Birthday Boy

Check out my guest post at My Freckled Life today - I'm giving some tips for bringing "baby meals" to new mamas!

Today is a very special day - it's my sweet husband's birthday! 

Happy, happy birthday to the guy who has been making me 

open-mouthed, scrunch-faced smile for years. I love you so much! 

(also, Throwback Thursday Wednesday to a couple outtakes from our engagement photos... such babies we were.)

The Boy Who Lived (at the theater)

I mentioned on Friday that we were celebrating C's birthday on Saturday, and that I'd planned a surprise outing for him. The man is notoriously hard to shop for, and even harder to surprise - so I was pretty excited that I actually managed to pull this one off!

We woke up and did some housecleaning on Saturday morning before getting ready to head to the city. Traffic was not on our side, and we were starving by the time we reached Pentagon City, where we planned to catch the metro the rest of the way. Enter plan adjustment #1. We opted for a quick, delicious lunch at Nando's Peri-Peri - C's first time there, and a great one. So good.

Once full, we hopped on the metro and went into the city. I planned for us to go to a museum for a few hours as we always talk about going to them but never want to come back to the city on the weekends after spending the week here! We headed towards the museums of Natural History and American History...  But as we walked we realized we were seeing LONG lines of hot, sweaty tourists waiting to get into each museum.  Umm, thanks but no thanks. Enter plan adjustment #2. We opted instead for a bit of bar-hopping for the afternoon, and ended up having a lovely time in a cool, dark bar watching the Orioles game on TV. Not bad considering how hot and muggy it was! 

Around 4, we headed off for the main attraction of the day, and the real surprise: a showing of Potted Potter at the Shakespeare Theater! C had no idea that was the plan, and knew nothing about the show, so he was interested and excited to see what it was all about.

Potted Potter "takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books (and a real life game of Quidditch) into seventy hilarious minutes." I didn't know exactly what to expect, but I was hoping for some good laughs as it's gotten lots of glowing reviews. Let me tell you - we laughed the entire show! The two actors were so great, and they were hilarious - interacting with the audience, not taking themselves too seriously, and putting on a great show. We loved it! I may or may not have laughed until I had tears in my eyes... it was just so good. C & I are both HP lovers (C moreso than myself) and we thought it was a really well-done parody of our beloved books. I'm so glad I picked up tickets - it was a wonderful event for us!

We followed the show with dinner at Matchbox, a DC favorite that C had never experienced. We split the arancini appetizer (to die for) and a spicy meatball pizza - so delicious and so filling. I really wanted to get dessert, since it was C's birthday celebration, but by the time we were finished eating, I don't think we could have managed another bite, even of anything sweet.

The drive home was a bit of a disaster, given that we were traveling through some of the worst weather I have ever experienced. It was raining so hard we could barely see the cars in front of us on the highway, and there were several times we were driving under 20 mph with our emergency flashers on. As it turned out, there was a small tornado in the area right around the time we were driving through, and a house on my parents' street was struck by lightning... talk about terrifying! Luckily, C got us home safe and sound, and we managed to avoid any major catastrophes. Birthday surprise & celebration, successful!

What was the last theater performance you saw? Birthday surprises: good or bad? Is your significant other easy to shop for, or hard like mine? I can never think of anything good... 

The Best Kind of Weekend-ing

First weekend in May come and gone... Wow! We had the kind of weekend that is busy but relaxing at the same time - felt like a lot was going on, but it was quality time with friends and family, which always refreshes me. It also means I don't take many pictures. I am trying to be fully present wherever I am!

On Friday, C and I went to see Avengers: Age of Ultron - C has been anxiously awaiting the release of this movie for months, so of course we had to see it the day it came out! It turned out to be a pretty good movie, and I was actually able to follow the story line amidst all the action! That is not always the case for me with these superhero movies... PS - was anybody else surprised to see Baby Olsen as the Scarlet Witch in this movie?? I totally missed that casting announcement, but I liked it. She's good!

