Raspberry peach jam=yummy! And there's LOTS of it. I did make regular raspberry jam, but this is what I did with the left overs. I guess I didn't get a picture of the regular, but's it's pretty too. And yummy. I also made just plain peach jam as well.
If I'm not making cakes, I'm making something else. These cookies were a "test run" for a demonstration I was doing on 'flooding cookies'. Since the season is fall, I opted for fall cookies.
They turned out cute enough, but for the actual class, I tinted the colors darker. Fall to me just doesn't equal pastels.
It wasn't the greatest turn out in numbers, but that just meant more cookies for those of us that did come. And kids at home waiting for a small sweet morsel.
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Ashton's football has monopolized a lot of my time as well (more like going to all the practices to socialize with all the other awesome football moms), but I don't really have pictures to show him off (Trust me, he's a stud for sure in all those pads). His team has done pretty good. It started out in the beginning of the season loosing every game. But then when they actually won, they kept winning. They even played an undeafeted team and beat them in overtime. That was the MOST AMAZING game ever. Other than the opposing team loosing horribly. I've never seen an atlethic coach make such a scene. It really was ridiculous.
They have played well enough to advance into the playoffs, so we (and I speak for all parents, players, and fans) are pretty excited. They have a few weeks of no games before they start the playoffs but are still practicing. As a parent, to watch your child progress in anything, more specifically football, and become really good at it. It's a pretty incredible thing to witness. Pride seems to be appropriate. (The humble kind).
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Speaking of cake. (Well I DID mention it earlier). It's been pretty consistant with how many I've been doing. An average of 4 or more a month. And more interest is getting out there. I'm excited about that. I still feel that I've got LOTS to learn before anyone refers to me as a "professional". I get uncomfortable when someone says that. It's flattering, but mentally, i'm not there yet. I asked this question to my sister, but I'm curious what others would respond, "what makes you a professional?"
The floor is all yours. (if anyone's still out there.)
For Ashton's end of the season football party, I volunteered to make a cake. I needed an excuse to make one. And Ash has begged for a football cake since I made Eli's lego cake.
Shot of the down markers
I decided to not cover the whole thing in fondant because: 1. that's a HUGE piece to have to roll out. 2. That's a LOT of fondant that would just be pulled off and thrown out. 3. I was determined to frost a cake to super smooth status. I had doubled the batch of frosting and BARELY had enough. The sides suffered.
The score board is black fondant with white acrylic paint (I've since added white food coloring to my cake tools!) and red food coloring.
see? The sides suffered. Indeed
This tiny little football was the big hit among the players. Everyone had to have it. I had made a helmet with each boys number just so they could have that instead. But it was the football. Should've made footballs instead. But then, they probably would've wanted the one helmet in the middle.
This was the wedding cake I was going to do, but decided that I just wasn't too that point yet in cake making, so I handed it off to Lindsay. She did a fantastic job!!!!
I was able to make it to her house 1 day to help make roses. So I made like 6 of them. She did all the rest! Like 150!!!! of them! UGH!
She was so kind to invite me to help assemble the massive cake. I loved seeing how that was done.
"Gluing" with royal icing, all the roses on.
Jared and I had actually been invited to this wedding but we didn't make it. Jared later heard that the cake was a huge hit and EVERYBODY loved it! Especially the bride. Awesome job Lindsay!
Two stories about Ashton (I didn't want to forget them So I'm here):
Every time there is a home football gameat the high school, Jared takes the boys/or Ashton to it. Being on the little league here in the community, we get emails for all sorts of activites football related. So it was brought to my attention that during the homecoming game, all the "future football players" were going to be recognized. I planned on going but something happened, that I couldn't and Jared and Ash had to rush to make the kick off. What happened was something that I wished I was there to witness personally AND have video footage as well. But have neither.
During halftime, all the players from 1st grade and up were invited onto the field in the endzone. Each grade was called one at a time to be recognized. The announcer was standing a few yards away and asked that all the players run out to him. Of course 1st grade was first and Ash starts running. Stops. Looks around and notices he's the only one. Runs back to the other guys and hides. The announcer sees this and asks, "there are NO 1st grade players here tonight?! It's ok. Come on out." Ash peeks out and timidly steps forward. Then runs to the announcer. Alone! Jared says that you could hear a pin drop then every females in attendance let out a loud , "Ahhh". To see this little boy on the field left Jared's chest puffed up with pride and mine as well when he told me the story. Ashton got "THE LOUDEST" cheer from the stands than any of the other grades that were brought to the field for their recognition. I'm so proud of my boy. For finding a passion, (albeit football) and for being brave enought to do that. I know that, at that age, I could NOT have done it. Alone!
This little one may be stretching his wings sooner than what this momma will like. Jared has a picture on his phone that I will try and download.
