Halloween treats

So I got this idea from here. It didn't really turn out like hers, but I think we all get the drift that they're suppose to be candy corn cupcakes. They tasted good.

I got these mummy ideas from the same website. They were yummy.
This is SUPPOSE to be REAL candy corn. I got it from my mate Sarah, who's blog is private.
I need to ask her a few more questions cause you're SUPPOSE to knead in the colours and then roll them out and cut them to make the real thing.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeah didn't work out so well for me. I left it to cool a little and it hardened up so much I couldn't do much else with it. Dru said "It tastes like candy corn, so that's good" As you can see, if you look closely there's little bites in it.

Then we've got these candy corn sugar cookies. I guess the theme of the month was candy corn. I let them cook a little long. I got this idea from my mate Carrie, who's blog is also private.

Then we've got these witch fingers, which turned out tasting like shortbread. I'm not sure if that's what's suppose to happen but they weren't too bad I think. Next time I'll knead the green into the dough and make the fingers have a nice green tinge to them for extra scariness.

I got the idea for these from here. This is my SIL's mate's recipe blog.
It's my first time making all these things. Some worked, some didn't, but I can only get better right?
I love baking and cooking. No wonder I'm struggling with my weight. Come on NEW YEARS!!!

Snuggly

So Dru's family, from Japan, sent Yuki this when she was born. It's just hung around for the right moment when she'd fit it. WELL NOWS THE MOMENT. We got it out and LOOK ............................... IT FITS.
Oh yeeeeeah baby nice and snuggly.
Dru said that cause they don't have central heating over in Japan this is what the people wear to keep warm.
They should totally where these in NZ as well. I'd be all over it.
So this winter don't be surprized if you see Yuki wandering around in this bad boy.
Awwwwwwww she makes it look so cute.
Now does she look 1/4 japanese? LOL

Kents+Pumpkins=Good times

So it was sweet little Ira's first birthday on Thursday and the kids and I went over the help celebrate. It was wonderful food, as always, good company and chaos kids, ok well it might've been mostly Masaru.
Megan made a pumpkin cake. It looked really good and tasted just as good and then brought these bags out and told us she'd made them for the kids.
She was going to do them at the party but the kids were just screaming around and there was no way I was going to get them to sit still and do their faces and names on their bag.
So she gave us a black piece of felt and the pumpkin felt bags to take home with us.
And these are the results. Masaru already has one so gave his one to Takeshi since he doesn't have a bag to collect candy in.
Then for family night on Monday the Kent's came around and carved pumpkins with us. They came last year too so I thought it'd be awesome to do it every year with them, for the rest of our lives, no matter where we are LOL Ok maybe just while we're here in Moscow............maybe.
Megan and Jake grew their own pumpkins and like suckers Dru and I waited till the last minute and got RIPPED OFF with ours. I'm not telling you how much we paid for them.
ALRIGHT $7 EACH!!

Here's Masaru getting messing with the middle. Dad got Masaru to do the dirty work while he pretended he was busy doing things like taking pictures.

Megan and Gwen's pumpkin. I think it's awesome.
Jake's pumpkin. I'm hoping I can see it lit up. But I dunno if I will. I think it's great.
So great, I did a panoramic of it.

Then here are Dru and my pumpkins. The kids were tired so Megan and Jake went home before we could get a shot of them all lit up. Dru and I were taking too long carving our pumpkins. Pity man I would've liked to have got a shot of all of them together.
I did the one on the left and Dru's is the 'nightmare before Christmas' one.
I think they turned out great.
We've got a ward competition this Saturday for the best carved pumpkin. I think Dru's got a shot.
I heard that if you put Vaseline around the carved parts, it makes them last longer.
Who told me that?
Someone just told me, I can't remember who it was.
Oh well.
So the Kent's plus pumpkins equals good times for all.
Thanks Kent's

Three cups of tea

Three cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson (pictured above) and David Oliver Relin is a must read.
If you don't read it you are missing out, BIG TIME.
I found the author to be quite 'wordy' and was confused in the mass of Pakistan and Afghanistan names and language but still thoroughly enjoyed it and would HIGHLY recommend EVERYONE to read it.
It has HUGE insights on the war we're fighting and even more importantly a WONDERFUL story of how one man, really can, change the world.
This man is amazing and so is his wife. I can't imagine letting Dru go for months at a time to help these people.
They're both the true meaning of humanitarians and charity.
Truly inspirational, truly amazing.
One of my favourite books. I can't wait to own it for myself.
Here is his website so you can have a brief look at what he does and maybe contribute, any way you can.
www.ikat.org

Time Out

I guess my kids can't put Dad and I in a time out so choose to force their toys into time out. I wonder what these two mischieveous dolls did to warrant a time out? Everyone's gotta have someone to boss around right?
They look like they're having fun though don't they? I dunno if Masaru and Yuki realize their forced 'time out' might just be a fun social gathering of two dolls just catching up.

Memory #15

NICKNAMES

So I never really had a nickname growing up until highschool.
I remember a lady, waaaaaaaaaaaaay back when I was little calling me 'Missy' but I never really liked that.
Some peeps would call me Mel, but I never really got into that either.
I WAS also being called Milli as a nickname as well. That stuck for a year or so, but I still wasn't sold.
It was at Southland Girls High School that one of my Samoan mates, Manuia, gave me the nickname, Milz.
For the first time ever, I liked it and then it stuck. I was around 14 years old.
It's followed me throughout highschool and Uni and my marriage.
Some of my brothers call me Milz. Dru calls me Milz, sometimes and I often sign off on my emails to people as Milz.
I like it.
Mostly my mates in NZ call me Milz nowdays.
I don't know if I've ever heard Katie, Evette or Kat call me Melissa.
I love it.
So there you have it.
My nickname.

Must have

So my mate Corey, wrote a story and had it published.
I read it, and it was fantastic.
It's a moving story, that's inspirational.
It's the perfect season to invest in this kind of story as well.
It's a great story to read with the kids or as a quick read for yourself to remind you of the true spirit of kindness and friendships.
Plus who doesn't want to support a budding young author?
Check it out here and see for yourself.

All on a Sunday afternoon

So this is what our old boppy used to look like.
I hand stitched it the other day as it was ripping apart. I thought that was all I was going to have to do, then if it came apart again, buy a new boppy.
It's been through my kids and, at least, one of Dru's sister's kids. So, you know, fair enough if it starts falling apart. I thought I'd just hand stitch it and that'd be that. Dru says "Let's just make a new cover for it. I'm like 'mate, I can't make a new cover' He's like 'It's easy'
So we went to the fabric store and got some material then during a Sunday afternoon he made it.
And here it is. I think it's awesome. Dru doesn't think it turned out well at all. I'm like 'Are you kidding me?'
So let's just be happy he's not the one that breast feeds, otherwise he'd be analyzing his work at least six times a day.
Of course the kids had to try it out.
All just on a Sunday afternoon.
Great job babe, you're awesome.

Anyone seen..........

Anyone seen this binky? We've only got one and Takeshi loves it but we can't find anymore at the 2 stores here in Moscow. I like it cause it doesn't stick to his face when he sucks it and it's got that big tip so it stays in his mouth better. Plus now I've forced this one on him, he won't take any other. I forget where I got it cause Masaru and Yuki never took binky's. If you find it can you let me know? I don't get out much!!!

Peekaboo

I love this kid, I don't think he could be any cuter or have a better personality. He's perfect. I know, I know I'm bias, but it is what it is.