Tyler's 4th Birthday

This year, I decided to get some books for Tyler's birthday. Big trucks, back hoes, tractors, I knew it would be a hit.

 

The toys I bought for his gift came in a 5 packs. Since I couldn't fit them all on the cake, I wrapped his present into two gifts and tied a toy to the top of each.

The cake was a hit!

 

The toys were a hit too. I laughed when I saw he was eating with all of the ones on the cake.

 

Then, when I gave him his presents, he couldn't put the toys down and kept trying to open the gift with just one hand.

 

Playing with all 5 toys under the table.

 

Then he opened another gift from his grandparents and got some money from Great Grandpa Paul. Then he disappeared. When I went to leave, I found him outside. I should have known he'd take his new toys out to the dirt.

Construction Cake

A few weeks ago, Melanie asked me to make Tyler's Birthday Cake. She wanted a dump truck cake we had seen the year before. My sister had asked for the same cake 2 nights before that.

 

Unfortunately, the pan is no longer available.

 

Vanessa chose an airplane cake for Daxsen; I'll be making that in a few weeks.

 

Since Tyler is so big into big trucks, back hoes, etc., I suggested a construction cake for Tyler. I had seen tons of ideas on Pinterest and knew it would be fun to make.

 

I found a 5 pack of CAT toys. I put 3 on the cake and the other two are with his birthday gift. I found some edible rock candy and construction cone candles on Amazon. Amazon is seriously the best ever.

 

I tore a corner of the cake off and flipped it over to make a hill. Then I coated it with frosting and covered the mound with some Oreo's I smashed. I also put some frosting in the dump truck so the Oreo's would stay in there.

 

It was so fun to make and it was a lot easier then I thought it would be. I can't wait for Tyler to see it.

Camping

We both love camping. But some years, its just hard to make it happen.

 

While I was working for my uncle at the fair, Josh mentioned he might try to go camp one night. I begged to go with him, and we decided we could make it work.

 

Then, on his way home from work, it started to pour. So we decided to wait a week.

 

I can't believe its been FOUR years since we went camping last! FOUR YEARS!

 

I dug out our camping tote, only to find the lighter inside had melted and a bug spray had leaked. Pretty much every thing was ruined. So I threw it all away and bought all of the essentials. There is still a few things we never had, but want to get. I also splurged and bought myself a new sleeping bag, which I love! (Thanks Kim for lending me yours so I could realize it was just what I wanted, even though I never got to actually use yours.)

 

Friday afternoon, I went up to Yellowpine and found a spot. I took Sage and most of the supplies with me. After Josh got off work, he joined us with a few things I couldn't fit in the car. We set up the tent and roasted hot dogs and s'mores for dinner.

 

The next morning, we decided to go fishing before it got hot. Josh ended up catching 4 fish and I got three.

 

We left Sage's chain at camp, so all we had was her leash. That was a bit of work for an easily excitable dog. When Josh was trying to reel in one of his fish, she fell in the lake. She did not act happy after that. She also tried to lick all the fish while Josh was unhooking them.

 Each day, a chipmunk would show up in this tree and chirp at us for a pit. I tried to get a picture, but he moved right as I hit the button. He's hard to see, but he's in the 2nd to top branch on the left, but the other branch blocks him. We ended up seeing a ton of chipmunks because one of the neighboring camps had set out sun flower seeds. Each time we went by there, there was at least 3 or 4 chipmunks on the rocks stuffing their cheeks with sunflower seeds.

 

Each night, Sage would dig a hole to sleep in. The first two were right next to each other. Also, on the last morning, we gave her our left over English Muffins we didn't eat. She ate the meat, egg and cheese, but then buried the muffins. And she buried each half in a different hole, it took her forever!

 

I saw this deer right next to some one's canopy. They weren't in camp so they missed it.

 

Two of Sage's holes.

 

Sage and I took a walk Sunday morning and saw a small herd of deer.

 

The view from the back of our tent (where the big window is).

 

I still can't believe we haven't been in four years. But we are busy trying to plan another trip in a few weeks if Josh's work schedule works out. 

The Deer in the Closet

As I mentioned in the new home post, Josh declared it officially our home, once he had some heads hung.

 

I don't love them, but I also don't hate them. And since I love Josh, I tried to find a middle ground with him. I wanted the antelope in the front room (its my favorite). Then I agreed to a deer head in the front room, his big elk in the stair way and another elk on his side of the bed. Sadly, that isn't even half of his heads. But its all his big ones.

 

As we were hanging the one in the bedroom he casually mentioned hanging one in the closet. I wondered if the blankets would snag on it as I got them down, but then I realized, I put the ones seldom used on his side. So I said sure. Ten seconds later, it was hung. He later admitted, he didn't want to give me time to change his mind.

 

So yes, there really is a deer head in my closet. That's what happens when you marry an avid hunter.

 

He also offered to hang one on my side, but I declined. I bought a jewelry organizer instead. 

Flag Cake

One of the ladies at work is like Missionary Mom to the Elders in our area. Like even to the point of embarrassing texts close with them .

 

Last week, she started to wonder if one of them would be up for transfer this week. She thought about it and decided it would be the elder from Canada. She wanted to get one last prank in on him before saying good bye.

 

So she asked me to make a flag cake. A maple leaf on top for Canada, but then, an American Flag inside. She had many great laughs as she pictured him cutting into the cake. I agreed to make it for her, as long as she sent me a picture of the inside.

 

Let me just say, I think as myself as a creative person, but not an artsy person. It was hard to draw the maple leaf free hand. But I guess it was close enough they knew what it was.

 

Here's the funny part. They did have a transfer this week, but it wasn't for that Elder. I think she said the other elder was Polynesian. She explained to them that she thought it would be the other elder and so that is why she ordered a cake with the Canadian Flag. But, since it was the other elder, she let him cut the cake.

 

 

They all had a great laugh to find the American Flag inside and even the Canadian said, "God Bless America." But really, they were getting cake, who cares how it looks inside.

 

 It was actually pretty simple to make and I can't wait to make it for the 4th of July next year.

Helicopter

This year, I was able to help my uncle again with his Dutch Oven Stand at UBIC. Its a lot of work, but also fun to hang with family and earn a little extra cash.

 

The highlight of the weekend was on Friday. I had been at the park since 9 AM. We had served a lunch one place, and then headed back to the park to start on dinner. Around 4:00, a helicopter landed I the field behind the bathrooms. We couldn't really see what was going on and had no idea. There wasn't a lot of hustle, so we didn't think it was life flight. Our only other thought was maybe it was the band flying in for that night.

 

I finally had a few minutes to go take a look. It looked like they were giving a tour to the kids at the park. So I called my sister and told her to get down there immediately since I didn't know how long they would be staying.

 

She didn't get the message for about 30 minutes, but when she showed up, I took a quick break to help with the boys. Valex met me at the edge of the parking lot yelling, "Look nana! Helicopter! Red Helicopter!" He ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.

 

Once we got close, he wasn't so sure. So I sat on the foot part and then he joined me for a few pictures.

 

Daxsen wasn't as interested. I think was more interested in the band warming up on the stadium.

 

The pilot even let Valex sit in the driver's seat. Of course, when it was time to go, we couldn't get him out.

 

I'm so glad the boys got to experience this up close. Valex loved it!