Our great big Little Leaguer

Yes I drive a minivan, but no, I am NOT a soccer mom.

I am a very proud Little League Mom!!!

Ethan just finished spring season and we have a few months off until Winter Ball starts.
(Why they call it winter ball, I will never know.  Games start in September when the temp is in the 90's)

Uh, just look at him....I could kiss every freckle....but he'd die of embarrassment....

He was an Oklahoma State University Cowboy....#44, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, sometimes catcher, sometimes center field, pitcher a few times....big man does it all.

...and I got to finally open my orange americolor food gel!!!!

Cookies for everyone, as always!




Ethan started playing when he was 5, which still seems like yesterday.



Because, how could this little boy....

Be this young man?

This pile of cuteness....

Be this determined?

Thanks Cowboys for a great season.

Huge thanks to our manager and coaches, Kyle, Casey and Rich.

They were fabulous teachers and role models for our boys.

Love ya Big Easy....

Lizy B

(Mom)

Linked up at:

Tatertots & Jello

The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle: Memorial Day

Like many of you, my family and I will be spending the day together relaxing, not working and really just enjoying each other's company.  (well, except for Ethan who will be diligently working on a homework project all day...)

Holidays are always enjoyed, but the reason for them is often forgotten.

Here's a post written by one of my cookie/blogging heroes.  I hope you'll get a chance to hop over and read her thoughts...


The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle: Memorial Day: "I try to stay off of my political soapbox, but today I'm making an exception. I almost didn't write this, because I didn't want to be the..."

Cookies by Sweet Sugarbelle (NOT by me....I wish!)

Her work and words inspire me to try harder everyday!

Happy Memorial Day Everyone!

Thanks for stopping by,

Lizy B

Digital Scrapbooking? (now what has she gotten herself into!)

I'm not a big scrapbooker.

Yes, I do have a huge collection of scrapbook papers, stickers, pens, silly scissors.....I could go on and on, but I think my husband might read this.  (hi honey)

But the actual cut, glue, shift, re-glue, 'curse when I cut it wrong' part has always frustrated me.

It could have quite a lot to do with the fact that I like having options waaaaaay too much.  Once you cut and glue, you can't change.  That's a problem for me.

Now, if it was a cookie...you can just eat it and start over...not a bad deal.  Paper....there's evidence.

I AM a huge shutterfly fan and have made many photobooks over the years.
Love, love, love shutterfly.

However, it's the end of the school year, and I've started to get the emails that I dread the most....

"I'm putting together a scrapbook for our great teachers!!!  Please make a 12x12 scrapbook page for our class book!"

As much as I think its a great idea, and I'm sure the teachers love them, and I appreciate that our room moms are always willing to construct them....I dread doing this.

Dread.  Seriously.

Here's the good part.  I do love techie type stuff.  (so maybe you guessed that already)
...and I love a free download...

I found this fabulous website when I was working on my header.

The Shabby Princess

All kinds of free digital scrapbook kits!  And tutorials on how to use them!

Oh my!

So I made this....

It's not really finished.  The photos need editing and I need a title on the little scrap of paper on the top.
But this was really fun!!!

When its done....I can upload the file to either shutterfly or costco just like a regular photo and they would print it for me!  Wow!!!  You can even include it in a photobook.  Easy-peasy!

The bad part....it doesn't match the already purchased paper that will be going into the teachers' books.

Can't use it.

Dread.....

Something's different....hm.

Despite all the advice to "warn your readers of upcoming visual changes to your blog before you implement them!" I didn't.

Since my readers are so absolutely brilliant, I knew you all wouldn't need a warning.

You would instantly know that I had merely found a new addiction (downloading digital embellishments from scrapbooking blogs)!

Do they have a 12 step program for free downloads?  I'll have to check into that.

Anyway, here's the first of the changes (look up), and there is no way in hell heck it will be the last.

This is way to much fun!

As soon as I figure out exactly which blogs and posts I used to figure all this out, I'll be sure to link them.


Since I didn't take any pictures of myself cursing at the computer screen.....
here's a little picture of the munchkin doing 'mommy work'...

Have a great day everyone!!!

Oh wait....so, what do you think of the new header?!?
(be gentle....)

Thanks for stopping by,

Lizy B

Art cookies for our family's artist

My Mom is an artist...did you know that?

Yup, she is...for reals.

But here's the thing, she still takes art classes.

If you are someone who has an artistic hobby, you know that's a great thing.

When you take classes you are part of a small community that inspires one another.  You can get instant criticism and feedback when you need a fresh set of eyes.  Then, of course, you learn new techniques and are challenged by your teachers!

All great stuff!!!

So when she asked me to make some cookies for her art class I was thrilled!
....and terrified.  These are artists.  Good ones.  Really, really good ones.

Just a little scary....

Voila...palettes for the artists!

Here's the flipside of the whole art class situation.

When I say to someone,  "My Mom is an artist!  Her work is amazing.  I just saw what she was working on for her class...."

