The Latest Happenings in Our Crazy Lives

Well, I could backtrack a whole year, tell everyone how much our two babies have grown, paint a picture of the sometimes elaborate hilarities they do almost daily (did I invent a new word?!), but who has time to read a post that long?! And, quite frankly, I don't have time to write one that long either. I've been pretty good at Facebook lately anyway, so most of you that would be interested in our semi-chaotic world probably can guess at what we Klines have been up to these days.

I will, however, post a short synopsis of our latest comings and goings . . .

Cannon is a handful! He is all over the place at any given time. I take my eyes off of him for a split second, and that nearly-eighteen-month-old baby is getting into something else he knows he's not supposed to. The other day, he was climbing up on a table in the living room. I told him to get down very sternly, but he didn't accept my offer. So, I proceeded to ask my son if he needed a spanking. He looked right at me, slapped his hand on his rear end twice, smiled, and continued climbing onto the table. My initial thought was, "Don't let him see me laugh!" He is the messiest, all-over-the-place, I-already-think-I'm-two-even-though-I'm-one year old. I am pretty sure I could set a world record for the number of decibels he hits when he screams. Some friends of ours and their then 17-month-old son met us at the park for our first play date. Their son was sort of shy and didn't come up to my kids right at first. So, what does Cannon do? He walks up and pushes him! I was so embarrassed. Yet, despite his semi-bullying nature and his messiness, he is the sweetest kid I've ever encountered. He loves me as much as I love him. When he says my name or falls asleep in my arms, I melt. He gives me kisses and hugs even when I don't ask for them, signs "I love you" and fist bumps (what we call "giving love") at just the right times, and smiles like he doesn't have a care in the world. Yes, my son may set a world record for loudness, but I think he could set one for sweetness as well. I love that boy so, so, so much. Every time I look at him, I thank God for giving us such a wonderful surprise nearly 18 months ago.

Keely is still my pride and joy in pretty much every way. I know both of my kids will be successful in the future, but I have to brag that K is already successful in EVERYTHING she does. She tumbles at Ready-Set-Go, takes swimming lessons at Melanie Park South, and is already asking her daddy for a guitar. She lights up my world in so many ways. I just have to smile because of her self-motivation. I'm told she's just like me, and I take that to mean I was a pretty neat kid. We pray nightly at our house, and K is getting to the point of memorizing our prayer and adding to it on her own. When we read our Bible stories from her Veggie Tales Bible, she repeats the Bible verse after every story. She asked me the other day if we all have devils in our heads. I told her yes. So, she asked, "Well, do we all have God in our hearts then?" Such innocence, and I love her for it. We talk about God a lot, especially since the passing of my paternal grandparents in January and March of this year. She is very interested in learning about God. A couple of days ago, Carl saw her smack herself in the head. He said, "Keely, why are you hitting yourself? You shouldn't do that!" Her response: "I'm telling the devil to leave me alone. He's telling me to be rude, and I want to listen to God." Way to go, Keely-kins. Shoo that devil away. God is taking care of you, my little one.

As for Carl and I, we're up to the same stuff we usually are, although we're both taking on something new in the next couple of months. I enrolled at UNT as an online Library and Information Sciences with School Library Certification student this summer. I am currently taking my first 6 hours and LOVING it. I am learning some really cool stuff. Carl is registered at Texas Tech for the fall semester as a mechanical engineering major. We are both really nervous about taking on so much when our children are so young, but we also realize that by going back to school, we'll be able to make a better future for them. We want our kids to see how hard work really does pay off. And, even though we're busy, we will always make our kids our priority. Always.

I've posted several pics on my Facebook page. Check out our beautiful, happy family. Life is good, and we're in a happy place these days. I hope you all are, too. God bless!

My Grandfather

My grandfather was a stubborn man
with a temper, who didn't know the right
way to say, "I love you."
His smile was crooked and his hair thin,
glasses perched on his semi-pointed nose,
freckled head from his years of
growing old. He was married to his soul
mate until the day he died.
77 years wears a person shabby,
skinny, and pale. He lived longer
than any of his male predecessors.
77 years is quite a long time.
Although the man was stubborn, had
little more than a few teeth,
couldn't say three little words that
often change the world,
I know he thought of me often,
sitting in his room or on his sofa,
watching pointless news or
reruns of Maguyver,
his mutt dog curled up beside him.
Grandpa, Jesus welcomed you into
his kingdom sometime this week.
You were ready to go, I know.
I want to tell you that I loved you,
despite your faults and shortcomings.
I'll miss you.

