How to Make Cute Apple Cake Pops

How to Make Cute Apple Cake Pops

Step 1: Bake a strawberry cake. When it has cooled allow your 4 year old (with washed hands) to crumble into a billion small pieces.

Step 2: mix cake with 1 can frosting

Step 3: roll into small balls that resemble an apple





Step 4: Melt small amount of red choc chips that you are using to replace the red candy melts that you couldn't find. Dip lollipop sticks into red choc chips and then stick into cake balls



Step 5: Place cake balls in freezer to firm up

Step 6: Melt the rest of red candy melts, oh, sorry, red choc chips

Step 7: Dip cookie balls on a lollipop stick into melted chips




Step 8: Realize that red choc chips are NOT the same as red candy melts, and dip again



Step 9: Melt red choc chips to the point of oblivion

Step 10: Sigh and pray that spouse doesn't say i told you so when he comes home

Step 11: Give up because you have run out of red choc chips and there is not one place in town that carries red candy melts

Step 12: Allow 4 year old to eat cupcake "apple"



Step 13: Run to Wal-mart and purchase school bus sugar cookies

Step 14: Bake



Step 15: Run off husband who is saying i told you so while eating your school bus sugar cookies, and your daughter who says they look like a messed up car

Step 16: Take a bath

Tuesdays Snack

I've noticed something. (Aren't you proud?) There are some people in this world who are content with just getting things done, there are some people who don't care if they get stuff done, and there are some people who will only do stuff if they can do the very best they possibly can.

Oh, and there are some people who are all three depending on their mood/time (I call them parents with more than one child, but you know......). This last one would be me. Sometimes, I am very happy if I just get things done, sometimes (albeit very rarely) I don't care if I get it done, but 99% of the time, I'm the crazy over the top third one. I want to do it, and I want to wow you and myself when I do. Which brings me to this:

Tuesday is Noah's first day of school.

Tuesday, Noah is supposed to bring snack.

So therefore, I have quite the conundrum.

First of all, you should know that I like to bake. Actually, I LOVE to bake. I think that it is fun, and I love the finished product, especially if it's cute.

However, I am NOT good at baking with children. (They tend to interrupt you ALOT and quite often are unwilling to stop causing trouble for the amount of time necessary to frost your cake, or sample your food when you're not looking, or sneak the cookies while they are still hot, or.....). Nor am I good at baking under pressure. And pressure is a deadline of any type - including having to bring it to school the next day for snacktime.

Sooooo,

Do I:
1) Make the absolutely amazingly adorable apple shaped cupcake pops off of Bakerella's website? You know, the ones that match the theme of red, circular and back to school that Noah's class is learning about this week? or do I go simpler and
2) Just bake regular cookies or cupcakes? or do I go absolutely simplest and
3) Buy oreos?

Carl is praying that I'll choose number 3. I, however, am leaning towards number 1.

What do you think?

Home

I have come to realize that "home" is a feeling and not a place. You know, that feeling where you feel warm and comfortable and safe and taken care of? That peaceful joy, where you just know that everything is okay? Not the home that we all deal with everyday. As Mommy or Daddy it's our job to create that environment, and as a result we aren't always the ones benefitting from it. But today, I had that feeling, and I realized that there are several different places or circumstances that give me that feeling of "home."

1) Being outside early in the morning, when the air is still cool and everything is crisp and fresh and new and only a few people are awake, too - I think that I get this from my dad. It seems as though almost every time that we did something special, we had to wake up early in the morning (girls camp, road trips, camping, etc). Now it's my favorite time of day.
2) Watching football practice on a hot summer day while listening to Country Music
3) Manti - everything about it, absolutely everything, especially the basement where I was able to sit and read and listen to classical music with Popi
4) Being in a hot car on a road trip
5) Being in the sun. Period.
6) Laying in a cool room with the sun pouring in listening to a fan humming while dozing. (I used to do this on summer afternoons when I was really hot in my mom and dad's room)
7) Swinging in a hammock
8) Holding my kids while they are sleeping - even my 8 year old
9) Listening to my husband sing
10) The song Greensleeves - my Grandma had a wooden carousel that played that song, and she used to put it out every Christmas. It was my favorite, and I love the song to this day.
11) Buttermints - again because of my Grandma, we use to sneak them off the dining table during parties. Of course, I'm pretty sure that she knew we were doing it.
12) Angel Food Cake, Homemade Root Beer, Watermelon, Canned Raspberries, Omi's Rolls, Homemade jam, Caramels, Ramen Noodles (yep), Butterscotch Pudding (warm) and home made chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles and very little chicken!

