Simple Horse Birthday Cake

So for my sons birthday he wanted a horse cake.  I pulled up some images on Google for him and after eliminating all the hard ones for him because I am no professional, he basically got to choose from 2 simpler cakes, a full body horse, or a horse head.  He chose the full body horse.  Since it is actually a cake pan that I don't have and didn't care to buy, I improvised.

I made two 9x13 cakes, one white and one chocolate, the night before I decorated them.

For my base/cake board, I cut some cardboard boxes up to give me two layers big and strong enough to hold the 2 cakes.

I drew a horse similar to the one from the picture seen online (and don't laugh because I am no artist!) using two plain pieces of standard size copy paper taped together. (I made sure my 'cake board' was bigger then my drawing) 

I then used handy dandy tinfoil to wrap the cardboard and fancy it up :) 

I just taped it to the back like this...nothing to fancy but also it didn't require going out and purchasing anything! 

I used wax paper as a template to transfer my drawing onto the cake (since drawing it a second time would be near impossible since you can't erase on frosting!!)

I just laid the wax paper on top then used a black marker to trace the main lines needed. 

I then laid my two cakes on the board and cut them to give some shape and then also because my drawing was just a little taller then my cake I needed to add some length by using the scraps I just cut off (like I said not professional but easy)

I then made some chocolate frosting and covered the cake.

I also used a scrap piece to create a horseshoe for a spot to put his name and age since I didn't feel like making cupcakes like the cake online had.

I overlaid my wax paper template then used a tooth pick to indent the lines (I just traced the line with the toothpick and it did the trick!)

I then created some black frosting using my extra chocolate frosting and using a size 6 circle tip outlined the horse and filled in the hooves.  I used a Wilton 21 tip to create the main and tail.  Then I made some red frosting (because my son wanted a red horse but settled for red accents!!) to give the horse a halter and then to border the cakes and write his name and age.

It was pretty easy (and has lots of imperfections just like me;)) and the best part was that he loved it and it fed all of our guests with a little to much to spare!

Easter Games for Preschoolers

So I was asked to help with the Easter party at my son's preschool.  I have helped with some others and we have done "Pin the nose on the snowman" and Valentines Bingo, so I was trying to think of something else to do.  So of course I went to google typed in Easter games for preschool, but wasn't really finding anything that I liked.  So...I went to pinterest and typed in Easter games and there were lots of pins.  I visited many of them and narrowed down the ones I like the best and thought I might as well share them.

This first one is more for getting wiggles out:

http://www.littlefamilyfun.com/2012/03/energetic-easter-game.html

I liked this one.  I reminded me of the Cooties game.  I am not sure this will work as is for the preschool class because they may not be able to draw so well yet, but it gave me the idea to make the body parts and then when that number is rolled they "build" the bunny like you would the Cootie's game.

http://www.housingaforest.com/funny-bunny-faces-game/

Here is a site that has a list of games, like 

-guess the number

-Easter Bunny says

-Easter word find

-and some craft ideas

http://www.tescomagazine.com/living/family-life/easter-games-and-activities-for-kids.html

This is an ESL site and there is only this PDF but I liked the swinging toss egg idea.  Almost like a different version of a pinata.

http://learningenglish-esl.blogspot.ca/2011/02/easter-games.html

This site creates an egg hunt looking for a specific color match-up of eggs.  Great for teaching kids.  I thought that it could easily be adjusted for my sons preschool by having them make the mixed up color egg after choosing the egg card.

http://www.makeandtakes.com/on-a-hunt-for-mixed-up-eggs

Here is a site that has some great PDF's.  I already used a bingo style game so I probably won't use this one, but great to have on hand for the future.

It also has a printable for  "bunny, bunny who's got the bunny" (to be played like button, button who's got the button), and Easter tic-tac-toe and a few others.

http://preparednotscared.blogspot.com/2011/04/pdf-files-are-ready.html

This of course is not an all inclusive list, but just some that I liked for the age group I deal mostly with (that would be under 5!!)

