Hop on Pop

All my kids have adored the Dr. Seuss book "Hop on Pop".  But they like it best when they actually get to do it!

Once there was a snowman. . .

It snowed again today so Tyler and I went out and rolled a big snowman.  The snow in Switzerland actually sticks so well that rolling a snowman pulls up the snow to the grass.  Growing up in Utah, I always had trouble even packing snowballs because the snow was so dry.  Of course, that's what makes it the greatest ski snow on earth!  One day while skiing in France over Christmas, we stepped out onto fresh snow and I thought that my skis needed waxing.  The stuff was soooo sticky!

Tyler and his snowman.  Yes, the hat is a bit feminine, but his head was so big that we had to switch it out for Mariah's hoodie.

Happy Birthday Tyler!

Tyler's birthday is now here.  We celebrated with Tyler's first big party.  I tried to minimize by hosting it at the bouncy castle place that my kids love.  It was easy.  All I had to do was bring a cake and snacks and all the entertainment was there.  What a relief!  Tyler's two neighbor friends, Robbie and Tyler, joined us along with our Nyon neighbor, Diogo, and lots of friends from church.

Originally I had planned to make a complex dinosaur cake for Tyler.  But then he told me he wanted a construction cake.  It was so much easier to make this.  Just take a chocolate cake, cut a hole in it and pile the leftover cake on top, then pour crushed oreos over the hole.  I bought a construction set and put the digger on top of the cae.  I used Toblerone pieces to make the construction cones and frosted them with orange royal icing -- but these were more complex than I had originally thought.

 Ever the enthusiastic Mariah!

Tyler with his little sister Natasha. 

Jakob, one of Mariah's and Tyler's friends. 

Tyler's friend Yumi was having a birthday party at the same time, so they blew out the candles together.

Lots of party fun!

Happy Birthday Mariah!

Our little Mariah is 6 years old.  I can't believe how quickly time has gone.  She is growing up too fast! Mariah wanted a "Brodie" cake -- a cake that looks like her grandparents' Westie.  I was a little intimidated to do such a cake, but I found a sample of a Scottie cake online so I just transformed it into a Westie.  Here it is!  

We did not do a party for Mariah this year.  (I alternate years with the kids and Tyler and Mariah are on different years so I don't get overwhelmed in the month of January.)  But we took all the kids to a fun bouncy castle place which they love.  Mariah did not get the real dog that she has been begging for.  No pets for now -- I already have to clean up after my kids, I'm not cleaning up after a dog.  But she did  get one of those barking, walking, tailwagging mechanical dogs and she seems happy with that!

 Mariah, we love you!

 The kids are ready to eat the cake!

Sisters.