Birthday Surprise!

Parker had a birthday shout hurray! Our oldest offspring turned 7 on the 23 (Wednesday). Unfortunately we couldn't celebrate that day because "dad had to be at stinky school all day long!" The real reason is that Ryan's parents and brother weren't getting here until Wednesday night after the kids were in bed. I told Parker that she would have a birthday surprise on Thursday and she would love it so much that it would be worth the wait.

It would have been a great surprise too except that Parker ran into Grandma Button en route to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Despite the non-surprise she loved her birthday and it was worth waiting an extra day.



Parker wanted a cake that was very girly, "something pretty or pink or sparkly or something." (I have wondered several times how we could possibly be genetically linked) Well, there was no way I was attempting a castle or something sparkly (how could you make a sparkly cake !?!) so I opted for the most girly thing that could be in the shape of a square. . . a purse!



It actually turned out to be a lot of fun! It's strawberry cake on the inside so even the cake part is pink, I know, I really outdid myself. The handle was a bit tricky, it weighed a ton so I had to get some beading wire to help support it. I took this picture right after I stuck it in and by the time we ate the cake, about two hours later, the handle was laying flat.




Grandpa and Grandma Button took Parker out and bought her a new winter coat for her birthday. She had no inhibitions about putting on a fashion show for us. (Once again, is she my child?)

The kids had a hay day with Uncle Nick! They are his biggest fans.




On Friday we went to the zoo, the one day it didn't rain yippee! I think it wore the adults out more than the kids which was opposite of our plan.


Our biggest adventure at the zoo would have to be the sting ray exhibit. While Grandpa and Ryan were helping Makay pet one of the sting rays (which is allowed) Creed decided that he didn't need help. After one huge splash, a dazed Creed and many frightened sting rays, Ryan pulled Creed off of a flattened sting ray and out of the exhibit sopping wet. I'm not so sure they are going to allow the petting any more and I'm really not sure if that one sting ray recovered from all the 30 pounds of Creed that landed on him.



As you can tell we had an eventful weekend with the Buttons. It always comes to an end too quickly though! Dressed in our best the kids got some pictures with Grandpa and Grandma before they had to go.

It's amazing how well this picture turned out considering there's five kids in it!

More hugs for Uncle Nick and they were off. Thanks so much for flying across the country to visit us! We love you!

Holy Heart

Well, our computer isn't letting us upload any pictures so sorry. I know an entry is no good without pictures.

So the biggest thing we did this last week was see Creeds Cardiologist. For all who don't know, Creed doesn't have a hole in his heart. . . he has three. Yeah, not the news we were looking for. He is going to need open heart surgery which is freaking me out. His heart is enlarged on one side due to the blood that is leaking back into it. The Dr. said that they will be able to sew one hole closed and then patch the other two.

Of course it's scary to find out that your child is going to have to go through something like this but it has definitely put things into a different perspective for us. Plus, everything is in the Lords hands anyway so there is no need to fear. We know that it all works out in the end.

With no pictures that's about all for us. We'll try to get the pictures working. Until then, some funny quotes from the kids. . .

*Ryan was helping Creed say the prayer and he prompted him, "we love thee" and Creed said, "you love me."

*pikey-pones are pine cones. We think they mixed porky pines and pine cones together for that one.

*I took Creed out to lunch after his cardiology appointment at his favorite Chinese restaurant. It's a very nice Chinese family that runs it. Creed (being physically incapable of whispering) asked if Chinese people sleep. Why is the mom and the kids Chinese? I tried explaining that they are just like us, they just speak a different language and that Chinese people have Chinese babies just like white people have white babies. A black man was waiting for his order and Creed pointed and said, "he's black." The man looked at us. "yes he is," I said. "Does he have black babies?" My face was very red.

two kids down, one more to go

So Ryan started school two weeks ago. Parker started first grade one week and three days ago. Easton started kindergarten three days ago. Three days ago I was a wreck! My tender sweet boy is going off to be corrupted by the world!

Okay, so maybe it won't be that bad. Ryan's a big boy, he can take care of himself. Parker is a tough cookie that loves being independent. Easton is a teddy bear that likes to cuddle with mommy! I don't want him to lose that!!!

Well, he loves school, all two days so far. He was so upset that he only had two pages of homework that I had to calm him down by telling him that we can do more by ourselves. Yesterday was agony! Today was unbearable except for the small ray of hope that after today he could get back to school. I'm crossing my fingers that this will last and praying for his tender soul will stay intact.

While Parker and Easton were off getting their educations. . . Creed, Makay and Beckham were reaping the benefits of having fewer kids at home.

