Cookie Bake-Off

It's starting to become a tradition that whenever anyone comes to visit, we make time for a cookie bake-off. My sister, Brooke, has been visiting from Louisiana for the past couple of weeks, so the other night we combined cookies with Family Night and baked up a storm. Mom and Dad were a team, Brooke and Maddie were a team, and Ike and I were a team.

The kids waiting anxiously to sample the cookies.

Dad scoffing at the competition.

Good luck with those Snickerdoodles, sis, you're going to need it.

Mom and Dad chose to go with the classic chocolate chip cookies.

Careful not to drop that egg.

She had almost as much dough on her face as she managed to shove in her mouth.

Hamming it up.

Can you say "Martha Stuart?"

And the winner was.....the Magic in the Middle cookies, baked by Ike and yours truly! Now, I don't mean to brag (honestly, I'm one of the most humble people I know...), but we spanked the other two teams! There were 5 non-partisan judges and we won all 5 votes! Boo-yah! (did I really just type boo-yah?).

Special thanks to My Kitchen Cafe for the yummy recipe and to my dear friend Mandy for introducing me to these award winning gems in the first place! You've seriously got to try these.

Girls' Weekend in Park City

My sister Allie and my Aunt Shelly. 

This past weekend the girls in my family (along with baby D because he's my little sidekick) took a trip to Park City. We hit up the Kimball Arts Festival, the swimming pool, watched chick flicks, played games, saw the worst movie ever made (The Other Guys---don't waste two hours of your life on that one), ate sushi, shopped our hearts out, and did mani-pedis galore. It was so fun to have us all together. It has been years since that has happened and it will most likely be many more before it happens again. Thanks for the memories girls!

Me with my bayou sister and my artistic sister

Self portraits always seem like a good idea in the moment...

About to down some sushi in record time.

Davis loved all the attention he got over the weekend.

Getting ready to start our weekend of nonstop fun

My baby sister, Corey, and I at the Arts Festival

My sister Erinne chatting it up with one of the artists. They may as well have been speaking Swedish because I had no idea what they were talking about.

What's so Funny?

Is there a happier sound than listening to your children belly laugh? Here is a little clip of Isaac and my sister, Brooke, making Davis laugh his little heart out. I can't decide who was enjoying it more---Ike or Davis.

Sing me a Song

Here are the latest video clips that I captured this afternoon while the kids were singing some of their favorite songs. Maddie singing Estrellita (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in Spanish)and then Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree.Isaac singing Real Gone from his favorite movie, Cars, while simultaneously bossing Maddie around. As you will notice, he makes up any words that he can't remember/doesn't know. He gets that skill from his father. Maddie jamming out to her favorite cartoon jingle.

I never get tired of hearing her sing Popcorn Popping, especially the little finger action she does when she says, "It wasn't really so, but it seemed to be..."

I can't get enough of his mega chubby cheeks and smile!

Davis at 4 months

Davis is changing and growing as fast as the pumpkins in our pumpkin patch these days. I'm convinced that his dad wouldn't even be able to recognize him when he sees him next month except that he is a spitting image of Ryan when he was a baby. A friend said to me, "He looks more like Ryan than Ryan!" and it's true.  

Here are a few facts about Davis:

• He is 25 inches long (47%)
• He weighs 16.14 lbs. (81%)
• His head is 17.75 cm (97%)
• He just started rolling all over the place. He rolls both ways, but is much better at rolling from his back to his belly, and sometimes gets stuck on his stomach. Cut him some slack, it's a lot of weight to move around.
• He sleeps like a champ.
• I used to think he had a special thing for me, like a little mommy crush or something because he gets so excited to see me. I have since realized that he is like that with anyone---his face just lights up whenever you talk to him. Since his cheeks are so darn chubby, his whole face just glows. Quite possibly the cutest thing ever.
• His thighs are so fat that he barely cried when he was given his vaccinations this morning--all that extra padding comes in handy sometimes.
• He still loves his swing.
• He still loves to be outside.
• He still loves the bathtub.
• He is a content little kid most of the time, as long as he is well-fed and well-rested (pretty sure his voracious appetite and need for sleep comes from my side of the family)

I am so happy Big D is my baby boy. He brings so much joy to our family and I don't know what we'd do without him.

The video below is one I took a few days ago. It's mostly just for Ryan since it might be kind of long and boring for the rest of you. Check out those fat legs and chubby arms! I could just gobble him up! He has since learned to use his huge melon to his advantage and will usually roll over immediately whenever I put him down on the floor. Just this afternoon he rolled over while I was holding him in my lap and I just about lost him! Thank goodness I have cat-like reflexes.