Monday, December 28, 2015

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!


Sunday, October 25, 2015

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!

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

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...



Tuesday, March 31, 2015

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!

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

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.