Easter Treats

Giveaway still going on down below, scroll down to yesterday's post.

I wanted to make some easy treats that we could take to my church friends and our neighbors. One had a birthday on Monday so I thought cupcakes would be a good thing since it's birthday like, and Easter stuff for Bubba as well, to have fun with and decorate. I used Rainbow Chip cake mix, since it looks like Easter inside and will be great once you bite into them.

I used this recipe for frosting. It was good, but not THE best as claimed. Though I am more of a buttercream kind of girl and this tastes more like whipped cream to me, so that's probably why. It's good though.
Here are cute marshmellow bunnies that Target had for .98 a package. They are soo cute and you can do some many different things with them, for less than a buck, I had to grab some.

You can make them Kiss. Bubba didn't really like that. How come kids don't like to see adults kissing, or anything of the like?? I think it's sweet, they think it's GROSS!! LOL

Me and Mad Booger

Or you can make a family out of them. Here I am with my 2 little guys.


And these were in the dollar section(same place, Target) so I grabbed them too. I am not a big peeps fan, nor do I like marshmellows, (you wouldn't think that would you??) except in krispie treats or hot cocoa, but I had to get them. I thought they could be really cute. They had blue and pink, but of course with boys, I went with the blue ones.

Grab some coconut, put in a plastic baggie with some green food coloring and shake it up. And there you go!! Easy grass.

Here are all of them on plates. (More things from Tar ge, as I call it)

My mom got me these cute Easter confetti eggs from Williams Sonoma a couple of years ago, and I have never put them to use. It was time. You can cover a whole cupcake with them, or sprinkle them around, for a few eggs in the grass. I tried both ways.


Different variations of what we made.

If you don't like coconut, you can just use sprinkles, or colored sugar crystals for your grass. I had these green ones on hand, so I used them.

I guess I have something for bunnies. I didn't realize that I did until yesterday and saw just how much I do things around Easter with bunnies. Or how many I have in my house. Bunny pictures and bunny books. Bunny decorations. We have quite the bunny collection. It's a spring thing right?? Tell me it's not just me?

I saw these guys at a home decorator store when I was up at my sister's earlier this month and I had to get them. I got the only 2 that were left. They represent my 2 little guys. Aren't they cute?? I loved the bow ties, and the overalls with the buttons. They spoke to me and I had to take them home. They had a whole family, (which I am now wishing that I would've gotten, but my sister said, just get the 2 little guys.) I shouldn't have listened to my older sister. The whole family was adorable!! Oh well. Less in the house, and that is what I am trying to accomplish, so I guess she did know better.

Go and make some Easter treats for your party this weekend, or for your neighbors, or just for your family. They are really cute and fun and sure to please!

We are going to take our Easter Bunny pics today as well as make this Easter bunny cake like she has on her blog. See a bunny trend??
My mom had this same pattern, and I remember doing it when I was younger. I have it frozen in the freezer, so we'll frost and decorate this afternoon, after pictures, or maybe even after dinner tonight. I'll show you the results tomorrow.
and maybe our little bunny collection too..............maybe.

Egg-cellent week ahead!

Little Doo Doo Easter last year 2009

Here were are.
Fastly approaching the weekend.
I can't believe Easter is almost here. (I've got to take the kids for their annual Easter Bunny picture. It's our tradition, dye Easter Eggs, make and eat lots of deviled eggs, oh the list goes on!)

Spring has come, flowers are blooming (allergies are driving me crazy) It has been 80 degrees here.
I've had to turn on the air conditioner already a few times when I think, "It's hot" and see that the thermostast agrees and it's 78 degrees.
I'm not ready for hotter weather already. It never seemed to really get chilly here this year.
Awww.... the downfalls of life in Southern California. It's rough I tell ya. I do like a little bit of a change though, and I like the boots, sweaters and scarfs that come with colder weather.
Ok, so it's about the clothes I guess that I like. No surprise for me!

I like the spring clothes though too. Or lack thereof, I guess is more correct.

So these pictures that I took last year of Boo Boo, are popping up on our other computer in the screen saver. I totally forgot that I took them.

