A Little Pumpkin Carving...

McKay has been dieing to carve the pumpkins... everyday he asks me if it is time... So, I had to laugh when we finally started carving the pumkins and McKay almost couldn't handle it... He has a weak stomache (like his mother...) weird smells, tastes, textures can send him overboard really quick! So, when he got the first whiff of the pumkin he turned green and we didn't know if we were going to make it! Then, he struggled with the feel of the insides of the pumkin... everytime he would take a handful out he would wipe his hands on a paper towel... he left a couple times to go and wash his hands!!! He is all boy, but there are a couple things he can't handle!!!

Carter on the other hand had a blast as you can see below....

A Little Pumpkin Carving... Mess!!!

Carter got bored while we were cutting out the pumpkins and took matters into his own hands!!! After more than a half an hour of McKay not being able to decide what he wanted on his pumpkin James headed to the internet and downloaded a book of designs... What a good Dad! McKay wanted somwthing scary and this bat was it!!!

Project Days...

I have started project days with McKay. They usually happen on Tuesdays and Thursdays when he doesn't have school and when Carter is taking his nap. That's usually the only time it's safe to get the paint, stamps, glue, scissors out... It's my goal to turn the TV off for the afternoon and we spend time together making projects. We go to the craft store about once a month and pick out new and different projects. I have to admit that we like Michaels the best - they have a good section of little projects for $1. McKay's favorite thing to do is paint - so, often times he picks out little wooden airplanes and cars and things to paint.

Today however, we made this little chore book for him. We went through some magazines and he cut out the pictures (I did have to clean them up a little bit) and glued them on to 3x5 cards. I did the writing and the laminating. A few others that we did were: put your clothes away, collect and take out the garbage, take a bath, clean your room... I'll rotate the chores each morning according to the things that need to be done that day. I also thought that I would put some in there like project day, his family home evening assignment each Monday, go to the park, go skiing... to let him know what we are doing that day and let him look forward to those too...

We carved pumpkins last night... but, that is a post all on it's own!!!

Life Keeps Us Busy!!!

2 weekends ago we headed back to Idaho for a doctors appointment... None of the hospitals or doctors down here are providers of our health insurance... So, We have decided to finish out this pregnancy with our doctor in Idaho and have the baby there... a big hastle... But, it gets us back to see family and friends! So, the boys LOVED being at Grandma and Grandpa's house! McKay and Grandpa worked in the shop and made a few projects, Carter spent most of the time cooking - it entertained him for hours as long as he had water!!! McKay was also all about bobbing for apples... he had a blast once James showed him how to pin the apples against the side and get them!!! And, we celebrated Carter's Birthday a few days early!!! It's hard to believe that he is 2!!!

Last week was full of busy things... the type that keep you running like crazy, but you wonder what you got done... We celebrated Carter's Birthday again on Thursday with Jason and Kristin and their family and Megan and Greg and their girls.

Then, on Friday James left for Arizona and my Mom came to stay with me and the boys!!! It was so nice to have her here - We did a little shopping... And she wanted to go see the Halloween decorations at Gardners Village - but, other than that we stayed close to home and just really enjoyed having her here. The boys are going through withdrawl today... After getting to see her for two weekends in a row it will be a long couple weeks before we get back to Idaho! Thanks Mom for coming!!! And thanks again for sewing my curtains!!!

So, On Friday McKay told me that some boys at school were making fun of the way he dressed and calling him a dork... and that he thought it would be a good idea if he wore his skeleton shirt that day... Right now I know that those who really know me are laughing... Because as my husband puts it I go a little overboard in dressing my kids... I have fun buying their clothes each season and enjoy having them look nice and cute!!! James even goes as far as calling me Stramboli (the pupet master on pinocchio...) So, I told McKay that if he wanted to wear his skelton shirt that was fine but that i doubted that kids were making fun of him because he had really nice clothes... So, this morning he is sitting up to the bar eating breakfast and he told James that he didn't want to go to school.... James asked him why not? He told James the same thing... that 2 boys at school called him a dork for the way he dressed... So, I was sitting in the family room and I could hear the conversation... I heard James ask him if he had told me about it... Kinda like oh no these two kinds are treading on Mom's hallowed ground!!! I told him that I knew about it... I was still doubting the situation!!! So, I told McKay that I would call his teacher today and take care of it... He almost died and told me not to because she told him that she would take care of it today..... mmm hmmm yeah right! So, then I asked him what the two boys names were... he thought for a second and said Zac and Cody (the names of the twins on a tv show he watches)... So, after awhile I told him I needed to talk to him and that I was being serious... his response: "Yeah, it sounds serious"! So, I explained to him that he needed to tell me the truth about school... If boys were being mean to him I needed to know so that I could call his teacher and take care of it... But, If they weren't and I called his teacher that wouldn't be a good thing.... So, this was his response: "Mom, it is really hard for me to tell you this... But, there aren't any boys at school teasing me.... I just made that up." Then I asked him why he made it up and he said "Because some days I don't want to go to school and I just want to stay home and be with you..."! So, I had to explain to him that some days at school are more fun than others... but that it is really important for him to go. This is paybacks - I hated school and did everything I could to get out of it clear through high school!!! My 5 year old is already starting!!! What will be next???

