Our own Gingerbread house

This is where you get to laugh: Here are the pictures of the "Applegate" gingerbread house. We recieved the kit from our "secret friends" that did the 12 days of Christmas on us. (More on that later)

We took it with us to California to put together, and here is the result of mine and the childrens handiwork, and their enjoyment: (I am NOT the cake decorator in the family)

Gingerbread Houses

So,every year we try to make it to the Festival of Trees. They always have the most amazing things to look at and buy. And all proceeds go to Primary Childrens Medical Center. Here's a glimpse of the cool Gingerbread houses they had this year:



This one's called "Tahitian Christmas" That's a pig roasting there on the porch.

A log cabin:

Candy overload:

I liked the stone work on this one:


And a Toy story one:

Oh Christmas Tree

We're getting there, we're at December now at least. Decorating the old Christmas tree:

Kalel's 7 now!

Going into Labor with Kalel was one of the most vivid memories of my lifetime, possibly because I did it natural and without an epidural. I also remember the night before staying up until midnight to play Fast Friday with my friends at Lifetime Moments. We joked about me going into labor, and lo and behold a few hours later, I wake up in the morning with labor pains. I remember taking a shower, starting a load of laundry, then just dressing in my robe to go to the hospital.

Nicolas Cage had named his son Kal-el that same year, I think AFTER we decided on our name Kalel. Regardless, that's not why we named him Kalel, but I bet Ken and Nicolas Cage were both inspired by the same man: Clark Kent. (PS, I would have been fine with Clark as a name too, but Ken got to choose and William Kalel Applegate it was)

Taken at the hospital bundled up to come home:

And here he is now! Can't believe it's been 7 years!

His birthday tends to fall around Thanksgiving time, so with the family we celebrated on Thanksgiving day, and Nancy made this cool turkey cake.

Skyping with the family in Connecticut, they got to watch him blow out the candles.

And his birthday present, a remote control helicopter he'd been wanting for at least a year!

When asked what kind of cake and party he wanted, he chose a Shark theme party.

Nancy, the new cake decorator of the family made him a shark cake: Mad skills.

Pretty cool inside too!

Pinata time:

And digging for the candy, look at Kalel's pile!

Idaho Part Two

A month after I went to Idaho with my sister and Mom, I took my 2 girls and Mom back up for another cousin's wedding. They couldn't wait to go to the same "haunted house" I had taken pictures at last time, so here's my country girls: