about time for an update

So I haven't been typing much lately. Not sure why. ... Anyway...

Yesterday was Ella's birthday. She is now 2. It was also the annual registration day for the bases' homeschool group L.I.F.E. So we got up and cleaned the house, I decorated the cake - The cake was supposed to be a ladybug, because Ella likes them and we thought it'd be cute. So last weekend I made a test cake according to the book. It was baked in my Pampered Chef glass mixing bowl, which I'd tried for Naysha but that didn't work, and it turned out okay this time (cooked for 2 hours!), but the shape was all wrong for a ladybug. So we thought it over and decided to just use the Bundt pan, and fill the middle with a cupcake. The next challenge was to get the frosting red enough without tasting awful. Found a decent balance there. The boys were quite concerned when they saw the batter because it was all chocolate instead of spotted. :-) Then I baked it, frosted it with chocolate, and it still wasn't red and spotted! I kept telling them to trust me and see. SO when I finally got it done (frosted in red, spotted with mini oreos, and sprinkled with red sugar for more color) I proudly asked them to come see. Cedwryck took one look and said it looked like a turtle. bah!

Anyway, got that done, made Sloppy Josh meat and put it to simmer in the crockpot, cleaned up the house for home-coming, and went to the meeting. I joined the group, got a little info, and the children had an ice cream. Then we walked over to a playground since it was between showers at the moment. After everyone got wet from sliding we went on to the commissary for milk and burger buns. Shopping in the afternoons is BAD! I can see the need for more intense training times. After 30 minutes or so Bob showed up, very tired and sweaty. He'd been to group PT and they wore him out (and everyone else there). So we wrapped up and Bob took the children to the car while I got in line for the slowest cashier on the planet.

Back home, and Ella and William were asleep, having missed their naps. We got the groceries in, woke the babies up so they could fuss while we set the table, and had a very grumpy dinner. I hate birthdays, I really do. Lots of extra stress and work, and no one enjoys it any more than a regular day. Anyway, we made it and it was time for cake. I brought it in, anticipating a happy exclamation of "bickabug!" (Ella's word for bug - we guess she's saying "pick-up-bug" to indicate the bug is not one that bites or stings). Instead I got a very confused look. After a minute of looking and thinking, Ella decided the cake must be a frog. >slap forehead in frustration< So we ate it, and it was repeatedly declared "yummy." Then, as I take Ella to wash in the sink, she looks over her shoulder at the remaining half of the cake and says, "bickabug!" Like it just dawned on her what it was. Oh well.

After a bit we had presents. She got some videos that I picked up at the thrift store last week, an old doll of Naysha's, a new pair of church shoes, and some dresses from Gram and Papa. She REALLY liked the shoes. They are "pretty." She wore the dress Papa picked out, and the shoes, until bedtime. Oh, we also bought her a flowering plant and set it on the table.

So now she is a big girl and my kitchen is a mess. And I know why I don't write more often. But I'm sure I will again.