we play with fondant

Do you ever watch Cake Boss? My kids are big fans.  I even get corrected when I pronounce fondant without using a New York accent.  For weeks Gentry has been asking to make a "polar bear" cake with an arctic scene.  Finally, we gave it a shot using fondant and everything.  We started by hitting Hobby Lobby for all the supplies.    We got a 16 inch cake pan (that took three regular mixes to fill). 

My kids tried to tell me that Buddy on Cake Boss always shapes things out of rice crispy treats and then covers them in fondant.  I didn't listen.  We shaped Gentry's polar bear using only fondant.  I snapped these pics because our creation was about to go "down" literally.  It was too heavy and started sinking into the cake.

Gentry tried to reposition the bear several times, and then just gave up and started eating the frosting. 

I decided to try emergency surgery.  We cut out all the polar bear's inner fondant and replaced it with rice crispy treats (poor guy).  

The result: he was still too heavy.  So, this was our final scene.

Gentry decided that her eskimo was rescuing the polar bear from falling into the ice cracks (never mind that polar bears can swim).

I did use rice crispy treats for the igloo and then covered it.   I molded my eskimo by hand.  I found playing with fondant to be quite therapeutic.  It's kind of like glorified play dough.  

Overall, I think our first adventure in cake decorating was a success.

Brianhead, Ut.

A few more pics from our trip.  Can I just say I am still trying to a handle on the laundry?! Great vaca.

Me....trying to find more oxygen.

Aidan and his boys

Laura and Aidan

Gregg and I

Georg's Ski shop....established 1965, owners Georg and Tatiana. The nicest, most down to earth people you will ever meet...Click here for their site.

 And what's this next set of pics?  We asked the boys to take out the trash ( to a dumpster a quarter of a mile away).    It was 28 degrees.  They decided to travel with nothing more than bandanas and their skivvy's.  Why? I don't know, I'm not a fourteen year old boy.

self-portrait

Sierra 

the photographer

Laura and McKay

Bella

Jack

Drew

Sam

Sadie, Diana, and McKay

Jonah

Gentry

Again, special thanks to Aidan....so nice to have a professional photographer along on the family trip.

home

Glad to be home.  Glad to be at a lower altitude.  Grateful no one else got sick. Grateful to not feel underwater when I breath.  

 A few pics courtesy of Aidan (check out his blog for some amazing photography here). More pics in my next blog (after I sort through the laundry).

Drewby

 Sierra (jumping three days after learning to snowboard, typical when she decides she's going to do something)

true love and spaghetti

Spring break in Utah, and I'm sick.  While everyone else headed to the slopes, I headed to the lodge's medical clinic.  While everyone brought back fun stories from the day, I brought home (to our rental cabin) a nebulizer and some breathing treatments....go me!!!! But, here's the good news, I think I must finally be a grown-up. Although I know this post is sounding a little "whoa is me", I am actually feeling so happy because no one else in my family is sick.  Gentry has been talking about this trip for three months.  Sadie brought a friend.  Drew is finally back in action with his collarbone healed, and Sierra decided to try snowboarding for the first time.  They are happy. That's the most real kind of love right?  Being able to be genuinely happy for another person, despite your circumstances.  That's the kind of love I have for my family.

           I wish I had some great pics of my snowboarders in action, maybe tomorrow.  But, our friend Aidan did take these pics of Gregg in action in the kitchen.  Since I was contagious, Gregg took over the cooking.  He even sang a  little something in Italian. 

             Ciao Bella!