Bare with me, this post is about nostalgia… as may very well
be the next post too. See, when I jump into event planning, I jot down
everything my mind can think of on the theme. So for Gabriel’s 3rdbirthday- Astronaut Training/Space Party… My mind jotted down “Tang”. Do you
associate Tang with Space Shuttle Missions? Do you know what Tang is? Tang is
an orange flavored drink mix. But, beyond that, Tang has history. It’s a
misconception that the drink was invented for NASA, but NASA (according to
Wiki) used it on John Glenn's Mercury flight, & subsequent Gemini missions. I always remember Tang as an “astronaut” drink. And the
space program is so cool to me. So naturally, I created a “Tang Station” for
the Astronaut Training.
Homemade Tang
Boy was I surprised at what a HIT it was!!! Two gallons were
made & two gallons were drunk! We had plenty of leftover “Rocket Fuel”
(soda- Coke & Diet Coke, Sprite, as well as apple juice boxes) but
not.a.drop.of… Tang!!! So my hubby added it to our weekly shopping list. We’re
still being told that the party caused people to buy Tang. It smelled so good
making it… & it tastes like nostalgia. Have you had Tang?
<3 Lishie
*More fun facts (according to Wiki): The creator of Tang,
William A. Mitchell, also invented Pop Rocks, Cool Whip, a form of instant-set
Jell-O, & other convenience foods.
I am extremely fortunate! As part of the OXO Blogger Outreach Program, I get the opportunity to try new
products out. And this time, I was given TWO sets- 1 to use & 1 to GIVE AWAY to a lucky reader!!!
I am ALWAYS looking for good containers for my work lunch as well as my diaper bag for Gabriel to transport healthy food options. My wishes? The containers have to be sturdy for the commute & spill-proof!!! These OXO Good Grip
LockTop Containers certainly meet my criteria plus... They are freezer & refrigerator-safe!!! BPA-free & microwaveable! Awesome. The mini LockTops are perfect for salad dressings or dips. Or apple sauce, or snacks for Gabriel. And the larger size LockTop? Just.about.anything... soup, salad, pasta... you name it. I have used them all week long on a trial! And I love the GREEN tops, ha ha. LOVE.
Would you like a set for free? Well, I am giving away two sets of OXO Good Grip
LockTop Containers:
So
for the cake for Gabriel's 3rd Birthday Astronaut Training Party, I created a moonscape, complete with a little astronaut G, a
shuttle, American Flag & Planet G flag + 3 candles (a “3”, a star
& a
“G”) & oreo cookie craters.
I knew I wanted a rounded,
moon-shaped cake the moment I saw this in Disney’s Family Fun Magazine. They have some great
ideas. But I also knew that we would be having tons of people for Gabriel’s
party. And some had allergies, some do not eat cake, etc., etc. We also had the added dilemma that we
had chosen the date before knowing that our niece’s Church Confirmation was
the.same.day. So I made a small cookies & cream moon crater cake for the
singing of “Happy Birthday” & the blowing out of the candles… And this was my hubby Michael’s brilliant idea… we then swapped
it out for Carvel flying
saucers!!! They were a huge hit. Huge. Problem-solved & everyone seemed happy (except
for the birthday boy who was a little skittish toward the candle flames!)
I chose “cookies & cream” cake due to the mere
reasoning that the “craters” would be Oreos halved. It was absolutely
delicious!!! I made the cake using a Pyrex oven-proof mixing bowl. Be careful
here. I have a huge set of glass mixing/prep bowls as well as a set of
stainless steel mixing bowls & neither set is oven proof!!! Make sure the
bowl you use is for your safety as well as the guests’ safety (a non-oven-proof
bowl can blow up in the oven or emit chemicals into your food.
The decorations are simple- an
astronaut, a space shuttle, a US flag toothpick & a little “Planet G”
toothpick. The three candles were: a “G”, a “3” & a star. I also sprinkled
some edible red & blue glitter & edible silver stars “over” the moonscape.
