Smoke Showers

Last night, I found blackberries at the grocery store for an irresistible price. $.97 (usually $4). Knowing they'd bring a big smile to Jacob's face, I snatched some up. And made plans to made blackberry cobbler on Sunday night.

So while we were sitting at dinner, the cobbler was in the oven. And it started smoking... a lot. Jacob asked if I'd put a pan under the cobbler. Umm... no. Why would I?? I've made fresh apple or peach cobbler people with no spillover. And I've even done cherry cobbler, with no fear of it bubbling over, either. How was I to know fresh berries make a really really big mess. I mean... a really big mess. LOL

I opened the oven door and Nathan shouts across the room to Daddy, 

"too much smoke, I can't see Mommy!" ha ha ha

There was so much smoke, it filled our play room. And the ceiling fan had the smoke waterfalling down from the ceiling. It was actually pretty neat looking... I would have admired it more had I not been afraid the oven would catch on fire. LOL

Nathan, ever the supportive child, again unknowingly helps make fun of his Mommy. He shouts, with excitement, "Look, Daddy! I take smoke shower!" ha ha ha

(this is a video, if you get this in email, go here to see the video on the blog)

We opened all the windows and doors to get the smoke out.

I worried that the mosquitoes would get in.

Then I remembered the smoke... billowing out our open doors. 

No one, man or insect, would enter a place full of that much smoke. ha ha!

But here's proof. The cobbler did, eventually, turn out well.

The oven floor, on the other hand.... well... 

lets just say it's a really good thing that our new oven has hidden bake element.

And here's more proof that the cobbler was as much as hit as the smoking... I mean baking process.

Yes... the kids are eating in the living room. Maybe cause no one could breath in the kitchen or play room.... ha ha

I keep trying to convince Jacob that I need to be banned from the kitchen. But he keeps claiming I just need more practice. One day, maybe he'll learn that I don't learn. ha ha

iPied

The kids love Daddy's iPad.

ALL the kids love the iPad.

And, as Jacob says, none of them have any sense of personal space. They have no problem climbing over each other in order to get closer to the magical screen (Ruth is particularly good at this).

Apple really should change it's name to the iPied Piper.

From Aunt Mary

Auntie M sent Faith a birthday present that came in 2 shipment. She opened one at her party (a My Little Pony & a mirror/jewelry set). We "facetimed" with Aunt Mary today while Faith opened the 2nd part of her gift.

Pretty jewelry, featuring princess Rapunzel (from the movie, "Tangled").

Faith adores her new necklace, bracelet & hair accessories!

Oh, and yes. Faith dressed herself today.

I know. It's November. And we weren't going swimming.

But it just so happened to match her new yellow & purple jewelery perfectly. haha

And you know it's got you smiling, too.

Silly girl.

Spaghetti Face

Tonight, we ventured into new territory with Ruth.

Spaghetti.

At first, she just wanted to throw it.

Then Daddy gave her a taste.

And she was hooked!

I wonder if she could fit her whole fist in that mouth :)

I think Ruth has a new favorite food.

Now, on to the bath... :)

Teethers

Ruth got her first tooth when she was 8 months old. And the 2nd one followed soon after. She's had just those two bottom front teeth for some time now. Until this week.

Tuesday, her 3rd tooth appeared. It is the far left upper incisor. 

Then Thursday, the left front incisor came through. 

And, just under the surface, you can see both upper right incisors.

Four teeth in one week?!?! Our poor baby!

Have no fear, though. Our super happy baby girl is a trooper! She has wanted to be held more, and is taking shorter than normal naps. And her nose doesn't stop running. But otherwise, she's shown no signs of pain. 

Watch out, big sibs. Soon your baby sis is going not only going to try to steal (like she does already), but she'll actually be able to EAT your snacks now, too :)

Chocolate

I stepped out of the room for a moment, to answer the phone.

I came back to the living room to find this:

Ruth got into my purse and found a little stash of M&Ms.

And she was one VERY happy baby!! 

For some reason she turned down the pureed prunes I offered her for lunch an hour later... 

I can't really blame her. Who wants pureed prunes after tasting chocolate?!?

So much for that whole rule about babies not eating chocolate until they're at least one year old. I think she'll survive... and it's evident she's not allergic to it. Next time, I'll keep secret stashes of chocolate out of little kids' reach ;)

Faith's 3rd Birthday Party

We had Faith's birthday party last night. She's been looking forward to her party since Nathan's birthday party, three months ago. So I wanted to try to make her party as special as we could. I think she had a great time!

