Charlie loves Target.
Charlie, who recently celebrated her 3rd birthday, wasn’t totally sold on her mom’s idea for a Trolls theme for the big day.
Her choice? Target. And her mom, Emily, made it happen.
I’d say this would maybe not qualify as a cake wreck. Sorry to disappoint?
Oh sure, it took me 6 hours to craft this beast that I wouldn’t pay money for, but it remotely resembled the idea I based it on- a choo choo- truck- dirt cake.
It was 3 layers, one big 3″ deep by 10″ diameter yellow cake on bottom, topped with 2 2×4″ round chocolate cakes. I did that thing where I added an extra egg to each box of cake mix (2 boxes for the bottom layer, 1 box for the top 2) and substituted milk for the water. So profesh.
The wooden circle of tracks fit perfectly around the edge.
The green icing was cream cheese buttercream dyed green, and applied with my super skillful slap and blob technique. I added some stippling with a silicone brush for a grass/how cute, she tried effect.
The chocolate frosting was canned frosting with a cup of powdered sugar mixed in. I don’t know why. Someone on Instagram said to do this. They seemed to know about frosting.
This was also applied with the slap and blob technique, then covered with the crushed remains of the 6 Oreos that were left in the full package I bought the night before. Because we don’t have a pantry lock. Luckily I had just enough “dirt” to fill Chuck the Truck (which I rescued from the playroom and gave a good wipe down) and sprinkle some around the edge of the cake.
I got Marion the steam shovel and Happy Birthday Thomas, complete with musical cake from Amazon.
The birthday boy was quite impressed.
I mean, he could actually make muddy tire tracks ON THE TABLE and then lick them.
The party continued on our driveway…
He got to gas up the rides. (We have gone bananas with the ride-ons since moving here because our driveway is glorious. Long, level concrete slabs really get you excited when you have kids.)
And he got some pink num, y’all!!
He had his first beer.
*Obviously, I’m kidding. If you’re new here, know I’m kidding.
And then he finished the day off eating leftover frosting.
And there was a lot.
Double batch, for the win.
So here’s to another year with LoLo, our little fearless comedian with the world’s cutest belly button. (Oh yeah, it’s totally still a swirl.)
When Scott, Kendall, my in-laws and I all started singing Happy Birthday to her after dinner last night, Leyna was very suspicious of the sudden group focus on her, it seemed. With a surprised look on her face, she looked behind her left and right (perhaps for an older sibling who she believed was more likely to be the subject of everyone’s gaze), then she looked back at all of us and slowly erupted into cheers, laughter and clapping.
Poor second-born. She’s not used to getting all the attention from everyone in the room at the same time. Of course she was suspicious!
Leyna is 1 year and 1 day old