Gueth What?

Thath What!

The first tooth came out at school, just as she had hoped. When it happens at school, you get a special necklace that holds your tooth. Plus you get that special moment when the whole class goes "cooooooool, Elizabeth lost her tooth!" and you're the center of attention.

It all went down in music class while everyone was singing and dancing. Elizabeth's good buddy "Joe" somehow spun and hit her mouth with his hand, causing her tooth to fly out. There was blood, they had to stop the music and look for the tooth. Apparently Joe's hand was also cut in the collision, and I certainly look forward to seeing his artistic rendering of the event.

Bring it on, tooth fairy!

Happy Birthday Mike!

Nikki: Hold still.
Mike: Some day I'm gonna be 6'4" and be able to kick your butt.
Nikki: Yeah right. Just keep that bowling ball head of yours still so I can get a good bounce.

Happy Birthday little brother. Thanks for not throwing me off Mount Haleakala when you had the chance.

Just a Friendly Note

Elizabeth has been speaking with increasing frequency about a boy in her class. Let's pretend his name is Joe. When she speaks of him, her eyes get wide and she starts giggling hysterically. She usually ends her Joe story du jour with a loud sigh.

It's obvious that Joe is the class clown and that to Elizabeth, he is as good as Chris Rock. She had similar admiration for the class clown in last year's preschool class. By admiration, I mean she laughs uncontrollably, ensuring that the funny kid has both a purpose and an audience. But last year the funny kid was the teacher's son, so he didn't have much of a leash. This year, the funny kid is telling the class that he and Elizabeth are married and he's writing her love letters.

Elizabeth's class is learning all about correspondence, so each day the students practice writing letters, cards and addressing envelopes. Yesterday she showed me an empty envelope bestowed upon her by Joe. It was just a warm up. Today she came home with a sealed envelope, signed by Joe himself. He apparently gave it to her after saying "I love ya, baby" in a crazy voice. This is what was inside...

Huh. First impression: okay, kind of cute, a boy and a girl holding hands, maybe a cupcake on his shirt, perhaps they are holding a heart together, being supervised by the teacher. Nope. Per Elizabeth, Joe told her what she would find in the envelope: a picture of someone handing their own head to Joe while Elizabeth is watching.

Be still my heart.

I'm all kinds of confused. Who is the headless person and why are they red? Did the head just fall off or was force used? Perhaps this is a doll and Joe is showing what a good helper he is by replacing it's head? Is that a cupcake or a skull on his shirt? Is decapitation just your typical five year old boy kind of stuff? And why did Joe draw himself with a mouth and Elizabeth without?

Anyway, the letter was well received by Elizabeth with a giggly disgust. I grabbed the crayons and we all did some coloring with extra rainbows, unicorns and butterflies just for good measure. When Jay came home, Elizabeth gave him the letter and told him all about her husband, Joe. I wish I had taken a picture of Jay's face. Something tells me he won't be sleeping very well tonight.

The Mike

The Friendly's Reese's Pieces Sundae Cupcake

The Mike Cupcake. I'm obviously not a food photographer but if you tasted this thing I think we would agree that I can bake a cupcake. Not bragging, just saying. It's good.

This cupcake is for my brother. Happy Birthday Mike! It is the best I could come with to represent the Friendly's Reese's Pieces Sundae in cupcake form. We grew up with Friendly's restaurants all around and this was the best dessert.

For these cupcakes I used a basic chocolate cake, spread a thin layer of peanut butter frosting on top (a little goes a long way, it is very rich), piped on some whipped cream, garnished with some candy pieces (should be actual Reese's Pieces but a mini Fast Break was all I could find) and topped them with a maraschino cherry.

The cupcakes and frosting could all be done ahead of time, but the whipped cream has to be done right before serving. And Mike, since you don't actually live here, I'm considering this the test batch. I will serve your official batch the next time I see you! Amanda's class will have a go at this batch tomorrow.

Hershey's "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake
Source: Hersheys.com

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. 2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Line muffin cups and fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Source: Foodnetwork.com

1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Whipped Cream Topping

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar

In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Add sugar and beat until peaks form.

It's Fall, Y'all!

Every leaf speaks bliss to me,

Fluttering from the autumn tree.
Emily Bronte

I'm Daddy

No, I'm Daddy. Nu-huh, I'm Daddy. No, I'm Daddy. I'm Daddy! No, I'm Daddy. MOMMY!!!! She won't let me be Daddy!!!!

Show Mama how the Piggies eat...

The kids spent the day at Gaga and Grandpa's house today.

When I saw this picture all I could think of was the movie "A Christmas Story" where they make the little brother Randy "show Mama how the piggies eat" mashed potatoes. Jack doesn't wait to be asked, the piggy face is his new favorite thing.