Birthday Party

We had a birthday party for Mom on Monday. We grilled out and enjoyed yummy cake and pie. Ella even put on a party dress (she's not a big fan of the dress ya know).






I think he wants some cake!


Showing off the loot.


On a side note...there were "complaints" about the thickness of the pie crust. I personally like it a little thick but also can't seem to roll it thin enough for some people (Darren and Marla). I realize this pie had issues since I pieced the top together with hand smashed dough...but any good ideas for rolling the dough thinner and still being able to move it?

Pie and Cake

Check out these beauties. I bet they make delicious pie.



Better taste test just to be sure.



Add some spices.



There were some technical difficulties with the crust. Generally a good sign that things will taste good, even if they aren't all that pretty. Maybe I should say that it was a hand-crafted pie.



Yep, it was de-licious!



4 layer yellow cake with chocolate frosting. I rarely make layer cakes so this was something new. It's a touch lopsided. *note the pretty backdrop.



layers are a bit uneven but not to shabby for a first attempt.



Here is the "backdrop" I mentioned earlier. I asked Darren to take a picture of the cake and rather than move it to a clear area of counter he just snaps some random picture (it has been deleted). I may have mentioned something about making it look pretty and taking into consideration the area around it and the picture having a good backdrop. He disappears and comes back with this piece of cardboard packaging from a recent toy purchase. I had saved it because it was cute and I thought we could find some cool use for it...little did I know.

Happy Birthday to the best Mom ever!!

And I'm not talking about myself.

Mom - I hope you have a super duper, wonderful, better than any other before birthday that kicks off another spectacular year!!! Retirement anyone? :)

I found some "old" pictures of my mom. She's so cute! :)

Here was Mom's birth announcements.

And here is a congrats card someone sent her parents.

Here's a picture of my mom when she was roughly my current age. That's me on the left and Marnie on the right. We rescued a baby bird.

And here is Mom and me and Ella.

Everybody tells me I look just like my mom. What do you think?

"Black Raspberry" Pie

I made a pie...how pretty.



I stopped at a local market the other day and much to my delight they had a cart with several pints of "black raspberries". I was so excited! Last year we picked our own black raspberries but when we called this year we were just a little too late. I was so disappointed because black raspberry pie is one of my all time favorites...nothing like a slice of warm black raspberry pie and some cold vanilla ice cream - yummy stuff!!!

Well, when I saw those berries I started drooling and scooped up 4 pints!

Last night Darren and I made the pie...he was in charge of the insides and I was in charge of the outside. I think it turned out rather pretty!

Today, Granny came over for lunch (she is easily bribed with words like steak and pie). Darren finished his lunch first and couldn't wait for the rest of us. He starts eating his pie and says it taste tart. My reply - "you were in charge of the insides".

Not detered by his review I got my own piece of pie.

Warmed it.

Added ice cream.

Took a bite.

Something's wrong.

It doesn't taste like much of anything. Granny gets her piece and takes a bite and asks "are you sure these are black raspberries?"

Big. Heavy. Sigh.

After much discussion we decided that the berries were mulberries.

Lesson Learned!

We still ate the pie.

Pedicure

I got a pedicure.

It was so relaxing.

What do you think of the color?

July = Busy

July has been a very busy month.

We travelled to Wisconsin to visit Darren's parents for a week. We stopped in the Dells for a half a day. We spent a night at the cabin (I was eaten alive by mosquitoes and frequently quoted the Parent Trap "get me outta this stinking fresh air") and went to the Minneapolis Science Center.

We returned home in time to head to Canton for Sam's 9th birthday party and Henry's 1st birthday party. On the way home from there we went to the family reunion on my mom's side of the family. It was at a park in Zanesville that I haven't been to in years...much smaller than I remember it being.

Last weekend was a birthday weekend scrapbook crop. It was so wonderful to spend a weekend crafting with friends!!!

Here are a few pictures from all of our adventures...

On the Wisconsin Dells Duck Tour...


Feeding Deer at the Wisconsin Deer Park


Miniature Train Ride


Swimming in the lake at the cabin...brrr!


boating at the lake


Minneapolis Science Center...heartbeat machine


Science center - doing a puzzle


The birthday boys and Ella


Cake face



hopefully I will have more time and keep up with the blog a little better. :)

Aha Museum

We went with some friends to the Aha Museum in Lancaster the other day. The museum is a hands on play area with lots of pretend play areas - stage with dress up clothes, grocery store, bank, pizza shop as well as other interactive play areas like a sand table, climbing structure, face paint table...the list just goes on and on. It is a pretty cool place. Ella really enjoyed playing with Gracie and Tommy and we are looking forward to another fun get together soon.