Scheduling

I'm terrible at scheduling myself. I swear I'm here, and plan to get this blog up and going more, but I just cannot seem to schedule myself right. I've been getting on at night to write, because I like doing our thankfuls right before bed. The problem then is that a. most of the time the kids go to sleep and I realize I haven't done them, so then I don't want to write at all if I don't have them! Or b. I get into bed and I have no idea what to write about and am completely unprepared to write anything and I am too tired to get prepared LOL! So I'm not sure how I'm going to go about fixing this, but I will! If anyone is reading and has ideas, I'd love to hear them!

So far I'm thinking I'll take some 1 on 1 time with Riley, Lily and Jeremiah and spend some time talking about our thankfuls for maybe the previous day. Or I might make it once a week. But if I did it separately, I could use the time Lily and I have during the day for that. We've been having lovely lunches outside (the other day next to the river, it was really nice) all week, so it would be a perfect time for that. And Jeremiah and I usually take some time laying together in the morning while both kids are at school, before he actually gets out of bed, so that might be a good time for it. And I miss my me and Riley time, so sometime after school we should find time to sit down and talk about it. Or if I could get dinner ready before Jeremiah goes to work and we all sit down together for dinner, that could be a good time too. So thankfuls might be changing. Maybe once a week, maybe once a day, maybe each person gets their own day?

My lunches with Lily this week:




As for being prepared, I found this blog that has this great organization system for her family. One of the things I love is that she has a notebook or something she carries around that is specifically labeled "blog ideas", so that as she's going about her day, if she thinks of something she wants to write about (which I do all the time, then forget or just don't prepare for it. By prepare I mean have pictures and such ready to post), she can write it down and remember. And if she doesn't use it that day, she's got a fall back list for other days! I love it! So I definitely think I'll be starting that.

Also, I guess I don't know how often people typically blog. I'll have to research that. Is it every day? Or once a week, or when they feel like it? For me it's nice on the days I have time to write. I would like to be able to do it every day. It's cathartic almost. Like free therapy LOL!

Well, we'll see! As flylady says, "something is better than nothing!" so maybe I just won't worry so much about being prepared and just write, as little, or as much, as I can and work my way up!

Have a great weekend! 

Weekend fun!

Nope, I didn't desert again (not that anyone's reading LOL)! We've just had a crazy, busy weekend and all of us got to bed late, and Friday and Saturday Lily was already asleep before we even got home!

On Friday Riley and I had a "date night"! It was great! I don't get to spend enough time with him now. He's my baby, and before he started school he and I did SO many things together! Now that he's in school I mostly spend time with Lily one-on-one. Which, of course, I love, but I miss my baby boy time! Riley's 2nd grade teacher is the theater director for our local high school and on Friday all the kids in the school got to go see bits and pieces of the musical they were doing that opened on Thursday. Riley really wanted me to go, but it was for the whole primary wing (K-3rd) in 2 different schools, so it wasn't a parental chaperone type trip. So we decided to go see the whole thing Friday night. Lily stayed with my sister and Kendall and Riley and I started off by going to Mama Gina's, an Italian Restaurant, for dinner. Riley got the spaghetti and meatballs (instead of chicken nuggets and fries, I'm so proud! Spaghetti and meatballs is his FAVORITE!) and I got chicken riggies. OMG so good! We were in a rush and a bit full after garlic knots for an appetizer, so we brought most of it home.

Then we headed to see Damn Yankees! It was really cute and fun! I'm actually really impressed with the production considering it's just my little hometown high school! The orchestra was great, the lead women (Meg and Lola) were fantastic at their roles. Amazing singing, and acting. I don't know Lola, but Meg was Amanda Trombly, who is the daughter of a friend of mine. Knowing her outside of this capacity I was really surprised to see the emotion she brought forth and her singing ability! She brought great emotions out of many people during the song she sang with Joe at the end. Lola was fantastic in just a different way. More humorous. I was really impressed. The baseball players were adorable and really funny! I don't know who stole the show more! The boys who played the baseball players Smokey and Rocky (I hope I got those characters right!) or Neil Devendorf, who played Mr. Applegate (or the Devil)! Devendorf was FANTASTIC! He was that part.

