Hyrum is 4

It seems I can't keep the clock from ticking.  Hyrum turned a big four years old today.  He got his wish come true--a CARS birthday!  To sum up his first years here on earth?  Professional Explorer.  Like his daddy, there are always the questions--how does it work?  what does it do?  He can still be relied on for a warm hug daily, now known as monkey hugs (all four limbs around you at once).  Happy Birthday, Hyrum!

Even on the go, we came up with some gifts that he loved (with the help of Aunt Nik--thanks).

To end the day we went on an excursion to the Cox Arboretum Metropark to take in God's perfect creations!

One month late, but Kayla, You're Great!

It's been over a month since Kayla's birthday.  (I'm in blog-backlog mode.)  She turned NINE back in September.  And well, never fear, Kayla is here!  

Kayla is very photogenic--her smile captivates.  She is enjoying her 3rd grade year and especially likes to help her class reach their goals, like good behavior for a movie party and doing her best on her writing to earn the "Chefs of Good Writing" activity.  Kayla and I enjoy reading books out loud to one another.  We just finished Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh.  She likes to play tennis, tumble, and play with her friends.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KAYLA!

Kayla wanted a Rainbow cake--lemon drops for the gold, Laffy Taffy® strands for the rainbow and white yogurt-covered pretzels for the clouds.

Kayla invited the Linford family over for the festivities.

Becca her friend made her this cute package.  So fun when friends make things with love!

Ally's One Year Older

[It's been a while since her birthday, but due to an "after-school-starts-party" wish, I'm just getting to it.]

Ally is growing into a beautiful young woman.  (I think I'm getting to the point in life where the ages of my kids are starting to effect me.) Ally has been blessed with many talents, like her giving nature and ability to make others feel loved.  She enjoys her accelerated learning class in school, because it challenges her just enough.  She doesn't consider herself smart, but a veracious reader/learner.    She tackles every project with determination to do her very best and loves to add a twist of creativity.  We are lucky to have her around.  

Happy Birthday, Ally!  

We celebrated her real birthday at a community water party.  But, we couldn't forgo the treat, so we cut her birthday pie at 10:30 p.m.  Her eyes were barely open.  ;)

Here's her wish come true (to have a party after school had started)!
All of her classmate friends came for the grand affair.

I'm a lucky mom in that my kids put up with whatever creative juices hit me at the moment, 

like this fruit leather creation.

A is for adorable,

L is for lovely

and (L) likable,

Y is for alwaYs true!

He's not little anymore

Hyrum turns three today!

He made one of his first attempts at holding up three fingers . (We celebrated earlier this week with Grandparents Moss and Pack, and our good friends the Johnsons.)

He even got breakfast in bed. It was a little nerve racking for the mother, but Hyrum thought he'd died and gone to heaven!

As you can see he was the life of the party and was so excited about all the thoughtful gifts he received.

Thanks to the kids, especially Ally, we also had a first-class fishing pond.

His fish cake was a hit too. (Apricot Cake with Lemon Frosting...have I told you lately how much a LOVE being able to find amazing recipes on the internet?)

Although it is a bittersweet moment to watch your youngest getting so big, it has been a blast to watch him grow. When you need your heart to smile just ask Hyrum for a hug.

Pumpkin Cookies courtesy of George Duran (Food Network)

My latest decision has been to post recipes that I fall in love with. My paper recipe book, where I'm supposed to organize new recipes, has been failing so I'm trying the technology way.

I've tried multiple pumpkin cookie recipes and finally found one that isn't too caky or bland. They were easy to make and when it came time to eat them, well, my family just couldn't keep their hands out of the bag. Hope you enjoy them too!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe courtesy: George Duran
Cook Time: 
15 min
Level
: Easy
Yield: 
60 cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree [I used cooked, drained, blended fresh pumpkin!]
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.
Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

The Pack Family, July 2009

(my attempt to fit every cookie eating family member into the picture)

Oh, and if you need a NEW idea for store-bought cakes, check out NothingBundtCakes.com.

It was good looking, very moist, and delicious!

Here is Neal with his Nothing Bundt Cake.

So you're turning ten?

Yep,

You don't believe me?

Ha, Ha!

It's really true!

Happy Birthday, ALLY!

Sammie turns the big 5

(The Party planners)

So before you know what became of Sammie's birthday party, I felt I had to quote her today saying, "Well, I didn't even get to plan my own birthday party. Everybody else did it for me." I'm not sure what compelled her to say that, but I must disclose that everything we planned (meaning the older kids and I) was agreed to wholeheartedly by yours truly.

Now that you've had the 411, just sit back relax and enjoy...drum roll please...SAMMIE IN WONDERLAND!

Hot teapot, Hot teapot, Who's got the teapot?

If you've got the Hot teapot, you are out!

Sammie and her cake before the tragic attempt

at lighting the candles in a windstorm.

I finally convinced everyone to move inside

where SHE was finally able to blow out her candles.

INCOMING!!!!

You're welcome, Sammie! Have a great year!

BENJI TURNS 11

Yep!  Benji turned 11 and got the friend party he has always wanted.  It wasn't easy in coming though.  

Background:  Since friend parties haven't necessarily been my cup of tea, I've told my kids that they can have a party if they plan and help carry-out the activities.  They can hire me as the chef, baker and main supporter.

Well, Benji made it through most of the planning stage, but forgot the most important part--inviting the guests.  Tuesday I asked if he had it all done and he said no.  "Well, if no one's been invited then I guess we won't be able to do it," I replied. He was crushed.  Darn those natural consequences! 

Natural or not, being the mom, I felt like maybe I'd been too hard on him and decided to make it up to him by throwing a surprise birthday party.  I set the date, called all the moms, and everyone came and helped make it a fun time.  I'm pretty sure Benji was surprised though his expression didn't reveal much.  

We also tried a new thing (did this for Ally's birthday last year too) for gift giving.  Instead of everyone bringing a gift for Benji, I asked everyone to bring a gift valued $5.00 or less.  It could be something gently used or new.  Then at the party each kid chooses a gift out of the middle, and everyone opens their gifts at the same time.  They are then given one chance to trade it for something else.  (I start the exchange with the person sitting next to the birthday person, so that the birthday person is the last one given the chance to trade.) It works great!  The birthday person doesn't end up with more stuff (he/she doesn't usually need) and everyone goes home with a "party favor".  At Benji's party someone liked what they brought the best so that's what they went home with.  (There are no rules about going home with your own gift.)  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BENJI!  

Chillin' Out

Kayla just celebrated her 7th birthday.

Her cake of choice was an ice cream cake shaped to look like a swimming pool (that broke a leak)...yummy, and very chilly! Hyrum liked it so much that he even tried to eat the plate.With cousins looking on, she got a fun book that will help

with practicing her newly acquired reading skills. LUCKY ME!!

Nine Years Going on 16

Ally had her 9th birthday this past week! She finally got the friend birthday she has been begging me for. Luckily she likes taking charge. She planned/carried out the whole party. She may as well be 16 with the way her mind works. (*Note...her "friend birthday cake" was SMORE cake...the real cake came later, see below):

On her real birthday we surprised her with breakfast in bed before school and a real birthday cake that night! We, Ally and I, put our creative juices together for the cake. I think it turned out pretty cute.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALLY!!!!