Orange Creamsicle Cake.

This weekend my Dad and Step-mom were here for just one night. We went to Clark's Fish camp and I had the best dessert EVER. No lie, it was the most yummy bites of sugar delight in my whole life. It was called Creamsicle cake.

So you know I had to make one of my own! I got this recipe from Cake Central. I used this one: Orange creamsicle Cake (I'm not sure if that link works without a Cake Central account?). It was a TON of ingredients: Several packs of pudding, orange extract, eggs, a cake mix, yogurt, serbert! Just lots of stuff. Anyhow I tasted it and it's good!

Brian's co-workers will get this cake too. I'm seriously thinking of piping "Give my husband a raise cakes ain't cheap" on the next one!

Dad and Sue visit!

Every time we have a visit there is someone who ends up being left out of our photos, this time it was Sue! I swear she was here! I only have a few pics though and they only have the boys and my dad.

Here's the boys in their new matching Seminoles Jerseys!
Here's Dad with the boys.
Ethan decided to get in this tiny pot. (this is the phone that was killed by lightning.)
Stephen has to have a close up head shot each time we get the camera out.


The visit was nice but way too short for me! Brian missed pretty much all of it as he went to the FSU football game yesterday, he literally saw them for 5 min on his way out and 10 min this morning as they were leaving! But me and the boys got to hang out, go shopping for boy clothes at Target and go to Clarks Fish Camp, which is an awesome local seafood resturant. AND at Clark's they have Creamsicle Cake! I already pulled recipies for it so I can make some of my own this week.


Oh and our lightning repairs seem to be done. We replaced our phone, tried to deal with the pool pump, couldn't, called an electrician who told us just what to do *to save us $$ he suggested we do the repair ourselves, it was very simple* we did the repair and it's fixed! So that's good to have sorted out!

For those of you who are following along, I've got a card published in a magazine this month. Vamp Stamp News has a fish card I made on page 18.

An eye for the artistic?

Brian took a series of these pictures of Stephen looking through the action figure's legs. Stephen insisted that this is how he would have his photo taken. I'm impressed by his desire for framing and wonder if he knew his shirt coordinated well with the uniform on the football player.

Matching Aprons, and lighthing strikes

So yesterday we had a storm and lightning struck the tree out front. It was crazy, I was standing right by the window and I could taste the electricity! So it rained down pieces of tree.
It doesn't look like much in this pic but this piece of tree is super sharp and went in the ground like 5 inches. Also that is the window I was staning in. We are all fine, it shorted out our pool pump, we are hoping to be able to fix it with some part that Brian has figured out is the problem. It has also killed our phone, its funny, our answering machine still works, so you can call and leave us a message, but we can't call you back or answer the phone. I left a message that is like, "Hi, it's the Kelloggs, lighting struck our house and killed our phone, we can hear your message or you can call our cell phones." No one has called sense I changed it though, I wanted people to hear it.


I made the boys matching aprons with green froggie fabric, they love to wear them to "clean" and "cook". Apparently Stephen needs new PJ's.
We had a pot luck today at church and I brought these cupcakes in this stand. They were a hit. They were lemmon cupcakes with rasberry filling and vanilla buttercream icing.

And the After Shot!

Here's the finished cake. :) I'm really happy with it. Brian will be taking it to work tomorrow.

wish me luck!

Today is the final night of cake class, where I make a cake with a rose spray thingie on it.

Here is my cake I'm going to be decorating, it's triple chocolate. Don't you wish you worked with Brian? He takes these cakes all to work.

see how smooth the icing is though! I'm pretty proud.

More cute pics

So Stephen and Ethan LOVE it when I vacuume. (is that right? spell check says so but it looks so wrong?) Anyhow they love it. I have that horrible... I mean adorable popper toy that they push and it goes, Pop! POP, POP. you know the one? Well anyhow today at Goodwill I found a fake vacuume! It was adorable, it's a dirt devil, lights up and makes vroom vroom noises! So I bought it for $4!