I've never seen Damn Yankees and had no idea what to expect, but it was a light, funny, heartfelt show! Not sure it was the most appropriate for a 7 year old, but he enjoyed it, even though he fell asleep after intermission and most of the jokes went over his head anyway LOL! There were lots of other kids there. We liked supporting his teacher who is so great.

Here is a link with an article about the show and some pictures:
http://fulton.cnyric.org/FineArts/drama.cfm

By the time we got home Friday it was about 11:30! So we all went to bed. On Saturday, we got up and got prepared to have Jeremiah's dad stop over for lunch. He ended up not making it, but that was ok, because we had a lot to do. At 4 we had to meet my mother-in-law, father-in-law, Jer's 2 aunts, 2 cousins, uncle, 1 of the cousin's husbands, and 2 of the cousin's kids for dinner. It's always fun hanging out with the Thompson clan! After leaving there we rode with his cousin, Tonya, her husband, Bill, and their son, Michael, and headed to Monster Jam! It was interesting LOL! We also met my sister, her fiance, Jeremy, my nephew, Ethan, and my mom there. It was packed and LOUD! Thank God Jeremiah thought to bring ear plugs. It was a lot of fun! I am convinced it was rigged though LOL! It totally looked like the WWE of vehicles! Such fake anger, "fighting", trying to tip over, even holding back so the favorite could win and setting small parts of the vehicles on fire. People are telling me it's not fake, but I don't buy it. I just laugh at them. It's like the guys who insist that professional wrestling is real LOL! Sure, there is danger to any of it, but not the danger they are portraying. Riley (and my sister LOL) absolutely loved it! I wasn't so sure, because when we first got there and the engines roared Lily and Riley both cried, because they were scared and they didn't like it so loud. Once they go their earplugs in better and got used to it they were fine. Riley was SO into it and kept asking when we can go back LOL! I'll go back again just to see him so happy!

Monster Jam!



Again, we got home at about 11:30 from that! Lily was out within five minutes of getting the car going. So we all went to bed and just got up to get ready for my Miche party! YAY! It was great! A good amount of people showed up, and I got some awesome sales, which means discounts for me! I can't wait to get mine! I'll have to post pictures when I finally get them all! But I admit I am a little disappointed that 3 of my friends (2 of which are supposed to be close friends) didn't show up, twice now, and didn't even acknowledge my invitation. I made sure to send it in various forms (email, evite, from the Miche website, even to facebook and posted it on my wall, as well as a message) and not one of them responded. I thought they were my friends. I know you might not want to buy anything, but you are my friend, tell me that you can't buy, you aren't the only ones who didn't, and come to support me, spend time with me and have some fun times and good food with us! Oh well. At least I'm getting a bunch of new purses now LOL! I can't wait! I still need to decide which ones though!

Ok, that's probably long enough, so onto our thankfuls!

Riley is thankful for:
1. Magic School Bus Book
2. Monster trucks!
3. Simon and Sidney coming over today!
4. Aunt Beth for letting him bring rocks home from her house.
5. Spaghetti and Meatballs at our dinner out!


Lily is thankful for:
1. Magic Fairies in the bedtime book we read.
2. Monster Jam!
3. Lauren and Maddie coming over today!
4. Going to Kendall's house Friday!
5. Aunt Beth giving her a special strawberry straw and a mini tree. [Really a small branch from a pine tree LOL]


I am thankful for:
1. It's bedtime LOL!
2. My house is clean, even after this crazy party that got it trashed!
3. My Miche purse I'll get soon!
4. The new neighbors came over and played with the kids today and the parents had fun talking to Jer and Jeremy.
5. A wonderful weekend with my family and friends! 


Jeremiah is thankful for:
1. Family
2. Friends
3. Warm Weather
4. The smell of spring
5. The joy of reading.

Have a great week! 

Crazy kids!

