Read this!

It's HILARIOUS!! It's got some colorful language but it's a good book. The author, Bill Bryson decides to hike the Appalachian Trail that runs from Georgia to Maine. A 2,100 mile stretch across 14 states. You will die laughing!

A Sister, A Sally, and A Secret

Alia turned 5 months on the 19th and like always I'm late in posting about it. Here are a couple of off the wall pictures that shows her fun little personality.

This is a really blurry picture but I wanted to show you how much hair she has lost. She really looks like a baby that has a toupee on top and still bald around the sides and back.

She has been doing this for a couple of weeks now. I think she has stronger abs than I do. She seriously want to be able to sit up all by herself.

Brody LOVES his sister,

and isn't so gentle with her,

and makes her apprehensive every time he's around.

Today we went over to Kurt's aunt and uncles house where their boy, Brendan, had showed us Salamander's he caught. I was very intrigued so I had to blog about it.

I recently read The Secret. Ever read it? I've always wanted to read it because there was a big to do about it but didn't get around to it till just barely. If you've never read it basically is about how you can control your destiny by radiating brain waves into the universe, telling it what you want. Sounds weird but the just of the book was actually good. It said that you need to be thankful for what you have, give a little to charity, and think positively. If you wake up and say it's going to be a bad day, then you're going to have a bad day and instead of saying, "Don't get wet" you would say "Stay dry" Is that a bad example? Anyways I didn't fully believe it could work but I didn't think it would hurt to try and what's the worst that could happen thinking positively?

Well after being positive for a couple of days, and trying to change my thinking, this came in the mail. A flyer for Robert's Crafts Customer Appreciation Day.

With a grand prize of a screen printing machine priced at $250. I sent positive brain waves into the air, saying that I was going to win instead of I want to win, and I knew, SERIOUSLY KNEW, I was going to win. We went to Robert's I put my name in for the drawing along with Kurt's and guess who won? KURT!! Hahahaha!!

As we were driving there I kept telling him I was going to win. I just knew it! He thought I was a loony so when his name was called he was in shock! My screaming in the store, amongst all the people, there was a lot, kinda woke him up. He was still dumbfounded when we left but I was so excited I kept punching the air, too excited to contain myself.

So now I'm a believer of most of that stupid book. I still don't believe in some things it says like thinking positively can get me the perfect parking stall but hey maybe that's why I never get it!

;)

A Date With My Deer

Yesterday a friend of ours offered to watch Drew and Brody while Kurt and I went on a lunch date to celebrate him getting a job. I think we've stretched this job celebration as far as it can go. We stopped to get gas.

Then we headed over to DI to look for something Kurt could rig into an arrow holder of sorts for the archery hunt. It was nice not having all of our kids because that meant I could go in the store too instead of having to wait in the car.

I'm always interested by all this knick knack crap. Who did it belong to? Who would actually have had this in their house? This pig though was cute.

I love when we take Alia places in her car seat with a blanket over her to block the sun, she always seems to peak out and find me.

After smelling the dust off of ancient junk that should just be thrown away, we went to eat at

A Cafe Rio knock off, if you didn't know.

When we got home Kurt wanted to get in his gettup and practice once more before the hunt started. The archery deer and spike elk hunt started today. Can you find him?

I bet you can't find Drew either! She loves doing everything her dad does. She ran up to me yesterday and said, "Daddy's gonna get a deer and we're going to EAT HIM!" The last part was seriously savaged. Disgusting. I don't know what we're going to do with her!

60 yards away

I'm amazed how accurate he is. I can't even see his target deer.

And while we're on the subject of hunting for survival check this book out. Saw this movie edited and loved it and I just finished reading it for my book club.

Cakes and Things

For Drew's birthday she wanted a Polka Dot theme. Unfortunately the only place we could incorporate the theme was in the food, particularly the cake. I made a simple box cake, the funfetti one to be exact, because it looked like polka dots when you cut it, covered it with a simple buttercream icing, mixed my marshmallow fondant, colored it, then cut and applied the dots by brushing the tiniest bit of water on the back to make it glue together.

Have you read this?

If not get this book, make this cake and eat it while you read it. The book is great and the cake will take care of your chocolate cravings you get from reading it.

