Reading and Imagination

This year is most exciting year for my 6 1/2 yrs old twin daughters. They're picking up many words than before. They're learning how to read everything. They even love my cellphone when I receive texts and would read them before I get to phone. LOL It's kind of scary that they could read almost everything where I can't hide from them anymore. LOL

This afternoon, we were watching the movie, Hugo and I love the story. It's beautiful story. If we had time machine, I would love to go back to 1940s because it's my favorite timeline with history, life, style and more. In that movie, 2 kids were talking about books and Sarah asked me about books and want to know how they created an adventures and imagination in their minds. I told her that the movie make it look real but your mind control the imagination when you read the book and you alone can create an imagination in your mind that no one can see. Just you! But you can share with us by drawing the imagination and that's what some artists do. The movie makers do that for us too by reading the stories and say I wanna make this movie and now we are watching Martin's movie. There are many ways that people decide to share their imaginations with us but some of them just keep it to themselves because it's their own worlds. Photographers take pictures of what they see in their mind and hope to capture to bring it to life for us to see.

I told Sarah today that if she read the book and she can create a movie in her mind. I told her that they write the story before they turn it into movie. After the movie was done, I pulled Sarah aside with her Junie B. Jones book and sat her on my lap and start reading slowly to her. I told her are you picture in your mind that you see a girl name Junie is telling you the story about her life and she's sitting in front of photographer to take a school picture in her dinosaur dress? Sarah said yes. I said keep reading and you will add characters, stuff and the whole story comes together in your mind. Faith jumped in and said what are you guys doing? I told her that I'm trying to help Sarah to create a imagination in her mind when she read the story. Faith said I want in too. So Faith got start on reading her book, Alice in Wonderland. I helped Faith out too.

The girls' books have few illustrations and I showed them my book that have no illustrations. I explained to them that I use my head to create characters, houses/buildings, forests and more. I told them it's like movie inside my head and before I go to sleep, I would play the movie in my head. You don't need TV or anyone to tell you what your imagination would tell you.

I asked them remember the movie, Bridge to Terabithia and how the boy and girl use their imagination to battle with goblins, trolls and birds. It's all in their heads and they were having fun. I used to be like them when I was younger, my brother and I would snuck into woods near our home and would run around in woods and playing.

Sophie have wild imagination and she doesn't need help. She's a dreamer just like me. She would tell me her dreams probably once or twice a week.

It's whole new world to my twin daughters on imagination, books and how to use their minds.

I told them I started reading the books at very young age (probably 7 or 8 yrs old) because my parents were very strict about TV and we only get couple hours every night, limit on playing video games and I can't hear music very well like you. I spent a lot time reading the books than watch TV. My family travel a lot on the weekends and during summer. The books save my life from boredom. Everywhere I go, you will see my nose in the books. Ask Grandma Lynn (my mom) about that. Girls were fantastic by my childhood story and how I grew up with different lifestyle from theirs.

I told them there are many, many, many, many, many stories out there that are waiting to be read. Murder, Mystery, Fantasy, Comedy and more.

Stories can be about food like Strawberry Shortcake.

Or could it be about fairies? Like Tinkerbell

Or castle in very far away land?

Or battle with dragon?

Detective stories? Like Nancy Drew

Murder mysteries?

Vampires/Monsters?
Romantic/Cupids? (that's my least liking to read)

Girls are so exciting to figure out what they want to read. Sarah want to read murder mystery. Faith want to read fantasy something like Strawberry Shortcake meet Tinkerbell. I can't wait to see what their interests are in when they get older. I'm gonna try to encourage them to read more than to watch TV all the times. I'm so exciting for them to introduce the whole world of stories. Now myself I miss reading because every quiet time I get, girls are always by my side or onto me. I need to get back into it again.

Coming back

My friend, Kerri, who persuade me to get back into blogging because she love hearing my stories on the days with girls and my creative days. I told her that I will try to come back to blog again.

I love blogs more than anything and they are where I find ideas for my girls' craft days with Mommy (me) and parties. Pinterest is the best thing because it always led me to blogs and I look into many hundreds of blogs to find ideas.

But my blog wouldn't be the same as Kerri because she's very good writer and creative with words on how she feels and express in ways that I wouldn't describe like her. :D

If it wasn't for blogs, I wouldn't have firepit, parties, crafts, tire swing and more with my daughters. I thank you (whoever posted the blogs) on their days, parties and creatives for giving me ideas and use them toward fun days with my daughters.

It might be my challenge to get away from Facebook and get back into blogging again. I always post things on Facebook but lately Facebook is getting bored and I don't get many replies on my status. Maybe it's time for me to move on back to blogging.

Wish me the best to see if I can come back into blogging again. :-)

Pink N Purple Cupcakes

I have research online on how to make fun cake for my daughters' party. I have come across this website http://amerrierworld.com/2009/06/22/rainbow-cake-and-unicorns/ How I love what she did with birthday cake for her daughter. But only problem is my girls want to have Pink N Purple theme & I went to store to browse through cake section to see what I can do for their cupcakes. I decided to experiment with the cupcakes before their real birthday cake.

Be warn ~ I'm just rookie & starting to pick up on cooking & baking. My girls are getting older & love to help out. Any suggestions or advices are appreciate.

Here is what I came up with few errors:

I used Betty Crocker Super Moist White cake mix. Here is my first error which was purple which I made mistake with choose the wrong food coloring. Next time, I am going to buy 3 boxes of cake mix to make the batter more even. It's harder to divide them into 3 sections where you can buy 3 boxes for same amount of batters. Here are the batters that I have divided into 3 different sections with 3 different colors. The purple should have been deep purple.

