Cupcakes Start with C

I saw on another blog, a cupcake theme and thought that would be so much fun. Cupcakes have become so popular lately. I have enjoyed watching Cupcake Wars, when I am with my mom. They come up with such unique cupcakes for the show. I have been wanting to play around with cupcakes so I can get them just right before my daughters' birthdays this year. The challenge is to make fun and delicious cupcakes with no processed sugar and no food coloring. I tried a basic recipe tonight which allowed me to add different variations. These are the two I decided on for tonight.

The finished product!

Cupcake 1 is a blueberry cupcake with a blueberry, honey cream cheese frosting. Blueberries for garnish. The frosting is pretty purple from the blueberries so purple won't be a problem!

Cupcake 2 is a strawberry and banana cupcake with a cinnamon, banana cream cheese frosting. Sliced almonds for garnish.

While the cupcakes were baking. Dragonfly started on her work. Notice she is in cupcake pjs and I didn't picked them out. She was just in tune with what we were up to I guess! Dragonfly is putting together a Cat. It was suppose to go with the book If You Give A Cat A Cupcake but apparently that is one of the IF YOU books we don't have. Note to self: make sure you check much earlier to see if you have the book.

Her Cat and her Cupcake.

Having fun cutting.

Matching the Cupcakes...the memory way.

Cupcake patterns.

Decorating the "C"s with sprinkles.

Pinning the cupcakes.

School work didn't happen this morning. Today was one of those days that we ran around all day long. I am so glad Dragonfly took a really long nap so I was still able to get in her work after putting two of her sisters to bed. I love flexibility!

PF's string

Cup of tea

In France

Teepee

In the woods.

PF and her friends are very creative with yarn. A few months ago, they were all finger crocheting. Now they are creating image stories with the string.

In the Kitchen

We stayed home today in case what is bothering Butterfly is contagious. After a few fevers and upset tummies this past week, I thought we better load up on some probiotics. Today we finished the second stage to our water kefir and tomorrow night the girls will be able to try it out.

The girls helping to prepare the water kefir.

We also got our sour dough starter...started. Later tonight I will need to add some more to it. Might be having some sour dough pancakes tomorrow or Tuesday morning. Can't remember how long we have to wait until the next phase. Sourdough is a new thing for me.

Heating milk for yogurt.

Yogurt ready to be heated for the next 7 hours. Can't wait to try some homemade yogurt.

To make space in the frig for the yogurt later. I decided it was a good idea to clean out the frig and cook us some lunch. I threw veggies on two baking sheets and roasted them for lunch. We had Cauliflower, rutabaga, asparagus and brussel sprouts over couscous. We also had some apples. I love roasted veggies!

I like breakfast this week is going to be delicious!

Valentine Box Making Party

The girls' homework this weekend was to make a box for Valentine's day. My friend and I were talking about what we were doing for the evening and I talked about needing to get these boxes done. Her daughter needed to do the same. So we ended up throwing together a box making/dinner/movie evening. I really love unplanned things like this and we had so much fun!

My friend had some wrapping paper which we wrapped the boxes in. I don't know why I have never thought of wrapping paper for something like this before. We have always painted or covered the boxes in construction paper. Wrapping paper was so much easier. I guess I just have in my mind that wrapping paper is for gifts but now I will start thinking of some other uses for it.

Dragonfly didn't have a box but she got to play around with glue for the first time and put dots all over her paper and then cut squares to stick on her dots.

After the boxes were complete and bellies were full, an air mattress was blown up and the kids snuggled in for a movie. After the movie the mattress turned into a landing pad. All the kids were jumping off the couch and ottoman. Some how we managed to have no heads connect!

The finished boxes. Butterfly slept through the box decorating so PF did one for her.

Reading Fun Day

This is the second year that we have attended our mall's Reading Fun Day. All the local elementary schools set up a booth with a theme. Some booths have crafts, some of snacks but all of them have books they read to the kids that relate to their theme.



As you start the adventure, you receive a passport that gets punch at every station. After you have 4 punches, you receive a free book. This year selection of books was really good. I will enjoy reading the girls' selections to them.


Our first stop was the Circus Train. The girls made a clown craft.

Then we hopped on over to the Dinosaurs Once Lived Here booth. The girls made a dinosaur puppet.

There were dinosaur skeletons made out of milk jugs. They looked awesome!

Bears.

Habitats.

Tiger puppets.

Like most malls, ours has a spot with a bunch of kiddie rides. PF thought it was funny that she was too big for this one. She really has grown!

The Wild Dance. I loved this set up of Olivia.

Then we ran into some of our friends. The littlest is so precious. This is the first time that PF has been able to meet this precious little girl and she just melted at the opportunity to hold her.

All the girls!

Read your Lion's Share. Not sure why this station was called this since both the books the read were about chameleons.

I didn't get pictures at every station but they were all packed full of fun. We have origami books and a 3 little pigs project to work on at home one of these days. A reading fun day was perfect considering it has been raining for the last 3 days. I am ready for some sun and some time outside!

More Cheerleading!

Ladybug was the caller today!