We were up bright and early to clean the house and run errands on Saturday morning before a 12:30 puck drop for the  Caps game. It was my mom's birthday, so my parents came down to watch the game and celebrate. Unfortunately, the Caps didn't see fit to get a win for the occasion - booooo. Post-game, my mom and I headed to the mall to cash in a B&BW coupon & take advantage of the 2-for-$24 candle sale - happy birthday, indeed! We rounded out the evening with a DIY salad bar and strawberry parfaits for dessert while watching The Judge - I wasn't expecting that movie to be such a tear-jerker! 

Sunday was spent visiting another new-to-us winery: The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville, VA. We met up with my friend, Michelle, and her husband, and took advantage of the fact that they are wine club members for some free tastings. Wine tastings = good, free wine tastings = REALLY good!

It was a gorgeous day, and the place was packed - but Michelle grabbed us a great table right in the middle of everything. A pitcher of sangria and a picnic lunch were the perfect way to spend the afternoon. And I managed to keep myself from getting a sunburn! Definite win. 

I really loved this winery - definitely recommend a visit f you are in the area! They completely embrace the historical elements of their location (right next door to a Civil War battlefield), and have a beautiful set-up with plenty of picnic tables, as well as a large indoor tasting room. The parking lot was jam packed, but we never felt crowded within the winery itself. Lots of space to spread out. Also loved the fact that they have two clearly defined areas to hang out: one side for families with kids, and another for just visitors 21+. I've never seen it done that way, but I thought it was a great way to make everyone happy and comfortable. We didn't end up buying any wine to take home, but we will definitely go back for another visit. 

It feels like we jumped straight from winter to summer around here - it was in the 80s yesterday, and is supposed to stay that way all week! I definitely didn't mind the sunshine and warmth, but I'm hoping the humidity stays away, at least for a few more weeks! I need a couple of weekends where it is still bearable to be outdoors. There is nothing I enjoy more than some laid-back time with the people I love most, though, and this was weekend was such a great example of that. I know the official start to summer isn't until Memorial Day, but this weekend almost felt like it could have been it. We'll be sweating our buns off and hiding in air conditioned places before we know it.

How was your weekend? Anything fun planned for this week? 

If it's not on Instagram...

...did it even really happen?? Like just about everyone these days, I Instagram a lot of things (or, to clarify, a lot of pictures of food and my cats - whatev!). I thought it would be fun today to share five pictures from my phone that I DIDN'T put on Instagram... filter-free and not squared off, these are just random, every-day-life shots!

My friend, Aileen, made me this adorable birthday cake - isn't it the cutest? Her pink rosettes were just gorgeous, and the cake was delicious, too!

A few weekends ago, C & I went to a Capitals game with the rest of my family - we had such a blast, and the Caps won! Can't ask for much more than that. We enjoyed some food and drinks in the Player's Club beforehand, and had a great evening.

My sweet Mother-in-Law surprised me with some birthday goodies! We happen to work in the same building (small world, huh?), so she snuck up to my desk before I got to work and left me muffins and fruit to share with my team. The sign says, "from the birthday fairy!" Lucky for me, I know her name.

After the Capitals game, we stayed the night at my parents' house since it's a little closer to DC. The next morning, my mama made a special birthday breakfast: huevos rancheros from scratch, with fruit salad! Yes, that is approximately one inch of guacamole on top of my eggs... it was delicious!!

Last weekend, C and I ventured out to one of our favorite wineries: Old House, in Culpeper. My sister and brother-in-law got us a wine club membership for Christmas (best gift ever!), and we needed to pick up our first shipment. We enjoyed a free tasting and then sat and admired the view with some wine and snacks. It was such a lovely afternoon - perfect day-date for us!

Do you follow me on Instagram?? If not, you should! @lndsywst - lots of food, fitness, and cats, just like this blog... ha!

28 words for 28

Happy birthday to me! I'm celebrating in icicle mode today, because, if you haven't heard, it's freakin' cold in these here parts! Winter is officially upon us, and this January baby doesn't actually hate it as much as everyone else does. I'd rather be cold than hot, any time.

