on a golden afternoon

The after school schedule is pretty busy around here. We've got snack time, homework time, piano practice... But on Thursday afternoon, we decided to make life a little more hectic, and FUN!

Emily has been dying to bake some cupcakes with her baking set. So, complete with apron and chef's hat, she whipped up a batch of dark chocolate cupcakes...completely on her own (including cracking the 3 eggs, a huge feat for an 8 year old). She made 12 regular cupcakes and 18 mini. I love to see the baker in her come out.

Meanwhile, Jaydon and Joel were practicing their sweet Jedi moves on the trampoline. With light sabers in hand, they were doing flips, handstands and other crazy stunts, all in the name of "Jedi". These are the kinds of tricks that moms want to turn their eyes away from (but peek at the
same time).
Sometimes I think they REALLY
believe that they
are

Jedi Masters! I have to say, they were completely entertaining the two little ones that were watching their every move. Jack and Ezra had a blast being with the "big boys"outside. They were digging in the dirt, jumping on the tramp, digging in the garden dirt, playing with tractors and digging in the dirt (good thing we have PLENTY of dirt in our back yard right now).

So, after all the backyard playing / lightsaber stunts, the cupcakes were cool enough to frost. Emily filled each of her little frosting containers with colored frosting (which she colored on her own) and let the boys pitch in on the decorating process. I don't know if more frosting made it on the cupcakes or into their mouths, but either way, they all had a good time.

There was no problem finding volunteers to eat some cupcakes. You can imagine the two who were first in line to gobble some up!

We had to finish off the afternoon craziness with a bubble bath for the filthy little ones. After plenty of dirt play, they were dusty brown and ready for a good scrub (plus, I didn't want them walking around my house like Pig Pen from Charlie Brown...a little puff of dust following...). It's always fun to make bubble beards and silly hair in the bath.

It was a crazy afternoon, but fun! Finished just in time for the Dinner Time Witching Hour. :)