Jenna's Birthday

Jenna's 6th birthday has come and gone...and here is the proof.

This year she wavered back and forth about what her "theme" would be and finally decided on a dual theme: The Very Hungry Caterpillar/Butterfly theme. The cake was just buttercream, with the accents made out of fondant...less work for me! Yay!

My mom made the construction paper Hungry Caterpillar with help from her Cricket and we then gave it to Jenna's Kindergarten teacher from last year who GRATEFULLY accepted it and laminated it to use for her future classes when they do their unit on this book. She was so happy and I was happy too that all my mom's hard work was able to be put to good use!

Jenna had a water party at my mom 's house with 12 friends (am I crazy or what???) She actually invited 20 friends, but sadly 8 couldn't make it. It was quite honestly the easiest party ever though. We just had 2 slip n' slides, a kiddie pool and a water table set up. Along with an area for sidewalk chalk. Then about half way through we forced the kids to take a break from the water and come decorate butterfly sugar cookies, whack open a butterfly pinata, and eat a bunch of that huge cake. It was really so easy and so fun.

For her birthday Jenna wanted what I deemed to be the dumbest toy ever; A Go Go my Walkin' Pup (which costs $55!!) So I told her point blank she would not be getting that silly toy from us, but she was welcome to save her allowance and save her birthday money and buy it on her own. Well, she's been saving for 2 months now, and behold, today she finally had enough money ($60) to go buy it. It was SOOO hard for me to let her spend all her money on that dumb thing, but she was disciplined enough to save for it and has actually been waiting 18 months to finally get one (she's asked for one 2 Christmas's in a row now, jeeze Santa, get with it). So anyway, her birthday dreams have come true. Now we'll see how long she actually plays with it for.

Spring Break at the Beach

Jay, Aubry, Jenna and Brooke at the beach.

Brooke's cute little bum was hanging out half the day when she wore this suit!

About 4 weeks ago I was sitting in the McDonalds playland, listening to dozens of screaming children, wearing a parka, and looking out at the dismal March weather we were getting in Columbia. It was exactly this day, in that place, that my friend Sara and I hatched a scheme to drive to the beach...with all four of our children...for Spring Break. Within days, the condo was booked, the beach chairs were purchased and plans were set. We drove to the closest geographical beach to Missouri, Lake Shores Alabama. Let me just say....it's the best beach I've ever been to. As you'll see from the pictures, it was not crowded, the sand is like powdered sugar and the town connected to it is really big and has an outlet mall, HEAVEN! We will be going back...pronto, with Matt next time! Anyone want to meet us down there? The following pictures are in NO order whatsoever, sorry. :) Jenna spent about an hour building the "base" of her sand castle, only to be crushed when she added the top layer and the whole thing crumbled. :(

All four crazies on the drive down. They looked much more tired and haggard on the drive home (as did Sara and I). 14-15 hour drive each way.

Mizzou Cake Challenge

So I didn't win the Mizzou cake challenge, but I did have an awesome time and get to meet Duff from Ace of Cakes, so that was pretty great. Here's some pics of the cake. Also, I launched my cake website, so if you or someone you know needs a cake and wants a cheaper price than a professional bakery, with the same excellent quality, check it out. www.keliescreations.blogspot.com



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Columbia, MO

Well, I'm Famous...

Well, T minus 6 days until the Missouri Cake Challenge and my very own beloved Duff from Ace of Cakes will be coming to judge the competition. I started working on my cake a couple days ago. I'll be doing the Engineers Shamrock courtyard to fit the theme, "Spring at Mizzou." It wont be your traditional three teared type cake, it will be more like a "scene" with a lot of gumpaste figures and sugar work. Unfortunately, the base size can be no bigger than 15 inches...so that's pretty much tiny.

Two days ago a photographer from Vox magazine (a local Columbia mag) came over and took pictures of me working on some gumpaste figures and then tomorrow and photographer and reporter from the Tribune are coming over to interview me and take pictures. So basically, I'm famous. I'll try to remember where I came from when I'm a huge Food Network superstar. ;)

Pics to come next week when I've got it all assembled and it actually looks like something.

Current Obsession....

Have you watched this show? Or I suppose I should day, did you watch this show, since it's been over and done with for a couple years. Seriously, I would be a bad friend if I didn't try my hardest to get you addicted to this show, as I am. My sister owes me very dearly for bringing her attention to THE BEST SHOW EVER. It you have Netflix, you can watch all three seasons on instant view. It's a show from England that aired on the BBC starting in 2006 I think. I freaking love this show...and by this show...I mean Robin, aka Jonas Armstrong. Ok, end of gushing about my school girl crush. Watch it, love him, you will thank me.

Healthy Living Challenge...

In an effort to encourage health in his family (mostly himself!) Matt initiated a Biggest Loser Challenge with all of his adult family members. Anyone who wanted to participate had to pay $15 and at the end of THREE MONTHS, the first, second and third place winners get the cash.

Here are the rules in case you or your family is interested:

• Each week you get 1 point for each hour of exercise you do (up to 6 hours...I think they set that cap for me! lol).
• Each day you get 1 point if you've eaten 2 fruits and 2 veggies.
• At the end of the week, the person with the highest percentage of weight loss receives one bonus point.
• So that means 13 points are possible each week, with a bonus 1 point going to the person with that's weeks highest percentage weight loss. At the end of the three months the person with the most points win the cash!

Well, we are half way through and here's the update on Matt and I: Matt has lost 14 pounds, but the poor guy has never won the week so he's never gotten a bonus point. He's gotten all his other points though. I've lost 5 pounds (no bonus points), but I've gotten all my other points as well.

The real shocker in all of this, is that almost exactly as this competition was starting (6 weeks ago) I tore my Achilles during a step class on a slick floor at the gym. Since then, I've been banned from Step/Running...pretty much anything that uses my Achilles...which is, um, EVERYTHING! I've been doing strength training and BODYPUMP to get my hours of exercise, but my 5 pounds weight loss has been without any cardio! Guess how I did it??

Eating loads and loads of fruits and veggies.

Is this statement shocking? Well, it should be. I hate fruits and veggies. So after 6 weeks have my feelings changed? A little, I must say. This has been really good for our family and me especially. It's gotten me in the frame of mind where my first thought for a snack is now a fruit or a veggie, and not some crappy processed food (delicious as those can be!)

So peeps, if you've been wondering what the hey is going on with the Morgan Fam, there you have it. We're getting loads of fiber, wearing out our tennis shoes and going through lots of tp and deodorant.

Texas, Revisited

Last year, about this time, Matt and I took a kid free trip down to Texas to watch the most amazing football game ever: BYU vs. OU in Dallas Cowboys stadium. This year, we went down for a slightly less impressive game, but had tons of fun nevertheless! We met up with our great friends from Columbia that recently moved to Arkansas. First we did a little of this.

Then we ate a little of these.

Then we worked on our tans while we watched a little football and cheered on our former missionary Austin Holt, #88.

Then I got a little ghetto (and also sang the Fight Song twice pretty much entirely by myself. Phillip claims to have sung along, but I never heard him, and he certainly didn't Rise and Shout).

Then I got a hug from my favorite player (2 times).

20 hours of round trip driving, but it was totally worth one fun-filled day with great friends. Just remember people, Matt and I are always up for a party, so if you live within a days drive (and preferably if BYU football is involved), let's get something in the books!