'R' Family Pictures

Give Thanks

Acorn Wreath

A couple of girls and I have been getting together once a week to craft together.  This wreath took a looong time...and a lot of hot glue, but I am happy with the results.  Once again the tutorial for this is courtesy of MADE. 

It's GREAT to be 28.

My Mother-in-law sent me this Cake Pops book for my B-Day. It is written by the woman who creates the bakerella.com blog.  I tried out the cake balls and they were very very sweet and yummy.  I had to give some away to friends so that I wouldn't eat all of them myself. 

Bond surprised me in the morning with some of my favorite things.  If you haven't tried Izze's yet (the beverage below) you need to.  They are made with 3/4 fruit juice and 1/4 sparkling water...a much healthier alternative to soda (although I don't think I can convincingly talk about "health products" in the same post as cake pops).  My sister introduced me to them at the beach this summer and I am hooked.

 I topped the cake balls with Cherry Cordial Flavored M&M's.  I think they are a Christmas only flavor. I don't like cherry cordials, but these were good.

Dani, doesn't this picture of bear remind you almost exactly of my face in our 80's day picture from HS?

Omaha Zoo

I haven't gone this long without posting in a long time. It feels weird.  I have somehow lost my ability to be productive at night after the boys go to bed and I can't figure out why.  My house is still a mess and I still don't get to bed until around midnight, but somehow time just seems to slip away.  But I've got Christmas presents to make and bathrooms that need to be cleaned, so I need to get back on the productivity horse.

Here are pictures recapping our day at the Omaha Zoo. It was our first time there, and we went with friends that knew their way around, so we hit up all the hot spots. 

The boys couldn't tell there was glass on this at first and after Bug stepped up he looked terrified.  They were all reaching out in front of them and not wanting to go to the edge, fear they would be swimming with the penguins.

Bug was thrilled to be hanging out with Boedi.

Bear copied the big boys and followed them around all day. Doesn't he look too old these days?

The Desert Dome.

Crazy Ninja move?

Happy B-Day "Mussel Man"

 Nothing says I love you (or in this case Happy Birthday) more, than one pound of steamed mussels.

 

Happy Birthday, Bondy!  You are my everything and I am one lucky lady to have you all to myself. I love you!

 

 So I would like to say that the cake looks like this because I had a three year old and a 20 month old 

"all up in my work area", but I am afraid it wouldn't have looked much better without them (actually it probably would have looked worse.)  I definitely have not mastered the buttercream skill.  Maybe I'll just stick to fondant.

Boo at the Zoo, Carving Pumpkins, and Trunk or Treat

When I drove by our Zoo last year and saw hundreds of people decked out in their costumes flocking to the entrance for trick or treating, I thought "I will avoid that at all costs while we live here."  But when  I realized Halloween fell on Sunday this year, I decided we should go for it.  We had to walk 5 or six blocks to get there, but once inside the zoo it was perfect.  The boys totally ate it up.

Here are Bug and Daddy hard at work on their pumpkin.

Bear "helping" with a butter knife.

The finished products:  Daddy and Bug's Jack-o-lantern

Bear and Mommy's

Our Church's Trunk or Treat Party

Bear won the cake walk on his first try and wouldn't give Poppi a bite of his winnings.

Bear and Gigi rocking out.

Until next year.....(I am already creating the costumes in my head....can't wait!)