Cookie Day

On Wednesday I came up with the idea to make and decorate sugar cookies with Tralee as part of her birthday celebration. I knew it would make a huge mess, I knew the cookies would be far from perfect, and I knew it wouldn't be easy. But, I also knew Tralee would have fun, I realized this was her last birthday without a sibling, and I wanted her to be able to do what toddlers do best: Make a mess.

Tralee helped me sprinkle the flour so we could roll the dough (which was made from scratch, might I add).

She also helped roll the dough.

Then decided it would be more fun to eat the cookie dough.

After a while the container the dough was in looked more fun as a hat, and the cookie cutter was used as a telescope of sorts. Fine by me! Oh, and yes, that's the same shirt she was wearing the night before at Chuck-E-Cheese's. She fell asleep in her clothes the night before, and since I knew we were making a mess, I let her stay in that outfit instead of putting on new one. Eventually everything but the diaper came off.

I think she might have been sick of the dough after a while.

The cookies baked and cooled, and then it was time to decorate them. I made three colors of icing. I should have just made one, because it didn't take long for Tralee to mix them up so much that it became one goobery color anyways. The decorated cookies started looking like something Shrek might eat.

Here's Tralee lavishly decorating a cookie with pink sprinkles.

In between each cookie, Tralee sampled each of the icings (I think she was saying, "a little for the cookie, a little for me. A little for the cookie, some more for me."). I let her sample, as this was her special project, and I knew we would be sharing these cookies with no one.

I started to clear off the table after all of the cookies were decorated. I turned around and saw that Corky was sharing in the sugary fun. I did set one limit; no eating off the brush after Corky sampled from it. I guess that was the one rule we had.

Here, ladies and gents, is Tralee's finished product.

Tralee's very first plate of cookies made (almost) entirely by her! Aren't they beautiful? We shared them with no one, as they were filled with Tralee spit (some icing for the cookie, some icing for Tralee, some icing for the cookie, some more for Tralee), but they were also filled with LOVE! That's probably why we ate them so quickly.

After the decorating was done I realized Tralee had just as much icing slathered onto her, as the cookies did. So, a bath was swiftly administered. A new comfy outfit replaced the flour, sugar, and icing that had once clothed my child, and a nap was in order. While Tralee slept, and quite literally had sweet dreams, I tackled the sugar soaked kitchen. Cleaning up wasn't as difficult as I imagined it would be. Maybe it was my sugar induced state of mind, or maybe it was knowing I had made my daughter happy, but as every swipe of my sponge removed the icing that had spackled itself to the table, chairs, and floor I felt good inside. I knew Tralee had fun, I knew my plans for the day were accomplished, and I knew I would smile every time I glanced at the messy gooey plate of cookies I helped my daughter create. I also knew I would smile even more every time I bit into one of these cookies -- they were sweet in more ways than one.

Chuck-E-Cheese's

On Tuesday night Jim and I took Tralee to Chuck-E-Cheese's for her second birthday celebration. We met up with the other Jacobs family and had a lot of fun. I hadn't been to Chuck-E-Cheese's since I was little, and remembered having fun, so I couldn't wait to see Tralee's reaction.
Tralee had fun running around, dancing, playing ski-ball, and watching Mommy and Daddy play basketball. She did NOT care for anything that moved. We tried a few "rides" and Tralee wanted out as soon as it started moving. Maybe next year she'll like the rides more. She also wasn't too sure about the robotic animals singing to cheesy songs (pardon the pun). They were pretty creepy.
Here's a picture of Audie, Jared, and Oakley getting a portrait done.

Below are our finished portraits. As you can see Tralee really loved them (said sarcastically).

The funniest thing that happened was Tralee helping herself to another family's pizza. Audie pointed to Tralee, and when I looked down I see her holding five pieces of pizza stuck together, and chowing down on the ends of them. I didn't know what else to do, so I grabbed it away from Tralee, and chucked the pizza back onto the tray. It landed all lop-sided and I wasn't sure if I should touch it even more to fix it, or just leave it alone. I left it alone, but not before Tralee grabbed one of their drinks, and attempted to take a sip before I snatched that away from her also. The owner's of that pizza and drink weren't around when this happened, and I hope they weren't too upset when they got back to their table. I'm kind of hoping they were done eating, and didn't even notice. I never got a chance to say "sorry" for my kid's mistake. Maybe I would have, but I honestly had no idea who the pizza belonged to. I DID guide Tralee back to our table where she ate some of the correct pizza, and sipped from her own drink. All she had to do was tell me she was hungry and thirsty, and I would have helped her out. I guess Tralee wanted to take matters in to her own hands. She's self sufficient if she's nothing else.

When we FINALLY used up all of our tokens (seriously, it took forever to get rid of those things!), the guys went and cashed them in for some prizes for the girls.


They even had enough to get Tralee a gumball machine for her birthday. Tralee was thrilled with it, just look at that face! It says it all. (I think Tralee was beyond tired at this point, and was just ready to go home and get some shut-eye.)
All in all it was fun night for everyone.

First of all. . .

. . . how is it possible that only a year ago today this is what my baby looked like?


