A boy and his tractor

Nate was beyond excited to get this tractor from the Challacombe's. He'd push the button then gasp and smile and ooh and ahh. So funny. And he was pretty much done opening gifts when he opened this one. Nothing was going to top this. =)

Happy 2nd Birthday, Nathan!

I can't believe this little guy turned 2 over the weekend!

We had friends (Grandpa and Grandma were on their way home from Tasmania) over for lunch the Sunday before Nate's birthday and then Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Jason and Uncle Matthew came over for dinner on the day after his birthday. We would have had his family dinner on his actual birthday but Josh was in Brisbane and didn't get home until 10pm. Nathan got spoiled by friends and family alike and we love sharing this time in our lives with like-minded friends and family.

happy

cakes to make

pardon my crude drawings. I'm no artist, that's for sure. Especially on the computer =)

The top cake is for Trevor's 21st birthday party on the 27th. 10, 8 and 5 inch squares plus the topper. The 8 inch squares will be a green velvet cake. And I think the 10 and 5 will be chocolate. or maybe half chocolate half vanilla. Not sure. But I can cut them out of the same 10x15 pans so they'll be the same whatever they are. And the topper will be from fondant. Need to get that made so it will for sure be dry and sturdy. And to make things easier I plan on making the cakes on Monday/Tuesday and then freezing them. Then I'll probably do the buttercream on Friday and just have to place the fondant superhero logos and cityscape on the cake Saturday at the church.

Nate's cake is for Sunday at his "party". Just an excuse to have friends over really. anyway, it's a 10x15 cake cut into the shape of a two. The top road will be made from almond flavoured fondant coloured black (the cake shop was out of black fondant so now I have purple hands from colouring it). the sides will be green coloured buttercream piped with the grass tip. And at Easter I found chocolate rocks and put them in the freezer so I'll put them around the bottom edge. Nice and simple. I have some car shaped chocolates so was going to put a couple of them on but then I found some Little People Wheelies on sale so bought two of them to go on top. He loves anything with wheels so it should be a hit. Not that he really cares as long as it tastes good, right? (p.s. the girls decided on what cake he should have. maybe he'll get a choice next year?)

exciting stuff!

can you guess what happened at our house today??

yep, we got 3 chickens! The girls have claimed one each. They named them Lucy Lorene van Huyssteen (Emma), Rosie (Catie) and Jane Risser (Beka). Now to tell them apart! =)

Finished

I know I've written about the front room before but this time I can say that I'm finally done with it. I love to come and sit here and just relax. I made the berry canvas and it turned out exactly as I wanted. and for only $15. The red frame was at Big W on sale so I snatched it up. It has photos of places we've been. I love that the room looks finished but I can change things out as the seasons change/holidays come. I actually took down my Phil. 4:8 plaque and replaced it with a "let it snow" sign for the next month to go with all my winter things. But soon I'll replace those things. I'm debating on a spring theme or a love theme since next month is our 10th anniversary. Soon I'll be counting the days until we leave on our little getaway. I know the girls are already looking forward to a week at Grandma's. Last night they suggested that maybe we should go away for two weeks. =)