Dirt Cheap!

In preparation for landscaping our back yard this next spring, I wanted to call around and get estimates on how much fill dirt was going to cost us. I called a few excavation services and some landscape designers and came to the conclusion that the dirt was going to cost us over $1000.00. Blech! That was just not going to happen. I decided to call my cousin Brent Martell. He co-owns Premier Landscaping and Design. I asked him if he sold fill dirt and how much he charged for it. It just so happens he was working on an excavation project for Bank Reata on rd 100 and had fill dirt available and in my area. They're charging me 80.00 a truckload for 5 truck loads, I mean the big dirt hauler trucks. It'll be roughly 50 cubic yards of soil for $400.00.
He said, he doesn't always have dirt available and if we're too far from the supply, it can get expensive. (that must of been why other places quoted so high) So a next spring thing turned into a next Friday thing.

We're not completely ready for it. The weeds are still thriving back there, and we have left over scraps from building the timber wall. I also need to finish the brick wall to keep the dirt from spilling out into our neighbors yard.

I have a feeling that it may not be pushed around to where it's final resting spot will be until next year. But just having it will be a HUGE step in the right direction.

Chloê's 6th Birthday

Thats right! Can you believe it, our little Chloê is all grown up now and going to school. sniff, sniff... the kids are all growing up so fast. But I love the stage Chloê and Ainsley are in right now. They're able to do fun stuff like play games with us, learn clapping games, learn how to jump rope, skate boarding and riding a bike! It's so cool to watch them start to learn how to play like big kids.

I went to Chloê's school and we handed out happy face pencils to her classmates (they don't allow birthday treats to be served these days) and I read a great book, There's an Alligator Under My Bed, By Mercer Mayer. The kids in her class loved the book, and requested I read it again or leave the book with Mrs. Hart. I had to tell them that I had to leave... but Chloê would bring the book again later in the year, I promised. I guess after I left, Chloê got a birthday crown and the kids sung happy birthday to her and she got a birthday award certificate. Pretty special day at school.

I made a Chocolate Cake with Buttercream frosting from scratch.

Hershey's Chocolate Cake

2 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
3. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
5. Frost with "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

---I doubled the recipe used the pampered chef lg bar pans and made a double layer sheet cake.

Basic French Buttercream Frosting

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
1 pinch salt
1 pound butter

Directions:

Put sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan over high heat.

Meanwhile, beat eggs and salt until fluffy, use a heat resistant bowl.

When all of the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is boiling, pour over beating eggs (this basically cooks the egg mixture, be sure to have a hot pad under your bowl). Cut butter into cubes. When the eggs-sugar bowl is lukewarm to the touch, slowly add butter while continuing to beat until fluffy and smooth. Flavor as desired.

This recipe for Basic French Buttercream serves/makes 1 batch.

---I forgot to flavor this the first time through and I thought it didn't turn out right so I added 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted and a Tablespoon of vanilla flavoring. It probably didn't need the powdered sugar but it was fantastic so I left it and repeated it for the second batch.

I got lots of compliments on the frosting, not too sweet but flavorfull and creamy. The cake was wonderfull tasting and light and fluffy, though it was too moist and rich to eat very much.




The party was nice. Grandma Wells and Grandma/Grandpa Schmidt came and Grandpa Ken and Grandma Lori came and Aunt Kathy and Cierra came. We all enjoyed talking and cake and ice cream and presents!

Grandma Lori had a special suprise of a new bike for Chloê.

Little Flippers Exhibition at the Sausage Fest

Chloê was in a little flipper exhibition at this years Richland Sausage Fest. They performed the same show they learned for the Benton Franklin County Fair. It was cute of course! While the music was playing on the stage Ainsley and Nic were dancing like crazy people off to the side of the stage. Nic doesn't dance normally of course he does some weird form of break dancing or interpretive dance. It was great!

The Sausage Fest was fantastic. I had never been before. The food was good and most of all at about 2.50 a meal it was affordable. No paid parking and activites and games for the kids at about 35 cents a pop. Enough stuff to keep a family occupied and having fun for a few hours and not having to deplete the bank account for it. They had a small flea market/craft show going on and we bought someone's junk. A book and wexford crystal pitcher for me and some cookie cutters for the kiddies. We bought a raffle ticket for a chance to win a 50 inch plasma TV... we haven't heard back yet so we probably didn't win :( OOOH wait the ticket stub says 7:30pm October 14th, there's still a chance!

7 Years and it Keeps Getting Better!

There we are, 7 years ago. Weren't we cute! hehehe and Kenny's little cookie duster. Man, the equipment I scanned this photo with 7 years ago must of sucked! I need to get a new one in there someday, maybe for our 10 year :)

That was a busy time for us. We both were working, I had a job at Fred Meyers and he was doing contract work for Deliver Plus installing POS systems in Pizza Huts around the state. He was late to the rehearsal dinner because he was driving back from a distant install. Don Swart was the Best Man and the most expensive item at the wedding. We flew him in on the morning of the wedding, we even held up the wedding 15 minutes for his arrival! Rachel Turner (now Baldwin) was my Maid of Honor. They were good choices for us, they're both still really close friends.

We got married 5 years after we started dating in highschool. We have been together for 12 years this October! I loved him so much. We were never apart, I think we were commonly referred to as KennynErin. I went out of my way to schedule half of my classes with him and those we didn't share I would meet him outside of the classroom to walk him to his next class even if it meant I would be late to my next class. And as nerdy as we were, we were nominated for class couple.

Some people reminisce about the past, wishing they could feel the way they did when they first met. Don't get me wrong, those were exiting times. But I'd never give up what I have now for what it started as. Our friendship has always been strong, but it is continually growing each day.
We still share many interests and enjoy just talking together. Our kids are fantastic and I can't imagine not having them in our lives. They give us much joy and never allow things to get boring.

Thank you honey for 7 wonderful years of marriage.

Wow, that was mushy! But I guess sometimes mushy stuff needs to be said.