I "tried" to do a little photo session of my baby at Easter. He was 2 or 3 weeks old and wasn't really excited about what I was doing with him. It was short lived and the "session" if I can even call it that, was over.

The pictures aren't good at all. I couldn't focus, because I was worried about hurting him, he was crying and he obviously was uncomfortable, (well yeah! @@) But looking back, I'm glad I have them. All 5 of them. It's so weird to see them soooo little. I miss that. Even all scrunched up and crying. Look at those lips. That little nose. Awwww....

He was not content for awhile and still unhappy, but after picking him up and putting him near me, he was fine. He still likes to be near me and close to me, especially when sleepy. Not much has changed in that department.

In celebration of Springtime and Easter, which means new births and blossoms. Let's have a giveaway. I have 3 eggs. Filled with my favorites things at this time of year. One will be filled with candy (like cadbury mini eggs, whopper eggs and chocolates (See's, my favorite),

One will be a filled with a $30 gift card to Target, because I have to keep returning to that place often to get things I forgot this year, and the other..........hmmm. How about just some green grass?? or green cash! That works right??

How to enter. Tell me what your favorite thing is about Easter if you celebrate. Or what you like to eat on this holiday. (Do you swarm around the deviled eggs like me??)

If you don't celebrate Easter, tell me what you like about Spring. Cool?

There will be 2 winners. I will post the winners and they will pick their number of Egg. 1,2, or 3.

Giveaway will end Thursday at 5 pm PST. One entry per person, though you can blog, twitter, or facebook about it and come back here and tell me with the link, for additional entries.

Birthday Parrrtay!

Someone turned one!! So we had a little get together celebration.

Lest you think the cake eating pictures were all the pictures I was going to share, they were not. It's just been a busy busy week, so I needed something quick. Here are pictures of the party and how it went down.




Before the guests (aka fam damily) arrived, I took a picture of the treats table. I took this picture to remember all the sweat and energy I put into this.

It was mostly because of these bad boys. Bakerella made it look sooo easy. Cha-right! 2 days folks. 2 days.

I did Elmo and a lighter Cookie Monster first (didn't have the dark blue candy melts at our Michaels) and since they were pretty easy, it built my confidence to give the other two a whirl. Let's just say, it's harder than it looks. But since I put all the energy into them, they went out on the table as well.

It looked better with all the colors anyways.

His elmo cake. That I later decided wasn't going to be just his. There was too much cake here to let him have it all to himself. He is only one afterall.

I didn't take a picture of the island, where the food sat. There wasn't near as much time put in, and well, I forgot. It all came upon me, so suddenly.

After we ate,and chatted, it was time to sing Happy Berfday! Birthday boys daddy to the left, and his grandma (daddy's mom) holding him.

I tried practicing with him for a few days to blow the candle out, but it wasn't working. He was getting more and more scared of the fire on the candle.

By the time I took this picture, he lasted about 3 more seconds and then flipped out and started crying. So his brother or dad blew it out. I'm not sure which one actually got it.

After cake and ice cream we played a little game. The babies had no blind folds.

But 3 and up did.





And they liked it. It was fun for them.





Then Brother goes. Even to play a "baby" game.

Then it was Boo Boo's turn. He was preoccupied before hand with his cake, but now he was ready!

Lastly, it was time to gather round for present opening time.

Everyone pull up a chair! or floor, or couch.

Aunts, uncles, grandma and cousins.

Everyone helps and opens.

He's not sure what to make of all the commotions and goods. (Now I get what you were saying Heidi about my hair. You should've just reached over and fixed it. )
And because my husband was taking pictures. That's all there is to share folks. I want to keep this a nice, fun, family place and I just can't if I put anymore pictures up of opening presents. Let's just say, someone should have TOLD me, my tank was sooo low!

Here is my BIL. This one. He is doing sooo much better and almost back to "normal". He is back at work which is just RAD, any way you look at it!

My sister & her family. Ok, it's just her, the dog and her fiance. But that dog. That dog gets more treatment and care then some people, and he is just spoiled!! Good thing Wiley Bear is soo cute!

It was a really great time. I feel so thankful and blessed for family that we love, and love us. For being caring and generous and they come and help,and clean up (when they have a million other things they could be doing) and are a part of our lives, and support us in what we do. Thank you! Thank you xoxo.

Happy 1st Birthday Boo Boo! We ALL love you!

You realize just how much

You love your kids. Just how much you'll do for them, and your heartaches when one of them is hurting or in pain, and you can't do "anything" for them.

Last night we had a scare. A scare that I wouldn't and don't want to experience again.

It was bedtime and Bubba was getting ready for bed, wanted ANOTHER drink of water and I thought he was starting the excuses again, for procrastinating bedtime. He said something was in his throat, that he needed to drink to get it down.

I gave him a drink. Then he kept guzzling and guzzling and I said, OK, that's enough. He started to say he felt like he couldn't breathe. He said he was cold, and in a matter of minutes he went to full blown uncontrollable shaking. I said to my husband, he needs to go to the emergency room now. As we were getting clothes on him to go he said, I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I think I'm dying. I yelled call 911 now!

My husband grabbed him and ran to the car and said, I'll get there faster than they can get here. And he left. I told him which hospital he had to go to, (we have a few around here) and they drove off.

I had just put the baby down about an hour before, or we would have all gotten in the car and gone.

The next hour, hour and a half seemed like forever. For the first hour I was preoccupied and didn't think much of it. Thinking he'll call me when they get settled. But then I called him and he didn't answer. I couldn't find his cell phone anywhere, so I assumed he had it on him. I called and called. Probably 10 times in 15-20 minutes. No answer. Then I started to panic. I have read many a blogs where people have lost their children and it makes me heart ache. I started thinking, Oh no, was this is preparation for me?? Was I lead to those to understand what it felt like?? I started thinking of all the times I've been "mean" to him. All the things that I have done as a mom, that weren't up to par. All of the emotions came back to me that I experienced when my husband was in a bad car accident, almost 3 years ago to date. There wasn't anything I could do, besides be there. Should I get the baby and go? There was only one thing that helped me that night. I decide it was time to pray. I couldn't freak out, I needed to be calm. I asked the girls that are on an internet group with me, to please pray for me and more importantly him. It was late at night and me being on the west coast, I knew not many were up. But enough responded, that I was feeling better and calm.

I kept calling my husband back and he answered. FINALLY!!! He told me it was what we had suspected. An allergic reaction to something. He was given Benadryl and something else, don't know?? And they watched him for awhile. He was given some prescriptions and was going to be discharged in a little while. They didn't think it was anything big, but we needed to watch him. I was soooo thankful. I was not ready for something to be wrong with my baby. I mean, if something did happen, I would be there and find the strength, but last night, I wasn't ready for anything bad to happen. I'm so grateful for prayer. Right now, more than ever, it helps me daily. I think it's how I get through my weeks. My days and it is definitely what allows me peace and comfort in these times. Bubba, I love you soo much. I am so thankful you are in my life and that you are here with me, right here, right now. Hugs and lots of kisses. Bear kisses. Butterfly kisses, and your favorite "zerberts." Mommy

A birthday celebration

I am soo sad about this picture darn it. I sooo wish it would have been in focus. But, I am a learner and trying to figure out all the settings and get the colors right and balanced and light and all that mumbo jumbo, that I guess my f stop was too low?? Is that what happened? That's what I'm thinking. Or, I was too close and it isn't a macro lens and so it blurred.

Hangin' with his da da. Before we "started" the celebration.

Cupcake eating. (Yes, I realize that he had an Easter bib on.) It hit me, half way through cupcake eating time. I had to run and get the birthday bib and change it.

Once I realized it, I was mortified. At least, he's kinda close to being an Easter baby. So I'm not tooo far off.

Just a little sneak off the bazillion of pictures I got at cake eating time. He went to town. I decided a cupcake would be the better option. Such a waste (imo) to throw a whole cake down there, big or small, and let them go at it.

This worked really good. (and he got 2 of them, since I had to change bibs and start again.)