I baked during nap time for my last cake class tomorrow and when I got the boys up I was still wearing my apron. Stephen wanted to know what it was and then wanted to wear one so I let him.





here's pics: (still have snotty noses, you must love them anyhow)



So there is this Mommy and Me apron class at Joannes, I have this new fixation on aprons... will it fem Stephen up too much if I go to it and make him an apron for when he "Helps" me clean? I figure he can use it for messy crafts too ya know? Let me know.

For my family you can let me know by hitting "comments" and then LEAVING ONE! SHEESH! you'd think no one was interested in these cute kids!

I love Costco.

Today was another Costco day! :) gotta love that.

I took pictures, because I sure want to memoralize my favorite place in scrapbook form:

Oh and how do I look? I lost 5 lbs in the past month. :) I'm pretty excited. Plenty more to go though, but progress is the key. Stephen is indeed eating a bowl of sourkrout (how on earth do I spell that?) in that picture. He loves it.

OH guess what they sell at Costco? The 475 watt KitchenAid stand up mixer! I'm in love! Have I mentioned to any of you that I'm after that Mixer? I gotta save my pennies!

I'm still making cakes for class and friends and having a good time. I've been really good and only had one or at most two slices of any cake I've made, I send the rest to Brian's work. They all seem happy with this plan.

We are all doing well, Stephen had a resurgance of his cold, but it seems under control.

Oh cute conversation today:

Me: What color is your shirt (we are learning colors)

S: Purple! (which as you can see in the pics is wrong)

Me: No baby it's Red, purple is a different color from Red.

S: Why mommy?

Me: um.... I don't know...

How does one answer these questions? Why IS purple, purple and red, red? Do I say, "Because purple has a bit of blue in it in additon to the red hue and that makes it purple." I mean what do you tell a 2 year old about color theory?

Later today while getting him in his bed for naptime he leaned forward and LICKED my shirt (I thought he was coming in for a hug, I don't GENERALLY let people lick me) and said, "mmmm Mommy, yummy T-Shirt". It was, of course, my turn to ask "Why?" He had no answer for me.

Oh and apparently I talk about KitchenAid mixers too much, Stephen said, "Mixer" when I visited the one at Costco today. hehe.

Cute words for today.

So me and Stephen have colds. It sucks.

Stephen was feeling a bit better after some medicine and comes up to me (I'm on the couch)

S: Mommy I'm happy, Thankyou.

Me: Awww, (burst into tears)


Later Ethan (who barely talks at all)

"Waaaaaafle MEEEEEEEEEEE!"

closest thing to a sentence yet!

Then when Brian gets home he gets all over him and over and over and over, "Daddad, daddad!" He was all in love with him, it was super cute.


then Stephen said something about Costco and it was bedtime.

*we love costco*


I ate Taco Bell tonight, it was horrid, I officially do not eat Taco Bell... EVER. I might be ill.

No pics tonight, sorry.

Taking a cake decorating class.

Have I shared here that I'm taking a cake decorating class? I am! I'm in the third week and this week we made cupcakes.



Here's pictures: me, sporting my pink ruffles apron my friend Lani made me.
And the cupcakes!


cake decorating is FUN, but NOT CHEAP. Don't let anyone lie to you, it's NOT a cheap hobby!

OH and I decided I need a Kitchen Aid Stand Up Mixer, my arms are about to fall off using a hand mixer! SHEESH, one thing leads to the next doesn't it?




PS, I moved the "Family Silliness" video to the bottom, it's still there, go check it out.

cute conversation:

While getting Stephen dressed on the changing table:


Stephen: Mommy, Careful!
Me: How bout you be careful, and I'll be Mommy.
S: OK Mommy.
M: Who are you
S: I'm me!
M: But who are you?
S: I'm THIS Stephen. *points at himself*
M: Oh, ok Stephen.
S: We go to Costco now?
M: of course!

Yea, life's good.

Here we are playing in the pool today.

:) I love life.