{special thanks to Google Images for always keeping me supplied with celebration-appropriate pictures!}

In honor of my 28th year, I came up with a list of 28 words that I aspire to be this year. Really, I probably want to be these things every year, but especially this year, as I quickly approach the dreaded third decade, I want to be seen and remembered in a variety of ways. Here's what I want 28 to be:

relaxed
positive
thankful
helpful
open
honest
creative
ambitious
independent
friendly
present
sparkly
comfortable
determined
resolute
willing
loving
organized
frugal
domestic
driven
generous
adaptive 
sincere
resourceful
passionate
powerful
happy

Have a wonderful day! I'm celebrating with cake and hopefully Mexican food - what more could a girl need?

Birthday shenanigans

Yesterday was my darling husband's 27th birthday - we're the same age again! To celebrate, we both took the day off, and spent almost the entire day completely work-free! (A minor miracle.) I surprised him with cupcakes and some other treats before breakfast - I firmly believe that everyone should have cake on their birthday.

I told C that we could spend our day of "hooky" doing anything he wanted to do - my only wish for the day was to spend it together and have fun! He decided that he wanted to go to a movie and go bowling... so off we went!

We joined lots of parents with kiddos for a matinee showing of How to Train Your Dragon 2 - and I'm not at all embarrassed to say that we loved it! The first HTTYD is one of our favorite animated movies, and we were excited to have a chance to see the second one at the theater. It was such a cute movie, and a treat to be at the actual theater instead of waiting for it to come to Redbox!

After the movie, we ventured to Splitsville, the bowling alley next door, for a couple of games. Once again, we were probably the only adults there without kids... but we didn't care!

We were thrilled to discover that they offer $2 bowling on Tuesdays - if you can't find us on a random Tuesday after this, you know where we'll be! We both like bowling, but rarely go... I don't know why. More bowling is in our future! This particular bowling alley is considered "luxury lanes," and is beautiful inside! Each set of lanes has a designated waiter or waitress to bring you anything you'd like to order from their amazing menu and / or bar, and there are flat screen TVs all over the place showing other sports and TV shows. It was so much fun!

Why yes... I do own my own bowling shoes!

Look at that form... :)

We made a quick pit stop to the mall so I could take advantage of Bath and Body Works's semi-annual sale (gimme all the candles!) and then we followed that with a beer at one of our favorite watering holes, Park Lane Tavern. Dinner last night was take-out from Castiglia's, a local Italian restaurant that we love, and we concluded the day by lounging on the couch, flipping back and forth between a movie on FX and the Nationals game. Just the way my sweet husband likes it! C said that this was one of his favorite birthdays in recent memory... I'd say the day was a success!

Happy birthday, my love!

All the time in the world

Welcome to the last week of March! We're a quarter of the way through 2014 - how's everyone doing with those New Year's resolutions?? ....yeah, about that. Ha!

I had a lovely weekend, and I hope you did, too. We kicked off with a True Detective marathon on Friday night (thank you, HBO On Demand!!) and fish tacos. I whipped up a batch of homemade salsa with a secret family recipe from my sister, and let that start to "get happy" in the fridge til Saturday. I also threw together our first fresh fruit salsa of the season to put with fish tacos... makes me so happy!

Fruit salsa is so easy to make, and it's a fantastic topper for quick fish tacos. I diced up a nectarine, a jalapeno, and some green onions, and added the juice of 1/2 a lime, a little sea salt, and a smidge of olive oil. Toss together and let sit for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors merry. So delicious!

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the Southern Women's Show in Richmond with Stephanie. We spent several hours bee-bopping from booth to booth, trying hand treatments and wine slushies and sampling dips, cheeses, and salsas. It was more fun than either of us expected, to be honest! Once we we'd seen all there was to see, we headed to Cary Street for lunch. Stephanie had a recommendation from Twitter for a place to try, and we ended up enjoying a delightful meal at the Urban Farmhouse Market and Cafe. I went with the "Pick 2" option and had half of a salad and sandwich. My salad was the Asparagus and White Bean over mixed greens, and my sandwich was the Virginia Ham Cubano. Both were absolutely delicious! I am looking forward to recreating the salad at home.

