This one comes from Ethan:
"Mom, we need a girl baby. So we can chase her."
Yeah, great reason to have another baby.
Disclaimer: This is not in any way intended to be an announcement of any type. :)
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Race Track Birthday Cake
This year Ethan requested a NASCAR birthday cake. I searched for ideas on the internet and came across this idea for a race track. So, it worked with the NASCAR request without me actually having to draw out the NASCAR logo! I started with two round cakes and cut one so it would fit next to the other. I showed it to Ethan and he kindly pointed out that he was six, not eight. Got it.
Like a good little cake decorator, I put on my crumb coating so I wouldn't have crumbs in the frosting. A boring but helpful detail.
Nest I used a toothpick to draw the outline of a six. For some reason this was incredibly difficult for me. I did OK drawing the bottom of the six but couldn't get the top quite right. I had to have Jason come and draw it for me, which he of course did in next to no time.
Next step: make black frosting. I only had a few black fingers! I used the black for the race track. Isn't the race track a clever shape? At this point I brought the cake to Ethan and told him I accidentally made a "9" instead of a "6". He's patient--he didn't even roll his eyes at me when he told me to turn the cake around!
On to the grass around the track! I loved adding this step because it made the cake "pop" out so much more. Plus, the tip actually looked (kind of) like grass. Well, it looked like how I imagine grass would look if it were actually made out of frosting. Note to self: next time, do not show children the cake at this stage because 2-year-olds can use little fingers to swipe frosting off faster than a cake can be moved.
I added a yellow outline for a little more definition of the race track. Um, pretty much just because I could.
The grass was looking a little empty, so I added some birthday wishes for my boy. I thought about adding the NASCAR logo here, but I chickened out. I, uh, didn't have all the right colors for the frosting. I thought that was a good reason to not do it!
Ethan told me I had to add cars to the track, so I did my best. Here's where I wish I was more of an artist! He loved them when he saw them, so that makes them a success!
Every track needs a few lines to show the starting point, so I added that and a few dotted lines to make it look more like a road.
This is not really a step in making the cake, I just thought it was a cute picture!
Traditional "blowing out the candles" picture.
A sign of a successful cake: people ate it! Remember how I said I had black fingers? Well, we also added black lips and teeth. Maybe next time I won't decorate with so much black. Thankfully we all own toothbrushes! :) Overall, a successful cake!
Like a good little cake decorator, I put on my crumb coating so I wouldn't have crumbs in the frosting. A boring but helpful detail.
Nest I used a toothpick to draw the outline of a six. For some reason this was incredibly difficult for me. I did OK drawing the bottom of the six but couldn't get the top quite right. I had to have Jason come and draw it for me, which he of course did in next to no time.
Next step: make black frosting. I only had a few black fingers! I used the black for the race track. Isn't the race track a clever shape? At this point I brought the cake to Ethan and told him I accidentally made a "9" instead of a "6". He's patient--he didn't even roll his eyes at me when he told me to turn the cake around!
On to the grass around the track! I loved adding this step because it made the cake "pop" out so much more. Plus, the tip actually looked (kind of) like grass. Well, it looked like how I imagine grass would look if it were actually made out of frosting. Note to self: next time, do not show children the cake at this stage because 2-year-olds can use little fingers to swipe frosting off faster than a cake can be moved.
I added a yellow outline for a little more definition of the race track. Um, pretty much just because I could.
The grass was looking a little empty, so I added some birthday wishes for my boy. I thought about adding the NASCAR logo here, but I chickened out. I, uh, didn't have all the right colors for the frosting. I thought that was a good reason to not do it!
Ethan told me I had to add cars to the track, so I did my best. Here's where I wish I was more of an artist! He loved them when he saw them, so that makes them a success!
Every track needs a few lines to show the starting point, so I added that and a few dotted lines to make it look more like a road.
It's all ready for the birthday boy!
This is not really a step in making the cake, I just thought it was a cute picture!
Traditional "blowing out the candles" picture.
A sign of a successful cake: people ate it! Remember how I said I had black fingers? Well, we also added black lips and teeth. Maybe next time I won't decorate with so much black. Thankfully we all own toothbrushes! :) Overall, a successful cake!
