Big Dreams

So Shelby comes to me about her birthday cake and says that she wants a cake like a wedding cake.  Ok, I can do that.  Just a layered cake, right?  Well, apparently not.  Last night, she brought me the picture of the cake that she wanted after she saw me making the one that I THOUGHT would work for her.

Before I go any further, let me remind you that I work at one of the premier wedding venues in the Twin Cities.  I am the manager there and I have brought Shelby to work from time to time. The girl is IN LOVE with weddings.  It is all that she talks about.  For Christmas she wanted to buy everyone wedding rings instead of a gift.  Now, that would have been fine with me if she got me a new sparkly, but Jason was not very supportive of her great idea.  For Shelby to ask me to make her a wedding cake was not that big of a deal, it is something that I would expect to hear from her.  So......because I work in the wedding industry, I often have wedding and catering magazines around the house.  She found the one that she was looking for and ran it over to me and showed me the "real wedding cake" that she was hoping to have for her birthday.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

So watch out, Martha!  Bridget is on the cake scene!  I may not be featured in the upcoming spring issue, but if she needs any baking advice, I'm sure her people will get in touch with my people :)

Happy Birthday my little creative one.........

It has been a while....

I know, I need to post more pictures.  The good news is that I have a ton of new pictures and stories to tell.  The bad news is that I have a ton of new pictures and stories to tell.  Let us begin with Halloween 2008.......

I had this great idea to make Shelby her costume this year.  Please keep in mind that I have not sewn since we moved into our new house in 2004.  Shelby and I (strong guidance from me, I will admit) decided on  Dorothy costume.  No glitter, no tulle, just fabric and buttons.  If you look closely, I forgot to add the buttons, so perhaps I should say just fabric.  I gave myself plenty of time.....weeks, in fact.  But somehow I found myself hand stitching the hem the morning of the school party.  I sent her to school with a few trimmings still incomplete, but luckily she was sent home sick that day and never got to wear it at school.  That gave me one more day to finish it before she needed it for dance.  The pictures posted are of Shelby and her friend, Ashley.  She was a good Dorothy!  Tyler lucked out this year and escaped the camera as well as my sewing.  He was dressed as one of the Star Wars guys.  It is amazing to me that they are still so popular!  I mean, really.  When was the last movie?  I have no idea, but I am sure that my kid does :)

First Day of School

So this was Tyler's first day of 1st grade and I could not be there......  I was really upset about that. Jason did a good job taking the first day of school pics, Tyler's hair looks so red in this one. Probably the least blond that he has been in a long time.  Shelby is always willing to get close to her brother and put her arm around him, but he can't stand it.  It is so funny.  He really does not like the big brother role.  I think that most days he would prefer to just not have a sister......

Shelby did not start school until the end of that week, she is in preschool Monday-Friday (thank goodness!) and was pretty upset that she was not going to be with him at school, but he really does need to have time without her.  I of course missed her first day of school picture because as usual, we were running late.  I am never on time for anything and I hate to pass that along to them, but I honestly do not know how to fix it.  Look for the "re-enactment" of Shelby's first day! (as soon as I get that outfit that she wore washed......)

Love,

The Eckerts

Swim, Bike, Run......

Tyler had his first "real" triathlon on Saturday August 23rd.  He has done one before, but Jason was allowed to sort of help him along the way.  This time, Tyler was on his own.  Jason was not allowed into the transition area, so Tyler had to get himself all set alone.  This actually gave Jason a good chance to really watch him rather than have to participate with him.  The swim went well, the bike was great and the run.......well let's just say that the Eckert's are not known for their running legs.  None the less, he did finish and got his t-shirt and medal, just like his dad.

Way to go Tyler!!!  Now, let's go for a good practice run...........

Kids Club

Tyler and Shelby are in a summer program through the Delano school district this summer.  We really love it.  They are in separate classroom, thankfully.  I don't know if Delano can handle both of them!  When I first told Tyler that Shelby would be at Kids Club with him, he was so upset.  He did not want her to play with his friends!  He was so relieved when I told him that she would be in another room with kids her own age.

Part of the summer program includes a field trip every Wednesday.  On this particular day, they went to the Children's Museum.  It is always nice when someone else takes my kids somewhere. Much less stressful for me!!

Love,

The Eckerts

Street Hockey

It was such a nice evening! The temperature was great and there was no humidity.  We sent the kids outside to play hoping to wear them out. Shelby disappeared somewhere, she usually does. I would love to plant a GPS locater into her little arm.  There is only one little girl in the neighborhood that will tolerate her, so I am sure that is where she went.  Tyler went to play Street Hockey with Chad next door.  Their version is a bit less interactive than what you are thinking, I'm sure.  They just did a lot of sliding the ball back and fourth to each other and even more chasing it down the street. They can skate (sort of) but the stick handling needs a bit of work.  Good practice for the upcoming hockey season. I know it is only July, but registration ends in just two weeks.  It is crazy.  There is such a high level of pressure put on kids these days.  I know that it starts at home, I don't need the lecture.  But really, if they don't start to participate in things now, they will never catch up!  I know, I am feeding into it.  As long as I can afford to put them in therapy, we will all be fine :)

Turns out Shelby was at that little girls house.  She came home for dessert, imagine that.  Too bad she doesn't know that she has gone sugar free!

Love,

The Eckerts

4th of july

Ok, so I obviously need to learn how to take better pictures!  I am so bummed that there is not a clear picture of the kids.  Anyway, we decided to skip fireworks this year, it is always such a headache getting home after, so we stayed home.  We had a bonfire for the kids and used up a bunch of sparklers left over from last year.  I don't know if Shelby would have wanted to do anything else!!!  It was so funny, you should have seen her.  EVERY time, she would hold them high above her head and run around the yard screaming the whole way.  That is what I love about her, she is so in love with everything that she does.  Well, not EVERYTHING.  But she is equally passionate about what she HATES.  It is all or nothing with that girl.  Tyler had a ton of fun, too. Chad was home (the next door neighbor) so the two of them spent the evening together. Sparklers and s'mores and all of that.  He really loves to be with his friends.  His sister will just not do, I'm afraid.

Earlier in the day, Tyler was in the Delano parade.  He roller bladed with some of the hockey players.  I think that he had fun.  He was pretty exhausted after, but when he and Jason went past Shelby and I, he seemed to be having a blast.  He threw a ball to Chad and Jason gave some candy to Shelby, so everyone was happy.  Of course, I forgot the camera.  I cant ever seem to remember it, but looking at my pictures from the evening, it may not have been a huge loss.

Happy 4th to all!

Love,

The Eckerts