Volcano Cake!

So this year I asked Patrick what kind of cake would he like for his birthday?

He excitedly said: "A VOLCANO CAKE!!!" 

I was thinking of doing one for him before he even said it. He has this fascination with Volcanoes. Whenever we go to Barnes & Noble or any store that has books we head to the book section (cheaper and education that getting toys for the kids). He loves the easy reader National Geographic books. 

I do not know how many times I've read The Volcano book but Patrick can tell you all about magma, lava, magma chambers and vents. I love it because he is learning science at such a young age.

So I started planning his Volcano cake. I bought rice crispies to make a base and then had the thought I wouldn't be able to store it in my refrigerator. So I didn't use them as a base.

I went with a chocolate (his pick) box cake. Used our bunt pan. And made up a couple batches of frosting from the Wilton Cake decorating class I took back in May.

Cake out of the pan.

I wasn't worried about it being pretty. I was going to be covering with frosting.

First batch of frosting. 

I used black and brown gel dye to get the right color for the lava rock.

The rock.

I wasn't sure how much darker I want so I stopped here. It turned out really well.

Rock portion down.

I had got this far before Swim aerobics. Have I told you I work better under pressure? 

The finish product. 

I didn't get pictures of just the lava before the candles. I used orange and red gel to get the lava color I liked. I decided to make it look like the lava flowed down to spell out happy birthday Patrick. 

Lava Flows and the Vent

The back side of the cake.

The lava!

Happy Birthday Patrick!

One happy boy with his Volcano Cake. 

Slacking

I have definitely been slacking on here. I could blame it on the fact that since Memorial day we have moved in with friends, went of vacation, were in a wedding, moved out of friends home and into our own home, unpacking, and then had a 3 year old computer mishap (resulting in computer in the shop), school started and sickness. I do not know if that covers everything but I am not lost.

We are in year 2 in El Paso, TX. I love this place. I know love is a strong word but I do. In one month we had gone to the Zoo at least once if not twice a week. Found out some interesting information. They got a male tiger so they could breed the two female tigers. They open a giraffe encounter, you can pay $2 to feed the giraffes. They have such interesting tongues and actually wrap them around the lettuce. The female orangutang Ibu turned 19 and the male Butch were out in their exhibit together. Under close monitor.

Abs started school in a new school district and I have to say so far it seems so much better than El Paso Independent School District. She has two teacher Ms. Rico and Mrs. Hernandez.  She also is doing the Breakfast Club, so she has to be at school at 7:00 am, which is kind of nice.

We bought a house. I know I haven't updated the weekly photos, but we love it. Bought a hanging pot rack. We also after 10 years have a bedroom set. Love it!!!

On to Patrick, we had a rough couple weeks with him. He took detangling hair spray and sprayed it all over my keyboard on the laptop. Took 3 weeks to get that fix, luckily they could just replace the keyboard on my MacBook Pro. Now, he is recovering from croup/laryngitis. He was admitted for an over night stay at William Beaumont. Patrick pick my hubby as the one to stay with him overnight and he didn't get any rest. Lets just say, he's recovering nicely and back to his mischievous self.

I should be updating more often now... Upcoming a 4th birthday party, grandparents visit, and life.

Easter

So this year I thought I'd make the kids baskets. Well, they ended up looking more like eggs. I wished I hadn't gotten a 48 hour GI bug because I need to paper mache Patrick's egg in white paper before adding the tissue paper. 

The Beginning

 I grade school I remember doing paper mache. Well its just as messy then as it is now. Found a recipe for the goop (my term), bought some balloons and a newspaper. I think the next time I'm going to skip the newspaper and go straight to the white paper.

Middle

 Before the end. Here I painted modge podge on the out side of the paper mached balloons. Wrapped them in tissue paper. 

End

 I liked how Abbie's pink popped better with the white background than Patrick's. If I  hadn't gotten the bug and didn't go anywhere except the bed to the bathroom, I would have gotten white paper on Patrick's. 

Filled

The loot!! 

Patrick trying it on as a hat.

I wondered how long it would take to get to be worn as a hat. I think this is mid-day Sunday. I love my little guy.

Projects

So I've set aside Patrick's stocking and decided to start up a blanket for him.

Where I stopped. Have the heal, backstitching and his name to complete.

I found Pintrest, not sure that is the best thing for me but so far I haven't gone over board. Yet anyways. When I was looking through site I found a site online online called Crochet school. Here is the link to the sight http://www.craftyminx.com/2011/11/crochet-school-.html/#

So I decided to watch her videos and in one was a granny square. So I decided to try it out. I want to try a hexagon blanket but I think that will be for another time. So I raided my stash of yarn. I had Red Heart Super Saver in Bright Yellow, White, Delft Blue and Patrick pick out the Green (his favorite color).

So I gathered my supplies, scissors, my purple crochet hook, yarn needle, and a recycled tomato can for my scraps of hard. I decided to take Dana from Craftyminx suggestion and weave in my ends as I go. That way I won't be spending days weaving in ends.

