Yummmm, Cake

I love to make birthday cakes. There's so much creativity, and so many new things to learn. A lot of it is self-taught, and I am definitely an amateur, but it's great fun!

Yet, I have not enjoyed eating cake. Cakes from the store have a funny taste to the frosting (which I've found is the shortening in it, and I so prefer buttercream frosting made with BUTTER, not shortening- not as white, but it tastes... well, it tastes!). I don't like the crumbly Styrofoam-like consistency of most cakes. I don't like the flavor of the "chocolate" cakes. So, I usually prefer, for my own birthday, to have something other than cake- unless it is a homemade from scratch. (My absolute favorite home made cake is a Silver White Cake, and my second favorite is the White Cake recipe found in BH&G cookbook).

Still, when Zoë asked for two birthday cakes, I was nonplussed. I especially enjoy making tasty cakes we can eat using the Cake Mix Doctor (can I rave about this book enough? doubtful). The recipes make the cakes not only edible, but enjoyable. I'm almost at the point where I might ask for a cake for my birthday because these recipes make box cake mixes yummy. And a yummy cake makes all the decorations worth the work.

Still, I've found that kids most prefer to peel the fondant off the outside of the cake, scrape off the icing/frosting, and leave most of the cake on the plate. *sigh* Still, I have a better chance of them eating the cake when I doctor them up a little.

Ok, back to the point of this post. We had "Stacy's Chocolate Chip Cake" as the Ladybug cake (and the Monkeys on the Bed cake) for Zoë's Birthday Party cake. It's a yellow cake with chocolate chips in it. Simple, but very yummy. I made an almond-flavored frosting to cover it with (next time I will probably just leave it as vanilla or even better, just butter). The red fondant was cherry flavored, and the brown was chocolate. Yummy.

Then, for Zoë's Birthday day cake we had a Snickerdoodle cake. It's a white cake with cinnamon mixed in, and the frosting has some cinnamon, too. It gives a tan tint to the frosting and cake, with little speckles in the frosting. And, it tastes soooooo good.


It's definitely one of my favorites (particularly since Travis gets tired of chocolate). I even made the roses out of the same cinnamon frosting (just much stiffer). I added a little Meringue powder to the recipe so that it would be better forming (stiff).


I think it took me about 45 minutes to frost the cake and put the flowers on. I was wishing I had those dumb plastic scissors to transfer the roses, but I did well with wax paper, double-sided tape, and a frosting spatula. I still need to work on my leaves- I haven't gotten the technique (or the right stiffness of frosting) to get those to look like I want them to.

Zoë was happy with her cake, and that's the most important part. All three girls ate most of their slice of cake (although I had to add a little extra frosting on M & M's cakes.) Oh, and each girl particularly asked for a rose.





Megan enjoyed her rose in more than one way...

Now, what cake should I make next???

Happy Seventh Birthday, Zoë!

She was so excited for her Birthday Party on Saturday. And, she had LOADS of fun with her friends ("One from each category, Mom: church, school and neighborhood"). She was also rather good about not being too bossy. She was VERY kind to let her friends play with her new toys (a game, and some Littlest Pet Shop), and she was also sweet to let Megan play with them all day on Sunday.

She woke up wanting to open just one present, but was eager to come home from church and open the rest. She loved everything she got!
Yes, even the cards (digital or mailed). She's already been thinking of Thank You notes to send out... (so, although I'm very delinquent and oft times forgetful, at least I'm teaching some good habits to my daughters).

I will post pictures of her fun Birthday Party, of her Birthday Cakes (you already saw the Ladybug cake I made for the party, but I made another one for the family on her official birthDAY).

It seems so long ago that she was a little tiny baby.
And looking back at her pictures I can see snatches

of the amazing girl she's become, but I can also see glimpses of the beautiful woman she will someday be.

Happy Birthday, my little Sweet Pea. I love you, Zoë!

