happy valentine's day!

Science Fair aka why I hate that my kids are getting older

I love the Kindergarten days. Days when your kid brings home unrecognizable artwork and cute made up stories in their illegible writing. No stress involved. I am NOT loving the monthly book reports, daily math homework that I cannot even figure out with a calculator, and projects that are accompanying this 5th grade year for Kensie.

Sure, I always make her do her own work, but I still stress about it for some reason. As soon as she is done with her book report for the month, I start thinking about the next one. Is she reading enough? Will she finish the book on time? Does she know what she's doing? It's hard for me to let go and turn over the responsibility and control. She always does great and is a fabulous student, so I don't know what I'm so stressed about!

The science fair was one of those things that I thought for sure I would be a nut case about, but I was surprisingly stress free about the whole thing. Kensie's teacher decided that they would assemble their boards in class (no gluing for me!), and Kensie was diligent about keeping up with her experiment for 2 weeks. All I had to do was help her type up what she had written in her notebook. She did a great job. She was a little bummed that she didn't win an award or move on, but you should have seen the experiments some of the other  parents students came up with!

valentines

 We decided to change things up a bit this year for Valentine's Day. Instead of the traditional shoe box, we used cereal boxes. Just cover in wrapping paper, cut a hole, add a handle, and decorate with whatever random leftover doodads you have hanging around!

I was also getting sick of the Valentine candy for the classmates idea, so this year Jackson is giving toy animals and the older kids are giving Mad Libs (thank you, Design Mom! Genius ideas. I just love her!).

Much better than antacid hearts, I think!

lack-luster snow fun

 The lack of snow this year is totally getting on my nerves. I know some people are rejoicing, but I love the 5-6 feet of snow we usually have at our house in the winter. So do the kids.

This year there have been no snow forts, no sledding, no red-nosed children stripping off their snow clothes and cuddling in a blanket with hot chocolate. Last week we finally had just enough snow to play in and for 2 days that's all the kids did. Sure, you could still see the grass poking through on the hill, but that didn't stop them from climbing up and rollling down. They even explored "the woods" at the top of the hill.

Now, the snow on the hill is nearly gone and I don't know if they'll get another chance! I sure hope they do. Maybe in May.....

MyMemories Giveaway

I'm so excited to share this with you today! MyMemories is an amazing site for those who love digital scrapbooking AND those who have always wanted to go digital but thought it was too overwhelming.

I have a bookshelf full of scrapbooks and a TON of scrapbooking supplies, but I have come to love digital scrapbooking. I love that everything is saved on my computer. I love that I don't have to haul out a bunch of stuff every time I want to make something (my kitchen table loves this, too)!

MyMemories makes it SO easy. Their MyMemories Suite software does it all. There are pre-loaded templates and pages included so all you have to do is add your pictures and journaling- like this, for example:

Super easy and cute!

You can also create your own layouts and designs, and their site has so many scrapbooking kits to help you that you're sure to find just what you want. When you purchase a kit you can download it right onto the software and you're ready to go!

I love this digital scrapbooking software because you're not just limited to making scrapbook pages. You can make photo books, cards, videos, calendars....you name it! I was playing around with a cute kit that I downloaded and came up with this birthday invitation-

There are so many fun things you can do!

SO....who's ready to own this fabulous software?!

To enter this giveaway, please visit MyMemories and pick your favorite digital paper pack or layout, then come back here and leave a comment telling me what you love the best! Easy peasy!

For extra entries:

* Follow the MyMemories blog

* Like MyMemories on Facebook

Leave me a separate comment for each.

I will choose a winner via Random.org on Monday, January 30th. Good Luck!

ALSO, as a special for all of of my readers, MyMemories is providing you a Share the Memories code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value!

So, if you're not the lucky winner, head on over to MyMemories and use this code to get this fabulous deal!  

STMMMS17339

Robot Cupcake Cake Tutorial

I found this idea on Pinterest and it was just what I wanted for Lincoln's cake.

