Marley

We have a new dog. I know, it seems like the day before yesterday I was blogging about Bonnie, and all the reasons the Beras are not ready for a dog...but those dang Beras don't learn lessons every well. So, meet Marley. He's a chocolate lab who had too much energy for his previous owners. He's 8 months old and is excited about life! He's a really good dog, but has lots to learn. At first the kids were not too excited (did I mention he has alot of energy?) but they are getting use to him, and he is learinging to live with kids (ie...when pounced on cora crumples to the ground, and her mom doesn't like that...things like that!) He is learning to fetch really well, but our old Iris could have shown this young pup up in that department! So, here's a few pictures of him...he is as easy to photograph as cora...they are moving too fast for the camera! But you get the idea...happy monday!

absent blogger

where in the world have i been? it's been over 2 months since i've blogged?! where has the time gone? i just don't know. time just goes by too fast. i haven't cared to sit at the computer much lately. i don't have much time now...but i was downloading LOTS of pictures (my camera was full) and i thought i might post a quick blog about a cute stool i made...well, not made..just spruced up a bit. i found this at a garage sale for $2, and have had it over a year. breanna sent me this blog, and i thought...i can do that. so, here's the pictures to document my project. i am pretty happy with the final product, but i did get some lumps on top. i didn't put enough modge podge under the paper..lumps were the result. oh well...still better than rusty and nasty! i will do better at blogging..i have lots of pictures downloaded...so i will try to catch up now!

my kindergartener

jay is offically a big kid. today we went to meet his kindergarten teacher. her name is mrs. ellerbe, and she seems really nice. i've heard lots of good things about her around town. jay was worried about school last night, but today he saw his friend dylan there, so he was pretty happy. wednesday will be his first full day of school. wow. time flies by so fast. it seems like yesterday he was a tiny baby! i can't believe we are already to this stage of his life! not that i am having trouble letting go, but i signed up for everything a mom can sign up for today..class parties, reading to the class, treats, field trips, pto..the works. i think we will all have fun with jay in kindergarten!

sad day.

my friend has moved away. i've known this day would come since we became friends less than a year ago. her husband got into law school in new orleans, and *poof*, they were gone! yesterday we went over to help them pack up the vehicles (well, josh did..once i got there everything was pretty much done)

but here i sit @ 7 am the next day..missing my friend. it's movie day...so i want to text her and say...'we're going, but running late!'..and then have her reply...'we just woke up, but we'll be there....after a bk breakfast run of course!'

then tonight is bunco...i'm getting all choked up now! i won't get to call and say 'what are you taking to bunco?'

and no more scrapbook fridays!

and who will i talk to in primary now?!

and who would i be able to drop my kids off at a minute's notice, and know they will be okay?

and who will i plan parties with?

and who will email me cute craft ideas...and say 'we have to do these!'...although we never get around to all of them.

well, at least new orleans is only 4 hours away. i'm done with my pity blog. i wish the youngs lots of luck and happiness in their new adventure! here's the only pictures i got yesterday before my dumb camera batteries died...with NO warning. grr.

cow appreciation day

nothin' much has been happening around here lately, so i thought i'd catch up on some stuff from last week...it was more fun! friday we went to chickfila for cow appreciation day. it was fun! (hot and crowded, but fun nonetheless) they had games, a balloon lady, face painting, the fire truck, and a boucer out there for the kids. we won coupons for free breakfast foods and a couple of "eat more chicken" cows. and if you dressed up like a cow you got a free combo! we didn't do that..we weren't prepared, but of course we ate!! and i learned that you can get a wheat bun (don't know why i didn't know that before)..but i was happy about it! spinning the wheel..everyone's a winner!

bean bag toss

balloon lady!

face painting..jay didn't want to do it

he wanted a tattoo instead

showing off their decorations

cora's pink balloon elephant & jay's sword

car full of little cows

the girl cow! we've never seen her before, only the boy one..cora wasn't interested in taking a picture with her...but this little girl was!

last day of dance for the summer

well, cora's 6 weeks of dance are up. after their class was over we went in to the studio and took some pictures. cora doesn't cooperate with the camera very well, but i got some decent shots. she will start fall dance the week of labor day..not too far away. and jay will be in school by then..how crazy is that?! wow. cora with her teacher, ms linda lou

"grace" on the bar

in the mirror

sassy pose

silly goose

cora and renee

something fun and new!

yesterday i got the chance to make something new! i have fallen in love with this blog...bakerella. she is so creative! i had forgotten all about these cute cupcake pops until my friend breanna asked me to make some. they are pretty fun to make. i want to make more soon and use all of the lessons i learned! thanks, bakerella, for your great tutorial, and for sharing your creativity with us! oops #1--fell right off it's stick oops #2--damaged during packaging--taken care of by josh finished product

fireworks!

we had a belated 4th celebration at my mom's house on saturday. we ate the best grilled burgers..and deviled eggs (or "doubled eggs" as jay calls them)...and mushrooms..and fruit pizza..and lemon square..yummm. erin and thad brought some awesome fireworks, and thad put on quite the show for us! the kids loved it...however, gertie, my mom's dog was not loving it. she ran away. the whole neighborhood was out searching for her. man, we were worried, but finally my mom and ray found her..scared to death.(people were shooting fireworks all over the neighboorhood). so, all is well! my mom's boyfriend, ray, and his son, lewis, and his daughter, cheyanne came too..it was fun. here's some pictures to prove it!who knew "at home" fireworks could be so pretty!

cora likes sparklers

ruth & ray

ray & cheyanne

jay being silly

thad making a run for it

the crazy beras (cora didn't like the loud stuff)

did i mention....