Death by Chocolate! A flour less chocolate cake with ganache.

The only thing I did differently was make two cakes each in a 9 inch round spring form pan. Layered a cake, ganache, cake, ganache and frosted the outside as well and put it in the fridge to let the ganache set. It tasted better the day after so let it sit in the fridge overnight and take it out as soon as you're ready to serve it. This cake is SO rich that each person only needs a sliver and a glassful of milk! I really only had to do one cake but I love the layered look and didn't want to chance cutting it in half and having the whole cake fall apart on me. Also to get your cakes, brownies, bread loafs anything you bake in a pan to come out nice and clean make pan release. It has a long shelf life so save the leftovers of your pan release in an air tight container in your cupboard and use it till it's gone.

Warning! Readers be Advised!

If you are still reading Breaking Dawn or haven't yet do not read any further!!  I'm going to give my full opinion of the book with every spoiler spoiled.

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So if you've disregarded my warnings you have either finished the book, could care less about reading it, or just like to spoil your own fun.  I'm not going to dawdle but going to get right into it.  I was SORELY disappointed!  It started off okay.  I loved that they got married and that they actually did it while she was human but how did she get pregnant?  If vampire's can't cry how in the world did that bodily fluid flow?  Sure he was stuck at his 18 year old self but that still doesn't explain to me how he could get her pregnant.  That's okay though.  She's pregnant, that's interesting, I can live with that.  Then why did it have to change from Bella's point of view to Jacob's?  I mean I know that you had to know why he broke from the pack and all that but I can't stand listening from Jacob's point of view.  But that's okay it needed to be done to also tell that he imprinted on Renesmee... which by the way is the stupidest name in the world!  I was very disappointed with the name.  I also wanted Edward to actually bite Bella instead of injecting her with his venom. I know he bit all around her neck and such but I don't know.  I guess I wanted that part to be more romantic/gory/initimate?  Does that make sense?  But that was just a minor detail.  I could let that one go.  Now back to the imprinting... WHAT?  Sure it made sense when she was explaining that Jacob should be a part of their family and more than a friend.  It just got a little... silly?  Over the top?  That's okay though.  What I cared about was the battle at the end that looked like there was no way around.  Before I move on to THAT subject another thing, Why did Stephenie Meyer waste so much time with J. Jenks?  If in the end of the book there was no need, why waste so much time on that subject?  All she needed to say was that she got papers for Renesmee and Jacob.  Moving on, why in the world did Stephenie Meyer pass up the chance to have a huge epic battle scene?  That was the biggest disappointment in the entire series.  What was she thinking?  It could've been amazing with the wolves, the newly befriended vampires, and have the Volturi's witness choosing the Cullen's side.  She didn't have to let any of the Cullen's die if that's what she wanted.  I was SO ready for this amazing battle scene and it didn't happen.  Did she want us to focus on just Bella and Edward the true main focus of all the books?  Because I personally believe the reader's love for the couple would have magnified ten times if they would've survived the fight.  All in all the book wasn't bad but was a big disappointment.  If I would've known the build up was going to be the biggest let down I'm not sure I would've wasted my time with the series.  I LOVED Twilight and Eclipse but if it was going to end this lame I would've ended the series with Twilight + him biting her and them doing it. :)  That's just my opinion.  Tell me what you think.

Bite Me! hahahaha

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!!  Right now it is 9:12 pm Pacific time and although I'm not going to the Border's party I am going tonight to pick up my book!  My mom is going to watch my kids while they sleep so I can sneak out and get it!!  Kurt is at Covance right now being a guinea pig or else I would've made him come with me to the party and dress up.  Nah, I've never been to one of those parties, always wanted to go, but terrified it would be lame.  I'm just so excited!!  I took the kids to the mall earlier today and I got a wristband with a number on it.  At 11:40 pm we have to line up by number to determine who's first in line.  I was apparently the fifth person to get a wristband so I'll be the fifth person to get my book.  Again I can't wait, I'm so excited and if Edward doesn't bite Bella by the end of the book I'm going to have a huge bonfire, Hitler style, and everyone is welcome to join me.  Happy reading!