baby love

Tatum Monet Chambers was blessed Sunday.  So we scooted down to Tucson, and I spent Sunday afternoon holding this beauty. 

Isn't she a beauty??

*almost* makes up for this gang piled in the back on the way home from church. 

first day of school

The first day of school was pretty much a non-event at our house.  And I nearly forgot to snap a picture on our way out the door.  The boys love Frankllin and know most of their classmates. 

When class lists were posted 2 weeks before school started, Aidan's name was nowhere to be found.  I read over & over the 3rd grade classes.  To no avail.  He was thrilled, happily trying to convince me that this meant he couldn't go to school this year.  One phone call later, he had a teacher. 

I've really noticed the difference between his homework from 2nd to 3rd grade.  There seems to be somuch more!  Add his crazy after school activities into the equation and we have a VERY busy weekday schedule.  But he impresses me constantly with his maturity in taking responsibility for getting his homework and reading done. One day last week he had an hour of cubs and two hours of football, so by the time he had eaten dinner and rested a minute it was 9 p.m. (far past bedtime) and he wasn't done with homework.  With no prompting from us, he set his alarm for 6:00 a.m.  Jim got up the next morning to check on him at around 6:30.  The boy was downstairs at the kitchen table, finishing up his work. 

The first week of 1st Grade was a little rocky for Davyn.  He forgot to take his lunch once and forgot to bring home his homework twice.  But he is now adjusted to the all-day schedule and - of course - loves school.  He loves learning.  And still hasn't ever received a single grade below 100%.  I'll have to devise a way to deal with the little perfectionist when that day inevitably comes. 

He gave me a scare the week before school started by nearly chopping off the tip of his thumb.  It was awesome and bloody and took a few weeks to heal completely. 

This girl has had the most trouble adjusting to the boys starting school.  For the first few days, she took it all in stride (not knowing what was happening, I'm sure).  But now she stands at the door crying every day when they leave. 

The poor girl has 4 whole years left before she can walk out that door with them. 

my little cake addiction

I really should just go for it and make up some business cards, but I keep teetering back and forth on the whole cake business idea.  I LOVE designing and doing.  But I neglect my family & home when I jump into the cake zone.  A far too delicate balance for an all-or-nothing girl! 

This is the cake that engulfed my weekend: 

A 40th Anniversary.  She quilts amazingly.  He woodworks amazingly.  So that's what I combo'd here, adding some of the tools of the trades.  I wish I had taken detail pictures of my pincushion, spools of thread, needle sitting on top, scissors (all completely edible), etc..I always kick myself when I don't get pictures, but in the stress of finishing up it's hard to focus on that! 

Jim built me an awesome system (with two wood rounds and a rod) to support the woodworked cake stand.  I sculpted around the rod with rice krispie treats, then covered that with fondant (which was very tricky). 

And here is the cake I did last week when I fell in love with ruffles..and anemones:

I can totally see this topped with one more ruffle tier.  It would make a gorgeous wedding cake.

And shimmery girl cupcakes from two weeks before:

 

Sigh.

And this morning I've been swimming in cake company name ideas and logos. 

I try to avoid it.  Really...my life is plenty busy.

But I just can't help myself.

Utah 2011

2003 was a good year.  All 5 Hendrix siblings had babies.  I won't tell the story about how I had the first summer due date out of 3, but ended up delivering dead last.  Or how I sobbed when I saw {felt?}how much a 2 week overdue baby weighs. 

What I will tell is how 2011 marks the Baptisms of all 5 of those suddenly-8's. 

Miss Savannah started us off in March.  And Baylee, Aidan and Wyatt miraculously fell on different July Saturdays.  What are the odds?  We happily escaped the heat for a few days to be with Baylee on her big day. 

We haven't visited the Adairs as a family for a few years - long overdue. 

The trip also included quad riding, Madee's ball games, backyard volleyball, Just Dance!, July 4th celebrations, and late late late nights.  It took a few days to recover our schedules after the latter.  I'm just not accustomed to the sun going down at 9:30 pm!

Here are a few pics from the trip:  

Miss Reagan LOVED riding the quad.

Miss Mae loved it in theory...until it was actually turned on.

Shane built an awesome quad course on their property.  The kids had a blast going around.  This was D on his maiden voyage with the help of Mandi.  Eventually he was driving himself, which is a big deal because he has always refused to try in the past. 

This was a common sight:  Aidan & Crew went around & around & around.

Azure, again contenting herself with stationary vehicles.  It's all in the play..apparently.

These three were hilarious - kept wanting to pose.

Madee was in a softball tournament.  We loved watching her play!

4th of July Parade - downtown Cedar City

1090 miles

The distance between Mesa and Montana, where my Mandi moved last Saturday.  The move has been in the works for eons, but I still feel like the rug was pulled from beneath my feet.  Sisters are a finite commodity, after all.  And I like mine close. 

Mandi & I were the only siblings who have stayed in AZ from marriage to babies and beyond.  She has been there for me through every high and low over the past 9 years.  She is an amazing mother & example of good living to me, a girl who tends to complicate most issues.  I will miss her terribly.

I tell myself *at least* she didn't leave directly from my neighborhood to Montana.  We've had some time to adjust from our lives being that intertwined.

She & Nate keep reminding us that there are cheap flights to Bozeman. 

Davyn keeps reminding me, too. 

London is his lifelong best friend. 

A week together every summer was their request.  Sounds good to me.