Today I realized that Zeb only has a few more days of stardom on our family blog. Poor little guy- doesn't even know what's about to hit him. I'll try to give him a few extra special posts coming up.

Luckily life has gotten back to normal and we have these few weeks to enjoy some quality time. Here is the Z man introducing his family of trains! he is so funny about them right now. He dreams about them and talks to them and sleeps with them. It's GREAT! I can't believe how long he can keep himself busy with them on his new train tracks (thanks gma and gpa miller!).


Our day today was back to busy and enjoyable! Zeb loves when I run on the treadmill because he knows he gets to watch his "dvd" (also his new favorite word) and gets his bink (the only out of bed time that it is allowed). It's the only way I can get him distracted so that he doesn't try and jump on the treadmill with me.

















Today we had playgroup and Zeb exhausted himself playing with giant bouncy balls and running into walls! and both Zeb and I were extra spoiled tonight when Kent took us to Bigby Coffee to use his giftcard and get some hot cocoa and caramel apple cider! Zeb was so excited to go out in the snow.


















Look at how cute this kid is.

This little man is so cool.

Tonight I told Kent that if all my rugrats could arrive at this age and were this much fun- I'd have lots lots more.

my first "real" layered cake

I had never attempted a layered cake before this week! Surprisingly mine turned out pretty good. I don't really like cake much at all but I tasted one not too long ago that I decided to try and recreate. It is super moist and really really easy to make!

Next time I think I'll add a layer of ganache UNDER the basic frosting while the cake is still hot and let it ooze into the cake and I'll leave out the chocolate chips (they kind of burned on the edges and tasted funny) or find a better chocolate chunk to substitute. Other than that I really liked the cake. I should have taken a picture of the inside.
The cake tastes MUCH bettter if left for at least four hours (best overnight) in the fridge. Everything gets nice and moist.

Best Ever Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
• 1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor (or vanilla) Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1/2 cup oil
  
• 1/2 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened, scraping side of bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 2 min. or until well blended.
   
2. Bake 30 to 35 min. (I ONLY BAKED IT FOR 27 MINUTES and would do 25 next time) or until toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. on wire rack. Loosen cakes from side of pans with spatula or knife. Invert cakes onto rack; gently remove pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

I made my favorite buttercream frosting (from eclair cake recipe) and spread it between layers and all around. The original recipe I tasted just used a ganache frosting. I'll do both next time :)

It's already time to get back to normal life?

I know, I know- we are lucky that we actually got all of this time off together. That is definitely one of the benefits of Kent being in school forever- we still get long holiday breaks. I am in denial that the time has come to start getting up before six AM again or that Kent is going to be gone for the next five months from seven AM till late late late (he's got boards coming up at the end of the semester) or that in four weeks another rugrat is coming.

It's taken the FULL past four days to try and readjust to Toledo life. I went running yesterday for the first time in twelve days and I am so sore today. I also have been reminded at just how emotional I get at the end of my pregnancies-really, it's been bad. I'll attribute it to the fact that I've been reminded by more than one person that I've gotten "really big" lately- wouldn't that make just about anybody emotional? Also, somehow Zeb came back a toddler instead of a baby. He is talking like CRAZY and can recognize and name all of his abc's. He definitely got spoiled over the break and is taking the return to real life at home the roughest. We've experienced his first full out leg kicking, arm flailing, head banging tantrums since being home.

Welcome back.

Oh, and here are some shots of zebby opening up the present that we didn't have room to take with us to utah. We got it on super clearance last year after christmas for six bucks! TMX (tickle me EXTREME) elmo. Zeb is AMAZED that it can fall over and get back up by itself. He just sits and watches with jaw dropped in amazement.









Is it just me or does the first picture make it look like Zeb is hydrocephalic? Zoom in and look at how long his head stretches back- creepy.

happy happy birthday metta moo!

my baby sister is twenty today!! I am so sad that we couldn't have stayed long enough to help her celebrate her birthday. Metta is the sweetest, most generous, and loving sister in the world!

We miss and love you mett spaghet!

