The elementary school had a free family skate night at Classic Fun Skating in Sandy. The girls really wanted to go and I had promised them earlier in the week that we would go. After all, it was only a dollar for skate rental. Plus, we could take Timothy's little bike for him to ride, and John was home to go with us! Yay.
So we had dinner with Jaime and her kids, then we all packed up in the cars and made our way to the skating rink. We planned to be there about 5:30, but got there at 6:30 p.m. Oh well. That is how things go around here. We can always have the best intentions, but well, the best laid plans are always the ones that are flexible. At least it was Friday night. I didn't mind if the kids were up later!
First task upon arrival- skate rental!
John took Amber and Emma to get skates. They put them on, and then they couldn't stand up. Amber did okay on the carpet, but once on the rink she didn't particularly like to skate! Emma couldn't even stand up on the carpet. She fell on her butt one too many times. So she seemed content to lay on the floor moving her feet back and forth.
Then Saundra showed up and she had rented the adjustable skates for her 2 yo daughter. I hadn't even thought about that! I didn't even know those kind of skates were still in production! Those are the kind I grew up wearing! Yay, I was so excited. She let us borrow the skates for Timothy for a bit. He actually did very well. it wasn't until I saw Timothy skating on the carpet by himself that I had an epiphany. Emma needed skates like that! So she tried the skates on and loved it. So I exchanged her skates for the adjustable skates! She did so much better! She loved being out there with John. She even skated by herself. I'm glad we tried that. Now if Amber had worn her shoes instead of her boots she could have tried those skates too. Unfortunately her boots didn't fit into the adjustable skates.
We did enjoy the night. It was so fun to take the kids somewhere fun and spend very little money. We are so grateful for being able to go and for the time we could spend with friends. Nights like this are so wonderful.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Cookie Decorating
So I signed up for a Cookie Decorating class thinking, this will be fun, right? And it didn't look like I needed to provide any supplies. That was a bonus for me, or so I thought. I should have thought harder about that one! Ha, just because supplies aren't listed on the class schedule doesn't mean I won't need them. So earlier in the week the instructor called me to confirm my email address, but apparently something went wrong in the communication. I wasn't getting the email! I finally got in touch with her and got the email the night before class.
Here's what I was supposed to bring to class:
Please bring 6 cookies of your choice to decorate
Please be sure to not over bake your cookies and have them be at least ¼ inch to ½ inch thick.
After the cookies have cooled, cover with Cookie Glaze with a pastry brush:
Cookies must have glaze on them before class
COOKIE GLAZE:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tblsp Water
1 Tblsp Light corn Syrup
Let cookies dry for at least 1 Hour
List of supplies to bring:
Apron
Bath towel
Scissors
6 cookies – covered with above glaze
Coloring for icing – Wilton paste or Americolor gels (Orson Gygi’s)
2 - 3 Small Bowls
toothpicks
Something to put your cookies on to take home (cookie sheet etc..)
Spoons
12 Decorator bags (disposable or Parchment paper)
Tips # 2, 3,16,18
6 couplers
1 batch of Color Flow icing
*** Make icing the NIGHT BEFORE CLASS ***
Do not refrigerate
So, that's what I found out I needed at 6:30 p.m. the night before class. I couldn't really leave right then, my kids were just starting to get ready for bed, John was still in class. So I was pretty much stuck for the time being. So I thought, I still have time to cancel, right? I'm just going to call and say I wanted a full refund of the tuition! But no, I couldn't just take the easy way like that! I had to go to the class! But then it gets worse. I had to have this icing made the night before class, and here it was the night before class? So here's the recipe I was supposed to use.
Wilton Color Flow Icing Recipe
Color Flow Icing Recipe: (full-strength for outlining)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon water
1 lb. (4 cups) sifted confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons Color Flow Mix
With electric mixer, using grease-free utensils, blend all ingredients on low speed for 5 minutes. If using hand mixer, use high speed. Color flow icing crusts quickly, so keep bowl covered with a damp cloth while using.
Makes approx. 2 cups color flow icing.
Make icing and place in glass container with a lid
If you do not have a glass container with a lid please purchase a new set of Glad plastic containers (find at the dollar store)
** DO NOT USE old Rubbermaid or Tupperware **
Icing will be stiff
So, who really stocks Color Flow mix unless you're into cake/cookie decorating? I certainly don't! I didn't even know what the stuff was! So 10:00 p.m. and I'm at the store with Cori trying to figure out what we're doing for this class! We decided to just get a couple of containers of decorating icing! That's the same thing, right? Ha, little did we know that we were really just buying buttercream icing! Duh.
So off we go Thursday night to this class, armed with what we thought was the correct icing! So I admit, sometimes I'm just a little dumb. I don't know anything about cake/cookie decorating. That's why we signed up for the class to begin with! Oh, and the tips I was supposed to have, um yeah, didn't have the correct tips either, but wasn't willing to spend money on a new set especially if I didn't like the class!