1 1/2 c finely crumbled chocolate sandwich
cookies
Cookies & Cream Cheese Icing, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray 2 (9-inch) cake pans with cooking spray and
dust with flour. In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer, combine the flour, cocoa,
sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs and egg yolk,
1 at a time, and beat until well mixed, then add in the melted butter
and combine. Next, add the buttermilk and beat until smooth, about 2 to 3
minutes. Add in the crumbled cookies and beat until incorporated. Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake until a
toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30
to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool, on a rack, in the pans for
5 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto a rack and let cool completely.
Frost with Cookies and Cream Cheese Icing and serve.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, blend
the butter & cream cheese until smooth, about 3
minutes. Add the salt & vanilla. Add in the confectioners' sugar, 1/2
cup at a time, until smooth. Frost the
chocolate cookie cake when the cake has cooled.
*Lishie tip~ I did not "Beat in the crumbled cookies." I wanted the frosting white... So I placed WHOLE round, halves of the Oreos on instead, for the "craters".
Yes, I know my blog is primarily a food blog & maybe I should begin a 2nd blog for other interests, but the truth is, I would rather just share ALL of my loves with you, here. I LOVE to read. So when the opportunity came about to GIVE out FREE books randomly, I JUMPED at it.
What is World Book Night? (See more here.) World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread a love of
reading and books. To be held in the U.S. as well as the U.K. and
Ireland on April 23, 2012. It will see tens of thousands of people go
out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by
giving out free World Book Night paperbacks. See more here: http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/
We each had one title choice out of 30 books. I chose "Because of Winn Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo. Why? I was introduced to the value of a book at an early age & want to instill that in young girls & boys. If you have a book, you will always have a friend, travel far & never be bored. Plus, the setting of "Because of Winn Dixie" is Florida, my home state. I gave out many of the books to a local girl scout troop & a few copies to parents I met on my book giveaway voyage.
Because I work at New York University Bookstores, also a World Book Night Pick Up location, I was given a few extra titles to distribute as well:
~Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
~Junot Diaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
~Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto
~Rebecca
Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Here's my World Book Night Giver experience:
The Difficulty of Being Earnest
April 23,2012 / World Book Night
Give away 20 books for free.
Easy, huh? Not.so.much.
I am a true book lover… I believe a book is the dearest gift
one could give. It’s my bread & water, the one item I’d sacrifice for on a
deserted island. Anyone know the Twilight Zone Episode with Burgess Meredith
called “Time Enough at Last”? He plays Henry, a Bookworm who doesn’t have time
to read… at all… an H-Bomb explodes… Henry luckily is saved inadvertently by
his book obsession because at lunch he reads in the bank’s (where he works)
vault. After the bomb, Henry regains consciousness to find everyone dead,
everything gone. Despairingly, he stumbles upon the Library rubble with the
books intact. But he literally falls and BREAKS his reading glasses rendering
him unable to read.The End. Did
you gasp? If so, you are very like me.
So, in retrospect, giving away free books, to me, at least,
seemed so easy. The thing is, many bookworms are also introverts… They tend to
brighten up when they talk about books but are relatively shy in person.In order to give away a book, one MUST
approach a stranger… Two introverts= well…
I began my World Book Night at 2pm –ish on an NYU bus. I sat
there, a little nervous & hesitant at first thinking, “These are students.
They read. They are probably looking for a book that is fun rather than
assigned.” Right? Well, I waited till the bus had a good amount of students… I
took 3 books, fanned them out in my hands & stood up. I said, “Hi!!! I am giving away books for World
Book Night. They are FREE. This is legitimate… Look! WBN is explained on the
inside & printed on the back-side.” A couple of girls tentatively
approached me… One got excited, “I’ve wanted to read that title!!!” I said,
“Well, it has picked you then!” The other two girls each took a book… a boy
then took one & another. All were smiling after & chatting, glancing in
their new books. Where as, before, there was that uncomfortable, bus silence.
