Happy Birthday, Evyn! ~ Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Evyn is 13 today. Where did that time go? It's been a pretty boring day so far for him.

First thing Evyn wanted to do this morning was to open at least one present. So, he got to open the gift from Grandma Val and Grandpa John. A new wallet ... with instructions to look inside!

It is a beautiful wallet made of very soft leather. He liked the extra cash, too!

I also surprized Evyn by inviting his friend, Aaron, for dinner and cake. It was a last minute thing and I told his mother NO present was needed. But, Aaron made a card, and she slipped in a bit of cash as well. That was added to the contents of his new wallet as well!

Ethan gave him a game to play while they are waiting between classes at dance, or for road trips, or just whenever. I don't know if they have played it yet (as of this posting, which is being updated 4/1/10).

Ian bought him some Webkinz and Magic cards.

Amber found a Webkinz Baby Seal, so that's what she decided to give to him. It was on his wish list.

Lastly, the gift from Mom and Dad. I got him a pair of boxers, which are probably WAY too big (but they were green had shamrocks, and Snoopy on them). I also gave him his favorite candy bar, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and a Webkinz Zumbuddy. This, however, was the biggie and Daryn's idea.
A new stereo/radio with an iPod seat. He really enjoys it. Ian gets to enjoy it, too, as he shares the room with Evyn.

****

It's nearly 3 p.m. now and the cake just went into the oven. Why? Because that dear boy just didn't know what he wanted up until yesterday and all I got was "chocolate." So, Ian and I put our heads together and I think this will be another "wowzer" cake ... at least I hope so. Evyn likes Harry Potter. I'm going to make a Monster Book of Monsters cake. (Yeah! Right!) We shall see. Now the big question ... teeth and hair? How do we manage that?

Ian and I decided on white chocolate chips for the teeth, and I am going to use a frosting tip I've never used before. Here's hoping for the best. Photos to follow ... have to create first!

** Later **
Well, the frosting tip did NOT work. I could not get the frosting smooth enough. Should have just used the standard white recipe, made it brown, and then decorated. But, I tried to do a chocolate frosting. So, I just plopped it onto the cake and attempted to make it look like fur. Needless to say, this monster's fir is a bit matted! But, it tasted good and Evyn really seemed to like it. And in the end, isn't that all that matters?

Ethan turns 11 at 2:41 p.m.

This is Ethan's birthday cake. He asked for a Harry Potter cake. So, I decided to take some creative license with that and made him a Golden Snitch cake. It's not very fancy, but he was thrilled!

Many thanks to Grandma Val and Grandpa John for the renewal of the Ranger Rick subscription and the Colgate ballcap and shirt!

Latest Projects

Indian Night is almost upon us. The kids have donned their False Face Masks. Rose got into the festivities, too. Notice her nice tutu?

Ravelry - 2009 Christmas Swap

Last year I joined an online knitting/crocheting community called Ravelry. It's been such an inspiration. Some of the groups I joined involve swapping. The first group I joined was 2009 Christmas Swap and I was partnered with a woman in England who's online Ravelry ID is Jayneybella. We did a Christmas in July swap, and October/Halloween swap, and then the big on in December.

This is the package I made for her for Christmas. The argyle stocking was my first attempt at knitting argyle. I hated to part with it, but I sent it off anyway. The other items I'd made for her for the previous smaller swaps didn't seem to measure up in time spent, etc., so I wanted to make sure she got something I worked very hard on. And this is what I chose for my handmade item.

I also included some chocolates for her three children, some locally made candy (Aplets & Cotlets) for both her and her husband, some treats for their rabbit, and homemade biscuits for their dog. I also made her a pair of footies to wear with thong sandals, or just walking around the house in the summer. She likes pens, so I sent her some CM pens, as well as a fun bird pen. The Tinkerbell keychain came from Disneyland when Daryn took me for our anniversary. The zipper pull I found at a local gift store. I also sent yarn, and patterns, and lastly, homemade stitch markers in her favorite colors. I also sent (but not in the picture here) an emergency knitting kit ... a glass ball with toothpick needles, homemade needles toppers that looked like balls of yarn, and a mini skein of sock yarn. The instructions that went with it: in case of knitting emergency, break glass. it was a cute ornament for her tree.

Christmas Swap sent to England

Amber's 9th Birthday

Today we celebrated Amber's 9th birthday. I can't believe she is nine! Yesterday she was learning to walk and using sign language because she couldn't talk yet. Now she's a non-stop chatter box.

Grandma Val and Grandpa John always give the kids a subscription to a magazine. Amber is now getting a new magazine, American Girl. The first issue arrived a couple days ago, just in time for her birthday! Inside there's a great article about dogs.

Grandma Val and Grandpa John also sent a cute little teapot. Amber likes to have tea with mommy, so now she has something in which to brew her favorite tea ... candy cane!

All the boys wanted to get her a Webkinz, but we limited it to two, a baby penguin and the Daisy Tortoise. I also indulged her by getting her the Schnauzer (below). It's the Webkinz for the month of January.

This is the sweater I am making her. But I ran into a few problems with the pattern, which put me behind and now the sweater is not completed. So, I gave her the book (signed by the author) and the sweater as it is right now, and now I can complete it without having to work late at night when she can't see it. The book was written by local author Debbie Macomber and the yarn purchased at her yarn shop, A Good Yarn Shop. The book is called "The Terribly Horribly Wonderful Sweater my Grandmother Made."

I also made her this little sweater/bolero for her Bitty Twin doll.

This is the doll cake she requested, vanilla with chocolate frosting. The rest was up to me. Daryn made a chocolate ganache and it was quite bitter/cloying. All the kids liked it. Perhaps I'm losing my desire for chocolate (one could only hope). Daryn reduced some raspberries and sugar yesterday so we could tint icing white. So, I made a plain vanilla icing today and then colored it pink by putting in the raspberry reduction (which was very much like jam, minus the seeds). It had a wonderful delicate taste and was the perfect shade of pink. It's not my best efforts, but it was a yummy cake nonetheless. Amber and her two friends, as well as the rest of us, enjoyed and finished half of it. Doesn't go far with 8 people!