The Simpsons!

Brian found a website where you can Simpsonize yourself. You upload a pic of yourself and it turns you into a Simpson's character. Here we all are:

BrianErin
Ethan
Stephen

Brian's Birthday

Brian's birthday was last week. I made the BEST cupcakes, they were dark chocolate with cheesecake on top. I even made home made icing for them. (which was pretty rich and I scraped it off, but everyone else liked it) He got two gift certificates to Home Depot and white socks, I got him some McFarlaine doll. The boys tried to get him a magazine, but let's not talk about that, turns out it was a poor choice.
Here's the birthday guy.
Here's Ethan with the remnants of his cupcake.
Stephen ate all his cupcake, except for the small amount of crumbs on his face.
Here we all are, Look how big the boys are getting!
And here's Marcia, who was here too.

Crazy allergies!

Stephen and I got up early today and went to the Nemours Childrens Clinic today. I was unsure how to get there or where to park, so I left WAY early. It took like 12 minutes and they have a huge parking garage, so easy! We were checked in by a girl I used to crop with who is a nice lady. Then we looked at the "choo choo train!" for a bit, before heading up to our appoinment. We were very early still but they took us right away, met us just after stepping off the elevator and knew who we were right away!

We were seeing the allergist. Dr. Schrum was great. He asked tons of questions about Stephen, answered my tons of questions. They then did the skin test. I was worried, I'd heard about getting dozens of pricks for it, screaming kids and so on. NO SHOTS! They drew the pattern in sharpie marker on his back, then put a bit of gel like stuff by each dot. They used stiff looking plastic brushes, they didn't look like they hurt at all. The nurse said that it basicly tickles. Stephen didn't cry out, he didn't like me holding him still but he didn't seem to mind the actual stuff. They do a control that always itches and swells, another that never does, then tests for all the stuff they want to test. We were closely watching the peanut one.

He tested positive for peanut and CAT! That was a total suprise to me! He also had a minor positive reaction for wheat! I feed him wheat all the time of course. The dr suspects a false positive for that one, but we will meet with a dietician and she will have us go wheat free for a period then reintroduce it to look for a reaction. The cat and peanut were strong reactions though, no doubt about them.

I already have epi pens so we went over how to use them. I had been told to use them if he had a breathing reaction, the Dr today said ANY reaction give it right away, no delay to look for a serious reaction. Also always go to the ER right away, if I'm alone with them probably call 911.

Cats can't come in at all. He said to consider getting rid of them all together. He has eczma and apparently 70% of kids who have it will develope asthema! I'm suprised by that. A repeated exposure to the cat allergy will increase his risk. I've personally known two people to die of asthema reactions so I'm definately looking at my cats a little different today.

In good news, Chick Fil A is OK! Apparently they use "hot press peanut oil" the hot press process makes it non allergenic. I didn't believe this of course, growing up with my Dad and not being able to eat there. They had two other Dr's come in and tell me, there was a whole group in there telling me it was ok. SHOCKING. The nurse said her kid is allergic to peanuts and they eat there about once a week. I want to go RIGHT NOW I love that place! I'm still nervous though, but they all said it's totally fine.


Here's Stephen right now, watching TV.
Here's his back, they put cream on the spots after so they arn't itchy anymore or even rasised. That splotch you see is a birth mark, the black is sharpie.
Here is Stephen looking at his Epi-Pen information and pointing out the peanuts, which he will tell you are "bad". He calls the pen his "peanut pen" and the video that came with it is the "peanut movie".

OH, MOM!!! we can't stay at your house ever! He can't sleep in a house with cats, he can't even be there for more than about 30 min and that is definately what caused the rashes he got at your home. :(

He's also definatley NOT allergic to dogs. I want to get rid of the cats and get a dog TODAY. Someone send me a dog.

Cute Stephen story

So Stephen drinks way too much milk, he's a milkaholic.

