Hockey skates and birthday cakes!

December brings cold weather, (usually)

birthdays,

celebrations

and family time!

We have been blessed with a very mild winter so far

and I for one am not complaining!

Don't get me wrong,

I would always pick a snowy Christmas morning

if it could melt into spring at the end of the day,

but not having to cancel or reschedule because of bad roads

is so nice.

My "baby" turned 12 this month.

WOW! just WOW!

Since hockey is one of his favorite things to do in the winter

I decided to try my hand at a hockey skate cake.

As with most cakes I make, I learned a lot about what

does and doesn't work.

But even with the things that didn't work,

his response was my reward!

Dad helped by "painting" the laces with those little black lines.

A few days after his birthday,

he had a hockey game and

after the game we went with his team for

pizza and cake!

After the party I realized that I hadn't got a picture of

the birthday boy with the cake so

we took one when we got home with

what remained.

And this means next year at this time,

we will be parents of teenagers! *gasp*

Happy Birthday, Son!

We love YOU!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

As is tradition or is becoming tradition,

we have a fall barn party every year.

So there is an apple pie contest each year

but since my husband is one of the judges

I can't make a pie because he would

totally vote for mine.  That is not saying

mine is the best, that is just saying he is a

wise man.

Anyway, since I am not making a pie,

I like to try out other recipes

that I have found and pinned.

This year it was these delightful

morsels of goodness.

So you say, another pumpkin cupcake,

what's the big deal?

Well the big deal is that frosting that sets

atop the moist deliciousness of the cupcake.

When you add browned butter to anything

it's a game changer, big time!

Add a little candied pecans on top

and you have the perfect compliment

to a fall party!

I found the delicious recipe HERE

Enjoy Fall!

Baking with my niece!

 My beautiful niece turned 13 this year!

She was excited to be a teenager and

she was also excited to make

her own birthday cake for her party!

So we started by figuring out the design for her

13th birthday cake.

And then we decided to sneak a surprise inside

the cake, which is always fun when you slice the

first piece of cake!

We will have to wait and see if our little surprise works!

So then it was off to the oven, while it baked and cooled

 there was a movie to watch and lasagna to eat!

Icing the cake using a turn table makes the job so much easier.

  She is a natural at decorating!

We then made homemade marshmallow fondant.

There was a lot gong on and so much sugar!

Rolling out the fondant the next morning to cover the cake!

And the decorating begins with these two!

The amount of laughter could

be contributed to the amout of sugar these

two girls consumed.

 I loved watching them work

 together as the vison of

 the cake came to be a beautiful work of art!

Oh, the personalities of these two,

it's just so fun!

And now that she is 13 1/2 its time I get this posted!

A very fun, sweet day!

And the inside...

Bouncing back...birthday parties...bonfires...

Weekends...

they are good

and busy,

fun and go crazy fast!

 

 

But bouncing back from a busy

weekend, seems to take

longer the older I get.

 

Chalkboard art by Lauren
Cake by Unique Sweets

 

This past weekend it was my

Mom's birthday

and so two siblings and their

families came for lunch

on Sunday along with

my parents!

 

My mom and I

 

Food and laughter shared

with those you love

is always a treat.

And I'm grateful for each one

of them in my life.

 

Cousin fun and
is Roger really sleeping?

 

But a birthday party wasn't the

only plans for the day,

as evening came so did more

friends along with more food.

It was time to light the bonfire...

 

 

See the long shadows of the guests in the yard...
it was soooo HOT!!

 

Beautiful evening!

 

You see the bonfire was "built" last fall but

due to a very windy night

we couldn't light it

and so, I was time.

After all campfire season is just around the corner.

 RIGHT!?

 

Sending off a lantren while we
waited till the fire died down.

 

Still waiting to roast hot dogs...

A fabulous weekend with

wonderful friends and family!

I AM BLESSED!

Springtime

Sitting here just soaking up the sun as it splashes across my table

and thinking...

...thinking about how busy life is.

 

 

 

 

Sometimes it is crazy just getting

the day started.  When my little people

(who happen to not be so little anymore)

oversleep because time change means it is still dark outside

when they need to be getting out of bed.

 

 

Sometimes it is all the fun things that

make us busy, lunch with a friend, baking,

hosting a brunch, bargin shopping, waiting for spring and

having another coffee.

 

 

And then there are the list of things just waiting

for us to take the time to do.

Some important things and some not so important.

Like cleaning the basement...

...I could argue that its not important since its

not really a "living space"

but then if I trip one more time over a box that was

just set down there to get it out of the way, and I find

myself face to face with the concrete floor...yup, I'm going to go with

important.

And now do I paint it and make it more inviting since

it is important that I go down there to do laundry.

Nope, not important - but fun!

 

 

Basement cleaning/organizing facts:

 

I'm 64 cents richer - so I can conclude it is not the

best paying job.

 

Somewhere out there, there are 8 gloves without a match

because that is the number I threw away.

 

I now should have a garage sale with all the

things that I no longer need in my basement.

 

Spiders take their web making

very seriourly!

 

 

Anyway, in all the busyness of life,

I find moments to just rest,

and in those moments I know that

the busyness around me cannot steal

the PEACE in my heart.