Crazy for Cupcakes

After she woke up from her snooze, Moo helped me decorate the rainbow cupcakes:

 
Hmmm, someone thought I wouldn’t notice that finger-shaped smudge!

Matthew’s birthday cupcake:

 
And is there anything more charming than watching a child try to devour a cupcake in one single bite?  I think not.  Cupcake, post-Moo-attack:

 

Yes, I finished the rest.

Taste the Rainbow

Yet another hot, hot day when just walking outside causes my necklace to sear my skin.  The weather had me down, and Moo and I were starting to feel cooped up.  We needed a project!  Luckily, we had a great excuse to make delicious baked treats – Matthew also celebrated his birthday this weekend, and he’s coming over tonight to watch Battlestar Galactica (don’t say ANYTHING, we’ve got five episodes left!).

Now, Matthew’s not of the rainbow persuasion, but I saw these rainbow cupcakes online, and I just thought they looked like the most cheerful thing in the whole world.  Besides, Matthew’s a colorful fellow.  So Moo and I gathered the ingredients, and I set her up on the counter to help me make the batter and mix all the colors.  But just as I was handing her the big wooden spoon, I realized I was short one egg.

Maybe I could get away with just two eggs?  Or… I could…ask our neighbors.  I do, technically, know their names.  It’s Alice… I think.  Or Alicia?  They have a baby.  They have a cat that hides behind our trash can and leaps out at me every time I throw away poopy diapers.  They have done some great improvements on their house, making me commit SIN #4 (or 5, or 7, or whatever)… envy envy envy.

I sighed, scooped up Moo and trudged over.  She probably wouldn’t even answer the door – I wouldn’t.  But she did answer the door, and even invited us in.  (Alicia!)  She didn’t have any eggs, but she did have Egg Beaters, and that would do just fine.  We met baby Graham and Moo admired his toys, and we lamented all the home improvements we can’t afford while agreeing that we’re the only normal ones on the street.  I returned home thrilled that Moo and I had ventured out bravely into the world and connected with other human beings, right next door.

Back at home, I whipped out the mixer -bzzzzzzzt!- and spooned the batter into six different bowls.  I armed Moo with spoons and squeezed food coloring into each bowl.  Moo stirred, and I got a little more bold with the food coloring, until…

 
Moo and I were suddenly feeling a lot more cheerful.

 
I didn’t even mind cleaning the dishes!

And 20 minutes later…

 

 
OH! if only I had tiny plastic unicorns to put on top!  Because, uh… I’m sure Matthew would love that…

Thank you, food coloring, for brightening our day.