John butchered a song, just for me, while we were making the fruit salad Saturday! I'm so glad I let them "help" in the kitchen back when they weren't much actual help. Now they really are a riot in the kitchen, and they like being there.
We had the boys' belated birthday cookout last night. We had rain for ages. Then it cleared up, with stray downpours on the various days we tried to have the cookout. I chose my words poorly at some point in the planning process, by referring to the get-together as a "BBQ", at which point, James decided we had to use the grill. So. There's that. (I can't complain. I'm the genius who's always telling them to be precise in their language. Obviously, I need to be a little more precise about "Mom's limitations" from time-to-time, no?) Finally, however, Saturday dawned dry and clear and glorious.
It was a small group, and a little disorganized (which is sort of our signature *sigh*), but a really wonderful time, regardless (hopefully, also, at least a little, reminiscent of "us"). They got to play with their friends, and see Uncle Wil, and shoot off fireworks and enjoy a small bonfire. Both James and Smidge feel duly celebrated, now. Good stuff.
We served fish tacos (those hamburger baskets for the grill work beautifully for fish, by the way -- we may be the last people to know that, but in case we aren't, now you know), tropical fruit salad (fresh papaya tastes SO much better than dried papaya! WOW!), beans (of course. If you're eating at our house, there will be beans. Always.), rice (again, sometimes we are just. so. predictable.) and homemade carrot cake (because there just isn't a mix that makes it worth it to not have to shred that many carrots).
The boys helped with the cake decorating by making the molded carrots to put on the cake. Oh, too cute! Thankfully, because they'd been working in the kitchen all morning, their hands were washed repeatedly and well by the time we got to the Making of the Carrots.
I'm still stuffed. They're still glowing. And it's raining again. :-)
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
6 comments:
Sounds great! Lots of happy memories and isn't that what it is all about.
Hugs
Kathy
That sounds like so much fun!
It sounds like a wonderful time and a delicious meal. (My stomach is growling now!) Happy birthday to your boys!
Sounds like a great party -- happy birthday to James & Smidge! Homemade carrot cake is Such a good thing. Definitely leagues better than from a box. And molded carrots (marzipan?) are such a good kid project! (I'll have to keep that one in mind for future baking projects around here!)
Melora, it was "fake fondant", as James calls it. We didn't have time to make the marshmallow fondant (which is yummy-beyond-belief, but takes a few days to mellow before it's easy for a clutz like me to work with), so we did the rolled buttercream stuff (which you can work with almost right away). It's super easy, although I haven't yet mastered the recipe.
If you want it, let me know. It keeps well, takes a gel coloring very easily, and the kids said it's "more fun than Play-Doh!"
I would love the recipe for the rolled buttercream! (I would never remember to make the marshmallow fondant in advance.) My kids Love clay & play doh -- Edible play doh would be perfect!
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