Revolutionary Celebration

You've heard all about HS joining the cub scouts this year. He adores it. I'm tickled that he enjoys it so. It has certainly given us back moments of working together on completing projects. I had really begun to crave craft time, cooking, and just being with my little guy (who comes up to my breasts now as he likes to say!). We had such a great time from 0-5 and then school came along and with that came homework and other things. So, scouting has given all of us an excellent opportunity: quality family time. We've returned back to doing mommy/HS things and this week led us to working on a place mat and cake for the upcoming Blue & Gold dinner.

The theme this year is "Patriotism" so we dug deep into our creative juices and came up with centering on the making of America (ahhhh....NEW ENGLAND returns!!!). Loaded with "I could do this, mommy." and "ohhhh...I went there!!!" We began to piece together our plan for his place mat and the blueprints for the father/son cake decorating project.



I came up with the idea to weave the paper and then do the design of the original American Flag with silver stars. I had forgotten how much of a challenge that can be...luckily HS decided to stick with it and sighed with relief once we wove the last piece. HH and I helped him come up with famous pictures that spotlighted significant patriots and moments during the road to countryhood (hope that's a word!). Boston Tea Party (HS: "That boat was tiny!"), Paul Revere's Ride (HS: "I ran that trail and played like a patriot!"), Signing of the Declaration of Independence (HS: "All those men were pretty brave!"), George Washington crossing the Deleware (HS: "No wonder they made him our 1st president."), and the Surrender at Yorktown (HS: "Ba bye red coats!").



The cake started out as a simple idea. Bake a chocolate cake in a bundt pan and then make a redoubt with cinnamon sticks. Place two soldiers (Red Coat & Patriot) on either side with the patriot holding the American flag. Use green frosting and piping to create the grass effect. Problem. I must have put the bundt pan into storage because when I tried to bake this mornin' so the cake would be ready for the guys to frost tonight, a bundt pan was no where to be found. So, I brainstormed and baked a sheet cake and a 1 quart bowl of batter. They assembled the cake with the little round part as the "hill" (suffice to say I tried to make it as little as I could because I realize they don't have big huge mountains in Yorktown, VA. With a cake ready to be frosted, the guys went all out.

We had a blast...the projects are complete and we're ready to celebrate the birthday of the Boy Scouts, revolutionary style.