Proud Mama!

Humor me while I brag a little.  

This is my Sam along with her favorite teacher.  (Is Sammi really tall, or her teacher just really short?)  She was honored for the 3rd year in a row at academic night.  That means straight A's (no B's) for the entire school year. And she's in accelerated math and Language.  

I sure love this "smarty pants" of mine!

Mother's Day wish list...

1. Any and all aprons from Anthropologie.
2.  This peanut butter stirrer -all natural for me.
3.  This egg slicer, apple slicer, or whatever slicer.
I know Mother's Day isn't about the gifts... but it doesn't hurt!

Caught in the act!

I love being and Aunt.  You can load the kiddos up on leftover chocolate ganache and other sweets, then send them home before the sugar rush hits.

When no one was looking, Porter was gulping chocolate by the spoonful.
No one else witnessed his sneakiness, so I should have taken it away.  But instead I took a picture.

A Day Off

I have a moment free from the kitchen tomorrow.  I have two more closets left to paint!  (I had all the closets redone with new shelves).  I have primed and painted them all except for 2.  I will have them done tomorrow if it kills me!

Wish me luck!

Baking and Bedtime

I feel like this blog has turned into a baking blog.  But I write about what is going on in my life, and right now it's a lot of baking.

I had another request for the cake I made for my mom's birthday.  But this little girl wanted butterflies, so she got them.  I like it even better that way.

On a side note, I was up late finishing a cookie order for tomorrow and Jeff said he'd put the kids to bed.  Here's what I found when I came upstairs.  

Gotta love dads!

Baking Frenzy!

Here's some pictures of what I was making this weekend.  These are the cookies I made for Designer Blvd's spring fling sale.  The bouquet is at the entrance and on Tuesday, they will be serving my cookies for an evening workshop.

My neighbor gave me this plate to inspire a birthday cake for her daughter's 2nd birthday. 

Here's what I came up with.

Funny Boy

I found this video on my camera.  I love it when my kids record little gems like this.

Creepy Crawlies

I just finished a cookie bouquet for a bug company.  I am so glad to be done with it.  There is frosting everywhere.  Now I am off to mop the floor.

Office Envy

My friend Becky is helping me get ideas to put my office/junk room together.  We went on a field trip to her sister-in-law's to check out her workspace.   Wow!  This picture doesn't do it justice.  I love the old pink door on the wall that she made into a bulletin board. So cool.

Cute Cake

Here's a couple pictures of the cake I made this weekend for someone.  I think it turned out pretty cute.   I hated to give it away - I just wanted to keep it around for a while and stare at it.  But it's a good thing it's gone, because it would have ended up in the belly of the beast!  (Rusty, my dog).

Jello Popcorn Balls

I was flipping through my old recipe box and found this jello popcorn recipe.  My sister-in-law gave this to me years ago.  I still think it's yummy!

Jello Popcorn Balls

• 3 quarts popped corn
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup jello (1 small box any flavor)
• 1 tsp soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

Combine in saucepan, sugar, butter, & corn syrup. Boil over medium heat for 2 minutes or until it's not so grainy.  While stirring add jello, soda, and vanilla.  Blend well. (It's kinda foamy) Have popcorn in a large bowl and pour the mixture over it.   Stir together and form balls.

Butterflies, and bugs!

I am teaching a cookie decorating class tonight so I'm busy today making cookies.  I'm sticking with the bug and flower theme.  Hope they turn out cute!

Ideas!!

I have been tossing around some ideas for Mother's Day treats.   These little cakes on a stick are soooooo cute!!!!   They are filled with a goey cake mixture and then dipped in chocolate.   Wouldn't that be a cute bouquet?   I think I am going to have to do a little experimenting. YUMMY!!

I also loved these rose cupcakes - too cute!   

I know what I will be doing this weekend!

Fun Shapes

I really want these.  You can make ice, Jello, butter, chocolate, cookies, muffins, etc... Food cooks and browns evenly. Trays won't retain odors or flavors, and are dishwasher safe. For storing, they fold or bend to fit anywhere."  

Mothers Day is coming up sweety! (hint hint)

You can get them here.

Sweet Things

I helped throw a baby shower with a princess theme tonight.  Here are the cookies and cake I made.  The fondant was a little bumpy, but practice makes perfect.

The "N" was for baby Nielson.

Me and My Coonhound

Rusty and I are always together except when I leave the house in my car.  He follows me upstairs and downstairs, barks at the door when I am in the restroom, and sleeps on the floor next to my side of the bed.  We walk or run together everyday except Sunday (Jeff walks him on Sunday).  I have really enjoyed having a dog.  I am one of "those" dog people (except I don't let him lick me on the mouth or face - YUCK!)

But enough is enough!  Tuesday I woke up and met my friends to walk our dogs.  There is a little patch of desert behind our houses where we can let them run free.  The dogs love this and get a nice run in.   So after our morning walk, I get the kids off to school and clean up the kitchen.  The weather is nice outside, so I decide to go for a run - ALONE!  After all, I already walked the dog.  I needed a little "me" time.

I waited until Rusty was sound asleep on his bed upstairs.  I slowly tiptoed downstairs, then paused to see if he had roused.  Still asleep.  I quietly grabbed my ipod off the counter.  I paused again as I heard something stir upstairs.  Dang it.  I held very still for a few minutes.  All is quiet, so I slowly go for my sunglasses.  Then I hear a thud.  He's probably just shifting or fluffing up his bed.  I continue to tiptoe around the corner and make my way for the door. 

YIKES!!!!   There is Rusty waiting on the middle stair.  He caught me red handed.  He knew I was trying to sneak out without him.  

AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!   I am sneaking around in my own house!  Well, I have to tell you that I really wanted my alone time, so I locked him in his crate and took off running. I could hear him howling all the way down the block.

Sorry Rusty. 

PS.  He forgave me.

The Run Down

Are you ready?  Here's a condensed version of some of the things I was up to while on my blog hiatus. 

Out to lunch on St Patrick's day with the cousin's in Showlow.

I took Sammi skiing for the first time.  (She was terrified!)  It was a fun day - just the 2 of us!

Made a million Easter cookies!

I love the little bunnies!

Went with Nathan's kindergarten class to the bear factory.

Organized my food storage closet and rotated my food.  SHWEW!

I sliced and ate way to many of these.  (They were on sale at Sprout's)

Then I made a ton of freezer jam to hold us over until next spring.

Tomorrow I will be frosting more cookies for a shower, baking 2 cakes, organizing my closets, and working on cleaning out the office (it's really the junk room, but office makes it sound better).   

Now if I could just fit a pedicure in somewhere...