because.....

Okay, its 9:36 am and my kids just busted me eating cake right off the cake plate while they were eating breakfast. " Why are you eating that mama?" asked Boo Boo " Because I'm mama...." I said slightly unsure. Everytime I say that I am slightly unsure, one day they'll catch on and know that that is neither a reason nor a exceptable answer.....but for now, yummy cake in the morning with my coffee. Evil mama. I've got more pics of course, like I said earlier of food and kids and life around here. Its been about 3 degrees out so we've been playing games, cooking painting and making new years eve crowns of course.....and playing in the new tree tent which is currently holding my living room hostage, but they love it and I had wanted to get it for them. So thanks Auntie Shawn for the big pain in the ass tree tent in my living room, The girls' love it!


So first lets go with the kiddos

Denali LOVES back yard sledding.

This is that pain in the @$& tent that we ADORE!!! Elsie wants to be in it all the time and come on....

how much cuter can it get?

Boo had fun making the New Years Eve crowns but didn't want to wear it. She is visibly unhappy and trying to squirm out of the thing but I really wanted a picture. This will do.

Denali's crown!!

Elsie also was very proud of her crown. Well 2 outta 3 ain't bad.

Mama + El crowns

NOW FOR THE EDIBLES!!!

This is yeast, all cozy in some warm H20.

+ some flour, salt, sugar

AND

Cheap BEER!

Sean nearly has a heart attack everytime I cook with beer

Hahaha and I did it 2 times on New years eve.

But you know what...it was good.

Anyways, mix it. I let it mix for about 10 min. Oil a metal bowl or something and let the dough rise for about 2 hrs. Heat the dutch oven in a 425 oven, make sure the pan is hot hot hot. Stick the dough in it and cover it, cook for about 20 min. then uncover and cook for about 15min more and ....

YOU"VE got bread glorious bread. Your family will wolf thtis down so quick You'll have to stay close in case of choking.

CANDY CANE CANDY

This is just what I do with any left over candy canes from xmas. Its uber yums!

CAKE

Take some strwberries and leave them in sugar over night and this is what will happen to them

Pre cook cake just so you can see the strawberries that have been mixed with alittle strawberry jam swirled into the cake mix

Yes tis is the because I'm mama cake from earlier. Come on though....can you really blame me?

SEAN TAKES A WALK

He looks so serious when taking a picture of himself.

He was out on the bluff snowshoeing yesterday and came across a wedding.....yeah, only in Alaska.

I like his photos. Grey day snowshoe fun.

So, there you have it. I hope you all had a beautiful New years. Sean and I rang it in wiht a bottle of lambic. Beautiful, just like the rest of my week has been.

Love Mama Whalen

new years eve morning partial eclipse

It was so beautiful. More pictures to follow of food and kids and whatever but for now, a bad pic of the moon.

Note to self " when I have $$ I will get a new camera!"

Oh my god, oh my god oh my GOD!!!!

Yesterday was MY day man. I mean really really my day. Beautiful 32 I think I'm going to really like you. For 1, my friend Sid came over and watched the girls while I ran off to the DMV of all places. I was in and out of there, the bank and the grocery within 1 hour though. I know....amazing right! I also have one of ( says vain me) one of the best drivers liscence photos ever on the face of the planet. Asia watched the girls all night and get ready for it....the best part of the whole night, my husband.......is a full fledged SUSHI convert! OH YES!!!!!!! He's already waiting, plotting even for the next time we can get it. I so meant to get a picture but I felt like kind of an ass clicking away in this nice resturant we went to. Plus I was too excited at the prospect of having my first expertly rolled sushi in 6 YEARS to remember I even had a camera on me. Though having no photographic evidence of the glutony that insued is kinda a good thing. Anyways heres a picture I stole from someone else.

The rest of the night was almost as fantastic as sharing my love of food with my loving husband.

Tomorrow is New years eve, the begining of 2010 and my big sisters Bday. Sout out to Shawn Hayes aka: Nawny! Love you lady and wish you a bright and beautiful year!

It also has me thinking of course....about cooking, what to make for my little family to ring in the new year????

Its to bad pop rocks wouldn't hold up in cupcakes....or frosting. How much would that kick ass, pop rock cupcakes for new years! What I have on hand though is strawberries and for those of you not in the know I am a strawberry cake fanatic. I used to have my dad bake it for my bdays, well that and fried rice. YUM. So I think tomorrow I'll make strawberry cake. Okay the important question is outta the way so that just leaves dinner......I want something that my little family loves and that reminds me of my BIG Family that is easy delish and won't cause any dinner time melt downs at the kiddy table of my life....

The boat may be gone but the memories are loud and clear,

dun dun DUN!!!!

Pork medalions ala wingsong.

salad

and.....

I'll figure something out I'm sure.

I also think I should make evryone some nifty cardboard crowns,

I let the girls make Sean one so he has to wear it. heheheh yes I am that bad but its sooooo good for him!!

Besides there more cardboard from xmas that needs to be used up.

Anyways....heres to you, Hope your having fun and being as beautiful as I know you are. Happy New years people!!!! Happy birthday Shawn na na!

Love big mama whalen

xmas oh my.

Alright Christmas, you kicked my ass!

I spent weeks on these for the ladies down at Darwin's. I'm just glad I got them done. Whew. So is Sean, I don't think anyone has ever been as glad as he was to see beads get put away. Then my wonderful sister sent me a box full of bead and shells for my bday. I um.....accidently opened them on xmas though. I promptly started beading agin inbetween cooking the cakes and the ham and then I took one look at his face and decided to wait until later this week.

Our Christmas eve was kinda shakey emotionally so I decided to course out my bad vibes by making him some Dolmas which he loves! They are divine. Maybe I'll do a dolmas tutorial later on.

the Ginger bread advent calender from laura's family. The girls absolutely adore it.

Cookies for Santa of course. Maybe their why mama didn't lose any weight this week huh?

In my family we always opened up 1 gift on Christmas eve, I carry that tradition on. Sharel suprised us by making these beautiful dolls for the girls. They LOVED them. They took them to bed with them and still had their hands on them when they woke up xmas morning. So super cute.

After I wrapped everything. WOW

Denali's Barbie glamor camper. She squeeled upon opening it and LOVES it sosoooo much!

Boo Boo proudly handing Sean the gift she picked out fro him from all of them. The most elmer fud hat you've ever seen. I love it. The sight of him wearing it is hilarious and wonderful. Good job Boo!

Elsie's fairy mermaid. I had to sew wings on the mermaid doll I found because I could not find a fairy mermaid anywhere for the life of me, but its what she wanted and its what she got. I think its laying in a corner somewhere. Go figure.

Boo's magic Ariel from Auntie Shawn.

Custom hats from Auntie Julia.

Little budding artist and her paint set.

I should post some photos of her drawings because they really are incredible.

Ah, what would my blog be without another picture of food. So heres my ham. It was to die for! The girls', Sean, Big Sid and I scarffed it.

So, thats that. Today is the day before my 32 bday. Amazing. I will be going to work tonight and then tomorrow the beautiful Asia and Juniper are coming over to babysit so Sean and I can go out. We don't really have any money after this month but we do have 2 free movie tickets! Beside fun with your husband is free right! Love Love love you all.

Sarah