The Age Guessing Game

Today one of my favorite yearly conversations with my class took place. The age conversation. Tomorrow is Kandice's birthday and she is turning 30. Kandice and I are BFF school teachers....just ask our classes. If I didn't have Kandice I couldn't survive! We combine our classes in the afternoon and teach all 43 kids together and we love it and the kids love it. We have them trained to believe that we are the most fun, nicest, and coolest teachers EVER. Back to the age conversation: Kandice won't be at school tomorrow for her birthday, so we sang to her and celebrated today. After we sang the kids tried to guess her age. They were suprisingly close. A bunch of 20ish, 30ish guesses and only one guess of 56 and one guess of 8. And yes the kid who guessed 8 was being completely serious. After we told them that she was turning 30 we asked them who they thought was older - Mrs. Antonino or me. Without fail, every year, the kids guess that I am older. Their reason? Because I am taller (see above picture - it is hard to tell because of her tall captain hook hat....imagine her without the hat...I've got 4 inches on her at least). Because I am taller, of course I am older. Duh. I always tell them I am 74. Many of them believe me and say things like, "Wow! You are as old as my Grandma!" or "You are older than my mom! She is only 32!" Then I always, without fail, get the comments like I did today. "You can't be 74. You aren't married!" Today cute little A. in Kandice's class and I had this conversation:

A: If you are 74 you must be married.
M: Oh yeah? How come?
A: Becuase you are supposed to get married when you are 19. Or maybe 20.
Interjection from my pologymist child: My mom got married when she was 15!
Me: So A., if I am married, who is my husband?
A: I don't know his name!
Me: Well where he is right now?
A: At work. (looking at me with a DUH face)
Me: Oh right. Good to know he at least has a job.
A: :::nods her head knowingly::::

Then this conversation with cutest kid ever M.
M: You really aren't 74. You can't be. You aren't married.
Me: Why do I have to be married to be 74?
M: Because you are supposed to be married if you are that old.
Me: Oh. Right. So....what happens if I never get married?
M: ::::totally at a loss for words, just stares at me then gives me a cute smile and shrug of the shoulders::::::

I better get married soon or I can't get any older! Just ask my first graders!

Side note on a similar subject. There is a cutey pants girl, Ramzie, that was in my class last year. Her mom teaches at my school and I just love this family. They are crazy fun. Her mom knows all about me and my dating situations past and present. Ramzie has been there for parts of our "Becca's dating life" converstaions. So often when Ramzie is walking into school with her mom early in the morning before any other kids are there, Ramize will see me and ask, "Have you found your true love yet?"

Not yet Ramzie. Someday. Or I'm going to have to be 27 forever.

Who Needs Teaching?

My friend Emily, who is also a teacher, and I decided that we don't need to be teachers anymore. We are going to perfect the art of making and decorating cupcakes and open up a little bakery. We went to Joanns and bought a sweet cupcake book and made our first two last night. Emily made the Orange and Almond Cupcakes while I attempted the Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes. We didn't realize until we had already begun mixing that we had both chosen recipes from the "Cupcakes for Special Diets" section.....so they didn't turn out as rich and desserty as we were hoping for....but they were gluten free and low in fat and oil! They tasted pretty good, but were more of a healthy, eat for a brunch or something type of cupcake. I was a little disappointed but there is always Saturday - our next scheduled "try out cupcakes for our bakery so we don't have to be teachers" night.

The Orange and Almond Cupcakes:Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes (for healthy people!) Don't judge the appearance. Or really you can, because I did. They do NOT look pretty at all but tasted better than they look. I'll have to work on the presentation!

We even had some taste testers come over to try out the baked goods. They even brought score sheets with them, which they are using for bibs in this picture. The tasters approved.

