Happy Birthday Caleb!

This little man is growing up!  He is doing really well in school this year.  He is doing great at math & at reading.  He gets 100% on practically EVERY spelling test too!  His teacher keeps freaking out because he needs to put a bigger space between his words when he writes a sentence.  He'll get it lady...take a chillaxitive.

 

He is my #1 helper.  He always follows the rules.  Sometimes he thinks he is the adult in situations...I remind him that I'm still around so he can relax.  He is such a honest boy.  I can't think of a better quality to have than honesty. 

Casey & I took Caleb on Frontrunner to Farmington station.  It was great to be able to spend some quality time with this little boy.  He got to open 1 present before we left and it was an Avenger's comic book.  He HAD to take it with.  While we were there we took him to Build-A-Bear.  He picked a cute puppy and named him Oreo.  He was so cute picking out clothes for his puppy.  He would lay the puppy on the ground and put clothes over the top of him to see how it would look.  He finally decided on some star wars themed costume.  I can't remember what it is.  A trooper of some sort.

The next afternoon we had his birthday party.  Even Eddie was ready to party!  Caleb was cute.  He got Avenger's toys, a Lego set, a T-Rex shirt, money, coloring books, a toy truck, and art equipment.  Mona gave Caleb some flannel lined jeans and when she told him how warm they would be she said, "Just think when you are all warm in these pants, it's me giving you a big hug."  I didn't' really think that Caleb was listening, but he looked up at me and said, "Well....that just makes me want to cry!"  He really is wise beyond his years.  That is such a deep, sentimental thought for a little boy to have.

He requested a Captain America shield cake.  It was yummy.  For his birthday dinner he picked mac & cheese, garlic bread & apple slices.  It was tasty!

Little Jackson got his photo taken a few times as well.  It isn't fair that babies don't stay babies for very long.  He's getting so big!  I'm not sure - but I think Angela is a big baby lover.

October & November

Teaching kids how to use a spoon is not one of my favorite things.  They are getting better - but holy crap!

While Luke & Alexa took a snooze one afternoon - they big kids made cute fall trees with q-tips.  Rylee cracks me up.

Caleb wanted to be a rock star one day - so he drew a guitar for himself.  Complete with a skull & crossbones.

At preschool these little posers made cute shape witches at Halloween time!

All Caleb wants for Christmas is his two front teeth!

These two always sit by each other for their morning show.  They have started to play together and talk to each other.  Lexi picks on Luke.  It's sad & funny at the same time.

Caleb took a math test - and had the best answer ever!

We went to redbox one night and rented Inside Out.  It makes me sad that my kids won't ever know the fabulousness of the video store.  I remember going with my parents back in the day when we had to RENT the VCR!  Looking at all the movies lined up on the shelves was so fun.  Flight of the Navigator, Labrinth, Unico....anyways...then we had a grilled cheese and apple slice picnic in the front room.  I will miss moments like this.

Look at her feet.  CUTE!

The neighbor girls came over to play one night.  This is what happened to my babies.

Casey is such a fun dad.  The kids treat him like a jungle gym and he doesn't mind! (most of the time)

There is a Bubble Guppies episode that has cowboys & cowgirls.  Alexa is obsessed!

I have no words.  This just makes my heart happy.

Angela brought over Blake & Griffen's old Halloween costumes.  Lexi wore this get up for a whole day.

Raking leaves + two 2 year olds = zero productivity.



Thanksgiving

I am thankful for a lot of things.  Healthy children, a warm house, my sleep number bed, indoor plumbing, running vehicles, my family & Casey's, a job for myself & for Casey are just a few.

 

The big kids & I colored some turkeys one Sunday afternoon.  I love to color.  Caleb was happy because I let him share my box of crayons for this activity.

These turkeys made pattern turkeys at preschool.  They told me, "We can't eat the candy corn though.  It has glue on it and it will make us sick."

Caleb made this at school.  He is thankful for parents, friends, TV, food, family, toys and xbox.

Rylee was thankful for her mom, dad, brothers & sisters.

Taylor was thankful for dad's hugs.  She's our little cuddle bug.

We had Thanksgiving at my parents house this year.  As always - the food was delicious.  I was nervous because I was in charge of most of the desserts.  But they all turned out pretty good.  My favorite was the pumpkin cheesecake squares with fresh whipped cream.  Y U M

Casey & they kids played a little game while I watched the littles & my mom tackled the kitchen mess.  Alexa was a fan of the cranberry sauce & the candy corns.  I'm surprised she didn't end up with a major sugar rush.  Rylee was Dylan's buddy.  She didn't know his name so she just called him, 'this guy'.  It was adorable and hilarious.

