How to Valentine's Cupcakes, The 3 Unexpecteds , and The Flood

We are all getting ready for Valentine's Day, no? Well todays post was going to be about how to make Valentines Day CupCakes as a mommy and me activity, and what the real results look like.  Not the pretty little how to guides where all the steps, and all the freaking cupcakes look perfect.  A real step by step, the good, the bad and the overflowing chocolate out the side ugly.  So we will go through the how to, but we are also going to hit on how a mommy has to be able roll with it.  We had unexpected, pop in guests this afternoon, an unexpected boo hoo mommy moment, and an unexpected flood in the bathroom.  I know, unexpected, unexpected, unexpected! But all in good time dear readers, all in good time! First things first!

How to Valentines Day Extra Yummo Cupcakes

First we got out all the utensils, and mixed the ingredients together, as per following the directions on the box.  We preheated the oven, and I gave the Valentines Day cupcake cups to the 4yo to count out.  She counted out 12 and followed my directions to put them in the cupcake pan.   I then let her stir the cake mixture for awhile(she is mommys little helper and loves to stir!)

I then spoon the batter into the 12 cupcake liners in the pan.  We then decide to add Hershey's chocolate syrup to each one, for an extra sweet zing.  So here is out pre-in-the-oven shot.

Yummy! So then I put them in the oven to bake.  I again follow the directions on the box.  Here is the post baking shot.  Note the one cupcake where the Hershey's syrup decided to have a fartsplosion out the side of the corner cupcake.  Well that one just had to be a casualty! It was yummy, even though we had to put it out of it's misery!

Now something I learned while experimenting with the Hershey's syrup, was that it is important not to let your 4yo squeeze too much into each cup, or it makes the bottom of each cupcake really ooey gooey, and stick or melt rather onto the cupcake liner! But scrape it off with a fork, and that makes it all better! Plus the name of the game is fun with the 4yo, making cupcakes for her to decorate and give to everybody she loves for Valentines Day!  So she counts out 12 more liners for mommy to place in the pan, since it is hot.

So now it is time for mommy to put the batter into the pan for the second round of cupcakes.  Yes it gets messy.  I have never ever filled a cupcake pan without a dribble here or a splat there.

So now very carefully, I have my little punkin doo reach over the hot stove and pan, and squirt her chocolate syrup in each cup. Se got the biggest kick out of doing this!

Next it was time to wait on the cupcakes to cool down.  While we were waiting, I was treated to several homemade songs to the tune of Falalalala, lalalala, at full 4yo volume...umm yeah, I might be able to hear by next week!  After they were cool, it was time to get started decorating! Yippee! I cut the tops off of the store bought pink and red icing, broke out the sprinkles, and opened the regular can of frosting. 

So it began.  The decorating. First we iced the cupcakes, well rather the 4yo iced three, and decided to delegate the icing of the cupcakes to mom, that she would just "decorate."

So she decorated, and decorated, and decorated.  She decorated the cupcakes all by herself. 

This was the first year that she did it all by herself! I am so proud of my little girl! SHe is growing up on me I tell ya!

I just love this one! There was icing everywhere!

So then we decided we were going to make a half a dozen ice cream cupcakes for Daddy.  So I got the ice cream out of the fridge. Breyer's is our favorite, so I cut each cupcake 2/3 of the way around, and slid 2-3 spoonfuls of ice cream into each one.  I then hurried to ice each one, and shoved them back into the freezer, before they melted!

Meanwhile, somebody decided that she wanted some ice cream!

Busted!

The finished product. Decorated ice cream cupcakes! Handmade by everyone's favorite 4yo!

 

Here are the first set she decorated!

Here are all three plates of decorated cupcakes!

See now wasn't that easy? Maybe not as pretty as what her faces, err, ah, but at least we had a ball! Who needs neat, in the lines cupcakes anyway? Heehee!

 

So on to my unexpected boo hoo moment.  When I was growing up, my mother was a crazy good baker.  She was fierce when baking in her kitchen and whipping up her homemade cream cheese icing.  She always saved me the last spoonful of her special icing.  She always had a spoonful, and she saved me a spoonful.  Well today, as I handed my daughter the last spoonful of icing, after my own spoonful, I had a feeling of deja vu come over me.  As I was explaining the significance to my 4yo, I felt I had come full circle, I was now the mom shaing the last of the icing with my daughter.  I felt my mother looking down from heaven smiling! And so I started crying.  Just like that the flood gates burst open and I was boo hoooing, while eating icing with my little one. 

 

As we were finishing our icing spoonfuls, I heard a car pull up into our driveway.  Unexpected visitors! Great! I'm a blubbering mess!  So I open the door, and my husband's grandparents have come to bring the 4yo a Valentine present and to put together her swingset.  So we had a great visit with the great grandparents, and she gave them their hand made cupcakes with much pride!

 

After we played outside for awhile, hiked up and down the hill a few times, and  got the trash out, it was lunch time.  I sent the 4yo to wash up, and she left the water on.  For 20 minutes!  Ahhhhhh, gotta love my little one!

My daughter requires creative lunch, as I spoiled her long ago when I became a stay at home mom.  This is quick and easy.  Peanut butter bites with fruit.

 So the day has flown by, and now I send my daughter to wash her hands after lunch.  I finally sit down for what I think is going to be a quick minute, when she comes in with a dilemma. 

4yo- "Momma, I need you." 

 Momma-"why do you need me?"

4yo-"because there's bubbles in the trash can!HeeHeeHeeHee."

 Momma-"Why are there bubbles in the trash can?"

4yo-"They got there from the sink!"

OH DEAR!

So as I rush around the corner and down the hallway to the bathroom, I am picturing everything imaginable in my head, praying that she didn't overflow the sink!

And yes, she overflowed the sink, from turning the water on full force.  Oh well, the floor needed mopped anyway! So after mop time, on to nappietime, this productive momma needs a big one nappie today! Just roll with it baby......