1st Fondant Cake

I love making cakes. 2 of my really good friends had their little boys celebrate their 3rd birthday this past weekend. They knowing my love for making cakes asked me if I wanted to make their cakes. Of course I said yes! Since both little boys love Mickey Mouse I went with this theme.

I used a cream cheese frosting for the sheet cake. I then made my 1st batch of fondant ever. The fondant covers the red playhouse, yellow shoe, white balloon hand, slide and fence. For my 1st fondant cake I think it turned out pretty well. Hunter's birthday is in April. I'm getting excited to have anther chance to make a cake. I'll definetly be using fondant again.

Valentines Pre-School

Last week I taught pre school again. We didn't end up having school that tuesday becuase it turned into a snow day. So thursday the kids did some projects I had planned for that tuesday and their valentine party. Everyone was given a bag to decorate with stickers and crayons. They used this bag to put all their Valentine goods into.

This week we were talking about shapes. So using different shapes they were able to make their own picture.

We also talked about patterns. Using conversation hearts and frosting the kids made patterns. This was Maddies favorite part. I'm so glad she's having fun in preschool this year and she loves it when we have it at our house.

Today Is A Snow Day!

Yesterday morning I had an O.B appointment in Prescott. It snowed during my drive there, my 2 hours I spent waiting for my turn in the office and then all the way home. It continued to snow off and on for the rest of the day. Even though it felt like it was snowing all day it seems the snow didn't start sticking until late afternoon. At 10:00 last night it was still snowing. This is what we woke up to.I took a ruler outside and tried to measure how much snow we got. For the most part I got several 2 1/2 inches, other spots were a little higher and a little lower. This is the perfect amount for me. The snow may or may not last a few days and then it will be gone.

The teeter-toter. I know I didn't spell that right but for the life of me nothing looks right.

The girls had a blast this morning. I didn't get my camera out quick enough to catch Madie making several snow angels.

Emily wasn't interested in making snow angels but she did enjoy brushing the snow off the outside toys and of course eating it.

Hunter did join in the fun for a few minutes until his feet got cold and then he chickened out and went back inside. He's thrilled today turned into a snow day and he doesn't have to go to school. This week is becoming very short for him. Since I had my O.B appt. yesterday daddy stayed home to watch the kids and get Hunter to school. Somehow daddy "forgot" and Hunter was still home by the time I got home. So as long as we don't have another snow day this week Hunter will only go for wed, thur and then fri. is a half day so he's gone for about 1 1/2hrs. He's quite excited about how short this school week in turning out to be for him.

Unfinished Projects...

Now that I can see what I actually have in my closet I have stumbled across a few unfinished projects. So over the past few days I have been trying to complete some of these things. We currently have 11 sisters in our ward that are pregnant, all due between now and Sept. One of my friends gave birth 2 weeks ago and another had her baby the end of Dec. It's crazy to think we still have 11 more to go. So having been to a few baby showers already and several more to come I finished some hand made burp cloths. I was also able to finish this blanket with matching burp cloth. I love this blanket. If I were having a girl I think I'd keep it for myself.

Hunter's magnet board is another project that needed to be completed. Since I wasn't thinking and put the picts up backwards you get to see the finished project first. This isn't my favorite magnet board I've done but it's also my 1st board that had to include my 5yr. little boys opinion. He likes it so thats what counts.

Hunter can say he helped make it too. He was a great help with the modge podge, the painting and the hot glueing.

I let Hunter paint his dinosaurs all by himself. He did a pretty good job.

It's a great feeling to know a few projects have finally been completed. I still need to make a few nursing covers and one more blanket. I am trying to come up with some homemade gifts I can make using supplies I already have for some of the upcoming baby showers. It seems as though there will be quite a few baby girls joining us so yesterday I started making some hair bows. I've done about 10 and now I just need to glue them to a clip. Hopefully tommorrow those will be finished and I can take a pict of those. Theres a few that turned out soo cute. I'm ready to be finished with these projects so I can put everything away and get my house back together. It's such a hassle to put everything away just to pull it out again the next morning so everything gets put into a corner at dinner time.

We are still here...

