thanksgiving holidays

paul's birthday celebrations carried on for a couple more days as everyone was

everywhere else and we couldn't all get together at the same time.  finally, he opened presents.......

including a couple of cases of this which he desperately misses since we left aussie.

and served his fave birthday carrot cake.

personally, i think birthdays are allowed to last until the last piece of bday cake is eaten.

have a slice.........

Meyer Family's Favorite Carrot Cake

2 1/4 cups sifted flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

pinch salt

5 eggs

1 cup pecans

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups grated carrots, slightly packed

Topping:

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/2 stick of butter

2 tsp vanilla

1 pkg. powdered sugar

Combine first 5 ingredients; add oil, salt, and eggs.  Mix well.  Add pecans, vanilla, and carrots.  Pour into 3 greased and floured cake pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Cool.

Mix together all topping ingredients until smooth and creamy.  Spread evenly over top of cooled cake.

gabi is studying ballet this year after studying a year of jazz dance.  

she loves it.

paul and the boys put shingles on the roof over the bike rack this weekend.

wow, i didn't know you knew how to do that!!

look what's happening..........

son growing taller than dad.

the kids are off school all this thanksgiving week.  

everyone needs this break.

they had a hilarious game night last night.

and then decided to set up a tent in the front yard and sleep outside, brrrrrrrrrrrrr.