What's in a name?? Mine

My birth given name. Where did it come from? How come they choose it? Growing up, I wanted a common name, a name that was popular. I had a different name. Maybe I should ask my mom to type this out. Maybe it would be better to come from her. Though I’m guaranteed to be bawling if I let her do that, so I guess I’ll stick to me posting.
I am child number five, out of six. The middle child, of middle children. Lovely huh? Explain anything you were wondering about?? This pregnancy was very hard for my mom. I was very big and got hard to carry.

I started typing this up over a month ago. That is where I got. 2 little paragraphs. I decided I would ask my mom to tell me where my name came from, even if I would bawl my eyes out. After all, she was the one who named me and really “knew” where it came from. I have heard the story all my life, but it was her words and I knew it would mean more to me. My mom wrote me a letter. This is what it said.

How you got your name
When I was five months pregnant my doctor realized that something was wrong with the growth of my placenta. I had to take a 24 hour urine test to the hospital once a week until my 8th month. At that time, I started having blood tests. The test always indicated the same. I was borderline placenta previa and was able to carry “the baby” one more week. My due date was May 31st. On May 16th I went to my Dr’s office for an amniocentesis before being admitted to the hospital for an induced delivery. My doctor was so well educated in amniotic fluid that he recognized (through the color of the fluid) that I was not as far along as originally indicated and the baby’s lungs were not developed enough for a delivery. The fluid was tested. My due date was reset to June 14th.
The blood test continued, however. Then I went week after week not delivering “the baby”. My tests were always on Thursday. I had blood drawn on June 30th. Sunday July 3rd, I went into natural labor. My doctor was “off the island”, (we lived in Hawaii then) so his “on-call” substitute checked me into the hospital and followed my progress. When I went into the delivery room the doctor broke my water.
PROBLEM #1 Immediately the liquid ran a thick mossy green. The doctor called for a pediatrician because he knew there would be complications.
PROBLEM #2 the doctor asked me when I had my last test. He started asking me a lot of questions. But I was losing consciousness and was unable to answer all of them. It was at this time, that I “went to the light.”
PROBLEM #3 I could not deliver you because your shoulder measured 12” across! So you had to be taken by forceps.
PROBLEM #4 Once you were delivered, they could not get you to breathe! The Ped had to run and scrub so he could work on you while my doctor worked on bringing me around again. It was so helter skelter in that operating room, that’s it’s no wonder your squeamish, fasting father almost passed out.
PROBLEM #5. The Ped suctioned and hit you on the back until he got you to breather. Then there was the concern of your weight. You had to be tested for diabetes.
PROBLEM #6 Nothing more was said until the day (3 days later) we prepared to take you home. The pediatrician came into the room and explained that because my placenta was not functioning correctly, I was not expelling your waste through the tissue. Instead, your waste was staying in the amniotic fluid and you were re-ingesting it. There is no oxygen in waste; therefore, no oxygen had gotten to your brain. It was never definitely determined how long this had existed. We could only determine that on Thursday the fluid was normal. (most likely the condition developed during delivery.) However, it would not have taken very long for you to go without oxygen, so it’s always been somewhat of a mystery!?!?

Therefore, it was suspected that you would be retarded. The Pediatrician told us, “There is an 80% chance that your baby will be retarded. But it will take a year of observation to determine if that is correct.”
We were obviously devastated. We tried to think of name that would be appropriate, but nothing fit but “Hope”. First we hoped, you would live, and then we hoped you would be alright, and finally I hoped I would never have to go through that again!! It was a very scary time.
On the way home from the hospital we stopped at the Gonsalves. Dad asked Gerald to come to the house pray with him. Him and Linda followed us to the house. We went to our bedroom where it would be quiet. Just as dad started, the phone rang. I went to the kitchen to take the call and never heard a word of the prayer. When I returned to the bedroom, however, everyone was crying. I knew it was a special moment and I never asked.
PROBLEM #7 You could not nurse. The Ped told me I had to force you to eat every 2 hours. Because you lacked the instinct for sucking and your brain could not register that you were hungry, you would STARVE to death if I did no force you to nurse. For 3 days, I nursed you every 2 hours around the clock. On the 4th day it was obvious your condition was greatly improved and I reverted back to feeding you on demand (which was about every 4 to 6 hours.) At six weeks you rolled over in your crib, four months you crawled; and “the rest is history.”
When we went for your two week check-up, I never mentioned the retardation because I knew your condition had been reversed. The pediatrician likewise, never mentioned it. We continued taking you to that doctor to that doctor for another 12 months and the condition was never mentioned.
Loves, Mom 

Our St. Patty Pics and Story (trouble in 1st grade)

So first off, I'm really bummed that I didn't get to the corned beef and cabbage. I know?? Can you believe it?? For 3 days I have had my face into clothes, clothes and more clothes, trying to get things out of here and listed on Ebay. I forgot how time consuming that project is.

