Cake Decorating is not like Riding a Bike

I cannot believe that Abigain is ONE!! I remember how tiny she was the day she was born and now she just walks around my house like she owns it! She is so super cute and she loves her Grandma and Grandpa and we really do love it! She gives Jimmy and I so many kisses (sometimes it's a bit gross with all the slober...but I don't care) we LOVE her!

I decided to take on the task of making her 1st birthday cake...what was I thinking!!!???? More importantly why to I take on such big projects ONE day before I leave for education week? AND why did I want to make it such a big cake...well basically because that is me :)

It's not that easy to pick up where I left off though. I got all my cake decorating stuff out and realized it has been atleast 5 years since I decorated a cake...you just can't beat the Costco cakes. They aren't pretty but they get the job done. Anyway I did the very best I could but cake decorating isn't like riding a bike it's more like running. I used to run 3 miles everyday...now I can't even make it to the corner...it's like it never happened! So the cake is a little crocked and I can find about a million faults with it BUT I like it! Amber, Derek & especially Abigail liked it and so I am happy!!!

My Special Birthday

I waited until today to show off my special birthday presents...it's exactly one month after my birthday. About 2 weeks ago I realized I never blogged about the amazing presents I got from Brittany and Ashlie. Below is a scrapbook Brittany made for me, it is probably the most special gift I have been given in my life. The time and thought and love it took is truly one of those blessings you hope to receive as a parent. Sometimes when children are small, it's hard to imagine them being as kind and loving as this...maybe it's not when they are small, maybe it's when they are teenagers...or maybe pre-teen...but you get what I am sayingNot only is it 40 things she loves about me (some of them she really doesn't love though) but each page is so stinkin cute I can hardly believe it. As a scrapbooker...it really makes me proud.
Look how thick it is :) I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it~~ it is a most precious gift given to me by one of my sweet sweet babies.
She did such a great job. I cried and cried through the whole thing. What a total surprise it was and it is something I treasure so very very much
BUT do not let that over shadow the equally sweet gift Ashlie made for me. How cute is it?? It's a coupon book from her to me :) Every page is so cute as well...I LOVE IT.
The coupons are very useful too!! Living with a graphic designer can sometimes be a problem (for her not me) I always think up crazy things she should design for me. I will show her something on-line or in a store and beg her to design it for me...she really is amazing so included in my coupon book are GUILT FREE design coupons. Will I really feel guilt free??? Anyone who knows me is saying "NO" right now...but I am going to try.
I have really great children. They love me, but most importantly they love the Lord. I am so very proud of them and the choices they make each day and I a grateful to be lucky enough to be their mom! My 4oth birthday was pretty special, thanks to a family who loves me!

p.s. Jimmy bought me a piano for my birthday so I have been taking lessons from Kristy Smith...she is so kind to me. I am going to prove the old saying You can't teach an old dog new tricks wrong!!!

Six Flags is no Disneyland

We were supposed to be at Disneyland all week...but instead we were home. We thought Aaron was going to have a tournament next week and so we cancelled our family vacation....believe me I know what you are thinking, my girls all told me. Anyway we are going to go in November instead and I am really really excited about that. I have never been to Disneyland anytime but July...hot, hot, July, so this is an exciting twist for me! Jimmy and I took the boys to Six Flags on Thursday I bought season passes and was DETERMINED to use them twice...now I feel like I got my money's worth. Jason is such a sweet boy, he will take pictures with me - he will do just about anything with me his is such a good boy.

Jason and I waiting in line for his favorite ride...Tony Hawk (it makes me motion sick)

The picture below is the dead fish the boys got to feed the sea lions.

The sea lion who enjoyed the treat we bought!

My attempt at taking a picture with Aaron. He's not as sweet as Jason :) Brittany would have been so proud of this picture...I am smiling right, looking at the camera...and then notice Aaron's hand shoving my face out of where his is! Brat :)

So I begged for a photo and this is what I got. Jimmy and Jason great...and the 12 year old...way to cool for school. Ha! He's a good boy so whatever, I guess 12 years of ME taking photos of him could have lead to this...but whatever!!!

We had a great day, shows, rides and food, but it was no Disneyland I can't wait for November!

When Did This Happen??

I remember when Aaron used to try so hard to be taller than us...now he just is taller. Isn't this picture so cute, before church yesterday when Aaron came out of his room Ashlie noticed they matched!! Funny huh? He is so big now...it makes me sad. He is such a good boy though...anyway don't want to start crying about my baby growing up! I wanted to share this picture though....because I think it's really cute!
By the way...Aaron is on the slanted drive way and Ashlie is on the higher part. He is so tall now!

Home from Bakersfield

I am home from Bakersfield. I can't say I will ever miss that place...it was so stinking hot there! I really enjoyed myself this week though. Brittany came with us, which was nice...even though she would have rather been at Disneyland (where we were supposed to be) but she was a trooper anyway. I love that girl. Ashlie said to me when I got home...you didn't ask me to go and I didn't I just thought she wouldn't have wanted to go...next time I'm going to make her come!! Aaron's team came in 4th place...not great but not to bad. The two teams that beat us were actually the two in the championship game, the boys did great I am very proud of them. If they would have won the world series would have been the week of the 18th of August (the first week of school) and I would have had to miss education week. I am so exicted to be going to education week, it's going to be amazing! I am really glad I don't have to miss this exciting opportunity, and I am glad to have a small break from baseball. It's never far, but a small break is great. I feel like crying though because soccer starts next week!!!!! AHHHHH! Anyway life is busy, life is good, I couldn't ask for more.