And the Masterpiece . . .

Told you I would be back to show off my masterpiece cake. It's a basic sour cream yellow cake again from Anne Byrn. Those of you that are interested in baking must have this book! Check out pages 404-5 for this great recipe. Take my word for it . . . you won't regret obtaining your own copy of The Cake Mix Doctor.

I am going to post the Wilton recipe for chocolate buttercream icing, though, since that's what I used. Here it is:

Class Chocolate Buttercream Icing

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 tablespoon meringue powder

1 teaspoon vanilla (or other flavoring)

5-6 teaspoons water or milk (depending on consistency)

3/4 cup cocoa powder

Add an additional 2 teaspoons of water or milk

Mine turned out pretty perfect, which sometimes is unusual. Icing can be pretty finicky. But, all of you out there that aspire to be cake decorators or even to make something fun just for you, give this icing a try.

I finish with pics of my final product. I am quite proud of it really. As if you couldn't tell. I signed up for the next set of courses, learning to work with gum paste and fondant, so keep checking for more recipes and baking adventures . . . oh, and pics of my beautiful little ones. I'll post one more just for giggles.

Cupcakes and the Kids

I just had to take pics of the cupcakes I made. Here they are.

May I just say they were also delicious! The recipe . . . again from The Cake Mix Doctor Anne Byrn we have Buttermilk Devil's Food Cake:

Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans

Flour for dusting the pans

1 pkg plain devil's food cake mix

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean, or sunflower

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

The recipe called for white chocolate frosting, which likely would have rocked, but I didn't have all of the ingredients. We used her recipe for marshmallow frosting instead.

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 large egg whites

1 jar marshmallow creme

To get the exact directions, check out Anne Byrn's book. I think I need to buy all of her books! She even has books for dinners and stuff. Anyway, tomorrow marks the end of my second set of cake decorating classes. We will make our masterpiece cake, and I will be taking pics. I'm making two recipes of chocolate buttercream icing, a yellow cake, and about 90 daffodils. I only have 36 done. Yikes. So I am going to stop blogging for now. Check back for pics of my hopefully beautiful cake tomorrow!

Okay. I know, you guys want to see the kids, too. Here's a few shots of fire truck day with Moms on the Move.

Sorry, turn your head sideways for that last one. I don't know how to fix it.

And here's one final one of my two favorite people in the entire world. Thank you, God, for our beautiful children.

Baking and Avery and the Calico Hearts

So I bought this new cookbook to add to my collection of cookbooks that sit on my shelf until I get inspired to make something from them, which sometimes takes a long time. But when time is lacking, so is cooking, so I don't blame anything but a busy schedule. This cookbook in particular is so fascinating to me because it contains recipes that all use a cake mix. I happen to love cake, so I happen to love this cookbook. I'm going to make something from it as soon as I get off the computer. Lol. With full credit to Anne Byrn, author of The Cake Mix Doctor, I am posting the recipe I am about to try.

Fiddler on the Roof Cake

Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan

Flour for dusting the pan

1 package (18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix

1 cup (8 oz) sour cream

3/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean, or sunflower

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teason pure almond extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Oven to 350, beat cake mix, sour cream, oil, sugar, almond extract, salt, and eggs on low speed for 1 minute, scrape, beat on medium for 2 more minutes. Pour half of the batter into pan, and add cocoa powder to the remainder. Beat the last half on low for 1 minute. Pour it evenly over the top of the batter in the pan. Marbelize with a knife. Bake until light brown, about 60-65 minutes.

I'm going to make cupcakes, but I think it is actually for a cake. I'm not going to use the recommended frosting, simply because I have a lot of other frosting made already and don't want to make more. If you make this recipe, I hope you enjoy it!

