Perhaps the CUTEST Black Kitty EVER

If this face doesn't make you melt, I don't know what does!! This kitty costume is a tradition in our family. My sister bought it before she had Ella 10 years ago. After Ella wore it I took it for Mallory. Then I passed it back for baby Ryan. After Ryan was the black kitty Jillian got her turn. Sally wore it last year and now it is Logan's turn. It is the COUSINHOOD of the TRAVELING kitty costume! So all the grand kids on my side have their 1st Halloween picture as the black kitty. Logan was too little to wear it last year.

When I took him in for his 1st Birthday pictures I grabbed the costume. I didn't think Logan would cooperate, but he did. He was so cute when I put it on him. He was loving the paws that covered up his hands.

Pumpkin-Spice Bars

Bars
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 ginger
1/4 cloves


Frosting
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2-3 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powered sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin till smooth. Stir all dry ingrd. together, add to wet ingrd. Can stir in 1 cup raisins, I do NOT. Spread in greased cookie sheet pan, 15x10x1. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cool completely, 2 hours.

Mix up frosting. Spread over bars. Sprinkle with nuts.

This is my favorite pumpkin dessert. I hate pumpkin pie so this is a yummy alternative. It is really rich but oh so good. It makes a ton too.

Diaper Cake

I made my first diaper cake last week for a friends shower. They are so much fun to make. I made a bunch of flower hair clips to decorate it.

WHOOO LA LA

While I was at my sisters we went a little owl crazy. Since the kids were sick with the pig flu, we couldn't go anywhere. So we made owls and more owls. Then we made a little owl quilt. I got home and fixed my craft area with all my owls.

Amanda whipped this quilt out in 1 night...starting really late too. She is a sewing machine freak!!

It is so cute! I love the owl material.

American Girl

We went to the American Girl Store in Hollywood for our cousin Ella's birthday. We have been sooo excited to go. For those who have not gone, it is a MUST. And every little girl NEEDS a doll. They are expensive, but you get what you pay for. I think that having a doll keeps girls young and interested in age appropriate things. Each month we get the catalog and it is a fight who gets it first. The American Girl Store, in my opinion, is the next best thing to Disneyland. It IS quite MAGICAL. Everything is just so so so darn cute and fun.

Here is Jillian just getting into the store. This is her first time with her doll Ruthie. Here are the girls checking out the "Just like me dolls."

We had a tea party at the cafe...again, so stinkin' cute!

They have little high chairs for the dolls and mini tea cup for them also.

Here is Mallory and Kit. I love Kit and Ruthie. I want my own!

Super shopping girls. They had so much fun deciding on what to get. All the outfits are really cute.

I think my mom and I had a little too much fun too!

Our Nana came for the occasion. She loves American Girl too. She even got the girls an outfit for their doll!

We had so much fun at the store. I took Logan and he DID NOT have fun, too girly for him. He will stay home with Papa and Sally next time FOR SURE!!!

Pumpkin Patch Fun!

Last week we went back down to LA to visit our cousins. (I'm loving the fact that we don't live very far) As soon as we made our way through the LA traffic, we went to the pumpkin patch. We have to go out of town so we can wear our Halloween clothes, it's just too hot here.They had really funky pumpkins.

We tried to get a group shot of the 6 cousins, but Sally and Logan pretty much wrecked that plan.

This is my favorite picture. I was lucky to get at least 1 picture of the kids. I blew it up huge and hung it on my wall.

Someone is very unhappy. Maybe it was the 6 hour car ride. (thanks to the traffic)

These huge pumpkins are so cute. The kids loved climbing them. Pumpkin Pictures are my favorite, it makes me miss having a real "Fall."

Better Late Than NEVER

I finally took Logan to get his 1 year old picture taken. I have only taken him once to get his picture taken, and that was with all the cousins. I always think I can take better pictures than a studio...but these turned out kinda cute. Logan can barely stand while holding onto something. He was so wobbly here, can't ya tell?

I just love how all the studios put collages together and charge 5X as much. I DIDN'T order them.

Projects, Projects, Projects

A couple of weeks ago I had a super busy crafting week. My living room still has not yet recovered (good thing Michael isn't here, he hates my stamping ZONE).I had an assignment to do a quick presentation on physical health for our "Relief Society Meeting." I made 40 of these little handouts. I filled them with Steel Cut Oats, my favorite new breakfast food.

Then they asked if I would do a paper crafting special interest group in October. I needed to make some samples of what we would be doing. So I finally made the frapp bottles. I have wanted to make them for a long time but never got around to it. Mallory said, "You bought coffee?" Kinda funny!

I had very limited supplies. I realized I have bought too many Christmas and Valentine stamps. I have no fall or pumpkin stamps, so I had to order some, darn it! The Halloween bottles turned out pretty cute, thanks to the awesome new m&m colors. Love them.

We are also going to make the little 6x6 photo flip book. I made one of all the spring pictures of Logan, and it turned out really cute. I thought it would be fun to have a Halloween or Fall book, with only pictures from different years.

So here they are. Jillian spilled water on the Halloween one, I managed to save it for the most part...yes, I was furious!

You open it up and there are all sorts of little flaps to put pictures on and embellish.

These pictures of Jillian are some of my favorite pictures I have. What a little sweetie (she was, she has cried all day today).