Crazy Thought!

I was just realizing..I turn 31 this year...I met Machiel when I was 21. We have been together this year for a whole decade. That is pretty cool! The one thing I never thought I would do (marriage)..turned out to be the best thing I ever did. We are planning to go on a really wonderful holiday for our 10 year anniversary without children. I have not been away from them on any kind of vacation..well David spent 2 one nights away (separate occassions) while Machiel and I had a night to ourselves. Other than that, unless you count like going into the hospital or something, my kids are always with me when ever I go somewhere. I am looking forward to that anniversary "vacation"!

It's Been A While!

OK, OK, OK...I know it has been forever since I have posted a blog...but here it is the "Mother Load"! When you get to the bottom, click on older posts, you'll have to do it like 3 or 4 times...to see them all. I know I did this in reverse order, as a blog usually starts with the newest stuff...but I did it backwards so you could immediately go in order from fall to now..oh well, it made sense at the time. This took so long due to needing help downloading the pictures from my camera...then I posted everything in the wrong spot..so that took 2 days to fix. But it is done! Let me tell you catch up sucks! I will try to put things up more often so I won't have to play catch up! Enjoy!

Moab!

The Balancing Rock --> The 3 Gossips

The two hikes were so drastically different! Negro Bill was cool and along water, & lots of vegetation. The Arches were more dry, no water and crazy amazing rock sculptures! It was all beautifully surreal! Utah has a 5 day weekend called U.E.A. (Utah Education Association..I think) in early October every year. Usually people use this break to go on one last outdoor adventure before winter hits!

Me in Negro Bill Canyon-->


All of us before we hiked in The Arches national Park

Sir Knight Samuel!

Samuel wanted a Knight birthday...so we had all his friends come dressed as either a knight or princess. We slayed the dragon (pinata) and we supped on fowl legs, bread and vegetable potage. We played medieval music in the "court" of our "palace". It was a s cute party! The castle on the cake is made out of sugar cookie colored grey..everything is edible on the cake, except the knight and horse (one of Sammy's presents) and the sparklers and candles.

Sam is 3! Blow out your candles big boy!

Halloween!

Commadore Norrington!

That's Capatin, Jack Sparrow!

I wish we would have thought about taking pictures before it got too dark outside..we took them and you can't see us. So when we returned from trick-or-treating we took them in the house. Funny enough, David is Jack Sparrow, and his friend Lizzy was Elizabeth Swan..Samuel is Commadore Norrington (If you saw Pirates of the Caribean, you'll get it), and I was just a Pirate Mama, we were a real sight when we went trick or treating!

Bath Time!

We have a jacuzzi tub in our bathroom and Machiel put bubble bath solution in the water, then turned on the jets. Needlesss to say, we almost lost Sam in the bubbles! David wanted to join the fun and make himself a "hat" Funny guys!

Cakes For Sale!

I made this birthday cake and sold it for $50. I made the ball and the tee..which you can not see. This was a dark chocolate cake filled with white chocolate vanilla bean mousseline and blackberries, with a colored green white chocolate swiss meringue buttercream frosting.

This is what I call "Over the hill and into the Grave" cake. I made this for my chiropractor's wife, with exchange for about $100 in equiptment and services. Not only was this cake a hit by the look, but it was deadly delicious! Dark chocolate cake filled with chocolate ganache, chocolate mousse, raspberry filling and fresh raspberries, coated in dark chocolate ganache. I made the coffin and the grave stones out of sugar cookie. I covered the coffin in white chocolate, and used chocolate cookie crumbs for the dirt next to the coffin. This was a really fun cake to make!

Thanksgiving Day "Futbol"

As you can see, David and Machiel are playing "futbol" and Samuel is playing a cross between American and Dutch Football/futbol! Sam will run the ball to the fence and touch the fence with the ball, give it a kick and the pick it up and run with it again. It was so cute!

Fortune Readings!

So, when Machiel and I were dating, we would go have Turkish coffee and he would "read my fortune" in the grinds at the bottom of the cup. We went to a Greek restaurant in SLC called Aristo's and had Greek coffee which is similar to Turkish coffee. Here in the grounds you can see the Eiffel Tower and if you look closely in the Eiffel Tower there is a small question mark. Funny huh? No, I didn't draw it in there...it just came out like that when Machiel turns the cup over onto the saucer. Cool Huh!

The Children's Discovery Museum

We have a membership to the Children's Discovery Museum in SLC. We started getting this membership every year so we have something to do in the winter. Here is Sam playing with the water pump at the water works area.

David loves the climbing walls at the museum. Here he is at the very top!

Fear Factor 8th Birthday Party!

