Cream Cake Dessert

I don't usually brag, not because I'm above that but because I'm usually not good enough at anything to drag about, but I have found something I AM good enough at to brag about...

BAKING!!!

I RULE!! Today I decided to try a recipe from a Taste of Home magazine for Cream Cake Dessert. The cream frosting in the middle was even made from scratch!! That's right, I used the stove, a mixer, and apparently I did it just right because I made the cream frosting and the cake looks tasty (ignore the flour all over it in the picture...that was from flouring the dish it was cooked in).

I couldn't believe I cut the cake in half and it wasn't totally crooked!!

It's not as easy to move half a cake on to its base as you'd think...I almost lost this one but managed!!

Here are some pics of the delightful dessert....I had to put it in the fridge before I tried to cut it, it was too soft to cut up at room temperature - and here in heatville we can't leave anything moist out on the counter, it gets too hot and everything grows mold (yummy, I know).

This picture in particular is for Grandpa...I think he would approve of the frosting to cake ratio represented here!!!

Keep in mind that once this is cut up into bite-size pieces you won't see the frosting smudged on the edge and the messiness...they will look cute and delicious!!

What should I try next???

Big Sis and Lil' Bro

I laid Freddie down to play on the floor for some "tummy time" and Karyl asked if she could lay down on her belly with him and talk to him...This boy is smitten with his Big Sis!!!

Baked Ziti Casserole and exercise plans...

It was new recipe time tonight...I was in a productive mood since I had gotten so much done earlier today that I decided to take on a new challenge. This one wasn't too bad...it's basically a fancy-name lasagna casserole, but it wasn't nearly as good as Grandma B's lasagna!! But, although it will never stack up to hers, we have decided to keep the recipe and tweak it a little the next time I do it. And this time I forgot to take a picture, it came out of the oven just as Greg walked in the door (I'm getting REALLY good at that) and we ate so fast that by the time I remembered it was half gone. It was just meat and spaghetti sauce with twirly rotini noodles and cheeses all layered in a dish.

No dessert...I was about at my limit by the time dinner was over. I did a lot today...I worked my 8 hours, went for a jog with the new double stroller (the kids loved it, even though it was HOT!!!), I cleaned our shower (that was a whole other workout in itself), got myself cleaned off and then made dinner. I was pretty proud of how much I got done!!

So, overall today was pretty good and tonight's recipe wasn't a total bomb....I think I did okay!! Now if I can just keep up the working out. I think I am going to make a goal/reward system for myself. It felt so good to get out and exercise even though it was like 100 degrees and the sun was literally right on top of me! I need to so something to get myself motivated. I want to start getting in shape so that hopefully I can do the short mud run next year with Greg's sisters. I know it's a long shot, but it's worth trying. I figure even if my knee decides to limit the running I can at least get into good enough shape to power walk the whole way!!
So, back to the goal/reward ideas...I had a few ideas and I'd love to hear what you all think...a few possible ideas are:

- For every set number of days I exercise (possibly every 10 days) I earn a movie ticket, basically I would be earning chances to go and see New Moon in the theater. If I exercise at least 5 out of 7 days a week that would get me at least 6-7 movie tickets (I've given up the fight insisting that I'll only see it twice...if I get the chance, I'll go as many times as I want!).
- For every set number of days I exercise, I earn a set dollar amount towards a "fun item" that I might want (a new outfit, a new toy...)
- For every 2 pounds I lose I get a reward (movie ticket, money...).
- Or possibly a combination of the two...for every 10 days I exercise I get one thing, and for every set number of pounds I lose I get something else...

I just need motivation. One big motivating factor that is driving me at this point is that my 10-year reunion is in about a year, and even though I'm still WAY below my High School weight, I want to look my best and be able to show up and just feel totally confident about how I look. I also would like to avoid buying any new post-pregnancy clothes now in the hopes that I can lose some weight and THEN go buy some cute clothes.
So, any ideas from anyone as far as motivation goes would be awesome, along with any weight loss tips (I'd love to have a few things I could do inside, in the air conditioned house, but without a treadmill I can't really think of much.)
Alrighty, have a great night!!

Oh the pool

Well, Freddie and I are now the only ones who haven't been in our pool yet. Greg and David decided to jump in Saturday afternoon after all their hard work and once Karyl saw them in there she wanted to go in...so I put her in her requested outfit, a swimming diaper and swimming suit and put her lifevest on (just curious to see if she'd wear it) and sent her out with the boys. She threw the beach ball around with Uncle David and Daddy and even though she just stayed on the steps, she had a great time and is SUPER excited that we have a pool!!

Freddie and I will make it in there eventually...when we get the equipment replaced and I see it get one super-good cleaning!! I can see now though that despite our first thoughts, we are going to LOVE having this pool out here!!! So, for all you locals here near us, next summer this pool will be open for swimming so grab a swimsuit and some sunscreen and come on over....

We have some cute pics but they are all on Uncle David's camera, so when we get them I will post them. I got to play with his camera and take pics...I am thoroughly jealous of his camera...I LOVE that thing!!

Harry Potter and Lowe's

So I just finished the last HP book....I had heard all kinds of things about it, "someone dies," "it's totally unexpected"....

Well, I was prepared for some grave twist of fate at the end, and I never got it. Don't get me wrong, the book was good, and Aubri was right, written just like the other 6 books so once I got past the first few pages I was reeled in.

The majority of the book was great, and despite the fact that I haven't read one of the books in at least 3 years, it was written in such a way that I could understand and recall everything I had already known.

I enjoyed reading it, it was well worth the effort to finally find it, and the end was written really well...but I was preparing myself for some strange twist that just never came. Don't get me wrong, the ending was intricate and well done, just not what I was preparing myself for. I actually like the real ending better than what I thought might happen...and I loved how it unraveled with Dumbledore's secrets coming out and the stuff with Snape.

Anyways, glad I read it and would suggest it to anyone that hasn't read it yet!!

Now, on to Lowe's...here are some pics from our own personal photographer. Apparently people at Lowe's look at you different when every time you show up you have a guy holding an expensive camera following your daughter around. People must think she's someone special!!

They made a helicopter, and the pics are at the very top of the post...apparently blogger doesn't want to let me move my pictures...grrr...so this post will be slightly out of order seeing as how I'm not going to type it all again and it won't let me move the words either. Whatever... There are some pics of them and a pic of her napping right now. She needs her strength for the luau tonight!!

Shhh...

Wait, do you hear that??

No, you hear nothing??

Of course you don't hear anything, this is MY stinkin' blog and I'm the only one that can hear stuff around here...

But, you can take solace in the fact that IF you could hear what I hear right now it would be silence...sweet, quiet, peaceful silence.

The only sound I will be hearing until Karyl wakes up is the sound of the pages turning in my Harry Potter book.

Feel free to envy me...I'll allow it, it's Friday after all!!

Oh, and on a TGIF note, I finally found the 2 clips on YouTube from New Moon that they showed at Comic Con yesterday....one was the first motorcycle scene with Jacob when Bella cuts her head open, and the other was her in Italy, running from the Porsche through the square. The movie bits are slightly off from the book, but nothing major, I think most of the changes were done to appeal to the screaming throng of teenage girls...there is gratuitous bare-chestedness in this film. But I guess they need something to keep the tweenagers excited about seeing it for the 13th time!!

Free Chocolate Fridays

Every Friday during the summer, M&M/MARS is sending out free chocolate coupons to the first 250,000 people that register on the website below. I read this on a friend's blog a while back and figured it couldn't hurt to check out since it was through a reputibla company like M&M/MARS....Well it's real, Greg and I have already gotten quite a few of the coupons for free chocolate already!! And, since we know how much many of you love chocolate (Ladies...) we felt guilty not passing along the info for you to see.

So, if you want some free chocolate, every Friday go on to the website below and enter your birthdate (I guess they don't want to send free chocolate to 5 year olds....) and they will get your info.

Happy Free Chocolate Friday!!

http://www.realchocolate.com

A Delicious Treat...

Last night I got out of the shower and went into the office to check something....this was what I found waiting for me in front of my computer....

Talk about a sweet surprise!!

Then this morning, when I got up I looked over at my nightstand and noticed this...

S-W-E-E-T!!!!

I guess he had intended for me to see the one on the nightstand first, seeing as how it was about 3 feet from my head all night, but sometimes I'm not as perceptive as people think I am!! So, a special thank you to Greg for my surprise....I love the show Ace of Cakes!! Someday when the kids are all a little older and I can do more indepedent stuff I'd like to take a few classes and learn how to decorate cakes with fondant and all that fun stuff. I'm not very artistic, so fondant is very appealing since you can color it and make shapes and even carve cake into whatever shape you want. This show has really "inspired" me to want to be creative and artistic, and anyone who knows me should know that's not easy to do, I hate artsy stuff (Karyl can draw pictures better than I can!!)

UPDATE...

Look what I found at about 10:30 this morning on the hutch-thing in the living room....Apparently Greg was waiting to see how long it would take me to notice it!!! I didn't notice it until I looked at him while he was sitting right in front of it!!

