Too long since my last post!

We went to the mountains for a nice relaxing weekend.

We threw big rocks in the lake and skipped lots of little rocks.

Played with cousins.

Jack graduated from Police Academy!!

Jack turned 35!!

Lots of family had birthday's in March too!  Another excuse to make a sheet cake.

This little guy turned 1!!

Cool birthday cake for a cool nephew.

I made homemade bisquick and made some muffins!

Avah is on the hunt for some Easter eggs!

Duke found his Easter loot.

Visited with the Easter Bunny.

Had another Easter egg hunt.

So that about took us through March to the present!  It was a crazy month but we had fun.  It looks like all the month into June are going to be just as busy and just as fun. 

I missed February!

I totally missed February on the blog!  So much went on and we were so busy that it slipped by.  The weather has been really strange for winter but the warmer weather is just fine with me. 

Warmer weather means more time outside to play and Duke LOVES it.  Time to do some poop scooping in the yard!

Trying on his Daddy's hat and going through his lunch box!

Nerding it up with his cousin Avah.  He loves his cousins.

Cousin Matt turned 7!  His mom made him a cool snowboarding cake.

This was at Matt's birthday party.  The kids were having a dance party and my son must have thought it was his birthday because he is donning his birthday suit.  His new favorite thing to do is go nudey.

His sweet smile.

Happy Birthday to my oldest sister, Annie!  We made her a cake.

I am trying out some new baking recipes from some of my gazillion cookbooks.  These were oatmeal, chocolate chip and craisin.  They were pretty good.

My taste tester.

Jack has one more week of the Police Academy left.  6 months went by very quickly and now it's time to find a job.  Keep your fingers crossed for us!!  Then keep us in your prayers that he stays safe and I stay sane (ok, less crazy).

Duke's 2nd Birthday Party

This is Duke sticking his finger into the flame of the candle.  I am sure you are thinking "how can you let him do that"?  Well, I just happened to capture it on camera but it was much faster in person.  He did stick his finger fully in the flame and didn't even think twice about it.  Just made a face and that was that.  I don't know what he is thinking . . . ever.

Ripping through all the great gifts he got!  He loves presents.  I am impressed that he waited as long as he did before opening them. 

I made Gram's famous Texas Sheet Cake for his party for the first time.  I only had to call her once while making it and it turned out delicious.  I have been eating the leftovers all day.  The cake is so moist and the icing is like fudge - YUM!

Aves spent the night with us and we were all pretty tired after the party!  There were 23 kids and 18 adults!!  That was a lot of people and a lot of fun!!! 

Duke's second birthday was a success.  Even with all the snow and cruddy weather we had, we still had a great party for Duke's 2nd birthday.  We had lots of yummy food from The Pourhouse in Pottstown (Rock's place).  Lots of friends and family came to help celebrate and braved the yucky weather to get here.

Thanks to everyone who came!  I love getting to visit and eat good food!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Happy 2012!  I CAN'T believe it is 12 years past the millenium!  I am looking forward to a new year and all that it will bring.  I am hoping it's a good year but as long as we all remain healthy, I will be happy.  Anymore, that's all I can say is important.

The last few weeks were a little tough with our little guy.  He turned two and all of the sudden, he's is not going to bed for us, he started biting, hitting and just being very destructive and difficult to say the least.  He's all boy but that's not going to fly where manners are concerned and with him being physical with other people.  I have an arsenal of books to read and reread so hopefully we'll figure it out and find a way to communicate with him better.  He's back to school and on a schedule again so I think that the excitement of his birthday and Christmas knocked him off the wagon a bit.  He's been better the last few days and I am glad.  It is stinking hard being a parent of a toddler.  

Our first meal of he new year!  Sauerkraut, sausage, pork and apples - YUM!!

Duke eating lunch at his new table!

Trying to make a statement?  It does get cold in his room so I am fine with him sleeping in layers :-)

My first attempt at bokeh photography (the blurry lights in the background).  Lots of fun and cool pictures you can take with Christmas tree lights.  The drum was already laying on the floor and the animals or my son would not stay still long enought for me to take the picture so the drum it was.  You'll probably see more of this throughout the year but not uless I figure out how to do it without the big Christmas tree up.

Duke is lapping up any extra ice cream he could get.

Loving him some ice cream.

I haven't taken many pictures of my other kids lately so I thought she looked cute laying on Duke's vest.  She is still my little crazy sweetheart.  She is my snuggler and my bed heater.

My sister, Megan, got me a whoopie pie cookbook and two WP baking sheets.  I love to bake treats so I was excited to try these out!  We have our cousin party this week so I thought I would try out a few of the recipes.  They turned out pretty darn good and I have to say that the pumpkin with cream cheese filling and the chocolate with peanut butter filling are SO GOOD!  The classic chocolate with marshmallow is good but the other two were SO GOOD.

The first week of 2012 is not so bad so far.  I am back to work next week and Jack only has 10 weeks of the Police Academy left.  It looks as though 2012 is going to be one busy year for us.  I am hoping to get in some resolutions but I think I will do it differently this year.  I am going to set mini goals for myself throughout the year.  Maybe one a month to break it up.  Last year, I did get some needed organizing done.  I didn't learn to crochet, which is still on my list.  I just need the time.  Still lots to organize too but I was happy with what I got done last year with all the bumps in the road here and there and with our crazy busy schedules. 

Looking forward to a great year!!