Suspend

I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite party games. It's called Suspend and it is made by the company Melissa and Doug so you know that it is a quality product. This game was given to me by my brother and we play it at least once a month. It reminds me of a mixture of pick up sticks and Jenga.

Suspend is usually our starter game at game nights. It's easy to explain, quick, and a lot of fun.

Players: 2-8 (When we play with 8 people we place two people on each team. They must alternate turns rolling and placing a piece.)

Motive: Be the first one to place all of your pieces.

Rules: Each player is given one of each color rod. On their turn they roll the colored dice to place a piece. They can only use one hand. If any of the pieces fall they are placed into your pile. No rod can touch the ground or rest in the same notch as another rod. If the player rolls a color they do not have, they must use another player's piece. If there are no more rods of that color to place you must skip that turn. If your or someone else places your last piece you win!

This game is a lot of fun. Especially when people try to do some of the challenge moves located in the rules pack. My husband loves to balance the rods very precariously. I try not to be after him, but inevitably knock some of the pieces off. 

This game earns 10/10 stars in my book. 

Wilton Cake Class Part 2

This last month I completed step two of one of my life long goals and took another cake decorating class. This was the second Wilton Cake Decorating Course also known as Flowers and Cake Design.  I am one step closer to confidently decorating my children's cakes.

Here are my thoughts on the second course. You can see my review and materials needed for course one here. 

• Spread the courses out over the course of a year. I am burnt out of decorating cakes. It takes a lot of time and resources to get everything together.
• Keep practicing whenever you get the chance.
• Check out videos on youtube to review. I really like Cake Darla.

Here is schedule of the supplies you will need to complete Course 2. I'm still adding things to my cake tackle box when I get a coupon. I highly recommend this box. It fits almost all of my cake decorating supplies inside.

Week 1
Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Wet wipes/towel/napkins/paper towels
Plastic bags
Apron
Gum Paste
Neon Fondant Multipack (You really need the neon. The gum paste turns it into pastel colors.)
Small container with water
White vegetable shortening
1 Tb Cornstarch
1 Tb Powdered Sugar
Tapered Spatula
Angled Spatula
9 inch rolling pin with Guide Rings
Parchment Triangle (I had some left over from Kit 1)
Practice board (From Kit 1)
Student Kit 2
Box for flowers

Week 2 
Cloth wipes
Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Toothpicks
Tape
25 Waxed Paper Squares
Wax Paper
Repositionable glue stick
Plastic bags
Several disposable plastic cups

20 paper napkins
1 water bottle
Paper bag (For your trash)
Apron
Practice board (From Kit 1)
10 Parchment Triangle Bags
Student Kit 2
Assorted colors of Royal Icing
Regular Sized Muffin tin to carry home flowers

Week 3

Cloth wipes
Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Toothpicks
Tape
25 Waxed Paper Squares
Candy Foil Squares
Wax Paper
Repositionable glue stick
Plastic bags
Several disposable plastic cups

1 water bottle
Paper bag (For your trash)
Apron
Practice board (From Kit 1)
10 Parchment Triangle Bags
Student Kit 2
Assorted colors of Royal Icing
Regular Sized Muffin tin to carry home flowers

Week 4
Cloth wipes

Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Toothpicks
Tape
Waxed Paper
Plastic bags
Several disposable plastic cups

20 paper napkins
1/2 c. corn starch
1 water bottle
Paper bag (For your trash)
Repositionable glue stick
Practice board with stand (From Kit 1)
Flowers made class 1-3
Colored buttercream frosting
Iced cake ready to decorate
Cake Carrier (optional)
Turntable (optional)
Cake design

My ultimate goal is to one day make something as elegant as this cake. Right now I still need to practice my roses and leaves.

Source

99 Goals in 999 Days

After seeing several friends develop their own lists of 99 goals to accomplish in 999 days I decided I wanted to join them. Look for updates every now and again on this blog.  June 1, 2013 - Feb 25, 2016

Goals I have accomplished.
Goals I am currently working on.

