The Cake...

So I am particularly proud of this cake. It is the first time I have attempted to draw on a cake! Carson has been asking for a Mickey Mouse cake since January, so I knew I had no other choice. It was so much fun and the big boy loved it!

Happy Birthday Carson!

Today is Carson's 3rd birthday. Usually, I have this difficult time with accepting that my kids are getting older, or it is hard for me to believe it possible for them to be older, "I can't believe Savannah is 8!" "I can't believe Madison will be 6!" However, with Carson I haven't had any problems with acknowledging his age. He has always been, as the saying goes, "An old soul." I remember looking into his eyes when he was just a few days old and he would look back deep into mine as if he was reading all about me, looking into my heart and soul. So Carson is three years old, and there is no shock value in this for me; just pure gratitude and love. I have a beautiful, crazy, sometimes onry, 3 year old boy; and I love him with all my heart.

Carson didn't have a birthday party this year. But he did have a theme. He is passionate about two things in life:

1) Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
2) Scooby Doo

Although, the main focus was on Mickey, we did top the Mickey cake with a Scooby candle!

Just as a side note, when told, "Happy Birthday Carson, he would in turn wish you a Happy Birthday!" As Savannah said many times today, "Happy Birthday Carson!" Carson will then reply, "Happy Birthday Nana!"


A candid of Carson's concentration face as he opens a present!

Savannah's Song

Savannah made up a song about her family. But once you hear the lyrics you'll realize it is more of an ode to her Daddy. I'm not sure how I feel about this song, yet there are many times I will come upstairs and hear Harvey either listening to the song or singing the song, I think his feelings towards the song are quite obvious.

Here are the lyrics:
-This is a story about my family
-The only one who doesn't annoy me is my Daddy
-He helps me when I'm feeling low
-I know that he loves me so

Easter Bonnets

Carson brought home a note the other day stating that they were going to have an Easter Bonnet Parade, and Carson needed to make his bonnet at home and bring it to school. "Wait, wait, wait, A BONNET! No, No, No my BOY isn't wearing a bonnet!" This at least was my first thought. Until I asked around and realized that this is a tradition amongst preschoolers. They make these bonnets, which are meant to be sort of "goofy," "creative," and "silly," and then proceed to parade them. So I got to work. Once the project was complete I thought for sure I was going to win the "Mom of the Year" award for my creativity. I worked a whole 10 minutes, which also made me to believe I would win an entirely separate award for my efficiency. Here is a good shot of my not-so-much masterpiece (the hat consists of yellow chicks and feathers):

However, when we arrived I realized that not only was I NOT going to win the prize but that I was probably going to take last place. I never imagined the competition in motherhood craft abilities would far exceed what I could ever conjure up. Here's an example of such creativity: (note the boy behind Carson)

However, I didn't let this bring me down. I was still quite proud of myself, until that is, the dangling eggs started nailing Carson in the eyes. Okay, so my creative realms are not vast, here's the proof (no he is not crying, just a little frustrated)
I guess experience takes the cake (this was our first one) and I hoped to say that next year Carson and I are going to rise to the challenge and blow the competition out of the water, but alas, we will remain true to ourselves; mediocre and in last place. For reason being, I am content with spending 10 minutes on my son's "bonnet" and my boy was thrilled with it and although the eggs were a bother at times, he was able to bounce back quickly. Maybe next year, I can at least move the dangling eggs pendulum out of eye range!

My Pancake Snobs!

Harvey has made our kids into pancake snobs! Most saturday mornings Harvey will get up and head downstairs to prepare the pancake feast, from scratch!!! Yes, Harvey makes the pancakes from scratch, and they are delicious!!! It isn't just the recipe though it is something special he does. That special something has yet to be shared with me, because I attempted in Harvey's absense to carry on the saturday tradition by making these pancakes. The attempt was made because my kids absolutely refuse to eat pancakes made from the box, you know, the just add water kind! So after my pancakes were prepared each kid tried, and these were there responses:

Madison: "These are great Mom, you did a really good job!" (However she only ate one as opposed to her normal 2)

Savannah: "I am sorry Mom, but these just aren't like Dad's, he just does something better to them." (There's my honest Savannah again, she barely choked down one, at least she tried!)

Carson: "?" (I still have a hard time understanding him! But they must have been bad because two bites later and he was done! I am still hurt, which is why he isn't pictured, the facial expression is more than I can bare!)

Rylie: "Cry, Cry and cry some more" (She's teething, but she did humour me with a few bites)

She's walking...

Well okay she's been walking now for a few weeks, so I am way late in informing the world to her new and very necessary skill. I have been waiting for Harvey to show me how to put a video from the camera to the computer and then onto my blog, but these are the ways of life when you have a husband that travels ALOT; you wait, wait, and wait! So I took lots of pictures of her walking and chose the best ones! She's adorable when she walks. I absolutely love when babies first start walking, arms up, hands pointing out, always anticipating THE FALL...I love it!




I love this expression! She loves this whole walking thing!

Tagged...

I've never been tagged, but it sounds like fun.

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.

B. Each player answers the questions about themselves.

C. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 other people and posts their names and leaves a message on their blog letting them know they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog to get directions.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

After figuring out where I was ten years ago, I was amazed at how much Harv and I have done in 10 years! We actually celebrate our 10 year anniversary in May, so as you can guess from that 10 years ago, I was planning my wedding! I was also a nanny in Pittsburgh watching Alex and Kenzie. Two of the most beautiful little girls. And traveling once a month down to Virginia to see my Harvdog!

