Snowing Already?

At our house I swear it snows for more than half of the year. When Mike and I were looking for a house I told him I would never live up at Suncrest. I'm from Hawaii, the last thing I want to do is live where it REALLY snows. (Compared to the valley there is a lot more snow)

To my surprise, and a lot of other family members, I absolutely love it here. I can't imagine living anywhere else. Yesterday was the first snow of the fall season and the kids couldn't wait to play in it.
Collin was hanging out by the front door as the kids were going in and out. I felt bad for him and thought he was missing his brother and sister. I saw him laying on the slate and when I went closer this is what I found. He was eating the snow that had fallen off the kids shoes and clothes. Now that I think about it, I remember Tess doing something similar.

Our creepy spider webs are now frozen creepy spider webs.

Mike finished our attic space above the garage for extra storage. Last spring I was sure to use the attic space and store our hats, gloves and boots up there. Yesterday when Davis got home from school is was anxious to make a snow man. The string to pull the ladder to the attic is greatly higher than my reach. Not a big surprise when you know that I am barely five feet tall. Davis was crushed when I told him I couldn't get his gloves. We came up with an alternative and my oven gloves were the best I could do. He seemed to be happy enough with that.

When Mike got home we had him get out the snow gear from the attic. The kids wanted to bring the sled in the house and pull toys and each other around in it. Collin is modeling a hat Davis wore when he was a baby. Looking at Collin's face in the hat I could see how different Davis and Collin look. Don't worry, we won't let the kids take Collin outside like that. We will make sure he has mittens on too. ;)

Collin Turns 1

I am late on posting Collin's birthday, but here is an ultra condensed version. Noelle has a good post on the events of the day if anyone is interested in checking it out.
We had an awesome fall fair with nachos, hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn and games.
Thanks to my great family and friends for helping me pull it all together. My brother in law Kurt is the designated balloon guy. For Davis' 1st he was in charge of the helium tank and blew me away with his seaweed like creations. I knew he was the man for the job this year too.

Thanks to my great cousin, Alicia, for taking this picture of Collin's birthday cake. I made it the day before, but I was so busy with everything I didn't stop to take a photo. Don't be fooled. It is not a real caramel apple, just pound cake covered in marshmallow fondant. We will count this as another successful 1st birthday party. I wish I could keep Collin this age forever.

Mess in the kitchen

Davis is notorious for borrowing books and then asking to recreate what he sees in the books. For example he went through a phase where he drew futuristic flying cars, building a wooden tool box, and airplanes. Really the list could co on and on. Lately he is into planets and the solar system. He brought home a book from school that shows you how to make a model of the solar system using Styrofoam balls and the whole bit.

One of the steps was making a paper mache sun for the center of the diorama. I was making something in the kitchen and thought it would okay and pretty easy enough for him to do. Tess wanted to join in and they started off doing really well. I walked away for a few minutes to download a free font from font squirrel, and came back to this mess. Davis had gone to wash off his hands and Tess was covered in flour/water paste. They had fun and the mess really wasn't that big of a deal to clean up. Next time (if there has to be a next time) I will not walk away.
Later that night the kids and Mike delivered some Halloween treats. I like to make the treats, but I get too nervous to ring the doorbell and run. I can remember being nervous as a kid when we would leave treats and I am too scared to do it now. Mike thinks I'm funny, but he is a good sport to take the kids.

We made peanut butter eyeballs, vampire bat droppings (I made muddy buddies and added some rice krispies for smaller bits), and cockroach clusters. The cockroach clusters are supposed to be in balls, but I missed the boat when my sugar mixture passed the soft ball stage, and then set too fast for me to roll them.

I just love making food into silly, creepy, halloweenish things.

Errands with the kids

Friday was spent running errands with all the kids. While we were perusing the Orson Gygi store I found this pineapple cake pan from Wilton. How fun would that be for a luau? Before we went into each store I told Davis and Tess we weren't buying anything for them, and not to ask for treats. The first store we left with stickers. The second store we left with gummy rats (so cool and creepy). Then we stopped at McD's to eat happy meals and play in the junlge gym. At the third store we walked away with free balloons, the fourth little paper drink umbrellas and at the last store another bag of candy.
I am such a wimpy mom.

A small parcel

My mom was visiting a few weeks back and ordered ;) some diaper wallets from me. She has several friends due to have babies soon and thought these would be nice gifts. Today I sent them in the mail and they are on their way to Hawaii.When Tess got home from preschool she ran to her room and emerged in her old bathing suit. She asked me to set up the swimming pool outside. Yesterday she dressed herself in shorts and a tank top. Tess isn't catching on to the weather change. I probably should have sent her to Hawaii with the diaper wallets.
This is a picture of Collin compliments of Tess. He's getting so big. There are only 8 days until his 1st birthday. Where did the last year go?

Mummy Dogs

My kids would eat these everyday if I let them. Mummy dogs are a fun twist on pigs in a blanket.

How to:

1. Cut crescent roll dough into thin strips.
2. Start at one end of the hot dog and wrap dough around and around.
3. Layer your strips to get a good mummy effect.
4. Bake mummies in the oven at 350* for 12-15 minutes.
5. Use ketchup or mustard dots for creepy eyes.

One can of rolls will wrap one package of hot dogs.

Mongo Melon

Mike and I were down in Price last week. While we were there we picked up a few Green River watermelons.

Does this cutting board make the watermelon look fat?

Green River knows how to make one delicious melon!

The Count Down

Last year my kids were always asking how many days were left until Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. All I really cared about were how many more days I was going to be pregnant with Collin.

Davis helped me put together a small paper chain to count down the days, and it's seemed to cut back on the questions. I thought it might be easier for them to visualize the countdown.

This year I decided to go all out. I stapled together a paper chain representing every day until the end of the year. I numberd each link with the date so we could make sure we were on track. I also put special markers on important dates such as Collin's birthday, my birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve. I usually decorate our hallway with streamers when it's someones birthday. I figure Collin won't care if there are paper chains with his streamers and I probably won't decorate for myself anyway. Wait, who am I kidding? Of course I am going to decorate for myself! I think this chain will look great on my birthday.