Candy Corn Cupcakes

OK, I will admit we have been busy around here!!  I am trying to get caught up from the last 2 weeks that I haven't had any spare time to blog.  (or much else for that matter)

The last Friday of every month Anna's class has goodies to celebrate that months birthdays.  So this month she got to celebrate hers and we decided to make cupcakes to take.  Now, they weren't any ordinary birthday cupcakes-- we had candy corn cupcakes!!

It is hard to tell in the picture but the bottom of the cupcake is yellow, the top is orange, and the icing is    white =candy corn cupcakes.  We topped each with a candy corn for decoration!  They were a hit at school and home- we got to keep a few here! 

Again, I do not take full credit for creativity!!  I saw this idea on a friends blog and liked it so much we had to try it for ourselves!

Weekly date with my son!

Since Anna has started school, Will and I go to Barnes and Noble at the mall for Story time with "Granny D".  He absolutely LOVES it, which thankfully both kids enjoy reading and looking at books!  It is a standing date that he and I have every Wednesday and we really enjoy our time together. (I am SO grateful that I am home during the day with the kiddos and am able to do fun things like this with them!  I am treasuring every moment that I can...)  This past Wednesday, they were to come dressed in their costumes so... Thomas the Train and I went!  He looked so cute dressed up like Thomas and of course after the story, we had to go play with Thomas the Train in the play area. 

Me, Crafty...Who knew??!!

1)  Well, I have to admit that I have Anna to blame for the new desire for doing things crafty!  Over the summer, she was all the time wanting to do a craft of some sort, so I would get on-line for some ideas.  (those of you who know me- know that there is not much to be said with me and crafts!)  Well, for Mothers Day she wanted to make something, so to the internet I went and I found an idea for Potpourri Sachets.  (What would we do with out the internet these days!!!)  Now, keep in mind that this is the FIRST thing I took on by myself!!  I thought it came out pretty cute, and decided to keep one for myself---the first one of course.  (It was the trial and error one...)

I "painted" the kids hands with fabric paint and with Steven's help, laid it flat on a piece of white fabric that was previously cut out.  With the other piece of fabric, same size as one with kids hand prints, hot glue the two pieces together - leaving a opening wide enough to get your potpourri in.  Once filled with your favorite scent, hot glue the opening closed.  Now, keep in mind this was a first for me so I did not do anything else to mine.  The idea on the internet said you could stitch around the edges for decoration but chose not to press my luck.



2)  Another little idea we came up with is, this vase of flowers.  We have given several of these because they are so cute and pretty easy to make.  They were also fun to color with Anna!

 All we did was print out some coloring pages from a website we like to go to, colored and cut out the flowers.  I then hot glued them to 2 to 3 pipe cleaners we braided together.  (I would recommend 3 pipe cleaners to support the weight of the flower and so you can position them how you want.) Arrange them into a small vase and tada... Pretty easy and fun to give!!  (and they never die like real flowers!)  


3)  This week, Anna and I put together a little sweet treat for her teacher at school.  (We of course made one for her daddy too--he loves these.)  Now, again--thanks to the internet, I got the idea from someone else and tweaked it a little to our liking.  So I don't take full credit...

4)  We picked up a pumpkin after being at Pumpkin Hollow, in Piggit, all day last Saturday.  (pics to come soon!!)  Anna picked out a smiley face and we went to carving it.  Lets just say that she did NOT enjoy the process of cleaning out the pumpkin!!!!  This is the first year we got one due to this very reason, I don't really like cleaning out the Yucky stuff either and Steven said "no way, you are on your own".  I did have her do a little so she could say what it was like, take a look at her response...

                                    She thought it would be fun and just before she "dug" into it...

                                             She realized how slimy and yucky it REALLY is...

                                                        She grabbed a big hand full of it and...

                                      Yeap, she started crying!!!  To say the least, mom finished
                                                          cleaning it out......... YUCK!!!

We did get a really cute finished product out of it!  Anna named it Princess Ava - where that came from I don't know.  LOL 

                                          Princess Anna with her carved pumpkin, Princess Ava

                                            Yes, Princess Ava is even wearing earrings!  LOL

I am excited to report that Anna and I have a couple of cute crafty ideas already up our sleeves for Thanksgiving and Christmas so more to come on those soon...  We don't want to spoil the surprise.

Precious Moments

We have all heard of the saying "Distance makes the heart grow fonder."  Well it is really true with Will and Anna!!  Poor Will misses his sister while she is at school and this week has definitely confirmed it. 

Anna was sent home early from school Tuesday of this week with a fever and they thought she might have strep throat. Thankfully, after taking her to the doctor we found out she did NOT have strep but just a virus.  She was home sick for the remainder of the day Tuesday and I told Will that Anna was not feeling well and we should just leave her alone (she was in her room asleep). That evening when she did come out of her room he was SO Sweet to her and asked her how she was feeling, "are you better Anna, I sorry you sick."  It truly was precious that he was so concerned about her. 

Wednesday, I did keep her at home to make sure she was completely well and to prevent spreading whatever she had.  We started the morning with the 3 of us cuddled up in bed watching cartoons and talking.  Anna decided she wanted to play her Leapster. Will wanted to play so she taught him how to use it and they did a few things together on it.  They played ball together, they even took turns with toys in the car.  What was really heart warming is when out of no where, Will just walked up to Anna and gave her a big hug and said "I love you Anna!"  She then returned the hug and gave him a kiss on the cheek and responded with a "I love you too, Will."  These were just a few of the many precious moments they have surprised me with lately!!  They are the sweetest kids ever, in fact I caught myself thinking "these are not the kids I am used to!"  Most brothers and sisters argue, fight over toys, and bicker over every little thing.  Well, over the summer when they were together all day every day- that was them!!  Now with Anna at school, Will is just glad to have her home when she is.

 They were playing together...

 Cuddled up on the couch watching a movie together...

Awwww,  two sweet kids!!

Anna in The Nutcracker Ballet!!

We are SO excited for Anna as she has been cast in this years production of The Nutcracker Ballet!!  She has waited 2 LONG years to be able to audition for it.  (They require you to be 5 years old by the audition date and she was a whole 10 days shy of being 5 last year!)  She will be a "little mouse" and we begin rehersals this Sunday afternoon...  more to come on that later I am sure! 

 By the way for those who would like to come and see our "little mouse" in The Nutcracker the show dates are Dec. 4, 6, and 7 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, Dec 5 at 2:00.  She would be so excited to have you come and watch it!!  (Let me know if you are interested in coming, what day & I can go ahead and get good seats the day or so after they go on sale.  It has also sold out on certain days before.)

The beginning...

Well, this is the first of many to come!  I never thought that I would start a blog of my own until my sister in law, Belinda, made a deal with me that she would start one if I did... At the time, I thought no way- I wouldn't know what to write.  (I just enjoy reading everyone else's blog to keep up with what is going on) However, the more I thought about it the more it grew on me.  

So for all of our out of town family, I hope to keep you posted on all the action here in the Brown family house!