Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Birthday...

In case you haven't OD'ed on Lily yet, I'm gonna tell you about her b-day, throw some pix up here and scram cuz I got stuff to do, yo...

So, I made her a chocolate cake from scratch. I split the cake in half and spread one layer with chocolate mousse. Then I pressed fresh, sugared strawberries into the mousse and covered that with chocolate shavings. I put the other layer on it and stuck it in the fridge. Then, I melted some chocolate and wrote Happy Birthday and Lily and a big 3 and a butterfly and some flowers, etc. on a piece of parchment paper. I took some multicolored candy sprinkles (the only non-organic thing) and put 'em on everything and then put all that under the fan to cool. When they were solid enough to move, I put 'em in the freezer (with Sam saying, "That's not going to work. It's going to break.").

I made my famous gateau coco-dattes (date-coconut pudding thingy) and a pear pie.

Then I poured three cups of fresh cream and a quarter cup of powdered sugar into my mixter and let it go to town. I checked the freezer and sure enough, my letters turned out perfectly! They popped right off the parchment!

I took the whipped cream and spread it all over all the layers of the cake. Then I sprinkled the sides with chocolate shavings and pressed the letters into the top. I stuck all that back into the fridge and cleaned the kitchen.

When the guests got there (Iva, David and their kid Vlad; Flavia and Gilles; the neighbors N and P, and their kids A and E), I put out some alkie-hall and some snacks. I sat down and got drunk--only took two glasses because I hadn't had much to eat (I'm sorta half-heartedly Weight Watchering)--while David and the neighbors talked business and politics. I was glad to have Flavia down at my end of the table drinking it up with me.

After the snacks were history, I brought out the goodies, we sang happy b-day and Lily blew out the candles like a champ (something she seems to have been practicing on, cuz she knew just what to do). Not very many peeps liked the coco-datte cake. I'm not surprised. It's vegan and very sweet. The pear chocolate pie was gone in an instant, most often accompanied by vanilla ice cream. Everyone seemed to like the cake, but, admittedly, the pieces were too big. It's just too difficult to cut a two-layer round cake with a squishy middle if the whole thing hasn't been refridgerated overnight (I'll know that for next time... the cake was a THOUSAND times better and easier to eat/cut the next day.). That said, there were only three small pieces left when the guests were gone.

After cake, we let Lily open her presents. She got a wooden barrette from A. But A also picked her out a tiger, a white lioness and babies for both of them (have I mentioned Lily's menagerie? She has this basket of animals she has collected because every week when we go to the organic grocery store, we get her another one... she has whole families of horses, chickens, cows, deer, goats, etc... not to mention dinosaurs and now a new line of African brush animals (started by Grumps' elephant)!). Flavia and Gilles got her a cool See-and-Say farm thingy which she loved but relinquished to the greedy fingers of her baby sister. Vlad got her a dainty metalic tea set which was a GODSEND because Lily and Lolo have been fighting over the one we bought for Lolo... now they seem to be playing tea together more that they each have their own pot. I got Lily four little people to go with her animals. A farmer, his wife, the son holding a milk can and a daughter holding a lamb. And... drum roll please... we got her a farm. A wooden farm with a barn, a stable and a hay loft and a yard and a pond. It wasn't cheap but if you could have SEEN the look on her face... If you could have SEEN or FELT the energy in the room when she opened that box! *sigh* She plays with it every day and has to be torn away from it.

It was awesome! This was our first time we've had anything like a party just for her and she loved it. She loved being the special person who gets to open the presents. Oh, I bought Ryan and Lolo each a crate of wooden veggies just to keep them from monopolizing Lily's new toys (and I didn't break those out until peeps started elbowing in on Lily's stuff), but overall, I think Lily felt special and that was the point.

