Reptile Birthday Party Invites

It has been killing me that I haven't had the time to blog/scrapbook the birthday party we had for Matthew & Gavin 2 weeks ago (but sick kiddos and sick mommy make getting much done hard). So, once again, their invitations will have to do until I can find some time to scrapbook the party - and it was a really fun party (if I do say so myself)! Anyway, this was a bigger party than we normally do but we didn't do parties last year (with the twins being born) and I decided to combine the two parties so it could be bigger. I made two different invitations - one for Matthew and one for Gavin. That way the kids that were invited didn't feel like they had to bring a present for the sibling they didn't know - I know that would have bugged me. Hopefully once I do Dallin's party this Wednesday (the last for this birthday season - yeah) I will have a little time to scrapbook (who am I kidding).

A Must Have

I have had my eye on this pan FOREVER but just never got around to buying it. But for my birthday this year, a couple of my friends got it for me (along with a way cute shirt and necklace and lunch at Pizza Factory and chocolate cake - not to mention the cute cards with my name and Hershey's and Reese's pans from some of my other sweet friends). And how sweet was Michelle T. when she brought the pan to me (it had to be ordered online), she had brownies already baked in it (it was full when she brought it to me). They seriously were the BEST brownies I have ever had (and I have had a LOT of brownies). Thanks to all my friends for making my birthday GREAT!

Oh, and I even made lasagna in this pan (thanks again to Michelle T's suggestion). The noodles fit perfectly (just had to be shortened a little) and it cut up so nicely. Yet another reason to get this pan.

Croup - in June - times THREE!!!!

Brecken is the latest victim. Kesley had to get a steroid shot on Saturday (she doesn't look too bad in her picture but trust me, she was not pleasant and still isn't very pleasant - but who can blame all of them), Cameron on Tuesday, and Brecken today. Croup is such a yucky little beast because there is nothing they can give kids for it (and as you can see if very contagious) except give them a steroid to reduce the swelling in their throat. It is worse at night but all 3 had trouble in the day so I didn't wait until night (which could have resulted in trips to the ER) for it to get really really bad. What a fun week it has been. Now if my allergies would go away I would be much better off.

Happy Birthday Cameron & Kesley!

Yeah! The twins are ONE and I finally scrapbooked their birthday party (the pages look a little funny on one side because they will be side-by-side and when I print them in albums, the edges get cut off - not that you care but I had to explain why they look a little off). I had envisioned these two amazing cakes for them but that didn't quite happen. I like the cakes I made but they were much better in my head (I really need to try fondant - I just have not had the time to play with it - maybe next year).

The twins had really cute birthday shirts to wear (thanks Papa & Mama Price) - they both matched their cakes, especially Cameron's! I had little birthday hats (okay, a tiara for Kesley and a crown for Cameron) but every time we put Cameron's on, he CRIED!

I was so surprised at their reactions to their cakes. I thought that Kesley would DESTROY hers and that Cameron wouldn't do much. I was totally wrong! Cameron did a pretty good job destroying his cake (once he got started) but Kesley just poked at her cake. There is a chunk taken out of her cake but that is because I made her do that.

All in all, it was a fun day! Ed's parents and the Taylor's came over for dinner and then a bunch of our friends came over for cake and ice cream. I just wish I had better pictures of them with their cakes before they "destroyed" them and while they were "destroying" them - but good pictures are really hard to get when there are two of them. And to top it all off, I totally forgot to give them their presents before they went to bed. They were just so tired by the time we finished with their cakes, that it didn't even cross my mind that they each had a present to open. So, they opened them the next day - maybe one of these days I will scrapbook/blog about that.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the Father's out there! Ed is such a wonderful dad! I am constantly impressed with all he does with and for our kids. I could NOT have asked for a better father for our children!

Ed got to sleep in and then got breakfast in bed - I even attempted an omelette filled with veggies for him. Kesley has croup (and Cameron has a fever) so he stayed home from Church with the twins and then got a dinner filled with some of his favorites - grilled salmon, grilled asparagus, and couscous. I don't like any of those foods so I must love him! Happy Father's Day Ed!

Twin's First Birthday Invite

Okay, I have not had a second to scrapbook about the twins FIRST birthday so the invitation to their first birthday party will have to do for now. My adorable cousin Amanda (actually married to my cousin) took the twins' pictures a few weeks ago - aren't they so cute! She always does such a GREAT job! And the font I used was LDJ Noodge (my friend Dani had asked me and I never got around to answering her).

Hopefully I will get to scrapbooking/blogging about their little party soon but I have one last birthday party to work on (we had a big one on Thursday that someday I hope to scrapbook because it was so much fun!) - not to mention all the laundry that has been piling up and Kesley is sick (fever and croup - fun stuff).

More of Matthew's 7th Birthday

Matthew's birthday was a week ago but we celebrated it a week and 2 days ago - so I am FINALLY getting the rest of his birthday pages done and posted. I posted the first page a few days ago. The top 2 pages here might seem off a little but they are for a 2 page layout and will be side-by-side.