As soon as you say the word 'class', you can see the wheels turning behind their eyes.
They just starting picturing art students all standing around a T.V. watching that art teacher with the frizzy hair telling viewers to paint 'happy little trees...'




Not that kind of class folks....this kind of class.....

....and this one....

...this one too...

(if I remember correctly, I think this one wasn't finished yet...)

(that's my baby, Jack)

Great work Mom!  We love you and are so very proud.....

Lizy B

Angel Baby

This could be the prettiest baby ever.....

That's my niece Nicole (Nikki), at her baptism 7 years ago.

Where those 7 years went, I have no idea.

Nikki just celebrated her first Holy Communion and I was lucky enough to be able to make her some cookies!!!  (she even asked her Mom if I would make her some-oh the joy!)

Some pretty little first communion dresses because, 

let's be real, that's the best part of the day for any 7 year old princess.

'N' cookies for Miss Nikki.

Rosaries!

(inspired by Sweet Pudgy Panda)

The original cookies have a cross made of fondant that is marbled to look like wood!

I made these pink to be a bit more girlie.

Congratulations Miss Nikki!!!

We love you!

Thanks for stopping by,

Lizy B

Can't leave Disneyland with out them!!

Do you have a pair?

I have a pair.

My oldest son has a pair, but Jack doesn't yet.



"What are they?" you ask.....

Mouse Ears!!!!!

M - I - C - K - E - Y - M - O - U - S - E !!!!!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Thanks for stopping by,

Lizy B





also shared at:
Sweets This Week
Sundae Scoop 
Thirty Handmade Days

Buzz and the Little Green Men

If you're keeping up with the theme park visitors, you'll know that there's only one munchkin left!

Four year old 'C' can't get enough of Buzz Lightyear and his intergalactic adventures.

If you're keeping up with me and my cookie adventures, you'll know that.....I don't do faces.

As in...I'll try anything to not have to do them. 

Not the little faces that just look like someone cute (like yesterday's pirates), but faces that need to be recognizable.  

But...this little man is the same age as my little man...I couldn't resist at least trying...

Oh the torture....

I have to say, I'm pretty satisfied with the outcome....

but in the interest of 'keeping it real', I thought I'd show you a little of the process...

Step 1- find yourself a willing model that will sit still....

Okay, got that...

Step 2 - put on your big girl pants and just do it (highly technical, I know).

Step 3 - try not to cry when you realize it's not going well....

I practiced on a few actual cookies too.  Luckily Ethan ate those before I got a picture (they were REALLY bad).  

The eyes were the hardest part.  They were huge when I tried to put them onto a 'dried' face.

Wet on wet flood was getting closer, but then his teeth just got bigger and bigger.

...and he looked nothing like buzz lightyear.  He looked more like...demented pirate who just spotted Cinderella and was coming up with a plan.  Not quite appropriate for a 4 year old.

Step 4 - give up and have a cocktail....(I'm fabulous at this step)

Step 5 - Fret for many weeks.... There is actually a pretty good side effect to this step.  You come up with some amazing things in the meantime that have nothing to do with what you're supposed to be working on!

In the end, I found a book on the bookshelf in Jack's room and decided to make royal icing transfers.

I was able to trace the outlines on waxed paper taped onto the page on the book.  All the details were added afterwards.  

*warning* techie cookie info...I piped the eyes directly onto the waxed paper with a 0 tip and added the black with a toothpick while still wet.  Then, did the purple hoodie thing and let it dry.  I flooded the face around the eyes and was able to direct the icing with a toothpick to get them the correct size and shape.

All in all, I think they look enough like Buzz to get by.  

I always like the little pieces that go with the main character the best....

Little Green Men

Some snack-size stars

Can't forget the letter cookies!

And that's it!!!!

Of course....I did have one more little surprise up my sleeve.....I'll save that for tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by!

Lizy B

The Happiest Cookies on Earth!!!

Who knew blogger could break???
Not me!

Now that its working again (woo-hoo, great job techie guys!)...on with the show!

(where was I again...oh yeah, just finished princesses)

The next little gentleman on this adventure is 'W' and he loves pirates!

Pirates!!! Finally!!!  I love Johnny Depp pirates!

So what do we need for a fabulous piratey time?

You need little pirate faces!!!  AARRGGHH!

You also need swords, but only if you promise not to swing them at your cousin Cinderella!

This is Captain No-Beard and his twin brother Captain Smirk.

Every pirate has a map.....

....and you can't sail away to find the treasure without a ship!!!

(I have to give credit to my husband, Captain Iron-Beard, for suggesting the cannonball holes!)

I just like letters....

Here's the whole crew!!!

These are my new favorite cookies ever....until you see tomorrow's!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lizy B

yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me....

Day 3...Two little princesses.

There are quite a few people going on this Disneyland Adventure, including 4 little munchkins.

