Intro to Cake Pops!

I have been obsessed with a baker named Bakerella. She makes these things called cake pops and cake balls that are really good, but also very fun to make! To see her creations, check out her blog here. But... maybe you shouldn't look at her cake pops before looking at mine! :) Hers are amazing!! She also just released a cookbook.

My first attempt at these balls was this past spring. I wanted something unique to give to the kids' teachers as a thank you at the end of the year. So I made apples!

Pumpkin Pound Cake

I love fall.

I love the rich colors of gold, red, orange and yellow.

I love the smells of bonfires, crisp leaves, cinnamon, and apples.

I love the comfort of cooler weather and outdoor activities with my kids.

I especially love the flavors of spice, sweet apples, and rich pumpkin.

So I decided to make something that encompassed all the flavors of fall: a pumpkin pound cake with apple cider caramel sauce!

But first a visit to the pumpkin patch for some inspiration...

Hawaiian wedding

A lady that used to nanny our children while I was in school got married last month. When I saw the Hawaiian style invitation, I was very curious to see what the wedding was going to be like. My two oldest were invited to be junior groomsmen, too, so they got to sport Hawaiian shirts and shorts (and sandals!). No tuxes were seen at this wedding!

Chicago, Chicago...

I recently fell in love.

With Chicago!

My husband and I recently had the opportunity to travel to Chicago withOUT our three boys. Just us. Thank you, Mom and Dad!

Jane Austen bridal shower

After my last blog entry I felt I should write about something more positive and uplifting. Rainbows and puppies perhaps? I have nothing much to say about rainbows at the moment, and the only thing I can say about puppies is that I've always wanted one... The thought filled all of my childhood diaries, and every Christmas and birthday I held my breath, hoping... I even created a small black lab puppy out of my mom's old stockings, put eyes on him and gave him a tail. Then I'd carry it around with me, imagining I was holding a real puppy in my arms.

Ok, I'm feeling better now. You? Good.

My brother married an amazing woman this summer. I was fortunate enough to plan a bridal shower for her this spring, along with my other brother's (also amazing) wife. Knowing that the bride-to-be enjoys Jane Austen, we decided to do an English tea, complete with scones, sandwiches, cookies, and of course tea!