Castle Time

We created a castle over the weekend for Brooke's 3rd grade school project. One of her favorite TV shows is Ace of Cakes and Cake Boss. Poor Blaine, his sister talks the show up like, "Blaine they are going to make a space ship out of cake" so I think he's just as hooked as she is now. So, we got some ideas from the show and decided to tackle our castle "Cake Boss Style".

First, we took 25 rice crispies and molded them, cut them, shaped them, colored them and about 100 toothpicks later - Walla!

The castle gate is made from Popsicle sticks painted brown and glued together.

Drawbridge is held up with paperclips and string.

Can you find the queen of the castle? We taped a picture of Brooke in the window of the "Tower" made of marshmallow.

Flagpole was made with dad's creative pocket knife work.

Blaine helped paint the water and make the crocodile. What's a castle without a crocodile right! It was a fun project and smelled Delicious!

New Year

My New Year started off with a NEW RING and I couldn't have been more surprised. I lost my ring in my apartment 5 months ago and searched high & low only to finally admit it was LOST...I wore an old fake one for the longest and hated it...just felt wrong? Jeff took the kids shopping and they presented it to me the morning of Christmas Eve. I love it! If I find my old one I plan to do something really special with it for Brooke's 16th birthday? Mom put her rings together and made me a pendant that I absolutely love and gave it to me for my 21st birthday. I still remember it and love something old turned into something new. Maybe why I love painting furniture so much...
Staying busy with the house so - in less than 90 days - we hope to be moving in. Starting the barn this week and Jeff decided to put a shower in it? To wash the dogs and horse blankets...really? I'll be washing them and a water house would've worked just fine and not have to clean another shower? Making decisions on the house has really surprised me - I usually over analyze everything - but with the house it has been easy. Sheryl - my Amarillo Mom that I've adopted - aka Shane Woodard's mom - is my go to girl on my final color combinations since Jeff is color blind. I'll picture something in my head, run it by her and she helps make it happen. Having someone like her at this final stage is a blessing! We finish each others sentences and I just love her.
Cabinets are being stained, lights and appliances have been ordered, paint has been picked out and I'm thinking of painting a wall ZEBRA in my laundry room? I know crazy right....but cannot wait to move in!

OBD!!!

OBD - Oh Breaking Dawn, are you ever going to be here??? I think I'll re-read the book after my friend Tracy sent me this picture. It's not from the "movie" but I can imagine some beach scenes now.....

Back to BootCamp

Fall is here and I am getting back into our routines since school started. Our weekly practices now include 2 hours Basketball. Homework luckily hasn't been so bad but heard 4th and 5th grade is a whole new ballgame. Our dinners have been on the fly lately so eating healthy is not working out for me. I try to get my good healthy meal in for lunch and totally bomb with my dinner choice (Sonic and Taco Villa).

I got a bright idea that I would get back to my BootCamp routine this week as we have mostly been doing the 5k workout the past few months. Cardio is great but the muscle and fitness challenge was missed, WELL UNTIL THIS MORNING.

My Morning Recap: I woke up this morning with a little soreness in some muscles I haven’t used in a while.

Then, reality hits, I raise to get out of bed and have a flashback of SUMO something I hope to never see again….

It hurts to squat to the sitting position, once I have finally made it to my chair,

I find “relief” and hope I don’t have to get up anytime soon…

Fun, Food & Rides

It's Fair Time!

We couldn't help but spend Sat night out with family and friends at the Fair for some Fun, Food & Rides. I couldn't hardly wait to get my annual cheese on a stick and giant corn dog..to then finish the ride home with a funnel cake! Brooke started making the "vomit" face about half way through the Pirate Ship Ride...she's the top right hanging on for dear life as Cayla and Ashtyn can't get enough.

Surf's Up or should I say down...Blaine had so much fun this year because he was tall enough to ride most of the rides. These were just a few of his favorites!

Before I Eat

Brooke's Grasshopper Pie

Brooke's third grade teacher, Mrs. Brown, has extra books in her room she allows the kids to checkout - and Brooke came home with a cookbook. The teacher joked with her that she needed to bake her a pie and that is exactly what Brooke picked out to make. Today, she delivered a special piece to Mrs. Brown.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8 ou.) package of cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 (8 ou.) tub whipped topping, thawed

1 cup chopped Keebler Fudge Shop Grasshopper Cookies
3-4 drops of green food coloring

1 Chocolate Pie Crust

DIRECTIONS:
Mix Cream Cheese and Sugar with an electric mixer until well blended.

Fold in whipped cream

Add chopped cookies (we placed cookies in a small Ziploc bag and chopped in small pieces using a measuring cup)Add your chopped cookies and food coloring, lightly stir until blended.

Spoon into Pie Crust.

Chill for 3 hours or overnight.