Sean's Birthday Cake

Having your birthday on Christmas Eve can't be fun.

We try to make the day special for Sean. 

He always picks his cake. 

Sometimes it is a design and other times it is a flavor.

This time it was a little of both.

I found it on Pinterest...of course.
I found the recipe here.
It looked so good, I just had to try it. 

When I looked up the recipe...well lets just say the butter content would 

make Paula Deen proud!!

It is a caramel apple cake.

The inside is an applesauce cake, the frosting is caramel buttercream, and there is caramel sauce between the 3 layers and on the top. 

There is a stick for the caramel apple effect and chopped peanuts pressed on the side. 

It was tasty!

Happy Birthday Sean!!

Elf on the Shelf: Christmas Eve

For his last night Ernie decided to play

Guard Duty!

Since Christmas was on a Sunday and church was at 9am we decided to wait till after to open presents. We covered it all up and Ernie was on duty. 

He did a great job. Everyone was happy to wait because they didn't want to see what would happen 

if they messed with Ernie!!
Ernie is now done with his work for the season. 
He has gone back to the North Pole to help Santa. He will be back next year to watch the kids. 
They miss him already!

Elf on the Shelf Day 4

Yesterday I was so busy cooking for the holiday I forgot to post

Ernie's adventure!

We need a little back story here...

We have a GameCube. To cut down on the fighting over who's turn it is, what game to play and how long we each get to play we only get the GameCube out on holiday breaks. 

Wednesday night Ernie got the GameCube out.

He and his buddies set it up, and started playing Mario Party 7.

He even hooked up the microphone feature.

 They look like they are having tons of fun.  

 I just wish they would clean up the messy living room in the background! ;)

Elf on the Shelf: Day 3

Ernie took it easy last night. 

When the kids woke up this morning the kids didn't think he was very bad.

Ernie got on the computer, found a Santa Claus game,

made himself comfortable and played online all night. 

The little boys thought it was great that Ernie plays the same games they do.

Stay tuned for what he gets into tonight!

Elf on the Shelf Day 2

Ernie the Elf really got into it 

last night!

He starts here. In the bathroom.

 Travels across the living room.

  Does some spins around the Christmas tree.

and takes a rest in the airplane tree topper.

The question is...

Did he fly the plane?

The Elf on the Shelf Day 1

This year for Christmas I decided it would be fun to introduce a new tradition. 

When Sean and I got married neither one of us really had any traditions to share once we had kids so we have been coming up with our own.

This year we decided to start The Elf on the Shelf.

It came in the mail yesterday. 

After explaining to Liam and Simon that it isn't a "doll", and that Mr. Elf came alive when we were all asleep. They were excited.

I wish it made them willing to go to be earlier. Not so lucky!

This morning our Elf (who we haven't named yet) had gotten into some mischief.

This is what we found when we 

woke up.

 He popped popcorn and settled down... 

to watch a Christmas movie.

Naughty Elf!

Stay tuned for day 2 to see what kind of trouble he gets into tonight!

I'm Blank Because...

Over at Little Miss Momma she has a post about what kind of person she is. I figured... 

why not?

Sounds fun. 

I have some time to myself 

Here's my list.

I'm weird because...

I love the smell of sweaty little boys hair.

I read all the time. Even when the TV is on.

I hate to empty the dishwasher. I will load it, no prob, but empty? Blah.

I can't stand sleeping with a top sheet. 

I would rather watch an entire season in 3 nights on DVD then watch a show weekly.

I hide all candy and treats in my underwear drawer.

I eat 2 scrambled eggs at least every other day for breakfast. The other days... nothing.

Whenever possible, put potato chips on my sandwiches.

I quote movies even when I am alone.

My heart always skips a beat when I see a package on my porch. 

I feel the need to feed people... all the time.

I don't babysit. Emergencies and dates only. No day in, day out babysitting.

I am 37 and still listen to my music too loud.

Anytime I am teaching or speaking in church I cry like a baby.

I wake my children on a Saturday morning by singing, very badly, Justin Beiber song Never say Never.

I can thread a needle super fast! (So the Little Lady says)

I am a bad friend because...

I avoid phone calls.

I speak my mind too much.

I will tell you the truth.

I am a good friend because...

I can keep a secret.

I can make you laugh.. HARD!

Once you are my friend you are my friend for eternity.

I will tell you the truth.

I am sad because...

Friends have moved away.

We are going to move away from friends.

My babies aren't babies anymore.

I am happy because...

My babies aren't babies anymore.

We are going to start a new adventure in our lives.

Hubby is done with school. 

The living room I started renovating 2 years ago is all but done.

I am excited for...

Our new adventure.

Real mashed potatoes

3 days with no obligations.

Card games

Crafting with the Little Lady.

Eating too much turkey.

Making each child a homemade Christmas gift.

Thanks Ashley for sharing and for making me think. This was fun! 

Leave a comment or make a list of your own!

Vicky

Sandwich Station

At about the same time I was reorganizing my daughters room I found this idea here. Little Lady's dresser was on it"s way out so... lightbulb (said in the Despicable Me voice) to make a sandwich station with the drawer.

Here's a little background:

I pack 4 lunches each school day. I was going to the pantry to get juice boxes, the fridge for jelly, the basement for chips, the corner counter for bread. It was the worse part of my morning. When I saw this idea it was manna from heaven.

 Since I had a whole dresser to work with I incorporated it all into a place to prepare lunches and into a more efficient space.

I took out the bottom drawer for the one hanging on the wall.. I covered over the hole with some particle board. I think it looks a little plain and want to put something cute there. Maybe a vinyl saying or something. Any suggestions?

I filled the drawers with all the stuff that are good for lunch. You know, chips, cornnuts, granola bars, cheese and crackers. 

The good stuff!

On the wall hanging drawer, I took a piece of particle board and cut two -2 inch holes in it. On one side I put the baggies and the other napkins. The ugly box is hidden but I can still get to the goods. I put in 3 dowels. They are attached with shower curtain rod holders I found at Home Depot. I didn't screw them in because the wood of the drawer was too thin for that so I just Gorilla wood glued them in. I did each side separately and let them sit overnight with books pressing them down. 

I have put in paper towels and wax paper. I don't know what to put on the top one. I thought about aluminum foil but the roll I have is too small to slide on. 

Again... suggestions?

On the side with the handle I hung a pair of scissors and on the back side I put up some cork squares (just hot glued and trimmed) with thumb tacks.

I added the embellishments with my Silhouette vinyl machine. It needed a pop of new color.

Here are some random pics of the whole project.

The essential peanut butter! 

A stash of butter knives in a cute glass. (the side has a cow and says absolutely pure milk)

I have had this glass cutting board for forever. I think it was a wedding present. 

I don't really like to use it because the sound of a knife hitting glass is like 

fingernails on a chalkboard. (shiver)

I put it on top so when I cut the little boys' sandwiches in 2, and I am not ruining the paint job. Plus, if finally found a use for the thing!

I have two little ones that still carry lunchboxes. I put up some command hooks so that when they get home and empty their backpacks they can just hook them up. 

Then in the morning Mom isn't going crazy yelling for lunchboxes.

Ok, looking at this picture it looks really crooked. It isn't. I promise. I leveled the thing about 3 times before I was happy. 

The picture is just screwy!  

I hope!!

I am redoing my entire dining room. Painting walls, ceilings, table, chairs. That is why the wall is blank. Come back later and see the finished product.
Soon...I hope.