Happy 60th Grammy!

 

Pop's Bday!

My dad's birthday is this Thursday but due to scheduling conflicts we celebrated tonight. Mom made steak and hamburgers for dinner. Naphtali and I brainstormed and decided to do an "art themed" cake (what else reallly?!). Safeway printed out one of his paintings on edible paper (it dissolves into the frosting) and we made a strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream to put it on.

We took an idea from What's New Cupcake and created an artist's palette to go with it.
(What's New, Cupcake?: Ingeniously Simple Designs for Every Occasion)

He was pretty surprised!

Poor Amara got sick last minute so they didn't get to come celebrate with us. (Asa ate her portion.)

Asa's Cat in the Hat Party

Wilkins Bday Song for Asa!

Favorite Birthday Things!

Mike leaves really early  for work, but I woke up to freshly roasted coffee (roasted by Dad C), freshly ground in my new burr grinder and a happy bday sign on the fridge!  Such a great guy! Thanks babe!

And my sister-in-law made my favorite bday cake!  Funfetti Cake and Sprinkles Frosting!!!

Happy Birthday Naphtali!

We celebrated Naphtali's bday yesterday with brunch!  (Recipes over here.)

Some of the kiddos all tired out and watching Toy Story.

Amara's Paris Party

Naphtali threw a Paris Cafe dinner party for Amara - featuring mac and cheese for the kids and fantastic french onion soup for the adults. (Naphtali and I made up the cookies with the Paris cookie cutter I got her for Christmas. It's nice and large! We dipped them in frosting, dusted with crystal sugar, and she painted.  She put these in favor bags for the kids - cute cute.)

"Ring around the rosy..."

"ashes ashes we all fall down"

Amara's Bday!

Mike put these together on the spot with his iphone.

Christine's Baby Shower

Rachel and I threw an "Elephant/Carnival" Themed Baby Shower for Christine's little girl.

Christine and her mom

Caramel Cupcakes (recipe - notes on it over here) and Caramel Apple Cupcakes (recipe)

Me, Rachel, and Christine

Rachel and Laura (Thanks guys!!)

Luau Time!

At our multi-family yard sale earlier this summer a bag of luau party stuff didn't get sold - so we acquired it.  Naphtali and I decided that we should throw a luau before the summer was completely gone so we did it this past weekend - complete with plastic coconut cups for the drinks, flower straws, and every other cheesy thing we could find at the Dollar Tree.  A little chilly but not too bad!

Seth and Naphtali manned the "Tiki Bar."

I tried a couple different Hawaiian pulled pork recipes and finally found a couple we liked.  

Mike finally got to wear the Hawaiian shirt that has been in his closet since high school.