Crazy Caking

My good friend who is an amazing cake decorator, recommended using Marshmallow Fondant. It's a "home made" fondant recipe that she said was easy and made great fondant. I've been using my own internet-found recipe to make my own fondant (I refuse to pay $7 for a small box of tasteless, or nasty-tasting fondant!), but thought that I'd give the Marshmallow Fondant a shot.

W-O-W. It is even better than the store-bought one for taste (although anything homemade is on that front), but it competes with store-bought fondant on texture! I was SUPER impressed and really do recommend the recipe! It is also EASY to make, an added bonus.

Oh, and for another tip/trick- if you want to make some RED icing or fondant, use some drink mix- Black Cherry Koolaid is what I used this time, although I've heard Crystal Light also works (I used the Crystal Light in a gumpaste/fondant mix and the color was amazing, but it made the dough sticky). My hands didn't even get too red from mixing the fondant, but I had to add quite a bit of water to the red fondant. Oh, and it looked pink at first, so be sure to let the fondant rest after mixing in one package... I added two packets and I could see dark purplish spots where the koolaid wasn't blended well. Still- cheap way to get a good color (I've gone through nearly a WHOLE JAR of powdered red coloring- that stuff wasn't any $0.25, either!)

So, Zoë asked for a cake with roses on it again this year. I tried to convince her we should do something new, and she was agreeable to let me try out making her a Ladybug cake. She compromised with me in that the Ladybug cake can be for her Birthday Party on Saturday, and she would settle for the rose-covered cake on Sunday, her actual birthday. So, I still have one more cake to make before Sunday, but I don't think it'll be too hard...


You might be able to see that this little Ladybug once had a tongue sticking out. Miranda decided to rearrange the eyeballs and remove the tongue. I couldn't find it, and she was upset that it got lost. But, this little bug still looks cute without the tongue.

My good friend, who just had a baby on the last day of last year, also had a birthday this month. And, because I was sleep-deprived and a dolt, I completely spaced it! So, I also made her a belated birthday cake. I saw a cute idea on the internet, and tried my hand at it...


The monkeys are YUMMY (chocolate fondant- just add some baking cocoa to the fondant, mix in a little more water and shortening to make sure it takes and voila!). It isn't the first time I tried to make the monkeys. I tried it with REALLY old fondant and Miranda knocked off body parts. I then tried it with my Play-Dough Cookie recipe, but forgot that things melt a little and all the monkey bodies fell flat on their faces (but they were super yummy, too!) So, with the left over fondant from Zoë's cake, I went ahead and tried the third time, and I think it worked like a charm! She was happy about it, and her kids loved it, too.

I just hope that they also like the cake that is underneath all the fun fondant- I used the Cake Mix Doctor book again. LOVE that book! It's worth buying online for $5, and I have only had one recipe not work out as great as promised.

Ahhh, it's so fun to make these cakes! I just wish I had somebody else to clean up the mess behind me...

Not a Guru, but...

It has been my goal for a full year now to exercise three days a week. I remember posting a blog 11 months ago about how much I HATE exercising, and how I just cannot get motivated. I wondered if there was ever a time where I would actually look forward to exercising.

I think I've not found that point, but I've reached something of a compromise. I still don't like the idea of exercising, but I do find myself thinking, "Oh! Tomorrow is my workout day. That will feel good."

HUH?!?!?! Did I really just think that? I want?! to exercise? Well, I've stumbled on short exercising (where I work out and "stretch" and "train" the body for about 10 minutes). This is doable because it lasts about the attention span of my two-year-old, and I don't get interrupted (usually). I've also found Yoga.

Now, I know Yoga has become cliched and is a upper-class snobbery thing, but there is something to CONTROLLING the body, and being aware of what each limb is doing and making sure you are focusing on what you're doing (not just floundering around trying to catch up to the instructor and feel, litterally, like a fish out of water, gasping for breath and flopping all over the place!). I've also found that, with certain poses/exercises, I really do get out of breath. Oh, and I was SORE after completing a new Yoga exercise routine. Yes, my muscles definitely got a work out. Added benefit? It also seemed to help my back. The stretches and poses seem to strengthen the muscles, holding my posture better.