I guess I don't need to wonder how they get so dirty at the park anymore. There's all that lovely playground equipment and my kids choose to sit in the dirt. At least they have imaginations right?

Creed is an expert fence climber. It scares me to death and he thinks it's so funny to scare mom. As long as he keeps it simply going up and down and not over the top I think I can handle it.

Creed starts school on Tuesday of this week and he's slowly warming up to the idea. He has new teachers this year and is going without his big brother so it's going to be a big new adventure for him.

Creed also has his appointment with the cardiologist this week so hopefully we will get some answers about the hole in his heart and find out how serious this is. Ryan and I really want to thank everyone who fasted for Creed last week with us. It's wonderful to know that our families are always there and so willing to support us in any way we need it. Thank you!

No jewelry this week. Just two BIG cakes! I rented the Martha Stewart wedding cakes book from our local library and got inspired. That inspiration didn't quite pan out like I had hoped but all practice is good practice right?

I tried out my new square cake pans (which I love) and tried to think outside the box with the shapes and stacking of the cakes. I think I should stick to copying other people who think outside the box, the end result would pay off much better.

I go to a book club with some women from the ward and last night we had a re-gathering to pick our new books for the next year (we took a six month break do to not being organized). We all bring food (preferably to go along with the book theme) because what's a gathering without food right?

I baked one chocolate and one yellow cake, cut them both in half and slathered chocolate butter cream frosting between each layer. The outside is also butter cream frosting with appropriate pink decorations (believe it or not, I still need to work on my dots).

This thing was a beast! Ryan and I weighed it, it was almost 10 pounds! After cutting into it at our group we found out that 9 of those pounds was the frosting. Amazingly enough I was the only one who didn't finish all my frosting. . . wow.

That's it 'til next week! Over and out.

Schools In and I'm a Nerd!

Once again a week with no pictures! We need to start doing more interesting things. It wasn't an event less week though, Ryan and Parker started school! Ryan has been sick all week so it wasn't the best week of his life but Parker couldn't be happier. She loves everything about school (thank goodness!) and she can't wait for Easton to start this coming Thursday.

Easton and I went and met his new kindergartner teacher on Friday and she is wonderful. I'm so excited that he has her (instead of Parker's old teacher). Luckily he's excited for school too, the only one we need to get hyped up now is Creed. But we still have some time before he is supposed to head back.

So, no new pictures means you get some from the archives. . .

This one of Beckham (who by the way is walking pretty well now) isn't really that old but it's just so darn cute!


This was our first camping trip with the kids at the wonderful Beaver Dick Park (I know, we hate the name too) in Rexburg. We went in August thinking it would be nice weather for camping, but we forgot where we were, Rexburg. We got a record breaking cold night with freezing temperatures and high winds (high enough to give us two new holes in our tent!). On top of that I was four months pregnant with Makay and not very comfortable on the lumpy, hard ground.

It was a long time before we camped again after this.



Ask me why we put Creed in a white shirt to go camping and I will have no good answer for you. But on the up side I think he got all the dirt on his face instead of the shirt.

A classic La Jolla shores picture in December of 2007. I love it but I have no idea who Parker is talking to.

This is a rare (very rare) tender moment between Creed and Makay at the Mira Mesa 1st ward Christmas party. It's nice to know that we have on record some sweet things like this to prove that they haven't ALWAYS been fighting.

This is a recent picture of the kids on a treasure hunt in one of the many wooded jungle areas of our fine city. On this particular excavation they found a dead raccoon, a key chain and two golf balls. . . a success!!

Jewelry update!

One of my most favorite new creations. My favorite color in the whole world is red and my favorite color combination is red, black and white. Can you guess why I like this bracelet and earring set so much?

I found these cool decorative buttons and given my last name, I just had to use them as inspiration. This is my first button necklace. The button is tied on over one of the pink shell beads and is removable. The button is supposed to be worn off to the side as opposed to a pendent. (I just realized what a huge jewelry nerd I am, sorry!!)

So I have been practicing cake decorating for Parker's birthday. My first attempt with fondant (pictured last week) didn't turn out so well. This week was much more of a success, I actually made the fondant correctly. This was my first creation of the week.

I was never a fondant fan because I hated the way it tasted, why ruin a cake!?! But that all changed when my mom gave me a fondant recipe that tastes great (how can you go wrong when it's made with marsh mellows?)!!

But by this time I was sick of making a cake just so I could play with fondant so I decided to use a shoe box. My children thought I had lost my mind, especially when I kept telling them that we were going to eat it for dessert (hehehe). But it was great practice with much less of the mess.