And boy is it a project.

So, I haven't made dinner for the last 3 nights. Lucky me!! Not so lucky kids and hubs. (though they really don't mind all that much. They're cool like that.)

Well, yesterday I had to get some pictures of my guys in their St. Patrick's Day clothes. (Because Yes, of course they have St. Patty's day outfits, and Easter, and Mother's Day and Father's hey any excuse I can have, I use. I think that's the excuses addicts use as well--oops)

So these are what me and Mr. B did. I started right before his brother was coming home so when he got here, we could do the boys together, and then put Mr. B down for his nap, and take Bubbas pictures by himself.

SOOC (meaning Straight out of Camera, if you don't know)- unedited. Sometimes I just like the natural "what you shot is what you got" look.

Ok, a couple weeks ago, when I took these pictures. He was good. Just sat there, smiled, looked around. It was unfamiliar territory.

Today, no such luck.

I got this,

and this.

a whole bunch of this.

I couldn't get a shot for nuttin'.

So I pulled out the props. The big guns. The things that I remembered I had in the house.

It got a little better.

For a while.

Then it was back to IG-nore. (and standing all by himself on a chair. with no hands!! PANICCC!!)

So I added another prop.

and another.

and then brother came home and it was all over. We were done with our fun.

He was not happy. I had to change gears.

He had gotten in trouble at school. He has never really gotten in trouble at school. He didn't know how to handle it. He was a crying mess. He didn't want to return, he HATED school, hated his teacher, and he was just sad.

I asked if we could take pictures?? Thinking maybe it would cheer him up. Sidetrack his mind. I got a "No!" and he put down his leprachaun trap. So I took a picture of the trap, because, I didn't have time the other morning when we were running out the door.

I think it turned out cute!! It got him to say something nice to me. He told me "I almost got him Mom, almost". Then he went back to sadness.

I let him go in his room and cry out his frustrations, sadness, whatever he was feeling, because sometimes, it just feels better afterwards.

As he was in his room and I was thinking about what had happened, (I got an email head's up from his teacher, so I already knew-she's great.)

I started to think...........

How ironic?? How weird?? He's never gotten written up at school before. Never really heard anything not good from his teacher.

I get him this shirt

and today he gets written up.

I started to laugh.

Then I decided to use the shirt as the scapegoat. GENIUS!!

(ok, not really. BIG mistake with this child, I later learn, how could I forget, the child with excuses. But it sounded good at the time, and hopefully make him better for a moment)

He totally bought it.

But then he started getting mad at me.

For getting him the shirt and saying it was MY fault and so I had to change that right then and there.

We talked about his decisions.

His choices. What he did was wrong.

(Long story short, he took a candy that was on the empty desk next to him, then lied about taking it to his teacher.)

After I assured him he could show his face at school the next day, and he would be O.K. "You gotta take your problems as they come and face them, straight up. Not try and run away." I said.

He asked some ?'s. I answered.

I asked him some questions and I think we got it worked out. At least for now.

Wow! This makes me feel old. or maybe grown-up is the word.

It makes me feel so in-ept as a mom.

I mean, this is 1 st grade. My 1st child.

I'm just getting started here.

What happens when what I have to say, he doesn't listen too. or worse, he doesn't even want to TALK to me??

Gosh, I better start praying now, for the future. I mean, more than I already do.

To make you have happy thoughts, instead of feeling sorry for me, or laughing about MY future, because you've already been there, and done that, or if you're scared of the future too. Let's just look at this and forget about what the future holds.

At least for now.