We've been busy over here, as I'm sure all have. School has started back, along with the shuttling back and forth, the homework, and the schedules. I miss summer, but this is a good season too.
Here's a little bit of what we've been up to lately.
///
Last year I baked Lily a rainbow cake on the night before school. I planned for it to be something we'd do annually, so I made one again this year. It's turned into a fun tradition, and the cake is so tasty! I'll share the recipe below...but first, some pictures!
Rainbow Cake
{Betty Crocker}
Cake
2 boxes Betty Crocker SuperMoist vanilla cake mix
2 cups water
1 cup vegetable oil
6 eggs
2 packages (2.7 oz. each) Betty Crocker classic gel food colors
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup shortening
1 cup butter, softened
1 bag (2 lb.) powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 to 4 Tablespoons milk
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, and eggs with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among 6 small bowls, about 1 1/3 cups each.
Using food coloring, tint batter in each bowl: blue, red, green, yellow, orange, and purple.
Refrigerate 3 colors of batter until ready to bake. Pour remaining 3 colors of batter into cake pans.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center and begins to pull away from side of pan. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks; cool completely.
Wash cake pans. Bake and cool remaining 3 cake layers as directed.
In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light yellow. On low speed, gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla. Add milk, 1 Tablespoon at a time, beating until frosting is smooth. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
Trim rounded tops off cakes to level, if needed. On serving plate, place first layer of cake. Spread with frosting to within 1/4 inch of edge. Repeat with other cake layers. Spread light coat of frosting on top and side of cake to seal in crumbs, then frost with remaining frosting.
**I added rainbow sprinkles because, duh.**
As you can see, making the cake is time-consuming, but it's really, really easy. And it tastes so good and is unique and beautiful. I promise it's worth it!
///
Lily started school on August 9. First grade already? How is this possible? She was so happy with the teachers she got this year and was especially stoked to find out that one of her best friends from last year is in her class.
///
Friday, I took Hadley to her school to meet her teachers for the year. She goes to preschool 5 days a week from 9-12...being my social butterfly, she loves school and seeing her friends! She's in the Black Dog class this year (each class is assigned an animal), and she, like Lily, was excited to find out that one of her best friends from last year is in her class again.
Friday didn't end as well as it started, unfortunately! I was getting the girls ready for bed, and Hadley ran back to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She tripped over her feet and landed face-first into our glass coffee table. Cue my broken heart. I knew the second I scooped her up that she'd need stitches. There was blood everywhere, but thankfully I was able to hold pressure and got it to stop pretty quickly. Also, thankfully, Rob walked in the door from work a few minutes later, and he helped me load us all up for a trip to the emergency room.
When it was time for stitches, my heart broke even more, if that were possible. The nurses and doctor had to wrap Hadley up like a burrito to help her stay still. And two nurses had to hold her down during the procedure. Talk about agony. I knew it was necessary (or else she'd get jabbed), but it's a hard thing to witness. As soon as the doctor was finished I grabbed her up and just held her. We were able to go home shortly after, and she crashed...but only after we promised her a trip to Toys R Us the next day to pick out a treat!
We also took this sweet girl to Chick-fil-A. She loves waffles fries like they're going out of style.
///
Had's been such a trooper through the entire ordeal. She hasn't had a lot of pain but has had some discomfort...school started for her on Monday, and she wanted to go, "bobo" and all. Below is her back-to-school picture. Classic Hadley! :)
I did manage to find my dinosaur-loving little one a dinosaur dress and necklace for her first day of school!
///
I'll take Hadley to get her stitches out on Friday, and we hope to have a slow, injury-free weekend. Hope everyone has a happy day!