Here is just a sample of squares. I've decide to make each color in the center, middle and outside and just rotate. I've also decided to solid squares so I'll sew them together to make bigger squares. So I will have a row of Green, blue, white with the different solids across. So it will end up 4 by 4 once I'm all done. 

I decide to finish up all the solid squares first that way. I only need 12 of those and 20 of the mixed squares. I will post more pictures as I go. The nice thing about the squares is they hardly take any time. So this project shouldn't take much time. Well, we will see.

Time

I've posted earlier that I would like a date but now I wish I had a little more time. I think we all get to that point. I have a list of things to do before my hubby comes home. You know that list you let slack because its just you and the kids and he isn't here to really care. Or he may not care even if he was here list. Well, we are traveling this coming week and he is suppose to return some time between the day we leave and the day we get back.

I have done some of my things on my list, but it seems to grow longer this is what my list looks like.

1. Laundry -wash and put away (never ending)
2. Get boxes our of living room (done)
3. Mop kitchen & living room (found out my Shark mop is clogged)
4. Clean bathrooms
5. Finish pulling weeds (still hasn't been done)
6. Clean up bed room
7. Get something together for a welcome home present.
1. Set up on the table (day we leave)
8. Clean upstairs (kids rooms and toy room)
9. Put Holiday cards in the mail (address, stamped and waiting to be put in the mail)

I've added somethings.

1. Make a poster
2. Drop keys of with a friend
3. Drop the cat off at the boarding 
4. Print off
1. itineraries
2. directions to the boarding place
3. Verizon wireless
5. Clean Bag Balm off the floor in Patrick's room.

I tell you this list is getting longer not shorter. I know you are looking at that last one going Bag Balm really? Yes my 3 year old decided that the whole container of bag balm would serve better purpose on his carpet than in the container. There is more to that story but will elaborate on another day. So happy my hubby is coming home soon and can enjoy these little moments. 

Kids say the Darndest Things

As we were leaving to go grocery shopping and grab some lunch Patrick (my youngest) said "I want my Daddy." Abbie (my oldest) said, "Sorry he is in Iraq." Patrick replied with "Why?" Abbie answered with, "To kill the bad guys."

I am not sure if I should be worried with this statement or not. When my husband was deployed the first time, she was three like our son is now. I think back to that time when we discussed him leaving and having to go over seas and how it was to be a long time before she could see him again. We told her it was for his work and that is what his boss said he had to do. We never said anything about bad guys or killing for that matter. What gets me the most is she said it so nonchalantly that it was an everyday thing.

A memorial stand my husband and his Chaplain made before his 2nd deployment.

Her dad is a Chaplain Assistant. In war that pretty much comes down to being the Chaplain's body guard. He also sets up services and arranges one on one time with the Chaplain and a soldier if need be and heaven forbid if they lose a soldier he would put together a memorial service. In peace or non-deployment, he does most of the same things in combat but the body guard. Mainly because there shouldn't be a threat here in the states.

If my husband were killing the bad guys, it means the FOB (forward operating base) is having a bad day and the Chaplain is in danger. I'm not saying he isn't qualified to go out on patrols (because I know he has) and take fire and return it,  its just not suppose to be in his day to day operation.

My question is do I correct her and saying no he isn't actually there to kill bad guys but it could be a by product of a situation? Or just let her go one thinking its that simple. It maybe easier for her to cope with him being gone.

Finding the Rio Grande River.

So my mom and dad came to visit. It was lovely, got a lot of things done around the house. 

 One of the things my mom wanted to do was find the Rio Grande River. So we did a google search found out that if we took one exit we could go a few miles into New Mexico and see it. We were successful, we had to stop at a Dollar General. Which told us to go back to the liquor store and take a right. 

This is what we found:

The bridge

It's a little low, but then again we haven't had our 'monsoon' season yet. It's still pretty. Of course I had to get the construction equipment.

My little engineer, was super stoked when a train came through.

A view of the Franklin Mountains from the west side.

My little man with his Grandpa. 

Celebrating Patrick!!!

The Zoo for the birthday boy!!!

The Train we had to ride first.

The birthday boy!!! He's turning 3. Can't believe how fast its gone.

My mere cats. Abbie, Aurora, and Patrick.

They also got to ride the carousel. Talk about spoiled. 

Abbie, Aurora, Amelia, and Patrick

We found out that you could go see the sea loins from underneath. Pretty cool. One of the sea lions was trying to eat the kids hand through the glass. 

Patrick found the water park. Played for a good long time. Ended up dry by the time we got finish going through the rest of the zoo.

One of my favorite birds. I think its the bill. When the kids and I went through they decided to serenade us. Pretty interesting.

Of course we had to have a Thomas cake!!!

Can't believe its been 3 years. He is getting so big. Tried to blow out his candles before we were done singing Happy Birthday. Right before that he was singing it to  himself. Love him. 