Wow, I don't know how people with more than 2 kids do it LOL! I watched my neice, Kendall (2 weeks shy of 1 year younger than Lily), and nephew, Ethan (1 year and 3 months older than Riley), tonight and my house was just crazy and loud and I could not get them all to listen for anything! I was trying to do our normal bedtime routine while they were here (because it's 10:40 pm and they are still here, so I needed to get my kids in bed) and part of that is the kids and I reading a book before bed. Holy cow! It was nearly impossible to get all 4 to sit still and be quiet at the same time so anyone could hear the book!

So anyway, needless to say, I didn't get a chance to breath, must less plan a blog post LOL! And this is later than I like to be writing anyway, so this one is short and sweet! One cool thing is that Kendall and Ethan wanted to get in on the thankfuls when we were doing them, so I've got thankfuls from them too!

Ethan is thankful for:
1. Hockey practice tonight.
2. Getting to come to Riley's house tonight.
3. Skylanders video game.
4. Getting a chocolate bar that said "I love hockey" tonight LOL!
5. Getting a popsicle at Aunt Traci's house.

Kendall is thankful for:
1. Getting to come to Lily's house.
2. Coloring at school today.
3. My mom, because I  love her.
4. Ethan
5. Brownies with m&m's on them for Jack's birthday at school today.

Riley is thankful for:
1. Ethan coming over and bringing skylanders.
2. Aunt Beth for bringing Ethan and Kendall over.
3. Daddy for taking him to the old house today to get some more of our things. [Yes there is still a ton there, ugh!]
4. Getting a chocolate chip cookie bar after dinner. [Ran out of popscicles LOL!]
5. Getting "smilies" at school today. [They are starburst gummy things that look like smilies.]

Lily is thankful for:
1. Kendall and Ethan coming over.
2. You, mommy, because I love you.
3. Disney Princess book.
4. Watching TV LOL!
5. Playing at school today.

I am thankful for:
1. My neice and nephew and how close they are to my kids. Emotionally, age, and now that we've moved in down the street, geography.
2. We got a free Redbox rental today LOL!
3. My nephew, at 9, still believes in Santa [I'll tell this story another day, maybe tomorrow]. I hear so many kids are getting younger and younger when they stop believing. I love it.
4. All of my laundry is done and put away except one small load in the wash now!
5. My husband.

Jeremiah is thankful for:
Well, waiting on that. He was supposed to tell me 2 hours ago and I'm still waiting (he's at work).

And now I finally get to post this at 12:30 am, so it shows as Friday, but I really wrote it Thursday!

I'm a sap...

I admit it. I, so badly, want a home like you'd see in the movies. You know the type: white picket fence, tons of kids who play together, backyard barbecues, neighborhood block parties, the neighbor you can ask to borrow a cup of sugar LOL! I know these types of neighborhoods are becoming things of the past, but I think they still exist, just few and far between.

I am really hoping this new neighborhood will fulfill my dreams of this, though so far I've been disappointed that no one has stopped by to introduce themselves.

Until today! I am so excited! Today was a gorgeous, unseasonably warm day and the kids and I went out to explore our new backyard a little bit. Our yard and our neighbor's yard end and another yard runs behind them (we live near a corner, so the other house is on the other road and they have a long, narrow yard that runs behind ours). As the kids were playing the lovely family who lives there all came down to greet us! Mom, dad and 2 kids. The daughter, Melanie or Melody (gosh I've got to remember that and I feel terrible that I can't, at all, remember the mom and dad's names!) is maybe a little older than Lily, but a little younger than Riley, so maybe 5 or 6. The son, Logan, is about 1 1/2 or 2. They were SO nice and SO excited that a family with young kids moved in! The kids got along great! Lily was so excited to make a new friend (though Riley was a little disappointed there wasn't a boy closer to his age)! They said any time the kids want to play they can come right up and knock on the door! The great thing about that is that I don't have send them out onto a road, they can just walk through the backyards! They also said any time we need any help with anything to let them know! I'm so thrilled to have such nice people living there and to have kids for Lily and Riley to play with! So exciting! (yes, that <<< is how I feel right now LOL!)

On that note, our thankfuls!

Lily is thankful for:
1. Making a new friend!
2. Playing hopscotch and soccer outside today!
3. Getting to eat a donut after school today!
4. Learning a new song, The Valley of the Vegetables, at school today!
5. Getting a new, special yogurt at the store the other day.

