The Helicopter Birthday!

We had a birthday boy the beginning of this month, who at the last minute requested a helicopter cake instead of a fire engine. Easy enough! It cut my work in half. We didn't exactly go all out like last year, as this year things were a little crazier around birthday time. When I went to decorate the cake the morning of the "party" I discovered all I had in the cupboard was green or yellow food coloring, and no time to run out to the store. I obviously hadn't thought much about his birthday ahead of time or I would have had some red too.  But I'm afraid I had used it all up in the Sunday School lesson two days before. ( Moses turning the water into blood) :D  So that is how we ended up with a yellow helicopter instead of a red fire truck (which I was rather unprepared to make anyway). He says he wants the fire engine next year...but that is subject to change. :)

 Here is the method we used to make a helicopter cake. Super easy! Most of it I did the night before.

 I used the scraps of sugar sheets that I had left from last year for the windows. Glued together all the accessories, baked the cake, cut to desired shape and threw it in the freezer the night before. The tail is a fat popsicle stick covered with cardstock. Propellers are straws embellished with cardstock.  Small wooden dowels cut to size with cardstock landing gear glued onto the cardboard platform finished up the props. Everything was stuff I keep on hand in the craft cupboard.

 Next day when it was finally Aubreys naptime I pulled out my frozen cakes and "frosted" them with melted chocolate for a quick and easy cake. Made with a round pie plate and a square 8x8 that I whacked up a little to add to the giant cupcake baked for the main body of the helicopter. I poked the wooden dowels into the landing pad for a nice sturdy base to set the helicopter on once we arrived at the party destination. In hindsight I would put a dab of chocolate on it to glue the helicopter to it so it wouldn't topple off. But I didn't have room for the whole stack in my freezer and didn't have any melted chocolate once we arrived on scene, so it did get knocked off its perch at one point. No harm done tho thanks to its hardened chocolate shell.

 Plunk the helicopter on the frame and Ta Da!

Somehow my little man went from this

 to this

 to this

 to this

 to this

In just the blink of an eye!

Mr. Wise Guy and the kids rode their bikes to the party and The Boy settled into his seat of honor immediately. :)

 Waiting patiently for all the ladies  to arrive...

and get this party started!!!

Cake time was immediately set into motion.

That smile means it was a success.

 The most special part of THIS birthday was that for the first time in 4 years he got to share it with his neighboring cousin who is only a few days apart from him. This was a huge milestone. :D

Festive pumpkin parfaits for the birthday girl!

Cousins

 Present Time!

On your mark...get set...

 GO!

Ka-dooka horn for his bike.

And Whoot ...

Party's over!

Parties and Pretties

Well, the "pretties" ended up coming first, so here we go...

I sewed this dress yesterday for Miss Kates summer wardrobe. I've had the fabric since last spring and intended it for last year but didn't have time to sew it up and she had enough stuff anyway. I got it on a very cheap clearance and was very excited to finally get it done!

It is sleeveless and ties at the top of the shoulders.

Super full skirt and very frilly!

With a big chocolate bow in the back...

Miss Kate LOVES it!!! She twirls until she's dizzy and falls in a heap, then sits there and asks, Are we still moving? We're all moving! Everybody's moving!

PARTIES

We went to the riverfront park in Wenatchee on Sat. for a Birthday party for a 1 and 3 yr. old who's dad works with Mr. Wise Guy.

The theme was TRAINS!

and for the duration of the party they had rented the little kiddie train that goes around the park.

It was such a cute little train!

With jolly engineers included! :)

The Kids LOVED it!!!

(waiting for their first of 3 rides)

and they're off!!

my view :)

I loved how he sat with his elbow hangin out and his little hands folded over the edge. :)

Here we come...

ridin' in our little boxcar! :D

The kids loved to watch the engineer on the caboose hop off and switch the tracks every now and then.

Making sure he got back on his perch.

and then we're back at the station!

always greeted by the station masters!

There was a also a real caboose that the kids could go in and explore.

Note the sign above his head: It especially applies to this one! :D

He is dangling his foot over the edge (which is about level with my head) accompanied by some dramatic gasps included just for me...then laughing his evil little mischief laugh. :D

The kiddos enjoyed climbing all over the place! :) We though of our 3 musketeer cousins and wished they were here to enjoy it with us. Maybe sometime...

A couple of videos of the train ride.

Mommy's perspective...Elliott, sit down. No don't lean out of the car, it can tip over. Kate it's OK if Elliott has his hand there. Elliott, SIT DOWN. Kate don't push Elliott, he doesn't have any more room to scoot over. SIT DOWN. Are you having fun?!?! Stay in your seat. Yea! We're back at the station! :D (actually they were very good and we all enjoyed the ride. Only on the last ride did Tay-O keep standing up)

Daddy's perspective...Hi Daddy! Smile. Wave. Off we go! Have fun!