Is Yoga for everybody? Nah. Is it the only thing I should do? Nope. I still need my more cardio-intense exercise.

Oh, and a good friend recommended a website that allows me to do yoga at home (so only family gets to watch):

http://www.exercisetv.tv

This sight has ALL SORTS of different workouts. From 1 min previews, to 10 minute workouts to 45 min workout routines, and they are even categorized (yoga, cardio, strength training, etc.) I like some of the workouts, others I have turned off and found a new one. For now, you can get "free" workouts streamed to your computer with advertisements, but you can also subscribe and purchase workouts.

Give it a try! It's been worth it to have a change in my workout options (Crawford still kicks my butt, but it's nice to have some variety and lose my complacency and forget my "cheats").

Good luck on your New Year's Resolutions!

Oh, and if you're looking for some extra help in changing the way you eat, I STRONGLY recommend this book:
The Beck Diet Solution by Judith S Beck
(it's NOT a diet book, it's cognitive behavior therapy for dieting)

So, on I move with my renewed hope that maybe someday I'll actually eagerly look forward to exercising. That it will be a joy to move my body in contortionist ways. But, for now, I'm happy that I'm seeing some results, and that I'm actually not dreading my exercise days.

Pants on the Ground & Puddles on the Floor

Did you see the American Idol on Wednesday night? The 62-year-old man "singing" about "pants on the ground"? Well, I've got my own little girl with Pants on the Ground and Puddles on the Floor.



I *HATE* potty training. I hate the pee down the legs and into shoes, the puddles on the floor, couch, chair. The wet underwear and wet pants. The potty seat insert, or the empty-it-yourself potty chair. I hate having one bathroom upstairs. I gag when washing out pooped-in underpants, or wiping up the poop off the floor (G-R-O-S-S!!!). Ahhh, the joys of motherhood. Does anybody else want to take over this particular chore? I'll trade....

Despite my severe aversion to potty training, I think I am at the point where I would experience puddles on the floor despite using diapers because my two-year-old is pulling diapers off. I think I will yet again have to experience the misery and frustration of teaching a child how to pee on the toilet, and not anywhere else.

Yuck.

I gave it a go this morning. I didn't loose my cool too much. We'll work on it again another time and see if she can connect the ideas together. *sigh* I would love to wait until she's 3, but I don't think she wants to wait that long... *sigh*

"I'm crowded"

Remember the song?
"Roll over, I'm crowded
so they all rolled over and one fell out
three bears in the bed and the little one said"

Well, Veronica can now be one of the bears in the bed:

She's been acting like she'll roll over for the last couple of weeks, but just this evening she did! We were thinking she might on the day of Epiphany (A holiday on Jan 6 celebrated by many Catholics as the day when the Wise Men met Christ). But, I guess it was just practice for tonight.

Oh, and she also still LOVES TO LAUGH
(especially since she's been healing from her ear infection):

Sunday Woes

It was 7 degrees outside Sunday morning as I briefly shoveled my way to the van so I could move it to get to the car, so I could strap in Veronica and head off to Church for a 7:30 meeting. UGH!

My legs broke out in a rash- that's what happens when my skin is exposed to COLD. I have mentioned I'm allergic to the cold?

Anyway, that was the start of my funny (Ha ha, not weird) Sunday that was almost as exasperating as it was laugh-inducing.

Travis showed up 45 min before church started. The girls were dressed and had their hair brushed, but he didn't bring me rubber bands to pull hair out of eyes. He's trying! He has requested a Family Home Evening on fixing girls' hair. I think that would be appropriate, but fun only if the girls get to fix HIS hair... I'll post pictures if that happens.

Since our ward has MANY students in it, and since most students (even families) travel home for the holidays, we were a very small group on Sunday. They asked Travis to give the opening prayer and to assist with passing the Sacrament. So, I was with all four girls for the first 30 minutes of the meeting. Not too bad. Veronica was in her car seat and quiet until Miranda and Megan mauled her into crying. Megan only bit Zoë and would not stop laying on her, and Miranda wanted to be held and to play with my earrings/necklace/purse/etc.