Riley is thankful for:
1. Not having to go to kid's club at the gym today! [He gives me such a hard time when I try to go workout, so I skipped zumba. Lame.]
2. Going swimming at the Y tonight.
3. Kieran.
4. God, because he gave us air, water and life. [So cute! We're not that religious, but do believe and he goes to Vacation Bible School every year and loves it!]
5. He got to play soccer outside today!

I am thankful for:
1. Finding great new neighbors!
2. Having a beautiful, warm day today!
3. My house staying clean so far!
4. Netflix LOL!
5. My Miche party is coming up! YAY!

Jeremiah is thankful for:
1. Warm sunny days in March!
2. Children laughing and playing!
3. The lives that we have, there are many more unfortunate people than us.
4. Paint washing off my hands.
5. Jelly beans - I might not like them, but they bounce well off from other people's heads LOL!

Miche!

MEE-CHEE!


I'm really excited! I've wanted a Miche Bag for YEARS! But I never knew where to get them until my friend hosted a Miche party! I love them and CANNOT wait to get one! So I planned a purse party/housewarming party on February 26th. Apparently there was some miscommunication with the rep and she didn't show up. I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt this one time. Any other problems and I will find a new rep! So, after some requests by some friends to see the purses, we are trying again. This Sunday we're having a Miche party at my house. I can't wait! I love so many designs I'm not sure what to get!


Too many too choose from! I think I'm getting the demi size. These are what I like:

But then I love these in Prima and classic!














Aaaahhhhh! Which do I get?! 

Anyway, as you can see I am SUPER excited for it LOL! I can't wait until Sunday! If anyone's reading, tell me what you think! This is the link to my party! Feel free to order or just look and tell me what I should get! 


https://jennwoods.miche.com/Home


Thanks!


Now for our family thankful time! Have a great Wednesday!

Jeremiah is thankful for:
1. My bed, because I'm tired.
2. Dinner, because it was yummy.
3. It's supposed to be 65 degrees tomorrow.
4. Red velvet donuts.
5. I got to see Lily dance tonight.

Riley is thankful for:
1. My tv in my room.
2. Daddy, because he lets me play soccer. [Jeremiah coaches his team]
3. You and daddy, because you bought us this really cool, nice house, with jets in bathtub.
4. Baseball, hockey and swimming and my trophies/ribbons for them.
5. My bunkbeds. [He just has bunkbeds in his room for only him LOL!]

Lily is thankful for:
1. Uncle Bobby
2. Anabelle
3. Hailey
4. Dominick
5. Riley
6. Darren
7. Nate [We had a little get together at house on February 26th and these are their friends that came, except Riley and Uncle Bobby of course]

I am thankful for:

1. Jeremiah working early today and he got home in time to take Lily to dance.
2. Getting laundry done today!
3. I got up at 7:30 am today! [That's amazing for me!]
4. My new garage! It's so nice having one for the first time!
5. My sweet kids.

Gone too long...

WOW! I can't believe it's been 5 weeks since I last wrote a blog post! I always have a tendency to start something and then just stop doing it, but I really love writing this blog, so I don't want to do that! I'm trying www.flylady.com to get organized and keep up with everything, and my blog is on one of my checklists, so hopefully if I have to check it off each night I'll actually do it LOL!

I don't have a lot to post about today, because honestly I'm not prepared! I guess I just wanted to update and post the things we're thankful for today! In the time I wasn't posting I did sit down with the kids and write a few thankfuls, but unfortunately not 5 weeks worth. I do want to post them, but I have to find them first.

A quick update on the house! Everything finally went through and we closed and moved in on Valentine's day! Hard to believe we've been for three weeks tomorrow! I absolutely LOVE it! So far it is perfect for us! There have been a few unexpected problems (dishwasher broke after one use), but I love it so much I can overlook the little problems! I still need to get some rooms fully unpacked, and take pictures of them, and get the pictures  I have taken off my camera, but I will post them as soon as I get that finished! We are all really happy here! Even Jeremiah, who wasn't entirely on-board with buying this house, is really happy here!