There's a 5 year old little girl 'C' and a 2 1/2 year old little girl 'L'.
(We'll talk about the gentlemen later)
Both of these little princesses LOOOOVVVVEEEE Cinderella (who can blame them!)

So...it's Day 3 and the princesses are all ready for the party!!

I'm happy to report that all the ladies stayed in their seats and cooperated beautifully and so far no one has lost their accessories....

They will all be wearing crowns and wands....

(I'm not sure if Cindi has picked up any tips from her fairy godmother, 

but she has a wand just in case.)

She does have the most fabulous shoes....

(warning, techie cookie info coming)

You can't tell from the photo, but I used opal sanding sugar from Karen's Cookies

instead of white and it looks really great.  Just the barest hints of pastel color.

...because every princess loves her monogram!

Here's a sampling of the whole set!

Next up.....boy cookies!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lizy B


Skip to my Lou  included in Linky Party!!

Day 2...

Its Day 2 of the Disneyland Adventure!!!

Here's my kitchen this morning after baking the necessary shapes...

I make one extra of each shape to account for 'whoopsies'...

Yesterday evening one of our lovely Cinderellas didn't wait until the cookie sheet had come to a full and complete stop before undoing her seatbelt and tumbled out onto the loading dock....

poor thing wasn't even wearing her dress....

oh well, the pirates were all covering their eyes...

You can't tell from the picture but the slippers are already sparkling!!

There's an extra tray back there with squares and little girl dresses.

My lovely niece is celebrating her first holy communion this weekend as well!

Can't wait to start on those.

Oh, and my son's baseball team is having their team party!

When it rains it pours.....

Back to work for me!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lizy B

The oven is on....

I'm delivering cookies on Friday morning to an especially lovely lady to celebrate her family's trip to Disneyland.

I've known about this batch of cookies for awhile and my head has been absolutely SPINNING with ideas.  But now the oven is turning on and I can't change my mind anymore.....

So....bring on the intergalactic space rangers, pirates and princesses....

Ready....

Set....

GO!

Lizy B

Happy Mother's Day!!

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I've decided to put up my feet and spend the evening thumbing through the huge stack of magazines I've neglected since starting this blog.

Meanwhile....please enjoy these pictures of cookies that were never posted!

Lily of the Valley-one of my most favorite flowers

Gossie and her red boots-from the children's book Gossie.

 (one of Jack's favorites)

Gossie yelling at Gertie after she stole her red boots!!!!

Jack practicing his flooding skills...

Some special Mother's Day cookies for some very special friends!

Thanks for Stopping by,

Lizy B

Elephant Slippers

My little munchkin's name is Jack.  He's four and a half.

On his next birthday he is turning sixty seven.

Jack at dinner in Hawaii contemplating his next investment opportunity

-20 months old

The next afternoon by the pool...liquidating his assets.

Jack is....how do I say this....Jack has a lot of emotions in his little four and a half year old self.

He loves what he loves to the moon and back, not once but twice....

Jack and his favorite friend of the moment 'Finny' 

When we arrive at his brother's baseball games he walks up to the front of the bleachers and announces

"Hi everybody!  I'm here!"

The smile on his face when he hears "Hi Jack!" from all the families is the biggest thing in the world.

You can thrill him beyond belief by giving him a mint from your purse.....

The flip-side of all that joy, is that when he drops that mint you so lovingly gave him....his heart is absolutely, achingly broken....his world is bleak....and man is that kid loud.

Yesterday morning Jack came downstairs scooting around on his tushie saying "Mommy, my foot really, really, hurts...I can't walk".  And like any mother worth her salt I said "...uh-huh" and poured more coffee.

So imagine my surprise when I finally looked at him and saw some huge prehistoric rock thing stuck in the poor guy's foot (by huge I mean the size of a sesame seed).  That's when the cursing in my head started.  Not because I was scared the foot would fall off, but because I knew I would have to be the one to pry it out of his body....with tools.

I put on my big-girl pants, downed my coffee and warned the husband what was about to begin.

".....No Mommy pleeeeaaaassssseee.  I'm begging you...I'm BEGGING you...don't do it...."

He begged....

Actually begged...

Since I really didn't want the foot to fall off...the begging didn't work.

You know what did work...

".....Thank you Mommy for fixing my foot.  I'm sorry I wasn't brave, I think I really need a hug..."

That did it....I started listing all his favorite things that might make him feel better...

"Would you like juice on the couch and a TV show?"

"no thank you...sniff"

"grandpa cookies?"

"no thank you"

"lollipop?"

"no thank you"

So I pulled out the big guns....
I had these stashed in a 'treasure box' of reading rewards.  I thought since they were soft they might actually make his foot hurt a little less....

He hasn't taken them off since.
He leaves them in the garage so he can put them on when he take off his shoes.
They are at the foot of his bed when he goes to sleep..."facing left Mommy 'cause that's easier for me".
They are going to share time at preschool tomorrow.

That's Jack...

Thanks for stopping by,

Lizy B