As Travis got up to say the prayer, I told the girls in a whisper, "Fold your arms! Look, Dad's saying the prayer". They did pretty well getting reverent for the prayer. Until Miranda looked up upon hearing her dad's voice over the speaker and then SHOUTED (because she has no idea what volume control is!) "That's my dad saying the prayer!!!!"

I had to chuckle. What else could I do??? Our ward is usually noisy, but remember this was a very small group of people, so her voice carried (as it normally does).

That wasn't the end of Miranda's antics in Sacrament. During the passing of the Sacrament, she tried to grab two pieces of bread (not an abnormal thing for a 2-year-old to do), but of course that was only after I whispered, "Only ONE piece, Miranda!"

Then, she saw her dad passing the sacrament. Uh oh. Because this was immediately after Miranda had mauled Veronica so I had the baby on my lap and Miranda was on the edge of the row (**note to self, make sure that all kids are further in and ask another family to sit on the edge if I'm alone), before I could grab her arm, she shouted (in her "normal" volume) "That's my DAD!" as he walked by with the empty bread tray. She then ran after him up the aisle. I dumped Veronica in Zoë's arms (thank goodness she was ready and willing to hold the baby!) and ran after Miranda. I was grateful that Miranda didn't cry/kick/scream as I picked her up to take her back.

This does not include the other trip to the couch with Megan because she wouldn't stop crying. Nor of the fight that broke out between Megan and Zoë, or that Megan and Miranda wanted to sit on my lap. Or that when I asked Miranda to sit on her bum, she then demonstrated in her (again!) loud voice that this was her bum-bum and that was her private parts. *Sigh*

Yep, it was a very interesting Sunday. I'm grateful for a good husband, and so glad that he is able to sit with us. It's good to have an extra set of hands. I'm also grateful for helpful and understanding ward members. Don't worry, if I hear your kid shout out something in the middle of sacrament meeting, don't think that my shaking shoulders are anything other than a sympathy chuckle.

Wake Up Call

Veronica has ear infections, poor baby! She's been nursing every three hours, and I'm exhausted! (This was the baby that was sleeping through the night!). Now that she's on antibiotics, I thought it'd be better, but she's not quite feeling herself yet (although she started laughing this morning, so there's hope!)

Anyway, Travis got me a GREAT birthday present that is a stereo that docks my iPod. It has an alarm on it that turns on the radio, a buzzer, a CD or the iPod at the preset time.

This morning, after another night of lots of interrupted sleep, I heard this song play LOUDLY at 6:30 am. (I think the volume was turned up in the evening).



Ahhh, so true! I was not ready for an early Monday morning with it being the first day that I realized vacation is over.

We got a bit of snow

It's currently 17 F outside. That's without the windchill, which drops it to 0 or less.

We are in a Lake Effect Snow Warning, meaning we will get 1-3 inches of snowfall an hour for the next 30 hours. Yup, we really could have another three feet of snow on us before this weekend is over. More likely we'll only have a total of two feet... but we've already had at least half that since yesterday.

Travis has shovelled the walks three times since the snowfall started. Our snow-people are burried. You cannot even see their hats, although I think the carrot noses still show through a bit.

Megan helped Zoë put together this snowman on New Year's Eve.
I'll post some of the videos Zoë took later- she filmed about 10 of them.

Below is the same snowman this morning.
From the side you can see more of the hat.

The good thing? Other than getting Nana to the airport, where it has NOT been snowing and will not be snowing (the Lake Effect snow is weird in that it can snow with BLUE SKIES overhead and the sun shinning! Chicago has not had any flakes, so if her bus can get to Chicago, there shouldn't be any problems with her getting home), we have nowhere we have to be- other than some fish Travis has to care for and church tomorrow (I have a 7:30 am meeting, too. UGH!)

Travis is down to the last few scoops of snow.

He moved the van to finish clearing the driveway underneath.

If you look carefully, you can see our Christmas lights are on.

We are going to be (not) walking in a Winter Wonderland. We hope you are all enjoying your New Year, too!