Amanda and the Hendersons

Again with my projects, I love making cakes.  I have never taken a class, had no instruction past a bit of motherly advice.  My love of baking came before my kids, trial and error has resulted in many wonderful baking discoveries.  I am not big on recipes, more interested in experimenting.  My love of decorating cakes came with Paysen's first birthday. . .that wasn't the best cake I ever made but it was the beginning of a great love for me. Thought I would share some of the cakes I have done, again. . .I have a million pictures but it takes too long to upload them, here are a few. These two dog cakes were for Parky's first Birthday Dinasaur Cake for his 2nd Birthday Shower cake for my sister Birthday cake I made Train Cake for Paysen's 4th Wedding cake for my sister in law I don't have any speciality pans, I just cut out the shapes that I want!! I love LOVE making cakes, hopefully I will have many more to share.

If I can find any amount of extra time in my day I love to spend it making, creating, baking, cooking etc. . . If any of you have sons then you know that free time is a little tricky. . .if you begin to sew in front of your two crazy boys, you end up with material everywhere, knots in your thread and spilt needles. So, for the most part I keep my sewing to nap time and bed time.  This is true for most of my hobbies, they are NOT little boy proof.  When I make cakes for people I keep the timing to after they go to bed as well so I don't have to say no when they ask me for a taste. . . . One of my favorite pastimes is Making Purses or bags.  I haven't captured all of them with pictures but I have a few. I make them only out of recycled material, such as old sweaters, pants scarves. .etc.  Don't worry, I wash them all first.  Made for a New Friend Most recent For a very special Little Girl For a special woman in my life  I think I will begin to share ...

Thinking today about words, the way that they just don't mean what they used to.  There was a time when what you said meant something, when spoken words were worth more than what they are today.  In these times, saying "Till death do we part" really means, "Till I decide I don't like or love you anymore" or "Till I find someone better."  Little remains sacred about marriage.  People are getting married to have a wedding or because they think that they are in love.  They fail to think past the honeymoon, ten years or twenty years down the road.  To remember that marriage is a partnership, and that we are all human and far from perfect.  Now a days to say " I am a Christian" really doesn't mean what it should.  This was spoken about on Sunday at church.  Jesus says that if we are following him and trying to be like him as he has called, then we will be hated like he was.  This is such a powerful thought for me. I mean really powerfu...

I was thinking tonight about the many nurses that have affected my life. I was thinking about the great and wonderful women who have had such an impact on Parklen and myself as his mother. What makes a good nurse? To me a wonderful nurse is one that not only works by the book but by the heart as well. The one’s that don’t just treat the patient but the family too. The nurse that can look you in the eye and know when you need a hug, or a walk or just a good cry. The nurse who could read me and knew how much I loved Jesus and took the time to pray with me. The good nurse is the one you trust enough, to leave her with your child alone while you run down stairs to grab your first bite to eat in 24 hours. The nurse who not just includes you in your child’s care but puts your opinion above all others. The one who remembers your name, and listens to your concerns. The Nurse who fills in as your emotional support when your husband couldn’t be by your side. The nurse who requests to be i...

So you may think I would be upset when Paysen's Sunday School teacher (also a friend of mine)  told me that he had announced during Sunday School that his mom had told him that she wouldn't be feeding him lunch so he needed extra snacks.  Well, yeah I was. .. . a little.  Why do kids say these things?  As if my child  has ever gone more than 20 minutes with out stuffing his face, let alone been forced to skip lunch. Although, the statement made was more of a lie than anything else, it amazes me a little. We are born with this natural ability to IMAGINE.  I don't really want to begin to try and figure out how Paysen even thought up this story, but I do like to think about his ability to tell one. The imagination of a child baffles my mind. The trick is going to be channeling the wonder into outlets a little less deceitful.  Paysen has a thing, he loves to tell stories.  He makes a huge spectacle of it.  It usually begins with, "Once u...

No one ever told me what it was like to have a boy.  No one warned me of the number a little boy would do on my heart.  No one told me that no matter who has loved you before, no love can compare to the love your own little boy will give.  Paysen was the biggest life changer for me.  He came along just in time to save me from myself. . . .before Paysen I didn't see the world like I do now, I cared about having fun and being crazy.   From the moment I found out that I was pregnant my life has never been the same.  I instantly felt like a new person.  I never took  a responsibility so seriously.  I was definantly one of the craziest women EVER during this time.  Being pregnant, I couldn't read enough books, I couldn't research enough, I couldn't ask my doctor enough questions, I couldn't eat healthy enough, I could NOT have tried harder than I did. I walked around with a feeling unlike any other.  I was to be a m...

It is very sad when my two year old son says, while I am carrying him, "mom, I don't wanna fall down."  He says this because, well, I fall down a lot. I am really good at falling down, but I am also really good at making sure its me that gets hurt and not him.  I guess my gracefulness is where Parklen gets his.  This kid is a walking bruise.  He, AT ALL TIMES, has either a black eye, goose egg, scrape, bruise, gash or something bloody.  I am lucky that he is my 2nd child, I got most of my crying out when Paysen used to fall. . . . it still hurts me, but I am much more relaxed.  Had he been my first, I would probably have heart problems from watching him get hurt so much. He falls, he cries, "mommy, you have to kiss it."  So I do.  Then the crying is done.  Parklen's attitude is priceless.  He will always do it himself, unless its walking. . . .he insists that he cannot walk. . . HE is where I get my muscles, my constant built in ...