JAMSquared

Jessica has recently took to blowing bubbles. She especially loves it if you blow bubbles too. It is the cutest thing. In this video, James is blowing bubbles for her as she sits on James’ Mom’s lap. It was taken last weekend.

I’m trying to increase the number of birthday cards in my stash. That is part of why I typically make 2 of the same card when I make cards. One to use now (in this case my BIL’s birthday) and one to use later. I think this card turned out pretty cute and will be perfect for male birthdays. I used Jen del Muro’s Sketch for You to Try and The Cat’s Pajamas color challenge of olive, light blue and ivory.

Stamps: The Cat’s Pajamas
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Ski Slope
Ink: Stazon Jet Black
Markers: Stampin’ Up Bashful Blue, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie; atYou Spica Clear
Accessories: Stickles Frosted Lace, dimensional
Tools: Nestabilites Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large

As promised, here are pictures from our trip to Midland last weekend. It was a very busy weekend.

My Dad had so much fun at the breakfast table, he ended up being the last one to change from his pajamas.

My sister wouldn’t want to see the other picture I snapped of her and Cameron.

After breakfast, we all hung out. Cameron found a giant foam hand that he immensely enjoyed. Of course, it made all the Longhorn fans happy, especially since my sister is an Aggie through and through.

I can’t wait until all the kiddos are old enough to play together. It will be so much fun. Growing up, I never really spent much time with my cousins. Partly, because I didn’t have many, two on my Dad’s side and three on my Mom’s side. And partly because none of them traveled and they lived a ways away from us. So I think it is great, that we all live close enough to see each other often and that we’re all willing to travel.

After lunch on Saturday, we went over to James’ parents house and visited with them a bit.

Then we stopped by his grandparents for a little while. His grandparents will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary in September. Isn’t that exciting? Yep, Jessica has her thumb in her mouth. I think it is so cute how she covers up her nose with her fingers when she does that.

We got back to my parents house right as everyone was leaving to go on a walk. We walked to the playground near the elementary school I attended. That brought back memories. We used to walk home from school. Aspen and Cameron enjoyed the swing. I didn’t bring Jessica’s coat (I didn’t realize we were walking to the playground) and so she stayed tucked under the blanket in her car seat/stroller.

I can’t wait until the kiddos become cheesers. Then Julia won’t be the only one smiling. Plus it will be so much easier to get them to all look at the camera.

On Sunday before church, my Mom got to hold all the grandbabies for a photo shoot, similar to the one my Dad experienced at Christmas. It was so cute how Cameron had his arm around Aspen.

Then we tried to get all four of them on the recliner, which was a tad difficult. We should have stuck with the loveseat from my Mom’s photo shoot.

Jessica did pretty good in the car both ways. The way up would have been faster if we had realized all it took was a light on once it got dark outside to make Jessica happy.

I recently joined the committee at SHPC that makes dessert for the KidStuf Program, a monthly extravaganza for parents to engage kids more deeply in conversations about scripture and our Christian faith. For February, I made these Peppermint Pinwheels, a refrigerator cookie. I saw this recipe on a Food Network special before Christmas and I thought the red and white cookies would also be good for Valentine’s Day. I gave most of them to the KidStuf Program and saved some for James to take to work in his lunch.  They were quite tasty (we also had a few the night I baked them) and were really pretty easy to make.

Peppermint Pinwheels

Source: Food Network

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (I used mint extract since I didn’t have any peppermint)
• 1 teaspoon red food coloring

Directions:

In medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder; set aside. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and beat until incorporated. Add teh vanilla and peppermint extract. Gradually add the dry mixture, beating until combined. Remove half of the mixture from the bowl. Add food coloring, beating until fully combined. In waxed paper, roll out dough to form a large rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat this step with the uncolored dough. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Tear out 1 sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Sprinkle surface with confectioner’s sugar to prvent sticking. Very carefully, slide the red dough on top of the white dough. Trim edges if uneven and patch is necessary. Roll dough into a log, creating a swirl effect. Place the dough back in the refrigerator and let chill for 2 hours. To prevent a flat bottom place in round glass and lay glass on side in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Slice the dough into 1/4-inch slices and place on a parchment lined sheet about 1-inch apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.

Yield: 3 dozen

My parents have a great marriage. They show affection for one another. They talk with each other, not to each other (big difference). They even work together in their own accounting practice. I’d like to think that James and I have the kind of marriage they do. Happy 30th Anniversary Mom & Dad! Here’s to another 30 years.

My sister, brother and I surprised them by going to Midland last weekend. We really got them good. Jason called them up and said he was planning to stop by on his way to Santa Fe for a work function, a total fib. He was the decoy to make sure they would be home. Sarah took care of finding a collage picture frame that she put photos of the grandkids in and I ordered a cake and some food for dinner Saturday night. Friday, Sarah and I coordinated arriving in Midland at about the same time. Jason arrived earlier and then went to visit a friend. We all met at a nearby parking lot so we could then arrive at the house at the same time. Jason knocked on the door. My Mom came to answer it and tell Jason she  had left it unlocked for him. When she opened the door, she kinda got this dumbfounded expression on her face. My Dad then walked up and he had the same expression. The surprise was a total success. Saturday night after the grandkids went to bed, we brought out the cake, which I had picked up earlier (I was impressed with how it turned out considering I ordered it over the phone), and the gift. I think we succeeded in making my parents feel pretty special.

Here’s the card I made for them. I used the previous Saturday’s Sketch for You to Try. It also meets the Hero Arts flower challenge.

Stamps: Hero Arts Clear Design May (images in 3 circles), Clear Design Number Seven (30 in exterior sentiment); Stampin’ Up Congrats, In My Thoughts (inside message), All-Year Cheer III (inside message)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Garden Green, So Saffron
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Prints Certainly Celery
Ink: Stampin’ Up Garden Green, Certainly Celery
Markers: Stampin’ Up Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Rose Red, Ballet Blue, So Saffron; atYou Spice Clear
Accessories: Stampin’ Up So Saffron grosgrain ribbon; dimensionals (center circle)
Tools: colored pencils; Stampin’ Up scallop border punch; Nestabilites Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large