Rainbow Birthday Cake

 

 Part of throwing a party in our house is making a cake.  It's a hobby of mine, and the girls really enjoy it too.  I had a design in my head and decided to look online to see if anyone had done anything similar.  It was basically going to be a bunch of rainbow tessellations going up the cake.  However, I saw this design on the Party Wagon and just had to do it. Make sure you also check out the final results of our Rainbow Party.

The first step of course is baking.  The kids love to help with this party.  Please see our favorite white cake "White Velvet Cake" and my "Cake Making 101" tutorial.  I simply added food coloring to a white cake batter. 

The next step is to frost.  You can see my level on top. I like to use a lever anyway, but I found it really helpful with such a tall cake.  While I was frosting, the girls had their own cake making Play-Doh set out.  I also had to color all of my fondant the rainbow colors. 

The final step was to decorate.  The big trick here was a Christmas gift from my wonderful husband...the clay extruder.  It is actually a tool used for clay, but it really works great for fondant.  It made this job fairly easy. It has a bunch of different discs that slip on the end so you can extrude different shapes. Great tool! I also need to say that I wanted to decorate during nap time.  Abby really doesn't nap much anymore, but sometimes she falls asleep during her quiet time.  I was pretty disappointed when she came waltzing into the room.  However, I invited her to join in, and she actually probably ended up cutting my job in half.  She would roll out the fondant to fit into the extruder.  She'd also help clean out the extruder after every color.  It was really helpful, and I ended up being absolutely thrilled that she was there to help me.  The design is fairly simple if you have this tool.  Just extrude the snakes and layer onto the cake.  Roll out fondant balls to put on top...or you can throw a bunch of gumballs on top for a bit of whimsy.  

Read More at http://www.meaningfulmama.com/2012/03/day-84-rainbow-birthday-cake.html

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Does time away from kids makes you a better mom

I just read an article by Kristen Chase at cafemom.com about spending time away from kids and how this might make you a better mom.. I kind of agree with the article..

I look back at all the craziness of being with them 24-7 and I can't even remember the coolest moments because they are all jumbled together. Thank goodness for pictures, though I honestly didn't even take much of those.
Because we were always together and my husband traveled so much, I spent a lot of my time wanting a break, a little peace and quiet, some respite from what was an extremely challenging and lonely existence for me.
For much of their babydom, I was struggling to keep everything together, and between my own hobby turned work plus keeping the house clean, it was so hectic, so much so that I honestly don't have as many memories of their first years as I would have hoped.
Now that I have a regular work schedule, with older kids in school and my youngest with a sitter for part of the day, I get time to myself -- to work, to run, to breathe -- and so when I get home with them, in the afternoons and evenings, heck even the mornings before school, my attention is solely on them.
And those times they have with me now, which would be less total time together before when I wasn't working, is quality time. Memorable time.
I realize that not everyone can work when they have babies, and that for lots of people, the grass is always greener; maybe if I had worked more, I would be pining to be with them. But I can say that in not being with my kids every minute of the day, it's made me much more appreciative for the time we do have together. And it's allowed me to be a better parent, which is what they need and deserve. Too bad I didn't know this when my kids were babies.

Source: http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/149009/spending_time_away_from_my?result=comment_added&comment_state=nonmember&success=1#comments

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Baby strollers

I just saw a lovely baby stroller in "6 best baby strollers" article over at femalefirst.co.uk. It's the
Baby Jogger City Versa Pushchair.

I'm quoting from their site:

Unique and multi-functional, this is a stand-out buggy for stylish and active parents. John Lewis says: "The Baby Jogger City Versa offers parents the option of strolling with little ones facing them or looking out as the world goes by. With a patented quick fold, parents can fold their pushchair with one hand regardless of whether the seat is facing to the front or back.
"The ultra compact fold and quick release wheels also make storage a breeze. You'll also find adjustable handlebars, a hand operated parking brake, a seat back storage compartment and a large under-seat storage basket to make trips out and about comfortable and convenient. The 8" front swivel wheels are designed for urban terrain as they'll let you move with precision and the small size makes them ideal for transportation. What's more, you can lock them in place for long distance strolling.
"Little ones are assured a comfy ride with a padded seat with multi-position recline, whether front or rear facing. The all-wheel suspension ensures a smooth ride regardless of the terrain. The multi-position footwell tilt adds leg support for younger children and the large multi-position sun canopy will keep them happy in sunny weather."

Read whole article here: http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/parenting/6+Best+Baby+Strollers-273656.html

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Must have stroller accessories

There's an article in consumersearch.com called "6 Innovative Stroller Accessories". What I particularly liked  was the Jeep Universal Stroller Hook which I definitely must buy because our stroller doesn't have any hooks at all for shopping bugs.

and the J.L. Childress Cups 'N Cargo Stroller Organizer which I also have to get for sure because I always put my phone/wallet/keys on a shallow pocket on the stroller and they keep falling!

Check out the whole list here: http://www.consumersearch.com/blog/6-innovative-stroller-accessories

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Yoga for hyper-active kids

Bangalore: Yoga is no longer only a traditional fitness workout. The age-old exercise has now entered schools too.

Several schools, irrespective of the curriculum they follow, have created space for the science of fitness in their busy timetable. While some have included yoga in their curricula, others are organizing sessions at regular intervals. Schools say this has helped increase children's concentration level.

"Yoga classes are part of my school's curriculum now. Sessions are organized twice every week and each class is of 40 minutes duration. Children are taught by a qualified trainer. These sessions begin from class II and go on till class X. For younger kids, we have basic asanas, whereas children from higher classes are given breathing exercises and other postures," says Nigar Sultana, principal, Cambridge Public School.

Nigar says: "I decided to impart the goodness of yoga to kids after reaping its benefits myself. It boosts the concentration level and I have had cases of naughty kids who started concentrating in class after these sessions.".

The city schools have also come up with 'specialization' in yoga like other sports.

Read whole article here: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Yoga-to-rein-in-hyper-active-kids/articleshow/17919100.cms

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Baby grabs doctor's finger from inside mom's belly

This image is all over the internet. It shows a baby sticking out from it's mommy's belly during a surgical procedure and grabbing the doctor's finger. Pretty amazing photo.

Read the story behind the photo here: http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/148908/baby_reaches_out_during_delivery

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Christmas gifts ideas

This is an awesome christmas gift guide from OlliElla website and I really loved the bean bag but the tangering color.

Check out the gift guide here: http://www.olliella.com/blog/christmas-gift-guide-for-babies-and-kids/comment-page-1/

and the tangering bean bag here: http://www.olliella.com/kids/bean-bags/tangerine-little-bean-beanbag/

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