So, what makes you feel at home?

Little Fashionista

My little tomboy has been replaced by a fashionista.

Now, she has better style than me.

Of course, it's hard to get cooler than a t-shirt with jeans, but we'll see.

Did you know? #2

Did you know that if you are chewing on a mint and you do a headstand the mint could fall out of your mouth and go up your nose?

It could happen, just ask Nathanael.

Right now, his world smells minty fresh.

Ouch!

When you try to do tricks on the swings, sometimes it doesn't go well.

1st Day of School, and Happy Birthday Sam!

So, today was the first day of school. Last night we laid out our outfits, went to bed early, took baths (trust me, their teachers will say thank you for this - they smelled like an entire 3rd grade class returning from recess when they came in last night!), and said our prayers. This morning we woke up, ate breakfast, got dressed and moved on out. For the first time EVER there were no glitches on the first day of school! I was dressed, Noah had on clothing and shoes, and all was well. I dropped them off, and came home and cried like a baby! 4 years later, and I'm still crying after dropping them off. Carl reminded me that next year I get to drop off my baby, too. That made me cry even harder. After all, why wait until next year to cry about something when you can do it right now?

Little Shirley Temple asked if I would please put curlers in her hair last night! She's turning into quite the fashionista!



Isn't he handsome? He wanted to wear a mohawk to school, but they are against dress code, so we just spiked it!



Walking into the school - there's no turning back now!!!



See Nathanael walking to his desk?



Who can leave their little girl looking like this????





Oh, and on a final note,

Happy Birthday, Sam!

PS - There's another posting just below this one, check it out. Oh, and if you read my stuff, will you 'follow' me? It's good for my self-esteem!

I Blinked

Playing the Piano is not relaxing

I LOVE to play the piano. It relaxes me, helps me to destress, and brings me much joy. However, I usually play at night after the kids are in bed. They love to listen to it as they are falling asleep, and it is a very nice peaceful way to end the day.

Today, I tried to play in the middle of the day.

I really shouldn't do that.

It's hard to concentrate on the music (or not concentrate on it and relax) when you are hearing this:

"MO-OM! Noah is running around naked!" "It's 'acause I can't find my swimsuit!" "Stop touching me - don't look at me, either." "I don't want to walk Emmaline!" "WHY would you do that? Mom, why would he do that?" "I still can't find any clothes, I guess I'll swim naked." "MO-OM! He's gonna swim naked, I am so embarrassed. My friend is here!" "That's okay, I have a brother, too, remember?" "The drawer just fell on me - I think I broke my foot! HE-LP! I can't get it back in. It's broken forever!" "Just leave me alone!" "No. I don't have anyone else to play with, I have to annoy you, it's what brothers are suppose to do." "MO-OM........."

True story. I didn't make up one word.

I think I'll stick to playing the piano at night.

It seems to work better.

New Laptop

I am the proud, if not joyous, owner of a brand new Mac laptop.

Turns out Mac laptops don't really like water. Even if it takes them a week or two to make up their mind.



Children are more important than computers.

No matter how expensive they are.

Really.

It's true.

I'm pretty sure they last longer, too.

Hyatt Pictures

Trying out the bed



Watching Finding Nemo on the lawn



Making S'mores



After we settled in immediately after arriving, the kids OBVIOUSLY felt the need to explore the balcony

The Hyatt

So, immediately after returning from the beach we turned around and took our kids to the Hyatt for three days and two nights. I have some cute pictures, but the camera is in the car and I am too tired to go and get it, so you'll get to see those tomorrow. In the meantime, I will regale you with a list of things that I learned this week:

1) There IS such a thing as too much vacation. There really, really is
2) I love my kids, and I LOVE to be with them, but I REALLY like - no need - alone time, too
3) My children don't know what beer is
4) My children are not afraid to inform people who are drinking beer that they (my children) are not allowed to have that. "Yah," said Noah, "My mom and dad don't let me drink Dr Pepper"
5) ALL of my children talk in their sleep
6) One of my children talks in his sleep frequently - enough to give you heart failure several times during the night
7) When you work out at a hotel you are surrounded by people that make you wish you didn't have to work out and could just go and eat a bag of jelly belly's
8) I love to float and talk to my kiddos
9) Movies that are watched outside are WAY better then movies that you watch inside
10) When there are scary parts in movies my youngest child will panic and look for any adult that he can find to hold him
11) Pushing or not pushing elevator buttons can completely destroy relationships, no matter how strong they are
12) Hotel key cards are totally cool to 7 year olds
13) Bicycle riding is not a safe pass time for my family
14) My daughter can take out an entire family with one bicycle, all by herself
15) My daughter cannot think or act clearly under pressure

I'm falling asleep while I type this, but if I think of anything else, I'll add it tomorrow.

The Beach

So, here are some pictures. We had a great time. I am tired. I still do not like sand. I also do not like getting sunburned, and I'm not a big fan of having to watch what you eat on vacation, but overall, it was wonderful. We are on our way to the Hyatt for 2 days, but when we get back I'll have more to share about both of our adventures.

Swimming at the hotel pool.


Playing on the beach with cousins.




Getting buried in the sand.


Daddy way out in the ocean with the kids.


Carlye telling Noah how to fly a kite.


Flying kites.


Riding on the ferry.


Fishing with Daddy.

Mr. Sketch scented markers

Do you remember Mr. Sketch scented markers? When I was a little girl I remember the very special occasions when our Daddy would bring home these markers. We would sniff them and color them, and be in total and complete bliss until we had lost or ruined every last one of them.

In Office Max the other day, my daughter discovered her first box of Mr. Sketch scented markers. Because of her total and complete rapture, and my total and complete nostalgia I spent the $16 dollars of highway robbery to purchase these for her.

And boy, has it been worth it.

Noah has a permanently funky colored nose because of all of the markers he has sniffed (not to mention the possible brain damage), and Carlye has been drawing and drawing and drawing. Nathanael says he likes the colors that Carlye says are stinky just so he can make her mad, but otherwise is unimpressed with them.

Currently, Carlye is going around sniffing her day or two old completed drawings and marveling at the fact that yes, they do still smell as good as the markers.

Now tell me, wouldn't you pay $16 just for that?

The Beach

Beach pic from 2007
Every summer our family packs up and makes a trek with my all of my family and extended family on my husbands side to the beach! The kids love it, my husband loves it, and I always enjoy it while I'm there. However, here is a list of things that I am looking forward to (not!):
1) I am so excited to go on vacation and starve to death because my trainer won't allow me to eat anything but vegetables and chicken/fish.
2) Oh, and I have to work out EVERY DAY for at least 30 minutes. Boo.
3) Sand gets everywhere. Literally. It's in your bed sometimes. How?
4) the 3 hour car drive. With 4 children under the age of 8. Need I say more?
5) Sand
6) Sunburns
7) Salt burning your eyes
8) Sand

Seriously, though, it will be a lot of fun to have our last Hurrah before school starts.

Oh, and I do believe that my trainer spends his evenings thinking up ways to torture people. He made me run up and down picnic tables today! Who does that?!?!

So, off I go, to pack and load up all of our stuff. And then we will fish and look for shells and swim and chill and just have an awesome time.

Did I mention the 3 hour drive?

With 4 children under the age of 8?

Oh - and I've lost 3 pounds! Yay, me!

Carlye's Quilt/Anneke's Fabric

So, while I still don't have pictures of Carlye's completed room remodel to upload, here is a picture of the rag quilt that I made her - and I must say that I am really proud of it. She picked ALL of the fabric herself, and then we made sure that all of the paint matched. We basically built the room around her fabric.



This is one of our dining room chairs from when I was growing up that we painted to match her room, and then I re-upholstered the seat with fabric from her quilt. You can also see her closet curtains and shag carpet, both of which she picked herself! Plus, there's a hint of her paint, along with the beautiful wooden floors.


These two pictures, even though the colors didn't pick up really well in the pic, are of the fabric that Carlye and Lili picked for the quilt we're making Anneke. The light pink is a super soft minky, and then the other colors accent it really well. The cream fabric with the round pink flowers is the back of the quilt, and the other fabrics are the squares.