It's been a few weeks since we've blogged but we are here and we are alive. My camera doesn't hold a charge anymore so I'm struggling taking picts. We just got back from Utah visiting Kory's family. Every year at this time the family and extended family gets together and cuts up meat. This was our first year attending this great event. It turned out to be a really awsome experience. In three days working from 8-5 with an 1 1/2 lunch break each day we cut up 18 steers/old cows. We cut up every type of beef meat you can think of hamburger, ribs, sirloin steak, rib steak, roast, etc. We were able to bring back several boxes of meat to fill our deep freeze. The days we weren't cutting up meat the kids were having a blast sledding down the hill in Aunt Harmony's back yard. After last years mishap I didn't dare try but the kids even Emily had a good time.

Before our 5 day journey to Utah we were finishing some projects around the house. Kory finished trimming the tree in our front yard and took all the trimmings to the dump. The tree looks great and our garden this year should do much better as it won't be in so much shade. We've been told the tree has never been trimmed before. There were branches so low that Hunter and Maddie could reach the lower branches. We had major mesquito issues this past year. I'm hoping that the ground will be able to dry quicker this year and the mesquito's won't stick around as long as they were able to this past year.

We also finished the inside of the shed. We hung shelves on 3 of the walls and put up hooks to hold shovels, rakes, hoses, etc. It looks good. Not having a garage the shed has been put to good use. My closest almost looks bare now that all the boxes of holiday decorations and baby paraphenelia are out of there. When it gets a little warmer we will stucko the outside and then the shed will be done. YEAH!!!

The kids now have a sand box. We found a place that gave us FREE sand we just had to haul it from Chino Valley to home. Kory built the box to hold all the sand and then 2 loads of sand filled it to the top. The kids have had so much fun having a sand box again. It turned out bigger then I thought 10x10. It's almost as big as the kids rooms. They have spent many hours out there the past few weeks enjoying there new space to play. Our backyard stays in the shade almost all day during the winter so all we have is a big mud puddle. I'm anxious for it to finally dry up and let the kids really have a great time out there. Next week I'm teaching preschool it'll be interesting to see all 7 kids out there.

Till next time...

Christmas Morning

Emily woke up at 4:15am Christmas Morning needing to use the bathroom. Being we shut the girls bedroom door she woke Maddie up so she could get out. Both girls walked right by the family room were Santa had delivered his gifts, got drinks and then came into our bedroom to tell us Emily needed the bathroom. Daddy helped Emily do her thing and then everyone crawled back into our bed. Emily started talking, not about anything impatitular but she just wouldn't be quiet. The girls didn't mention Santa at all. In the past Emily has done this before. We call it her early morning chatter. She usually talks and giggles for 30-45min. and then she'll fall asleep again. After about 15 minutes of this Kory and I decided we might as well get up. It was obvious Emily wasn't going to quit anytime soon. We were thinking that she probably wouldn't fall asleep until after 5a.m and then Hunter would probably wake up at 6 which is when he usually wakes up. We didn't want to be awake listening to chatter for 45min. to fall asleep for 45min just to be woken up again. So at 4:45 we were all in the front room discovering what Santa had brought. Emily was quite excited about her "2" babies. She wasn't to thrilled with having to wait on Daddy to unstrap the many ties so that she could hold them. Santa brought Maddie the Mariposa Barbie with beautiflul wings along with a jumbo size coloring book.

Santa brought Hunter a jumbo size coloring book along with a big dinoaur. The dinosaur roars and turns his head when a button is pushed. Hunter wasn't to excited with what Santa brought last year so I was glad to hear him say, "that's what I've always wanted" when he saw the dinosaur.

As most of you know we love playing games. So this year I bought a game for each of the kids. My brother had our name this year and sent us an additonal 5 games. Needles to say we have been quite busy these past few days playing new games.

Emily with all of her goodies.

Maddie with her goodies.

Hunter with his goods.

We had a wonderful Christmas morning with the kids. Everything was opened by 6 and some of us were then able to take a nap. Or maybe it's just called going back to bed. The past 2 years it seems someone has been sick by Christmas morning, thankfully this year we are all still healthy. We tried to keep the gifts very simple this year. We feel like we succeded, which is such a good feeling. We gave each of the kids 3 gifts, a puzzle, a movie and 1 toy. Santa brought a toy and then a jumbo coloring book for each of the kids. On top of that they each received gifts from Aunts and Uncles and of course Grandma's and Grandpa's. In the end they had plenty to open and play with. This year didn't end with the feeling we spent way too much money or that we over did it with the gifts. I hope next year will out similar to this year.