cora is taking dance? tomorrow is her last class..sniff sniff...for the summer. it was only a 6week long class for the summer, but i thought it might be a good time to "test the waters". but she seems to love it. and those of you who know cora, also know how bullheaded she can be. she doesn't follow directions very well, but maybe this will help. it's been nice to have something that is just for her. jay had tee ball earlier this summer, and everything else we do is all together. we don't get to stay in the room and watch, but there is a tv in the waiting room (which is always packed) so we can watch our little prima ballerinas. renee is in her class, which helps. she is alittle older than cora, and has taken dance before, so she is the "helper" in charge of wild little cora. i am not the best "mom of a dancer" it seems i am always forgetting something..and i've even lost a tap shoe! i really hate being so scatterbrained all of the time..something needs to change! ha! well, i will leave you with some pictures of cora's first day of dance class.

here she comes out the studio door with her tounge hanging out!

renee, cora, & ginger (she and cora were immediate best friends)

the dynamic duo

brodie's baptism

today my best friend, crystal's older boy, brodie, was baptized. i cannot believe he is 8 already! i think he had a great day today. here are a few pictures from the day.

left to right: earl (pawpaw), brodie, gloria (mawmaw), tristan (brother), crystal(mom), donavan (crystal's boyfriend)

josh & brodie

brodie with his cake

congratulations, brodie! i am so proud of you and your decision to be baptized. i know our Heavenly Father is very pleased with you too.

happy fourth of july!

today was a great holiday! so relaxing, and low stress. well, i did buy a swimsuit @ old navy, and that always comes with a certain level of stress. we started early with a ward breakfast at the church. it was fun, but awfully early. then the shopping spree (lol...just old navy, and target, but with cora that can be an all day affair) then swimming at the golf course. then we had plans to go to a riverfront festival and to the fireworks tonight. but we got word the festival was lame-o. so, instead we ate at our local yummy bbq joint, rented a movie and came on home! the no-napping kids were asleep by 7:30, and now a storm is rolling in. so, good thing we didn't plan for the fireworks. here is a silly picture of us in our traditional 4th tee shirts. josh and i are about to bust out laughing because it took us about 7 tries..and this is the best we could do with our timer as the photographer! happy 4th!

happy belated birthday, erin

my sister's birthday was earlier this month, and i've been meaning to sit and blog about it, but just haven't made the time. she is 24! ah, to be young again..haha. we had a little get together for her the day after her birthday @ my mom's house. we had grilled bratworsts (aka.."sausage on a bun") that seems to be our family meal.

erin had a few friends make it to the party. that was fun. losing touch with friends is one of the worst parts of life! so, they had fun catching up.

i made the cake. i used the opportunity to try out something new. i made a "topsy-turvy" cake. it looks like it's off balance. it was fun to make. but i learned alot during the process. it was also my first time to make/use fondant. it's not so hard to work with, but it just doesn't taste good. and the texture just doesnt' go with the cake! oh well. erin liked it and that's all that matters! happy late birthday, erin! love you

mooo..

here's the other cake i made this weekend (it was a baking marathon at my house!) it was for a friend's little girl's 2nd birthday. she loves cows, so her mom wanted to have a cow birthday. it's kind of simple. i love using the grass tip (the border) it's so fast and easy, and doesn't have to be perfect. i'm enjoying using fondant..i'm new to it. the black cow spots and pink #2 are fondant, and the rest is buttercream. i don't love the way fondant tastes. i've been using a marshmellow fondant which of course tastes better than wilton's premade fondant (but that's not saying much!) so, this weekend i am getting the chance to use fondant again, and want to try out a new recipe..so we will see.

how fun twins must be!

i got the opportunity to make cakes for a cute little set of twins' birthday this weekend. they were turning 5, and it makes me smile to think of how different they are. obviously one is a boy and the other is a girl, but can you imagine the day to day things this mom goes through? haha! bless her heart.

but the cakes were fun to make. i was given a picture for both to go by, so i cannot take credit for the creativity, but i am rather pleased with the outcome.

whale of a time!

I just realized I forgot to blog on the cute whale themed baby shower we did for my friend, Leslie. She is using this bedding for her little boy, Grayson. Who, by the way joined us a couple of weeks ago..weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs 3 oz! The bedding is so cute, we decided to use it for the theme. Here's the invitations. They are inspired by Elsie Flanagan. (if you are saying to yourself "who's that" take a peek at the left and click on her blog...she's fun) also, here's the complimentary thank you notes.

We also made matching invitations for a "big sister" shower for Leslie's daughter, Kennedy. I don't have a picture of those. But we had a cute little table set up just for the kids to have their own little party. Here's the cake. It's rather simple, and not what I planned to make, but the day of the shower, this is the creation that emerged from the kitchen! If you look closely you can see evidence of little-people fingers that were too excited to wait. He patched up well though!

And these cute little burp rags are one of the hostess gifts we made. Breanna and I tag teamed them, and I think they turned out so great. I can't wait to make more. The little whale is aplique, and the same material is used to line the back (and cover up the ugly back of the whale)

I made these little whale bean bags for the kids' favors. This one is red, and was kind of the prototype, but the final products were blue for boys and pink for girls. Jay couldn't wrap his mind around a pink whale, but then i remembered seeing this article, and it made me feel better! And the adults' favors were these cute candy filled cones topped with what else? a little polka dot whale!

Okay. That's all I have for now. It was a fun shower. There was not a great turn out, but it was the last of a string of baby showers, bridal showers, and weddings in our ward. But we played a couple of games, ate, visited, and it was a good time. Oh, and the "we" I speak of is composed of myself and good friends, Breanna and Annie.