Blog Giveaway
If you can name us all, we'll send you these glasses.
If you can name us all, we'll send you these glasses.
Tie Breaker
Guess where we got the glasses.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Marielle and Jenna's Smooth Cake
Yesterday was Father's Day. You heard me, we celebrated Father's day a week early since we will be out of town next weekend and Marielle just couldn't bear to celebrate away from home. Ryan and I both had excellent "parent tribute" days this year because Marielle is now old enough to really participate and dictate how she wants to show her parents how much she loves us. In our family nothing says love like a treasure hunt.
Here's my mother's day hunt:
and here's Ryan's:
But I digress from the original purpose of my post. Marielle and Jenna's Smooth Cake. Lately I've been following a few cooking blogs and I sat Marielle down at the computer and showed her some pictures of desserts I'd been drooling over and hoping for an excuse to make. She chose this one. If you follow the link you'll see a tutorial hosted by a seven year old for "Jackson's Wacky Cake". I'm pretty sure she chose the dessert solely based on the coolness factor that a kid was making it, but hey, she gets to call the shots for this holiday. In the spirit of copying things you see on the internet, we decided to also make a cooking tutorial.
First off, assemble the ingredients and then smi-lllle for the camera.
Scoop and measure your ingredients. Be sure to spill lots of the floor/counter -- it's all good when someone else cleans it up.
Stir, stir, stir. This cake is wacky, no need for a mixing bowl. It is also smooth (at least that's what you re-name the cake when your four year old doesn't like the description "wacky").
Licking the spoon. Best part of cooking.
Finished results! It ain't pretty, but doesn't it just say love?
And here's one happy daddy. Happy Father's Day!
Here's my mother's day hunt:
and here's Ryan's:
But I digress from the original purpose of my post. Marielle and Jenna's Smooth Cake. Lately I've been following a few cooking blogs and I sat Marielle down at the computer and showed her some pictures of desserts I'd been drooling over and hoping for an excuse to make. She chose this one. If you follow the link you'll see a tutorial hosted by a seven year old for "Jackson's Wacky Cake". I'm pretty sure she chose the dessert solely based on the coolness factor that a kid was making it, but hey, she gets to call the shots for this holiday. In the spirit of copying things you see on the internet, we decided to also make a cooking tutorial.
First off, assemble the ingredients and then smi-lllle for the camera.
Scoop and measure your ingredients. Be sure to spill lots of the floor/counter -- it's all good when someone else cleans it up.
Stir, stir, stir. This cake is wacky, no need for a mixing bowl. It is also smooth (at least that's what you re-name the cake when your four year old doesn't like the description "wacky").
Licking the spoon. Best part of cooking.
Finished results! It ain't pretty, but doesn't it just say love?
And here's one happy daddy. Happy Father's Day!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Picture This
Picture a whole family dressed in yellow, standing along a busy bike path with a table full of ice cold lemonade and warm freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. No really, picture it, because that's as close your going to get since my camera battery was dead this afternoon and I didn't get a single, solitary picture of our lemonade stand.
As a family we sponsored a mini-fundraiser for pediatric cancer research and treatment through the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. We picked lemons from a friend's orchard, made fresh lemonade and cookies, and then peddled them to unsuspecting freshmen on their way home to the dorms. Few could resist the childhood nostalgia of a lemonade stand coupled with the cuteness of our kids. We sold over 50 cups of lemonade and about as many cookies. All told we raised $92.06! Marielle and I had a great time working together in the kitchen all morning and she said at the dinner table tonight that we needed "a good night's rest because we worked hard today!" I agree, but I'm staying up just a little later so I can post about our event in the case that you may like to help us break $100. Our fundraising goal was $50, so we are thrilled with our results already, but if you do want to chip in for a "virtual cup of lemonade" you can donate online by visiting our sponsor page.
My favorite part of the experience was watching Marielle tell our patrons that "we are helping kids with cancer." Meeting and talking with strangers is hard for Marielle and initially we were struggling to get her to make eye contact or smile at anyone. When we started prompting her, "tell them why we are selling lemonade" she found her confidence and spoke out. It was awesome to see her catch the vision of giving to others. Oh, and Jenna did her part too. She didn't request, sneak, whine or beg for cookies though a whole plateful was clearly within arms length for two hours. If you know Jenna, that's saying a lot.
As a family we sponsored a mini-fundraiser for pediatric cancer research and treatment through the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. We picked lemons from a friend's orchard, made fresh lemonade and cookies, and then peddled them to unsuspecting freshmen on their way home to the dorms. Few could resist the childhood nostalgia of a lemonade stand coupled with the cuteness of our kids. We sold over 50 cups of lemonade and about as many cookies. All told we raised $92.06! Marielle and I had a great time working together in the kitchen all morning and she said at the dinner table tonight that we needed "a good night's rest because we worked hard today!" I agree, but I'm staying up just a little later so I can post about our event in the case that you may like to help us break $100. Our fundraising goal was $50, so we are thrilled with our results already, but if you do want to chip in for a "virtual cup of lemonade" you can donate online by visiting our sponsor page.
My favorite part of the experience was watching Marielle tell our patrons that "we are helping kids with cancer." Meeting and talking with strangers is hard for Marielle and initially we were struggling to get her to make eye contact or smile at anyone. When we started prompting her, "tell them why we are selling lemonade" she found her confidence and spoke out. It was awesome to see her catch the vision of giving to others. Oh, and Jenna did her part too. She didn't request, sneak, whine or beg for cookies though a whole plateful was clearly within arms length for two hours. If you know Jenna, that's saying a lot.
Summer Dessert Contest
For the local yokels: can you find your cameo? If not, then make sure you join us for the next summer dessert spectacular (June 25th). We had a great time chillin' in the park, eating GREAT desserts, and chasing kids.
Read the tag. Clever, huh? Also delicious.
The crew.
Remember I said "chillin' in the park"? What says Santa Barbara more than a winter parka complete with fur hood at a summer picnic?
The winning entry of the evening: S'more Brownies (Congrats Cherry!)
Read the tag. Clever, huh? Also delicious.
The crew.
Remember I said "chillin' in the park"? What says Santa Barbara more than a winter parka complete with fur hood at a summer picnic?
The winning entry of the evening: S'more Brownies (Congrats Cherry!)
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