I made a chocolate cake...

For a friend.  She asked for a chocolate heart shaped cake.  I chose to hand shape/cut the heart as opposed to using a heart shaped cake pan.  I threw the pieces of cake in one of the pans and continued on with my project.  A little later I came into the kitchen to continue on with the cake and this is what I found....

Lucky enough for her and for me, she had just bellied up to the scraps and not the whole cake.

More than...

Jaxon loves to play games, one of his favorite on going games is,

when we say "I love you" he responds by saying

"I love you more than...[fill in the blank]."

He likes to put in a random number followed by something

(cheesecake, random food items, animals, planes, etc.)

Example:  I love you more than 500 + 500 + 500 cheesecakes. (Which is A LOT to him.)

The other night we were playing and I told him I loved him and he said,

"Mom, I love you more than my puppies and anyone else."

From Jaxon I don't know that there is a better compliment - A) His puppies equals his baby blanket which equals true love forever! B) Jaxon is ALWAYS diplomatic, he never says he loves ANYONE more or less than anyone else.  If I tell him I love him the most he says "And Dad."

So... being loved more than his puppies and anyone else is a pretty big deal in my world.

Jaxon with his "puppies."

Ratted Out

The other night Kyah came and crawled in my bed while I was reading.  After sitting there for a minute I realized her sippy cup of water was leaking all over the bed.  I said, "Crap! Crap!" and jumped up to grab a towel and clean it up.

Today she was sitting on Harley's lap and he said "Crap!"  Then Kyah said, "Crap! Crap!"  Harley looked at her and asked if that's what she had said, she said "Yup, Crap!  Mommy says, Crap! Crap!"

Ratted out by my two year old.

Kyah the Baker

This last weekend we initiated Kyah into the world of baking.  Jaxon had already fallen asleep for the night and Kyah had just received a new mini baking set, so of course we had to use it. 

She is so independent, she had to do everything all by herself.  "No, I do!"

At first, the control freak/OCD side of me was having a fit.  What about the MESS?!?!?!

But, I decided to set all that aside and let her go at it and boy did she.  She was so content and happy just to work alongside me with her own piece of dough.  I really should let them "help me" more often.

She rolled out, cut, placed and baked (with help from Mom) her own pan of cookies.  After they cooled she frosted, sprinkled and ATE them herself.

What a joy!

"YAY!  I did it!"

With Love

From Us, to You!

Hello!

You need to go visit her.

She is giving away one of these

and one of these

WAIT! 

Hold The Phone!

If you enter, it decreases my chances of winning!  Dang, we really must be friends!

Good luck!

(I charge a small prize fee of half your loot if you win.)

5 Seconds

The other night Kyah was sitting at the kitchen counter and snapped a door off one of her toys.  She asked me to help and I fixed it for her.  She thanked me by giving me a hug and saying "Best Mom Ever!" (Which she has never said before - to ANYONE.)  My heart was overfilling at the thought that even if only for that 5 seconds, my two year old thought I was great.  It's amazing what 5 seconds can mean.  In the constant worry and guilt that is associated with having had to work their entire lives, that 5 seconds is a life raft.  The thoughts that crowd my mind and haunt my dreams that I have missed their childhood, the cute things they say, the influence I should be, the MOM they are missing... all of those thoughts go away, if only for 5 seconds.  They are lucky to have a Dad that loves them endlessly and who has had more opportunity to be with them, but, Oh how I MISS THEM!

I will always cherish those 5 seconds whenever I can get them and I will learn to be better about playing with them more and worrying about the mess/bills/groceries less.

Since her first time saying, she has said it 7 more time (exactly), but who's counting?

Grandpa's Last Ride

This is my Great-Grandpa Z. You met him here. Last Sunday, the 31st he "moved" back in with my Great-Grandma. He lived 97 fast and furious years. He worked hard, he played hard, he loved the gospel and his family. I have never known anyone with the tenacity, strength or work ethic that poured out of my Grandpa. He loved to make the grandkids scream/laugh. Whether it was swerving into a bush or putting on a silly wig, he was a GREAT grandpa. I will miss his sweet face.

I will forever be grateful for the blessings of this place and the opportunity to be an eternal family.

I can't imagine having to go through this past weekend without the sure knowledge that I will be able to see him again and that he is having an amazing reunion with my Grandma.

Much to our families surprise and excitement, this beauty was sitting in front of the church when we showed up for the funeral. No one had requested it or was even aware that the funeral home had such a car. The funeral home had taken it upon themselves to bring it out, knowing my grandpa was such a "car" guy.

If he couldn't go in one of his own, I know he would have appreciated this. The car was beautiful. On the trip between the church and the cemetery, we passed Grandpa's house, the driver pulled in to let Grandpa come home one last time before proceeding on. It was the hardest and best part of the weekend.

I love you Grandpa, give Grandma a kiss for me and I'll see you soon enough.