Pre K Graduation

What a year for Caleb!!!! Last summer I fretted and fretted about what I would do as far as preK for Caleb. He has suffered from some developmental delays and I just wasn't sure if he was actually ready to go to preK. I went from should I just keep him at home and work with him or should I put him in a private preK or should I put him in the school district's preK.....what am I going to do???? I just couldn't make a decision that felt right for him or me!!! I finally made a decision the very day that school started......I mean I actually went to the district office on the first day of school to enroll him in a preK program......I had waited to late to get him into the preK program that I wanted him to go to so he was assigned to our neighborhood school preK.....we don't live in the best neighborhood .......and I am an educational researcher.......I have researched the schools in this district......I know which ones are performing and which are NOT and why they are not. This school wasn't. However, this was the schools first year to offer the preK program and because it is an underperforming school they were given tons of $ for their program........EVERYTHING was included........all the supplies, the napping mats, everything. AND, Caleb was assigned to the best preK teacher (in my humble opinion) ever!!!!!! She was wonderful for Caleb. She put up with my constant fears for him......you know, he isn't writing yet, he doesn't know his alphabet, he doesn't count very well, he this, he that!!! She promised me she would take care of my baby and teach him to do those things so that he would be ready for kindergarten. She kept her word. My baby tested in the bottom of the class those first few months of preK but by the end of the year......he was testing in the top tier of his class. Whew, thank you Ms. Chaffin for working with my baby!!!!

We still have some work to do on the handwriting but we are getting there.

So yesterday sweet hubby and I attended Caleb's preK gradutation at the not so good school that we have come to love. Sweet hubby dropped Caleb off at school and came home to pick me up for the graduation later......sweet hubby announces as he came in the door...."They are wearing Sunday best!!!!" I am horrified!!!! I sent my baby to school in his uniform!!!! I am so on top of things!!!

Luckily he wasn't the only child in uniform.....there are a few other moms out there who are on top of things too!!!! The preK students sang two songs (ok, so the cd sang the songs and the students tried to sing along with it ---- I mean really, what preK student actually knows the words to "Worlds Greatest" by R. Kelley????? I mean give me a break!!! Ooops, actually a few of them did know the words.....

He may not have known the words but he knew the hand motions and he even paid attention....well most of the time anyway!

Yes, the teachers were on the side giving cues to thier adorable preK students!

You can tell these students just want this to be over so they can have cookies and milk!

Notice the cute little boy in shirt and tie (picking his nose).....that is Caleb's buddy.....or you might say partner in crime!!! When Caleb got in trouble ......it usually was b/c he and cute buddy were doing things they shouldn't.....like cutting their own hair when they should be cutting paper!!! Both boys ended up with "buzz" cuts since they apparently flunked barber school.

Well, the first year is almost over. I didn't sit back this year worrying about what I would do in regards to Kindergarten......no, I learned my lesson on that......if you want your child in a certain school you get busy early on with those plans......and yes, we will be going to a new school for Kindergarten.....E-stem which is a charter school downtown......I am so excited for this new adventure that Caleb will embark on in July (yeah, school starts in July!). I am hoping I won't be the new teacher's nightmare mom......but who am I kidding....I will be!!!

For now the doctor is out.......wondering when did my baby grow up into a little boy ready for school???

Let's try something different

I volunteered to make a cake for a friend's bridal shower.....I have made cakes before......I have decorated cakes before.......I made my own wedding cake and decorated it (three tiers!) But a few of my facebook friends had been using fondant to decorate their cakes and so I decided I wanted to try to do this type of cake decorating as well. I mean, how hard could it be.....you bake the cake, you ice the cake, you make the fondant and roll it out, cover the cake and vavooom you are done with a georgeouse cake...right??? NOT!!!

First thing I learned was that I should have started the project 3 days before the event instead of the night before the event!!! I always make my cakes (from scratch of course!) the night before I want to decorate them. After they have cooled I use a powdered suger glaze to cover the cake -- this seals in the moisture for a great tasting cake. It is messy but does the trick!!

I don't have a lot of counter space so when I do stuff like this it automatically moves to the dining room where I use my large table as a counter!!!

The next morning I make my butter cream frosting to frost the cake with. This is an absolute must even if you are using fondant! Fondant does not taste like frosting.....it just looks good!! So you don't want to serve a guest your beautiful cake with fondant only on it b/c your guest will most likely scrape the fondant off and eat just cake.....dry with no frosting!!!

Since I am using fondant I decide that I don't have to be perfect with the frosting.....just basically slap it on there and go!!!!

My table is still in relatively good condition at this point!!! But just wait, I still have to make that fondant!!!! I read the directions that I pulled from the internet ( great place to find answers to every question I might add!). Ummm, I should have read directions the night before.....oh well, it is too late now....keep moving!!!!

Kitchen after making the butter cream icing......things are looking bad at this point.....I have no room here to "knead" the fondant so again I have to move to the dining room table!!! The fondant is marshmellows - melted in the microwave with a 2lb bag of powdered sugar poured on top then DUMPED on the kneading surface...... I am so glad sweet hubby wasn't home during this process....he hates anything to be put on this table..........

