Construction Birthday Cake

I made the cake from scratch friday night and then my friend came over on Saturday to help me put it all together.  It was very complicated.  My friend and roommate from college made this cake for her boy.   She found it on pinterest.  It turned out so cute.  Preston was dying to play with the dump truck.  

My favorite part of the cake was the inside! It looked like construction zones.  It was very difficult and took forever.  I had no idea it was going to take so long.  

Preston's 5th Birthday!

Water guns are essential in the hot Texas weather.

We celebrated Preston's Birthday on Sunday.  Taylor's parents, his sister, and family friend came out from Arlington.  

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He was so excited about his new bike.  His other bikes have been hand-me downs.

Callie's last week of school

Paige, Preston and me went to eat lunch with Callie since it's her last week of first grade.  It was fun to talk to he and she showed me all her friends.  

Callie and her good friend, Rylie.  

Memorial Day Weekend

Paige loves Mickey Mouse on Disney.  I found her a Minnie shirt and she loves it.  

At least I didn't have to leave my In-N-Out in California!  This location is in Arlington near my in-laws and their are 6 others in Dallas.  

For Memorial day we headed to Lake Arlington for the day for jet skiing with Taylor's family and friends.    Paige rode with Chase and told him she was done and then he came to pull in and she said lets go one more time.

Preston loved the jet ski.  He kept telling us later that day, "Thank you so much for taking me."

Then we went to Taylor's parents for lunch/dinner and swam.  

Paige jumping off the diving board.  kind of!

Brick and stone complete.

The outside of the house is a little flat for me but you can't have everything.  

They put all the doors on too.

They will do stone around the fireplace hopefully this next week.

The kitchen cabinets are in but not stained or painted yet.

So excited about this rounded staircase.  My favorite part of the house.  

Chocolate Torte Cake

I found this cake on my friend Summer's blog.  I made it for the party at my in-laws.  It was a hit!

 Chocolate Torte Cake

1 devil's food cake mix

1 cup sour cream

1 pkg (3.5 oz) instant chocolate pudding

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 1/3 cups water

Combine cake ingredients and mix well.  Grease 2 (8 in) round cake pans.  Substitute cocoa for flour so you avoid white film on your cake.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes in pan then turn out on cooling rack.  Chill cakes before cutting and icing.  Cut each cake round in half horizontally with serrated knife, making 4 found pieces.  

Frosting

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

In your mixing bowl, whip heavy cream until very thick.  I a separate bowl, blend together cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt.  Fold cream cheese mixture into whipped cream.  Frost all four layers and keep in refrigerator until ready to eat.  

More Birthday fun!

Our neighbor girls invited Callie to play and wished her a Happy Birthday!  We will be sad to leave when we move again.    They have become great friends.

Emily, Callie, and Maddi 

Taylor and I went out to dinner in Southlake at a place called Truluck that Emily and Maddi's mom recommended.  It is a seafood place and we had the best Alaskan Halibut.  Truluck was voted the best chocolate cake in DFW area.  You can see it sitting on the table.  Mmmmmmmmm!

For my Birthday Taylor gave me an all expense paid trip to California, for the premiere of Breaking Dawn 2.

We had a Birthday party for Callie, me, and Carrie's baby who turned one on Saturday.  

Kierra and Paige sunbathing.

Daddy's little boy

For Mother's Day, Preston's preschool class painted a flower pot and clipped chores on it to help mom around the house.  Preston told his teacher he was making it for his dad.  She told him no it's for your mom.  So when he got home he told me, this is for dad and I looked at the bag and it read, "For Mom, love Preston".  I said, "NO, look at the bag".  I didn't let Taylor have my gift.  It was for me!

A few weeks ago our neighbor's were over and our kids were sharing Popsicles with them.  Preston opened up the freezer said, "Give me a dollar".  Taylor was exactly like that when he was a kid.  Just like his Daddy!

Preston's last day of preschool

Preston's class put on a play about a ladybug.  He was a whale.  

Preston's teacher, Ms. Meagan giving him an award.

His award was for Guru Organizer.  Of course it was.  That's how he was at his preschool in California.  Ms. Meagan said he always puts stuff back where it goes.  Now if we could get him to do that at home.    

Happy 7th Birthday, Callie!

I pinned an idea about 6 ideas to make Birthdays more special.  This was one of the ideas.  Then you put a present outside their door and they run through it when they get up.  

Callie woke up in the middle of the night and had to go to the bathroom.  I worried about this happening.  I told her to crawl under.  Haha!  

Callie opened a few presents before school.  She got some clothes and a jump rope.

The Birthday hair due

Birthday card from Grandma and Grandpa.  

Callie opening some presents this evening.  She got a Barbie cd player that came with 2 microphones and a Radio disney cd.

Kids say the funniest things

I was sitting in the car with the kids while Taylor was looking at the house.  Preston asked me, "Mom, how does that guy get in his car with those big shoes on?"  Taylor and I got a kick out of it.  Preston is so cute.  

Dry wall and Brick

We are very happy about the brick color on the house.  When Taylor picked it out he wasn't sure.  Seeing it on the ground is different  from how it looks with the gray mortar.