Amazing Technicolor Cake

I LOVE the look of this fabulous cake - it's given me loads of ideas for some experimental baking for Valentine's Day. Kids will definitely LOVE it...parent's WON'T due to what it is made of...but it is cake after all....it's Not supposed to be Good For You. Find the cake recipe here at The Omnomicon - the photos are gorgeous...the comments are pretty colorful as well (read 'em and notice that all the mean comments are posted anonomously - so typical)

Girl Scout Trip to 6 Flags

It's my favorite time of year to go to 6 Flags ~Holiday in the Park. We've made it out 4 times this season and hope to go again tomorrow before our passes expire for the 2008 season. These pictures were from the outing with Raistlyn's Girl Scout Troop. All the girls and Caiden along for the fun. He likes the boat ride that sways side to side out over the water and the airplane ride the best. Raistlyn is fearless, she'll ride anything. We're hoping to get on Tony Hawk's Big Spin one of these days....the lines are always too long!

Student of Virtue

Each 6 weeks the school has an assembly by grade in which they award and recognize students for their grades and attendance. Raistlyn has managed to be acknowledge every time for her straight A's - occasionally for perfect attendance and just this last time she was awarded the student of Virtue award for Responsibility. We are so proud of you Raistlyn!

2nd Grade Christmas Play

2nd Grade put on a production entitled "The Greatest Christmas Card (In the Whole Wide World)" The kids were all dressed up as toys, angels, Christmas Trees, snowmen, dancers, Santa and his reindeer, the Nativity characters, etc. It was so cute...they acted out different scenes you would typically see on a Christmas card as they sang and danced. Raistlyn was the announcer and did a wonderful job!

Christmas Eve at the Grandparents

We finished off Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa Patterson's House. There is always good food and fun with cousins. Rowan especially likes to explore Grandma's pretties - she found that lei and an ornament that played "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas that had her giggling with delight." We noshed on Grandpa's venison chili, Aunt Annette's yummy appetizers, Aunt Gloria's yummy cookies, Italian sodas and of course Grandma's scones.

Christmas Eve Festivities

We had a little lunch date with our friends the Bickles on Christmas Eve. Irma made everything just perfect for the kids. They ate, did a couple crafts then had a gift exchange. So much fun!We'll definitely do this again next year.

Christmas Morning at the Camphuysens

This was the scene before the munchins arose from their slumber. Notice the button there? It must have fell off of Santa's coat ~ Raistlyn found it by accidentally sitting upon it Christmas morning. We'll save it until next year and give it back to him.

We had forgotten to put them to bed in their Christmas jammies so we had to hurry and do it before pictures in the morning.

I think the baby doll was the PERFECT gift for Rowan. She loves baby Stella. She rocks her, hugs her and kisses her. She especially loves to push her around in her stroller.

Raistlyn loved her Angel ornament from Grandma Knight. She gets one every year.


Raistlyn had outgrown her little bike so it was definitely time for a new one. You should see her fly up and down the street!

Of course she hates it when the biggest box she has under the tree always has a few pair of necessities in it...boy Santa sure has a sense of humor!

Caiden just can't get enough of his Lego Star Wars game. It's the first thing he asks for when he wakes up in the morning....a Jedi in the making ~ his Daddy is so proud.

This was the toy at the top of Caide's wish list. You know how kids are when they see those commercials on TV right? The bath blizzard is actually pretty cool ~ makes bathtime super fun.

It's our tradition for the past several years to have my parents and two of my sisters over for Christmas dinner. We baked the biggest ham ever this year and had a wonderful time together celebrating the birth of our Savior.