The fondant after kneading for about 8 minutes!!!! What a workout for the arms!!!! What a MESS!!!!!! There is powdered sugar EVERYWHERE!!!!!! Will it come up off the table???? Will I ever have a normal floor again where it flittered down off the table??????? What was I thinking??????

Well, after several roll outs with several tears in the fondant.........I finally got a piece big enough to fit the top tier (6" round) and then made the little stripes!!!! WOW ----- I am on a roll.......uhhhh, I don't have any more fondant that I can use.....so I clean off the table and start another batch of fondant.........more marshmellows and powdered sugar, more kneading, more powdered sugar on the table and onto the floors........things aren't looking so good at this point.....not sure if I can get this cake actually finished before the shower......trying to think if there is a bakery close by that maybe I can just run to and pick up a cake........NO, dang it I can do this, I really can........I hope I can, OH MY GOSH....WHY DIDN'T I JUST ORDER A STUPID CAKE!!!!!!!

This is what kept me going.......sweet sonic.........sweet diet coke........(oh yea, I only lasted one month when I gave up my diet coke).......you can see the picture of what I was going for -- beautiful cake with ribbon bow on top......I mean it can't be that hard can it??????

This is what I ended up with after another hour of trying to make a bow out of fondant......where are my cookie cutters?????? I just found a large heart to cover up the top!!! Who needs a bow anyway....they are so overrated!!!! I mean a heart means love.......sweet eternal love.......

The final product finished with at least 2 hours to spare!!!!!! A little lopsided, a few flaws, but dang it .......I DID IT!!!!!! Now I just hope the darn thing taste good!!!!

After finishing the cake that I was so proud of I starting thinking.....how am I going to transport this monstracity?????? Sweet hubby to the rescue......he delivered me and cake safely to the shower. The shower itself was wonderful........sweet friend had an array of gifts to open, shower attenders had tons of yummy food to eat and lots of conversation, stories, and laughter and opportunities to get to know people better!!! Bride to be tried on her dress to show it to us......ahhhhh beautiful bride to be! And the cake tasted good after all the worry!!!!

The doctor has a greater understanding of why people pay big bucks to have cakes made for them......they want to keep their kitchens clean and their table free of powdered sugar and marshmellows!!!!! It only took about 30 minutes to scrub powdered sugar off the table and floor....not so bad!!! EWWWWWW, there is still a sticky film on the table.......scrub again......now said table is resting under a coat of orange oil to get it's gloss back........

Until next time the doctor is out..........going back for a slice of fondant covered cake......yummmy!

What I learned in seminary this year.....

In August 2008, I was asked to teach a seminary class at church. Seminary is taught at 6 am every morning to a group of 14 to18 year old students. My first reaction.... I am NOT a morning person!!! I LOVE to stay up late working - sometimes until 2 am and then sleep late or late according to me!!! But this year I would have to give up that habit since I would have a little boy attending pre-k and he needed to be at school before 8 am so I said yes I will teach seminary. I actually attended seminary for 4 years when I was a youth - even though I graduated from seminary I always felt that I slept through most of it....so this would be a good opportunity to re-visit the scriptures ---- AWAKE!!!

Well the year has ended and I survived and so did my students!!! One of the assignments given to my students at the end of the year was to write a 500 page paper on "What I Learnd in Seminary This Year." They were to do this in order to "letter" which is basically to recieve a special award for their work.....in addition to the paper, they must also memorize 25 scriptures, attend 90%, read the New Testament, and pass a final exam.

So I decided I would write my paper (not 500 words!) on what I learned in Seminary this year.

First, I learned that yes I can get up everyday at 5 am to get ready for the day and then go teach teenagers about the scriptures!!! I also learned that 5 am is VERY EARLY and it is still dark outside!!! I also learned that I can go to bed at 11 pm or 12 am and still get up at 5 am!!!

I learned that preparing a lesson for teenagers is EXTREMELY HARD since they already know a lot!!! I also learned that these teens were not as awake at 6am as I thought they should be but we worked through that!!!

I learned that these teens are extremely knowledgeable about the New Testament and scriptures in general.....they taught me a lot!!!

I learned that it is easy to LOVE these teenagers and that they are so fun to be around early in the morning (or anytime). I learned to care about their well-being, about who their friends are, how they are doing in school, and what they like or dislike.

I learned that these teens love thier phones and ipods but they know how to put them away when it is time for class.

I learned that these teens have a great love for the gospel, for the scriptures and for the Savior. I learned that these teens are great examples to adults in how to live the gospel, in their actions, words, and in their deeds.

I learned that there are many ways to teach teens so they can learn -- you can bring do-nuts and bribe them!!! I also learned that I want to be more prepared next year than I was this year. I want to put in 150% instead of 100%.

I also learned to love the scriptures more than I ever have in the past. I learned a lot more about the life of Christ and his Apostles. I learned that I want to walk in His footsteps and strive to become more like Him.

I learned to LOVE seminary and everything it stands for.

For now, the doctor is out....preparing her lessons, games, and activities for next Fall....see you then bright and early!!!!