I should have known there was another one somewhere...when I looked closer, the one on the nightstand was Season 3, and the one by the computer was Season 1...so Season 2 had to be somewhere =) I doubt there are any more hidden, but with Greg I never know!!

Something new

FIRST OFF...THIS IS POST #111

Randomness, I know, but being that I forgot to mention #100, the next logical milestone was #111.

Anyways, I have been trying to come up with new and exciting dinner ideas for the family and have been scouring recipe books, cooking magazines and just about anything that might have recipes in it. Every week I try at least one random new recipe for dinner and dessert, and I decided to start documenting my attempts at cooking on the blog. Tonight was a Broccoli Beef Casserole and a Peanut Butter Pie...the pictures of the final products are below as are the final reviews...

Casserole....

Karyl - Loved it

Diana - It was OK, I didn't mind eating it but wouldn't go through the work to do it again.

Greg - Wasn't bad, but I don't think he'll be requesting it by name anytime in the future.

Peanut Butter Pie...

Karyl - LOVED it, she even helped me make it

Diana - Surprisingly impressed, especially considering the fact I got tripped up by the wording in the recipe and put whipping CREAM instead of whipped topping (Cool Whip). I just beat it all really well hoping the air would find it's way in and things would work out fine...and they did!!

Greg - Two thumbs up!!!!

So YAY, while the dinner didn't exceed anyone's expectations, the dessert was a hit!! There is nothing that makes me happier than hearing Greg say "Wow, that was good!!" When you get to be a wife and a mom, you live to make your husband and kids happy, and when you do make them smile, it just makes your day!!

ah-HA!!!

I FOUND IT....

My very elusive copy of the last Harry Potter books, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
I have been searching for it ever since we moved back in November and despite many, many attempts I was unable to locate it...until a few minutes ago!!
Maybe it's because I could finally get into the other side of the closet in what is now Freddie's room...or maybe it's because I'm overly desperate for a new book to read so I don't get made fun of anymore for reading the Twilight Series over and over and over again.
Regardless, after some heavy box moving, some serious sweating (I wasn't kidding when I said that Freddie's room for some strange reason is the hottest room in the house) and some awkward flashlight positioning (no light in his room yet, what does he need them for??) I FOUND IT in a box of my scrapbook stuff. I also found my box of thread that I could have used yesterday when sewing Mele's hula skirts (they had to settle for a dark blue because that was the thread on the machine and I didn't know where the rest was).
Hopefully I will still be able to enjoy the HP book...it's been a few years since I read one (when the one before this came out) and I tried to read this one a while back but just couldn't get into it.
And no, I was VERY good and never snooped or asked around to find out what happens...I know the same thing we all did when the book came out, that someone dies, but that's it. So no one had better post anything on here to spoil it....I will FIND YOU!!!
Let's hope this read through goes smoother than the last attempt and in a few days I will let you know what I thought of it!!

Oh what do you do in the Summertime....

This morning has been a slow one...I am out of work right now, waiting for more to come in so I decided I would do a random blog post. Actually, I am waiting for our friend Mele to bring over some Hula outfits for a luau that she needs help sewing. Apparently having a sewing machine and knowing how to turn it on qualifies you as a seamstress as far as she is concerned!! So, I will be helping her sew about 15 skirts before she heads up to girl's camp...I have the easy job though, she still has to write her talk that she's giving there tonight...I'll stick to the manual labor if no one minds!!



The same kids are also performing at our Ward Luau this Saturday...so I will get to see the handywork in action!! I signed up to bring a dessert and I am debating on whether to make a Cream Cake or Fudgy Mint Brownies...any opinions?? The Cream Cake is a yellow moist cake cut in half (top and bottom) with a creamy sugary middle...the Fudgy mint brownies are a brownie layer with a cream chesses mint layer with a thin chocolate layer. Which one should I make??



Let's see, what other randomness can I share....Karyl is running around the house singing into her "singing guy" (a microphone echo toy from a Kid's Meal that we found when moving stuff around) and 75% of the time I can understand the song, the other 25% she is just making up stuff to sing about.



I love my new office!! Sadly, it sent Freddie to the warmest room in the house, but we usually cool off the house before bed and only put him in a onesie to sleep, so I think he'll be fine. My new office is not only attached to our room but it is super light and bright...while I am not a huge fan of sunlight, I love it in this circumstance!!



I am also LOVING the block wall outside in front of our porch...we are going to have the nicest house on the block when we're done...I can't wait!!



