Following Greatness = Tanner

Tanner is the the third child and first son of my brother Alvin. Right now Tanner is living in Chile. He is serving a volunteer two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

With him being so far away I could have taken a break and not made cookies for him because I am pretty sure if I would have mailed them to him they would arrive pretty stale and in crumbs. But I still wanted to make some cookies in his honor and just give them to his family that is here in the states.

I am pretty sure that when I shared some memories of his younger brother Caiden back in march that I actually shared a memory that was really Tanners. Oops! But I have another cute memory of Tanner that I still vividly remember and I am sure it was Tanner!

I think it was a holiday or a family reunion, not quite sure but I was at my parents house and I know that Tanners family was also there to visit. Tanner was probably around 2 years old so he of course is not going to remember this at all.

I was busy getting ready for the day and Tanner, the cutest little boy, came running into my room and wanted to know what I was doing. I was putting on my makeup. Tanner promptly took a seat on the floor and starting watching me. He sat there the whole time and just stared at me while I went through my routine. He was so attentive and when it came time for the lash curler and mascara he was memorized. I thought it was pretty great that he watched me the whole time and was so into what I was doing. I am not 100% sure but I think I may have put a little shimmer on Tanner that day.

Although I am now a makeup artist and esthetician this experience with me had no influence on Tanner what so ever. He is not at all interested in being the next Kevin Aucoin or Bobbi Brown, (those are a couple of well known makeup artists) his interest definitely fall on the opposite side of the spectrum.

As I already mentioned he is in Chile and so I get to read his weekly emails he sends to his family because his parents post them on our myfamily.com site which is a totally great tool for families to share what is going on in their lives.

Just a couple of weeks ago Tanner mentioned in his email how much he loves and looks up to his dad. I hope he does not mind me quoting him but he said this...."I have always wanted to be like my Dad. Just like the one time we went hunting together and I had to wear camouflage just like you, and I just slightly remember a time when we went to hunt and I was following behind you with my little plastic bow and looking up to see my huge Dad with his huge bow and just having the desire to be just like you..." His email went on and on about how much he loves his dad which of course brought tears to my eyes while I read it.

So I wanted to make some camouflage shirts to represents Tanners love for his dad! (He is an awesome dad by the way, I totally agree)

Oh by the way I made these cookies and some others that I have no idea what I did to my royal icing I made. I know I messed with the recipe a bit and that resulted in my icing not drying completely, it was so so so frustrating!!  Especially because I doubled the recipe and did not want to throw it out!! It was weird the black, white and brown would dry but not green, blue or red. That is why they look a little funny.



And of course I had to do the flag of Chile since that is where he is living and serving.



Tanner also loves Country music something that was totally the influence of his father!



And I TRIED to make ford pickup trucks. When I asked my brother some favorites of Tanner's he said, "he loves that green and white truck of ours like a girlfriend!" I thought that was so funny that I wanted to make truck cookies but unfortunately they were the most hideous cookies I have made to date! I refused to take a picture of just them so they are tucked in the back of the picture below. :o)



HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANNER IF I PUT THIS ALL IN CAPS MAYBE YOU CAN HEAR IT ALL THE WAY IN CHILE!!