More birthday
I thought maybe it was time to post some pictures from Ethan's birthday. We celebrated quietly at home on his actual birthday. I was thankfully able to get out of work early so we could all have supper and dessert together. We had a nice evening just hanging out! The "crown" is from school. I think he had fun wearing it in class all day so he thought he should wear it while he opened presents!
Jason and I gave Ethan a bat. It's his very first metal bat and he is incredibly excited (though he didn't go as crazy as we thought he would when we gave it to him). The bat goes nicely with his new batting helmet from Grandpa and Grandma and his batting gloves from Uncle James and Aunt Merridith. We need some warm weather to get this boy on the baseball diamond! The bat is currently residing in the closet so it doesn't break any lamps or windows or brothers.
Once again, Ethan wanted pumpkin pie for his birthday dessert. I seriously think this is a conspiracy by all the boys in the family. All of them love pumpkin pie...and I, the lone girl, hate it. But, I make it and watch them all enjoy dessert. Insert audible sigh. Oh, and I let the boys put in the candles. There are actually six; one of them is just kind of hiding in the middle.
These next pictures are mostly unrelated to Ethan's birthday. However, they crack me up so I'm putting them in here. The boys were helping clean up before the grandparents came over for dessert. Jason had them wash and dry the kitchen table. This is how they decided they should dry:
In the next picture, you don't really see the whole story. Micah isn't really doing all the work. You see, right as Jason snapped the picture, Ethan fell off the table (thankfully only on to the chair and he didn't get hurt). Kind of a funny shot when you know the story behind it!
I'll post pictures soon of the birthday cake I made. I took step-by-step shots because it sounded like fun, so check back later!
Jason and I gave Ethan a bat. It's his very first metal bat and he is incredibly excited (though he didn't go as crazy as we thought he would when we gave it to him). The bat goes nicely with his new batting helmet from Grandpa and Grandma and his batting gloves from Uncle James and Aunt Merridith. We need some warm weather to get this boy on the baseball diamond! The bat is currently residing in the closet so it doesn't break any lamps or windows or brothers.
Once again, Ethan wanted pumpkin pie for his birthday dessert. I seriously think this is a conspiracy by all the boys in the family. All of them love pumpkin pie...and I, the lone girl, hate it. But, I make it and watch them all enjoy dessert. Insert audible sigh. Oh, and I let the boys put in the candles. There are actually six; one of them is just kind of hiding in the middle.
These next pictures are mostly unrelated to Ethan's birthday. However, they crack me up so I'm putting them in here. The boys were helping clean up before the grandparents came over for dessert. Jason had them wash and dry the kitchen table. This is how they decided they should dry:
In the next picture, you don't really see the whole story. Micah isn't really doing all the work. You see, right as Jason snapped the picture, Ethan fell off the table (thankfully only on to the chair and he didn't get hurt). Kind of a funny shot when you know the story behind it!
I'll post pictures soon of the birthday cake I made. I took step-by-step shots because it sounded like fun, so check back later!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Two Hands
Mr. Ethan,
This past year your dad and I have been amazed at how you've grown and matured. Your shoulders are suddenly broader, you're taller, and we can no longer play baseball in the backyard because you hit most every ball over the fence. When you wrestle with your dad you can actually hold your own (and I think some of your playful punches are starting to hurt!).
Preschool finished in a blur and you were more than ready for Kindergarten in the fall. You have so much mental energy that I can hardly keep up with you at home. You thrive on the stimulation at school and soak up every fact that is sent your way. You're learning to tell time, how to read, fine-tuning your writing, and you've even learned how to spell. You come home from school and say "I don't remember" when we ask you what you did that day. However, most often at night, you'll suddenly spill a wealth of information about what you did that day or week. You love the science and computer centers at school and I loved your journal entry about beavers and how they have "slappers".
You are learning that your brother can be a pretty cool playmate (well, sometimes anyway). Your dad and I often find you playing trucks or race cars together. You love to lead him in an activity, or mischief, or whatever other craziness the two of you can concoct. We've decided that we're going to have to watch you guys closely when you play outside since we think you're going to convince Micah to do some pretty dangerous stuff. You have also learned exactly what to say to make Micah scream and cry. That, my child, is incredibly annoying. But, you are siblings and children, so your dad and I try to remind each other of that.