I'm in Love

I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!!!!! (Ten points to anyone who can name that movie.) Coming back from Christmas in California to out of control snowy Utah made me want to cry. Driving to work in my little 2-wheel drive in the out of control snow the first Monday back made me want to cry even more. Buying a used, decked out, 2004 Toyota Highlander for a steal of deal, made me want to cry even more.....but this time with joy. Bring on the snow.....I'm not even scared. I've got my four-wheel drive friend to keep me company now!
Here is a little glimpse of the awful snow I came back to after the Christmas break. I don't think this picture even does it justice. It was out of control. And didn't stop for that whole first week back! Luckily it has quit, at least for now, and we are enjoying warm 40 degree weather!

Baby Booties

I found a pattern for these cute little Mary Janes on an esty website. They are reversible....in theory. How fun is that? Here is my first attempt for baby Ali....a little rough around the edges, but they'll do!

Halloween Costumes....Now and Then

A few years ago (maybe 2007?) my friend Heather asked me to make a Halloween costume for her little boy Colton. Colton's dad was a football player at BYU so she thought it would be appropriate to dress her little tike as a football for Justin to carry around. I didn't really know what I was doing, but put my BS skills to work and came up with this:

This year Heather wanted Colton to be Elvis and Ail to be a 50s girl. This Elvis costume was a LOT harder than the simple football outfit! I had never sewn clothes before, had no pattern to go off of, and only one night to get it done. CRAZY!!! I used a pair of Cole's pajama pants and a t-shrit as a guide and hit the ground running. I wanted to quit a few, okay multiple, times but kept trucking away. The whole time I wasn't even sure if the silly thing would fit Cole, as he was home in bed. Luckily I pulled it off, the thing fit him (barely - notice the tight thighs!). It's a good thing too - I think I would have started bawling on the spot if it didn't fit him! I take no credit for the sweet jewels all over the costume, that was all Justin, and add so much to the costume. They got the wig at a costume shop. For Ali I sewed a quick and simple little mini-sized skirt and Heather put on the poodle. What started as a way over my head, exhausting project, turned out all right in the end! Colton looked so cute and had fun wearing his costume. That makes it worth it!

Cake Decorating Classes

My friend Emily and I had the genius idea to sign up for the Wilton cake decorating classes held at Roberts. Best idea ever. It was so much fun! I loved the first class so much that I ended up taking all 4 classes that they offered. That translated into spending 4 consecutive months of Saturdays in Roberts decorating cakes. By the end of the 4 months I was so tired of making a gagillion types/colors of frosting and a cake every week and my kitchen was permanently covered in fine mist of powdered sugar. It was worth it though.

I didn't do a very good job of taking pictures of my cakes....so I only have a few pictures of the cookie-cutter cakes that everyone who takes these classes make. Doesn't show off much, but it's the best I've got.

Okay....this cake was TASTY. I got the idea for it off of my cousin Laurie's blog. She lives in Arizona and just happened to be taking the same classes as me. It was like we were living parallel lives there for a bit :) She told of a friend that used a maple-cinnamon buttercream icing. Yum! I made a pumpkin-spice cake with a cream-cheese frosting and a maple-cinnamon buttercream icing. It was heavenly. The perfect fall treat.

Flower basket cake:

My first fondant cake. Fondant is so fun to work with (and so much easier too!) but not the tastiest thing ever. Even with the marshmallow based, homemade kind that my instructor taught us....still not as yummy as buttercream.

My Second Sewing Project

My first sewing project was a quick table runner to match the curtains in my kitchen. I wanted to make something while my mom was still in town so that she could help me when I screwed everything up! Luckily I didn't do too much damage. I also don't have any pictures of it so just imagine a lovely, simply table runner.

My second sewing project was these Frenchy Bags by the wonderful Amy Butler. I have sewn a few things in my day, but always under the watchful eye of my seamstress mother not on my own. I've also never followed a pattern in my life. So with those two things in mind I bought the pattern, bought some cheap fabric (didn't want to mess up with expensive fabric!), booted up the ol' machine and got sewing. I'd say they worked out pretty well for my first attempt at pattern following.