Yesterday just before nap time he wanted more milk. I said no, he'd had a glass already that afternoon and would be wanting one with dinner, I felt he should not have another. So he stops crying long enough to say the prayer. He's at the phase where he repeats what I say in the prayer back. Just after we said, "bless us that we will get a good nap" he adds right on to his repeat "please bless can I have milk?". What was I supposed to do! He prayed for milk! So you know I got right up and got him some. I only got him a few sips. He drank it then folded his arms back up and said, "Thank you milk, Amen"

Right now he's after me for "snack?" I wonder if he will pray for it?

EXCITING card news!

I just today found out that I have THIRTEEN cards published in the current issue of Just Cards! magazine!! AND there is a teeny tiny corner of one of my cards on the cover.
see that in the center, under all the other cards, with the black and pink and orange circles showing? THAT's my card! hehehe
Ok, if you do purchase it here is a list of which cards are mine. You can tell because they say "by Erin Kellogg" by them!
page 11 Smile Crocodile
Page 24 Lupine Greetings
Page 26 Thinking of you
page 26 prepare to stamp
page 26 thinking of you giraffe
page 30 cat eyes
page 33 little girl
page 33 you're unfrogettable (this is the one there is a bit of on the cover)Page 38 argyle&hearts
page 44 I'm Fluffy!
Page 70 Hoppy Birthday
page 115 Fright Night
Page 112 Happy Halloween.
ALSO one of my cards is on the chapter heading for the following:Everyday CardsBirthday CardsHoliday cards
So there you have it! I'm very excited as I'm sure you can understand. :)

FIRE ANTS

A few evenings ago I was cleaning up the table from supper when Brian decided to take the boys out to the pool. I was gonna finish the dishes then go too. After about 5 minutes he comes running back in with both boys and says, "Ethan got in ants". I don't hear Ethan crying though so I don't run or anything, thinking one or two. Well a minute later he says, "I need HELP" so then I run.

Ethan was COVERED in bites.

Brian was getting in the pool with Stephen. Ethan never gets in unless you force him so he was playing on the patio. Our fat lazy cat Charlotte went in the grass and he followed her. Brian saw him messing with his face and though he had dirt on him. He got out of the pool to get the dirt off Ethan and saw that he was covered in fire ants! He was trying to suck them off his hand. :( He wasn't really crying at all!

So I called our DR at home when we started counting bites and got above 25. She said he should be fine. We had given him benydrill in the mean time. He cried while we were washing him up and changing him, but didn't cry after that!

The next day I though for sure would be miserable because they would be itching and I'd have to figure out how to keep him from scratching and all. He never did itch at them!

It's been 3 days now and he's doing fine. He ended up having them covering his right hand and about 5 on his face, and several in his mouth. Some on the other hand, a few on his tummy and one on his foot. I guess he stuck his right hand right into them! He looks bad of course, but like I said he's acting fine.

Here's pictures:

In good news we FINALLY got a babysitter. Rand a kid in Brian's class at church watched them. They LOVE him, he watches Ethan at church when Brian's teaching. Rand is the one who got Ethan walking a few steps a few weeks back. He never did catch on with that. Well wouldn't you know, Rand said he walked all night and the next day he was walking all over and now walks a bunch now! So that's fun!

Stephen is expanding his interests, as you may know he was all Elmo for a while, then it was nothing but Calliou. Now he likes Mickey Mouse and JoJo's Circus as well. So that's good. I caught him watching The Wiggles the other day but that show bothers me so I turned it off! ;)

Brian's birthday is next month (July 20th) and our anniversary is the week after (July 28th), so lots going on for us.

And also it's HOT out, YUCKY.

Random

I'm not sure anyone reads this but if you do...

Ethan got into some yogurt. :)
I got new glasses.
Ethan in his new Rexy shirt, which Stephen is jealous of and asks to wear every day.

Stephen and Ethan on their cars. Actually the little one was Stephen's and the big one my mom got Ethan for his birthday, but Stephen won't let Ethan ride the big one and Ethan loves the little one more anyhow so we just left them alone.