After a quick trip to Costco (I'm thinking about getting a membership but just can't commit!), I got home just in time to freshen up and head out with C to go to his sister's house - we were having a family dinner to celebrate two birthdays: my father-in-law's and our brother-in-law's! We gorged on veggies and dip, my fresh salsa, and a cheese tray, before enjoying hamburgers and hot dogs fresh from the grill. It was an ideal spring kickoff meal! And the company wasn't too bad, either! We enjoyed several lovely hours with C's family, and then made it home just in time to see the start of a late-night Caps game (these 10:30 start-time West Coast games are killer!) I didn't stand a chance of making it through the game, though, and C woke me up hours later to tell me we won and send me off to bed. Nice way to wrap up the day!

Sunday morning was deemed a "no alarms" day, and we slept in happily! I made a long to-do list, and after C made BLATs for lunch (my fave!), we got to work. We are having the main floor of the house painted the week after next, and we needed to spend some time clearing off walls and shelves and getting organized. Unfortunately, we're back to looking like we don't really live here! Womp, womp.

Also on the to-do list was a little bit of Me Time - a BodyCombat class at the gym and a much-needed pedicure! I went bright pink to welcome Spring... and I am completely ignoring the fact that they are calling for snow tonight.

C put a pot roast in the crockpot for dinner, and while it cooked, I whipped up a batch of homemade brownies. I realized today that spending some time baking from scratch brings me to a similar Zen-like state that a yoga class does... talk about relaxing. I couldn't leave well-enough alone, and added some marshmallows to the top of the brownies when they were finished baking. A few minutes under the broiler led us to this beautiful pan of chocolatey love. Yum!!

A glass of wine and a little more True Detective wrapped up our weekend. What could be better? I got everything that fills my proverbial "cup" in the last few days: husband time, friend time, family time, me time. Full to the brim, and then some!

I can't think straight at the moment

I apologize now for the lack-of-sense in this post. It is officially Day After Birthday and it would appear that my pesky cold from this weekend has returned with a vengeance. My head is slightly under water (or so it feels). I was feeling pretty good Monday - Wednesday, but today I'm sniffly, sneezy, runny, and cold. Bring on the cold medicine and tea... I'm fighting the battle again. Womp, womp.

As far as birthdays go, yesterday was pretty lovely. My wonderful team at work brought me cake (three kinds!) and some small gifts, and we grabbed a quick drink at a near-by bar after work. C was even able to join us!

On the train home, I finished my book for our January book club meeting (The Fault in Our Stars - yes, I was crying on the train as I finished it!). I asked C to surprise me and pick the place for dinner (I hate choosing restaurants - so much pressure!) and we had a lovely meal at Brock's Riverside Grill. It was our first time there, and we enjoyed it well enough that we will definitely go back and give it a try in the summer, when there are actually views of the river... details, details.

The rest of the night consisted of Big Bang Theory re-runs on the couch and a little leftover cake that my co-workers sent home with me. It was totally low-key, but it was a great way to start off my 27th year. I don't need much excitement these days!

In other news, I thought I'd take a minute and share something new: the Typically Late board I just created on my Pintrest page. If you're not following me on Pintrest, I've love to have you do so. I'll be posting links to recipes and other things on that page, so that they are easy to re-pin and save for when you want to read something again or use a recipe.Let me know if there is something specific that you'd like to see there!

Last thing - have you entered my birthday giveaway yet?? It's easy to enter (no actions required by you but a click of the button) and open to anyone. I'm looking forward to putting together a fun little package for the winner! You have until midnight tonight to enter.

Break out the cake & balloons!

Happy birthday to me! 

Stick some candles on a birthday cake and sing the song... I'm 27 today! (Fun fact: It's Elvis's birthday, too. The King and I share a day - didja know?? Wisdom provided by my 9th grade English teacher, and I've never forgotten it!)

Let's take one very small second and say this together: twenty-seven. That can't possibly be my real age, right? Actual adults are 27. Ummmm... that can't be me... wahhhh!

Moving on.

