A Weekend of Birthdays

Daddy's birthday was yesterday, and Grandma's was the day before that.  And anyone who knows our Molly can feel the excitement of birthdays, in the cake!

Molly, my trusty kitchen assistant, measured precisely, mixed furiously, and watched the oven patiently as that chocolate cake was created.  But it was during the creation of chocolate buttercream that her good nature caved.  I didn't happen to catch the moment with my camera, but you can imagine the child, both hands covered in chocolate buttercream, awaiting to taste!  "mmm, yummy!"

I have a spare bottle of amaretto sitting around, so I created my own version of Amaretto Cream- basically, some butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and a generous portion of amaretto.  Imagine this cake:  it's the Hershey's perfect chocolate cake (on the Hershey's cocoa container), cut into 4 portions of an 8" round.  Plate the first layer, top with Amaretto Cream.  Second cake layer, top with chocolate buttercream.  Third cake layer, some more Amaretto Cream.  Fourth and final cake layer- all smothered in a healthy portion of chocolate buttercream.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours (seriously, moistens that thing up so nicely).  Yum-o!

This shot- a test of patience!  She climbed up that stool and stared at the cake every chance she got ;)

Please get a look at Molly's face.  This is the sheer determination of a good tickle.  Even on an undeserved, non-cooperative boy cousin,  who is fighting to get away.  But that face- she is something else.

 That girl can blow out some candles, look at those cheeks!  Daddy's so proud of teaching her the proper "chipmunk method" to a forceful blow.  It only took 2 tries to get those candles out!

Our Sunday, a picture of perfection, if you'd ask me.  The Sunday paper, hot coffee, couch snuggles.

The two year old who fight her nap.  This girl.  I really can't understand, and I try to tell her how much she's going to regret this.  Not taking advantage of an hour or two daytime nap.  But she fights and fights.  And that thumb gets the brunt of it.

And this, a sure sign that spring is coming!  We were late to start the seeds this year, and finally finished this weekend.  I'll tell you, it's my fault.  We started last week, in the basement (I really dislike basements).  I lasted 42 seconds, then saw a mouse.  Jesse corrected me, it was a mole.  Either way, he picked it up and put it outside.  As it turns out, the next morning that little guy was in the mouse trap.  We retraced his little tracks in the snow right back through the door (where there is apparently an opening?).  Jesse keeps asking why I'm afraid of a mouse, or a mole.  Does anyone else fear it running up their leg?!  Ugh, that just gave me chills.

I haven't been back to the basement since.  

We'll keep you posted on the progress of the seeds!
And the prospect of more cake (it's a week with two birthdays, after all)!

Have a great week.

Lisa