Our big adventure

We decided to take the short trek up to Idaho Falls to visit my grandparents over the holidays and it turned into the not so short trek. The 3.5 hour drive quickly morphed into a six hour drive due to treacherous weather and near death tire blowouts.

The roads were pretty nasty but my dad was driving the beast and we had plenty of weight in the car (all eight seats were taken) to create traction. We had to drive 30 mph for a large stretch of road and just before the summit of Malad pass we had a tire explode. My sis and I have the worst luck when it comes to tires/driving/snowy Idaho roads, etc. Luckily my dad was driving this time and we made it safely to the RIGHT shoulder without shutting down I-15 or attracting seven highway patrolmen (another story for another post). Our biggest concerns this time included the ginormous snow banks we pulled into, the frigid winds on the pass, and the semi truck blown slush that pelted us every sixty seconds or so.

Since the car was filled to capacity (by people and luggage)- getting the tire and all needed gear ended up causing quite the ruckus. Zeb FREAKED when all the doors and trunk had to be opened and he had to be thrown around the car. The roads were SOPPING wet and the wind and slush was FREEZING. The car was on a crazy angle in the snow so properly placing the jack was near impossible. I stood a few feet behind the car on the watch for semis and large vehicles unable to switch lanes in time (we were at the top of the pass on a bend) while taylor had to fenagle the spare out from under the car (he was the only one with long enough limbs to get it without having to lie down in the river of sleet and dirt). Kent and my dad worked on removing the blown tire, Laney tended to banshee baby Zeb and her Hank, and Daysa hung out up front listening to her IPOD and playing with her new Blackberry.

Here's a shot of everybody thinking "why in the trash is she taking a picture right now?"

Finally after at least an hour of unpacking and fixing and repacking the car we exited the freeway onto the frontage road to back track to the nearest gas station so that we could fill up the attached spare with more air. We were all so dirty and wet and cold at this point. Laney even claims to have been hit in the side of the head (while sitting IN the car) by an insanely fast flying rock from a semi whizzing by. She says she's lucky to still be alive- or at least have her vision.

Once we made it into Idaho Falls at my grandparent's house everything calmed down. It was GREAT to see all the cousins and aunts and uncles and my grandparents! The adventures on the road were well worth the trip up.

Like usual I didn't get any pictures with all the family- but here's a cute one of Zeb sleeping in the hotel. This kid slept better on vacation than he has at home in quite some time. Ridiculous!!!

Christmas 2008

Christmas eve morning I woke up with a not so happy early present. My blasted temporary filling from the gaping hole in the back of my mouth fell out (no, I haven't had the work done yet because I am waiting on the insurance approval) and was causing me MUCH pain. Just breathing in cold air made me cringe. My mom called all the dentists she could think of and got me in to see a guy down the street who just happened to be in his office doing some emergency work on another patient. He gave me another temporary filling and then sent me on my way FREE OF CHARGE! yet another Christmas miracle! I would NOT have survived the rest of our trip without a fix.

Christmas Eve is probably my favorite part of the Christmas season. We spent the first part of it with the Millers in Spanish Fork and enjoyed a delicious dinner and program. I didn't get a single picture!! Zeb loved playing with his cousins and listening to all of the piano playing and singing.

At my parent's house we had our traditional pixie pal evening. The presentation of our homemade gifts is always a momentous and climatic occasion. Of course, I got NO PICS. Daysa- you must post a picture on facebook of you in your t-shirt, please!

Christmas morning we woke up to lots more freshly fallen snow and a continuous flurry of flakes all day!! Zeb loved playing outside in it.

The morning was so fun with Zeb this year! He had quite the train Christmas and could barely contain his excitement most of the day. Kent and I also got a lot of great stuff (thanks a zillion moms, dads, sisters, etc) as well.





Kent even got me the coolest thing EVER. I got the ped egg. Some of these tv advertised products just reel me in. I've wanted it for ages and absolutely love it.




The day was so nice and relaxing. We had a another great dinner and had a lot of fun playing the highly inappropriate new wii fit game- "Raymond's Raving Rabbids". Being in Utah was so nice! I'm afraid it isn't going to last much longer- but I'm really glad we ended up making it back this year.