Cakes and Cupcakes

I have a secret, well, more like a confession. I like to bake. I really, really like to bake. I especially like to make cakes and cupcakes. I find it fun to bake them and decorate them. Even if it's a bit tedious at times.

S asked for sunflower cupcakes to bring to school on his birthday. Here's what they looked like:

Then, for his birthday party, S requested a cake that looked like a present. "OK, no problem" I told him. Then I silently panicked as I realized I had no idea how to do that. But, I figured out something and this is what his party cake looked like:

Then, C asked for 'special' cupcakes and pretty much left it up to me to figure out what that would be. I made really cute cupcakes, the cupcake itself looked tie-dyed with a large fancy dollop of frosting on top with colored sprinkles on it (the closest thing to cupcake bling in my cupboard). Here's what they looked like:

Well, you'll have to guess since I forgot to take a picture. Ooops!

For C's birthday party, she didn't want cakes or cupcakes, but she requested cookies. I made the largest flower cookies I could manage. At the party, I frosted them, the girls decorated them and they were quickly devoured. I'd post those, but they're still on my camera. Even though it wasn't cake or cupcakes, they were still fun to make!

Change Worthy

S is a saver. Of money. Really, the boy gets his allowance, it goes into his ATM bank and he carefully keeps track of every penny he has. He is always trying to save up enough to exchange his changes (bills & coins) so he can get a $20 bill in return. (I may have, on occasion, had to borrow some cash from him because I was running low, ahem.)
S walks, a lot of the time, with his head down, scanning, looking, hunting, to find the spare penny, nickel, or if he's really lucky, quarter on the floor, parking lot, sidewalk. He is usually successful. (And then he likes to rub C's nose in it).
I have always thought that the saving habit was a nice trait that he has.
Until, that is, until today.
S had a doctor's appointment and afterward, since we were so close to the bread store, we stopped in to buy a few loaves before I dropped him off at school. I thought he might like to go with me because I knew  that there are various treats at the bread store. Like hostess cupcakes and zingers. Yummmm! I thought a little treat before school would be fun for him (and perhaps rate me in the Cool Mom category. Yeah, I will so pay for this vanity later). 
So, in we go. He's fascinated by the little store, even considering that it's 80% bread. We find the bread we need, and after perusing the various treats, he picks out a single Hostess cupcake. Suddenly, he drops to the floor, gets on his hands and knees and sticks one side of his head down on the floor. I mean, one whole side of his face is plastered to the floor (eeeuuuuu) and I can't tell what the heck he's doing.
"WHAT are you doing?????" I asked (I prefer to think that I asked this rather quietly and calmly, apparently not as quietly as I thought as the other 2 customers in the store were now staring at the two of us rather strangely).
Now, at this point, he is laying on his stomach, crawling commando style, underneath the shelves (and all I can picture is the amount of dirt on the floor) and I hiss "S, get up!!!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? GET OFF THAT FLOOR!!! Dignity is going fast because the 2 other customers are now looking anywhere BUT at the Floor Crawling/Cleaning boy & his Mom. I smile weakly at them and kinda shrug my shoulders.
"S, get off that floor this instant!!" I command, holding back because I soooo wanted to stamp my foot along with it too.
"Mama, I'm almost done" S says. "I'm just looking to see if there's any change under there" S replies.
Seriously??!!
All was well, however. S found a penny and declared it 'totally worth it'.
Heaven help me if he keeps this up.

Growing Older

I turned 42 this week. Just like wine, I'm getting better with age. There are many things that I like about getting older:
-I have a better grip on what's important

-I have some great life experiences

-I love watching my kids grow

Then, well, then there are the other things. Now, why is it that no one told me about the other things????
Like, enjoy your flat tummy when you're young because one day, your stomach will blow up like a dead fish on the shore.
And like this:

Now, why the heck didn't anyone ever tell me that as you gracefully (that's my story and I'm sticking with it) grow older, random hairs will suddenly appear in places where you have had no problems previously??????

I mean, really, big sisters, thanks for the warning! And look at the size of this sucker! I didn't notice the 2 1/2 inch long hair until it practically grew up into my ear! NASTY!!!!

And, when you pull these babies out, you think "Aha, gotcha, you little bugger" until some weeks later when it's older cousin shows up even longer than the first guy. AAAACK!

So, for my younger friends, sorry, but this is what you can look forward to.

