April Foods?

A couple years ago, we started really getting into holidays with the kiddo - I feel sorta bad in a way, because she gets letters and notes from holiday characters who aren't real.... but she enjoys it and asks about upcoming holidays and seasons a lot, which gives us a chance to discuss everything from changing season to religion.

More than anything, right now it makes both of us happy so I squish the "you're kinda lying to your kid" voice and write her letters from Elves in Santa's Workshop, the Easter Bunny, and I have Lemmy the Leprechaun wreak havoc on the house every year (though admittedly, Lemmy only brought some cupcakes this year and messed her room up a bit. He's been blamed by Small Thing for any broken toys discovered and such since then though. Guess that gives Jack Morgan an out, eh?).

This year, April Fools snuck up on me - last year I was prepared with "jello juice" for Small Thing and her bestie and "grilled cheese" sandwiches for dinner:

Staged after the initial discovery of the "jello" While I AM a bit of a paparazzi parent, the girls would've been too suspicious if I took pics of them just for drinking some juice!

Do you like cake? Oh I like cake..... Small Thing was utterly ooged out at first, since she was expecting bread and cheese. "What is WRONG with this?!" but when she realized it was cake and icing? Highly amused.

This year? I was scrambling for ideas at the last minute (thank goodness for Google). While pics aren't complete I can give you an idea of what's on the menu this evening:

We like peas and carrots again!

I know the colors are a bit off and there's a huge variation in sizing, but the kiddo doesn't have peas very often, so I think I can get away with it, at least for a minute!

I used watermelon airheads and coated the outside with a bit of food coloring and green apple jolly rancher chews for the peas. The carrots is an orange airhead smooshed into squares. Big love to 2 for staying up until O-God-Thirty rolling stupid little peas with me!

It's a loaf. Of not meat!

Another thing we don't have very often is meatloaf - while this one doesn't look TOO bad all in one chunk, I'm going to slice it and plate it before she gets to the table so hopefully it looks even better all cut up.

It's the equivalent of rice krispy treats - but I pulsed the cereal in a food processor and added some cocoa to the marshmallows and butter as it was melting to keep the color more like ground beef. The gravy goop on top is a fruit leather I tore and smooshed onto the top.

As a side dish, I'm gonna add "mashed potatoes" (aka a scoop of ice cream) and for dessert? CUPCAKES! But, uh, the cupcakes are gonna be made of meatloaf with colored mashed potatoes for icing.


Anyone wanna come over for dinner???