So, David wanted a Fear Factor birthday party, and we did just that! Our first game, no hands, plunge your face into the bowl of goop and retrieve the piece of gum, the first to blow a bubble wins! For dinner we had black pasta that is dyed with squid ink...many kids wouldn't eat just for the look. It is no different than spinach or tomato pasta..it tastes normal, just a different color. I am sad I don't have a picture of David's birthday cakes..Machiel was in charge of the camera while I ran the "show"...needless to say, he doesn't like to take pictures. But David had a NY style vanilla bean cheesecake with raspberry coulis and I also made a "dirt" cake, with crushed choclate cookies for dirt, chocolate pudding for mud and candy worms and rocks..this was a huge hit..and it was good I made 2 kinds of cake as only 2 other children besides David liked cheesecake. This was a really fun party! We didn't have an obstacle course outside due to crap weather...no thanks!

I know this is a random kid..but Machiel is not good a t taking pictures...and I can't do it while I am leading the party...so here is a pic of the jelly bean game we did. I got some boxes of the Bertie Bots every flavor beans, put them all in a bowl, and had the kids pick papers with colors written on them and they had to eat the jelly bean of that color. Some got skunk spray, some rotten egg, some vomit...while others lucked out with toothpaste, pear or tuttiefruttie. This game was a much bigger hit than I would have ever imagined! The kids wanted to keep on going all night! It was really fun! And some of those kids have iron stomaches! Obviously, fear is not a factor for them!

Find your prizes in the Muck! I made this bowl full of muck and the kids had to be blind folded and put their hands into this goo to find their prizes. It is funny...it was all ordinary things that I am sure most of them eat every week. Spaghetti noodles, rice, canned creamed corn, canned cream of mushroom soup, and some food coloring with a few fake (but real looking) worms. As youcan see David is holding his nose...a lot of the kids did that...it didn't smell bad really...the whole mind over matter thing!

First Real Snow of the Year!

As you can see it snowed lightly again after I already shoveled! I really do not like the snow! This is nothing really...you should have seen the storm a few weeks later! Double that amount you see piled up on the right!

David Plays Ice Hockey!

I got him to pose for a second just before they started practice. We are going to have to take him to SLC to really play. They rarely had a coach, no uniforms or games..I asked the Hockey Manager..So, what did we pay for?

It is really hard to get good shots while he is skating. He moves so fast, most of the time I just get blur!

All Ready for Christmas!

At first David was too cool and "old" to decorate the tree. He soon changed his mind when he saw Samuel decorating the tree. It was fun to see where Sam had put the decorations, they were all about 3 feet (1 meter)from the ground, and all of the exact same ornaments in a row! Everything turned out beautiful and we had lots of fun!

Christmas Traditions!

My Bakers "Men" rolling out the ginger bread dough!

David Loves to load on the sprinkles!
Sam likes tons of sprinkles too!

Leftovers from what we gave to neighbors, friends and saved for Santa. As you can see we made a variety (as always). Gingerbread Men, Snowballs (Russian tea cookies or Mexican wedding cakes), 7 layer cookies, dark and white choclate swirl fudge, raspberry thumbprints and chocolate ganache thumbprints, and last but not least, my mom's recipe for sugar cookies..they are the best!

Santa Came!

I took these late Christmas Eve..after Santa Claus came to visit!

Sammy's Monster Truck!

All Sammy talked about during the Christmas season was a monster truck. He even excitedly jumped into Santa's lap asking for a Monster Truck. Santa must have thought Sam was a pretty good boy and got him one!

David's Christmas Wish!

David kept asking for a Ripstick for Christmas...and when we went to see Santa...(dumb me forgot the camera) he asked Santa for one. So, Santa pulled through, and granted David's wish!

Christmas Goose!

I made my first goose this year. It turned out so wonderful. It is very tedious though. I had to "babysit" it almost the whole time it cooked..not to mention the 24 hour prior preparation! It was worth it though. I was surprised, goose has a nice poultry taste but a texture more like beef. I recommend it!

Mom's Christmas Ham

I should have taken the ham out before I took a picture..but that is OK..it was so delicious. I called my Mom for her recipe that she made when we were kids. It turned out beautiful! I made this not only for nostalgic reasons, but also, in case the goose didn't turn out.

Pieces of the World

My sisters got this 500 piece puzzle shaped like a globe for Machiel for Christmas...of course he finished it in about 2 hours.

Sledding!

Machiel took the boys sledding. I got this picture before he took them as I wasn't joining, being I am not a fan of snow. They had a blast! Sammy says he goes "sliding!"

David's First "Job"

At the Children's Museum being a grocery cashier!

Knocking Down the Buildings!

Sam at the Children's Museum knocking down what he just built!

Gramma (with the black hair)

My Mom came to visit and spoils her grandsons with presents! It was a really nice but short visit!

Dress Ups!

Gramma with the black hair knows just what David loves...and he was kind enough to share with Sam!

Birthday Man!

We went out for Machiel's 42nd birthday to Crabby Joes...not a place he really likes, but they have an indoor playground for the kid and crab that the kids can't get enough of...so needless to say, he was talked into this restaurant by the kids! Happy Birthday Honey!

Knight Angels!

Sam and his cousin Weston were putting their knights in the snow making what they called "knight angels". I thought it was worthy of a picture!