Reunion Cookies

This post has been waiting to find its way onto my blog. Waiting, waiting, waiting. I just have a lot of pictures to sort through from this time period and other things have been coming up. I mean I couldn't put "Sunday Beans" and "Cake Wednesday" on the back burner, could I? Since I've been lazy about taking pictures the last few days I'm catching up on some things that I haven't had a chance to write about yet.

This is the beginning of the Adcock family reunion weekend. The reunion was held in McKinney. So, the logical thing was to make cookies to take to the picnic. Not one, but two different kinds---cut out sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies. I mean it just wasn't enough to have to pack for 4 (yes, I typically pack for Steve when we go on trips together) and prepare for the 4 hour car trip. I needed to make, no I had (in my mind) to make cookies. I thrive on stress. Well, maybe thrive isn't the right word.......

Grace was my helper for the morning.She's helping me cut out some unicorn cookies. Unicorns are one of her favorite things right now. I know it's hard to tell with an expression like that but she was having fun (I think).
I guess she'd had enough of the cutters and decided to freestyle it. Not quite the consistency of playdoh but close enough to make a little man.
No, this picture was not taken in winter time. We've actually been having record high temperatures 100+. What's the deal with the parka? I think she must have thyroid problems because she is always complaining that she is cold. Then I find her rummaging through the closet looking for coats and scarves. This is an old coat even. I think it's size 18 months (she wears 3T now) but she just had to put it on. Hood and all.
I'm not sure if her smile is genuine. I think she's just doing it for the cookies or the chocolate chips.
Here's all the prep work that goes into decorating cookies. A lot. All of this occurs after the kids go to bed. I think it took just as long get the icing made, colored and placed in the bags and squeeze bottles as it did to actually decorate the cookies. Of course I did this the night before we left for McKinney, before I drove to McKinney (didn't I mention that not only do I do the packing for our trips but I also do the driving. I have an illness, some sort of syndrome. They don't have a name for it yet...).
The final result. My favorite was the ice cream cone. The unicorns turned out better than I expected. I know this isn't the best picture but it was late (2AM?) and I never ended up taking another one.

And "what about the chocolate chip cookies?" you say. "No pictures of the chocolate chip cookies?Why?" Because I didn't make them until the next morning....on the day we left.

Yeah, me and stress we're like this (crossing my fingers ever so closely).

Cake Wednesdays part 3

It took me several days to get over the disaster that was my last cake decorating class. (Hint: I'm writing this post on Friday even though it's dated the 22nd, ahhh the wonders of blogger.) I had such high hopes. We were going to learn how to make a rose. "We'll spend at least an hour of our time making roses until everyone gets it." My instructor promised. I guess she didn't realize who exactly was in her class. The problem: my icing was too stiff. I could barely pipe it out of the bag and it just wouldn't stick together. The horror. I kept adding water and trying to get it to work but it never did. I tried my other icing (hence the purple rose) and even my sister's icing (the blue rose) but to no avail. I just couldn't get it to work and by the time I was able to get the icing to stick somewhat I had forgotten the instructions and was just too frustrated to care. So disappointing. But, I promised to post this so here it is......Definitely has that homemade look and let me tell you it looks worse in person especially when sitting across from the perfect red roses made by another student. Her cake looked like it was ready for a professional bakery whereas mine looked like it was ready to be smashed into a clown's face at the circus.
A close up of the roses. Shaggy and shaggy. Icing has always been the favorite part of the cake for me but today it was the enemy.
This is what happens to ugly, poorly decorated cakes--they get eaten. Ha! Take that you hideous cake. You are no match for my gastric acid.

I guess the moral of this story (and something that I will try to keep in mind for my future decorating endeavors) is that in the end no matter what the cake looks like it's gonna get eaten. So, there you go.

Cake Wednesdays

As promised from last week---a cake update.

My sister and I finished up the second installment of our cake decorating course. We learned how to use several tips to make dots, shell borders and flowers. Overall it went well although my cake didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. I had already decided to make the clown cake as opposed to the flower one. The reality is you can do whatever you want but I thought the kids would like the clowns.
I didn't realize that buttercream (or criscocream to be exact) was so finicky. There are 3 different consistencies for decorating and icing the cake. Not so bad when someone else is making it. Maybe I should have written "Buttercream is Evil".
By the end of my picture taking the pink clown fell over, presumably a heart attack. All that shortening can't be good. Okay, so it is but maybe not for a clown heart.
A clown close up.
Even closer. Not terrible but....not exactly professional looking. I know it will take some time but I think I'll be staying away from the whole clown thing. That and the barbie doll cake.

We'll see how things go next week. We'll be learning to make a rose. Exciting.

And a quick thanks to my Steve for keeping the kids busy tonight. Thanks, honey!

Two for One

I know I already posted something today but I just couldn't wait to blog about this.

I have always wanted to take the Wilton cake decorating class and now I have (at least the first of three classes). My sister invited me to take the course with her and how could I refuse? It was a lot of fun and I hope to learn even more in the next two classes. Here are the results:

Not too bad...
I can't wait until next Wednesday. I'll be sure to post those results as well because I'm sure you'll be anxious to see them. I must give a big thanks to my wonderful husband for watching the kids tonight while I was off in cake heaven. Just let me know when that automechanics class is:).
I also have big news on the sewing front--my very first project (Amy Butler birdie sling) done by myself at home with a pattern is complete. I'm so proud of it. I finished it this morning while Lucas was napping and Grace was watching Aladdin in my room. I started it almost 2 months ago! Obviously I didn't work on it everyday and it really only took 2 nights to sew. It's really big but perfect for lugging around toys, small dogs and diapers. I'm already trying to think of what I have in my closet to wear that will match it.
Thanks again honey for putting up with pieces of fabric strewn across the floor and for not complaining too much about the stray straight needle found here and there. I think my next project will be a pin cushion.

Glad I got that out. I'm just so happy about it all. Expect more of the same next Wednesday. You've been warned.