When I left the bus, I was ready & empowered again. I
stopped in a coffee shop, grabbed an iced coffee & peered at the people
sitting… all walks of life, many singular-seated people. I walked up to a woman
quietly nibbling a bagel… I fanned the books again… She made the silent “Go
Away” motion, nodding “no”. I said quietly, “they’re free books”. She looked, a
second take, & recognized the title/cover picture. I had made a friend.
Milannia is from Guyana and loves to read. She has a son too, like me, who she
tries to instill the love of reading in as well and she talks long-distance
& on-line with her Caribbean friends about books. She even recommended a
book for me.
I continued to give away books to NJ bus commuters, my local
Girl Scout Troop and local Hospital… And I loved every minute of it. But it was
way more difficult than you’d think it would be to give away books. You should
try it next year on World Book Night 2013. It is a wonderful thing.
When something looks easy, beware. It probably is once you
get the hang of it but it almost always takes time. Lots of time. And I can
vouch that these adorable aliens that made up my Area 51 for my toddler Gabriel’s Spaced themed, 3rd Birthday Party were easy but tedious!
I wanted to infuse a little whimsy into Astronaut Training with some alien dudes.
So "Area 51" was worked into the party.
<3 Lishie
Chocolate Dipped Marshmallow Pops with Googly Eyes
Lollipop Sticks- Small or Large (I used Small, for tiny
hands)
1 bag of large marshmallows
1 bag of Wilton White Candy Melts or White Chocolate Chips
Melt the candy melts to package directions (or the white
chocolate chips over a double boiler not letting the chocolate touch the heat
source). I used the Candy Melts. melted in a pyrex bowl, in the microwave.
While the chocolate is melting, prep your pops- place a marshmallow on each stick.
When the chocolate candy is melted, dip the entire
marshmallow in it. Allow the melted candy to drip off a bit, &, using a
spatula, smooth the melted chocolate around the marshmallow to take away the
excess that remains. Pop the candy eye or eyes on, hold for a moment while the
hot candy begins to solidify, then stick/prop the pop in something.
For
display, I took the sturdy top of a beautiful gift box & popped holes in
it. I then papered the box with my theme & “popped” the aliens into the
holes through the paper.
And the food, snacks & drinks were no exception! Initially
I had a “Meteorite” recipe in mind for a peanut butter & tiny stick pretzel
cookie… But one of my son’s little friends has a peanut allergy so I nixed it!
No problem, I still had this out-of-this world delicious krispie treat to make!
This snack takes rice krispie treats to the next level. AND you can whip it up
for a play date, FAST, it’s no bake, or dossy it up with any color sprinkles
for a party or holiday. Cadets of all ages will love it!
1/2 cup yellow cake mix (the dry cake mix, not prepared into a
batter!)
6 cups crispy rice cereal
1 (1.75 oz.) container of sprinkles (I used a combo of edible blue glitter, red glitter & edible silver glitter stars)
Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat & add marshmallows.
Stir until they begin to melt, adding in (dry) cake mix one spoonful at a
time so its combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with
marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles & mix. Press
into a baking dish (any size will do) and top with remaining sprinkles.
Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting.
Now I do not have
the typical 3 year-old. And I am so thankful for that. Why? He never asks for
anything in any store, not the grocery store, not candy, nor…the toy store.
Seriously. Yes, he loves his toys. Yes, he has his favorite snacks. But he is
seemingly content with what he has. And, on the same token, he didn’t make any
specific birthday requests. Don’t get me wrong, he loves Sesame Street &
Donald Duck, to name a couple of popular kids’ themes but he is also
adventurous. He has fun at the aquarium, the zoo, the farm, the science center…
just about anywhere we take him.
