The state of the Dunlops

A work friend of mine told me the other day that she uses her blog like a journal. She makes books periodically, and so in time she will have lots of information to look back on and remember her family.
So I am going to try and copy her idea.
Piper is 2 years and 4 months. Quinn is about 19 weeks old. Seth has 10 more months of school and will have his BS. I work 24 hours per week. This is totally manageable, and actually quite enjoyable.
We are trying to sell our house. Hopefully this will happen by July 14. (Quinn's due date)
My dog of 13 years (Farley) died 2 days ago. I am devastated. Piper called for him today. I am hoping the pain will go away some time. I can't stop missing him. Our house feels oddly empty. This is the first time in my life that I have never had a dog. Farley was my baby. He still is.
Erin and Patrick are preparing to become parents. All is healthy and happy with these developing boys. June 25 and July 14 can't come soon enough.
Sascha and I are planning Erin's baby shower. (May 21) It is to be the social event of the year. JK. I can't wait for this Spring Saturday filled with baby everything.
I love Seth more and more everyday. I think when I am pregnant I feel particularly vulnerable. I feel so clingy to him. I can't wait for him to come home from work. He is my protector. He is a totally dedicated father. He works full time and fathers and husbands full time. We are the luckiest girls in the world.
I still can't believe that we have a little girl and a little boy. I still feel like we are teenagers making out in his land cruiser.
This winter has been very hard. Having a toddler cooped up in the house is not easy. Piper goes to music class and swimming each week. That is no replacement for the playground though.
It's hard for me to believe that she will be in preschool this fall. I am going to have major problems with letting her go.
Life goes by too fast. This is why I am a firm believer that you have to live out every stage of your life to the fullest. Embrace whatever it is that you are doing because before you know it you will be doing something different.
I worry about money, this pregnancy, finding a home in our budget that will accommodate us, losing my parents, and if I am a good enough mother and wife. I know that if these are my main worries I am so incredibly lucky.
I have never felt more purpose, happiness and love than I do now.

Allison's Amazing Chocolate Cake

Everything my friend makes is incredible. She is a great cook. This chocolate cake might just be the best I have ever had. So here you go.

-2 cups flour
-1/2 cup cocoa powder (I love the special dark, but if doesn't have to be. Sometimes it's hard to find)
-2 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. salt
-2 tsp vanilla
-1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
-2 cups sugar
-2 cups boiling water
-2 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Cream together butter, vanilla and sugar. Add boiling water, blend, then add eggs and mix until well blended. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into an ungreased 9x13 pan or two rounds to stack. Bake for 30 min.
I love the two rounds method. I trace the bottom of the rounds on wax paper and cute them out and place wax paper in the bottom of the rounds. After baking this makes them pop out so easily when turned upside down. Peel off the paper when the cakes are slightly cooled.

Frosting: This recipe comes from the Favorites cookbook. This is written by two Utah women. If you don't have it you need one. It is so great.
I love cream cheese frosting, and have tried several different versions. This is the best.

-1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese (leave out to slightly soften)
-1 stick of butter (leave out to slightly soften)
-2 tsp vanilla
-2 cups of powdered sugar (the recipe actually calls for 2 1/2 cups. I think this makes it too sweet.)
Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add the sugar a half cup at a time. Taste as you go and stop when you reach your desired sweetness.

Lay down one round. Frost. Then stack the last one and frost the entire cake.

Enjoy!

Our baby boy has a name

I came home to the best surprise tonight. We were eating dinner and Seth asked Piper what her baby brother's name is and she told us Quinn.
Woo hoo!
My favorite.
I have loved this name forever. Quinn is my maiden name. It is strong and unique, just like our son will be.
Both my mom's side and my dad's side of the family are brilliant people. They are hard workers and very accomplished. I am lucky to have come from such amazing people.
I love that Piper's name came from my mom's side and Quinn's name from my dad's side.
We are still working on a middle name.

Simplifying Life

We recently made the decision to disconnect our cable and I can't tell you how liberating it is.

I have never been a big television watcher. Even as a child I thought it was boring. People will ask me if I remember a certain show, and the answer is often no. Seth loves the occasional Jazz game and cooking show, but he isn't really a TV guy either. I hate paying certain bills, and cable was at the top of my list. We had basic cable and it was $70 a month. That is $840 a year. That is a lot of money.
I have never wanted my children to be couch potatoes. Childhood obesity and diabetes are a worldwide epidemic. So for $11 a month we have Netflix and watch pretty much whatever we want when we want. Piper has her videos that she loves to watch over and over.
I wouldn't say that I am cheap, but rather frugal and a minimizer of waste.
So this whole cable business has got me thinking about what else I can save on. I am obsessed about leaving lights on and letting water run. We canceled our home phone and use our cell phones instead. I took a look at our garbage bill and you can get the smaller green can which is less expensive than the bigger green can. This also forces you to recycle more. The blue can is free. You would think it was the great depression. I think I spent a bit of time with my grandma growing up, and her mentality rubbed off on me.
I just want to focus funds on more important things like vacations, trips to the salon and college funds.
I'm not sure if it is humans as a whole or just Americans, but I think it is very easy to get into the rat race of believing we need all this unnecessary crap. Stop and think about what it really costs, do you really need it, how much do you have to work to afford it, and the biggest issue of all, how much time do you have to spend away from your children to pay for it.
Is it really worth it??

Our Baby Boy

It's official. Seth and I have a son.

WOW. I am so excited. You always wonder how many children you will have. Will it be a boy or girl. I can truthfully say that I have never cared. Seth confessed that if he could design it any way he would have a girl first, and then a boy. We haven't chosen a name yet. I am thinking Piper is going to love having a little brother. I imagine my son loving me and being protective of me the way that Southern boys are with their mothers. I will teach him to be a gentleman. To love and respect all life. Seth and Piper and I will introduce him to hiking and bugs and the stars. I pray he will always love his older sister and take care of her. I am hoping he and his cousin Ronan, who will probably be more like his brothers, will not raise to much hell.

Most of all I hope he is born healthy and happy.

Until then my love we will wait anxiously for your arrival.

July 14, 2011

Just Us Girls

For the last two plus years it has just been Piper and I plus daddy. We spend a lot of time together. We sleep in, eat breakfast together, go to lunch. We are just a momma and baby in love. Pretty soon we are going to have another little love in our circle, so I am taking every opportunity I can to spend every second I can alone with my daughter. I can't wait to meet my new child, but this time we have together right now is so precious to me. We will never get it back.

Moving On

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=475&ad=13914097&cat=279

I'm crossing my fingers that our house will sell. We found a house we love, and Seth and I actually agreed on it. Hold cow. Whatever happens it will be ok. At least we have a warm home to go to. This is a lot more than most people have. I have to remember that thru this process. We have each other, our health, good jobs and lots of love. I would love to add a 1950s rambler on a fantastic street to that list, but only time will tell.