Holy Cake Batman!!!

Carl's birthday is today and I made a cake to bring to school. He wanted a batman cake so Carl and I came up with the design. It was a lot of fun and everyone at school was excited about it.

I did three layers, the bottom has bricks with scallop impressions. The second is a marbled darker grey and the third is a medium grey with windows. The banner is made of fondant and designed to look as if it is falling off the building as it topples. The windows are orange to imply there is a fire going on inside the building.

Here it is all put together with the bat signal on top. Behind that you can see the smoke of the building being destroyed (it is actually dry ice in a container placed in the top). Batman is climbing up the side of the building to save it (sorry Katie, we did not have a bat girl toy :))

Here is a closeup with whisps of smoke behind the signal.

We then took Carl and Ha-Na out of school and to the aquarium where Carl had asked to go. It was fun and we even saw dolphins swimming in the bay.

Carl asked to go to AW Shucks to dinner, he really loves seafood. He ordered the seafood bucket which had crab, shrimp, oysters, clams, and muscles. When it arrived the girls suddenly decided that their children meals were not sufficient and began mooching. Big Carl thought he was going to get at least one of little Carl's oysters but the girls and he ate them all and my husband went home oysterless. It was so fun to see them enjoying the seafood, I love that my kids are adventurous eaters, I don't think there are many kids 4, 6 and 9 who would fight over shellfish.

Ha-Na's castle cake

We decided to have family parties for the kids this year so I told the kids I would make any cake they wanted for their classes. Ha-Na asked for a castle and this is what I came up with.

Here are the three layers with fondant and the brick imprints.


Here is the the cake with the turrets put on and the fondant banner in front. The turrets are made from Rice Crispy Treats that I colored while making and sugar gum paste.



Here it is all finished with Belle and the Beast. These were one of her birthday presents.





I was really proud of this cake, it was my first time making and using fondant and I was really pleased with the outcome. I learned a lot in the process and it was a fun challenge and everyone at school was really excited when I brought it in the lunchroom. There were lots of oohs and ahhs but the best was how excited and happy Ha-Na was to see it, I had kept it hidden from her so it would be a surprise when she saw it. The kids ate almost the whole thing in like ten minutes.


Now I will take a couple of days rest before I need to get started on Carl's cake.

Painting Handprints

I have been promising the girls that I would paint their room for a long time now. We had talked about colors but I have put it off for other things that seem more urgent. Then, Madison comes to me one day and says "I painted my room purple" with great excitement. I didn't worry too much because I knew we did not have purple paint in the house so I went on with the day. Later Ha-Na came home from school and asked me if I had seen the walls in her room. I knew instantly it was going to be bad. I went up to look and saw that there was purple paste all over the the wall. Apparently she had taken the Aquafresh that has three colors and mixed it together which turned into purple so she then used it as paint. Resourceful, yes but man what a mess. She got in big trouble, then went on to do it again a few days later with the bathroom wall.

Sunday morning Carl went downstairs to find that she had dumped out the hot cocoa mix to pick out all of the dried marshmallows, when she was done she left the powder on the floor for the dog to lick into a paste. It was a mess.

After the toothpaste incident I decided I should get to painting the girls room so Madison would not feel the need to do the walls herself again. We went and picked out the color and I spent a day taping off and painting the first coat. I let it dry for the day and had wrapped up the roller and the brushes in plastic so I would not have to clean them out between painting. The kids were told the room was off limits and I went down to make dinner. The kids were playing so well upstairs and I was so proud of them since I was busy cooking. We called the kids down for dinner and sat down to eat. As Madison sat down Carl asked her what was in her hair, as we stared at her it dawned on us both what it was and then I realized it was on her hands and feet also. Carl ran upstairs and I heard him exclaim loudly. I ran up and was stopped in my tracks as I got to the girls room. First I saw the window which was covered in paint, next that there was paint on their dresser that I had painted for Ha-Na just before she was born, then I saw the painto on the floor. As I was cleaning that up first I looked over and saw that on Ha-Na's quilt that my mom made for her also had paint on it as did the door. I was in shock and then I just started to cry. I got it out of the carpet saw hat she had also painted a birdhouse that we have in the room, I went to work cleaning that the whole time crying in frustration. I looked at the window and saw that amont the rolls of paint (she had gotten the roller out of the plastic and used that as her weapon) there were also tiny handprints. I walked arround and saw the back of the dresser was also covered in the handprints. Now that I am not crying anymore I think I will keep the handprints on the back of the dresser just to keep the memory of this stage that she is in and be so happy when she is out of it!!!!