OOH!! I forgot to tell all of you about the new to us baby monitor that I scored yesterday. I have learned that used is the best way to get kid stuff and I called our local (well, closest to us anyway) Children's Orchard and asked if they had any baby monitors...they did...and it was a video one!! We don't really need the video, we've always just had a sound one for Karyl, but for even the cheap ones like Karyl has you can expect to pay at least $50 and your reception won't be that great for that cheap....hers works fine, but the reception isn't very good. Anyways, this video one was less than $50!!!! So I headed out as fast as I could to the store and got it!! We set it up and tried it last night and let me tell you, I think the video ones are kind of over-the-top, but they are definitely neat!! we are only using the hand held sound receiver in our room with Karyl's, but we left the video monitor in the office and all we have to do is hit the power button to see what he's doing. For what we paid, definitely a fun toy!!

UPDATE: Well, there is still no jobs at work...and I finished all of Mele's skirts. For as fast as they were done they don't look half bad...and it made me want to sew more now that I've gotten some good practice!! Maybe I'll need to make a blanket in the near future...

Saturday...

Today should have been called "SUN" day because let me tell you, it is HOT out there!!!

Good thing I had one of our favorite treats handy...

Oh delicious yumminess, thy name is peanut butter!!

Today just about every part of our house became part of one project or another...and the kids had fun playing in the kitchen for a while so the men could move stuff around.

Then we were all too willing to give them up to Grandma and Grandpa B for the day while I did some cleaning and the men worked.

Things started in the front, where Greg, David, "neighbor"and our friend Misi started building a small wall for our porch...

The finished product....Misi is AMAZING!!!! THANK YOU!!!

Then Greg's friend from work came over and helped (well, really he did all the work) lay down the new carpet in 3 of the 4 rooms. When Greg pulled it up he was finally able to see that the old padding was disgusting and practically flat. The new padding he bought is SOOOOO nice, and the new carpet is just slightly darker, more of a reddish brown color, and it's SOFTER!!!

Only the very beginning of the carpet graveyard...

Thanks to all our friends fot there help, expertise and more importantly for their time and especially a thank you to their families for letting us have them today!!!

If any part of this post seems odd or doesn't make sense, please let me know...I have been dozing off while writing it (I got 2-1/2 hours of sleep last night) and I'm just glad that I got through to the end!!

We aren't moving again for a VERY long time....

That's right....not until we absolutely have to!!! Tonight Greg and I had to move all the furniture out of all the rooms except the office because Greg and a friend of his are putting in the new carpet we practically stole from Home Depot the other night. The carpet we have is cheap, cheap, cheap and is not only ruining my vacuum (that's my problem really) but it has no padding underneath (I can't wait to see what's underneath, I wouldn't be surprised if they just laid a few newspapers for the padding) and it's coming up against the walls and the doorways. Whoever did it didn't know what they were doing and bought the carpet from what could have been the 99 cent store of carpet!

Anyways, I am sweaty, dusty, dirty, tired...and tomorrow afternoon we have to move it all back. On the positive side, we have been wanting to sit down and go through stuff and toss unwanted things and do some reorganizing and this will allow us to do that. We have been meaning to put the office and Freddie's rooms where we had intended and now we can do that too. When this is all over the rooms will all be where they should and we can breathe a sigh of relief.

Moving stuff is a pain....now I know why we bought a house instead of renting again, we won't have to move until we want to!!

Also, we had a fun surprise tonight...Greg was outside talking with a friend from work, Freddie was asleep and Karyl was watching Spongebob and I was dozing off on the LuvSac when I heard a knock at the door...Mele and her family stopped by!! The kids had so much fun playing and it was fun to sit and talk with Mele!! The men talked outside and apparently planned out the entire backyard (I'll have to post a pic of the blueprint) and we were informed that once we get it all finished we can expect to have all the Polynesians in the area lounging in our backyard...the plans are beautiful and include a waterfall, slide into the pool, my planter I wanted for fruits and veggies and even some sound and lights!! It almost reminded me of something you would find in Hawaii....a few palm trees and the smell of sunscreen and we'll have our own piece of paradise!

We have a lot of work to be done, but a lot of it can be done pretty inexpensively and it won't be done overnight. It was nice though to see the plans and understand and get a visual of what our backyard is capable of becoming. We're so thankful for all our friends and for their expertise and help.

Sunday Fun-day

Today after a fun day at Church we decided to spend some time outside since the weather started to cool off and we had been inside all day at church and at home. First, we brought Karyl and Freddie out and drew on the driveway with sidewalk chalk...one great perk to having such a large driveway, your canvas for sidewalk chalk is endless (if only the driveway wasn't on a hill...then it would be completely perfect!!).

