Time well spent

This is the culprit who started it all! Last year near Christmas, Callum spotted this gingerbread kit in the supermarket. It's a train, enough said. This was the first time I had ever attempted such a thing, but was a beautiful thing for Callum. He dressed up in his Junior Masterchef outfit (complete with chef hat - looks very cute). He stuck on most of the lollies and certainly enjoyed demolishing the train.

Fast forward to this year and little man started Kindy. I set myself the goal of baking some treat for his lunch box. This has begun a lovely ritual for Callum and I each Sunday afternoon.  Early in the week we search for cupcake decorating ideas on Google images.  Callum selects what he wants and when we go shopping we get the necessary ingredients.

We do cookies or cupcakes (so far).  We have done a lot of train cupcakes - some with train chocolate molds, some with licorice trains.  I've had a lot of fun figuring out/researching how to do some of the things required (teddies in a blanket, spider webs, teddies at the beach to name a few).

What has been most enjoyable is the growth I've seen in Callum.  When we first began baking, he had to leave the room when I switched on the mix master, the noise was too much.  Now he actually turns on the mix master himself.  He has learned how to crack an egg, measure ingredients, is great with a rolling pin and using cookie cutters.  His icing work still needs practice, but hey, he has only just turned 5. (I five now, I'm not four anymore) he has been telling everyone. 

This week we had koalas (besides the 3rd batch of train cupcakes I've had to make for our 3rd fifth birthday party (we are celebrating with our Kindy friends. The joy of having child whose birthday is the middle week of the holidays. We did Daycare cupcakes before his birthday, then there was the actual day and now we are doing Kindy.)

Many people have commented that I must have a lot of spare time. I don't, but the development I have seen in my little man over the year makes this time well spent.