Halloween 2016

Julia's big day

This is Jolie and Julia 8 years ago.

This is Jolie and Julia now.  

Even though they live thousands of miles apart, they were able to get baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints together.  It was the most wonderful day full of family, friends and happiness.

Happy Birthday James

Happy Birthday to my 11 year old boy!  A few things about James:

He is a very nice boy, his teacher emailed me and said he is a friend to everyone.

He is very smart, he reads about his grade level and constantly improves

He is athletic, he loves all things football and basketball

He knows the rules of football and basketball better than anyone I know

He would rather watch ESPN than anything

He is a good big brother and is cute with his sisters.  

 He also saluted cub scouts goodbye, crossed the bridge and signed his name and entered the world of Boy Scouts.  He earned his arrow of light and Webelo.  We are so proud of him. 

Love Cafe

This year for Valentine's Day, we had our own restaurant.  My friend, Joey, gave me the idea and I was so excited to do it.  Aaron and I and Grandma Susan were the customers and the four kids worked there.  They had so much fun.  I can't wait to do it again.

 

James showed up to take our order with an accent and a mustache, 

it made us laugh.   He is so funny!

 

Busy at work preparing our food.  I had to intervene a few times when Addie 

kept licking the serving spoons.  The employees also showed up at our table

and drank our soda's without asking.  haha

 

You don't always get what you order, I wanted a brownie with ice cream.  They thought it would be better with lots of toppings.

This is the bill that arrived.  I totally disagreed with the terrible service part so

we paid them in Valentine's Day gifts.

 

Perhaps the best view of the date for me was the handsome dishwasher busy at work:

 

This was the funnest new tradition.  I don't think we will wait until Valentine's day to do it again.  The kids had so much fun and we couldn't stop laughing at the silly things they did.  I would hire them in a heartbeat, even considering their antics :) 

Valentine Mailbox Station

I saw these cute mailboxes on a website attached to a cute candlestick and wanted to copy them.  The craft store only had one wood candlestick and it was $4.00.  I came up with this less expensive idea.  I bought the wooden dowel for $2.00 and used a scrap of wood we had sitting in our garage.  The mailboxes were $1.00 each at Target.  I put Aaron on the case and he cut it, routered it, drilled holes and had James paint it. I just hot glued the mailboxes to the dowel and in the hole to secure them. I thought it turned out cute and wanted to share an easy and cheap idea.  The kids love to check their mail each day to find notes and treats. 

Before and After

I wanted to share what Aaron has been busy doing this summer.  He never ceases to amaze me with his talents.  He can fix anything and build anything and he does such good work.  He has never done anything like this, he is just able to figure anything out and he does such wonderful work.

I entered a contest for a backyard makeover last year, this is what our backyard looked like:

I submitted these pictures along with this poem:

We've lived in our house 
For five long years
The inside brings smiles
The outside brings tears

Our four little children
Love playing in the sun
But a yard like this
Just isn't much fun

We started a patio
When the weather turned hot
But a one foot square
Is as far as we got.

A backyard makeover?
A wish come true!
We could play outside
And barbeque too!

I wanted to win so badly!  I didn't.   The family that did was much more deserving.  It was fine because Aaron took matters into his own hands this summer and look what he turned it into.  He isn't finished yet, he put electrical throughout and plans to add lighting, a privacy fence/half pergola, a deck, built in grill and tons of plants.  I love it, we spend so much time back there now.  Isn't he talented?

This week our baking day is on Thursday instead of Friday.  Don't miss it, we won't have another one for two weeks.  We will do special orders (two dozen minimun)  

Come after dinner, bring the family and enjoy the best cookies in town

 and the good company of your neighbors.

Free hot chocolate for everyone!

See you Thursday (Oct 6th) 

6:00-8:00 PM

This week we have chocolate drizzled butterfinger, chocolate crater, strawberry,

 chocolate chip, frosted sugar, lemon drop and M&M

Introducing!

My friend and neighbor Lisa, my mom and I have started a baking business. Here are the details from our blog:

Neighborhood Bakery!

We are so excited to invite you to our pre-opening bake sale.

This Saturday, September 10

2:00- 4:00 PM

7493 Park Maple Drive

West Jordan, UT

We will be featuring many of our favorites and the most popular among our many friends and family members. Unique cookies, muffins and other treats.

Don't turn on your oven, don't make a mess of your kitchen, don't be stuck with four dozen of the same cookie. Let us provide you with delicious treats made from high quality ingredients.

Can't make it? Reserve yours today!

Email us at

bakemydaygirls@hotmail.com

bakemydaygirls.com
We do special orders.

Some of this weeks treats include our famous Lemon Drop Cookies (sure to sell out!), Peanut Butter and Chocolate cookies, banana muffins, chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, pumpkin cookies, oatmeal cream pies, soft frosted sugar cookies, cookies 'n cream cookies, smores cookies and more!

Free samples!!!

