Oh Sundays

Sundays tucker this poor kid out. We have late church (12:30-3:30) with sacrament last. Whoever thought of this schedule obviously didn't have young children. The mornings aren't bad, he usually plays trains and "helps" mom and dad get ready. We read scriptures and so on, but 12:30 is his naptime and it goes until 3:00- most, if not all of church. So we get to church with him on the edge of being tired and then he gets 2 hours of running around with his friends. We get him back for sacrament and he is about to get really grumpy. If we're lucky and none of his friends are sitting close he will sometimes fall asleep for the last half hour. IF we are lucky. If not, it's a wrestling match for that hour. Most after church activities look like this...

He is not sleeping, but contemplating the meaning of life with his current favorite stuffed animal who is aptly named "Duck". While I am cooking dinner Jason is usually reading a gazillion stories to Jefferson to pass the time and keep him from turning into a crazed child. Yesterday it was Alladin over and over again. He calls this story "Camel" because he likes the animals in this story. He always associates stories with the favorite animal in it. And Yes, monsters do count. He LOVES monsters- silly kid.

Happy Birthday Jason!!

Happy 31st Jason!!

Jason's birthday was yesterday and it turned out great. We had a really good evening with Jason for his birthday. For dinner we had really good lasagna (thanks mom!), green salad, fresh from the oven whole wheat bread with our bottled peach jam from our tree, and lastly, Jason's favorite spice cake for dessert. Sooooo good, but soooo filling. I had to stretch out on the couch afterwards.

Next, we opened presents. Jefferson really thought it was Christmas again and once we reminded him it was Dad's birthday he decided it was his birthday and had to "help" open up the cards and presents. Funny kid. Jason received a 3-in-1 waterproof blanket and a really nice leatherman that he can clip to his belt. Very McGyverish. He also got some movies that Jefferson helped pick out. He got the Karate Kid Trilogy and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. We watched the second after dinner and it was a really fun family friendly movie. I recomend it.

Jefferson picked out a really great card with a dad dressed as Super Man on the front (he loves the oldschool superman movies) and when you open it it plays "We Are the Champions". I think Jefferson liked it more than Jason. He kept opening and closing the card, laughing this gut wrenching laugh each time, it cracks me up.

This is my some-what sad atempt at making a regular cake cool. Oh well, it tasted good.

Happy Birthday Jason!!! Love You!!!

May I Tempt You...

...With These Little Beauties For Valentines Day!

I got this recipe from www.picky-palate.com (which I love), and they turned out even better than I thought. I should have put a ruler in the picture because these babies are huge. They are called Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies and they are divine. You can really only eat one due to the fact that they are gigantic, but oh are they good. I made them for our wards Valentines recipe exchange and everyone told me I was a genius for putting a brownie in a cookie. Sadly, I had to tell them that I stole the idea.

Brownie in the middle!!! What's not to love? Mine didn't flatten out like the pictures on the website, mine just got huge, like, bigger than my palm huge. Fabulous!!!

And on a side note- I found these on www.craftgawker.com (which I also love) and thought they were so cute. If Jefferson was in school I totally would have done valentines like this. Aren't they great? Love them pirates.

Happy Valentines Day!!
Now I have to go cut out hearts with Jefferson to place all around the house for Jason. FUN!

My Outdoorsman

Jefferson absolutely adores being outside. Nothing makes him happier. Usually I have no problem giving in to his wishes of outdoor enjoyment, but winter is hard. It has been really, bitterly cold this winter and we get a lot of wind. So needless to say we haven't ventured out much. Jefferson is constantly asking if we can go out and since his is older now it is hard for him when I say no. Soooo, he has developed a new habit that I finally caught on film.

Our windowsills are quite wide and he has discovered that he can stand on them. He does this everyday. He will stay there for 30 minutes just looking outside. In the mornings he gets my stool and looks out our bedroom window by pulling the blinds up. After nap time he will climb his book shelf and look out his window and talk to the tractors and cars that have been left in our neighbors yard. In the afternoon he stands in our living room window. The first and last don't bother be too much, but his bedroom habit I do not appreciate, because he usually can't get down so I have to go save him when he starts yelling, "Help, help!" If he fell it would probably not end well.

Here's praying for warmer weather!!

Wee Wonderfuls

While I was wandering around the library this last weekend I stumbled upon this book...

I love looking through craft books to see how creative people are and to see if I can replicate some of the ideas. Now, I don't have any daughters (there are boy things, but it's mostly girl stuff) but I do have 7 nieces. Let me tell you...this book is awesome. The dolls are so incredibly cute and the instructions (including pictures) are clear as well as the patterns at the end of the book. They do not seem all that complicated. A lot of them don't even require a sewing maching. I am seriously thinking about buying this book. I love homemade presents so much more than store bought and these are just the thing for little girls. Here are just a few of the ones I really liked.

Tag-a-long Doll: You make a cute little apron and there is a slot just for her. Aren't the dolls pigtails so darn cute?

The three dolls are called Sleepover Pals: Easy to make dolls that come with their own sleeping bags that roll up and tie so you just have this little bundle. So fun. You may think these dolls look small, but they are 8" tall.

The two bears are Melvin and Marian the Bear Librarians: They gaurd your books. They have to be my favorite so far. Aren't they just the cutest things?

The stick dolls are Hansel and Gretel: although the pattern does show you how to make more costumes so these are really just story time dolls. So fun, the outfits just slip on and off the wooden spoon.

The topsy-turvy doll is called Margot: So great, two dolls in one. And from the picture it may look difficult, but reading the instructions made it sound so simple. Great idea!!

Lastly, this is Patchwork Penny: Her outfit is a patch work of fabric and she comes with a matching small quilt. Of course you have to make all these things. But, dang they are adorable. These kinds of books that are user friendly and so cute really spark my creativity. Does my creativity count if the ideas are some one else's? Oh well, whatever. I just can't choose which on to make.