Nap Time?

I love nap time, I think people who don't have their kids take naps are crazy. (That's when I get my house clean, or my projects done.) But I do know Reese is getting older, and lately Reese hasn't been sleeping. I keep making her take a nap, but she just plays, or gets out of bed. I keep thinking ok, maybe it's time to stop making her take a nap.

But last week this happened 3 or 4 times. I tell her to go back to bed, and finally when I check on her she's on the floor asleep, or a chair with the lights on. So obviously she needs a nap right? (Do you love that she's on top of a huge pile of toys, nice and comfy :) So what do you guys think, let her stop? But I don't want to.

Last week Heather called me at about 12:30 to tell me it was Cheryl's b-day (Jeremy's aunt who lives next door). I knew I only had a few hours to make a cake which is not enough, but I did it any way. I hurried and threw a cake in the oven right when I got off the phone. (Yes, I realize that was I a good person and remembered birthdays, I could have been prepared, but no I'm not.) Cheryl has taught school for about 30 years or so, so I made a schoolhouse cake. A bit ambitious for my skill level, and way ambitious for my time frame.

I think she liked it anyway, I don't think she's ever had a cake like this. I didn't have time to really cool the cake, or let the fondant rest, I tried to put it in the freezer for a while, which helped, but if you notice it's a little soft looking, it is.

I made little books and apples, to try and add a few little touches. After this I see why you don't try and do a cake from beginning to end in just 3 or four hours. Maybe the next one will look a little better.

Before and After

Ok I promise this is the last time I post about my weight. Hopefully everyone is not completely annoyed with me. After I posted last about how I kept cheating, it did the trick and I got back to work again. I have officially met my goal, and passed it by three pounds so far. I was too chicken to take a real before and after. But here's a few shots of me looking kind of heavy.

And here I am about a month ago, so still about 10 lbs. more than I am now.
So far I have lost 49 lbs. It's been a long time coming, but it was definitely worth it, because now I'm much healthier. In fact this makes me laugh, but I'm only two lbs. away from not lying on my drivers license. (I was really lying there for awhile :). Anyway good luck to all of you who are doing the same thing. Happy exercising!

Free blankies!

My friend Candace is doing a giveaway! If you click on my little mini minky button that's on the side, you can get your own free soft baby blanket. You just need to put it on your blog. There's lots of cute ones, you should check it out!

Alaska!

A month or two ago, Jeremy, his dad, and some guys they know all went on a trip to Alaska for fishing. I wanted to put a few pictures on here from their trip. Since I wasn't there, I just put a few of the cute ones on.
He came home looking like a gruff fisherman. Beard, sunburn, bug bites, maybe that wasn't the funnest part for him.

Jeremy and his Dad Jody.
Here's the whole group. I know no one who reads this knows any of them, but I'm mostly putting these on for him.
He had so many gorgeous pictures of landscape, I only chose a few. But it seems like Alaska is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
You've got to have a pic of you holding a big fish, or it isn't a fishing trip.



So I think I could make a calender from how beautiful these pics are. I know I'm jealous too.

This isn't long, but it's funny, Jeremy has a fish that really doesn't want to be caught.

I could never find the video he shot of the whales coming right up out of the water, so close to their little boat, it was incredible! Watching it is especially what made me jealous that he got to do this, while I stayed home, but I think he had a great time.

Happy Halloween!

Reese has a huge thing for Harry Potter, (yes I know what you're thinking, she's 3 and they let her watch Harry Potter?) Well, we do and she loves it. So she loves Hermione Granger, and months ago she asked Jeremy if he would be Harry for halloween with her. (And he surprisingly said yes.) So I decided to make us a matching family.

Reese's hair is exactly like Hermione's which I think makes the whole costume that much better. Reese wanted Rylee to be Dobee the house elf. As excited as I was at the thought of only putting a dirty pillowcase on her, I talked Reese into making Rylee be Hedwig the owl.
Yes I made this costume myself, and yes it did take quite awhile. But the owl costumes online looked so dumb, so I think it was worth it. She could tell it was funny, she kept laughing all day. And I'm surprised I was able to get her to keep that hat on, but somehow she did.