Then we decided that Karyl needed to try washing the cars for the first time. We got her in her little swimsuit, and decided to have our own little family car wash. We were going to wash all the cars, but while washing car #2 our neighbor came over to talk (the lady, not the shed helper) and we got distracted. But at least the 2 cars we park outside got a good cleaning, and Karyl LOVED helping!!

We had so much fun spending time together as a family and playing together!!

Saturday Part II

This morning after Lowe's Greg and Uncle David and our neighbor continued their weekly tradition of working on the shed. From what I understand, this week they put up the shelves inside and finished spraying in the foam stuff to make the shed water proof. They all had a good time and I think Greg and our neighbor are becoming friends...he's already committed himself to coming over next Saturday to help out! I will take pictures of the inside of the shed later and post them...

This afternoon after Lowe's and the men working and kids napping...

...we headed to Disneyland. Today was the day our passes expired and so we wanted to make one last "Hoorah!" We also wanted Karyl to see the Electrical Parade again...last summer we were there every Saturday night it seemed like for her to watch the parade and she LOVED it!! She still loves it, and now she's not afraid to stand and wave at the people on the floats. For those who are wondering, yes, we will be renewing the passes....just not right now. It's too hot and there are just too many people there during summer to make it worthwhile, we'll wait until it cools down a little and school starts back up so we can have the park to ourselves again!!

Anyways, we had a fun time and here are some pics from Karyl's Happiest Place on Earth!

Hi daddy!!

"No grandpa, the ice cream is THIS way..."

Mommy and Karyl waiting for the Electrical Parade to begin

THANK YOU AUNTIES FOR MY BALLOON!!!

This balloon had a LED light in it that made it change colors and she LOVED it. We got home and had to sneak it away because she wanted to play with it and not go to bed!!

Also, they have re-vamped the Electrical Parade this year....they took out a few of the floats and added some new ones. Tried to take pics but the memory card was filling up fast...we'll get some next time, or better yet, go see them for yourself!!

Then, if Disneyland wasn't excitement enough on the way home we ran into a patch of trouble on the ever wonderful 91 freeway...luckily, we ALWAYS jump in the Fastrack lane when we're all together since the 3+ lane is free and this time it saved us what would have been HOURS stopped on the 91. The entire freeway was CRAWLING from before the 55 freeway and we even stopped at one point in the Express Lanes, long enough for me to get out of the car, open the back of the van, and take out the camera (we figured if the Express Lanes were stopped, this was going to be a good accident). Well, we were only stopped for about 4 minutes, then our lanes started moving again and we were pretty close to the police break, so we finally got a view of what was going on!! All the cars had been moved to the side, but the other 4 or 5 lanes of the 91 were blocked...they weren't letting ANYONE through, there was glass and all kinds of debris all over the regular lanes. We felt SOOOOO bad for all those people. No one wants to be stuck on the 91 at 11:45 at night on a Saturday! So we zoomed on past the police break and I tried to get a picture of possibly the eeriest thing I've ever seen....the 91 freeway completely black, no cars outside the Express Lanes. That's a scene that will get your attention....staring down the 91 and not seeing a single set of brake lights!!

I know, bad picture, but you can see there are headlights coming at us, but NO brakelights to the right...creepy, huh?!?!

Lowe's Kid's Clinic

This morning Greg and Uncle David took Karyl to Lowe's for the Saturday morning tradition....

Today they made a pirate treasure chest, or as we like to call it around here,

a "Booty Containment Device"

In case you're confused, booty is another term for pirate treasure...and it's a treasure chest...so it holds treasure, or "booty"....

Sorry, had to explain just in case....

Happy Birthday Grandma M

So today was my mom's birthday and we went with her to Disneyland!! She hasn't been since we were kids and since our passes don't expire until Saturday we were able to go with her so she could take advantage of the free ticket!! We only went for a few hours, but had fun and here are a few cute pictures of her with the kids (well mostly Karyl since Freddie was under the protective shade of the stroller...the last thing I want is a sunburned baby!!!!)

While there we rode It's a Small World, the Merry-Go-Round and The Jungle Cruise

Then we took Grandma M out for a Birthday Lunch to Ruby's and she and Karyl had fun talking together and goofing off

Then to end the day the kids and I picked up Daddy from work and hit Costco for dinner on the way home...Karyl and Daddy were having way too much fun with that ice cream!!

And this pic is for Grandma B...Karyl LOVES these shoes!! They irritated her heels and I was worried she wouldn't want to wear them again, but nope, they are the only shoes she wants to wear right now...I put some moleskin in to help and hopefully it does!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA M!!!