Pumpkin cheesecake bars recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

6 hours

Yield: 24 bars

Ingredients

Crust
• 1 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
Filling
• 4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup (8 oz) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Garnish
• whipped cream
• pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300°F.
2. Line a 13X9" baking pan with parchment paper leaving about 1 inch of paper hanging on the sides.
3. In a medium size bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter.
4. With your fingers press the crust on the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside while making the filling.
5. In the mixing bowl of your stand-up mixer, add the cream cheese and sugar. With the paddle attachment on, beat on low speed until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended.
7. Spoon half of the mixture over the crust and spread evenly.
8. To the remaining cream cheese mixture add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
9. With a wire whisk stir until smooth. Carefully, spoon over mixture in pan.
10. Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until just set. Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar allowing the cheesecake to slowly cool down for about 1 hour or so.
11. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before cutting into bars.
12. Top each bar with whipped cream and a dust of pumpkin pie spice.

September

September is always a pretty slow month.  Trying to get everyone on a 'school schedule' was the focus.  They all seem to be loving school.  I have seen a lot of improvement in Caleb's reading and math.  He is one smart boy.

 

Caleb inherits Blake's old clothes.  He is such a skinny Mr. that they might fit him in 10 years.  They each picked a t-shirt out of our latest stack of hand-me-downs for pajamas.

Sometimes there just isn't enough kool-aid left for 2 glasses.

It isn't the first time that they had to share a drink :)

 

Books and blankets was the theme for this afternoon.  A D O R A B L E!

I let the girls make 'potions' one morning with their leftover cereal milk.  They had a blast.  I ran out of parsley flakes, sesame seeds & soy sauce that morning.

This kid can't get enough of me.  Who can blame him?

Casey tackled a pantry make over one week.  It turned out nice!  The girls helped me get the painting done while Luke & Alexa napped one afternoon.

These birds were HUGE.  And yellow.  I have no idea what they were & I probably looked like a psycho standing on my front porch taking millions of pictures.  I was waiting for them to fly or to turn around - but it wasn't happening.

Trick or Treat!

Halloween arrived!  Caleb told me a couple of days before Halloween, "Mom.  I don't think that Halloween is my favorite holiday anymore."  I replied, "How come?"  He said, "I'm pretty sure that I don't like being scared."  I told him that it was okay if Halloween wasn't his favorite and that we would just have a fun night getting candy and putting on a costume.  He said that Christmas is now his favorite.

 

There were a couple of stores around town that had the front decorated for fall - I tried to take advantage of their hard work.  Luke was NOT having it.  But - they all still look pretty cute!

We had to recycle costumes this year.  I have some cute ideas for next year, but Caleb is already arguing with me about them.  Stink pot.

These two babies...I guess technically toddlers...loved their candy corn from Grandma Babe!  They walked a little and rode in the stroller while Grammy pushed them around & I took movies & pictures.  Casey was at work.  I sure am grateful to live near family that is always willing to help me out!

Jordon & Dylan's costumes are fantastic.  And Eva's & Jackson's couldn't be more perfect.  Ashely wins mother of the year for Ariel. 

I love these pictures.  Innocence.  Happiness.  Fun.  Joy.  Excitement.  So many things captured in a photograph.

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Party!

It was my year to host the pumpkin carving party!  Caleb got to clean out his own pumpkin this year.  From the look on his face - I don't think that he enjoyed it.  I have an obsession with polka dots - so Casey got out his drill for me & I went to work!  Luke was very impressed with the drill.  He would get the cutest surprised look on his face every time I would drill a hole.  AND - he got a hair cut.  I don't want to talk about it.

Everyone was busy, busy, busy with their pumpkins.  Ashley was busy with Jackson and my mom was busy chasing kids, making sure they had on extra layers of jackets and snapping pictures.

My mother is out of control.  She made WORMS!  Taylor wouldn't try it.  Caleb, Eva and Rylee did though.  As Rylee was chewing hers she said, "So, is this worm still alive?"  I didn't get a picture - but my mom also made the kids mummy dogs.  They looked delicious.  The rest of us brought ingredients for taco salad and I made some yummy pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.

As always, our pumpkins were masterpieces.  I don't know what it is - but Blake's pumpkin gave me pure joy.  His is the cute little smiley face at the bottom right.  Caleb-ghost, Brittni-polka dots, Don-vampire, Ashley-cat, Derrick-witch, Brittni-bat, Casey-scary jack!