1.     Learn to French braid

2.    Learn to design a website

3.    Learn stick shift

4.    Play 5 children's songs on the piano (0/5)

5.    Be CPR certified

6.    Identify 10 types of plant life (0/10)

7.    Attend one Japanese Class

8.    Finish intermediate typing course

9.    Memorize the Articles of Faith (0/12)

10.  Learn how to shoot

11.   Take an archery course

12.  Learn to bake bread

13.  Identify10 constellations (0/10)

14.  Make 3 great pies (0/3)

15.  Cook a moist chicken

16.  Spend 10 minutes a day meditating for one month

17.  Begin basic scuba certification

18.  Purchase a gun

19.  Purchase a running stroller 

20.  Purchase and use space bags 

21.  Purchase nice make-up and learn how to use it

22.  Purchase a va-va-voom dress

23.  Purchase a safe for important documents

24.  Avoid Facebook for one week

25.  Don’t watch TV for one week

26.  Avoid processed foods for four weeks (0/4)

27.  Avoid negative language one week

28.  Make own fruit leather 

29.  Can spaghetti sauce

30.  Make taiyaki

31.  Letter each week (7/142)

32.  Day of service

33.  Declutter email inbox

34.  Cook for Anna Maria

35.  Condense teaching boxes

36.  Menu plan for 5 months (0/5)

37.  Give blood

38.  Wear perfume everyday for a month

39.  Dress to shoes every morning for a month

40.  Save each month (3/33)

41.  Blog every week (6/142)

42.  New recipe every other week (3/71)

43.  Volunteer/serve weekly (8/142)

44.  Christmas cards

45.  Contact an extended family member every month (5/33)

46.  Index 1000 names  (0/1000)

47.  100 names in the temple (0/100)

48.  3 Family names in the temple (0/3)

49.  Write a letter of gratitude to 30 people (6/30)

50.  Read standard works (0/5)

51.  Read ten classics (0/10)

52.  Read 100 books a year (20/300)

53.  Read aloud to K 15 minutes 5x a week for 3 months (0/3)

54.  Share a good book with a friend four times (1/4)

55.  Host a themed party six times (0/6) 

56.  One social event each week (8/142)

57.  Skydiving

58.  Finish Starcraft 

59.  Date night idea jar

60.  Book of games (0/20 entries)

61.  Record ratings/reviews of games

62.  Decorate Kaden's 1st cake

63.  Win a game of Catan

64.  Concert/Show with S 

65.  Complete an eight week running challenge

66.  Run a 9 minute mile 

67.  Run a 5 k

68.  Run a half marathon

69.  Go up 2 Nike + levels (162/621 miles)

70.  Do 50 push-ups without stopping (0/50)

71.  1 month of ab exercises daily

72.  Ride bike up hill without stopping

73.  40 mile bike ride

74.  5 new foods (1/5)

75.  Exercise 4x a week for 30 minutes for 3 months (0/3) 

76.  Wake at 8:00 AM for one month (0/1)

77.  Spend 30 minutes outside daily for a month 

78.  Focus on improving my posture for a month

79.  Grandma's Blanket finished

80.  Quillo for S

81.  Family Tree

82.  Family Cookbook of favorite recipes (0/40)

83.  Garden with more than 5 plants (0/5)

84.  Start K’s journal 

85.  Record family experiences when we met, the proposal, K's birth, blessing, etc.

86.  Complete 72 hour kit

87.  Create a jaw dropping cake 

88.  Make a big mess while making memories 

89.  Create and market 9 new resources

90.  Start a mothers group

91.  Write a new 99 list 

92.  Visit Washington, DC

93.  Visit Japan with K

94.  Go on a cruise

95.  Visit Hawaii 3 times (0/3)

96.  Visit 20 temples (0/20)

97.  Take two weekend trips without kids (0/2)

98.  Take S to Six Flags 

99.  Visit 4 national parks (0/4)

(Last edited August 8, 2013)