Gratuitous baby birthday photos

To celebrate, C & I are going out to dinner tonight (no idea where - it's a surprise!), and then we are in the midst of planning a winery excursion with some of my favorite people for this weekend. Can't think of a better way to enjoy the occasion than food, lovely people, and wine. Cross your fingers that the 50% chance of rain goes away!

In honor of this fantastic day, I've decided to do something BRAND NEW and EXCITING... my first giveaway! That's right - for my birthday, I'm going to give you (or someone) a present! I'm not entirely sure what, yet, but I'll put together a little package of some of my favorite things for the winner: probably a Starbucks gift card, a snack or two, my favorite chapstick and / or nail polish, maybe some fun socks... it'll be a surprise, like all good birthday presents should be!

Entering the giveaway is easy - just use the widget below. No crazy actions required - you don't have to follow me on 17 forms of social media, you don't have to promise me your first-born child, you don't have to paint my toenails on the third Wednesday of every month. Just enter if you want to win! The contest is open until midnight tomorrow, and I'll announce the winner later this week :)

YAY, birthdays!

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Our first new-house "party"

This past weekend, my parents came to visit for the first time since we moved into the new house (they've been traveling and at the lake for most of August!) - it was really nice to be able to show them the progress we're making with getting settled in and making this house a home.

Saturday morning, we were scheduled to pick up a kitchen table that we'd found on Craigslist. That turned out to be a bit of a fiasco (pro tip: measure the table and your vehicle prior to pick-up, in order to ensure that the table will actually fit in the car...) but after a few hours, I successfully had a beautiful table set up in my kitchen. Hooray!

My parents arrived mid-afternoon, and we went out to lunch at a local Italian restaurant before heading to BJs for a giant shopping trip. I do love to take advantage of my parents' membership and buy things like several hundred coffee filters and a million trash bags. I also love having storage space for all these things now!

Saturday night, we planned to cook dinner to celebrate my dad's birthday - it's actually tomorrow, but C will be out of town this weekend, so we wanted to have our own little celebration. Our first little "party" at the new house! Last weekend, I asked my dad what he'd like us to cook for his dinner. He hesitated just a moment, then said "schnitzel! and Spätzle!" ....only in my family. ha! Well let me tell you - if you request a German birthday dinner, a feast is what you shall get.

On the menu: jagerschnitzel (schnitzel with mushroom sauce), salad with traditional yogurt-dill dressing, pickled red cabbage, and Spätzle. Dinner was delicious, and we all stuffed ourselves. I loved being able to cook dinner in my kitchen with the family gathered around the island, with enough space to actually cook and visit, without standing on top of someone or something! Space is such a luxury.

My cute parents!

Blowing out his "birthday candle"

We also did a German beer tasting with some beers I found from Wegmans - which was really just for fun. It mostly consisted of us taking a few sips of each and saying either "mmmm!" or "blech!" Very professional, we are!

Not a great pic, but my two favorite guys & my great new table!

On Sunday, my mom and I went for a walk / run at a park up the street, and then we went to the movies. Mom & I saw Lee Daniels' The Butler, and my dad and C saw Elysium. Splitting up for movies is so great - everyone ended up happy. After the movies, we went for brunch before my parents headed back home. It was a beautiful day, and we sat outside and enjoyed the weather while we ate.

I do love a good Bloody Mary!

Cheers!

It was a great weekend, and one of the first where it truly felt like we were able to enjoy our new home. I am looking forward to many, many more birthday celebrations here, and lots more fun times with friends and family!

What I know.

First things first... a big ol' happy birthday to my mama! Love you!

