All Things Anne

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is Mom’s birthday…happy birthday!!!! If you’d like to wish her a happy birthday you can here, or on her blog!

Rase is 6

For those of you who may not be so acquainted with Rase as are his immediate family is, that is his signature. His new signature, that is. When he was 5, his signature was “Rase is 5″. When he was four, his signature was “Rase is 4″. Well, now he’s 6, today in fact, so he said now his signature is “Rase is 6″.

Happy Birthday to Rase is 6!

A 4:15 AM Call, Happy Birthday Twins!

First of all, happy birthday to Em and Katie, who are now twelve! Head on over to their blogs and leave them a note! (Yes, it was yesterday, but my post didn’t get out in time!)

So. This is how my day went (yesterday, but I didn’t get it written in time!)! I woke up at 4:15 am because my phone was ringing. At first I thought it was my alarm…but then I seen it was Ben! So I answered…and he wanted me to wake up Dad or Mom to ask them if he should knock on the neighbor’s door…their horse was out and in the road! So I jump out of bed–it’s a wonder I didn’t fall; I’m on the upper bunk, and I almost missed the chair I use for a step!–and almost ran into the doorframe. I staggered out of my room and banged on Mom and Dad’s door (across the hall), harder than I’d intended. I heard Dad jump out of bed and come to the door, and I thought “Maybe he thinks something is terribly wrong??” and I felt bad for knocking so hard!
Not sure what Ben ended up doing, I missed that story today! but then I went into the kitchen for a sip of water–and almost ran into the doorframe. Went to the bathroom–and almost ran into the doorframe. Went back to my room–and almost ran into the doorframe! Doorways should be padded, I think.

I had set my alarm for 7:45, and woke up to turn it off…then went back to sleep and woke up at 8 when Mom called me! So I got up for real. Mom left at 8:30 to go to the doctor’s.

It was REALLY cold this morning; Abby aptly said, “I’n cold as a fidgator!” (I’m as cold as a refrigerator)

After Mom came home from her doctor’s appointment (and Joe, and Eric, and the twins–they all went with Mom!) we all headed out for the lake, for the homeschool kickoff.
Some people we know brought some canoes and sailboats, little ones, and Joe and Eric took Beth, the twins, and Tess out in the canoe, then Joe called me from the middle of the lake (from his phone) so I would look out and see them!

It was pretty funny; people would ask Mom when her baby is due, and she’d say “Today”, and they’d be like “TODAY?!? And you’re out and about??”

We seen some friends of ours…the H.’s (not Char’s family, a different family). Mr. Colie H., the dad, is sooo funny! He’s real short–only like an inch or two taller than me–and whenever he’d pass me by, he’d pretend to be falling and grab my ponytail to steady himself.
“I’m gonna chop it all off!” I threatened about my ponytail, “So you can’t grab onto it!”
“You better not!!” he said. “I’ll chop your HEAD off if you do that!”
(He’s also the one that when he came to our house, he said I looked 12, and that it better quit raining, otherwise he’d shrink!)

Mr. Colie bought a guitar store and moved near Hanson’s (where Joe takes his lessons every Thursday), and he said we could come anytime, and he was joking about how I’d bring a giant belt buckle and scratch up all his guitars!

As we were leaving, he ran up and caught Joe and Eric, and said “Hey, is your Mom going into labor?”
The boys said No, so he said “Well, come on back then, I bought pizza for you guys!”
So we went back and stayed another hour, eating pizza and talking!

We had a good time, but I don’t like being away from home for so long!!

When we did get home, someone found this video somewhere. Check it out on Joe’s blog or the original page.

Well, that’s all for Wednesday that I can remember. I know there were more things I was going to write about but I can’t remember!!

Oh yes, I got a sunburn, too. I hate sunburns. It isn’t extremely bad, though! Just unpleasant. ;)

Just a couple other things though…
On Tuesday Casting Crowns (my favorite contemporary Christian music group) came out with their new CD, The Altar and the Door. Joe tried to make up all sorts of excuses for going out to town so he could get it, but he didn’t get to town. He was disappointed. But, when Ben came home, he had a surprise! He’d gone to the Bible Bookstore and bought not only the new CD, but the Casting Crowns Live from Atlanta DVD and a free T-shirt for Joe! He was very happy!

Well, I think that’s all for now. Have a good rest of the week!

Tess’ Belated Birthday

Friday was Tess’ eighth birthday, but today (since Dad’s home) we are celebrating it today! For her birthday dinner she requested hamburgers and french fries, and for her cake, it’s a confetti cake with confetti frosting, and some yummy ice cream that I don’t remember all what it is!

Carrot Cake

Mom really really liked the carrot cake I made her for her birthday, so here’s the recipe! (See my notes at the very bottom.)

Carrot Cake
Sift together:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Mix in:
3 cups grated carrots
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat, then slowly add:
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Pour into a greased 9×13″ pan. Bake at 325º for 35-45 minutes or until the center is done. Let cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 8oz packages cream cheese
1 stick butter/margarine, softened
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar. Store in the fridge or eat on graham crackers.

***

Notes:
* I accidentally mixed the oil in fast…but it was ok!
* I think my cake took 60 minutes to bake
* My Mom likes her cream cheese frosting to be more cream-cheesey-tasting than sweet…the original frosting recipe called for two packages of cream cheese, not three
* Dirty little secret: I don’t sift my powdered sugar.