Christmas Oranges

Earlier this week when my camera decided not to work we made several goodie bags and took them to friends and primary teachers. Since then I've been debating if we should do something for our neighbors. Several weeks ago we had the sister missionaries over for dinner. We accepted their challenge to get to know our neighbors and eventually talk to them about the gospel. Since then we've done NOTHING! Then the other night I was flipping through the Ensign for January 2009. After reading the very 1st article, I decided we should do something for our neighbors this Christmas season but what? So last night it hit me. The Orange Story about the little boy in the orphanage. He looks forward all year long for his orange on Christmas Day. On accident he trapes mud into the home and is punished by the loss of his orange. He has a horrible Christmas Day. That night after his prayers he climbs into bed and he feels somebody giving him something in the dark. When he opens his hand he discovers a different looking orange. Each of the other 10 orphanges took 1 piece of their orange and created an whole orange for him. I've always loved this story. I figured this story would be perfect to give to our neighbors. So this morning on Christmas Eve I took my children to battle the crowds at the grocery store and bought oranges. I printed the Orange Story onto paper and Emily helped me tie them up

The kids put oranges into the goodie bags for me.

We then connected the story to the bag of oranges. Tonight after dinner we will be delivering them to everyone on our street. Hopefully this will be the start to changing our, waving at each other as we drive by relationship, with our neighbors.

It is Christmas Eve but better late then never.

Santa's Letters

My children didn't have the opportunity to see Santa this year. Santa surprised everyone when he came to the ward party but we were in Utah for Uncle Klynt's wedding. Earlier last week I went to Fry's one evening all by myself since Kory was home. Guess who was there? Santa of course. The one time I don't have my kids with me Santa decides to show up. So to make sure Santa knows what everyone is hoping for we wrote letters. Surprise, Surprise! Santa wrote back.

They were so excited to see what Santa had to say they couldn't wait for Emily to wake up from her nap. Which explains why Emily is not around. She's still a little young to understand all the excitement that came from the letters this year. Santa told each of them to continue to be good little boys and girls. If they do he'll bring them a special surprise.

Gingerbread Houses

OOPS!! I downloaded the picts backwards. We have all been busy the past week or two getting ready for Christmas. Last week I had Hunter's class party to do. It was fun but I'm glad it's over. Sometime last week we helped the kids make their annual gingerbread houses. This was mommy and Emily's house.
Hunter is quite proud of his. For some reason I didn't get his finished product picture.

Same with Maddie. I know I took the pictures but they didn't download and since then I've erased the picts so this is all I've got. We turned ice cream cones upside down and made them into trees.

Emily's favorite part was all the candy she got. Mom and Dad were too busy helping the other kids to notice that she downed 2 bowls of candy. She was very lucky she didn't get a stomach ache that night.

1st Ultrasound

Today I had my 1st ultrasound for baby #4. It's a Boy!!!
We are very excited as this is what we were hoping for.

1st Dance Recital

Yesterday was Maddies 1st Dance Recital. Her 1st performance took place at Bucky's Casino in the lobby at 11am. She's pretty dramatic at home but while she danced it was even more evident. She had fun dancing for the crowd. After she performed her 3 little numbers everyone was invited to decorate gingerbread men provided by the casino.

When the gingerbread men were decorated we headed off to Pioneer Homes which is a Senior Citizen assisted living home. I had no idea how large this facility was. There were 3 floors and when the performance started I bet there was easily 100+ people watching. It was so much fun to watch our little girl perform. When it was all over she wanted to go someplace else and perform again. Performing 2 times in one day just wasn't enough. I am so glad she has had fun the past few months learning little dance routines. Dance is over until the end of January. I've been debating whether to put her in again or not. After yesterday I think the decision is made to do it again.

Maddie's Dance Photos

This past friday I took Maddie to a dear friends house for a little photo shoot in her dance costume. April did a wonderful job.

2 of the other Dancing Darlings came to join in the fun. These 3 girls are best of friends. Not only are they in the same dance class but they are also in the same preschool. They get to see each other 3 times a week.

Looking at these pictures of my little girl bring tears to my eyes. She's growing up too quickly. It's hard to believe she'll be turning 5 this upcoming year and beginning Kindergarten. I am so thankful we have been blessed to have such a sweet little spirit in our home. I can't imagine life with out her. I love you Maddie.