Saying "yes" Sometimes, I feel like the "no lady" around our house.

"Can we play in the sprinklers" (60 degree weather) - No
"Can I go knock on the neighbor's door?" (again.  poor guy.)  - No
"Can we invite friends over to play right now?" (6pm and dinner time) - No
"Can we go to Disneyland / the beach / on an airplane?" - Not right now
"Can I sleep in the living room?" (school night) - No
"Can we roast marshmallows right now?" - No
"Can I have ice cream for breakfast?" - No

So the other afternoon when Little was napping and Middle asked me, "Can I bake a cake?" I said, "yes."  I'm trying to find opportunities to say "yes" when they ask me about some idea they have.  Even if it's not super convenient for me or will make a mess that I have to clean up, I don't want their childhood memories to be "and then, mom said no." We baked this chocolate cake and I picked the recipe from a few I looked at online because the method was perfect for her to do this herself.  We talked about how to use measuring cups and that we should lower the measuring cup down in the bowl before dumping the contents (as opposed to dumping it about 6 inches above the bowl).  I let her do almost all of it herself and she was thrilled with the outcome and even took a piece to our neighbor.  I had a random can of white frosting in teh pantry and we used that to frost it when it cooled.

When I asked to take a photo with her and her piece after supper, the other two wanted their pictures taken also. Middle's Chocolate Cake (makes 1 nine-inch round)

1.5 cups all purpose flour
3 T cocoa powder
6 T vegetable oil
1 T white vinegar
1 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 inch round cake pan (an 8x8 pan will work as well).  Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.  Make 3 wells in the top of the dry mixture.  Pour vegetable oil into one, vinegar into the other, and vanilla in the third.  Pour the cup of water over the top and mix again with a whisk until smooth and combined.  Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.
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