The Hughes Family Blog

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Crafting for Birthday presents September 23, 2011

My girls had a birthday party to go to for 3 kids from the same family. I decided to make their gifts.

For the little boy Abi's age I made a car caddy. I actually made two because there is another little boy in our ward obsessed with cars and his little fists are always full of them so I decided he needed one too. I found this tutorial on the Homemade by Jill blog. It is so cute I'm planning to make more for other two year old boy's in our lives.

For the twin girls I made ribbon bow hangers and head bands. I think they turned out so cute! The head bands I saw here and had to make them. Then I used this tutorial for the orange clips at the bottom of the ribbon bow hangers. We have one bow holder but need another and I want to make head bands like these for my girls if I find some time somewhere!

All gifts were well received! I want to do more homemade gifts for my girls and their friends, it's fun for me and they are always original gifts.

Grandma Arlene's Frosting September 19, 2011

For my birthday I wanted to make my own cake mainly for this frosting! My grandma makes the most amazing frosting. Not many have conquered the technique but I'm happy to say that I do a pretty good job of making it. You can make chocolate like I did this time, or caramel. There is also Grandma Katie Icing that is similar but vanilla flavored with nuts.

Here's the recipe and how to.

Grandma Arlene Chocolate Frosting

2 cups sugar

1 cup cream

2 Tbsp coco powder

1 tsp vanilla

extra cream if needed

Mix sugar, cream, and coco powder in a sauce pan

With the lid on cook over medium heat until sugar is melted. I know this is done when is starts to bubble out of the lid. This is important because if sugar grains fall in it will crystallize.

Let it cook to soft ball candy stage

Take it off the heat and let it cool down. I'm impatient so I put it in an ice bath.

Start stirring, this is always my grandpa's job and now it's John's job too!

Keep stirring and add vanilla until it looks like this, slightly runny but spreadable. If it hardens up add some drops of cream to loosen it

Frost your cake and enjoy!

It's the best frosting ever!!!

Rainbow September 16 ,2011

John took these pictures from his window at work, with his cell phone.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Alumni Homecoming Party, September 9, 2011

John and I graduated Ten years ago from Taylorsville High School. We weren't going to be able to attend the reunion due to a family reunion, but the reunion was canceled due to what seemed to be a lack of interest. After it was canceled many of our former classmates showed interest on Facebook, the Class student body officers asked who would be interested in helping to plan. I had some ideas as I had been helping with my family reunion so John and I attended a meeting to brainstorm ideas. Here is the out come we would have a small get together before this years homecoming game and then next summer we will have a 10 + 1 Reunion. John and I attended the get together, many stayed for the game and others showed up for the game but we decided not to.

Our class get together was held in the commons area at the High School (Originally it was going to be on the Tennis courts but it was rainy so we moved inside.)

Here are some pictures from the evening.

The upper commons

Abi running around on the lower commons, (where the pit used to be)

The vending machines were the kids favorite place to play.

Katie and the Nicoll kids

People catching up

Katie starts preschool, September 6, 2011

Katie has started school! Pre-school that is, she is attending Early Scholars with a couple other kids from our ward. The teachers are two sisters and Katie loves it! It's two days a week two hours a day, she is always so proud of the things she does.

Here are pictures of her first day.

She got sick of pictures fast and this is her ignoring me.

We had ordered her a backpack but it had yet to come
so she borrowed one of my bags.

Abi had to come to drop her sister off.

At the home school is held at, giving me her fake smile.

This is after school with her name tag.

Her backpack came before her second day of school

It's a cute owl backpack, she loves it and so do I.

Abi misses her sister while she's gone and loves it when I will take her with to drop off or pick up Katie. The first day after we dropped Katie off we got in the car and right away Abi said, "I miss Cake-y" and then when we got home she said, "I miss Cake-y again" it was so sweet and sad. (Yes Abi call Katie Cake-y sounds just that way. We all call her that at times now.) Everyday when Katie comes home Abi gives her a big hug. It's very sweet!

Abi turns two! September 3, 2011

My little one is two! That just seems crazy! It has been a wonderful two years getting to know Abi's personality. She can be the sweetest little thing, and gives the nicest little kisses. But she is also a two year old. If you have ever wanted to see a kid in their terrible two stage come on over, you wont have to stay long before Abi has a fit of some sort. I love listening to my girls play together and have conversations, they crack me up. The two of them can really truly play together now and that is wonderful, I hope they become each others best friends. One of the girls new favorite games they call dress up, they get in Abi's tent she got for her birthday (picture of it to follow) and then use puzzle pieces as money to "buy" the dresses the princesses pictured on the tent are wearing. Abi is a talker she can say anything we ask her and is good at expressing herself. She tells me she loves me often and loves to be with her mom. When she wants to be held she'll say "I want to hold you", I can't often resist her request. Abi loves books and I will hear her "reading" to herself often. I love this little girl and look forward to watching her grow and learn.

We had a party for her at our house and had a pinata and cake. We invited our families and a few friends and ended up with quite the group. It was fun to celebrate together!