Ok, I've got to get to bed, so I can stay on my flylady schedule, but here are our thankfuls for the day! Have a good Tuesday!

Riley:
1. I am thankful for me, because I wrote a letter to Mr. Briggs. [Mr. Briggs is his teacher and Riley actually got in trouble last week (which NEVER happens), and I made him write an apology letter to him.]
2. You, because you read a book to us tonight!
3. Lily, because she picked out a good book to read tonight [Little Brown Bear Won't Take a Nap]
4. Grandma Rosie, because we got to have a sleepover this weekend, and because she bought me the Mouse Trap game.
5. Daddy, because he let me play on his computer.
6. Cody L's dad, because he said if you were ever late again he'd wait with me. [I ran out of gas on the way to pick him up from school last week and they waited with him. Yes I suck LOL!]

Lily:
1. I am thankful for my new lampshade! [Ah, the little things!]
2. Grandma Rosie, because we had a sleepover this weekend. [Riley totally stole this from her after she said it!]
3. The new marker mommy is using to write these. [She picks the most random things LOL!]
4. My gymbelle doll.
 
5. I am thankful for you, mommy, because I like your room. [Can you tell she basically picks what she sees at the moment?]

Me:
1. I am thankful for my new house!
2. I am thankful for keeping my new house clean so far!
3. I am thankful for finding flylady and her checklists!
4. I am thankful that Jeremiah is coming home from work early tonight!
5. I am thankful that I have 2 great kids, even though they drive me nuts sometimes LOL!

Jeremiah:
1. For groundhogs, because spring is almost here! [Yes, the groundhog saw his shadow and my husband is a dork LOL!]
2. I am thankful you ordered pizza, cause I'm really hungry.
3. I'm thankful we have really respectful children. [Apparently some guys at work had some issues with disrespectful kids today]
4. I'm thankful I got my project done at work.
5. I'm thankful you'd let me go on a trip with my cousin, even though I can't get the time off work. I'm thankful I have a caring and understanding wife. [Aww...]

FINALLY!

Today we got our commitment letter from the bank for our new house! I also found out that the sellers got an extension of 5 days, so we will be closing on February 10th! I am SO relieved! And so excited! I can't believe that we will be in our new house in 10 days! It seemed like it would never happen!

I'm not feeling well tonight, so that's about all I'm going to post. But I almost forgot to do our thankfuls tonight and the kids had to remind me! I am really happy that they are so into this! And I think their thankfuls are pretty flipping cute LOL! 

Lily:
1. I am thankful for my birthday!
2. I am thankful I had another snow day today! [There was only a 2 hour delay, but since her class is only a morning class on 2 hour delays they are cancelled.]
3. I am thankful that Grandma Rosie took me to dance class once. [Like 2 months ago LOL!]
4. I am thankful for my jump rope.
5. I am thankful for grampy, because he got me a new doll so I can do her hair. [One of the busts of a doll so you can style their hair.]

Riley:
1. I am thankful for Cody S, because he shared his m&m's with me and I shared my banana with him today.
2. I am thankful for mommy and daddy, because they buy me good toys and I love you.
3. I am thankful for grampy, because he got me a remote control truck and I love him.
4. I am thankful we are moving into our new house!
5. I am thankful for J'myer, because he comes here sometimes. [J'myer is a boy from New York City, that we host over the summer through the Fresh Air Fund. He's come 2 summers now and the kids have so much fun.]


Me:
1. I am thankful for my mother-in-law, because she is really helping me out tomorrow.
2. I am SO thankful that we got our commitment letter from the bank and the sellers got an extension!
3. I am thankful that tomorrow I will have medicine to make me feel better LOL!
4. I am thankful that our health benefits company screwed up, but is (so far) doing the right thing.
5. I am thankful for sleep, because then I will feel better.
6. I am thankful for my husband, because just when I am feeling awful he sends me his thankfuls and makes me smile and laugh.


