Goodbye

It's time to say goodbye, Blog. You take up too much time whenever I get to you, and when I don't, I feel all guilty and I don't need that right now. It's not you, it's me. Maybe I'll come back to you someday. So thanks, it's been real...

THE BEST Carrot Cake. EVER.

Today my Great Aunt Alene Tucker would have been 78 years old. She was one of the most amazing women ever. She also made the most amazing carrot cake ever, and she would take it to all the family gatherings. Now, every year on her birthday we make her carrot cake and have it for dinner. Yes, dinner. And if there's enough left over the next morning, breakfast too. After all, it has all of the food groups in it, so it's healthy, right?? I wanted to share her recipe because it's just too good not to!

Alene's Carrot Cake

1 C oil
2 C sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 C flour
2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
3 C grated carrots
1 C chopped walnuts
Mix together oil, sugar & eggs. Sift in the flour, soda, cinnamon & salt. Add pineapple, carrots & nuts. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 45-60 min. Let cool & frost.
Frosting:
1/2 stick butter or marg., softened
3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
1/2 t lemon extract (this is what really sets it apart!)
Beat together butter & cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add vanilla & lemon extract. Spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate until serving. 12-24 servings.
*Note: You may be tempted to double the frosting recipe because it doesn't look like much, but trust me, it's just right!

Enjoy!

Surprise!!!

Okay, I have the best family EVER!! On Saturday my Grandma & Grandpa Warnick were going to take us out to lunch at Craigos for my birthday. When we got there my Grandma met us out front and said it was really busy, so my Grandpa got us a table. We followed her inside into a separate room, and there was my MOM!!! And my Aunt Debbie and Aunt Lisa!! I cried. Some of my cousins came, too! Later we went to my grandparents house for dinner and games. I swear you've never laughed until you've been around my mom and my aunts. It was so much fun!!

Yeah, the glasses? It was just some number. It's not like that's my age. I'm 29, you know...

My cute family!

It's a party whenever Grand is around!

It's good to be with family!

B-I-N-G-O! Now I know where the 'G' comes from! Inside joke.

Aren't they so cute?!

Once we start laughing...(Hi, Debbie!)

We don't know how to stop! (Hi, Lisa!)

They are buddies!

And, of course, Mason dancing!

Seriously, way too much fun!! I feel like I've been spoiled rotten. Thank you so much to my family for everything! Awesome memories!!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a nice vacation, because we sure did! It was packed to the max with food (too much of it!), fun and family...

Mason finally got his R.C.!!

Mikayla with her MP3 player and Webkinz

Makenzie with her MP3 player and Webkinz

Mason and Great Grandpa Warnick looking at the animated Santas

Mason gettin' his groove on with the hula hoop Santa!

Ridin' in the Ranger with Great Grandpa Erickson in Wyoming!

Weeee!!

Flying Kenzie!

Airborne Kayla!

Mason's igloo!

Megan had an issue with the sled

But we still used it

And here is the new sled!

Playing board games with Aunt Kim on New Year's Eve

Wii!!

Watching the ball drop

Too much partying!


Good times. I should mention that Megan didn't really break the sled, it was already broken. But we didn't mind the excuse to get a new one!

Happy Halloween!

We had a fun Halloween this year! It all started with the girls' school carnival last weekend, and pumpkin carving and caramel apples for FHE! Then they had a costume parade and class parties at school, and a (kid-friendly!) Halloween movie night on Friday! We actually did something unique this year instead of trick-or-treating. Since we are sort of in limbo as far as church and school go (the girls are going to their new school in town while we try to sell our house) we decided to let the kids pick out several bags of their favorite candy (about what I normally would buy for trick-or-treaters) and then divide it up amongst them. Then we just visited Lane's Grandma at the assisted living home, my Grandparents at their house, and Lane's parents out at their house (plus Meg & Jax & my cute niecies were there)! This year Mason was Woody the cowboy from Toy Story, which has been his latest thing. The girls are into American Girl, and we found these dresses that look a lot like the ones from the Felicity movie, which takes place in colonial times. Perfect!

Oooh, scary pumpkins!

The cutest Sheriff Woody this side of anywhere!

American colonial girl Mikayla

American colonial girl Makenzie

Cute cousins! I love the monkey and banana costumes!

Too much Halloween!

Colorful Colorado

We had a good time visiting my family in Colorado during our spud harvest vacation last week!

Azul, the new baby of the fam!


Cute cousins at the zoo! It's funny how much these two are alike!


Cute cousins at the zoo, part 2! It's funny how much they are alike, too!


Zoo train! We had to go on this one for our little guy!


The animals in the cage where they belong. :)


It was fun going to the museum with Grand!


Rexy, just like in Night at the Museum!


Teenage Mutant Ninja Tuckers (okay, maybe not teenagers anymore)!


Overall, it was a nice visit (except for the part where we had car trouble and stayed two days longer than planned, but even that turned out okay)! We felt very spoiled by my Dad's good cooking and everything my Mom did for us. Thanks you guys!