The class starts and we look at each other. The other people were armed with notebooks, taking notes! Oh my, this is serious. These people aren't doing this just for fun. Maybe they're trying to venture into a new business. And they have to have me in their class! I'm not serious about it, I just wanted to have fun! Finally we start trying to actually decorate. Ummmmm . . . yeah, the tips I have just aren't working. Oh well, we'll make do, right? We were making do.
Then it came time to thin the icing. All we had to do was add water, a little at a time. Okay, so admit, I was impatient and knew how much the instructor had to add. So I added a lot at one time. Oops. But our icing was not smooth! It was all grainy. (I've never had my own buttercream icing turn out grainy with too much liquid though!) We still didn't realize it was buttercream. But by this time we were positive it wasn't the correct icing. So much for following directions! Uh yeah, we tried. Then the instructor took my bag to help me with my stars. Her comment, "Why is this so greasy?" I looked at Cori and said, I don't know, my hands are pretty greasy. (By this time I could barely hold onto the bag!) So the instructor said, "This feels like buttercream!" I looked at Cori and we just laughed. We had known something was wrong here! All we could do at this point was laugh. We had messed up big time. Needless to say, our cookies weren't as pretty as the others. If the class would have been graded, we would have failed! Oh well. We took the class just for fun. And guess what? Despite the frustration and our failure at cookie decorating, we had a blast! I think it bothered the others in the class that we were actually having fun, but hey, they could have tried a little harder to smile, right?
I really needed that girls time. It was so good to be out and away from all the responsibilities of home! And I had a babysitter, who wants to know all of our cookie decorating knowledge. Do I really feel like I can show her? I'm going to try this at home with the correct icing this time! I will succeed. I can't let this be a failure just for my complete lack of ability to follow directions!
Let this be a lesson to me from here on out. Follow directions explicitly, especially when trying something new! Somebody else has been doing this longer and knows what they're talking about when they give specific directions!
Here's what I was supposed to bring to class:
Please bring 6 cookies of your choice to decorate
Please be sure to not over bake your cookies and have them be at least ¼ inch to ½ inch thick.
After the cookies have cooled, cover with Cookie Glaze with a pastry brush:
Cookies must have glaze on them before class
COOKIE GLAZE:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tblsp Water
1 Tblsp Light corn Syrup
Let cookies dry for at least 1 Hour
List of supplies to bring:
Apron
Bath towel
Scissors
6 cookies – covered with above glaze
Coloring for icing – Wilton paste or Americolor gels (Orson Gygi’s)
2 - 3 Small Bowls
toothpicks
Something to put your cookies on to take home (cookie sheet etc..)
Spoons
12 Decorator bags (disposable or Parchment paper)
Tips # 2, 3,16,18
6 couplers
1 batch of Color Flow icing
*** Make icing the NIGHT BEFORE CLASS ***
Do not refrigerate
So, that's what I found out I needed at 6:30 p.m. the night before class. I couldn't really leave right then, my kids were just starting to get ready for bed, John was still in class. So I was pretty much stuck for the time being. So I thought, I still have time to cancel, right? I'm just going to call and say I wanted a full refund of the tuition! But no, I couldn't just take the easy way like that! I had to go to the class! But then it gets worse. I had to have this icing made the night before class, and here it was the night before class? So here's the recipe I was supposed to use.
Wilton Color Flow Icing Recipe
Color Flow Icing Recipe: (full-strength for outlining)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon water
1 lb. (4 cups) sifted confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons Color Flow Mix
With electric mixer, using grease-free utensils, blend all ingredients on low speed for 5 minutes. If using hand mixer, use high speed. Color flow icing crusts quickly, so keep bowl covered with a damp cloth while using.
Makes approx. 2 cups color flow icing.
Make icing and place in glass container with a lid
If you do not have a glass container with a lid please purchase a new set of Glad plastic containers (find at the dollar store)
** DO NOT USE old Rubbermaid or Tupperware **
Icing will be stiff
So, who really stocks Color Flow mix unless you're into cake/cookie decorating? I certainly don't! I didn't even know what the stuff was! So 10:00 p.m. and I'm at the store with Cori trying to figure out what we're doing for this class! We decided to just get a couple of containers of decorating icing! That's the same thing, right? Ha, little did we know that we were really just buying buttercream icing! Duh.
So off we go Thursday night to this class, armed with what we thought was the correct icing! So I admit, sometimes I'm just a little dumb. I don't know anything about cake/cookie decorating. That's why we signed up for the class to begin with! Oh, and the tips I was supposed to have, um yeah, didn't have the correct tips either, but wasn't willing to spend money on a new set especially if I didn't like the class!
