. We played at the indoor Kalahari Amusement Park (it’s open to the general public) which only had one ride the kids were tall enough to go on (I went on it as well) which was the Ferris wheel for $6.00. In addition we played some games for $10.00 and won some really cheap plastic toys. We visited a free zoo in Barbaboo which is only 10 miles out from the Dells. I don’t recommend it. It’s really small and they have a beer, goose (not kidding), a few white tailed deer, two monkeys, prairie dogs and a goat. Near the zoo is a circus world museum. We didn’t venture that far out. If you wanted to “get away” from the Dells (as it can get quite chaotic), you could have a picnic lunch at Mirror Lake, which is on the way. When Ashish and I were dating, we rented a boat there- it was a lot of fun and quite beautiful. Of course, Moosejaw’s was still “the” place to eat in our kids eyes! Where else can you have your food delivered to you via train?

Ashish joined us on Thursday! Friday morning we went on the Duck ride, which was $40 for Ashish and I (the kids were free). They told the same jokes they were telling since I was a kid. ha! One thing I took note of was how built up everything has become. I recall being a kid and being on the Ducks on the Wisconsin River and it felt like you were the only ones out there. Not anymore. Cabins and houses are built up against the river and there is a lot of traffic on the river. We also visited Deer Park on it’s opening day. It was $40 for all of us, plus $2. per bag of food for the deers and goats.
We experienced our first 80-degree day while in the Dells! We came back refreshed, ready for Easter and a good home cooked meal (as eating out does start to get old after awhile).