Matthew was totally fine celebrating his birthday 2 days early since that meant he got his presents 2 days early - and his cake! He got a rip stick for his birthday (which is a funky skateboard type thingy). He is really into Mario right now (just like Gavin - or should I say Gavin is into Mario just like Matthew) - so he asked for a Yoshi cake, with Yoshi sitting on and playing a wii. I did it the same way I did the Mario cake. I would tell you how right now but I have two babies screaming at me wanting attention and food - so I will have to post about it later (that is, if anyone cares).

Sign of Summer

Buzzed Heads! How cute are 4 of my little ones with basically NO hair! At first, Matthew didn't want his cut but after the other 3 got their heads buzzed, I guess he couldn't resist! I told Ed that if he was going to be in the picture that I needed to buzz his head as well - he didn't like that idea (I'm glad). Brecken walks around feeling his head - he isn't too sure what happened.

So, even though I turned my heater on on Sunday (yes, on June 13), it is summer and the hair is gone! FYI - it is hotter today - my AC is on as I type.

What a Difference a Year Makes!

It is killing me that I haven't had the time to scrapbook but I have been crazy busy. So these pictures will have to do. It was the twins birthday yesterday but we celebrated today. Here are pictures of me and the twins from today and they day they were born. What a difference!

I just love these sweeties! I can't believe they are a year old already! I just can't get enough of them. Hopefully, I will post fun pictures of them from their birthday (and Lake Powell, and Boston, and more of Matthew's birthday) soon!

Happy 7th Birthday Matthew!

Did I mention it is birthday season around here? Let me just say that in a 5 week period, we have SIX birthdays (and during that time, in a three day period we have FOUR birthdays). We just had Gavin's birthday and today is my sweet MATTHEW's birthday (and mine if you are keeping track - yes I had him on my birthday, my 30th to be exact). Ed had to be out of town this week and since it was my birthday he took me with him - so Ed and I are in Boston right now (I will scrapbook/blog that later, hopefully) - what a fun way to spend my birthday (thanks for watching our kids Cortney). But before I would tell Ed I would go, I checked with Matthew (since we would be gone on HIS birthday - that comes first to me). He didn't mind because that meant he got his presents 2 days early. So, at our house, June 9 was two days early (our calendar is all messed up this summer). He wanted a Yoshi cake (for those who don't know who Yoshi is, he is in the Super Mario games) - so that is what he got. I don't like the writing I did on the cake but I was happy with how Yoshi, sitting on a wii, turned out. I did it the same way I did Gavin's Mario cake - frozen buttercream transfer (but I used homemade cream cheese frosting). Next week when I am home, I will try to blog about how to do it because it is FABULOUS! I will do more on Matthew's birthday later but I wanted to get something up about my cute little guy.

Fun at the Zoo!

When I was leaving Lake Powell early (one of these days I will get to scrapbooking/blogging that fun trip), Gavin said he wanted to come home with me. Halfway across the lake, on the way to my car, he said maybe he didn't want to come home yet. I knew it would be easier for Ed (and everyone else on our houseboat) if Gavin came home with me so I bribed him with a trip to Hogle Zoo. So we went to the zoo last Friday. We lucked out and it was a BEAUTIFUL afternoon! Gavin loved getting to look at the map and decide where to go (Dallin usually decides he is in charge of things like that). He really wanted to see the SNAKES and RHINOS- silly boy! My favorite part of the little adventure was watching Brecken. He loved looking at the animals and actually seemed really interested in them. He would even crouch down to see the animals better. His favorite animals were the GIRAFFES - he got extra excited when we saw them. I love the Hogle Zoo. The animals are so close that even little guys like Brecken can see them, there is lots of shade, and you don't have to walk miles and miles to see animals. And the twins were GREAT! They just sat in their stroller and drank/gnawed on their sippy cups.

For a little afternoon trip, it turned out to be a lot of fun!

More of Gavin's 5th Birthday

I finally finished Gavin's birthday pages. I think he had a really fun day filled with his favorite foods (for all 3 meals), eating his favorite cake ("anilla"), and opening his presents. I just can't believe my little guy is 5! He is such a fun little boy - so full of energy, so sweet, and so silly!

Happy 5th Birthday Gavin!

So Gavin's birthday was last Monday but we celebrated it last Tuesday (but he didn't know we celebrated a day late - May 24 was on Tuesday at our house) and then we went to Lake Powell (tons more on that later). I had hoped to get at least a picture of him up before we went but I didn't get that done. And I am still not done with his birthday pages (I got home late last night) but thought I would put up the first page. I was so proud of the cake I made for him. He really wanted a Mario cake so I tried a new method (frozen buttercream transfer method - but I used homemade cream cheese frosting). I think it turned out really well - and most importantly, Gavin LOVED it!