- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, sift together (or stir with a whisk), flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Add buttermilk, egg, and butter.
- Mix until just combined.
- Scoop batter into a large ziplock style bag, or large piping bag and snip off the tip to fill doughnut pan.
- Fill each doughnut cup approximately ½ full.
- Bake 5-7 minutes
CELEBRATE WITH FLOWER POT CUPCAKES
Looking for something fun to do on an ordinary day? No day has to be ordinary. Find out what is special about each day with a simple Google Search, and turn it into a day of fun. One thing I like to do is look at the National Day Calendar.
These cupcakes are a fun way to celebrate not only National Plant a Flower Day, but would be a great activity for Earth Day, Easter, and the first day of spring. The possibilities for brightening an ordinary day with these cupcakes are endless.
PETE’S DRAGON, PARTY ANIMAL
I’m assuming most everyone is aware of Disney’s newest film release, “Pete’s Dragon.” I will also assume that others know it to be a re-make of the 1977 film of the same name. For me the 1977 movie was truly the cinematic masterpiece of my young life. Oh, how I loved it. I watched it over and over again, knew all the words to every song, vowed one day to live in a lighthouse. Recently we watched it and somehow it wasn’t as good as I remembered but oh how I loved it as a child.
I believe this was the first party that started my love affair with parties in general, and not just my own! My mom’s hard work and creativity really paid off, creating a perfect birthday experience, filled to the brim with something I loved. This is what I love about kid’s birthday parties. When over, it’s like all their boundless love and enthusiasm for whatever character they currently idolize comes to life and surrounds them with an unforgettable experience. Plus, there’s cake!
Whatever kids today think of the new “Pete’s Dragon,” at least this new version has brought back some great memories for myself, and hopefully for others, too. In honor of the new release we had fun making some dragon sugar cookies with sprinkles for the scales. Here is the best sugar cookies recipe passed to me by my mom from Betty Crocker. Enjoy!
LEMON CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES – A Chocolate Summer Day At Theos!
With the round, yellow sun in the sky, it’s clear why the lemon is considered a summer fruit. I recently found Theo’s Limited Edition Lemon Chocolate Bar, and it inspired me. It is absolutely delicious. I created lemon chocolate cupcakes. Who doesn’t love lemon and chocolate!
Theo’s Chocolates, if you haven’t heard of them, are an incredible Seattle chocolate shop. All their chocolates are USDA organic, Fair Trade, Non-GMO, and Demeter certified. They are passionate about economic, environmental, and nutritional responsibility, as well chocolate. For them, “chocolate isn’t just a product, it’s a journey from bean to bar”, and their shop exemplifies this. Located in the Fremont neighborhood, they offer tours, hands-on chocolate classes, and special events. They also have Chocolate Story Time for children ages 4-7. And lots of free samples!They have such creative flavors, from Cherry Almond to Fig, Fennel, and Almond bars. Visiting Theo’s Chocolate Shop is a fun day for the whole family.
Their address is 3400 Phinney Ave, North, and they are open seven days a week from 10am to 6pm. If you are in the Seattle area, Theo’s Chocolate Shop is a must.
VALENTINE ’ S DAY PARTY
When celebrating Valentine’s Day with your kids there is no need to stick to the same old, store-bought Valentine’s card exchange. Instead, get creative and turn your Valentine’s celebration into an all-day crafting extravaganza! With these simple and – more importantly – fun ideas, your little ones will be guaranteed a great Valentine’s Day Party, exercising both their imagination and coordination.
This craft is a big winner with kids and adults alike. Its simplicity is lost in whimsical charm and it’s easy on the wallet. All you need to get started are small clay pots (spray-painted white), small glass canisters, and some painting supplies. These items are easily found at Joanns or any other craft supply store. Just super glue the glass bowl onto the bottom of the flower-pot and (presto!) you have the makings of a gumball machine. Leave the painting and decorating to the kids and watch as their creativity unfolds.
FUN WITH LEPRECHAUNS: OUR ST. PATRICK ’ S DAY
St. Patrick’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. I loved celebrating the day with fun foods and crafts to make it a special day for my family. Traditions are important to me and I hope that one day, my daughter will look back and remember all the fun we had celebrating holidays.
AHOY MATEY! GET EVERYONE ON BOARD FOR A PIRATE PARTY!
Like many of you, my daughter’s daycare hosts an annual auction. They ask each parent to donate items to be included in the auction that will help raise funds for special purchases to benefit the kids. While I often work with local vendors to procure services, our family decided to do something a little different by hosting a Pirate Party with two other families.
We chose to hold the party at Greenlake since it provided a nearby setting with enough room for all of our guests. This ended up working out perfectly because it also has an island on it. Who knew? The island is called Duck Island, and it was a lucky discovery since it provided the perfect backdrop for our kids to search for treasure.
My husband Ed got into action by creating a treasure map along with a box full of goodies that we hid on the island. We then took the kids out in pairs of two using our canoe to reach the island. The kids had so much fun riding on the “ship” and following the map to get their pirate booty was an exciting experience for every pair.
While the pairs searched for treasure on the island, we kept the others busy back on the mainland by decorating wooden treasure boxes with paint, glitter and of course-gems! We also had lots of dress up clothes on hand so the kids could really get into the pirate spirit.
It was so fun watching them get into character and talk like a pirate. It was truly an event that will always be treasured.
VROOM! GET NOSTALIGIC WITH A PRETTY IN PINK VW CAMPER VAN BIRTHDAY PARTY
If you don’t know already, my husband Ed has had a long love affair with VW Camper Vans. In addition to spotting every one we see on the road, he has owned a couple of them over the years. In fact, he still had one of them parked in his parents’ barn when we first met! When they eventually sold it, he was so sad. He still talks about getting another one someday. Since my daughter loves them too, we decided to do a VW Camper Van theme party for her third birthday. My friend and Addie’s babysitter, Andie Richardson, is a talented graphic designer and she created cute VW Camper Van Invites.
Every great party begins with a cake, and I wasn’t quite sure how I would pull this one off. Luckily, my friend Whitney came to my rescue by creating the cutest VW Camper Van cake using pink fondant. And yes, it tasted just as good as it looked.
Since the cake was covered, I put my time into setting the table with Camper Van coloring sheet placemats that the kids colored in with crayons. It was a great way to keep them busy, and the placemats really brought out the theme.
We always bring a piñata along when we go camping since it keeps the kids busy outside and we can stuff it full of trinkets. So, I found a pink VW Camper Van piñata that matched Whitney’s cake. In addition to stuffing the piñata with miniature toy cars and key chains, I gave each guest a toy VW van to take home as favors. It was so cute and fun that we will remember this birthday party forever!
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