ENJOY

Cars Cupcake Birthday Cake

This year for my son's 3rd birthday he wanted a "car" birthday cake.  When I used Google Images to looks at different option with him it became quite clear he wanted a "Cars" birthday cake and anyone would do.  Knowing that I was going to use cupcakes, we settled on a dirt track with cars on it.  I think it could have been any cake with a 'Cars' character on it and he would have been happy.

I put my cupcakes as close together trying to achieve an oval shape, then used a white 1" ribbon wrapped around to hold them together.

The one that that I didn't do that I learned was a mistake, was to secure the cupcakes to the base.  They just slid as a group and I didn't realize this until it was a little to late to solve the problem.

Sorry it was late when I was trying to finish the cake and get it hidden for the next day, so the pictures are a little lacking and I had to use a really shallow focus in order to get enough light.

Anyway frost the cupcakes like they are one unit, just making sure that the frosting is think enough to hold and not just fall through the gaps between the cupcakes.  I used green since I knew that I would be piping on green grass to top it off. 

My race track was crushed up oreo's, with the 'walls' being just a part of the oreo.  Once I scrapped off the cream, I just used my frosting spatula to score a line in the cookie and then it would break right where I wanted it to.  I only used maybe the outside 1/4 of the cookie (so I got two 'walls' from each one chocolate wafer) and then just threw in inside in with the others to be crushed up for the dirt track. 

I then used a grass tip to pipe grass where the track wasn't.

I made some Checkered flags by using a black marker on white paper and then taping it onto a tooth pick.

My son had picked out some 'Cars' toys that we put on the cake. And that was pretty much it.  It was quite simple and took less time then I thought it would.

Top view 

View from the side 

I then added a candle for his age and a little cut out of the cardboard box the cars came in with his name to personalize it. 

Hope this helps you in any way :)

'Mommy I made Potty'

So have you seen the Bleach commercial "mommy I made poopoo?"
Here is the link to it on you-tube if not (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imz6jdTME0w).

Well... we had our own little version of this last night.  My kids were in the bath when I could hear the youngest kind of whining, which she usually does after being splashed by a sibling or when she is ready to get out, but this time I went in to discover bobbing in the water by here was some poop.

I pulled out the older kids and sent them to our shower with their dad to assist, while I drained the tub, cleaned it up and then washed my daughter off.

This commercial just was running through my head and despite the fact it is kind of a gross thing, it is kind of funny.

I would have to say that I think all my kids have now done this (pooped in the bath) and around this same age.  It almost comes around the time of potty training...so maybe now my little one is ready to start being potty trained if she is like her older siblings (or at least I can hope so!)

Home made Lunchable

Our home made lunchable

 

A while back when I asked my son what he wanted for lunch he replied "a 'Lunchable'."

'Lunchables' are not something that I would typically purchase so the request caught me off guard.

Trying to think of what I could do to create a lunchable, I remember passing over something on pinterest of serving snacks in a muffin tin, with that in mind I set out to create a healthy, home made version.

 

I cut up some lunch meat and cheese,

pulled out some fruit and a vegi,

added some crackers

and topped it off with a go-gurt 

 

It added a little fun into what we would typically have for lunch, but instead of half eaten sandwiches I had empty tins.

 

I have the large muffin tins, but the regular sized ones would work too.

This is now one of my sons favorite requests for lunch and I can feel good about giving it to him because I control what goes in and can vary it up according to what I have in my fridge/pantry.

What kids will say

I should write down things that my 4 year old will say because there are some funny things.  Unfortunately I don't write them down and then I can't remember any but one.
He was sitting on the floor playing the other day and randomly asked
"Mom, when are you going to have your other 3 babies?"
My first response (after a chuckle inside) was "Are you ready to have more siblings to share your toys?"
His surprising answer was "yes."  Surprising because he was actually in trouble for not playing nice with his little brother.
The other interesting thing from his original question was the number 3.  I don't think we have ever said we were going to have 3 more kids.
Maybe he knows something I don't?  Either way it was kind of a funny and cute conversation.