So
with that in mind, so far I can create a birthday out of an amusing idea
&
turn it into a wonderland. For Gabriel's 2nd birthday last year, I created a Blue Bird theme to coincide with his love of birds & nature. This year, for
Gabriel’s 3rd, we blasted off to the Planet G…, Gabriel’s Aeronautic Space
Academy was a one-day astronaut training camp for his little cadet friends
since he loves stars so much.
uniform
Every birthday boy needs the perfect uniform… I made his
tee (there’s also a dangling “3” sewed on beneath the astronaut body) Gabriel
did not want to take this off that night!!!
Rocket Booster!
Rocket Man
invitation
And
Jen from Jar of Designs, created his awesome invites, once again. She is the
“go to” if you want to set the perfect tone for your event! Remember the invitations
are very important! Just look at these!!! And, because we made up the Planet G
(well, it took Pluto’s place ;) ) Jen also devised the beautiful round stickers
to apply to the envelopes! Just add a flag stamp & perfect!
Signage
I am always saying I get lost in the details &
yes, again I did. I want the children to have a good time & remember it.
What I do remind myself (constantly), is kids do NOT look for perfection. And I
am very thankful for that… Here is some of the signage I whipped up… Thank you to Hostess {with the Mostess} for the paper plates as a wall hanging
background idea. All else was from the deep black hole that is my mind! Ha! All
crafted by me. The Space Shuttle signs are printed from NASA's actual web-site
& the GABRIEL banner is from Oriental Trading Co.
Happy
3rd Birthday Gabriel!
A
friend has a latex allergy so a little smattering of balloons was
perfect for G… Every
child’s party needs some balloon-age!
Potties
Space capsule
I asked the guests to sign inside this book as gabriel's "space" time capsule
Food!
I
printed out Name tags & affixed them to Giant nut & bolt robot erasers
I found to match my theme & color scheme (love when that happens!)
So
for the cake I created a moonscape, complete with a little astronaut G, a
shuttle, American Flag & Planet G flag + 3 candles (a “3”, a star & a
“G”) & oreo cookie craters. The cake was shared with family later but for
the party, we used it for “happy birthday” & to blow out the candles then….
And this was my hubby michael’s brilliant idea… swapped it out for carvel flying
saucers!!! They were a huge hit. Huge.
And
wow, was it a huge hit!!! We had to buy more because my hubby wanted it!
Food
served but NOT pictured:
Rocket
Fuel
Soda
& apple juice boxes
Planet Pizzas
We
ordered a bunch of pizzas, freshly made & delivered from a local pizzeria.
YUM.
Vegetation
Carrots,
celery, broccoli & cauliflower served with hummus to dip.
Space junk
Chips
& pretzels
Birthday
boy traveling on an Inflatable
space shuttle!!!:
Games
& Fun!
The
kids were greeted with their space folder (confidential!)…
It
contained An astronaut name badge & a space shuttle coloring book
They
were immediately pointed to a craft table for:
Space Crafting
Creating
their own planet
Coloring
Getting
glow sticks
Grabbing
a “telescope”- a repurposed paper towel holder
Shooting Star Toss!
I
drew this game on foam picture-board then cut out the holes. Bought yellow
& orange bean bags separately. The kids had tons of fun throwing the bean
bag “stars”
Space
shuttle pinata
Piñata
swag
Includes milky ways, glitter star bouncy balls, flag
mints, plastic paratrooper men, robot finger puppets, robot pencils, lollipops
& more candy!!!!
Games not shown:
Tandem Planet jump
I
affixed colored, cut planet printouts to foil stars, swapping Pluto with the
planet g & had the children two-legged jump from planet to planet. Again,
this easy game went over so well, the children lined up two & three times
to do it!
Alien hunt
Guess
the number of rubber aliens in the jar
I
just forgot to take out the jar. Oops.
These Area 51 guys:
Photo id
We
didn’t get a chance to hang it, nor the time. Oops.
Completion!!!
Checklist
Favor
Giant
robot eraser
Foam
space shuttle glider
Certificate
of completion
I am pretty sure everyone had a great time!!! We sure did!!!
And wow, Gabriel received the most throughtful gifts. What an amazing birthday!!!