She continues each day to get into trouble, I am not sure what is going on with her but if it is quiet I am terrified. I have been keeping her with me continually to keep her leashed in. I will post one of the pictures I took of it (I had to have evidence)

Tomorrow, Tomorrow!!!!

I am sooo happy tonight, Carl is on a plane coming home right now. Well, actually he is on his way to Paris right now but tomorrow he will be here.

Everyone has been asking for pictures so I did another slide show. I am giving a warning though, there are a lot of pictures. I should have cut it down but I didn't want to leave any out so I didn't. If you make it through them all give yourself a little cheer.

So what is this enormous slide show? It has the kids in their Christmas pajamas on Christmas eve. Then it has Christmas, Madison's birthday in Florida including Jessica's marching band and then some from New Years Eve.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Madison had a great time on her Birthday although she is dissapointed that turning four did not make it so that she could suddenly do all sorts of new things. She chose to go to cheesecake factory for her birthday dinner and when we got there and asked her what she wanted she looked at us like "duh" and replied "lots of cheesecake." We ordered her some dinner but she did not eat anything til the cake came. She also insisted on wearing her knit cap that Grandpa Shull made for her, she wears it everywhere. I think she is going to love it to it's death.

We also have pictures of our new house project, we want to use the space under the stairs for more storage so we cut down the wall, removed a few beams and with some more boards and shelves I will have lots of much needed storage.

We have really loved the new member of our family Yoshi. Carl kept asking me if he could have a little brother and he has decided that Yoshi is even better. I love that he is already housebroken, no three years of waiting to potty train!

Summing up

We have been settling in at home. Carl was not able to come home for Thanksgiving we went to my brother Andy's house in Ohio and had a blast. The kids had a great time with their cousins and it was nice to be around adults for a change. Madison and I are having fun with our outings during the day. She is really enjoying her mom time. We go to the YMCA each day she likes playing with the kids and I like riding the stationary bike. I get an hour to read without interruption while I am doing something good for my health.

Carl arranged to come home for Christmas break so I got all my cookies for my plates done before he gets home so it didn't take up our time with him. We drove to Virginia to pick him up. It was so great when he came to the hotel, I started to cry. The kids were so thrilled and it was really great to be all together again.

We took goodies around and even sang to a few of the people. We just had a really great time getting ready for Christmas and hanging out.

I think Carl and I were more excited for Christmas than the kids were. We had the inside scoop and knew that Santa was going to be dropping off a puppy.

That morning the kids came down and saw the puppy and presents and were over the moon. The puppy took most the attention for a while but then they got to opening presents. We settled on Yoshi for his name, we had an Australian Shepherd before and we wanted to keep the tradition of using Russian words that describe them. Our previous dog was Lapka which means paw because he had such big paws. Yoshi means Hedgehog, he is all fluffy and he is soo cute. Carl had pet hedgehogs when he was on his mission and so we thought it was fitting. Sometimes he reminds us so much of Lapka, we slip and call him Lapka. He and Carl have bonded really well and the girls love to chase him and be chased by him.

We played with all our games and really, really love Rock Band. We started a family band and we have one with our friends here. Their teenage daughter says we are too old to be playing that game. I asked her what she thought she would be doing at our age. I find it so funny cause I can look back when I thought back when I was her age and I probably thought the same thing.

We went to Florida on Madison's birthday to see Carl's sister Jessica and her school marching band compete to play at the football game half time. It was a lot of fun and we loved seeing her, we only wish we had more time to visit.

Shortly after Carl had to go back Bahrain but he should be back by the 14th. We will be really happy to have it all settled and be together again.

Christmas Tag

Ok, I guess I have been tagged which means I am supposedto do this questioneer thing, thanks Julie. I was going to totally ignore it but since it is sort of like a game and I am a stickler about rules of games I feel I must comply. So, here it is.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both, I like to mix it up.

2. Real tree or artificial? Hmm, by choice would always do real but to be practical we have artificial.

3. When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down? Right after the 1st of the year.

5. Do you like egg nog? Yep, but not the fat free kind they sell in the store, it scares me. If it is fat free then it can't really be egg nog, it is just nog and that is wrong.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't really know. I do remember when I got my Cabage Patch Doll. I had seen it on my moms bed before Christmas and told my sis and she told my mom who then bought this really ugly doll (I know Cabage patch dolls are really ugly but at the time I loved them). When we opened the gifts I could not understand where the CPdoll was and everyone said I must have seen this ugly one and mistaken it for a CPdoll. Then after I sat and moped and even cried a little the brought it out. I still say it was a very cruel trick but my dark side can see the amusement in it.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Carl, he always says he doesn't need anything.

8. Easiest person to buy for? My kids, they are even excited when I buy them new socks at the store so Christmas is the best thing in the world. Does that indicate they are deprived? I am just happy they are so appreciative.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Not yet.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I have done both.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Lets see, my mom used to wrap everything she bought arround Cristmas so I think I got tightts or socks one year. She also used to wrap parts to present seperatly like the batteries and stuff so we would have more to open. I guess I am not as appreciative as my kids. We always got other great stuff though.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Ocotober or November.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No. I did get a recycled present for our wedding though. When we opened the gift there was another card inside the box with someone else's name. I don't know who gave it to us but I still remember the gift.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Hmmm, what must be at every Holiday dinner are my dads rolls, they are awesome and it isn't a Shull holiday without them.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, but white only. I cannot stand colored lights!!! (Keeping Julie's answer for this one)

17. Favorite Christmas song? There are so many.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We open one in the evening from a family member, it is our tradition. Santa comes at night so how could we open presents before Christmas morning? duh!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Commercials they try to be all sentimental and it really bugs me. Especially the car commercials. Who is seriously buying a car for someone for Christmas. I know it happens but it seems really unlikely.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? My tree is green, gold and red.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Crown roast, it is so pretty and festive looking. I also like Prime rib.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Carl to be home and to know where we are going to be for the next couple of years. Yes, it was supposed to be set but now some things are up in the air again. Also I think I want Wii fit, anyone have a review of it for me?

26. Who I tag: I wouldn't do this except it is here so I feel it is part of the rules and therefore I am required to comply. So I tag Ally and Katie.

Djibouti

Carl wrote a letter about his trip and I thought I would post it for everyone.

Hi all, Well I am in the Horn of Africa, have been for the last week or so. It is really interesting. I flew in on a military flight from Bahrain. From the air I saw the water looked really nice, which with a diving addiction like mine really is a good sign. Then we hit land, I have never seen so much trash in my life. The people here live in squaller, actually I think that they live in a level below squaller. In order to keep the inhabitants in line they condone the use of cot, which is a fairly powerful cross between meth and weed. It comes in the form of green leaves that they much on like a huge dip of chewing tobacco. Lovely I know. The government uses this as a form of crowd suppression since they have around 60% unemployment. The American base is pretty interesting in and of itself. It had been raining for several days before I arrived so everything was muddy, there are not roads on the base, just dirt paths that are purely suggestions. The whole base is on the flight line that is shared with the french and us. So we get twice the number of jets, and the French Mirage is really loud. I am living in a shipping container with a bed and an A/C, the conditions are only slightly better than Eric's. When I got to the first container (CLU) there was a sign on the window that said "Military Working Dog", I thought that was weird and I went in, and sure enough there was a crate and someone else's stuff. I close the door and head back to the housing office and get a new CLU (Yes you can insert any pun you want here). This CLU was full of water there was about 1-2 inches on the floor. Apparently the Navy overlooked the fact that there is a rainy season here. We got busy working, I have a new employee working here and I came to train her. I was able to go out into town to the Bizarre. That was a lot of fun. I picked up some African goods. Kraus you are right, if you have been to one bizarre, you have been to them all. Kraus you would be super proud of me, I bartered with people and got it so low that they called me a Russian, because the Americans would have payed higher prices. I got a chess set for little Carl, he is learning it in school and has taken a keen liking to it. I got the girls some figurines, and for us a carved Rhino. Since the place closes down on Veteran Day, I signed up to feed my addiction and go diving. We did two exceptional dives, who would have know there was such good diving here. After the dives we went snorkeling with whale sharks, that is right whale sharks. They migrate through this time of year. I was able to swim with a juvenile only about 12 feet in length and another about 20 feet in length. It was truly amazing to be so close to such a large fish. They are completely docile, one even got kicked in the head by and unsuspecting swimmer. I have some not so good pics of the whale shark that I will be posting to the blog when I get back to civilization. I am heading back to Bahrain in the morning and hoping to be home by Thanksgiving. I love you all, Carl