Thank You Bakerella

Bakerella has introduced the most adorable treats ever called cakepops.  She is seriously creative. There is nothing I love more than other peoples creativity I can coy off of.  Inside the pop is cake and frosting then candy melts and other things for decorating the outside.  These cakepops are a little time consuming, but every once and a while they just need to be made.  I made bunnies, chicks, and eggs for Easter.  Two months ago Bakerella came out with a complete cakepop book.  I was in heaven.  They were beyond adorable!

At the beginning of the month Tade's school had a fall picnic.  I signed up to bring something for the cake walk or bake sale.  I decided to show off cakepops.  I know they are huge in Utah, but outside the LDS community they aren't so big out here.  I was going to make the Halloween ones for Tade's class party, but we can only bring store bought baked goods.  So the fall picnic was my backup plan.  They were a HUGE hit!  We showed up at the picnic and within 10 minutes they had all been sold at the bake sale.  There were several people asking who made them.  It sure made me feel good to have the hit treat.  I also found there was one other mom who know all about cakepops.

Lions and...

 Tigers and...

Bears, oh my.

The Pumpkin Patch

Each year we head to the pumpkin patch the first day it's open in October.  I love going this early because there are no school field trips planned so we pretty much have the place to ourselves.  This year we once again met some of our friends at Butler's Orchard.  Shauna came with us also.  Asher needed his first pumpkin patch experience even if he wouldn't remember it.  The day was beautiful.  We thought it would be muddy because we had just had several days of downpour, but it wasn't bad at all.  The sky we so blue and the trees and fields were so green.  Then you add in the perfect orange of the pumpkins and it was an amazingly color filled day.  We actually went twice in one day.  We went in the morning with Seth and some kids his age.  Then we went back in the afternoon.  It was a half day and we didn't want Tade to miss out.  He hasn't been able to go the past two years with him being in school.  So this year it worked out that we had enough time with the half day to go back.  Seth we more that happy to go on two hayrides in one day.

 Seth and Desmond searching for the perfect pumpkins.

I found a good one.

Asher's outing to the pumpkin patch.  I think he slept the whole time.

Andelyne's first ride on a slide was a big one.

This is my one of my all time favorite holiday movies.

Back in the afternoon with big brother Tade.

Seth the pumpkins are supposed to be orange,  Good thing he already picked one out earlier in the day.

The didn't stop him from trying to sneak an extra one anyway.

 Tade found his perfect one.

My happy little pumpkin picker.

Preschool

Another thing that happened while we were in Utah was Seth getting into preschool.  There is a preschool program at Tade's school, but by the time I thought about signing up for preschool all the affordable ones were full.  I put Seth on the wait list hoping others would drop out by the time school started.  Well the school year started and there were no openings.  Then when we were in Utah I got an email saying there was an opening and Seth could start when we got back.  They even said it didn't matter that he was still potty training.  So on September 30th Seth started preschool.  He was so excited.  Tade was even more excited to be able to walk his brother into school twice a week.

Welcome Baby Asher

While we were in Utah something wonderful was happening back in Indiana.  My sister and her husband were adopting a baby boy.  We have been so excited and were counting down the days.  Sean and Shauna have known since January that the birth mother had chosen them as the parents.  It has been a long waiting game, but on September 7th Asher Bennett was welcomed into the world and into the Whalen family.  They spent two weeks in Indiana waiting for the paper work to be completed so they could bring Asher back to Maryland.  Now they are back and are adjusting to life with an infant.  Don't worry guys you will get sleep again someday.

Mom I want to hold his hand.

Why won't he let me?

Get over here!

Ahhh, that's better.

Welcome to the family little boy.  We are so happy to be a part of your life.