Field trip to The Frontier Culture Museum

Last Friday, I went along with Jaden's 1st grade class on a field trip to The Frontier Culture Museum. We worried about rain that morning, but it turned out to be a lovely day - it sprinkled just a little bit, causing us to have to move our picnic lunch on to the bus. But it stopped just as we were finished eating.

I love this place, but hadn't been there for quite some time. We didn't tour the whole museum, but visited just the American exhibit. It showed how settlers would have started a farm in the early 19th century - from their initial camp, to building a small cabin, to finally constructing the big farm house, allowing the kids to return to school instead of working on the farm every day. We got to learn about how they would cook, garden, raise animals....it was very hands-on and the kids loved it! The house we toured - the Bowman house - was built by a German settler that originally lived in Pennsylvania. He moved to Virginia after hearing about how much cheaper the land was here. The house was actually moved to the museum from where it was built and stood vacant for a long time in Timberville - where we live! :0)

On our way...

The settlers' camp...

Jaden (and the other 2 boys I chaperoned) helping to begin work on the cabin...

Each kid got to get an ear of corn from the corn crib to feed to the pigs...

Jaden trying out a Jacob's ladder....no video games back then!

Inside the Bowman house - learning to get the wool ready for spinning...

By the fireplace inside the Bowman house...

last week's cakes...

Another doozy of a week! This is what my kitchen table looked like at one point...


I'm happy to announce that next weekend will be a break for me!!!! I have a cake truffle delivery to make to Sweet Escape, but other than that - no cakes! Soooo, there won't be a cake post next Monday.

Now, on to the cakes...

EEO-1 Report changes

It's pretty sad that this survey is still needed today. There hadn't been any changes made to it since 1966!!! I will say I'm happy to see that the "Two or more races" category has finally been added. Just imagine how many people fall into that category now a days! The last change cracks me up - thank goodness the government "strongly endorses self-identification". ~lol~

I found this info here...

The EEO-1 Report – formally known as the "Employer Information Report" – is a government form requiring many employers to provide a count of their employees by job category and then by ethnicity, race and gender. The EEO-1 report is submitted to both the EEOC and the Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).

A number of changes are being made to the race and ethnic categories. The revised EEO-1 report:

*adds a new category titled "Two or more races"
*divides "Asian or Pacific Islander" into two separate categories: "Asian" and "Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander"
*renames "Black" as "Black or African American"
*renames "Hispanic" as "Hispanic or Latino"
*strongly endorses self-identification of race and ethnic categories, as opposed to visual identification by employers

we must try this....

this is a wonderful blog that i visit daily - Soule Mama

Amanda made a terrific post today.....i'm not sure why i didn't think of this already, duh! but what a perfect idea for my littlest chef! corinn is always wanting to help, and sometimes it would be easier for mama if she had her own little dish to work on.....i'm definitely going to try this soon!


pure cuteness, right?! ;0)

growing up

i've just realized how nice it is that the kids are getting older and more independent.....usually, the thought of them getting older makes me sad.....the usual, my babies are growing up sulking......but lately, i'm figuring out that there are some pros to this getting older thing.....one being that they are enjoying play time a LOT more - they can go outside, to their rooms, on the front porch, etc. and just play for hours at a time - not needing an adult sitting right by them, keeping watch......of course, i'm looking down from my kitchen window when they're outside - mama hawk, with eyes on her young......it's so cool - my kids are becoming such responsible, independent BIG kids......here's 2 pics of them playing on a wall in the empty lot next door......there used to be a building there, but now there's just the foundation and the steps.....they must have spent 2 hours playing on/around/beside this wall last evening


another pro that i figured out a long time ago......no more diaper bags, sippy cups, strollers, etc. when we go out! this has to be the best pro of all!!!


these ladies (ESPECIALLY corinn!) are cooking fools! they jump at every chance to 'help' in the kitchen.....even if it's just to boil hot dogs.....here they are helping daddy make cornbread last night.....and corinn recently loading the dishwasher


lastly, some pics from the 'photo shoot' that gabby requested last evening.....we had just watched an old home movie from 2004.....gabrielle was 1 1/2 in the video and was such a ham already......she was insisting that her name was jaden "i jaden!" and not gabrielle.....she was singing her A,B,C's and twinkle, twinkle.....telling everyone "no, no!"......all the kids were cracking up! i think that put her in a silly mood...

