Our kind of Photo Shoot

   I have a philosophy

...if you're an amateur photographer just take A LOT of photos,

 you are bound to get at least one good one.

Here's  our latest photo shoot for Duke's first birthday.

Steph was snapping the shutter and I was running "distraction".

A few photos that you won't see framed on the wall.

 Okay Kiddo...let's rock that faux hawk.

 Noooo...not another photo shoot.

 High Five!

 Finger...psssss....rocket.

 No more pictures.

 Awwww....cake.

 Okay...maybe you've had a bit too much cake.

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Grampa Karl loves this picture of me

and wanted us to get a picture of Ethnie in the same pose.

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Here's Ethnie...staring at a jelly bean that she can have 

if she sits really quietly with her hands in her lap.

 

Oh the things we do to get that perfect photo
...the one for the wall.

Duke's 1st Birthday Cake

   As Steph and I perused Pinterest looking for an idea for Duke's birthday cake,  we kept saying "we are going to keep this birthday party simple".   Of course my idea of simple and Steph's idea of simple differs.   Me: "Really can't we put a toy dump truck from the Dollar store on top of the cake and call it good". 

 Steph: "Nope".   

So glad we didn't.  This cake was SO fun to put together. 

And I LOVE working on projects like this with Steph.  

And boy can we make a mess!

 Melting the marshmallow for the fondant

 

 Mixing the powdered sugar in...lots of powdered sugar!

 It's getting really stiff here

...where's "Pa"  when we need some man-muscle?

 

 Time for kneading...very therapeutic.

.

 Divide and color.

Yeah...and try to keep Ethnie's blue play dough out of it.

 

Time to create...

Can we make this look like the vision in our heads

... a combination of several different cakes on Pinterest.

 

 

 

 Chocolate rocks.

 

 

 

 Finished!

 

 

Happy Birthday Duke!

Happy Birthday Jake

I know this is a lame blog for your birthday.

But that is okay...

because I'm bringing your beautiful wife and cute little people to you today.

See you in a few hours.

Nashville here we come!

Love Mom T.

Happy Independance Day

 We started our celebrating with the ward breakfast at 7:00 am.  It was fun visiting but we couldn't dawdle.  The Summerlin parade started at 9:00.   We love a parade on the 4th of July...it just feel like home-town festiveness.   Plus Jake and Steph have been in this parade in years past...so it has happy memories.
  A few of our favorite entries this year

 StarWars!

 

 The vintage military vehicles added a good touch of patriotism.

 Their mascot was the best.

 The Native Americans beating their drum is always a favorite.

 The handlers of this poor beast struggled to get his head upright 

and  keep him our of the trees

 Our over-all favorite this year...

A Beatles tribute.

 I think this group was really playing

Karl said they sounded too good to be real

But they were really playing and sing even if it was backed up with a recording.

 

 Of course was a new one...a Frozen float.

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After the parade we made a quick stop at our favorite doughnut shop for just 2  doughnuts.

But the selection was seductive

...and I was seduced.

Had to try a sweet potato doughnut

(it was yummy)

And a get my favorite...a maple-bacon one.

Karl went for the more traditional

raspberry filled and chocolate creme filled

 Then we sat outside the doughnut shop, enjoying the scenery

and devoured every crumb.