MarioCake!

Inspired by the Toadstool Cafe at Universal Studios Hollywood, we tried to recreate the Mt. Beanpole Cake.

The cake with happy patrons

We looked for recipes for thin layers. The cake alternates layers of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry with a matcha mousse on top to give it a grassy look (and flavor, if you ask me). We couldn't recreate the star coin (which was edible) but did keep the flagpole from our visit to the park.

We used a recipe from home for the slim layers of cake. We made a light cream for in between the layers. Mixing matcha into the cream made a nice, grass-colored layer for the top of the cake. 

Double stirring!

Laying out the layers

Cutting blocks like it's Minecraft

Assembling the mountain

Adding some "grass"

The flag we saved from the cafe

It was pretty tasty, but maybe not worth all the work.

Cute Kid Pix August 2023

More pictures that didn't make their own post...

We were out in the Shenandoah Valley, so we made a fun visit and a serious visit. The fun visit was to a huge playground in Front Royal, Virginia.

Almost a fortress!

More modern equipment

We also visited my parents' grave, where we reminisced a bit and said some prayers for them.

My parents' grave

In a build-up to basketball season, our parish was hosting skills workshops on Monday nights. My youngest wants to join the league in the late Fall, so this is a good way to meet other kids and work on abilities that have not been used for about a year.

Dribbling drill

My oldest had band camp in August, getting ready for the football season when school starts. At the end of camp, the music department had a music fest that included the chorus and the chamber orchestra performing before the marching band took the field.

Reservoir Marching Band!

We went out for dessert to the Charmery, an ice cream shop in Columbia, Maryland. I got a delicious scoop!

Happiness is focusing on the right things

We went to Glen Echo for a swing dance with my brother and his gal.

First act--Rockasonics

Second act--Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys

Best dancers on the floor!

Our youngest had his birthday in August. We had multiple celebrations. The first was a family celebration with a lemon cake.

Posing with the cake

Blowing out the candles

In case you didn't count the candles

One of the gifts

Playing The Grape Escape

Battleship with Uncle John

The second part had local friends and was Zelda themed. Guests and hosts dressed up thematically.

Great costumes at the Deku tree

Home-made armor!

Also home-made

Mom and dad

The cake was decorated as a Hylean Shield.

Cake!

Blowing out the candle

In addition to a house-wide scavenger hunt, the fun included Zelda trivia with kids versus adults teams. We won't say who won.

Trivia time!

The party was a blast.

Cute Kid Pix March 2022

Some more pictures that didn't make their own blog posts...

Spring comes in March around our home. Our perennials started coming out in the yard, even though we did have sub-freezing temperatures and snow/sleet a few days later.

Front yard

My wife and I went to the Baltimore Dancesport Challenge, though we only went to cheer on our fellow That's Dancing Ballroom dancers. 

Some of the action

Us by the photo-op sign

Our Cub Scout pack had its Blue and Gold dinner in late March. The theme was Minecraft and we made a cake for the sale. After some in-game design, Mom and sister helped our cub on the execution, which included rice crispy treats for beach and blue jello for water! The usual variety of fondant was used for grass, the door, the carrots, and the pig.

Cake before the water was added

Water for the sugar cane!

Sorry there's no pictures from the actual dinner. It was fun.

Cute Kid Pix February 2020

More pictures that didn't make their own post...

In Cub Scouts, my youngest (who is a Lion, that's the kindergarten level) got to join the Webelos (the fourth graders) for an obstacle course. He loved the course so much that he did it about ten times.

The course

Walking the balance beam

Jumping the hurdle

My daughter tried making chocolate bowls from a secret recipe she saw on YouTube (or maybe it was so food channel show). The trick is to melt the chocolate and then coat half a balloon. Left on wax paper, the chocolate re-solidifies in the shape of the balloon. Popping the balloon yields a chocolate bowl!



She used the bowl for a breakfast of rice cereal, whipped cream, and strawberries!

A bowl of cereal to eat

Soft-focus whip cream like the starlets used to get in Hollywood

Strawberries on top

And a little chocolate garnish

At the end of the month, we went to the Blue and Gold Dinner for my younger son's pack. One of the Arrows of Light bridged over to my older son's Boy Scout troop, so he was on hand to welcome the new boy.

The bridging ceremony

The dinner's theme was video games, so we made a cake inspired by Minecraft!

Alex from Minecraft (in enchanted diamond armor)

Cute Kid Pix March 2019

More pictures that didn't make their own blog post...

We made a King Cake the weekend before Ash Wednesday, adding the trendy new ingredient coconuts. It was yummy.

Home-made King Cake

My prescholar's class celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday, including a Cat in the Hat craft!

The Cat in the Hat!

I went for a walk and saw a cool restaurant sign and two almost twin houses.

Rhyming makes cheating okay?!?

I love a front porch!

Our youngest child has taken to reading the newspaper, though apparently he doesn't want to proof of it.

Maybe it's just bigger than he is?

Hiding or napping?

Somehow a die wound up in a cup. I know this because the picture wound up on the camera. Otherwise I have no information to share.

Oh yeah, there's water in the cup too

My son went on his first BSA Scouting trip, i.e. without any family members along. He was happy and we parents were nervous. The main activity was exploring a cave in western Maryland. We have no photographic evidence other than he took camping equipment.

Packed up and ready to go

Waiting to depart

At the library, the Spring into Science program had "metamorphosis" as the word of the week. So we studied frogs and butterflies, since they go through some big changes as they go from egg to adult.

Making a book of the caterpillar/butterfly life cycle

Putting together a butterfly

Finished product

My eldest participated in the Howard County Elementary Solo and Ensemble Festival with his best friend playing a saxophone duet.