Nicolas

Nicolas made the paper when the kindergarten classes performed for a local nursing home!

Last Days as a Three Year Old!

The days are counting down. My little baby... my little newborn... one year old... two year old... three year old...


My sweet little stylish diva who likes food one day and not another, can tell stories using anybody or any object that is around. She can sing for no reason, dance with no music, giggle at herself.

She wakes up to put on a dress before I even know she is up. She likes her hair, baths and good-nights long and her sleep short.

My little girl who can't get enough lip gloss, stuffed animals, Barbie's or time on a trampoline!

My little girl that I would give the world for. And this coming week after this photo was taken...We worked to make a great Rainbow Birthday Party so color her world as she turned four!

Happy Birthday!

Spencer turns four and we jumped right into it with them!



The monkey makes them all laugh!

The cupcakes were yummy!

The friends were fun!

Everyone had a jumping good time!

More!

More Snow! More Cold!

More sledding with friends!

And more cakes!

Mickey Mouse for a three year old.

And Cinderella Pillow Slipper Cake for a sweet little girl!

Let's Try Out the Sleds!

It snowed a enough to sled! So let's try out the new LL Bean "butt" sleds that we got.


Okay, off to try them out... did someone let us know that it was THIS cold and windy out here? I mean really? How is this fun?

No, the wind was not fun but the sled actually was! After Nicolas got his nerve up that is...

Although Lexi was not happy no matter how hard we try. So home we went.

And a bit of fun in our own... less windy back yard.

Super Day Superbowl!

Superbowl Sunday is fun for the entire family!


Nicolas and Lexi get ready for the big day! (can you tell who Nicolas is rooting for?)

Now if they would just let him play!

While the guys watch the game downstairs, the kids enjoy some Bobby's ice cream on the floor of the Hyten kitchen. What more can you ask for in February???

A Sweet Girl Turns One

My adorable little neice turned one year old! And Edie deserved a french poodle party fit for the princess!



I was double honored to be asked to make her cake. It meant as much to me as making one for my own two kids!

It is always a great time to get family together. And double fun when they accidentally dress alike! Love the stripes Tim and Amy!

Edie seemed to get a kick out of the wrapping that Nicolas and Lexi did on her gift.

Inside is a ride on toy, outfit... and of course something to help her be styl'n!

Then after a lot of gifts from wonderful family and friends, the little girl gets to dig into some cake!

Happy birthday sweet girl!  Look forward to watching you grow!

Friends Play Together

As a couple of us got together to make mini egg quieches to freeze and feed our families, we let the kiddos (Lexi, Jack, Ryan and Julia) play.

And play they did...


A bit silly aren't they?

Cloudy With a Chance of Rainbow Play Doh Cookies!

Lexi is having a rainbow birthday party in just a few days. So to get started on prep (oh who am I kidding, I have been prepping for ages) we decided to make rainbow Play Doh Cookies today.

To prep, last night I made the dough. I used the following recipe.  I got it off a few other blogs.  One of them was....
http://sitsgirlsrecipes.blogspot.com


Play Dough Cookies
3/4 C butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
2 and 3/4 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
assorted food coloring (gel or paste works best)
...

1. In a bowl cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth.  I used my stand mixer and made double the above recipe.  (When I did this it made about 38 cookies when it says it should make 48.  Guess mine were a bit bigger but liked them this size.)

2. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir until soft dough forms. Divide dough into Fourths. (okay, I wanted five colors so I divided into fifths.) Tint each with a different food coloring. (I made sure to use Wilton's food coloring for cakes.  If you use a gel coloring instead of the liquid from the grocery store it takes less and the colors are so much brighter and stronger.) 

 Wrap in plastic and chill for two hours. (I made mine the night before so I stuck it in the fridge overnight.)
3. Preheat oven to 350. Shape colors into 3/4 inch balls. For each cookie place one of each color you want (but max at four colors per cookie) and roll to make one giant ball. Roll into a 12 inch long snake, and then starting at one end coil roll to make a cookie. Place cookies 2 to 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet to allow for spreading.  (okay, mine weren't 3" apart... more like a bit over 1" and they didn't spread into each other.  I also matched up my balls to make sure I had enough color mixtures until the end.  I did that about half way through.  That helped speed things up later.  I read somewhere where a lady made all the balls before chilling and I think I would do that next time.  Rolling the balls after chilling does warm them up a bit and takes time... thus takes more chill away.)

4. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.  (Don't wait until the "lightly browned" part.  They brown on the bottom where you can't see them far before they brown on the top.  I suggest 8 minutes and pull them out.)

  Cool and store in an airtight container.Enjoy!

I think next time though I am going to add more flavoring.  I am not a shortbread lover and I think I read someone comparing the flavor to those.  I used one teaspoon of vanilla and one of almond extract this time (when I double the recipe).  And I think I would double that next time or use candy concentrate flavoring next time which would give a stronger taste.  They were a tad bland for me.  The kids loved them.  

Lexi had fun rolling her snake!

Grandma cake over to make cookies with us.  Good thing!  Lexi is only turning four.  Her attention span isn't huge yet.  She made all the balls in front of her and three cookies ... and then ran off to go back to playing with her Polly Pockets.  I shouldn't say her attention span isn't huge.  That girl can play by herself for hours.  No exaggeration! 

Decided to take a photo of the balls that we rolled out.  Wasn't thinking.  Should have taken earlier "during the process shots."  Sorry!

But here is a process shot... in the process of eating that is!  I can just imagine the possibilities.  Blue and orange for Illini.  Red, green and white for Christmas.  Nah!  Rainbows rock!

A Hair Raising Experience

Well, the St. Louis Magic House has had us as frequent fliers the start of 2010. Frequent hair flying too!

First we went there with our little friend Jack (and mom Holly).


Of course Jack and Lexi had their usual loving moments! They are such a sweet pair. I sure hope this continues!



We had lots of fun including a trip to the static ball. I must admit that my and Lexi's hair sure do respond well to static. We practically don't need to visit the ball here to deal with that in the winter. But still was fun! Holly and Jack have wonderful thick hair... and, although it did respond, not quite the heights that the Vetter girls reached. Nice our hair is good for some entertainment value at least!

Then after a fun day in January....
We found a Saturday the first of February that didn't contain a basketball game! Score! We were off to the Magic House again with big brother, Nicolas.

Lexi found a bit of courage this time to go up a small portion of the beanstalk if her big brother was there. He loved this part of the morning.

And again we went to get energized!

The fun didn't stop there.  So many photos were taken I can't include them all.  But here are a few favorites.

 

Lexi got the courage to go down the slide after Nicolas this time too.  Too scared last time.  She didn't want to stop!  Nicolas liked being a mechanic for a little while... until Lexi mentioned getting wet!  Then we were on to the construction zone.  Who's bright idea was it to make this so realistic that it was without one wall... thus freezing!?!?!?!  I mean if you are going to go for realism here then shouldn't you include the big warm jumpsuits that construction guys can wear... and some of those industrial blowing heaters?  Wow! 

Oh, and we had fun playing in front the camera thing.  Here is a family photo (wink).

 Then we tried our hand at being president (Lexi talking rather presidential in one photo and Nicolas in another).  There was a lot of bubble playing going on.  Nicolas really liked making a huge bubble around himself.  This was a bit intimidating for Lexi and she wasn't quite ready to get eaten by bubbles that way.  But she was ready to perform on the stage at "City Hall".  Nicolas was working on his form in the background.

All in all we found both visits to the Magic House to

SCORE!

Now, we need to go one more time and we got a Hat Trick!

What a Great Shot!

As if we aren't playing enough sports (soccer, tee ball, golf and tennis) there comes another winter sport. Basketball! Nicolas jumped at the chance to play Upward Basketball. And his daddy also jumped at the shot to be the assistant coach for his team.

It has been a fun way to spend our Saturday's after Christmas. I admit that it is a lot with practices being every Tuesday night, tennis on Wednesday and then games on Saturday. But with so little chance to go outside and play now, it is a good way to get our little guy some running and jumping time. And that he does!


(from left to right clockwise)
Nicolas right before he makes a shot. Shawn coaching him. Nicolas running in before a game. I love this! the kids run in while being cheered on by cheerleaders! Then the last photos is my little guy dribbling down the field.



Coaches running out on the court. Marty and Shawn work so great with the kids!

And once again Lexi spends every Saturday giving an hour of her playtime to watch her brother in a sport. What a great sister she is!

It has been fun!

Cake Catch Up

As if our lives don't seem busy enough.... here are a few cakes that have kept things busier!


Curious George for a three year old's birthday.

Yo! It it Yo Gabba Gabbe for Tyler's 3rd birthday!

Going wild for Kelsey's 17th birthday!

 

Let's hope the Prince's guy doesn't trip and drop this pillow with the slipper on it before two year old Cinderella (aka Gracie) gets a chance to try it on!