2. 5 things on my to do list

1. Finish my first assignment in my Photography class
2. Make one more hotel reservation for our trip to France
3. Call Tokyo and get Rylie's 2 month immunizations
4. Get Sav in horse riding lessons
5. Find voice lessons for Madison (she states she wants to be in singing contests)

3. What snacks do I enjoy?

Chocolate, peanuts, and clementines. I know when I move back to the States my chocolate addiction wont be so severe, I have to admit living in England has made me a chocolate snob. But while I am here, I must have it everyday, and not just a little bit, at least a bar or more. Pretty pathetic.

4. What would I do if I were suddenly a billionaire?

Buy my little sister a house, give my parents enough retirement money so my mom could quit her job, tear down my in-laws house and build them a beautiful home on their Arizona property and then set them up financially so they could spend their retirement in luxury, give my sister-in-law money to start her own floral shop, continue to give our family whatever it is they need, contribute money to the American diabetes Association and American Cancer Society, and whatever other charities that are in need of help locally and globally. And then of course, set my kids up forever, and buy homes in every place we have ever lived, so I can go back and visit old friends whenever I wanted.

5. 3 bad habits
1. I chew my tongue, weird I know!
2. I get things out but don't put them immediately away.
3. I leave cupboards open all the time


6. 6 places I lived

1. Mount Vernon, Ohio
2. Dalian, China
3. Vancouver, Canada
4. Ithaca, New York
5. Tokyo, Japan
6. Griffydam, England

7. 5 Jobs I've had

1. Check out girl at grocery store
2. Waitress
3. Sales Clerk in the mall
4. EFY counselor
5. A nanny in Pittsburgh

8. 5 things people don't know about me

This was a tough one, I am pretty much an open book.
1. Harvey and I were engaged 3 times before HE could make the commitment. But I am glad I was patient!

2. I ran 3 half marathons in 8 months!

3. I love the smell of BABY stinky feet. I could kiss them all day.

4. I love speaking in sacrament meetings.

5. I have given into my British urges and now have baked beans for breakfast on occasion.
I've tagged, Heather S., Laura, Sam, Brandi, Tami...sorry guys, I was just really was interested in what your answers would be!

Lazy Daze

I knew from the moment I was awakened by Rylie's 5:00am feeding that it was going to be one of those days...Let me preface first, by saying that last week was the busiest week of my life. Fun, but busy. As I awoke today I felt the exhaustion of the previous week hit me. As I describe my day, I make a plea, a plea that you comment if you too have days like these.

I was so lazy today that once I got my older kids to school I resumed the position that I was going to stay in all day, on the couch with my feet up on the ottoman. I was so lazy that when it came time for Carson to eat lunch I looked for ways that I could make it simple and non-messy, for reasons such that I wouldn't have to put out too much energy in making it, but that I also didn't have to wait in the kitchen while he ate it and I could bring him into the family room and I could once again resume position on the couch. Rylie picking up on my mood napped for 2 1/2 hours, but even after all that when I heard her cry it took everything I had to get myself off the couch and up the stairs, which on days like these feel like I am climbing Mount Fuji. Dinner for the kids was made quick and easy, there was no table set, and I couldn't even be put out enough to include a vegetable. On days like these, my diet consisted of 7, yes, 7 chocolate chip cookies (which were consummed for both breakfast and lunch), a few strawberries (yeah for me), and rice. And yet all I crave at this moment is the largest bar of chocolate England can offer. Family Home Evening was basically a "kids rule" night. With Rylie screaming throughout, Savannah and Madison did the lesson and activity and since I had eaten the family treat, my only job for FHE, we were left without and quickly closed with a prayer. We totaled a 15 minute FHE, and all time record. I had Rylie in bed by 6:30, Carson in bed by 7:00 and Savannah and Maddie in bed by 7:20. Just so I could download some itunes, write this blog (which even now I am getting bored with and want to quit), and resume my position on the couch. What a day! Please tell me you have days like this too, is it just me? I do know some women feel like doing this, but am I the only one who actually carries those feelings through to actions?

Just to note, my laziness didn't keep me from making a pan of rice krispies and a pan of brownies after the kids went to bed.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! I had no idea in England they celebrate Mother's Day 3 Sundays before Easter. So it was quite nice having this day earlier than expected!

I have had a change of heart towards mother's day this year. For some reason I have had it in my mind that mother's day means it is a "day-off" for mom, a day for me to hang my many hats, sit back and relax. I always expect it to mean that I will get to sleep in, my children will be well-behaved, everyone will be perpetually full, therefore no need for me to cook, they will all know to either clean their own messes, or better yet just not to make them at all. But, as many of you know, that dream mother's day never occurs. As I was driving to church today all my children were screaming, crying, complaining and I pulled the car over and said to each one of them, "It is mother's day, can't you just give me one day of peace!" Little did I know I was about to learn the greatest lesson on mother's day I have ever learned.

As I was sitting at church with my look of disappointment towards the events of the day so far, a woman in the congregation stood up and walked to the pulpit to share with all of us her thoughts on mother's day. She began, by of course, thanking her own mother, but then her thoughts took a different turn. She started to say how grateful she was to be a mother during mother's day! What a blessing it was to be a mother...Instantly my heart sank, she had the right idea. She somehow knew, that mother's day wasn't about sleeping in, and pampering yourself while your husband resumed not only his duties but yours as well (where I got this idea, I have no idea). Mother's day is about being a mother. It should be about me celebrating the fact that God has given me the chance to raise children, to love them, and to care for them. A day for me to take a look at each one of my children and see them as God sees them, to read their sweet notes of love towards me, to gaze at their crafty attempts to make me feel loved and appreciated. As selfish as I had been up to that moment, I am so grateful for this dear Sister who changed my thoughts on Mother's day from self-indulgence to gratitude.

For many of my friends and all of my family this thought has come two months early, but still I hope you all have a very Happy Mother's Day, especially my own mother as she has had more not-so-indulgent mother's day's than myself. I love you Mom!