On Friday we went to Jeremy's work to trick or treat. Then my whole fam. meets at my Dad's.
This is my niece Avery, I thought she looked so cute, I'm kicking myself for not getting a pic of my sis in law Becca dressed as Marge Simpson.
The tradition has been to trick or treat at his work then go to McDonalds. The kids had so much fun. They both missed nap, but were having so much fun. ( Of course I paid for it later.)

Can I just say that I still am a little shocked at how willing Jeremy was to dress up. He had to shave and everything. I think a lot of it was because Reese asked him to. She just has him in her little palm I think.
If you've watched Harry Potter, you know there's not a lot of options of main characters for me to be. Reese wanted me to be Ron, or Dumbledore. But I decided to go with Ginny Weasley. Not the best costume, but I did my best.
This is Tayler and her boyfriend Macklyn, (I'm not sure if I spelled that right :) A bee and a bee keeper, I thought that was way cute, and creative.
Jeremy made Jody put a wig on and be Severus Snape, just for a picture, I thought that was funny.
We always carve some pumpkins. I'm only going to show these two.
I seriously have a fear of Michael Jackson, especially from Thriller, that stems from child hood. Jeremy did this one and I thought it was super freaky.
Jeremy decided he wanted to learn how to make homemade doughnuts. But he got started on a project with his dad, and so I was on my own. I swear it took me all day, but I think they turned out good. I made regular, and cake, with both glaze, maple and choc frosting. There was a ton, and this was all that was left, so I guess they were all right :) I think I want to do it again now that I know what I'm doing a little bit more.

We ended up riding with our friends the Richs', ten of us in their 5 passenger car, to go trick or treating. It was fun. We had good food, and lots of it. What a good night, I hope everyone had fun!

Jack O Lantern Saver!

I just wanted to share a quick tidbit about how to save your pumpkins that have been carved. My sis-in-law Becca told me about this, and boy was she right!

To keep your carved pumpkins from shrinking up and turning brown : Just smear Vaseline on every cut surface, and on the whole inside, and lid. Supposedly it makes the life of your jack o lantern 4 times as long.

Reese carved her pumpkin three day's ago, and I did the vaseline trick, and it's not showing even a little bit of browning, or wrinkling.

Just thought I'd share - Happy Carving!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is definitely one of my favorite holidays. Last Week I had a mom and miss party for my activity days calling at church.

Unluckily for me, the three ladies, who are in my calling as well, were released the week before. Luckily for me one of them (Jamie Hansen) was nice enough to help me even though she was released.
I really wanted it to be cute, she brought a lot of decorations, and I brought everything I had. I think it really turned out cute. We had an area set up to take pictures of the moms and girls, which you saw up on top. Everyone came dressed up. I got home from Disneyland and went into a cooking frenzy, but I think it turned out ok.

This I think is my favorite cake I've made so far. I used a pumpkin choc chip recipe, my mom gave me. I think from now on I'll do something like that, instead of a cake mix. It seems like it's good to have it taste good as well as be cute. I used two bunt cakes on top of each-other, by the way, if you want to copy, it. I think it turned out cute.
Sorry I know this is ugly, but in the spirit of halloween, I had to put in on.
We went up to my mom and dad's this week, to do pumpkins. This was the first year Reese could somewhat do it. She thought it was so much fun.

Just a random note, when I was little I used to dress in a ton of layers, it would drive my mom nuts. Reese came up wearing all this the other day. Skull and cross bone socks, brown pants, an orange terry cloth skirt, an orange tulle skirt, a striped long sleeved shirt, a yellow hooded shirt, and a orange terry cloth hooded vest. I had to get photographic evidence. She is definitely my child.
Hope you all have fun Halloweening this weekend!