The Macaroni and Cheese War

This recipe tastes like quiche. Should I have known from the egg to cheese ratio? The fact that the macaroni and cheese recipe calls for eggs should have been a red flag. It's not that I don't like quiche. I just don't want my Mac and Cheese to taste like it. Josh liked it, but he was in the minority, the minuscule minority.

Sorry the picture turned out small.  I'm testing new technology.  I'm not too happy with it at the moment.

Nate's Birthday

Nate had a good birthday. It's hard not to have a good birthday when stuff like Caleb's standing up in his chair singing "Happy Birthday" on the top of his lungs is going on. I tried getting a video of it, but I kept pressing the wrong button (new camera). The video I ended up getting is their third or forth time singing (poor ice cream cake). They needed a little help.
I tried doing an ice cream cake for Nate. Unfortunately, I put the fudge sauce on while it was too warm which gave the ice cream a slight freezer burn taste. I'd like to try it again for my birthday. I'll do a normal one for Esther's birthday coming up, though (She's turning one! Hurray!)

At winter's end

Cookie dough tester
Dancing in Dad's shoes

High Fever

From Nana

Boys with Camera

Little things I've learned (relearned) over the winter...

I am mortal.

Not all macaroni and cheese boxes are created equal.

I like to eat my rice with Maggi Sweet Chili Sauce on it, so much Maggi Sweet Chili Sauce that you can't even tell your eating rice. That's how I like to eat my rice.

Even little choices, choices between right and right, have consequences.

If I don't want to have a temper the size of Texas and a fuse the size of a mustard seed, I need to get more sleep and eat less sugar.

No matter how cold, mild, long, short, crazy winter is, spring will come.

Sunday Afternoon

I believe I'd like 9:00 church better if my kids could dress and feed themselves 100%, but Sunday afternoons are nice...especially when Dad's home.

Esther's growing, growing, growing and smiling, smiling, smiling. Her brothers love her. She loves them, but sometimes they make her nervous. I don't blame her. What Caleb considers cheek kissing is a full contact sport to Esther.

Caleb's Birthday

Josh and Caleb got this rocket ship from Santa. Unfortunately, the rocket ship is no longer in working condition. Boys being boys were a bit rough with it, but I don't regret having it. It was definitely fun while it lasted.

Caleb is three, and his full smile is as contagious as ever. Like a lot of boys his age, he loves all things Cars and Thomas as well as dinosaurs, reading stories, singing "Nephi's Courage" and Bob the builder. He loves dried fruit, pineapple, and apples in addition candy and cookies. He likes breakfast, but the only lunches or dinnertime foods he likes (or will willingly eats at the moment) are pizza, mac and cheese, and occasionally pasta and red sauce. We've enjoyed his wide variety of facial expressions. His most repeated quote: "NO GUM FOR YOU, DAD!!" He didn't like dad telling him, "No gum for you."

Happy Birthday, Joshua!

I did do a party last year for Josh, but this was my first full blown out party. We played picture charades, hot gingerbread man, pin the carrot on the snowman, and the keep-the-balloon-up-in-the-air-as-you-run-between-two-lines game.

I was thinking about doing a candy train on top of the cake, but this looked more interesting...http://www.bettycrocker.com/videos/videolibrary/birthday-cakes/how-to-make-a-train-cake. (Sorry, my Internet link button isn't working.) An interesting thing that the video doesn't show is one bread pan equals one cake mix. I was glad I had another cake mix in the pantry.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/videos/videolibrary/birthday-cakes/how-to-make-a-train-cakehttp://www.bettycrocker.com/videos/videolibrary/birthday-cakes/how-to-make-a-train-cake

With all the work and stress, would I do it again? Yes. Joshua loved playing games with his friends, cousins, and aunt. Even though he didn't like the actual cake (none of my boys grown and small like cake), he loved eating the candy and frosting with ice cream.

Happy Halloween!!

This Halloween, to me, was the perfect combination of homemade, store bought, and borrowed. I made Josh's costume from a pajama pattern and a enlarged bib pattern for the cape. Josh wasn't too sure if he'd like the costume I was making for him (The shirt was too big for him.), but once he put on the mask, he loved it. I bought Caleb's tiger costume from a second hand store. He didn't like it too much at first, but was willing to wear it for the possiblity of getting treats later.

I borrowed the flower costume from my visiting teaching companion, who has two girls who wore it already in years past. Too cute to be kept in the closet on Halloween.

The street just south of ours is Halloween City on "Begger's Night." Three houses get together and serve hotdogs and chips. Folks sit on their front porch and give out candy. The side walks are loaded with families, friends, and their dogs. Caleb stayed away from anyone with masks or dogs. This is all a second hand account. I was at home with Esther giving out candy to the few who came to our door. Appearently, everyone in the neighborhood (plus some) go down this one street during the two hours the city alots trick or treaters. One guy mentioned to Nate that he bought over 150 pieces of candy and was almost out. Crazy. I think I gave out 20, and I'm just one street over.

Anyway...it was a fun night. Happy Halloween!!