This birthday will always be remembered because he slammed his thumb in the car door. Poor boy. Getting so big. Just loves everything specially his Grandma & Grandpa

Ancitipation

Anticipation: that is the word for the day. Abbie was so excited to hear that her Grandparents are only 4 1/2 hours away. They will most likely be here before school gets out. I can't wait. Patrick is so in love with his Grandparents I know he is looking forward to this visit.

I'm not ready yet, I never am. The floors in the kitchen need to be mopped. I need to finish my grocery shopping. Clean the bathrooms. You would think I haven't be preparing but that's all I seem to be doing. That and keeping up on the house work: dishes, laundry, pretty much everything thing else that falls into my category. Oh that is everything.

Missing my hubby, which has become a full time job. I'm hoping this deployment isn't actually going to be a whole year. I would take any smaller amount of time. Like say homecoming in February. We hit 10 years of marriage and I'd really like to spend it with the one I love and married. (Highly doubt that is going to happen).

I started my new project. It's a shall for my sister-in-law. Pink, she is going to love it. I also got yarn for Kimberly's shawl. Can't wait to start that. I need to get crack-en.

I find it interesting that I found an old college spanish book. Picked up and opened it and was reading the spanish. Was totally comprehending what was on the page. I wonder why I can't understand it while its spoken. I catch phrases I know and what not but not whole conversations. I'm going to keep the book and see if I can't brush up on my spanish. Maybe even get J.B.'s log on for the Rosetta stone.

I also have to thing of what I'm going to do for Patrick's birthday. I'm not really into it this year. Which is very sad to know. I don't know what to get him. If I should order him a cake or make one. He wants a Thomas the train cake. Abbie wants to do his birthday at the zoo. I'm just not sure how long my parents are going to be here. I'm think Sunday, but even then it I don't want to do it. UGH!!!!  Wish I had my battle buddy here to bounce ideas. The things we take for granted.

Pulling My Hair Out by the End of the Day!!

The day started out great. Patrick actually came down and snuggled with me for half hour before the alarm went off. Once we got Abbie off to school, I dove right into laundry. Folded the load Jb left of his clothes and misc stuff. Did 3 loads after that. Most of its put away except the kids stuff. Haven't finished folding that stuff.

Patrick played outside for most of the morning. I fixed our Logitech all in one remote. I about flipped my shit over that. It said low battery needs to charge, so I stuck it on the charger and came back a few hours later. It read failure to charge, I was like I so do not need this right now. I figured maybe it was the surge protector.  I unplugged it and plugged it back into a wall outlet. Nope read failure to charge. So I synced it up with the computer. It needed an update. I was like why can't you just program it to say that? Charged fine after that.

Our bed time routine is a little different now. Instead of me laying down with Patrick until he goes to sleep. Abbie reads him a story and then I go in and tuck him and his daddy doll. Give him kisses and tell him to go to sleep. I usually only have to go in there once. Well, tonight he was quiet for a long time so I thought he was out. So I went into the kitchen to finish up the dishes. After I was done I went to check on Patrick and tuck him back in and what not. He wasn't even in his room. He wasn't in Abbie's either. He was in the office (where he shouldn't have been) playing with my reader and to make it even worse he broke my stylus. I swear he doesn't want to survive to his 3rd birthday. I swatted his butt and sent him back to bed. Seriously thought about pulling my hair out. Instead I took a shower and I am in a much more relax state right now.

First Day of School

Was a success. She loved it. Likes her teacher and made a new friend. Came home excited that she started learning cursive letters. I think we will have to get a book so she can practice and get her penmanship better. Should be interesting.

She was so excited to go to school today she was up at 6:15 am to get dressed and go. I told my alarm doesn't go off until 6:45 I'll see you in 30 minutes. Crazy kid, I know I was excited for her to go to school but not that early.

We even switched up the cookies on the first day. Instead of having them made. I started the cookies and we finished them when she got home. She loves cracking eggs. Which is great for me, I hate it. I usually get all slimy and gross. Plus, she had to have ice cream right after school and since it was so hot I couldn't blame her.

Jb called right before I went to get her and left a message for her. She is so cute, every night she blows a kiss to Jb and says good night daddy. It has me tear up a little every time.

I have started to put Patrick's clothes away in my room. I never get his clothes upstairs so I decided that I may as well just stick them in my room so then they wouldn't be stuck in a basket all the time and the laundry would actually be all put away. (wishful thinking I know) I've also started putting stuff aside for Connor (Kristina and Dan's son). I can't wait to take it to him in 2 weeks. I am so counting down the days. I'm gonna have me some quality baby time. Even though he will be 6 weeks old, I can't wait to snuggle the little guy. Which reminds me I will have to call Kristina to see how he did sleeping in his bed went tonight.

Well this lady is going to clean off the bed and hit the hay. I picked up two new books that I want to read.

Hasta luego!!