cookies for baby Alex

I'm getting a niece for Christmas.  It's Daniel (Jim's brother) and Tonya's first baby, and we couldn't be more excited.  I did the cookie party favors for the shower, but snapped pictures of the rest because it was all put together so well.  Her name is Alexandria, so they went with a Greek theme. 

first, the cookies...

This picture is of the cookies in process.  The design mimicked the invite, but was so detailed that I had to develop a new skill.  So I made a stencil for the leaves.  Jim spent a good hour cutting out the tiny details, and it worked surprisingly well with the royal icing.  It was a huge time saver that I will definitely try again.

bagged cookies make me smile. 

but here are some of the shower details that I loved...

Jim and I both had a slew of Saturday commitments, so we divided the kids, and I ended up with Azure as my shower buddy.  She loved all the other littles that were there, especially her cousin Abby.  I love this picture I snapped of them from inside...Abby's little arm guiding my Azh.

Grandma Kay has introduced each of my 3 to olives.  Azure readily gobbled them down.

And here are all of the Scott girls:(Tonya, Jenna, Shanon, Kay, Abs in front, Tonya, me with Azh)

Now we just have to wait to meet Alexandria!

cake at 98

My in-laws' home was brimming with party-goers tonight.  All celebrating this woman turning 98.

I can't even pretend I knew more than a handful of the guests, but one older gentlemen had me giggling as he looked at the birthday cake and proclaimed, "She's older than dirt."   He then eyed me as though it was no laughing matter, and continued..."Well, she's older than Arizona."

And that gave me pause.  Grandma Scott is two years older than Arizona.  And two years shy of a century.  And I do believe that does deserve far more than a pause.

I loved making this cake.  Simply put, it felt creative and fun.  Grandma is a crochet-a-holic whiz.  Seriously.  Her work is so lovely, and we've been lucky enough to collect a few pieces over the years.  Click here to see my favorite. . . the piece that inspired the cake.

 

It will require some pause for thought to come up with a cake for 100.  And Arizona's big 100 will be fast on Grandma's heels...I'm quite sure that deserves celebration in cake as well.

 

Grandma with three (out of 9) of her children - Mike, Gerald, Wayne   

 

"Purse"-uit of Excellence

Our theme for Young Women's Evening in Excellence.  The program was incredible...everyone gave so much to make it a phenomenal night.  My part:  75 little cakes (and very poor piano playing).

(white chocolate handles, buttercream topped with marshmallow fondant over a moist white cake, dusted with pearl shimmer powder before piping more white chocolate)  

I'm usually a good manager on large project baking.  I make and freeze cakes 2 - 3 days ahead.  Decorative work is done two days in advance.  Frostings & fondants, the day before.  Planning cuts down on both mess and overload.  Well, this week threw me some emotional & physical curve balls and my game plan was definitely off.  So, on Wednesday morning I had two choices:  1.  breakdown.  2.  ask for help.   I'm not really the #2 type of gal (unless my mom is around & she was working), so that choice in & of itself was a breaking down of sorts.  But I was so grateful I did.  Both Mandi and Kay came to my rescue.  And, even with six hands, we finished just in time.  I think I'd still be busily cutting fondant if they hadn't come.

The neatly ordered pans of greens, purples and oranges belie the mess that was my kitchen by Wednesday 5:30 pm - when I was already supposed to be at the church, but was still frantically piping my last cakes, wondering how I'd get by without a shower.  A spray of perfume, touch of mascara, pause for pictures (I really wish I had taken them at the display at the church!), and I was out the door. 

Marveling.  

In the morning, when I was working solo, the t.v. was on for quite some time in an attempt to keep my boys away from the kitchen.  At one point there was a show that was talking about how everyone's name has a special meaning.  One little girl walked in carrying a big heart, telling her friends that "Amy" means "one who is loved."   I smiled, told my boys what their names mean, and kept working. 

But when the night was over...dinner served, program finished, cakes eaten, floors swept, my heart was full.  Feeling as enormous as the sign that little Amy had carried.  And the thought came that I truly am loved.  By Mandi and Kay, who readily jumped to my aid.  By friends and family, who offer constant support.  By Jim, who gives his all for this little family.  And, perhaps most importantly, by a Father in Heaven whose tender mercy is fully evident in my life.   Yes, I feel it even now.  A love that's beyond a thought or feeling...that has a tangible weight and swell. 

And for this {all} I am grateful.  A perfect start to our November. 

201

I just happened to look down at the post counter tonight.  This is #201.  And it will definitely be a random offering.

First, a preview of what Davyn will not be for Halloween:

The boys have had their costumes for so long now that they've finally given up asking about trick or treating.  When I told them today that Halloween was in only six days, they were stunned.  And thrilled.  Halloween has not ever been my favorite holiday, but I'm loving the glimpses of it through their little eyes. 

Mandi & I did manage to get some Halloween baking done for Visiting Teaching and neighbors.  We've made these broomsticks for the past three years now.  The sweepy part of the broom is a very yummy brown sugar/butter cookie.  And then, of course, there's the chocolate & pretzel combo:

 

We also made these cursed ghost petits fours.  Damn that Martha.  These were far more complicated than they look.  And, yes, we were nearly cursing after an hour (plus!) of ghost glazing.   

 

But, these were my favorite:

 

Pecans on the bottom, topped with homemade caramel (Mandi's..yum!), chow mein noodle legs, melted chocolate & chocolate shavings.   Very delicious little spider turtles. 

