4 months

yet another month older...where does time go? here's a list of Ella's accomplishments so far:

1. cry
2. smile
3. babble
4. grasp things
5. roll front to back
6. roll back to front
7. giggle
8. grab mum's drinks...then giggle/or scream when it's taken away
9. sleep virtually anywhere (even through the rock-concertesque Alberta Ballet's Love Lies Bleeding)

eat your cake!

 this is the cake described below...I wish i could find the website with all the helpful tips but alas, it has vanished...let me know if you plan to make this - i've got tips for you!

 the 5 year-old birthday boy (who's mom thought she had candles but only had 3! - oops)

tie-dyed cupcakes for school birthday snacks

What I Learned Today

I'm not one for making lists, but I feel my learning curve today deserves one...so, here's a list - which I'm dedicating to the list making guru, Jenn Markosky.

Today while making a "lego" cake for Hayden's birthday I learned:

10. I just might be crazy

9. Gel food colouring and gel decorating tubes ARE NOT the same thing

8. YOU can make a "fancy" cake from a rectangular chocolate cake - if I can, you can

7. It takes a LONG time to make a "LEGO" cake from scratch (read 6-7 hrs!)

6. Fondant may look pretty, but I'd rather sacrifice prettiness for some good ol' butter icing

5. A pound of butter and 8 cups of icing sugar makes A LOT of icing

4. It's easier to ice a cake without a fussy baby attached - an attached sleeping baby is fine for icing (the cake, not the baby)

3. What a crumb coat is - and why it is necessary...this, I might add, is extremely useful information

2. To cut marshmallows, use scissors sprayed with cooking spray

1. No matter what the cake looks like it is made with sugar and kids will love it (although I think mine turned out pretty well...stay tuned for a picture)

While I was making this cake, I was reminded of the first "fancy" cake I made...I believe it was cut into "Happy 16 Jenn" and the tray was decorated with beer bottle caps...anyone else remember this? Wish I had a picture to share.

Ok, that's enough, I'm done learning for today.

I just need to mention how excited I am...I can't wait for June 18! Ella and I have confirmed our plane tickets for a week long vacation to Montreal and surrounding area to visit Judy. I don't think anyone really understands how excited I am (well, maybe Judy does). It's been 1 year and 4 months since we have seen each other face to face. I can hardly wait!!! I feel like a kid at Christmas who is getting the best gift ever!

3 months

A little more timely this month! You may not be able to decipher, but Ella is wearing her "seeding" clothes as it's seeding time...the green spots in the flowers are actually John Deere tractors (a gift from great auntie Doris and uncle Miles - thanks) and I think it's super cute. The monkey is also a "little piece of Malaysia" from some of our awesome friends over there. Ella is such a lucky girl to have so much love around the world!

Adventures of Naked

 ...or almost naked

Hayden's costume creation of "Elephant Man"

I'm not sure why Hayden feels the need to wear no clothing, but you can often hear me telling him "you need to at least have underwear on to sit at the table"...I seem to remember someone in else in my family who had a similar affinity for nakedness.

Dancing Queen

April and May have been a blur thanks to all Alyssa's dance competitions. She competed in two numbers in 4 competitions and inevitably she usually danced on separate days. We were in Fort Saskatchewan, Red Deer (twice for 2 different festivals) and Sherwood Park. Her group did very well in all the competitions, scoring numerous "gold", "high gold" and one platinum. Twice her ballet group one high score for their level which include a trophy and some money (which her instructor said she is splitting between the group). She loved the costumes, the music and competition. I'm so proud of her!

Jazz Number: Wild

To the dance remix of "Born to be Wild"

I'm not sure I "agree" with the costumes, but they suited the number and it was what the choreographer chose...

Ballet: Barnyard Hoedown

This was their stellar number for which they received multiple accolades