CUPCAKES GROWN UP STYLE

OK so I will admit it one of the things I like about blogging is well I can brag about stuff.  I said it.  Fellow bloggers you know you like it too. I wanted to show off these awesome cupcakes I made for my friend Jessica's going back to work party that I hosted for her a few weeks back. They are a mix of vanilla and chocolate with pink cream cheese frosting topped with hand made (by me of course) chocolate almond skulls.  I was pretty proud of myself.

Now that I am done patting myself on the back...

It's only been 1 week your back at work Jess and well I miss you; hope the transition is going well for you and your family.

Love ya.

BIRTHDAY PARTY A LA C MONSTER

For his 4th birthday the C Monster asked for a Robot party and his mama delivered...

Robot chocolate cupcake cake that C Monster selected and I created with the aid of this super awesome cookbook that my friend Lisa bought for me. What's New Cupcake? by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson.

I found these really nice robot banners, plates and 3D glasses at Chapters.  I plan on reusing the banners  for decoration in C Monster's room. They were also on a 50% off sale when we got them.

As a cute little surprise I decorated his gift with a robot.  As C monster put "I be real careful mama I want to keep my bag forever."

I even made a robot piñata for him and his friends. It was pretty easy I used an old show box and decorated it with construction paper.  It was hit :-)

I feel like I have to mention this one I am always torn about getting balloons.  C Monster requested them he said he wanted 2 balloons for every friend and 4 for him.  Balloons are hard on the environment as they do not biodegrade and well stay there forever.  They also pose a hazard to animals that try to eat them.  What are your thoughts on balloons?

Christophe's Third Birthday

It's taken me a month to process the photo's, but C's Third Birthday was a good day:

He enjoyed himself, and his three guests (we decided to try the 'one guest per year' approach). There were chocolate cupcakes and lots of fun. Pierrette had been talking about spreading the gift-opening out, one per day, to encourage him to enjoy the gifts individually. It sounded like a good idea, but I can't report on how it worked, because somewhere along the way she caved and he got to open them all.

Three years already. Hard to believe. C is now 40 lbs and I forget the height; I think Pierrette said 97th percentile on both weight and height on his last doctor's visit. We're trying to decide how to incorporate bicycling into the summer, and at 40lbs, C is leaving the weight class of many rear seats (although some go up to almost 50lbs). I'll let you know what we end up doing.

Cupcakes and Snow

Cupcakes are iced decorated and ready for C Monster's birthday tomorrow...















See I told you - you wanted to check in to see them. If you want to make your own here is how:

CAT:
eyes - mini m&m
nose - cinnamon heart
whiskers - liquorish
ears - sour grapefruits

PIG:
eyes: mini m&m
nose: pink chocolate with white frosting
ears: wafer cookies cut in triangles

CHICKEN:
head piece: swedish berry cut in 4
eyes: m&m
nose: sour grapefruit with small slice cut out

BUNNY:
eyes: mini m&m
nose: mini m&m
whiskers: chocolate sprinkles
ears: marshmallow cut in half diagonally then dipped in pink sugar crystals

Snow Snow Snow and More Snow

It's been snowing on and off now all week I love it. We barely had any snow this year and as C monster puts it "more sno". We made it out to play in the snow this afternoon; I really want to make an effort to get out with him everyday while the snow is still here and not too slushy because as fast as it came it will go even faster.

There are so many way C Monster can learn while playing in the snow:

• we count snow balls
• make snowmen
• draw in the snow with sticks
• experience the sensation of cold
• talk about how snow sticks to some things and not to others
• experience how ice is slippery
• look at foot and had prints (or animal prints when we are really lucky)
  

The exercise you get is also insane, C Monster helps perfect is walking and running skills as everything is harder to do in a snowsuit.

I want to try an art activity with him this weekend - you take a spray bottle and fill it with food coloring and water (or paint and water); then you spray the snow outside with the colours. It's best if you can have a few bottles with a few different colours. It will make a great little piece of art and at the same time you can talk about colours with your toddler.

Cupcakes

Pierrette made chocolate cupcakes with mint icing made from the rest of the spearmint from our garden (nom nom nom), and Christophe was helping: