A Piece of Cake!!!

So my newest hobby, besides knitting, is cake decorating. I took a basic class that taught me some buttercream flowers and stuff. I thought that I don't really need a class to learn this stuff. That's what Youtube is for! So. I thought I would be really bold. I skipped gum paste, modeling chocolate, and royal icing decorating and went straight to fondant.

So I really had NO idea what I was doing. BUT, for my first time, with no lessons, I think I did pretty good. There is clearly room for improvement. But hey, its ALL homemade. well, that's not entirely true. The cake is from a box. But the baking part I already know how to do. Vegan cake is my specialty. But the decorating part was new for me and so all the icing: buttercream, royal, and fondant, is all made from scratch.

So here is my step by step progress.  NOTE: Nadia made the teddy bear! Her very first attempt ever and it looks awesome!

BAKING THE CAKES: STRAWBERRY WITH STRAWBERRY PIECES AND CONFETTI

 MAKING THE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING.  CUPCAKE TIER GETS CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM, AND STRAWBERRY TIER GETS VANILLA WITH FRESH CUT STRAWBERRY PIECES.

BOTTOM CUPCAKE TIER: CRUMB COATED!

MY FIRST HOMEMADE FONDANT, KNEADED AND READY TO BE ROLLED OUT.

CUPCAKE TIER COVERED IN FONDANT. IT WAS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT, BUT NEXT TIME, I WILL COLOR THE FONDANT. WHITE IS BORING!

 STACKED AND READY TO DECORATE!

STARS ARE READY! i ALSO MADE BEARS, AND RIBBON. 

 NADIA WORKS ON THE CAKE TOPPER! 

MAKING A BOW IS A LOT HARDER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE!

BUT IT TURNED OUT PRETTY, BUT NOT GREAT. 

FINISHED BEAR!  I CALL HIM LOGAN BEAR. (COS THAT'S WHAT I CALL LOGAN)

FINISHED!  ITS FOR THE NEW BABY BOY, CALLUM!

ONE MORE.

THE END.

Hiking Mt. Tam

So after living in San Francisco for three years, we FINALLY decided to Hike Mt. Tamalpais. Which is right across the Golden Bridge in the Marin Headlands. We have always heard that the view is extraordinary, 360 degrees. So with Danny home for 5 days, which he really needed, we figured it would be a great practice hike for our big trip to Yosemite.

We drove to Pantol Ranger Station and got super lucky with the ONLY free parking spot left. It would be a 4 mile hike to the top, then 4 miles back, with a total elevation change of about 1500 feet.

on the hike up, Dan checks out the view.

Dan spotted a really big snake making its way across the trail. It was pretty big, at least 4.5 feet. It was moving really slow and sticking its tongue out. It was pretty cool.  We are not too sure what kind it was, but since there was no rattle attached we didn't feel it would attack us. But we kept a safe distance anyway.

The flowers were blooming everywhere and you could see new growth on the pine trees. Lots of birds and the weather was ideal. Sunny, but breezy, and not a cloud in the sky to obstruct our view!

When we reached to top of East Peak, we had some snacks and rested. There is a Fire Lookout at the very top. We could not go in, but you could walk around it and gets views from Napa to San Jose. (Danny swears he saw the hangers at Moffett Field) The elevation doesn't sound too high, but considering we basically started at 0, then it felt pretty impressive.

We tried to get some good pics but since we had to scrabble over large rocks, there wasnt really a path or anything at the top, we couldn't quite get a pic with us in it. Our backs were to the Fire Tower and we just perched on any somewhat flat surface. There were around 6 other people sitting by us, so I tried to find a shot with no-one else.

The view to the north, looking into Napa Valley. This was about 500 feet below the actual peak on the trail.

The view to the south. You can see San Francisco on the left side. The pic really doesn't do it justice. It was beautiful! I could have sat there for hours, but we stayed around 20 mins. We knew it was getting late and had 4 miles to go to get back. In fact, the first 2 miles we pretty much jogged.  By the 6th mile, I was tired and my legs were feeling stiff. Danny did not bring a sweater and he was cold! He forgets that its not Maui, this is San Francisco!  Always bring a sweater, even if its sunny.

We got back to the trail head around 6pm. It took us about 4 hours, but we went to two visitor's centers and watched a freakin snake take its sweet time to get across the trail. Plus, we had snacks at the top. So really, we only hiked for 3 hours, and rested for 1 hour. (Danny kept track on his Cadio Trainer app on his DROID)

Total elevation change was just shy of 1500. It was a pretty easy hike. But at least I know my distance.  We are going to try to hike Upper Yosemite Falls in May. Its gonna be tough, but Im excited!

 At the end of hike, which breaks into a pretty meadow. Both tired and cold. Ready to go out for dinner!

Casey at the Bat

Today I played as a sub for my friends co-ed Softball team, the Rumrunners. I was a little bit hesitant since 1. I can't throw 2. I never played before...like, ever. 3. I bat left- handed (yeah its weird) and 4. really I had NO idea what I was doing.


They needed an extra sub so I brought Nadia along as well.  So we showed up at Jackson Field and I had borrowed Danny's baseball mitt, so I least I was a little equipped.  We both warmed up and as the afternoon progressed, I could throw, a little.

Well the other team was pretty good. So I was a little bit worried. So to encourage the our players I would shout out things likie, "Make em cry, let them feel the wind off the ball, nice sherbet orange hot pants(to the other team), show em who's got the mojo, etc" you know, baseball stuff.

Total, 3 subs showed up for one player, Nadia, myself, and Sally. Sally has never played either and when she got to bat, she struck out. :(  

At one point, the catcher, Kimberly, asked me to step in for her, so I got to play catcher for two innings which was super fun--minus the whole can't throw thing-- but the pitcher, Miguel was nice about it. One thing is, I can catch.

By the last inning I got SUPER nervous because I was going to be up to bat, the first person to go starting out the last inning. BUT the thing is we were down 3-2 and there were only 3 minutes left in the game. So yeah. great, just great.

So here we go, the pitch is high, but I swing anyway.

STRIKE ONE!

um, ok.....Everyone is cheering me on......"It's ok Catherine, keep your eye on the ball!"  Um, I was, it went really high so I swung at it...der.

and the second pitch, here it comes, kind low, so I figure, ok I'll let this one go....and it bounces on Home Plate.

STRIKE TWO!

shit!

more cheering.....well, I am gonna swing at anything. who cares that I'm gonna strike out and we might lose the first game of the season. At least I tried.

Third pitch, this guy really thinks he knows me now! and SMACK!!!!!! 


I hit it.......I. HIT. IT.  RUUUUUUUNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!  and I did, all the way to first base.  Apparently I hit the ball like five feet. LOL, no-one was expecting that!


So my First Base Coach Susan says, "Ok at second base, only run when Miguel tells you to."


um, ok.

Well, the next person up hit the ball into far right field and so i took off full speed! and then the next batter hit the ball way out in the back field, so Miguel is like "RUN CAT RUN!!!!"  I took off like I was running from the po-lice! I mean I don't think I have ever sprinted that fast. I got to third and Miguel is yelling, "KEEP GOING! RUN RUN!!!!" and so I do. I ran my butt off, I ran my butt to home plate and scored. OH YEAH!!!!!!  Not bad. not bad at all.


One minute left in the game, the pitcher walks the next two batters.....and then Cliff came up to bat and WHACK!  It was ALL over!!!!!!!!!

We won 7-3 . Best. Victory. Ever. Too bad I don't have any pictures. Oh well, maybe next game.