the mysterious box of fun...

right around Christmas, we came home to find a mysterious box on our front porch...inside, was a bunch of goodies for the kiddos...& a note...

it simply said...

To the Skates children:

I am a blog reader & I know this will keep you all busy while your mom makes those cakes. Also, ask mom to post your finished gingerbread house. I will be looking to see how wonderful it comes out! Have a Merry Christmas! Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!

God Bless – your blog reader from VA

inside, was a family calendar, little stockings for the kiddos with fun bath gel inside, hats/gloves for all 3 punks, & a gingerbread house kit!

we're still totally puzzled as to who could be the generous blog reader...but we THANK YOU! the kiddos LOVED their cool hats & gloves! (which by the way, shows me this person is a blog reader - the girls stuff was Zhu Zhu pet gear & their gloves are fingerless!) & putting the gingerbread house together was a ton of fun! :0)

Gabby had a friend come stay the night during Christmas break...it seemed like the perfect time to let the kiddos go town on the gingerbread house...

the finished product...

thx again - whoever you are! it feels really good to know that there are folks out there thinking of us...& doing nice things for others...your package definitely brought a smile to all our faces!!!

xoxo,
sharon

Pinewood Derby 2011

Pinewood Derby car Den & Pack races
1/22/11

Curtis is super handy around the house...a killer electrician! but when it comes to wood-working, not so much ;0) i helped Jaden create a derby car last year & he did pretty well...even earned "best craftsmanship" for the Pack

but this year, i enlisted the help of Grandpa (my dad)...he not only helped Jaden carve/sand his car...but also taught him the names of all the tools they used, & how to safely operate them (with adult supervision of course!)...it sounds like it was not only fun for the both of them...but some really great kiddo/grandfather bonding time!

after it was all built & ready to go, i had Jaden give it a paint job at home...of course, it couldn't be any color other than blue! ;0) this year's car was named "the green dragon" & looked super fast!

Jaden won all 3 heats in his Den race...putting him at 1st place for the Webelos! then there was a 5-way tie for 3rd place in the Pack races...Jaden was beat out in the run-off for that - but was still thrilled about his Den win!

i knew you'd help Jaden create a winner, Grandpa...thanks!!!

xoxo,
sharon

ps. Jaden will get a trophy, & we'll find out who won the "best craftsmanship" award at the Blue & Gold banquet next month...we can't wait!

{this moment} snow fun

{this moment}
"Photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

inspired by SouleMama - a Friday ritual

xoxo,
sharon

catch up cakes...take 2...

a Hello Kitty cake, designed by the birthday girl herself! Juana came by & we drew out her design...she was specific about the colors & shapes...& was thrilled with how the finished product came out...

100% edible...rainbow cake, iced in buttercream...the kitty head is rice krispie treats...everything is decorated/covered in regular & dark chocolate fondant (no black coloring used on this cake!)

the best part was the inside...love the rainbow effect!

i also had some pooh cupcakes to make for a baby shower...

yellow cupcakes, iced in pink buttercream...then topped with fondant pooh faces & bees...

make that 2 baby showers that day...the next was for my cousin's wife...they're expecting a lil girl on Valentine's Day - so went with that whole color scheme...

Aryn's cake & matching cupcakes were all white cake, iced in a light pink icing...

the buttons & bow topper are made from fondant

i recently was honored to donate a cake & cupcakes to a local lady that's battling stage 4 brain cancer...her 28th birthday isn't until April, but her doctors aren't expecting her to make it until then...her best friend threw her a special party to celebrate Rachel's life & asked for a sunflower themed cake & cupcakes...

they were fudge chip & iced in buttercream...accented with fondant sunflowers

i helped a friend surprise her husband on his birthday, which is also their anniversary...he used to drive a derby car, so his wife had me make a replica of it for his cake...it was red velvet cake, iced in buttercream...topped with a rice krispie treat car - meant to look beat up & dirty...

& lastly, came this planes, trains & automobiles cake for 3yo Branson...it's one of my new favs!

the bottom tier was fudge chip & the top tier strawberry...all iced in buttercream...the buildings, & all modes of transportation are handmade from fondant...another 100% edible cake!

here's a message i got from Branson's aunt about how much he loved his cake...

"Branson LOVED his cake! I would pick him up and he'd say I want to go look at my cake...and he'd say airplane, school bus, choo choo! Then, 5 minutes later...I want to go look at my cake! So we just stood there staring at his cake. Then i uploaded the pics and he said THATS MY CAKE! It was precious! Aimee (Branson's mom) said it was the best one you've done yet!"

thx for looking!

xoxo,
sharon

ringing in the New Year...

with my favorite people...the only place i wanna be!

a holiday picture marathon...

a lot happened over our holiday break...we had a great time, & sucked up every little minute we could together...it seems like the break passes more & more quickly every year!

we got our first real snow of the year...& the first real snow since adopting Rocket...

sledding before it disappeared...

watching movies together, & passing out on the sofa...

a visit with Curt's parents on Christmas Eve Eve...

our annual Christmas Eve dinner with my dad's family...

hot cocoa & opening their Christmas Eve gift...

new PJs!

snug in their beds...time for the big guy to pay a visit...

we woke up to a light dusting, & the snow was still coming down...it was a pretty magical Christmas morning!

then the fun began!

we started a new tradition this year...usually, we leave the big meals for our other family get-togethers, & do something fun/easy on Christmas day at home...but this year we decided to go all out! the girls helped me make a ham, sweet potato casserole, cornbread stuffing, greens, rolls & a pumpkin pie! it was so much fun cooking together all day...& really special to sit down to our own fancy dinner on Christmas day!

of course, we did a lot of chilling & playing that day too...

& later, we took a family walk to work off our big dinner...u can see the snow was nearly gone by the end of the day...it was fun while it lasted tho
(also note - PJs all damn day! ~wink~)

the day after Christmas, we got to meet Corey's new little buddy - Marley!

he's SO cute (only 4mos old) & Corey is such a good puppy daddy! i was pretty impressed to see how well he looked after Marley...& of course Corinn couldn't leave him alone!

as if we hadn't celebrated enough...then came time for Christmas with my family...

& lastly, Gabby had a friend over for a sleepover before our holiday break ended...

i hope u guys had an awesome holiday break too...i can't believe a month has already flown by since then! is it really almost February?!?!