This was the front of her party invitation.

Obviously, she loves My Little Pony! 

Before nap time, yesterday, I let her take a sneak peak at her cake. 

I made a 6 layer rainbow cake, and a gum paste rainbow topper.

This was the first (and likely last) time I'd worked with gum paste. 

I didn't even attempt to make an edible pony topper, too - that's a (clean) toy ;)

After snapping a photo of Faith  with her cake, I realized what she was doing.... 

The little stinker was sneaking icing! Thankfully, it was fixable ;)

While kids napped, we finished decorating the house. 

(this was actually and after party pic... but I failed to take pics before hand)

 There was a "Pin the Tail on the Pony" game

And goodie bags for all Faith's friends 

On one side of the playroom, we set up a craft area. 

 Kids could make a rainbow necklace with fruit loops.

This was a big hit with some of the girls!

As guests came in, there was a rainbow fruit tray to snack on.

To save plates, we used skewers - kids could make their own rainbow fruit skewer. 

The fruit skewers were a hit

There's the birthday princess, all decked out in her pony dress,

wearing a crown and her new necklace, too.

Continuing the rainbow theme, we had rainbow drinks. 

I froze 6 different flavors/colors of koolaid in star shaped ice cube trays.

Then we poured sprite over the rainbow ice. 

Drinks changed color & flavor as the cubes melted. 

And there were personalized water bottles, for the non-kool-aid fans.

There's our table setting, pre party.

We found a My Little Pony Easter basket at a yard sale over the summer, 

Faith was so excited to use it for her party. It was a perfect napkin holder ;)

And now she can carry all her ponies in it.

Everyone lining up to make their own tacos for dinner.

Tacos are one of Faith's favorite foods, and it made for an easy party meal, too!

A couple princesses enjoying their taco 

After the kids ate, we played "Pin the Tail on the Pony"

Faith got turned around... hehe

 

 

Nathan got turned around, too.
The other kids were hilarious. When a blindfolded kid was going the wrong direction, the other kids would shout and point, "no go that way, go THAT way" haha - they didn't grasp the idea that the blindfolded kid can't see where you're pointing... ;)

After our game, it was time to sing and have some cake.

Faith ate up all the attention!! She loved that part! 

 Along with her purple "Twilight Sparkle" cake, we had rainbow cupcakes, too

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday, dear Faith! Happy birthday to you!"

Cutting the cake revealed the hidden rainbow inside.

My camera was accidently on a funky setting, so the colors are off in the pic... 

Oh, and do you see all that icing?? That's a result of me not measuring properly when I made the gum paste rainbow earlier that week. The gum paste needed 3 days to dry, so I had to make it first. Turns out, I made it 1'' too wide!!!! So I had to make the cake bigger, with lots of icing.... hehe  

Nathan, so excited for a cupcake, failed to take off the wrappers first... ha!

Ruth  enjoyed some icing on her rice crackers, too!

Icing makes a happy baby even happier ;)

Of course, there was ice cream too. 

Oh yeah, the kids had plenty of sugar highs... ha!

The weather was gorgeous out - and we put some toys outside for kids to enjoy. 

As it got colder outside, it was time to come in and open presents. 

Here's faith opening a pink ladybug night light from Daddy, Mommy, Nathan & Ruth.

2 years ago Aunt Sara bought Faith a night light turtle. Nathan promptly "stole," although I think he would have spun it as, "helping baby Faith play with it." The turtle is a favorite toy in our house and nightly we have little battles over who gets to sleep with it. Oddly, every morning, it's in Nathan's bed. lol  So Faith was absolutely delighted to get a pink ladybug (same brand), though she still calls it a turtle. haha

Opening presents was a bit of a mad house.

Put 9 preschoolers in one room with presents, and rules fly out the windows! 

Faith got a new pony, a mirror & a jewelry set from her Auntie M 

And a disney princess play-doh set from another friend.

She got an My Little Pony coloring book & art set from other friends. 

 And a talking baby Rainbow Dash stuffed animal that is quickly

becoming a favorite toy already.

She also got some dress up clothes, but I didn't get that picture due to the mob of preschoolers in the way ;)

Ruth got a new friend, and reading/playtime buddy, too :) 

Some of the kids dug straight into their goodie bags, 

there was "moon dough" to play with.

And then the rainbow necklaces re-emerged. 

Some of the girls loved that activity! 

I think the party was a hit.

And so was the cake. 

How blessed Faith is to have a great group of friends 

to help her celebrate her 3rd birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FAITH!