I am going to use plain white papercups for their birthday party. I filled it up with tablespoon with each color in each cupcake paper. I just keep adding in layers. **my mistake was I didn't fill them near to the top**
Here are my first batch came out of oven. I thought they look great but my mistake was I didn't fill it near to the top as I should've. But the cupcakes itself came out great in 3 different colors.

Thanks to Mike for run out to store to get me couplers which I forgot to pick up the other day. I use the icing from Betty Crocker buttercream & there is my other mistake is I was hoping for white icing instead I got butter color icing. I will try to find white buttercream icing unless you have better suggestions. Here are 3 different icing colors which are rose, violet & pink. Girls voted rose & violet. I would use white instead of pink icing for next time. 2 pinks combined didn't turn out very well (in finished cupcakes)

Here are the results. The buttercream icing were so soft due to heatwave. I don't know if I should've put the icing in fridge before put it on top of cupcakes. I was hoping for swirl onto each icing like this Robin Sue
http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2009/05/rainbow-cupcakes.html

Here is my lopside cupcake because I didn't fill it near to the top but this is how it have turn out.

a look inside cupcakes. Faith said she love it & it taste so good. Hopefully I will try better next time. I'm going to make 3 small cakes for all my girls. Guests will have cupcakes.

Hope you enjoy my blog. I am going to try blogging again. Thank you for reading my blog. :D

Tug O War

Girls and I were playing Tug O War. They have beat me together. They're stronger than I alone. I trick them couple of time and won. LOL We had fun. girls did by themselves and I videotape it. Enjoy!

Girls Night out with Aunt Tracy

We treat girls night out at Sharptown Firemen Co Carnival in Sharptown, MD. We love it there. Great rides for kids & good food. My sister had opporunity to spend the night with us.

We treated Tracy a ride with girls on Scrambler. They had fun.

Tracy & Mike

Girls love this ride

Sarah in front & Faith in the back

Aunt Tracy gave them birthday gifts.

Faith & Sarah

One of oldest rides.

Here's the catepillar ride. One of oldest ride. Mike grew up riding on it & now girls' turn.

Girls love super slide & it's one of their favorite.

Snacktime.

It was fun night!

Happy birthday, Sarah and Faith

Where did the time go? Today they're 5 yrs old.

Our Sunny Snow Day

We had fun today. More fun than on Saturday because I get to play with them & not busy shoveling. LOL We built girls' first snowman. I have attached picture of their first snowman ~ we couldn't get eyes, nose & mouth stay on. LOL We played snowball fight & fell in snow. I slipped & fell on on my butt after trying to chase Faith but Sophie's swing didn't save me when I grabbed it. LOL Girls thought it was funny that Mommy fell on her butt. Sarah is the chicken one & she would run away; Faith & I would run after her & throwing snow at her. I would push her & she fall down & I would cover her in snow. LOL They had so much fun even their jeans soak through. We made fudge & don't know how it turn out. Mike just took bite LOL I took Sophie out in snow when she woke up from her nap & she only stay outside short time. She got upset when we brought her back in. It was hard to pay attention to Sophie while girls throwing snowballs at me. LOL Sophie was sitting in swing & she got mad when she fell face down in snow. LOL

Our Snow Day ~

Our first snow in December. Sophie's first time to play in snow. Girls said their wish came true. LOL



Girls & Sophie loving it but Sophie had to go back in the house after 10 mins outside because she got cold & cough from teething. I don't want her to get any more sicker. I had to bribe girls to give up outside time to come in to bake cookies. LOL



Closer view of our bridge

Opposite way.

what we see out front door

Stinky cute!! She knows she's going outside & she's exciting

Got all girls bundle up & a lot of work. Took me about 30 mins to get them all bundle up

Smile Sarah!

Smile Faith!

Sophie doesn't know what to make of all snow. LOL Cute expression

Mike shoveled the driveway & left pile high snow at the end of driveway & she climbed over it & fell in. She wasn't happy girl. She had trouble walking in snow unless she had my hand to help her.

Girls are making snowballs to throw it at me. LOL

Cookie time! Sophie had to get up from her nap to grab a lick.

Her face said it all. Smile girls! We are ready to make Faith's favorite ~ Snowball Cookies.

Mike took this while we rolled up sugar cookies.

Girls' Winter Concert

Sarah (she is most of time block by girl in red dress, Emma)
Sarah & Faith

Faith (she complained that girl next to her sing too loud)

They did wonderful. We're so proud of them.

Our Christmas Tree & Girls with Santa ~

My Santa collections ~ someday I would love to collect more.

I made this (plastic canvas). Very challenge

Here are my Santas. Far left is my first one.

Here's Mike's Grinch. LOL Now Sophie said it's hers. Girls' Sesame Street (from their second Christmas)

My Santas from last year. I gotta have Woodland Santa & Father Christmas. I love all kind of Santas.

Santa Stocking tree (some of things that belong to Mike's Mom). Don't mind the shelves being empty (we had to remove the glass shelves because it keep come a-crashing on top of girls when they were infants. Now it's Sophie's turn). That furniture is worse unstable in entire house & Mike's Mom won't give it up.

Our Christmas Tree ~ Pre-Lit (new one)

Sophie did wonderful with Santa. She didn't cry or scared of him. I think it's because girls were friendly with him & chat with him to make her see that Santa is okay. So just sat there & listen to him & girls chatty. LOL I'm relieved. LOL
Thanks for looking. This will be good Christmas for all of us if no one get sick.

Chiloe's Giveaway ~ HUGE!!!

My friend, Chiloe , is giving away cute Santas. Go & check out. Who can't resist cute Santas? Wish the best to everyone!!