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Second story:
Tonight was Ashton's "End of Season Football Party" honoring and spotlighting all the players. It was a LOT of fun. Held at a bowling alley equiped with high tech lazer tag and arcade games. But during our pizza dinner, all the players had taken claim to one banquet table to enjoy each others obnoxious bodily noises company, when little Eli came a long to join. This didn't sit well with the other players because comments like, "you can't sit here!" and "you're not big enough!" came flying at him. Innocent Eli happily exclaimed, "Yes I am! I'm 5!" was only met with cruel laughter from the "big kids". BUT to my surprise, (I was SHOCKED!), Ashton says, "Hey guys, he's cool. It's ok" And they stopped. Just like that. Little Eli was then welcomed and unbothered after that. I couldn't believe it! But I am SOOOO EXTREMELY PROUD of my boy for sticking up for his little brother like that! Only in my wildest dreams! I guess something is going right, in our home. I won't take full credit for it, cause I really don't know what inspired him to do so.
....Or maybe I do. I kind of wonder if it is acutally a friend of Ashton's that has started coming over every day now. He comes from a tough home situation, so I make acceptions when he comes to play. (like putting off homework to spend time with him) I even had him help us (the family) with walnuts yesterday. He was an excellent helper keeping Ashton on task, and it was during this time that Ash was pointing out faults of Eli's and laughing,when his friend say, "It's ok, he's still little. You need to be nice". I. WAS. FLOORED! I would never expect that to come from this little boy, but it did. So when the boys ran off to play, everyone was included. And everyone was fine with that.
I know I've preached this kind of treatment to my children till I was blue in the face, but sometimes different teachers reach kids that you/I couldn't. Even if this teacher was another child. I just need to remember that. And have more trust.
Perhaps that's what needs to take place in our own lives. Just a simple statement of accepting/(sticking up for) someone for who they are, then people following suit. Regardless of politcal views, relgion, ethnicity, or whatever the circumstances may be.
*It's not the best point of view of the play, but hopefully you can see which one is him. #58 He's REALLY good at breaking through the offensive line and messing the plays up for the other team. He almost made it to the handoff to intercept, but was able to quickly pull the boy down with the help of his teammates.
I was so excited for this game. Awake a lot in the night thinking about it and hoping I wasn't going to be too tired to get up with the alarm clock and oversleep and miss the game. Dylan's impeccable timing (5 mins before alarm went off) prevented that. I wanted to get as much footage as possible but my eyes were not in sync with the camera and it floated up A LOT! Although here's a good play I DID catch. It goes kind of fast so you may have to watch it over again to find him. *I'm thinking a tripod in the future would be a GREAT investment.
I always thought it was annoying when my mom would cheer for my brothers at their soccer games. She was always SO loud. It was embarrassing to the young girl I used to be. But the table has turned and I'm now that obnoxious screaming mother cheering for her boy! I'm also the mother with urges to get up in coach's face insisting my boy be put in immediately! But, No worries, I have more self control than that, but that urge is p r e t t y powerful! There's still a full season ahead....we'll see how I behave.
When we got there, the opposing team was already warming up in a rather military-like formation. Quite the intimidation tactic. And I was conviced that we weren't playing them. They were much too big for our little team. (There were 3 different games going on at once so I found another team that sized up more equally. Then they left to a different field and the military "giants" were still at the other end of OUR field. I prayed that we wouldn't loose THAT bad but expected a loss nonetheless. We had good players but have struggled to get the plays down.
I walked over to Ash and some other boys and gave them some "words of encouragment" (or maybe it was permission to hit REALLY hard, act like animals....something like that, I don't remember.) And wished them good luck.
The coaches have pretty much decided to put Ash on the defensive line. Although he does play a little on the offensive. So when it was their time to send the defense out, Ash didn't start and I was sad about that. He was SO excited to play today. He was right on the white line waiting for coach to put him in. And he waited. And waited. And mom was getting mad. And he waited some more. He would frequently ask the coach when his turn will come and continually was told to wait. At this point, I'm thinking of ways to "nicely" request my son be put in, which turned to more aggressive requests the longer he waited. (Of course it was all in my mind. Nothing vocal)! FINALLY I hear "Ashton" and I grab the camera. He ran one play and they pulled him out. I was like, WHAT!? ARE YOU SERIOUS! He just got out there!!! Jared showed up just then and I had some frustrating words to share with him. During half time when coach was talking to the team I suggested to Jared to "just stand over there". Maybe if the coaches saw that his dad was there, they'd let him play more for that reason, since mom's presence wasn't doing any good.
Luckily we had some fabulous friends come to support Ashton and Ray educated me a little on what the coach was dealing with: More players than positions-someones going to sit out. Making parents AND players happy by making sure each kid played. AND win the game. SO I simmered down. Sat down. And took a deep breath. And trusted the coaches know what they're doing.
The outcome: Ash played A LOT in the second half. He was on fire! And it was awesome. I do know that he has a lot to work on and now that he's had a small taste of what this season will be like, he can focus on what needs working on. And me too. The mom. I have to remember that it's his first year playing. And there are boys out there with this being their second. Seniority does have a hand in there and that sucks for Ash. But such is life. And that's how we grow. Fight to the top, right?
We ended up winning 14-0. But to give that other team credit, they came so close, so many times. Our little guys were just faster. One play, their boy was running and 'we' caught up to him and tackled him 2 yards from the goal line. Pretty exciting.
I'll probably post a lot on his games, so bare with me for the duration of this season. I hear they play rain or shine, snow or sleet. So I'll have lots to talk about.