Jeremiah
1. I am thankful for my mom, she is a big part of our lives.
2. I am thankful for Riley and Lily, because they are the part of my life that makes me laugh.
3. I am thankful that everyone in my family is healthy.
4. I am thankful that tennis balls make good stress relievers.
5. I am thankful that the 49ers had an amazing year.

SNOW DAY!!!

Today was a pretty boring day LOL! So I don't have much to write about. But the exciting part of today was that it was a SNOW DAY! YES! Kids love to stay home and mommy loves to sleep in! Win-win!

We've had a VERY mild winter, very unusual for us. Normally we have multiple feet of snow on the ground from at least December until March. This was us just a few years ago.

This was January 2004 at my mother-in-law's old house:

Same winter, Jeremiah plowing. He is 6'4" tall and the snowbank behind him is taller!

My poor car. I was pregnant with Riley at the time (same winter as above) and I was really sick, so it stayed buried. I had to get rid of it after the snow melted, because it didn't work anymore. I liked that car.

Look at that snowbank!

We're used to it by now! What we aren't used to, is NOT having snow! We had a GREEN Christmas! What the heck kind of a Christmas is that?! Yesterday there was still grass visible! That just doesn't happen. We did not have ONE delay or snow day the entire first half of the school year! And now a month into the 2nd half and we've only had 2 snow days (today being one) and 2 delays! Here's a picture I found on the news from today's storm! Pretty good! Jeremiah was out snow blowing the driveway for hours. That sucked. But the kids went out to play and had fun!

I found this video on the news too! This is about a half hour south of us and they didn't get as much snow as we did, but I thought this was cute! Even elephants like to play in the snow! I love how he's throwing snowballs behind him LOL!

Enough snow talk! There wasn't really a point to that, just sharing what we live through here! Now onto our thankfuls! I found this on Pinterest today and it REALLY stood out to me as exactly what I'm trying to do here! So keep this in your mind as you go through your day. Be positive. Be thankful. 

Riley:

1. I'm thankful for daddy, because he put batteries in my racetrack so I could play with it.
2. I'm thankful for a snow day today!
3. I'm thankful we got to play in the snow today!
4. I'm thankful that mommy, daddy, grandma Rosie and grandma Sue keep us healthy.
5. I'm thankful for grampy, because he buys me 4-wheelers and go carts.


Lily:
1. I'm also thankful for a snow day!
2. I'm thankful we got to play in the snow.
3. I'm thankful we eat healthy.
4. I'm thankful for mommy, because she's so beautiful. [You know I had to put that in there LOL!]
She wouldn't give me a 5th.


Me:
1. I'm thankful for a snow day too LOL!
2. I'm thankful we're (maybe) getting close to closing on our new house!
3. I'm thankful that my kids enjoy healthy food!
4. I'm thankful that where I live most people aren't uptight snobs and care more about the person than the "show" (or at least the people I encounter or I'm thankful that I'm oblivious to it if they are snobs).
5. I'm thankful that we have very caring family and friends.


Jeremiah:
1. I'm thankful that my mom has an extra snowblower they will bring to us until ours gets fixed.
2. I'm thankful for Mountain Dew.
3. I'm thankful for tacos [he's at work and Mountain Dew and Taco Bell are his saviors some nights LOL]
4. I'm thankful for warm blankets.
5. I'm thankful for The Doors. [Not my favorite Doors song, but his. Light My Fire or Hello I Love You, are WAY better!]


Edited to add: These were the snow totals from yesterday. Crazy that right around us was nothing and we got DUMPED on.

CAKES!!! YUM!

Oops! Missed yesterday! Riley had a swim meet and it was a super long day! Meets are always 4-6 hours long and this one was about 2 hours away, so we were gone about 8 hours yesterday! We were all tired when we got home and by the time I remembered the kids were asleep and I was ready to go to sleep too!