Onto other things . . . my friend's daughter is on America's Got Talent this season!!! Aaahh! If you follow this show at all, look for Avery and the Calico Hearts, a three member girl group from Lubbock, TX. They are so sweet and cute!!! I mentioned that I have been following this show for a good reason, and they are it. They are so great that they made it to Hollywood!!! They will be on August 1, as I understand it, for America to vote for them. Please, if you read this blog, watch the show and cast your very valuable vote for Avery and the Calico Hearts. They need your vote, America!!! This now 4th grade girl is so amazing. I see her almost everyday at school when she comes to meet her mom, who works just down the hall from me. Avery's a great kid! You will love their performance. And someday when they are famous, I will tell everyone that I know the lead singer and her mama! Seriously, guys, just vote.

What is patience?

Patience is waiting for my Kindle to charge so I can download a new book to read.

Patience is cleaning up the chair and floor of Taco Villa after my two year old daughter has her third accident of the day.

Patience is rocking my 5 month old son to sleep and praying he'll make it to 3 AM before he wakes up to eat.

Patience is sitting for an hour at the salon waiting for my newly highlighted hair to dry.

Patience is playing a game that I can't seem to win no matter how many trips I make to United.

Patience is decorating a giant cookie while my hands are starting to hurt like crazy, and I have to stop every so often to give them a break.

Patience is uploading about a billion pictures from my camera and sorting through them.

Patience is not yelling when my kid throws a major fit in front of all my workout buddies and their children.

Patience is recording a TV show so I can catch a glimpse of a sweet fourth grade girl and her friends performing.

Patience is waiting until my kids wake up so I can go get my third coke of the day because I seem to go through them way too fast these days.

Yes, those are all things I've done recently. I haven't really been feeling patient lately, so I made a list of times when I actually have been patient this week. Sometimes it is so incredibly hard to be patient, especially when kids are involved. We've been potty training K since December, and most days she gets it and does well. But today has not been one of those days. I'm trying to keep my cool, despite my frustration, but it is not easy. I think almost every 10th word out of my mouth has been "Grr," because she either had an accident, got into something she should not have, woke up her sleepy brother, or refused to go potty when I tried to take her, which of course is shortly followed by another accident. Don't say she's not ready. She really is. She is an incredibly bright girl and does use the potty most of the time. Really. I see some people that interact with their children so well. They appear to never raise their voices, never spank their kids, and have these great ideas about parenting. Gag. Some days I have to remember that I can get really loud if I yell. Some days I yell anyway. I absolutely love my kids beyond a doubt. They are my sunshine, light of my life, my soul. I just have to remind myself of that sometimes. So this post is my promise not to get angry with my daughter for having an accident every so often. (I am going to set an alarm and take her every 15 minutes, though.) My promise that I will not be disappointed if my son wakes up all too early in the middle of the night. (Although I am still going to pray for 3 AM.) My promise that I will remember that kids are kids, and I have to understand that. Being a parent is the toughest role I have ever played, but I believe it is the most rewarding and beautiful one, too. So, parents, hug your kids today and tell them how much you really love them, despite the times when they try your patience and make you think you just might go crazy. I know I am going to hug mine.

Milestones

Cannon rolled over the day before yesterday! He also scooted on his belly from one side of my bed to the other, almost fell off, and was screaming when I walked in the room yesterday after nap time. I was so glad I got there before he actually did fall! At any rate, I am anticipating this could mean he'll crawl early. If he's already scooting like that, he might. I don't know that I am ready for that! I tried to give him his first tastes of cereal last week, and he literally screamed as I fed him. I tried again yesterday, and he did better. No screaming, but he didn't want more than like 5 bites. After that, he was really done. I'm going to start making his baby food this week. I keep saying I'm going to do it, but I haven't gotten around to it. I did finally buy him some applesauce, though. K kept asking if it was for her. LOL.

It is hard to believe so much time has flown by since February. Here we are at July 1, half of summer gone, and nearly 5 months since my beautiful boy entered the world. I thank God for him every time I look at him.

I end this post with a few pics of our little man. I'm including a couple of Keely, too. She's hit some milestones herself. At two years old, our girl can imitate the sounds of many animals, since all of her ABCs, count to 20, and use the potty (most of the time). She lights up our world in so many ways. I am incredibly proud of her.