Easter weekend

We had an amazing Easter weekend! Curtis & I both took off work for Good Friday and had a very relaxing long weekend with the kids. We spent all day Friday just hanging out and enjoying the warm weather. Saturday, we had our Easter dinner at my grandparent's home in WVA. Lots of food & lots of family! And of course, an Easter egg hunt! Then Sunday, we attended our church's very first sunrise service outside. It was cold, but very nice....plus, we had a pancake breakfast afterwards! ;0) Then home for a nap (for the kids...and the adults!), then to my parent's home for our Easter Sunday dinner there. Even more good food and family! And of course, another Easter egg hunt and some egg dying! ;0)

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend too and took time to not only enjoy your family, but to also remember the real reason for Easter - to celebrate Jesus' victory over death....giving us new life in Him!!!

last week's cakes...

last week, i had 2 children's birthdays & 3 adult birthdays - one being my mom's....she found out recently that she's borderline diabetic, so i had my first go at a sugar-free cake.....it wasn't half bad.....everything here is edible, except for the spiderman candle, the flag pole & the worm bucket

Happy Birthday Nana!

Yesterday, my mother turned 49. The whole family (well, except for our youngest brother who's away at VCU) got together for presents, cake & ice cream. I had to get a shot of Nana with all her grand babies. Either my siblings need to stop having kids (cause you know I'm done!), or mom needs to get a bigger chair! ~lol~ I love you mom! Here's to another year...

Weekend cakes...

busy, busy weekend with cakes! i had a total of 7 requests due thursday through sunday....some cupcakes & cake truffles for The Sweet Escape, some more truffles for a bridal shower, a couple repeat bday cakes and a few new ones.....everything here is edible!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

we're all wearing our green! (daddy stopped shaving his head long enough to snap the pic for us....he wasn't finished getting dressed yet)....and notice gabby's big cheese - trying to show off that missing tooth....too cute!

She finally lost it!

friday night, the kids were brushing their teeth for bed....gabby came to daddy with her mouth open wide, "what's this?"....daddy checked it out, "goodness girl, it's your grown up tooth trying to come in behind your loose tooth!"

gabby then came to me, "mommy look!"....i took a look in gabrielle's mouth too, "honey, we have to get that loose tooth out so the grown up tooth has room to grow in"

she thought about it for a second, and nodded her head slowly in agreement.....almost as if she thinking like me - what a great excuse to finally let mommy go for it! i had asked her several times since our first try, to let me try again - but she's been too scared.....flinching, if i even try to wiggle it

i ripped a papertowel off the roll and seized the opportunity before she had a chance to change her mind.....using my thumb, i pulled down the tooth in one swift motion.....pop! out it came, right into my hand

i immediately looked into her eyes, fully expecting to see tears.....instead, she asks "did you get it?!"

i laughed, "yep, here it is!"

she was so excited! what a big girl!!!

ps. the tooth fairy left $1

Bugz (pre-k thru 1st grade spring musical)

Last night was the spring musical at Jaden & Gabrielle's elementary school. The pre-k, kindergarten & 1st grade classes participated, so both my babies were in it! :0) Jaden was an army ant and even had a speaking part. Gabrielle was a firefly & got to wave a cool light around in the dark while singing one of their songs. I got a few pics, but the place was packed and we weren't sitting in a great spot for pics. Jaden took his part so seriously - one of the teachers was the commander ant and gave orders. Jaden was making the most serious face ever and really got into it! Gabrielle was a little nervous in front of all those people, but she did great too! She sang all the words and did all the motions. I'm so proud! :0) Even Jaden's kindergarten teacher from last year commented on how great he did. She said she couldn't believe how far he'd come. We would have never imagined he'd be able to not only memorize 4 lines, but recite them in front of such an audience! The cutest thing was when he first got up to the microphone - he cleared his throat before speaking, to make sure he got his lines just right. ;0)

my army ant...

my firefly...

Corinn being a good girl in the audience...

shouting back orders to the commander ant...

salute! seriously, check out that serious face!

singing 'going on a picnic' and making her bug wings....

a video of Jaden's part....his lines were...

Look at all this food, my friends.
Just see what we've discovered.
It must be almost time to eat,
since they've left it all uncovered.


LOVED it!

weekend cakes...

i've been asked several times how come i don't post my cake creations here.....well, i wanted to keep this blog about my family, and not my cake decorating side gig.....but because cake decorating is such a big part of my life, and because i'm proud of my work, i guess it should be included here.....i will however, not use this forum to sell/advertise/give how-to's/schedule orders/etc......if you have any cake requests/questions/advise/etc., please direct that to my website - www.sharoncakes.com

now, on to the creations.....every monday (or beginning of the week), i'll make a 'weekend cakes' post displaying the work i've done the previous week (most of my work is done on the weekends)....my mediums are of course cake, my homemade icings -butter cream/chocolate butter cream/cream cheese, my homemade fondant & dark chocolate fondant, gum paste, homemade rice krispie treats, chocolate, edible glitters/dusts....the list goes on and on

here's what i created this weekend.....everything you see is edible with the exception of the #30 - it's cardboard, covered in fondant......

true love...

taken last night at The Pub - thx for the date baby! ;0)