In one year Tralee's changed significantly. Her hair grew, she grew, she started talking, singing, walking, running, climbing, playing pretend, and impressing and entertaining her parents with her quirks. I can't believe she's two! I can't believe two years ago this is what we were looking at:

Now look at her!

How did this happen? I keep telling Tralee to stop growing up so fast, but she's not listening to me. She's officially two, and there's nothing I can do about it.

Happy second birthday you beautiful brown-eyed-girl!

More pictures soon to come. We celebrated her second birthday all week long. Stay tuned.

In case you were wondering. . .

. . . this is what I look like at 25 weeks pregnant.



(Okay, not really. I usually look like this, but with no make-up, in a pair of sweats, wearing one of Jim's huge t-shirts, and hair up in a pony-tail. I actually got ready today, so I thought it might be a good time to snap a shot of my pregnant self.)

The belly is real.

Trouble Maker

What's this you ask?



It's a photo of my daughter utterly and completley tangled in an old-school tape she pulled apart.

I swear, you turn around for two seconds and disaster strikes.

Okay, so it wasn't a disaster. Luckily, we have an exact copy of that tape she pulled apart.

It turns out Jim listened to the Brite tapes too as a kid. So, we have a few from his youth, and the entire set of them from mine. I think we might just put in the "Obedience"tape for Tralee, since she didn't listen when mommy said, "No touch Tralee" as Tralee reached for this very tape two seconds before.

Seriously, all it took was a few seconds before it was too late to salvage the tape.

Sigh.

At least we have another set.

A set that is now placed too high for Tralee's sticky little fingers to find.

Ice Skating

Last Saturday Jim and I invited the Jacobs family to come ice skating with us on Lake Lowell. Lake Lowell is only a few minutes away from where we live, and for weeks Jim has been itching to skate on it. Every time we drive by, he has to stop and go check out the ice.

We had a good time skating about (I watched and chatted with Audie), and Jim even made a sled out of scrap wood he could pull the little girls on. Jovie and Tralee loved it. Audie even went for a ride! A few days later Jim and I went back and he pulled me on his make-shift sled as well. It was fun, but I think two and three-year-olds love it the best.

Jim helped Tralee "skate" for the first time. I'm not too sure how she felt about it.

After the women and children had had enough, we came back to our place to hang out and get warm. The guys stayed behind and played hockey. Jared brought Jim his hockey goal a few weeks ago, and they put it to use on Saturday. Here are a few action shots of the guys.

Jim said he couldn't believe how many people stopped and watched them play hockey. It was a novelty to have anyone out on the ice. I reminded Jim that most people around here aren't from Canada, and probably don't think about ice skating on a lake too often.

Jim's hockey skills have been improving. Since he's started playing he's received a silver medal, and at one of his last games he even got a hat trick (three goals in one game)! What a stud! As long as he keeps coming home from his games with all of his teeth in place, I'm happy.

Jim has been practicing out on the ice with the hockey goal every so often. People still continue to pull over and watch him play. The other day some one asked, "Can I come out and play too!" Jim obliged and the guy was so excited to shoot a few pucks into the goal. Another time a kid came out and wanted to ride on the sled, Jim pulled him around too. It's been fun having a Canadian hubby around here! If he wasn't around, I think I would keep myself inside, sipping on hot coco and baking cookies. Now I actually brave the cold and find other things to do in these cold wintry months.

I'll leave you with a picture of a dead fish stuck in the ice. It didn't really fit in anywhere else in my post. Until next time. . .

Sledding and Swimming

Last Saturday a big group of Callister relatives headed up to Garden Valley, Idaho to spend the day sledding, swimming in hot spring pools, and eating yummy food at the Fowler's (Jim's cousins). It was a lot of fun, with only one sledding injury (poor Theresa), and even though the pregnant lady (me) couldn't really do anything, I still enjoyed watching my daughter have a blast!

As far as the pictures go, I couldn't narrow them down to just a few, so I posted all of my favorites. Sorry for all pictures (not really), but my kid is pretty stinken' cute, as are the millions of Callister cousins. So that's what you get when you combine sledding, swimming, and lots (I mean LOTS) of cute little munchkins running around -- a whole mess of photos to blog about. Enjoy!

The troops walking towards the hill.

A shot from the bottom of the hill, and top of the hill.

Sled Train (Jason's in the middle of it, and he was a CRAZY sledder! Fun, but crazy.)

Fowler Family

One of Mike Thomas' kids ( I can't think of her name at the moment. Don't be mad, just know that I'm pregnant and there are millions of Callister cousins to keep track of.)

More sledding pics

Mike and two of his kids

Cute girl cousin shot. As you can see, Tralee has lots of little cousins to play with at these types of get-togethers.

Jim would pull Tralee up the sledding hill. She loved it!

Sledding down the hill

At the bottom

Heading back up

Our little snow angel!

She's walking with a purpose!

Tralee loved these dogs running around. If she wasn't sledding down the hill, or being pulled on a sled, she was following these dogs around.

Hot springs pool. Check out Kade -- mid-air and everything!

Daddy daughter moment

She's a fish people! The girl loves to swim (or try to at least).

That's "the end" folks!

Thanks to the Fowler family for hosting this cool event!