Aunt Diane Loves Me

I was cleaning out my night stand last week and I found this button that my Aunt Diane gave me many years ago. So, Diane if you are reading this, you should know that this button meant something to me, because I still have it after about 14 moves in three states. When I pulled it out from between old letters and cards it made me laugh out loud and then almost cry, which was weird. I was in high school when she gave it to all her nieces and nephews. My friends thought it was really funny (in a good way) and they dared me to wear to school all day, and I did. High school girls don't normally wear buttons like that to school, so I think I was brave.

I just wanted to post this for valentine's day to point out that you never know how far your love is going to reach. We should all try to love a little more! Thanks Diane, maybe I'll wear it tomorrow. Love you all!!!

Doesn't that just make you happy?

Old Man!

Here is a birthday wish for my sweetheart! I'm sure he would love anyone to call to remind him how old he is.

It is a freezy rain day here. I took these this morning when the boys ran out to the bus. I thought the ice on the bushes made some cool textures.

Totally Chocolate Dinner

We had a very nutritious dinner tonight that I wanted to share. Ok, just kidding. It was the opposite of nutritious but it was good and the boys ate a lot, which doesn't always happen. Here is a recipe for Chocolate Brownie Waffles. It makes a ton of waffles so, if you have a smaller family you might want to half it.

4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. cocoa powder
2 T. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
4 c. milk
4 large eggs
2 t. vanilla
8 T. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 1/3 c. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients then add the milk, egg and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Stir in melted butter and chips and let batter stand for 5 minutes while the waffle iron heats up. Serve with whipped cream, syrup or any other toppings you like.  YUM!

Cookies

It must be Sunday night because we are having cookies. This is one of our favorite things to do on Sunday. We all get a glass of milk and eat hot cookies one after the other. I always thought Sam was our cookie monster, but Cameron is challenging him.

Most of us are dippers.

This is Cameron saying "Pees, Pees, Cookie, Cookie, Cookie" 

(With the accent on the second syllable of cookie.)

He is so cute!

So, we are in the basement, the boys playing, me on the computer, Nate trying to catch some of the Superbowl, and Matt brings me down a very black and very stinky cookie.  Oops!  I did one of my famous moves and forgot the last batch of cookies.  I burned 'em good.  I don't think I'll post a picture of those hockey pucks.

Losin' Teeth

We are slow to lose our teeth around here, but Spencer has now lost another one.  So that makes his total 2.  It was barely hanging on when he got home from school, so he pulled in out and was pretty pleased.  Isn't he cute.  I love the way his eyes close when he is happy and smiling.  He is going to look so different when he gets human sized teeth.  His baby teeth are so tiny, they look like cat teeth or something.

Pinewood Derby

Nate competed in his last pinewood derby this week. He and Matt have made some great cars. This year's inspiration came from his Mario Cart DS game. He named his car the NDasher. (That made me recall my own dasher from when I was sixteen. I'll have to write about that car sometime!) Nate always enjoys the racing. I think he was excited about winning 2nd place and the award for the Classic Racer.




Only nine more years of Pinewood Derby left!

I'm an Addict!

Oh, no!  A friend loaned me the Twilight series a few days ago.  I finished the first one and started the second.  Matt should hide them from me if he wants anything accomplished around here this week!  

Awesome Art

Nate and Spence have a great art teacher at school. They do detailed and interesting art all year long. I especially loved what they brought home this week.

This is Nate's Mola.

These are Spencer's Cardinals.

Nate is 10

We have a child in double digits. Oh my heck! We started the day with a big french toast breakfast (with lots of whipped cream-Nate's fav). I bought a big cake and we invited Nate's friend over. I was upstairs getting ready and Matt was on a bike ride, and when I came down I heard this smacking noise. On the counter in the kitchen was Cameron pounding the cake. The only think that saved it was that it was still covered with the plastic wrap, otherwise I'm sure the cake would have been demolished. I guess it was good that we didn't have a party because the cake looked like someone sat on it. We put candles on it anyway and sang Happy Birthday! I still can't figure out what I was thinking buying such a huge cake??? We ate one row and then we couldn't even share it because it looked so funny. Oh well. I think Nate had a good day. He got Madden '08 for their DS and we went to Alvin and the Chipmunks and Five Guys for dinner.  

Sleepy Sam

After lunch the other day, I went into the office to check my email and when I came out Sam was gone. Cameron was sleeping so I walked around softly calling for Sam. I went upstairs to look in his room and I saw that the blanket on our bed was bent funny. (See first picture.)


I walked around the bed and saw him tucked perfectly under the blanket like this, sleeping. I thought it was so cute that I ran and got my camera out. Later, when he got up I asked if he had been tired and he said, "No, I was cold." He didn't believe me that he had fallen asleep.


Sam says a lot of funny stuff. He calls vitamins, bite-amins. Sandwiches-Famwhiches. Nutcrackers-Nuthatchers. Last weekend we went to our friend's baptism and he said something that cracked me up. We were listening to the talk on the Holy Ghost and he looked up as if everything was now clear to him and said, "So he is kind of like a ghost (laughing). But not a scary one, a NICE one."

Un-trimming the Tree

I realized that I didn't take ANY pictures of our Christmas tree or our family at home during the Christmas season. So, I decided to take some of Sam and Cam helping me take the tree down. This activity is not nearly as fun or festive as putting the tree up. Maybe I need to think of tradition that could make it more enjoyable. Maybe a silly song to sing or yummy treat to eat.   Next year.  It was a pretty tree.

Christmas

Maybe you thought we didn't survive the trip home. Well, we did and it actually wasn't too terrible and so I'm already planning when to go out for the summer. We all had a great vacation and we loved being with our families. We did so many fun things, but here are just a few pictures. One highlight was when Santa visited Grandma Geri's house.  The kids all got to sit on his lap and get a balloon just for them.  Cameron was scared at first but then once he saw the candy canes he was totally willing to talk to Santa.

Unfortunately, I didn't take a good group picture of Christmas Eve, but it was a nice party at Hill and Tom's with Grandpa Arch.  Thanks for the creepy spider.  Eek!

This is Christmas morning after the boys saw what Santa brought them.  It was fun to watch them play with their new things.  We enjoyed breakfast and the homemade eggnog with the Skidmore side of the family, and then opened more presents.  

Here are the Cheney cousins in new PJs.

We went on a sleigh ride the next day.  It was cold and some of the little ones were crying, but it was beautiful and even lightly snowing.  Then we had lunch around a fire and went four wheeling in the snow.  We loved being at Mom and Ennis' Woodland home.

Cam looked so cute in his hat and tie!

The days we spent in Eden were lots of fun.  Skiing was definitely a highlight and we were impressed by how well all the kids did.  We all had fun sledding and playing games.  I tried to track down killer bunnies but amazon is sold out!  I guess I'll have to wait.  

We miss all of you already.  I admit I have been a little blue, so come and visit anytime!