My other busy doing of the month was FHE packets for our exchange group.  And I had Jim busy this time around as well.  He is seriously the best when it comes to my random whim-ish projects with no purpose.  This time around he used my scroll saw to make puzzles that went with one of my stories.  The lesson was on accepting others, and starts with a story about a new animal at the zoo who is teased and scorned because he is so different than the other animals.  Well, he cries, and the other animals come to realize one by one that he's not so different than each of them after all.  

I love doing our FHE packets twice a year, because it truly keeps me mindful of teaching my boys gospel principles more frequently.   

Davyn is OBSESSED with puzzles lately, so once these were all cut & painted, he was my tester, making sure each fit together properly.  I bought him a puzzle at Target the other day and he sat doing it over & over for two hours when we got home.  Aidan would have never managed such a feat of stillness at this age (or now!).  But D's concentration skills are crazy for his two years. 

One more D moment I've been meaning to record:

 

We visited my grandparents a few weeks ago.  The other three kids were off running, but Davyn loved on Grandma Jones plenty.  He kept bringing her books and talking to her about animals and shapes.  A sweet bonding to behold.  I clearly remember two of my great grandmas, and cherish those memories.  I'm grateful that my boys have the influence of so many Great's!

 

cake & babies & Kay & ouch

& bless you if you get through reading this entire post.

Saturday felt like a week.  A good week, but a very full one. 

And a one that made me look back at my former self in awe.  I used to wear heels daily.  Everywhere.  People teased and offered sympathetic groans over my supposedly aching feet.  But these *poor feet* never ached, so I shrugged off the hype, puzzled.  Fast forward five years and two {giant} babies.  I wore heels all day yesterday and honestly don't know if I'll ever recover.  NOW I know what the groans were about.  Now I see why people thought I was insane.  And now I know that I will NEVER again do the all-day heel thing.  But I'll still secretly ache for those days of being 6'2" in sexy heel boots. 

Anyhow...I got up early and packed up for a long day away from my three lovelies.   The BEST part of the day happened early when Jim saw me off with a garage jig.  The boy has some serious moves!  I don't think I stopped smiling all the way to his parents' house.

[Sidenote:  throughout the day, people asked countless times if Jim was "babysitting" the boys.  "Heck no!  He's watching his own kids!" Dads don't *babysit* in my world.  Of course, it helps that in my world, there is a Dad who is a better Mom than the Mom and whose boys view him in total adulation.]

First stop:  in-laws.  Kay was also hosting a shower, and I wasn't able to go (you're my #1, Ras!), but did do a drive-by cake decorating.  This is seriously the best kind.  She baked the cake (yellow, drenched in cream of coconut out of the oven, filled with pineapple whipped cream - divine!).  The bride-to-be is having orange calla lilies at the wedding, so that is what I went for with my fondant. 

We added the Alex & Brian, at first wondering if that was too cheesy, but - hello! - it's a wedding.  It's supposed to be a little cheesy.  And I was all for it once I imagined walking in to an "Amy & Jim" in orange buttercream delight.   Sometimes cheesy works.

Next, it was off to Vella's parent's house.  They very kindly offered their house as our shower spot (or was it Vel who offered for them??!).  The shower was intimate & delightful.  I always like food table pics, so here are a few.

 

Angie posing with food...but where's the bulging belly?!

34 weeks pregnant with twins.   She looked so cute, *almost* making me want to be pregnant.  She just found out that both babies weigh 4.5 pounds!  Amazing little Sophia and Grace.  Already 9 pounds in that belly. 

And the waiting game is on. 

I remember well the bittersweet days at pregnancy's end.  Especially with Aidan, mostly because with him the "end" lasted overlong. 

Due date:  June 24.
Birth date:  July 9. 

And that is how you get a 10 pound baby, folks.  Bake 'em long & large.   As my days overdue turned into weeks overdue, U2's "With or Without You" became the theme song I'd belt to my belly.  With the belly, without the baby, longing for the opposite. 

Those last days waiting for your firstborn are definitely singular.  Sitting quietly on the precipice of the greatest heaven-sent upheavael yet.  Waiting to meet a tiny home-grown human who will change life forever.  It brings a whole new dimension to wondrous. 

And double that in Angie's case.

This girl is the queen of control.  And order.  Whose house makes "spotless" look dirty.  Who still scrubs her floors on hands & knees. I'm mischieviously anxious to see her "order" edges soften as the chaos of two tiny bosses takes its bit of the control.   And to see her melt into knowing that the chaos is 100% worth the love. 

And....drumroll...my last stop of the day was a return to my first.  Because I had to see Kay in her sexy new outfit.  And it didn't disappoint.

 

She went shopping this week and bought this ensemble (jewelry, belt & all) with eyes closed, knowing she'd feel guilt if she glimpsed the total.  So Jenna was there to count the cash.  I loved it all, and was impressed when she conceded to my request for a "powerful" pose.  

This is a woman who pioneered her way through raising six boys and one girl.  Who never had a chance to spoil herself.  Who was traumatized when gifted with a VW Bug on her 50th Birthday.  I admire that hugely in this age of "yes, thank you and what else?" entitlement. 

You look gorgeous, Kay!  And I'll quietly hope that this is only the first of many splurges for yourself!

Well, my feet are still aching, but my sweet Jim didn't gripe when recovery from the week-long Saturday had me napping from 5 - 8:30 tonight, waking oh-so conveniently after the boys went down.  It's so good for a mom in this stage to have a day away...where she feels useful in an adult setting.  And comes home very grateful to be there.  The blasted & blessed irony life.