Cheesecake lessons

I taught my 11-year old, Gabbers, how to make a cheesecake today.

I honestly debated with myself before doing it as I don't think I'm a very good teacher and didn't want to ruin the experience for her. Then the thought popped into my head (maybe inspired) to make a cheesecake with her by my side making her own.

She dropped the panful of graham cracker crumbs and without a sigh or disapproving look from me, she started to clean it up. Then I helped her finish cleaning.

She dropped a raw egg on the inside bottom of the fridge which bounced and landed on the floor. We cleaned it up with no upset and moved on.

 I am so pleased with her. She did everything except put the pan in the oven and take it out.

I have been thinking about my teaching ability this week and how I'm not a natural at it like my husband. But today I realized Heavenly Father wants me to teach them and he will "lead me" and "guide me" and "walk beside me" as I do the same for my children.

I'm so thankful for children that play together.

I love hearing the chatter of make-believe.

Biscuit (left) loves sitting at this step-stool for snacks or play.  And both Biscuit and Peach love things just their size.

These three play together well too.  This pic was taken at Disneyland a month ago.  Bun, Pookie, and Gabbers were giving their best Cheshire Cat impression.

Admittedly, I'm not always thankful when the twins are doing things together.  Sometimes they get wild ideas. 

Here they are passed out at Disneyland.  Danny got lots of comments from people and some even took a few photos.  Hahaha!

And this Hammy of course, is the middle child. He's my mini-me in many ways-- he doesn't look like me (other than his big head).  He plays with Bun.  He plays with Peach.  He plays with Gabbers.  He plays with the twins.  He plays with whoever is willing.  

I'm so very thankful for the blessing of children getting along.  Those are the days that go much more smoothly.

Thankful for cheerful pumpkins

These two girls, Gabbers and Peach, are cheerful and helpful daughters of God.  They are eager to serve and bring a smile to others.  They are quiet reminders of charity and patience in our home.  

Sometimes I think because of the increased needs of some of the other children, I don't take time to say "I appreciate you" or "I notice what you've done" to those who freely and easily give service and spread kindness.  I know Heavenly Father takes note and blesses them.  I aim to do that too. 

P.S.  Thank you Aunty Leslie for the pumpkin hats.  We are taking turns wearing them.  :)

Our last Halloween from this base

Today we got official orders for our move.  So this is our last Halloween on the central coast. 

Here are some fun pics from this week:

Biscuit giraffe didn't answer the FB riddle right. ;)

Little Red Riding Peach caught the vision of trick or treating last night at the ward trunk or treat.  She watched in amazement as people put lollipops and M&Ms in her little basket.  

Is it just me, or does Tater remind anyone of that store in the mall?  Was it called "Hot Dog on a Stick?"

This little Hammy missileer (Squdge too-- but I didn't get a pic) told everyone he was a Daddy for Halloween.

For school crafts this past week we made ghostie pops one day.  Squdge especially enjoyed making them and made like 6 when the other kids made 2 or 3.

We also made pictures to go with our fictional stories we wrote during language arts.  This one is Gabbers.

This one was Pookie's.

Unfortunately the twins' and Hammy's pictures stuck to the table and didn't survive.  

Peach chose to use her torso instead of card stock to decorate.  But I won't be posting that on the web.  :P

Stay tuned for tomorrow.  My 1000th post.

If aliens did dishes

I was in the kitchen making whole grain blueberry (vegan) pancakes for breakfast.  

We love it and I usually make it once a week.  Here's the recipe:

http://engine2diet.com/recipe/spelt-blueberry-pancakes/

with a couple changes.  

Gabbers was putting the clean dishes from the dishwasher.

I said to her, "Don't touch your hair when you're putting away clean dishes... or cooking.  And you should have your hair pulled back.  Hair has lots of germs you don't want in food or clean dishes."

She replied, "Unless you're an alien and you have two extra hands for your hair."

Okiedoke.

Taking Danny to our secret park

Peach and her tongue (she's cutting molars)

Hammy and Gabbers love to swing! 

Bun and his new sling shot

Squdge in a tree

This is our favorite park.  My friend said once, "[This park] is the secret nugget of parks in [this town]." Except of course, she used the park name and the city name. :P

It's true. It has picnic tables, benches, a bathroom, shade, terrific climbing trees, playground equipment, and NO ONE is ever there. Why? I can't figure it out. But we're not telling. It's the perfect place to chat with my friend and let our kids play for hours.

Tater, Peach, and some preggo chunk

I did tell Danny though about it.  Danny came home for an unexpected visit between training and deployment.  We took him to this park last Saturday after running errands.  I intended to get pictures of him with the kids, but somehow he ended up holding the camera.

Pookie talking about how some of his army men are camouflaged by the wood chips

Peach checking out the camera up close

Twin buddies on a slide (Squdge on left, Tater on right)

Me, Peach, and Pookie

A good Daddy paints fingernails

alternate title:  One more reason my husband is awesome.

Easy gift for my aspiring artist

Have I told you how much I love Pinterest?  Pinterest is chuck full of talented people for me to glean ideas from.

This framed crayon inital was an easy fast inexpensive project I got from there. 

I estimate it costs me less than a box of candy canes. 

I used two boxes of crayons minus the neutral colors.  The crayons were 40 cents a box at the back-to-school sales.  I bought approximately 27 boxes.  seriously.  The cardstock was probably less than a dime.  The frame I've had for years and years.  But originally it was like $2 at Ikea.  So maybe a nice box of candy canes.  ;)

Here's the original, my inspiration.

I really like that she used a black frame.  And I thought I had a black frame.  But I can't seem to find it.  story of my life.  This deep purple frame actually matches well.

