Yummy Snow Ice Cream!























This is Gideon's first experience with this concoction. While we were making it, he proclaimed that this stuff is really good!
















A little bit more please!
























Okay, not too much! Don't want to get a brain freeze!

Having Fun with the Camera

More and More Snow!

More Snow Day!

Happy Friday!

3rd Video of the Day: A few minutes later



2nd Video: About 8:30 this morning.



First Video of the Day: 6:40 a.m. this morning

Sorry! My recorder sometimes gets the voice output off compared to the moving lips!

A Nice Short Week

Well, not much is going on this week. We had a short work week with President's Day holiday on Monday and all. We are hoping for a Snow Day tomorrow! Who knows?! I guess we shall see in a few short hours. They are predicting 3 to 7 inches. Maybe I'll be able to send some sled riding video to you soon!

I made a little video this morning of Gideon. It was right before we got him ready for his school day. I found some baby pictures of him that I had forgotten about and I showcase a few of them on the video as well.




Here is another video that I recorded a few weeks ago, but never had the time to post. Gideon decides that mommy is not the only one who will be doing the interviewing and camera work this day. :)

He was a bit upset with me at the end. You will definitely see his frustration and OH please excuse the unfolded laundry behind Gideon. It was laundry day!



Don't you love Gideon's camera skills! :)

President's Day

We had a very nice holiday off together as a family. We invited a family from church over to our house for lunch today. They have a little boy who is about a month younger than Gideon, Nicholas. They had a blast together, playing light sabers and just running around playing tag and such. It was good to get to know the family. I think we will be hanging out a bit more together.

Oh on a side note, a lady was passing the restaurant where my cake was displayed for the party this past Saturday. She waved her hands and got the owner's attention. She wanted to know who the cake decorator was. I went out and her granddaughter's birthday is next month and she wants a Dora cake from me. Also there was a lady at the party who owns a skateboard shop and definitely will be in contact with me. Yeah! I have about three or four contacts from that one party. I just need to get cards made up now!

Skateboard Ramp Cake

Well, I have been pretty busy the past two days. I have been hired to make a birthday cake for a student's party today. Yesterday was a school holiday so I took advantage of that extra time and started baking cakes early in the morning.

The mother likes only all natural cakes, no mixes, and so I had to research white cake recipes on the internet. I thought I found a good one, but after they came out I am not so sure anymore. The saving grace of this cake is that it has tons of frosting and hopefully it will help the cake overall. The student is into skateboarding so I recommended a skateboard or ramp cake. He chose the later one.

Here is the finished product. The first shot is without the wording or figurines. I only had my large frosting piper at the house. We still have a lot in storage. So the wording is a bit chunky, but at least the whole affect is pretty chunky as well.l.

Muhnamuhna!

My brother, Joel, and I would drive our parents insane with this song on long road trips. It was one of our very favorites and, yes, we did learn it first from The Muppet Show.

I decided to post this video in honor of our Nephew Conner. It is his birthday this Valentine's Day! He will be a whopping two years old! Happy Birthday, Conner, and soon to be Big Brother of Brooks Sutherland!

Edible Snowman

Thought you'd like to see the pancake I created for Gideon this morning. I had made him a heart pancake and myself a smiley face pancake. He had finished all of his "heart" and I asked him if he wanted a smiley face next. He told me he wanted a snowman. I thought about it for a second and thought that this could be fun! Here is the final product!

I used a small bit of carrot for the nose and cut up some raisins for the eyes, mouth, and buttons. Of course chocolate chips could be used, but I didn't have those on hand. If I had had some pretzels I would have made some arms for this little guy as well!

Turning Fifteen!

Niece Larissa and Nephew Conner at Huber's a little over a year ago

Wow! It is hard to believe that our beautiful niece has actually turned 15 this week! When Kenny and I first started dating she was 6 going on 7 and in first grade. She has turned into an amazing young lady, academic scholar, cheerleader, and so much more. We hope you had a very special birthday, Larissa, and we hope you have a great weekend celebrating with friends and family. We wish we could be there!

This week has been very hectic for us. Between Gideon being sick, Kenny being sick, and just the demands of our jobs it was pretty crazy. I stayed up most nights until about 11 or 11:30 doing various teacher duties. I was also asked this week to head up the writing process for our elementary school's curriculum guide in order to qualify for accreditation via ACSI (Asssociation of Christian Schools International). I am excited about the prospect, but already have most of the elementary staff overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude of what is being required of them on top of their regular duties. Please pray that the Holy Spirit directs me as I try to encourage them in this process.

It is going to be a busy weekend as well. Kenny has a men's breakfast and speaker tomorrow morning and then we have a wedding and reception to attend starting at four. On Sunday, we have a Valentine's couple's dinner to attend sponsored by our church. We are definitely looking forward to a time of focusing on each other as a couple.

Next weekend marks exactly one year since Kenny arrived in NJ. It has been an amazing process and we thank all our friends and family who supported us through prayer and amazing acts of kindness this past 12 months. Thank you Lord for your blessings!

To "RVA" OR NOT "RVA"? That's the Question!

If the following entry is not as eloquent as usual don't blame Trina, Ken is writing this one. As you all know we have a had a heart for missions since we both went overseas. It is one of the things that brought us together as a couple. We have sat on the sidelines for far to long. It is time to get in the game and think of only eternity because this world is fading fast. We desire to run the race not sit in the aide stand. To this end we have started the application process to teach at RVA (Rift Valley Academy) in Kenya. Trina as a special ED teacher and myself as a construction supervisor for the school. We earnestly seek your prayers and wisdom, as this is a huge step for our family. We so desperately want to be used by GOD we only hope that this is his plan and not ours. The next step would be to go for a year and then return to raise support for the longterm. There are many obstacles in the way such as school loans, a lease till October ( we would need to be in Kenya in August), and of course the support we would have to raise for the year. To this end I am getting a second job on the weekend to attack the loan and car issue. We would still need a miracle to get all of it paid off by August on top of raising support but GOD is able. Please join as we move forward seeking Gods plan for the Sutherland Family. We love you all.

Ken, Trina, and Gideon.

Check out the following Link for RVA www.rva.org