must be in my cake phase........

So, I made another cake for LOST last Wednesday. I just can't seem to get enough of these things. Although not quite as hyper-decorated as the last cakes and cookies, this was one was fun to think up. Dusty just laughed and said "whatever does it for you Jess". I suppose that is what life is all about right? My favorite part was the blue sprinkles. I thought that one up on the baking "isle". Get it? I am soooo corny, but this is my blog so I can be whatever I want. :) You can't see it in these pictures, but on the computer screen are some numbers. you guessed it ... 4 8 15 16 23 42.... if those numbers mean nothing to you, you need to watch LOST from the beginning and become addicted like the rest of us.




I also made another cake yesterday just because reading the recipe made me salivate. It has caramel in the center and chocolate chips baked into the top of a moist chocolate cake. Can't eat to much at once or you might not be able to move later. I had to have Megan and Lauren come over and share so I wouldn't eat it all myself. If Marie Antoinette said "let them eat cake" (which she probably didn't by the way) then I am taking her words to heart. See ya!

It's fun to watch them learn isn't it?

Today Tyson and I played a new game "tilt your head and smile", maybe you've heard of it. This is how it goes. I lean my head to the side and give Tyson a cute little smile. I hold it for a second and then Tyson copies me. He tilts too and gives me a darling smile. Then I straighten and he straightens. This time it's his turn to lean. He does it, and I do it, and we smile at each other. By the end we were both laughing pretty hard. He is also learning how to hold hands. I put my hand out, and he reaches up and grabs it, and we hold for a minute. Then he lets go and we start over again.

This picture is of all of the kids at Whit and Tiff's party. Little teeny Ethan (who is an exact copy of Whit by the way) is on the end wishing it were quieter so he could go back to sleep. Baby Ayda is missing her momma (Patrice was at symphony practice). Gabe is fish-hooking Tyson and Tys is not liking this party very much at the moment. Why can't they just hold still for a second for the picture? kids........



Here are some pictures I took of Tyson yesterday. I must be OCD when it comes to pictures. But Tyson is just so darn cute.





Tyson looks just like Sara when she was little in this one. They both have gorgeous eyes.

Our afternoons ( and nights)

To all of you crazy banshees who think you need to see pictures of Tyson: May this satisfy you.


Now that it is pretty warm outside, we can actually go out and not just dream that we could.


I have no idea what is happening here, but it's fabulous!

I wonder if he will still get his look when he's older because it looks pretty mischevious to me.





This is one of the many times at night that Tyson does not want to be asleep. For all of you who have children who are actually good sleepers, (i.e. sleep for more than 5 hours straight through any time of the night), we are very jealous of you.

Dusty Ray

I realize that most of my posts have to do with my boy Tyson. He's so darned cute and occupies so much of my time. However, there is another boy in my life who occupies my time, is pretty darned cute too, and a little more independent than Tyson. Dusty is a "fab" husband. I pretty much love him tons. So, I've been thinking of a way to tell him this this Valentine's Season. I don't know if he checks the blog often, but if he checks it soon, he's in for a treat. So are all of you. Some of you know Dust pretty well. He has different relationships with all of you. Brother-in-law, son-in-law, or simply brother or son. Perhaps good friend. But to me, he is my best friend. Let me elaborate on a few of the reasons I love Dusty:

These are in no particular order, but are all pretty special to me.