Now to wrap it so the crayons don't fall off . . .

Gabbers Under the Sea Party with Friends

Every four years, our children enjoy birthday parties with friends.  This year for Gabbers 8th birthday party, she chose an Under the Sea theme.  We started the party off with games:

Under the Sea Relay

Crab walk from start to the tunnels.

Eel swim through the tunnels.

Put on the mermaid tail (pillowcase) and hop to the end (the fence).

Raise your hand to signal to your next teammate to go.

Fish, Fish, SHARK!

This was an "Under the Sea" rendition of "Duck, Duck, Goose."  No pictures because I was busy running around playing it with the kids while Danny was busy finishing up the poster board for:

Put the fish in the bowl

A fishy version of "Pin the tail on the donkey.  We were going to do "Pin the tail on the Whale" but thought it would be more fun to put the fish in the bowl (and easier to draw).

 

Bonus points if you get it in its little house.

Fish that don't make it in the bowl died.  *eek*

We also played The Fishing game.  I laminated the fish so I could reuse them for Primary.  I'm the new chorister.  I used a wooden dowel with some string tied to it and a magnet on the end.  Each fish had a paper clip on it.

I forgot to take pictures of this game.  Everyone's fish had something on the back.  One fish was different.  Everyone won a prize of Twizzlers or Smarties (remember this was just before Halloween) and there was a grand-prize:  Flavor-blasted Goldfish (from the dollar store). 

Then we had Gabbers open her presents.

 After presents we had cake that Danny ordered from the commissary (because I nearly had a mental breakdown that week thanks to my little twin buddies).  And it's a good thing we did, Lindsay from the bakery did a fabulous decorating job.  It was white cake with buttercream frosting and Bavarian creme filling.  Yum!

Gabbers was pretty happy about it.

We passed out goody bags to everyone.  The contents:  Goldfish crackers, Swedish fish, bubbles, banana creme pie pudding cups (they looked like beach or sand colors), and a balloon in cellophane bags that had sea critters all over them (that I bought on vacation in Utah one year a looong time ago). 

I originally planned the party to be inside.  But the day before in a short period of about 10 minutes horrible HORRIBLE things happened due to the two year old-ness of the twins.  Danny suggested an outdoor party also planning on how many boys were also going to be there.  It worked out well.  I had to toss out all the decoration plans I had-- since they wouldn't work outside.  But the bubbles and the sea anemones seemed adequate.

Learn to Sit Baby Boot Camp

Gabbers is helping Peach balance on a cloth diaper (and protecting her from smacking her head backwards) during Learn to Sit Baby Boot Camp.

I don't know about the pot holder on the couch. 

Gabbers before and after the peanut butter upped our anxiety level

Here Danny attempts to brush peanut butter through Gabbers hair with a toothbrush and a spoon.  The toothbrush and spoon were in a method we read about online.  All I remembered from my childhood (and the last time she got gum in her hair) was to use the creamy peanut butter.

Danny kept saying it wigged him out.  So I gave it a try. 

I'm not sure if it was the combination of Skippy Peanut Butter and the bubble gum in her hair, but it turned to a nasty consistency.  I couldn't handle it either.  So, we gave her the chop.

Here's a picture of her this morning, folding clothes in the family closet, with her new short do (and a pirate helper).

Dear Easter Bunny,

What were you thinking giving bubble gum eggs to a three year old?!  Granted he's almost four. 

But we have a strict "No GUM under the age of 10" policy in our home.  It's pretty new, you can read about it here.

I'll be busy now with a container of creamy peanut butter. 

Look right over there on my sidebar.

It's on the right.  I only have one sidebar right now. 

Do you see the picture of Gabbers?  My sister, Erin, took it. 

Isn't Erin talented?  Even though she has been known to travel half-way across the world for a client, I'd guess that most of her photography customers are in Utah County. 

Here is her button. 



Press it. 

I know you're curious about her work.  It is awesome.  seriously.  You can go like her here.

Mommy, take my picture too!

"Even though you look like a fuzzball?"  I asked.

"I think it's funny," she giggled.

Yeah, you might not think so when you're 15 and are horrified Mommy let you go around looking like that and had the gall to take your picture, but okaaaaaay.

Once upon a time I had a 1 1/2 year old girl named Gabbers.

She was particularly small for her age.  And even at 18 months she couldn't walk.  Low muscle tone + hypermobility of her joints = not a walker yet.  So people thought she was MUCH younger than she was.

But she had a big BIG personality.  and she loved boys. This was before she had 5 brothers. She just had her older brother Pookie at the time.

She'd say to any boy or man in passing, "Hey, hey, hey!"  And when she got their attention she'd yell, "DOUBLE YOU!!" 

"W" was her favorite letter. 

Little old ladies thought she was the sweetest little doll ever.  They would say, "Oh what a cute little girl you are!"  or "Hello sweetie!" and all such things that little old ladies say.

But like I said, Gabbers LOVED boys.  She didn't care for little old ladies. 

And she let them know it. 

Gabbers would growl in a deep that-couldn't-possibly-have-come-from-a-toddler-angel voice "STOP IT."

Warfighter Gabbers

This picture of G was taken January 28, 2006. Don't be misled by the innocent look on her face. This was all her doing.

Suzy Zoo Gabbers

Occasionally Gabbers wakes up from her nap with her hair looking like Suzy Zoo's Witsy.

Sleepy Gabbers and Halloween pics

Danny took this picture of Gabbers during naptime a few days ago. I think the picture of Pookie and Gabbers walking in their Halloween costumes looks kinda like Hansel and Gretel lost.

Happy Birthday Gabbers!

My sweet Gabbers is officially TWO!