And, for my older friends, I'm not sure if I want to know about the other things that will be happening. Unless they involve 2 inch hairs, then you better 'fess up!

Kimono Shirt

I made my first shirt! Considering the only patterns I've ever followed are quilt patterns, I thought this turned out pretty cute. C loves her new shirt and has now requested that I make her one like it, but in a dress and with blue fabrics. I have my first summer project!

It's Just Food

At Weight Watchers this past Saturday, I was struggling. My weight loss journey/battle has once again taken a big surge to the uphill, much harder to make it, into the wind- kind of weight loss. And, frankly, it sucks. I really hate that it's this hard.
As usual, they did the stars and awards portion at the end of WW. One lady lost 5 lbs (you get a star for every 5 lbs you lose) and the substitute leader asked her for any tips.
"Well," she said, "it's really pretty easy."
"Oh?" said the leader, "Would you care to share how this works for you?"
"Simple" 5 lb-er replied "it's only food. That's all you have to understand. It's just a little bit of food, you can wait till the next meal or snack for more".
The leader hesitated and quite frankly, I was shotting daggers at the woman with my eyes (ever so politely, of course, I am a lady after all).
5 lb-er continued, "I mean, why is food so important. I've been her a whole 2 weeks already and I"ve already lost 5 lbs!!"
Well, just bully for you, 5 pounder. You could almost hear the groans in the room and I know a few people were rolling their eyes (of course, not me. No, I was simply wishing a big ol' weight gain for her this week. Petty, I know, but I felt better).  The other part of me was thinking, really, good for you for losing those 5 lbs but honey, you truly don't get it. I lost 5 lb the first couple weeks too, that was the easy part.
The comments that 5 lb-er made really bothered me and stayed with me all week. I thought about them, pondered them, stewed about them. Let them eat at me and poke me and prod me to consider why did those little words "it's just food" get to me so much??? (I just noticed how many times I refer to food terms-stew, eat, etc. Guess I'm just making my point all the more)
Well, because for me, it's not just food, it's ALL about the food. It's about how many points things are, it's about knowing the amount of protein I'm eating, it's having my treats in moderation, it's about journaling each and every bite that hits my mouth (apparently, I need a little more honesty in the last category based on recent scale figures). It's about figuring out how I can make this a live-able, do-able, life long endeavor. It's about knowing how to indulge and not pay the piper for the next 2 weeks (or more). It's about being healthy, living longer, enjoying my life more. It's about control. 
I have not gotten to the point where I can say 'it's just food'. I fight the scale each and every day of my life and it's so difficult.  I wish I could celebrate 5 lb-er and her weight loss but I'm bitter. I'm mad that I let my weight get this far out of hand and I hate that losing it now takes so much effort.
But, I'm learning. I weigh less now than I did a year ago (not tons, but less). I make better choices, I exercise more. I don't know that I will ever get to the point where it's easy but I'm making the journey, one little step at a time.
It might be 'just food' ;but,  for me, I really want it to be 'just living'.
The journey continues....

Speedy Brownies

I tried a new brownie recipe the other day. It's from here: http://www.thetidynest.com/2010/04/speedy-brownies.html
Oh my heavenly goodness! They were fantastic!! Definitely a keeper. I did reduce the oil to 3/4 cup and I think you could cut back on the eggs a bit if you'd like, but goodness, why would you??
This is my new go-to quick dessert.
Yum!

Growing Pains

I was at school yesterday to work in S's classroom and to deliver the cupcakes I spent hours decorating. Once our centers of learning were complete, S came over to whisper in my ear.
"Mama, could you please not stay for lunch today? It just, well, is sorta embarassing to me."
"What???" I heard myself gasp, as a sharp pain shot through my breaking heart. As the other part of my brain was thinking "you must not have heard him correctly".
"Well, you're my Mom and it's kinda not great to have you here for lunch" he said.
"Really? But I always come to school to eat lunch with you on your birthday. It's our tradition," I stammered, bravely trying not to look too shocked, too sad, too teary.
He looked down at the ground, glanced back up at me, looked at me with his big blue eyes and whispered once more, "Please?"
"OK," I said, being brave, "I don't have to come back for lunch."
"But," I said as I tried not to grab him and hug him, "do you still want me to drop off  McDonald's for lunch?"
"Oh" he said, "If you're bringing McDonald's, you can come and sit by me. That's perfectly fine."

Nice to know that me and Ronald McDonald rate right next to each other.