What you’ll need:

- Cake mix
- Foil cupcake wrappers
- Vanilla frosting, I made my own buttercream frosting and doubled the recipe
- Black food coloring
- Graham crackers
- Gray decorating sugar
- Bread sticks (Wheat Thins) and thin wheat sticks (Pringles)
- Gummy rings
- Vanilla wafers
- Mini M&Ms, I used Skittles
- Red and white licorice pastels
- Square candy coated gum (Chiclets), I used a butter mint
- Gumdrops (Dots)

1. Bake cupcakes according to the directions on the cake mix box. (You'll need 17 cupcakes)
2. Tint vanilla frosting with a few drops black food coloring to make it light gray.
3. Put ¾ cup of the frosting out in a sealed zipper bag (to use as piping to cover gaps in the graham crackers and create face).
4. Cut an end of one graham cracker into a 1-inch piece for the robot’s mouth.
5. Cut the graham crackers so that you have 6 rectangles (for the arms and legs) and 3 whole pieces (for the chest and head). To cut the arms, legs, and pelvis at angles, I used a serrated knife and used a sawing motion to cut.
6. Cut one last square into the pelvis shape.
7. Cover each cracker with frosting and decorating sugar, and candies and put them aside.
8. Put the rest of the gray frosting on top of each of the cupcakes and place them on a serving platter. Place 2 across for the head, leaving space for the head and chest. Then arrange four to form a square for the chest. Two groups of 2 will make the arms. One will make the pelvis, and three for each leg.
9. Place the graham crackers on top of the cupcakes to create the robot’s body.

Use the breadsticks, cookies and candies to create his features: breadsticks connect the arms and legs to the body. Gummy rings are for the ears, hands, control panel- just cut to the shape you want. M&Ms (Skittles) make the bolts, eyes, buttons, lights and toes. Licorice pastels create the mouth and nose. Vanilla wafers make his knee joints. Stick gumdrops to a toothpick or pretzel stick to create an antenna and lights.

Birthday Boy

I cannot believe that Lincoln is SEVEN! He is such a great kid. He loves to build and draw, play the Wii, act silly, and take care of his younger brothers. He is a great reader and piano player, and is a friend to everyone. 

This year his birthday was pretty low key (Sunday birthdays always are). On Saturday we went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks and he loved that they played shuffleboard on their cruise just like we did! That night we went to Pizza Pie Cafe and played games.

On Sunday Grandma & Grandpa Holbrook came to celebrate. Lincoln requested Nam Tok for his birthday dinner. Then we had cake & ice cream!

Lincoln wanted a robot cake this year:

Happy Birthday, Bud!

Happy Christmas!

 What a great Christmas we had! As you can see, the kids were ready to see what Santa brought. What you don't see is Kensie coming into our room at 1:30 am and then again at 4 am....she was ready all night long!

The kids had a blast and got exactly what they asked for. Jackson wanted a Mega T-Rex and a little motorcycle.

Kensie didn't have anything specific that she wanted, but ended up with quite a haul!

Lincoln got a sweet bike!

Landon got some books and sippy cups, and enjoyed opening everyone's presents!

Oh, and eating candy out of everyone's stocking!!

We had fun playing darts on our new dart board, and snuggling on the bean bag that Matt's parents delivered the day after Christmas.

Later in the day we went to my parents house for more present opening and cousin fun! We were spoiled, as usual.

Aunt Leah made these shirts for the kids. If you know what these quotes are from, you are awesome!

We had a great time with family, which in my opinion is the best part of Christmas. Thanks, everyone, for making it a wonderful day!

Christmas Eve

We started off the morning by making sugar cookies. Lots and lots of sugar cookies.....
Landon was especially helpful this year!

I must share a tip right now regarding sugar cookie making. It has changed my life.

So, when I make my dough, I divide it and roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper right away. Then I place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 15-20 minutes (or longer). I do this with all my dough, then pull one sheet out at a time and proceed with cutting out shapes, re-rolling and freezing as needed. It is SO much easier to cut them out and place on the baking sheet when the dough is frozen! Anyway....

After cookie decorating the kids had fun pummeling each other with a gift from one of Matt's co-workers. It was pretty hilarious!

Later in the day we headed to my parents house for Christmas Eve festivites. The food was delicious, as usual, and the house looked and felt very festive!

As promised, here is the video of the kids performance:
*this video is actually their second performance on Christmas Day for the entire Young family. In the Christmas Eve performance Landon was hidden in the back the whole time...

No Christmas Eve would be complete without a shepherd and his sheep.....

A wise man and his gift of gold......

and the whole Nativity scene!

When we got home the kids opened their Christmas jammies and put out milk & cookies for Santa. They wanted to stay up until midnight so they could see Santa, but when they heard that he might skip our house they rushed to bed!

Happy New Year!

Hopefully I'll be posting about Christmas sometime this week.....

Until then, please enjoy some evil laughing.