you don't need to bring pizza. they got food there.

I hope you enjoyed my party post in the form of a poem. You may be thinking it was a total cop-out, and you know what? You might be right, but I just have so much in the backlog of posts that I had to get things moving.

So, again, in the interest of getting my blog "up to date," I shall be brief with my birthday post. After all, "brevity is the order of the day." Indeed.

Last Wednesday, September 30, 2009 was an absolutely lovely day to celebrate my birth into this world. The weather was sublime and the company truly delightful.

I was able to leave my place of work early and took full advantage of this by enjoying brunch outside at my favorite spot, Breadwinner's. Copious amounts of sweet baked bread and pancakes were consumed and I had the pleasure of dining with some of my favorite girls: Michelle, Haylee, Meredith and Kori.







I also received a very cute birthday sussie from Kori all the way from San Francisco. Thank you again so much friend for the adorable cupcake mug and Starbucks gift card!!







The day continued with one of my favorite activities, napping. Yes, I took a nap with Pearl and it was absolutely divine. There is nothing I love more than a mid-afternoon nap in a big, comfy bed.

Once we were rested up, it was time to head to Urban Crust for my birthday dinner with the fam. This new restaurant is located in downtown Plano and features wood-burning oven pizzas and a hip rooftop bar complete with an ice block to keep your beverages cool. I was very impressed with the snazzy bar, unique decor and inventive menu.







We started with some calamari and a couple of salads. All dished met my approval and we happily gobbled them up while waiting for our pizza.







Once the pizza came, I was in foodie heaven. We chose two pies: one with roasted chicken, caramelized onions, marinara sauce and mozzarella and the other was topped with fig preserves, goat cheese, prosciutto, arugula and a drizzle of balsamic. Holy Yum! The combination of salty and sweet enraptured my taste buds and I savored every delectable bite. Needless to say, we devoured every last morsel and there were no leftovers to take home...a rare occurrence for us to be sure.







We rolled ourselves out of the restaurant and back to the parental's home for a little cake and presents. I received a super cute Vera Bradley ID keychain from my sister and Nick and money for a pair of Toms from my parents. Thank you family!!!





And what kind of cake did I have you might ask? Well, I am happy to report the pops made me a strawberry cake with homemade strawberry cream cheese icing. Wow wowie wow is all I can say as words fail to do this strawberry goodness justice. It might be the best birthday cake I've ever had, so thank you so much Dad for delighting us with your culinary prowess.







I could not have asked for a more perfect day and I felt overwhelmed by love from beginning to end. Thank you to all for your birthday wishes, cards and gifts. You sure know how to make a girl feel loved on her birthday and I am beyond blessed with all those in my life.

happy birthday pearl.

A slightly belated, but very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite three-year-old in the whole wide world!!!



Haylee Grace, you are a girl after my own heart. We have quite a few things in common, but it is our affinity for all things cake (having a particular affection for frosting) and dancing that I love the most. You have the uncanny ability to spot cake a mile away, and you are one of the select few who share my passion for dancing. I pray you always dance like no one's watching. It is one of the greatest joys in life.



May this new year in your life be marked with new discoveries and countless opportunities for laughter. You have brought unspeakable joy into my life and I am exceedingly proud to be your Aunt Chie-chie. To say you're a blessing is a gross understatement, at best.



I love you more than all the frosted cake in the universe! Happy Birthday Hay-hay!

Tasty Tuesdays: Sweet 16

I apologize in advance for my major blog slacking. I am so behind on my posts, but promise I am working on my birthday party, my family birthday celebration and Hay-hay's Dore-themed fiesta birthday party. Ahhh...so much to do, so little time.

But that's not what this post is about. You're here for a recipe and I plan to deliver. Today's recipe is definitely one of my go-to recipes when I need a quick, no-fuss recipe for a batch of cookies. The beauty of the recipe is not only it's simplicity, but also it's range of possibilities. Since the base is a boxed cake mix (gasp), you can create dozens of different varieties by simply purchasing a different flavor of cake mix. Brilliant, no?

I have made these using spice cake, strawberry cake and yellow cake (with chocolate chips added). But perhaps my most popular variety is the beloved childhood favorite, funfetti cake mix cookies. This is what I'll be bringing you today. The recipe couldn't be easier, so if you have children, I highly recommend getting them involved!

Funfetti cake mix cookies

Ingredients:

1 box of funfetti cake
2 eggs
1/3 C vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Stir together ingredients (by hand) in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Drop tablespoon sized balls onto a greased cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

5. Allow to cool before removing from cookie sheet.

The cookies lend themselves to a soft, cake-like texture which I happen to adore. I'm not a fan of crunchy cookies, so these are perfect for me. My cake-mix cookies are always a huge hit with everyone, and I encourage you to experiment with all different flavors. I particular like to use a strawberry cake mix and add chopped strawberries to dough. I am also partial to using a yellow cake mix and adding chocolate chips.

Enjoy and whatever you are cooking in the kitchen, have a Tasty Tuesday!

chicks were born to give you fever

Once upon a time, there was a birthday girl who planned a night full of bowties, fedoras and pearls.



She invited all her most glamorous friends for a night in Old Hollywood they wished wouldn't end.













Her guests indulged her with cocktails to delight. She sampled their flavors throughout the glorious night.









Some also brought dishes inspired by movies, she thought the grape salad and cake were quite groovy.







There were also trivia games with prizes to win. A birthday without games is nothing short of a sin.









Those who remained serenaded her with the birthday song. With a homemade peanut butter cake, she couldn't go wrong.







The mingling and games were fun that's for sure, but the hottest of hot was the rockin' dance floor.













The birthday girl was showered with gifts that were grand. She has the best friends throughout all the land.









"Now you've listened to my story. Here's the point that I must make. Chicks were born to give you fever, be it farenheit or centigrate."

happy new year (to me)

Yes, that's right, yesterday marked the beginning of a new year in my life. Instead of saying Happy Birthday to me, I thought it was equally appropriate to wish myself a Happy New Year. This is not my birthday post as that is a rather daunting task and I'm not prepared for the undertaking at the moment. It was a perfectly lovely day and I'm blessed beyond measure.

I did, however, want to take a brief moment to acknowledge the start of a new year which prompts me to reflect over the past year in my life and look ahead to the future. What would I like to change? What would I like to improve? How can I be a better friend, sister, daughter and aunt? (That's a rhetorical question. No reponse necessary...ha ha) How can I pursue Christ in a way that would point others to Him as opposed to drive them away? How can I make God famous?

I know in the end, no matter what job I have, how successful I may (or may not) be or how much intelligence I acquire, it is all fruitless if I have neglected to pursue the author and finisher of my faith. So may this year's prayer be for perspective. May I cease to lose perspective when life happens. It is simple, but could be ground-breaking.