The swim meet was pretty good! It was against Norwich and Riley did the 25 Freestyle, 25 Butterfly and the 25 Backstroke. In the 25 Freestyle he got a ribbon for winning his heat! That's really good for him! He took off about 5 seconds I think (we'll find out this week when they post official times). The 25 Butterfly could have been good, but I think he got DQ'd. When he jumped in he started a freestyle stroke and then realized his mistake and did the fly. He would have taken at least a second of his time if he hadn't done that! His backstroke was good! He came in last in his heat, but still took a second or 2 off his fastest time. It was fun! We got to talk with other families with kids around the same age and Riley got to play with his friend Dominick, and Lily got to play with Dominick's sister, Hailey. They had fun and it was nice talking to other team parents! Then we splurged and took the kids to Friendly's for having such a good day!

Well, today's post is going to be about cake! Who doesn't love cake?! One of my best friends, Amanda, asked me to make her cake for her baby shower! I'm honored, but nervous! I've made cakes, that relative to the cakes most people make around here, are great, but still crappy compared to professional. She is having a Hungry Little Caterpillar them. So I was thinking something like this:

This one is amazing, but it's unlikely I'll be able to do it LOL!

Oh, found this, looks like a really easy way to make the shape! Going to post here to remember it!

I'm sure it's going to have a ton of guests, so I don't think this will be enough cake. I'm undecided if I want to make the caterpillar on a large sheet cake or if I want to make extra cupcakes decorated with things from the book.

Here are some of the cakes I've made! I made Riley's first birthday cake and somehow someone hopefully has a picture of it, because I don't!  It was supposed to look like this, and it *sort of* did LOL, but not quite.

Riley's 2nd birthday was a Jojo's circus theme! It was a cute Circus Tent cake, but the icing was melting, so it looked kind of crappy LOL!

Riley's 3rd birthday was when I was about 8 months pregnant with Lily, and did not want to go all out. So I tried simple. It was simple and cute! He loved Thomas, so I went with Thomas.

His 4th birthday was a small party that we traveled for, so I just made a few cupcakes with green frosting and Thomas Trains on them. Unfortunately Riley is now at the age where he wants lame characters and I don't have the time to really put into making the cakes cool, so I've bought cakes for his 5th, 6th and 7th birthday. This year I think I'm making it, because we're doing an awesome spy theme!

Lily's first birthday "cake". It was princess party. It was a small "smash" cake for her and then cupcakes frosted all the way around and then decorated with flowers and ribbon. Then topped with a tiara.

This was the top:

Lily's 2nd birthday was a princess tea party. The cakes were super cute cooked in individual coffee mugs, but of course I can't find the pictures. They were similar to these:

http://cleverbirdbanter.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/teacup-cupcakes/

Lily's 3rd birthday was a princess party (again LOL). Ignore the cords and fan behind it. I was rushing to get a picture before they cut it.  

Lily's 4th was a mermaid party. I LOVE this cake! It's not wonderful, but I am proud of it!

I've also ventured into other cakes when people asked me to. I made my 2 of my cousin's baby shower cakes for them. Both were the same, like this. This was actually my very first special cake I made. 

My nephew's guitar cakes (I was super rushed, so they don't look great).   
My mom's wedding cake. 
And my trial cake to my mom's cake.  
And the extra cake I made with the extra cake for my trial cake.

Thanks for checking out my cakes! I know they aren't great, but if you have any questions about how to make anything you see, let me know!

And now for our thankfuls! Didn't get to Lily's because she didn't want to, then she fell asleep. Have to remember earlier tomorrow.

Riley:

1. I am thankful for Aunt Beth, because she is a coo coo head!

2. I am thankful I got a ribbon for winning my heat at my swim meet!

3. I am thankful for being able to swim.

4. I am thankful for mommy and daddy for taking us to Friendy's. [We ate out WAY too much this week.]

5. I am thankful for Peanut Butter and Jelly!

Jeremiah:

1. I am thankful for comfort foods.

2. I am thankful for warm blankets.

3. I am thankful for orange juice.

4. I am thankful for ice cream.

5. I am thankful for my pillow. [Sounds like someone wanted sleep LOL.]

Me:

1. Today I am thankful for having a husband who does so much for our family and lets me relax.

2. I am thankful for my babies still letting me snuggle with them.

3. I am thankful that we have made some swim team friends!

4. I am thankful for chocolate chip cookie dough (and I really want some now LOL).

5. I am thankful we are all healthy and happy!

Have a great week!