The class starts and we look at each other. The other people were armed with notebooks, taking notes! Oh my, this is serious. These people aren't doing this just for fun. Maybe they're trying to venture into a new business. And they have to have me in their class! I'm not serious about it, I just wanted to have fun! Finally we start trying to actually decorate. Ummmmm . . . yeah, the tips I have just aren't working. Oh well, we'll make do, right? We were making do.
Then it came time to thin the icing. All we had to do was add water, a little at a time. Okay, so admit, I was impatient and knew how much the instructor had to add. So I added a lot at one time. Oops. But our icing was not smooth! It was all grainy. (I've never had my own buttercream icing turn out grainy with too much liquid though!) We still didn't realize it was buttercream. But by this time we were positive it wasn't the correct icing. So much for following directions! Uh yeah, we tried. Then the instructor took my bag to help me with my stars. Her comment, "Why is this so greasy?" I looked at Cori and said, I don't know, my hands are pretty greasy. (By this time I could barely hold onto the bag!) So the instructor said, "This feels like buttercream!" I looked at Cori and we just laughed. We had known something was wrong here! All we could do at this point was laugh. We had messed up big time. Needless to say, our cookies weren't as pretty as the others. If the class would have been graded, we would have failed! Oh well. We took the class just for fun. And guess what? Despite the frustration and our failure at cookie decorating, we had a blast! I think it bothered the others in the class that we were actually having fun, but hey, they could have tried a little harder to smile, right?
I really needed that girls time. It was so good to be out and away from all the responsibilities of home! And I had a babysitter, who wants to know all of our cookie decorating knowledge. Do I really feel like I can show her? I'm going to try this at home with the correct icing this time! I will succeed. I can't let this be a failure just for my complete lack of ability to follow directions!
Let this be a lesson to me from here on out. Follow directions explicitly, especially when trying something new! Somebody else has been doing this longer and knows what they're talking about when they give specific directions!
Friday, January 22, 2010
The big, bad "S" word!
I can say that, he doesn't know, right? So I thought. I forgot how much a two year old will repeat. He probably doesn't understand what he says, but he hears me say things, and then he repeats it! Sometimes this is so adorable, like the time I told him he was being a pill. He turned to me and said no, you pill. I couldn't resist the laughter at that point. So when he repeated the big, bad "S" word I thought, oh no, I'm in trouble. Just don't tell the girls, they will certainly chastise me! They hear me say the word and remind me, "Mom, that's a bad word!" Okay, I know I've told them it is a bad word, but when I'm frustrated with something, it becomes something like this. Argh, this is so Stupid! Okay, I told you now. My big, bad "S" word! I realize I say it all the time. But I don't call anybody stupid. I just use it in reference to a situation. (Ummmm . . . starting to sound like rationalization? It is!)
Now that my two year old is repeating everything I say, I need a greater resolve to not say this word. I need to be an example to my children. My girls hear me and know I'm breaking my own rules! How is this helping them any? Ha, it isn't. But, it is a bad habit of mine. I tried once and couldn't break the habit. So I gave up. Yes, I gave up. I thought, if I couldn't break it once, why try again? Now that I have a third reason to break this habit, maybe I should give it another shot. It is a good thing this wasn't my resolution for the new year. I would have already failed!
Oh, and by the way, the lack of pictures is very apparent on my blog. Sorry about that. My pictures are all on my other computer. But somehow my other computer decided it didn't want to work anymore. I was in the process of backing everything up, unfortunately it didn't happen fast enough. I now have the lovely task of trying to extract my data from the hard drive. Also, I have decided that I won't be putting up many pictures of my kids. There are too many weirdos out there who will use random pictures without my knowledge or permission. But really, for now, I don't even have a way to get pictures onto a computer to share. Yikes. Soon it will all be taken care of.
Now that my two year old is repeating everything I say, I need a greater resolve to not say this word. I need to be an example to my children. My girls hear me and know I'm breaking my own rules! How is this helping them any? Ha, it isn't. But, it is a bad habit of mine. I tried once and couldn't break the habit. So I gave up. Yes, I gave up. I thought, if I couldn't break it once, why try again? Now that I have a third reason to break this habit, maybe I should give it another shot. It is a good thing this wasn't my resolution for the new year. I would have already failed!
Oh, and by the way, the lack of pictures is very apparent on my blog. Sorry about that. My pictures are all on my other computer. But somehow my other computer decided it didn't want to work anymore. I was in the process of backing everything up, unfortunately it didn't happen fast enough. I now have the lovely task of trying to extract my data from the hard drive. Also, I have decided that I won't be putting up many pictures of my kids. There are too many weirdos out there who will use random pictures without my knowledge or permission. But really, for now, I don't even have a way to get pictures onto a computer to share. Yikes. Soon it will all be taken care of.
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