Happy Birthday Cody - 3 Years Old

Happy Birthday Cody - 3 years old today.

Okay, how do I open this again?

Happy Birthday Tyler - 5 Years Old

Happy Birthday Tyler - 5 years old today.

Check out my cool cards

See I told you I could blow out my candle

Halloween Cupcakes

It is Halloween and Tyler's Birthday!! We signed up to do snacks from Cody's class and i thought i'd just make some cupcakes for that and at the same time make them for Tyler's class!

It's not often that i use my class disgustingly sweet buttercream, but it is the safest as it does not contain any cheese or milk product. I wasn't sure how long it was going to sit out and and kids seem to love it!

Buttercream with fondant witch hat

Buttercream with fondant pumpkin

This is arranged for Tyler's Birthday celebration in class

Trick Or Treat - Its just like herding cats !!

Cody's class did a trick or treat field trip today, and Cody quite willingly asked for candies which is better than his normal shy self !!

The hardest part was finding somewhere to park, and then getting the kids to line up for a picture.  Never did get one good one, but we tried our best.

Three pictures, not one
 of them has all the kids
 looking forward

Ready for candy

Tyler's Bowling Birthday Cake

Tyler's been invited to many of his friends birthday and they seem to have so much more fun doing stuff together. So, we thought we'd throw him a bowling party, which of course requires a Bowling Cake!!

As i needed more practice on fondant work, i thought i'd do a fondant style cake which also allows me to finish the cake the night before, so that in the morning, i don't have to do any finishing touches!!

I made the bowling pins a few days ahead of time so that they are dry and stiff for when i put it on the cake. So that night i only had to frost my cake, put the fondant sheet on and add on some little decorations. But i messed up my frosting and had to spend about an hour "fixing" it! grrrrr.. Note: use really soft butter when beating cream cheese frosting!!

But despite that, i managed to go to bed at 2 am(which includes cleaning up)

And for once i managed to remember to take pictures of the process!!

Successful team effort with Alan to put the fondant on

Cut off the excess and trimmed and smoothened

Bowling pins and ball closeup

Pins are on the cake!!!

Some balls and cut out later.. voila!!!

Our last Harvest Party

We had our first Harvest Party in 2004 and since then we've had one nearly every year. I think we missed 2 years. We've gone from a 4 person party to a group of 25+. Every year, i try to incorporate new faces and thru the years, it's been a fun event for us! I remember Halden was the person who invited me to my first pumpkin carving party and it was sooo fun that i wanted to share this fun experience with as many newbies as i can.

But with the toll of two crazy kids and the proximity of their birthday to this party, as i was racing around getting stuff ready, i decided, that i would give this party up for somebody else to host. :)

Anyways, this year's party we had about 25 people again and to make my life easy, i decided on a Panini and Soup party thinking that if i can get the guests to make their own food, i could go to bed early!! It was relatively effortless but not as easy as i thought it would be! :) And what would i have done without my best helper Diana!! 

Panini party turned out to be quite fun and i learned to make chicken noodle soup and tomato soup!! We managed to get 11 carved pumpkins that night and once again a first timer won the competition. This is what usually makes it fun because the first timer are usually quite excited to win! 

My best helper, who by the way, is my only punctual friend! 

Managed to set up a craft table which interested the bigger kids

The spread

Sapna and her fancy wild mushroom pesto panini

Jim and his mayo on the outside idea

Melting deliciousness

So Asian!!!

My panini

The boys helping daddy out with pumpkin cleaning

Our lovely little princess(luckiest little girl on earth)

Tangkwa with her winning design

The little ones making their mini pumpkins

Some of the designs

More designs

One of the Marker boys. Will work on differentiating them next year!! 

I was happy with the way the party went and this was the first year we didn't do the corn maze which was a good idea now that there are so many little kids in our lives. I know i felt more relaxed for sure!!

With that, i think it was a good conclusion to The Millsers Harvest Party series!

Fireman Cody and Captain Tyler get ready for trunk or treat

The boys finally got a chance to wear their Halloween costumes tonight.  The first of many such opportunities I am sure.

Here they are just before the party

Hurry Daddy, its cold !!