When I Become a Millionaire

Showing posts with label cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cake. Show all posts

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Popcorn Puking and Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! Before you give yourself a pat on the back, lets make sure you fit the definition.

 A DAD isn't merely someone who provided the sperm, nor is he someone who just pops in every now and then. A DAD is someone who is there for their child day in and day out, even when the kid doesn't deserve it. A DAD can be any male guardian who plays a full time role in the child's life. Maybe you're a grandpa who is raising your grandchild. Perhaps you are the biological father. Maybe you are a step dad. Or you might be a single mom who is playing both roles. You're there through the ups and downs, the good and bad, day and night. You choose to be the child's PARENT and not their buddy (even if it means they hate you for it). If you fit this description then I commend you and you deserve a pat on the back! A TRUE parent is rare these days, as most are too self-involved to care about someone else's needs above their own. 

My dad was and is an amazing person. Naturally, I hated him when I was younger. I think that's something many kids go through. I thought his sole purpose in life was to make me miserable. As an adult, I now realize he always did what was best for me, even when it made his life hell. Thank you, dad, for always being a father to me, even when it would've been easier to just give up. Maybe you did. I don't blame you. I was a punk. And to my husband, thank you for being there for all 3 of our kids, even when they don't deserve it (and sometimes they really don't). I admire you for being a father to Jess when she had no one else to turn to. Thank you for taking Ethan and Kaylee in and treating them as your own, even though you didn't have to. They don't see it now, but maybe someday they'll see just how truly lucky they are. They may not yet, but I deeply appreciate it.

I took zero photos today. I was way too busy and no one else thought to do it.

Today I learned:

1. Puking up popcorn is a unique experience, especially at 2:30 a.m. 
2. Taking a Tums before you puke minimizes the sour taste and makes it a (slightly) more bearable experience.
3. Popcorn husks taste and feel the same the second time around as they do the first. Yummy, huh?
4. I am a baby and HATE puking, and am very thankful I only do it once every couple years.
5. My mom's dog is scared of everything, including cake.
6. Tiny baby rabbits will squeeze right through the holes in a dog crate and escape forever. I hope the poor little guy makes it.
7. Playing with fondant scraps is a great way to pass the time while your in-laws and your husband argue about politics.
8. My children do not remember me at all when they're gone.
9. My husband and children do not appreciate me at all. They really should.

It was a long day. So long that I can't even remember half of it. I think in the last 4 days I've spent approximately one billion hours cooking. Don't get me wrong. I really do enjoy cooking. I enjoy it more than my family appreciates it, if I'm being honest. But it's practically a full time job and I've really gone overboard lately.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Fondant!




I figured this morning I'd whip a cake together for practice, then move on to finish the zucchini relish. You know, I just don't understand how youtube makes things look so simple! Frosting the cake would be the easy part, I figured. WRONG. Who knew it takes for-freaking-ever to smooth icing? Who knew that as soon as I pulled the fondant out of the fridge I'd get interrupted 1,249 times? The ducks, the phone, the ducks, the mailman, the neighbor, the ducks...well, you get the idea. But I finally did it.


I call this the "zebra print-meets-random flower-meets-green-food-coloring-RANDOM cake". AKA the "practice" cake. I practiced the zebra stripes so I could make one for Kaylee next weekend. I practiced the flower because, well, it just looked cool. I learned a lot today. First, no one pays attention to me until a) I'm in the bathroom or b) I'm elbow deep in sugar/flour/kitchen substances. The second one of those two things occurs, everyone in town comes calling/yelling/knocking/honking. What is it about a closed door that attracts children? Anyway. Second thing I learned, those cake leveler thing-a-majigs might just be worth the investment. Always buy a couple extra tubs of frosting (or just make my own next time). Warm water helps smooth the icing. Eating fondant by the handful leads to a tummy ache. Me, not the kids. You'd think I'd be old enough to know by now.



Next, it was time to finish the zucchini relish. I have a confession to make. Can you keep a secret? Canning is a lot of work and I get overly ambitious at the beginning of summer. "Yay, I can't wait for an overabundance of crops to can!" This attitude quickly turns into, "If I see one more zucchini I'm running away from home!" By the end of summer I'm ready to tell Martha Stewart to go to hell and take some zucchini with her. I made 7 half pint jars of zucchini relish. It was a lot of work (and mess, because I'm just messy in the kitchen), but the kitchen smells wonderful. Reminds me of how my aunt's kitchen smelled when I was a kid.

How do you get leftover cake batter out of your hair? Hypothetical question.