Let us make your day!

bakemydaygirls.com

Back to School

This year we have a 5th grader, 2nd grader and two kindergarteners. Everyone loves school, loves their teacher and has great friends. Mommy may love having alone time for a few hours each day, after the sadness wore off, it was nice to be productive. I am even blogging for the first time since May! Time for some serious catch up.

Cake Classes!

My sister in law, Dawn is starting up cake classes! She is a culinary school graduate and pastry chef extrordinaire. I am SO excited, I am taking them all. I can't wait to learn how to make a cake that not only looks good, but tastes divine. I wonder if she is offering them so I will stop asking her to make my kids cakes, just kidding - she is way too nice and generous. I have been so lucky to have her near by, she has spoiled us on many occasions with cakes for my kids birthday parites. I am taking the Tuesday class, come join me! Here are just a few of her cakes and all the details, in her words:



I am starting to teach cake classes out of my home in West Jordan. I am starting with a "beginner" class, and will add more advanced classes shortly, such as a rolled fondant class. The advanced classes will require that you take the beginner courses first. These are hands on classes!


The beginner class will be a 2 part class. The first class will teach you about professional cake pans and basics of baking a cake. You will then learn how to make chocolate mousse and learn how to layer and fill a cake. Then we will talk about cupcakes and you will learn how to fill cupcakes with chocolate mousse, and learn how to make American buttercream. You will get to fill with mousse and decorate 6 cupcakes to take home that night.


In the second class I will bring out the cake that you layered in the first class, and I will teach you how to make Italian buttercream. You will then learn how to frost a cake using a decorating turntable. You will learn some easy, fun, basic decorating ideas. You will get to take home your finished cake that night.


The beginner class (both parts) cost: $50


My first session will be Tuesday April 5th (part 1), and Tuesday April 12th (part 2). Both of these start at 7 p.m.
I also have a Saturday session on April 23rd (part 1), and April 30th (part 2). Both of these start at 9 a.m.


Class is available for ages 16 and up, and no children or babies please.


I only have 5 spots available for each session. You would need to be able to attend both consecutive classes. I will have all the supplies you need for the class - just bring an apron!


Feel free to call or email me with any questions, and please forward information on to anyone you know that would be interested. If you would like a special session and have a group of 5 people that can do that specific session, I am more than happy to accomodate your requested date, and make it a private session.


Please leave me a comment with your email address if you're interested and I will contact you.


If I have enough interest for classes in Phoenix, I would consider going down there :)

Valentine's

Look how cute this Valentine is that my mom gave to all her grandkids, I love it and wanted to share it. So cute yet so simple and easy to do last minute if you need to. The card:

Inside:

(Cick here for a tutorial if you are interested.)

Speaking of Valentine's, check out the cake that my sister in law made for me (not to mention 24 other people!). Isn't it gorgeous!?!?!? I am not sure I will be able to cut into it, it is to cute. I told her that I am going to wear the gum paste flower in my hair or decorate my house with it.

Happy Birthday James

James turned 10 today. For his birthday we let him invite one friend to go to a basketball game. This boy is nothing but basketball and football. He talks in his sleep sometimes and it is always things like, "go long for it!", "he's wide open, pass the ball!" or "score! " I am certain that he dreams of nothing but sports. We can't help but call him Jimmer these days, it is a name that is mentioned a lot at our house, this is our most favorite Jimmer, 10 years old:These two are quite the pair! They spent a majority of the afternoon before the game working on these signs.

Happy Birthday to my most favorite boy! We adore you!!!

Valentine Craft

I found another craft I felt was worth doing. I didn't realize how long it would take, but I would still do it again. I wanted to put a ball of flowers on my candlesticks but had a hard time finding some that were big enough and cute enough that were less than 30 dollars a piece. I came across a way to make the fabric flowers you see all over the place for cheap! I saw them at The Idea Room and I knew when I saw them that I had to have some. Can you guess what I made these with?

Party streamers! It was 99 cents to make an entire ball of rosettes, now that is what I am talking about! Forget paying 30 to 40 bucks! I did take a long time to make, but was totally worth it, I just turned on The Bachelor (my guilty pleasure) and crafted away. Now I want to make a bunch and have a bowl full of them in different sizes. You would never know it was made with crepe paper, it looks so much like fabric, but it is cheaper and you don't have to cut it into long strips.

(I forgot to take steop by step pictures, but The Idea Room has some great ones, here )

resourceful

"Hi James, How is your snow fort coming along?"

"good"

"Why is your head covered in snow?"

"The shovel wasn't working so I started using my head."

"Way to use your head buddy."

Who dunnit?

I put a bright white table in the girls room and "somebody" colored all over it. Problem is, NOBODY did it. Let's try to solve this "crime".

The couch in my bedroom:

The bathroom stool:

Blinds:

Window Sill:

I think someone may have finally figured out that you should avoid leaving any obvious signs that you were at the scene of the crime.