Passports

We've got them! Less than a month later and passports are in hand. I can't wait to get that first stamp in it. We'll know who are little one is at that point.

Someone in missing in our house. Linden notices everytime we have an extra chair at any table and tells us that when our baby gets here, he or she will have a spot then. I love that he notices and is thinking about his next sibling ready for them to take their waiting chair.

Boxes are the best

What's so fun about this one?

They are squishing a boy of course.

A huge accomplishment

On Sunday Stefan and Hadley finished the last book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. They read all 7 together. Hadley loved it and I'm proud they finished them.

The party

Here is the party crew waiting for the pinata.

This year Hadley wanted a basketball party. The highlight was the dads against the kids game. Those dads were really nice to play outside on the super hot pavement. They battled it out well but ultimately the kids won.

Hadley's birthday

To Hadley's future wife: I know his favorite cake is subject to change but for the last few years this has been his favorite. I like it layered and then top it off with some ganache.

He really likes it that way to.

Cookies and Ice Cream Squares

3 cups cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (about 40 cookies)
2/3 cup butter or margarine melted
½ gallon cookies and cream ice cream, slightly softened
½ cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
2 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup whipping cream

Combine cookie crumbs and 2/3 cup melted butter, stirring well. Press crumb mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Cover and freeze 30 minutes. Spread slightly softened ice cream evenly over crust. Cover and freeze until ice cream is firm.

Combine ½ cup whipping cream and vanilla in small bowl, stirring well. Combine melted chocolate and ½ cup melted butter in large bowl; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with whipping cream mixture, beating at low speed of an electric mixer until smooth.

Beat 1 cup whipping cream at high speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over ice cream. Cover and freeze at least 4 hours or until firm.

Pretty? Not so much. Tasty? Delicious.

Still there

Stefan is always so good to me on my birthday. Somehow I missed pictures on my day but two weeks later the balloons he got me were still on my chair. Since it was Hadley's birthday I figured I needed to take them down.

The 7 shirt

Is it mean or fun that I had Hadley help me make his 7 shirt for his birthday? Sad thing is that I didn't get a picture of him in the finished product. He enjoyed wearing it on his birthday though and I think had a little bit of pride that he helped make it.