My Funny Valentine

On Sunday mornings I turn into drill sargent giving Larry orders so we can get out the door for church on time. I have learned I must do this or he finds his way to the computer or the couch for Sportscenter. This past Sunday I laid Elye Kate's clothes on the bed and told Larry to dress her. Laying on the bed were also Allie the stuffed horse's clothes. A half an hour later I look at Elye happily bouncing in her Jump-a-Roo wearing Allie's new robe. Really, Larry? You thought that was what she was supposed to wear? Larry's decided that we just need to buy Elye's clothes at Build-a-Bear since they are so much cheaper and look just as good. I'm not quite convinced!

Happy and clueless that she is wearing horse clothes

This is the sweater he was supposed to put on.

Valentine

We always take Reesi to Build-a-Bear for her Valentine's Day gift. She had been looking forward to it for quite a while. Apparently, we have never done this on a Saturday. I have never seen Build-a-Bear so crowded. This day must be bigger than Christmas for them! The line for making animals was out the door!

Reesi decided this year to get clothes for Allie instead of another animal, which I thought was perfect because who really needs another stuffed animal. Allie got roller skates, a pink robe, and a purple flowery dress. She looks amazing in her dress and she is quite the roller skater. I'll post pics of her later.

Lined out the door!

Reesi dressed herself. This are her favorite shoes. They are some hand me downs from Grace and Reesi wears them every chance she gets. Reesi is also over winter clothes. She is refusing to wear tights or leggings with her dresses. Today she opted for some knee high socks.

Elye Kate is just happy chewing on her new shoes. Next year our trip to Build-a-Bear will cost twice as much!

Reesi with her bag of Valentines for school

Her beautiful frame she decorated at school.

At the Hop

Larry's trying to get a kiss and is getting rejected.

Saturday night Reesi's school had a sock hop for the dads and daughters. I sent Larry with the camera and he got some super cute pictures. I don't know much about it since I wasn't there. Maybe I can talk Larry into writing something!

Dare Devil

Reesi has always been the safety girl so for our family this is pretty daring!

I know, she is a whole six inches off the floor.

Elye Kate has also begun to use her walker. Slowly, but surely she is working up the courage.

Damn You, Gourmet Girl You Got Me Again

I know. Such strong language for a title, but that is how much I loathe this toy company! They got us last year with their cupcake maker and now they got us this year with their cake decorator set. Santa was not going to get it for Reesi even though she wanted it so badly, but then Target put it on sale for $15. He couldn't pass up the good deal. Turns out it was not such a good deal.

I put off getting this thing out for as long as I could. One day I heard rustling upstairs and I go to see what it was. Reesi was cracking it open, ready to cook.

Mixing fondant

This is the fondant. Notice how chunky and gooey it was. When Reesi tried to pick it up it would just tear into a gunky mess. I promise we followed directions exactly.

The cake: It came out with this nice ravine down the middle.

See the tubing. We put batteries in it and the gel in the applicator. When we turned it on it was supposed to propel the gel out so that Reesi could decorate to her little hearts desire. However, it wasn't strong enough and the gel wouldn't come out at all.

As you can tell Reesi had fun regardless. I was the one that was fuming with anger and frustration. The final outcome was a beautiful blob.

So we decided to make our own cake and buy some fondant with our 40% off coupon from JoAnn's. The idea was to shape it like a football for the Super Bowl. So I poured all the batter into an oval pan which turned out to not be big enough at all, hence the nice cracks all over the top.

When I tried to cut it into a football shape all those cracks just started falling to pieces. Duff makes it look so easy! I ended up having to cut away over half the cake just so it wouldn't fall apart.

We didn't have enough fondant to cover the whole cake so we were just going to use it to decorate the cake.

Reesi loved this part.

She even used her camera to document the process. I wonder where she learned that?

The final product. Beautiful, isn't it? We are thinking of going into the cake making business. Give us a call to order your cake!!

The Chosen One . . .

Yes, her lips are blue. Thank you Sonic raspberry slushy.

The Chosen One has arrived! Easton Daniel arrived on Wednesday weighing 5 lbs. 15 oz. and measuring 18 inches long. He looks like his daddy and has the cutest side burns. I love his fuzzy hair best when it is styled like a Mohawk. The girl cousins are ga-ga over him. I hardly got a chance to hold him because of the three baby hogs! I can't wait to watch this boy grow up in our family full of girls! I have a feeling he is going to be spoiled rotten!

Penguin Day

Thursday was Penguin Day for the kindergartners at Reesi's school. I had originally planned of ordering one off ebay, but I waited to late and was worried it wouldn't come in on time. So I headed to JoAnn's with a mission. My plan was to make it myself and save money to boot. The first problem with my plan arouse when I checked out and the clerk said, "That will be $44.35."

"What!" So much for saving money!

Luckily, my mom was in town and volunteered (guilted into) to start on the penguin while I was at work. She has been sewing from patterns for 30+ years and she was having trouble following it. I knew there was no way I could do it. So she took it home to finish it up for me. So much for making it myself!

It did turn out really cute and I am justifying the $44.35 by saying that I will save it for when Elye Kate is in kindergarten! Penguin Day 2014, we are ready! That is if we can find the hat Reesi left at school, shoot!

Nine Months

Elye Kate,

At nine months you . . . .

-really aren't interested in walking. I put you on your push toy and you get scared and sit right back down.

-are not the perfect baby anymore. I don't know what is up, but for the past couple weeks you have been fussy and gagging yourself and throwing up at least once a day. This has put a kink in your eating and your sleeping through the night.

-have started to only like taking naps in your bed and not in a pack and play at Jenny's.

-love to push the computer buttons. ∆∫bbv gbgb (that was you)

- are saying bye-bye and clapping.

-laugh the hardest at your big sister.

-Stats: Your daddy threw away your stat sheet. Surprise, surprise, right? Here is what I remember until we go back to the doctor and have them print them out again.

-Weight: 16lbs. 10 oz. - 10 percentile

-Height:27 inches - 25 percentile

- Head Circumference: 42.5 cm 10th percentile