By the way, she's getting pretty good at going potty. I'm not sure if I chronicled this or not but I almost took a camera phone picture of her poop in her potty the other day so I could send it to Sam to celebrate. *eye roll* This is big news around here because it means she's good to go for public school in September. *sniffle*

In other news, I have started clearing out the storage room downstairs in order to make a workout room. I have put back on 22 pounds (or so... give or take) of fluff. I gotta get rid of it and I've run out of excuses (motivation, too, but we won't talk about that).

Okay, I know the tone of this post is probably a little cranky and I apologize, but I spent the morning juggling all the kids (plus A) while at the same time trying to comment on an article one of Sam's colleagues wrote and then I found out that the guy probably won't even have time to use all the work I did on his paper. *eye roll* Sam should have communicated this info to me before I put in all that time. I could have revised two of my own chapters in the same time I spent on that guys' stuff.

Oh yeah..........Friday is the 15th. I sent the AMD's assistant my 30 pages on the 15th of April........ That means...... it's almost time's up.... *sigh*

Cross those fingers...

Okay, enough talk, let's photo. I'm including a few oldies and a few of the b-day party. I have yet to upload the cool pix from Grandpa's visit... that'll be my mission for the next entry, yeah?

Be good kids. Cuz Mama's too busy to be lookin' out after y'uns. *grin*


Pix with Grumps (or as Lily calls him, Peequaw):






My birthday present... A FLOUR MILL!!!:








May Day Lily of the Valley... (Dudes give their sweeties muguet for May Day).


Sulky Lolo:


Sweet Lolo:


Dress-up (Lily started out wanting to be a dragon...Ryan was a knight... Lolo was a fairy--even though she looks like a little boy in drag *eye roll*, but it didn't take long for Lily to want to be a fairy... then a knight... and Ryan wanted to be a fairy, too....Fun times!):







Ryan's trusty.... steed?


Taking on the fairies:


A valiant knight meets his end at the hands/wands of outnumbering and overpowering fairies:


Sir Lily:







Fairy Ryan:




Post-bath Harold and the Purple Crayon nightcap:


Lolo just couldn't hang with the big dogs... Passed out on the couch while all the pre-party cleaning was still going on:




Par-tay!


The neighbors:


Neighbor (P):


Lolo (looks like a boy in drag):


Iva:


David:


Flavia and Gilles (who shall heretofore be referred to as Avi and Gillou):










Cakes alive!


Souffle (blow)!!!


Safari!!!


Tea set!!!


Stolen See-and-Say:


The big box:


Lily the farmer:
















So there you go. I don't know why I have so many damn pictures of Avi and Gillou. *shrug* Photo ho's I guess.


Oh, yeah... me... I forgot me.... Well, I am working hard. Chipping away at the chapters... I'm revising like a madwoman and it's a slow and painful process. Blah. I did get to go see three movies in the same night last night. Ryan had to stay home from school all day on meningitis watch, but he was better by lunchtime and since I lost my one child-free day, Sam told me to go to the movies. So I did... all night. I'm going again tonight because it's my turn to see Star Trek. I might see another one afterwards...

Oh, and Gillou and I are talking about joining a pool. He keeps complaining about weight he has put on since he quit smoking, so we're gonna start going to the pool together. I'm terrified. French people can be mean and swimming is really sacred to me. I hope they don't ruin it for me. Cross those fingers. I think I'm gonna actually go walk tomorrow morning (if I don't drink too much beer tonight). I'll keep you posted.

Again, thanks for hanging with me through all the disorganization. One of those days, I'm afraid.

I'll see if I can unscramble everything by next time. *grin* No promises, though.

2 comments:

gkd said...

You are a culinary genius! That cake looks AMAZING!!!
Had to let out little heehees about Lily loving her farm set :D That must just BREAK your heart ;-)
She has your smile, too, I see.
Hugs, Crazy

Nicole said...

Oooops! Spelled her name wrong in the last comment. Looks like a fabulous birthday! I second the cake comment! Gorgeous!

Happy to see y'all if only in pics...lots of them...but still..

=)