Hope your day is just as good as this one was :)

~~~

Day 2: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at.

If you asked my mother, she’d probably tell you that I know a lot about everything – or at least I think I do. I’ve always been that way – I’ve always been the smart one, the know-it-all, the one quick to correct others when I’m positive pretty sure that I’m right. It’s a character flaw, I know. When I read this prompt, though, I was stumped. Educate others? On something I know a lot about? Or do well? What the heck. I drew a complete blank. I know nothing! I was sure.

And then, out of the blue, a memory came to me. A distinct memory, from somewhere deep in the recesses of my brain. In third grade, we had show-and-tell with themes – animals, hobbies, what I want to be when I grow up… you know the deal. One month, the theme was “teach us how to do something.” I don’t remember what any of my classmates taught, but I’m sure they were the usual things: how to tie a knot, how to make a PB&J, how to jump rope. When it was my turn, though, I did as I always do, and made things complicated. I knew just what my lesson should be: I wanted to teach my classmates how to make a milkshake. Yes, really. It was something we did regularly at home – milkshakes, blender drinks, smoothies; we were always throwing things in the blender and giving it a whirr. So, naturally, that’s what I wanted to share with my class. Never mind that a ten-year-old can’t really bring a blender to school, and that the ingredients needed to be frozen, and that, generally, this was about as complex as show-and-tell could get. I had my heart set on it.

My mother, the saint that she is, indulged encouraged me, and helped me figure out a way to get it done. I brought a big plastic bowl and wooden spoons and a whisk, and we made arrangements to keep my necessities in the freezer in the cafeteria. A little while before show-and-tell, my teacher and I retrieved the ice cream, and left it out in the classroom to soften. When my turn came, I got up there in front of the class, put all my ingredients in the bowl, and stirred and stirred until it was finally “milkshake” consistency. Then I doled it out into little paper cups and served it to my friends. In retrospect, I’m sure it was terrible, but at the time, it was perfect. I was so proud of what I’d accomplished. Even in third grade, I knew that a hair-brained idea just takes a little persistence (or pestering of your mother) and a little manual labor (no idea how long it took me to STIR that milkshake up), and you can make it happen. Plus, I “taught” my classmates something really cool!

Moral of the story is, if anyone wants to know how to make a milkshake, just let me know… I’m something of an expert.

Disclaimer: this may or may not be an exercise in creative non-fiction... the details are the facts, as much as my brain can recall them. I did email my mom this morning to verify that it was a real memory, so that's good... Take it or leave it!

And now I’m singing “my milkshake brings all the boys to yard…….” – and so are you! 

Frohe Geburtstag! A German Birthday Celebration

For my birthday, my family went out to dinner at the most amazing restaurant that I always forget exists: Zum Rheingarten. 

It’s a German restaurant that is incredibly authentic, located in Stafford, VA, near Quantico Marine Corps Base. We passed by it in October or so when we were coming back from somewhere, and I decided right then and there that I wanted to go there for my birthday dinner. We had been there before (also for my birthday, I think!) when I was in middle or high school, but not again since. My mom made a reservation, we gathered up the troops, and we celebrated mein Geburtstag (my birthday) with one of the best meals I’ve had in a long, long time. 

After deciding twelve weeks before my birthday that I wanted this for my birthday dinner, I had German food on. the. brain. And I totally syched myself up for an authentic German meal. Zum Rheingarten did not disappoint! We started out with a round of drinks for everyone – hooray for gigantic German beers! I went with the Bitburger Pilsner, and it was delicious. Perfect accompaniment for my dinner selection: Jägerschnitzel vom Schwein! This is a breaded pork schnitzel, served with a Hunter style sauce (meaning dark gravy with mushrooms). It came with bread dumplings and apple red cabbage on the side. You better believe I cleaned my plate! The schnitzel was perfect – thin, lightly breaded, and gently fried, with that dark gravy that is so deeply flavorful. The apple red cabbage was killer, too – perfectly tart and sweet. It was EXACTLY what I’d been craving!

Delicious-ness.

I think that, between the 11 of us, we ordered 8 different dishes, and there was lots of sharing going on – forks and plates being passed so that everyone got a bite of everything. We tried so many different things off the menu, and everything was wonderful. I really think it says a lot about a restaurant to be able to have that many dishes that are just perfectly cooked – and have that many people completely satisfied with their meal. Hats off to the chef!