You don't hold my hand very often anymore. I knew that would happen eventually, so any time you are actually willing to be seen in public holding mom's hand, I take it. To your credit, you are trustworthy enough to walk through a parking lot and stay by me. I don't have to hold your hand to keep you from running off. You also don't always have time to give me a kiss when I drop you off at school. If you see one of your friends heading for the playground, the last thing you want is to spend extra time handing out kisses (I am learning to grab kisses at home before leaving for school!). However, just last night you curled up on my lap and asked me to sing a song to help you fall asleep. I can't begin to tell you how much your mommy loved having you rest your head on my shoulder while I sang.
Today you turn 6...we now count your age with two hands. I can't get over how strange it sounds to say you are six years old! As hard as it is for me to think about how old you are getting, sometimes I forget that you're not 10 or 12! You are wise beyond your years.
This past year your dad and I have been amazed at how you've grown and matured. Your shoulders are suddenly broader, you're taller, and we can no longer play baseball in the backyard because you hit most every ball over the fence. When you wrestle with your dad you can actually hold your own (and I think some of your playful punches are starting to hurt!).
Preschool finished in a blur and you were more than ready for Kindergarten in the fall. You have so much mental energy that I can hardly keep up with you at home. You thrive on the stimulation at school and soak up every fact that is sent your way. You're learning to tell time, how to read, fine-tuning your writing, and you've even learned how to spell. You come home from school and say "I don't remember" when we ask you what you did that day. However, most often at night, you'll suddenly spill a wealth of information about what you did that day or week. You love the science and computer centers at school and I loved your journal entry about beavers and how they have "slappers".
You are learning that your brother can be a pretty cool playmate (well, sometimes anyway). Your dad and I often find you playing trucks or race cars together. You love to lead him in an activity, or mischief, or whatever other craziness the two of you can concoct. We've decided that we're going to have to watch you guys closely when you play outside since we think you're going to convince Micah to do some pretty dangerous stuff. You have also learned exactly what to say to make Micah scream and cry. That, my child, is incredibly annoying. But, you are siblings and children, so your dad and I try to remind each other of that.
You don't hold my hand very often anymore. I knew that would happen eventually, so any time you are actually willing to be seen in public holding mom's hand, I take it. To your credit, you are trustworthy enough to walk through a parking lot and stay by me. I don't have to hold your hand to keep you from running off. You also don't always have time to give me a kiss when I drop you off at school. If you see one of your friends heading for the playground, the last thing you want is to spend extra time handing out kisses (I am learning to grab kisses at home before leaving for school!). However, just last night you curled up on my lap and asked me to sing a song to help you fall asleep. I can't begin to tell you how much your mommy loved having you rest your head on my shoulder while I sang.
What makes my heart the most full is seeing how you've grown in the the knowledge of God. You listen raptly to the Bible stories and love to talk about them later. You've learned to pray and will often lead us in prayer before or after dinner. I often have to fight tears as I listen to you thank God for the people and things that surround you. Your dad and I pray regularly that your love of God will grow and develop as you get older.
Ethan, I love you tons and tons and I'm blessed to have you as my son. Happy birthday, buddy!
Love,
Mom
Ethan, I love you tons and tons and I'm blessed to have you as my son. Happy birthday, buddy!
Love,
Mom
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Birthay Celebrations
Ethan's birthday is tomorrow, but we started celebrating early! I have our whole family signed up for the Coldstone Creamery birthday club, so on Monday we took Ethan for his free treat. Like last year we let Ethan pick his own flavor. He chose cotton candy ice cream with gummi bears. Now, I love candy and sweetness and ice cream, but that concoction is a little much for even me! However, he loves it, so we go with it! One note to self for next year would be to NOT have this concoction as a bedtime snack. An afternoon snack would be much better! Ethan was on a bit of a sugar high while we were trying to settle him down for bed. Sometimes even parents can't be taught!
He offered quite a few times to share some tastes with us, but Jason and I politely declined! I love cotton candy, but pretty much only in it's cottony form!
Ethan offered some to Micah, but he had tried the flavor in the store and wanted nothing to do with it! He did kindly share some of his concoction with Ethan: strawberry ice cream with gummi bears mixed in.
Everybody loved their treats, and the best (worst) part was that I discovered that the kid-size helpings of ice cream are only $1.50. I'm willing to spend that on ice cream!
Oh, and do you see that I gave the boys haircuts? I hate doing that because they both look so much older afterward, especially Micah! My kiddos are too big already!