I'm sad with the way that the colors developed, because they really are more vibrant and beautiful than the pictures show. Very Princess Pinky Pie!

Bath time for the Macintosh

Sooo, my Mac was doused again.

Yes, it really was.

My beloved youngest son was standing next to it with a bottle of water when I told him that he wasn't allowed behind the desk with a drink. So he spilled it.........

Right next to my computer.

Then, Carlye came running over to pick up my laptop, while I tried to turn off the vacuum and dash over to the desk. Right as she reached the desk she dumped her GIANT SIZE GLASS OF ICE WATER all over the keyboard on my laptop. I screamed in terror, snatched the computer and turned it on it's side.

Noah thought that the waterfall which I produced from the bowels of my computer was cool.

Me, not so much.

I told my children in my very quiet, very calm voice to get out of the room.

Quickly.

And don't come back until I calm down.

Thankfully, this evening (after 28 hours upside down, battery less on an airconditioning vent and many, many prayers) my computer started up again.

I really think, though, that since this is the 2nd time my Mac has had a bath, that maybe I should actually back my stuff up.

Just a thought......

Round Two

Today went much better. Nathanael's well check went well, and he's in the 95th percentile for height - tall boy! He was thrilled because he didn't need shots. It really made him love Dr. Ramsay. Dentists office was uneventful as well. That is, until I realized that I had locked my keys and my cell phone in my car. And, horror of all horrors, I hadn't left the sun roof open as I usually do. You see, when the sunroof is open, I can crawl through and get my keys out if I lock them in. Thankfully, my knight in shining armor was at the dentist office with me, so he was able to bend a hanger, attach duct tape and wire, and save my keys. And he didn't even care that it was like the 200th time that I've done it this year. He's so awesome.

Day 3 of starving to death is going really well. The sugar deprivation hallucinations and headaches are starting to go away, and I was actually able to use my legs towards the end of the day today. Just in time for him to torture me again tomorrow. I can't wait.

Dentists and Personal Trainers

Today I took my kiddos to get their teeth cleaned. I always look forward to this time of year with such joy and anticipation. I am blessed with children who love going to the dentist (true story) and they always behave like little angels while they are there. In order to illustrate this, here is a list of things they did NOT do today at the dentist:

1) Nathanael did NOT throw a fit because he wasn't the first one to go back to see the hygienist
2) Noah did NOT go to the bathroom and then clog the toilet with toilet paper and forget to wipe his hiney
3) After this didn't happen Carlye did NOT tell me from across the waiting room, in her loudest voice, that Noah clogged up their toilet with poop
4) Nathanael did NOT inform the dental hygienist (who jokingly told him to stay put) that he was going to run out of the room the second she left
5) Noah did NOT forget to wear underwear and then as a result of forgetting to wipe his hiney begin to smell unsanitary
6) Carlye did NOT have two cavities
7) Noah did NOT inform them that the reason his teeth were so beautiful is because he brushes them 5 times a day all by himself

As you can see, I have absolutely no reason to be nervous about going back this Thursday with my oldest two. It'll be fun.

On a side note, I had my first session with my trainer today.

He started out by complimenting me, and telling me that he could tell that I used to be in shape and that my body has a memory and that we would be able to get it back in shape fairly quickly.

Then, while still appearing to be nice, he turned very evil.

He informed me that he wants to starve me to death, and that jelly belly's are no longer an acceptable staple for my diet.

He also informed me that today he went easy on me, and delighted in telling me stories about former torture sessions, including one about making a friend of mine (the one who gave me this gift of love) run up and down sand hills carrying an 8 lb medicine ball.

Anyone who makes me run on sand - especially if it actually gets on me - is not my friend.

Well, I better go and eat my flavorless tuna and apple.

Until next time.........

Weekend

My children have lost their minds.

Or their sense of self-discipline.

Or something.

Because they are seriously grumpy. I really think it's that they actually need to have a schedule and a semblance of order in their lives, and when they don't they go crazy.

And so, of course, do we.

It's so good to be home.

Oh, by the way, we had a fantastic weekend! We slept, read, rested, relaxed, went swimming, and just over all had a great time.

Tomorrow is my actual 1st day with my trainer, and while we were gone Carl bought me a shirt that says "I love my husband" on the front.

I'm supposed to wear it tomorrow.