Raining Cats and Dogs

The other day it was raining so hard and the drops were huge! Alia was napping and Drew and Brody were playing in the rain.

When Brody came in Kurt remembered that the window above our bed, where Alia was napping, was open.

We went in the room to find a soaked bed and baby.

She must've thought it to be a refreshing way to wake up because she was SO happy!

Cakes and Things

For Drew's birthday she wanted a Polka Dot theme. Unfortunately the only place we could incorporate the theme was in the food, particularly the cake. I made a simple box cake, the funfetti one to be exact, because it looked like polka dots when you cut it, covered it with a simple buttercream icing, mixed my marshmallow fondant, colored it, then cut and applied the dots by brushing the tiniest bit of water on the back to make it glue together.

Have you read this?

If not get this book, make this cake and eat it while you read it. The book is great and the cake will take care of your chocolate cravings you get from reading it.

Death by Chocolate! A flour less chocolate cake with ganache.

The only thing I did differently was make two cakes each in a 9 inch round spring form pan. Layered a cake, ganache, cake, ganache and frosted the outside as well and put it in the fridge to let the ganache set. It tasted better the day after so let it sit in the fridge overnight and take it out as soon as you're ready to serve it. This cake is SO rich that each person only needs a sliver and a glassful of milk! I really only had to do one cake but I love the layered look and didn't want to chance cutting it in half and having the whole cake fall apart on me. Also to get your cakes, brownies, bread loafs anything you bake in a pan to come out nice and clean make pan release. It has a long shelf life so save the leftovers of your pan release in an air tight container in your cupboard and use it till it's gone.

Red Card!

Drew had her first soccer practice yesterday! The practices are only 30 min. long and we were running late so I wanted Drew to run out to her team as soon as we got there. She got scared, shy, embarrassed and wanted me to go with her. I turned into "that mom" that forces her kid, makes them do something they don't want to do. I finally walked her out in the field by her team and then she was okay. She even got excited and was sad when it was time to go. That whole experience made me realize I'm going to be "that mom" during games. The one who yells at their kids to take out the other players. Seriously, I'm not joking! I am going to have to try my hardest to be positive and encouraging. When I used to play soccer I couldn't stand "that mom" and now I know I'm one of them. And Drew is only 4!

Gourmet Rice Cereal

Immediately after Alia's four month visit Kurt had to feed her rice cereal. He was SO excited.

She was a little concerned what was going on

Still wondering what was happening

Curious about what this strange taste was

Then excited with a new flavor

And finally tired of dad shoveling this crap down her throat.

Since her first feeding we've introduced prune juice to her diet, doctors orders, to help with regulation with much success! I've also fed her a couple of smashed grains of cooked rice when we had it for dinner and she loved it! She kept pulling my finger with the rice on it towards her mouth. Now she's a pro and we can't shovel it in fast enough.