One more random thing...
I had to share a picture of what happens when my husband is left alone with the peanut butter cookie dough. Enjoy!
He offered quite a few times to share some tastes with us, but Jason and I politely declined! I love cotton candy, but pretty much only in it's cottony form!
Ethan offered some to Micah, but he had tried the flavor in the store and wanted nothing to do with it! He did kindly share some of his concoction with Ethan: strawberry ice cream with gummi bears mixed in.
Everybody loved their treats, and the best (worst) part was that I discovered that the kid-size helpings of ice cream are only $1.50. I'm willing to spend that on ice cream!Oh, and do you see that I gave the boys haircuts? I hate doing that because they both look so much older afterward, especially Micah! My kiddos are too big already!
One more random thing...
I had to share a picture of what happens when my husband is left alone with the peanut butter cookie dough. Enjoy!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Working together
Quite some time ago we referred to the boys as Trouble. Big T and little t. The two of them seem like they could work together to cause mischief. Well...it's starting to happen.
On a recent Sunday morning I heard Ethan get up first. He came into our room and saw us still in bed, so he went into Micah's room next. Since I love to hear them talk with each other, I stayed in bed so I wouldn't interrupt. I smiled as they talked, and then listened closer as I heard Ethan say something about getting Micah out of bed. You see, Micah is still in a crib. This mom is not ready for a big boy bed and Micah has only climbed out of bed once. So, he's still confined when he wakes up.
Anyway, I could hear Ethan trying to lower the side of the crib. He was busy telling Micah that he couldn't get it. Then I heard the sound of the bean bag dropping. Ethan's next words? "We'll put this here in case you fall so you won't get hurt." I almost jumped out of bed and went running, but I really wanted to know what they would do next! After that, there was silence until I heard two sets of feet coming. They both came into our room with beaming expressions. Ethan was so happy that he helped Micah...he told me he just put his arms under Micah's armpits and helped him over the side. We may have to switch to a big boy bed sooner rather than later!
On a recent Sunday morning I heard Ethan get up first. He came into our room and saw us still in bed, so he went into Micah's room next. Since I love to hear them talk with each other, I stayed in bed so I wouldn't interrupt. I smiled as they talked, and then listened closer as I heard Ethan say something about getting Micah out of bed. You see, Micah is still in a crib. This mom is not ready for a big boy bed and Micah has only climbed out of bed once. So, he's still confined when he wakes up.
Anyway, I could hear Ethan trying to lower the side of the crib. He was busy telling Micah that he couldn't get it. Then I heard the sound of the bean bag dropping. Ethan's next words? "We'll put this here in case you fall so you won't get hurt." I almost jumped out of bed and went running, but I really wanted to know what they would do next! After that, there was silence until I heard two sets of feet coming. They both came into our room with beaming expressions. Ethan was so happy that he helped Micah...he told me he just put his arms under Micah's armpits and helped him over the side. We may have to switch to a big boy bed sooner rather than later!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Quote of the day--Thursday edition
My boys crack me up. This morning Micah and I were playing pretend eating. It's a thing we do lately. :) Apparently it was someones birthday because we were having birthday cake. He kindly put some in front of me as well as himself. I reached out to sample my "cake" and was informed that "we have to pray!". Oops! So, I folded my hands and he nicely said his prayer (which he says on his own without direction!). "God is great, tank-you for this food, God bless mommy, daddy, E-tan, Micah, E-tan, Micah, and a happy day, amen." He then looked at me and said "your turn!". He's such a sweet boy!
Not to be left out, Ethan had his own cuteness. I worked until bedtime today, so when I came home the boys were already in bed. I went upstairs to talk with Ethan for a few minutes. He noticed that I had forgotten to take my name tag off and asked me what it was. I explained that it was my name tag and it had my name on it so people at work would know who I was. I slipped it off and he held it and looked at it for a few seconds. With a puzzled expression he said "shouldn't it say 'mom'?"
Not to be left out, Ethan had his own cuteness. I worked until bedtime today, so when I came home the boys were already in bed. I went upstairs to talk with Ethan for a few minutes. He noticed that I had forgotten to take my name tag off and asked me what it was. I explained that it was my name tag and it had my name on it so people at work would know who I was. I slipped it off and he held it and looked at it for a few seconds. With a puzzled expression he said "shouldn't it say 'mom'?"
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