bat cupcakes

I thought that these turned out so cute (and boyish too!) so I decided to share them with ya'll! I thought some of you may want to know how I made them, so I included a few pics of the process.I went on my computer and found a bat shape that I liked ( mine is actually just clipart) then I made it a few different sizes b/c I wasn't sure which I would like best. (the boys had no problem disposing of my "mistakes" for me)
I took some wax paper and taped it to my table, then I slide my paper underneath it. I used this as a template and traced the outline in chocolate (I like to use chocolate almond bark). After filling in the bat I simply move the paper to another spot and start again. see! so easy!

the latest

Gosh, it has been nearly two months since my last post. I don't know why, but I haven't really felt like blogging lately. And from the looks of my reading list, I am not the only one.

Let's see... Steve is still at the same job, and in his last semester for his RN. I am still trying to keep things under control around our house. Logan is still loving school. Oh, I don't think I blogged this yet, Bronson has started preschool--I think I have a pic here somewhere, I will try and find it and post it.

Yep. that is basically it. We are keeping busy, but nothing too exciting. Let me think, I must have some cute stories for you..... oh... Logan kinda had a little girlfriend there for a bit, but she is no longer interested, though he still really likes her and tells me that he is still "thinking about marrying her". so we will see.

I have been working on Christmas presents, and they are super tedious, but very cute. I would put pics up here but some of you who read may have a child who will be getting something from us for Christmas and I would hate to spoil it! but each 'set' takes about 48-50 hours to make, thus far I have only made about 5 sets. I still have a long ways to go!

In other holiday news I have been working on some Halloween decorations recently. Made me some candy corn garland to drape about our house. And can I just say that it really turned out lovely. If anyone is interested I can post some pics and give you some tips that I picked up along the way. Very very cute stuff.

I guess that about sums us up for now. . . . so. . . . what's up with you??

the time has come

Well, it's official. I have a kindergartner.

sad/happy day?

Today Logan and I went over to his school so we could register him for kindergarten. he is so excited. I am having mixed emotions. I am so proud of him, he is such a smart, sweet guy, but sad that he is growing up so fast. I feel like his life is on fast forward. (If something has to be on fast forward I wish it would be Steve's schooling!) We got to meet his teacher, and she seemed great. Afterwards I took him school shopping, and he doesn't seem to understand that we aren't going to buy him every single thing he wants. He had a bit of a melt down when I made him get the plain tennis shoes instead of the iron man ones. (why do mamas have to be so darn practical?)

Logan is 5?

Logan's 5th birthday party. what can I say. It was fun, exciting, and I am glad it is over!

Logan is extremely into sea animals and he asked for a ocean party. So I set to work, and it was a lot of work. With Steve in school and all, we are broke and I had to use my imagination and make as much as possible myself. (I actually like that part!) Everything (I think) that was bought, was bought through oriental trading. The cake is beyond words. It was painstakingly made by good friends of ours (who also made Bronson's bug cake).

For decorations I wanted it to look like we were under water so we hung crepe paper across the room and then every ten feet or so we ran fishing line under the crepe paper, higher than the crepe paper, so that it would pull it up and give it a "wave" effect. I had purchased some inflatable sea animals from oriental trading, and one had a hole, so they sent me a second set. So we ended up with twice the number of inflatables than we purchased. These were mostly hung from the ceiling so we could be swimming amongst them.

For food we had a table with a wide variety, from 'octopus' (hot dogs) to peanut butter and 'jellyfish' sandwiches. For the adults we had 'submarine' sandwiches. We had fish scales (potato chips) and more. some more creative than others.

The cake. oh wow. let me just show you!





I told you! The Morris's were so accommodating, they put on every. single. thing. that Logan asked for. Even the saw fish that was last minute! My personal favorite was the puffer fish, though I also thought the squid was especially cute. look at that cute little crab!
Alright, on to the party games. We had a table set up with brown paper bags and ocean stickers and letters and such for the kids to decorate as their goody bags. (yeah, that was a mess!) Each child got to personalize them and collect their loot for later.

We had a 'cake walk' type game where the kids walked around stepping on ocean animals (that I had printed off the computer colored, cut out, laminated, and cut out again). As a prize for 'winning' each child got an ocean animals memory game (That I had also printed off the computer, cut out, laminated and cut out again).

How could you have an ocean party without doing a little fishing? I took some blue fabric (that I had on hand) and hand sewed seaweed and ocean animal silhouettes onto ( I actually have a sewing machine, that Steve got me for Christmas last year, but I am too intimidated to try it out yet!) The seaweed I left raw so it would fray, but I didn't want the ocean animals to fray so I mod podged them before cutting them out. Worked really well, much harder to sew on. Took me days and days. (Logan is now using this as a curtain in his room). The kids fished for beach ball sea animals that were purchased from oriental trading. again we had some that didn't work and were sent an entire additional set, so we still have too many floating around our house. It was nice to have so many extra though because each child got to fish for what they wanted and no one was disappointed.
It was crazy during party time, luckily we had a lot of family in town who were willing to help out, made such a difference. Logan had a great time and he told me that he wants an ocean party again next year. oh well, at least we already have all the decorations!

School's out!

Hey all, I am now done with school and should have more time to blog and catch up on things. I loved going to school and did really well, (4.0, actually!). However, instead of continuing into this fall I have decided to wait until Bronson is in kindergarten (another 2 years). This semester was really, really hard on them, and I want to be able to take classes when they are in school. (Lets just say that Bronson rebelled to not having mama home in a #2 way. gross)

Now that the semester is over it is on to the hard stuff. Like getting my house back in order! and catching up on months of not blogging.

some things I still need to post about; Logan's awesome birthday party, our hiking adventures, Tarzan at Tuacahn, and some school stories. I know it all sounds so exciting, how will you wait!

Right now we are enjoying having 2 of Steve's sisters visit with us, we have them till Saturday, then maybe, just maybe, we will start getting things back to normal around here!

intimidation

I am taking summer classes at dixie right now.

So intimidated.

Haven't been to school in nearly a decade.

I feel too old to learn anything new.

Wish me luck! ( and steve too, as he is home with the boys while I am in class)