A Little Yumminess...

I made this Pumpkin Spice Cake last weekend and it was so good that I thought I would share the recipe:


Pumpkin Spice Cake

3/4 Cup unsalted butter, softened
1 Cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar (I used regular)
1 Cup Sugar
3 Large eggs
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup canned or fresh pumpkin (I used canned)
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Heat oven to 350. Butter and flour 2 bread pans; set aside. Beat the butter in a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium speed, until fluffy. Beat in the sugars and eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Set aside. Combine buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla and set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir into batter, in thirds, alternating with buttermilk mixture- until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until cakes test clean- about 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.


Honey & Spice Buttercream Frosting

1 tsp. unflavored gelatin

1/2 Cup dark honey ( I used this, but think that I might use regular next time - it has a funny taste to me)

1/2 Cup sugar

1 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 1/2 sticks butter, room temp.

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Combine the gelatin and 2 tablespoons water and let sit for 10 minutes. Bring the honey, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a small sauce pan, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 3 minutes. Stir 2 tablespoons of honey mixture into the gelatin until dissolved. Whisk into the remaining honey syrup along with salt and cinnamon. Strain into a medium size bowl and beat, using a mixer set on high speed, until doubled in volume and completely cool - about 10 minutes. Add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, while continuously beating. Stir in the vanilla and use immediately or keep chilled.

I took pictures of the boys helping me make the cake... But, when I was deleting pictures from my camera that were old I accidently deleted them... Argh... Look at the cute cake plate that my Mom sent me... It's a spider web with little spiders hanging down from the edges!!! Thanks Mom I love it!

Did You Know...

Did you know that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live in our circle... The boys were playing outside when I heard Carter yelling "turtles, turtles, turtles..." over and over and was in the process of pulling McKay out in the street... Well, Carter had noticed that there was a sewer hole in the circle and now both of the boys are convinced that they live right in front of our house!!! In the top picture they are yelling down to the turtles introducing themselves!


The Last day that James' parents were here Becky made this little pirate ship out of some boxes for the boys... they loved it so much that I brought it inside for them to play with in the basement.


McKay is on round three of the flu today... It's a little 12 hour thing that he can't seem to stay away from...


I've been doing a little baking... some new recipes... I meant to share them with you today, but my camera battery is dead. So, I'll get them to you soon!

Coming Out Of The Fog...

Well, my family has been wanting to see what the house looks like... So, not the best picture - but, a picture none the less. We sit on a hill looking out over Utah Lake - If you look to the right in the picture you can see the water. It's a very beautiful view of the lake and the Wasatch Mountains.

I'm finally starting to feel like life is starting to get back to normal a little bit. The house is pretty much unpacked - except for the few stray boxes that you throw in the garage or Storage room... Then it makes you wonder if you really need those things anyways!

McKay is LOVING school and LOVING being by his cousin Gavin - Kristin (My sister-in-law) was here on Tuesday and took McKay home with her - He and Gavin were out playing in the yard and she would check on them and they were doing great - She noticed them out by their big fire pit and really didn't think anything of it until she found them in the bathroom covered head to toe in charcoal... They had taken the charcoal out of the pit and drawn all over each other, the patio, and just about anything else in reach! She told them that she needed to be able to trust them together and that they needed to make good decisions! She called and told me about it and we had a good laugh but have decided that this is only the beginning with these two! When McKay got home I asked him about it... And the first thing he said was "I know, we need to make better decisions"!

Carter is still adjusting... Every now and then he will come and say he is ready to go home... But, he seems to do pretty well as long as McKay is around.

James' parents were here for most of this week. We really enjoyed getting to spend some time with them and were very grateful for the help that they gave us in getting some things done around the house. Kristin and I took Becky for a pedicure on Wednesday... When I asked her if she wanted to go she said NO! But, James told her she was going! We just had to laugh at her because she was really reluctant - But, then ended up loving it! James even called to check and make sure she was handling it o.k.!

Last Friday night we took the Boys to Gardeners Village - They had it all decorated up with their Halloween Witches. The other pictures are of the boys there.

I spent yesterday working on my scrapbook room... I'm anxious to get it all put together - Fall always puts me in the mood to bake and to create! And right now I have a lot of catching up to do!

Have a wonderful weekend!