*Dusty will take out the heaping load of garbage in our kitchen every day because he knows its my least favorite thing to do. And he only complains about it a little bit.
*He gets up in the morning with Tyson almost every day and gives him a bath, "and his vitamins because I love him so much" ( as he informed me one day)
*Dust keeps our vehicles running smooth. Which I am grateful for because I am pretty clueless when it comes to anything with machinery.
*He loves to listen to me play the piano, even if he does fall asleep every once in a while. I tell him that I play for myself. But that's a lie if he's around. I play for him.
*Dusty pillow-talks with me. I love to lay and listen to his voice and what he has to say. We have our best communication time before we slip off to sleep. (usually)
*Dusty has accepted my family as his own. He as such a good relationship with my sisters and brother. He takes good care of my Grandma, and loves my parents. (Most of the time anyway) (hee hee just kidding)
*He has the same goals about family and the future that I do. He wants to raise a close knit family strong in the gospel.
*Dust does my "honeydew" list, which isn't usually very long, but made of things I can't do. This list is mostly comprised of things like hanging up impossible shelves or rotating pictures on the wall (which require a drill that I only use if I absolutely have to) Also carrying in and out about 20 totes of decorations a year. Thanks Dusty!
*He takes me on Sunday drives around Cedar. On these drives we look at houses and new developments that are springing up all over. Dusty and I have extremely similar tastes when it comes to houses. And as Martha Stewart would say, that is "a good thing". I love this bonding time for us. It gets us out of the house and somewhere where we can talk about whatever.
*Dusty is in a perpetually good mood. He always has a smile to pass around and something cute to say to us.
*He gets emotional when he bears his testimony. It embarasses him, but I find it endearing and that it draws me closer to him.

I could go on forever, but that is enough for this V-day. I better save some for next year. Dusty, I love you so much!

For all of you still reading this, congratulations, and I hope you know what a fantastic guy Dusty is.

Our routine

Tyson and I have settled into a little routine. It mostly includes just us because Dusty is gone by 8:00. Dusty does get up with Tys and give him his bath in the morning, however, which makes me absolutely happy. Then it's off to work he goes. I get up and throw clothes on and start to tidy up the house. I move Tyson in his jumper from doorway to doorway because he enjoys watching me move things around and clean. I hope that means that he'll enjoy it later :) (not watching me, but cleaning up himself). As long as I keep moving around he doesn't get too fussy. If I sit down, that means that we should be playing and he promptly lets me know that. After an hour or so, Tyson gets tired and we (its a combined effort) get him down for a nap. I shower, which used to be relaxing for me, but now I hurry so that I can get other things done when Tys is still sleeping. (stuff like this). After his little (or sometimes big) nap, we go running errands. The bank, post office, Wal-mart, or Roberts. Whatever we need that day. Some days we don't have to go anywhere! Yeah! By the time we are home, we get some lunch, (Tyson prefers sweet potatoes, and I like Spanish Rice) and it's off to bed again. For the boy that is. Usually I finish cleaning whatever was left over from the morning and read or something. Of course, this differs if we have something fun going on, like yesterday when Patrice came over and we decorated Valentine cookies. It's fun to do with her because she is into the little decorating details like me and we both spend way too long on each cookie. Plus, she knows what all of the different decorating tips do and knows cool tricks to do with the frosting. We took some cookies over to Whit and Tiff and got to hold her little baby. He's currently 5 lbs. 1 oz! So cute. Next time I go over, I will take a picture of all the little baby. Tyson is a giant in comparison. Well, the nap is almost over, and I need to get my bank deposit ready.! Errands, here we come!

Some fun last weekend

On Saturday, Megan and I did something we have been talking about for a long time. We decorated cakes! We bought some tips, bags, and ingredients, and went to town. It took us awhile to get everything finished. By the time we had bought the stuff, baked the cakes, frosted them, and then decorated them we were exhausted. But we had a blast! Here are the results.







We realize that we're not professionals, but our flowers did start to look better after a little practice!




In honor of a certain show starting back up today!



Lauren didn't help decorate, so we thought we would decorate her!




As if that wasn't enough, we had a little party for the Super Bowl as well.

Don't the guests look like they are having fun?



Well.... Lauren is always a little TOO happy :)

Future Projects

For those of you who know me well, you know that I like to be busy DOING things most of the time. I like to be able to look at something I'm created and feel like I've spent my time wisely. So here are some of the projects I have ahead of me. First, I want to make one (or more) of these skirts. You can find the pattern on this website. I will probably need my mom's help on this one. Since, I can sew pretty well in a straight line, but get a little scared at anything else.



Secondly, I want to create one of these. It's a nifty apron to carry things in throughout the day. Scissors, pens, phone etc. But, it's cute, so it works.

Here's another version of it.


And lastly I want to make one of these, except slightly differently. So you'll have to use your imagination just a little. Instead of "let it snow" or "love"I'm going to put something like "lucky" for St. Patricks day. You get the idea. I know, I know, like I need another object to decorate my house. Well, old habits die hard! :)