For birthday dessert, I went with a hazelnut cream cake, complete with a candle and a rousing rendition of the “Happy Birthday” song. I could not think of a better way to kick off my 26^th year! 

I am so thankful for my family, my parents and sister and in-laws and husband and friends-who-are-like-family, and so blessed to be able to pull all those people together for a night of celebrating. I repeatedly tell C – I really don’t need birthday presents or anything; I’d much rather spend the evening out, surrounded by the people I love, enjoying fantastic food and great company. It was such a fun evening! 

I can’t wait to go back to Zum Rheingarten again – we definitely won’t let it be so many years between visits this time!

Break out the candles and the pink champagne...

I'm 26 today!

baby cake gifted by my co-worker - so sweet & pink!

I love birthdays.

I'm looking forward to dinner cooked by my hubs and spending time with my family tonight...

...and trying to forget that I'm officially in my late 20s. Dun dun dunnnnn.

One.

Typically Late is one year old today!

A year ago today, I was sitting on the couch, and made a decision - I was going to start blogging, and actually stick with it. I was going to find my voice again, and I was going to find the words that used to come so simply. I didn't really know what I was getting into, but I was determined to start.

I have spent the last year documenting so many things - my recipes, my fitness, my relationships... My cat. (Normal.) I've been working through the writing process, which feels like an old friend. I've been dusting off my creative writing skills (which were carefully honed in high school and college, but packed away once I got to the "real world") and it feels good to really be writing again. Sometimes I babble like an idiot. Sometimes I ramble and lose track of my thought process. But it's always a representation of how my mind works. And it's always from the heart. I think I'll stick with it for a while.

I've decided over the past year that I have a motto, a catch phrase, a slogan (whatever you want to call it): be inspired, be inspiring. I read those words somewhere this year, and they've stuck with me. It's important to motivate and influence you - it leads to creativity and growth. I've been inspired by other bloggers, other runners, and other writers. But it's just as important to do the inspiring - and that is what I hope has happened over the last year. If I've inspired anyone over the last year, if I've encouraged even one person to try a new recipe or go for a run or do something different, then it means I've kept up both ends of that deal. Be inspired, be inspiring. Words to live by.

Happy birthday, little blog. I hope you have a nice long life.

The Last Cake of the Year

As part of my 25 for 25, I set a goal to make an amazing birthday cake for each of my loved ones. That would include my mama, my daddy, my husband, and my sister. (Obvi I have lots more loved ones, but I had to limit the cake-baking to a reasonable amount!)

My mom didn't want cake, so she got a delicious berries & ice cream dessert instead.
C requested Oreo cake, and it was amazing.
Dad wanted German chocolate and I went all out.
I had one more cake to go to complete this goal! And so......

Natty's birthday was at the beginning of September, and even though I was a bad sister and couldn't get a hold of her to wish her Happy Birthday, I still made her an amazing birthday cake that we ate devoured later in the week. As it just so happens, her and her husband's (weeeeird) birthdays are less than a week apart, so they shared a cake. Nat requested chocolate-on-chocolate, and that was perfectly fine for Roger. I had my orders! Wondering if I delivered?....

You bet I did. That, my friends, is a chocolate-on-chocolate masterpiece.

I used the same cake recipe as I did for C's Oreo birthday cake (because that was, like I said then, possibly the best cake ever) and baked it in a 9x13 pan instead of two round ones (don't forget to add baking time if you do this! Takes a bit longer - I think my cake needed 15-20 extra minutes). Then I whipped up chocolate butter cream frosting, using the recipe out of my classic Betty Crocker cookbook (I've said before that basic recipes are the best) with one tiny change - I was out of milk, so I used vanilla coffee creamer instead. HOME RUN! It was so chocolaty, but also had that nice balance from the vanilla... so sweet and creamy. Perfect! Using the Oreo cake recipe made getting this one done super easy - took almost no time at all. Can't beat that, can ya?

23 candles EACH - the least I could do since they were sharing a cake!

Almost burned the house down with this one.

I think the kids liked it, too...

Happy birthday, kids! Love you!

...especially since I got a text from Roger the next morning saying that the cake was just as good for breakfast. That's my kind of birthday!

Consider this goal officially complete. Happiness and cake all around!