Tractor Cake for the Birthday Boys

My sister-in-law called me last week and asked if I could make a cake for her little boy's birthday. Ummm heck yes I want to make a tractor cake!!

 

Now to decide if I want to make a 3D cake or a sheet cake with some toy tractors on it. What two year old wouldn't want to push his tractors through a field of frosting and Oreo! Then I remember my crafty aunt has oodles of the Wilton formed cake pans. I gave her a jingle jangle, yes she had a tractor pan, of course I could borrow it.

  Alas I have no decent picture of the cake itself but the smirk on this little boys face should tell you it was a hit. Naturally he was drawn to the black frosting on the wheels.

That's his Buppa in the picture, they happen to share a birthday. Lucky boys!!

Harvest Day and Family Photos

This past weekend my family converged on the Acres for some togetherness, pumpkin carving, food, and a photo shoot.

 

I've been going through and editing the pictures this week. If you follow me on Facebook you probably saw a sampling of them Saturday night. I am in love with the way they turned out. We had a beautiful day and picked a great back drop, I might be partial as it was in our yard.

 

 





What's New on the Homefront

 

I was looking through my phone to see what pictures I had to share with you. You know kinda like a glimpse - here's what I've neglected to share with you for the past oh month-and-a-half.

 

I managed to get some canning in this year, despite the fact I let the garden go and the weeds took over. Weeds as tall as me. (YIKES) 'Twas not the year of the garden. But we did get some jars of dilly beans, some salsa, and pizza sauce. I also tried pickles using this recipe. Delish.

 

 

I've been sewing sporadically. Started working on some block for a sampler quilt. Also, a super top secrete project involving ALOT of pink that will be ready for it's big reveal soon.

 

 

Goose hunting opened a few weeks ago, Mr. B has been stalking the Canadians several nights a week. Did you know the season runs all the way into DECEMBER? Yeah, I'm already ready to have it over. Speaking of geese, anyone have any good recipes? I know that I'm going to make the bulk of it into jerky - we did that last year, but I'm willing to try something new. Also any recommendations on dehydrators? I'm going to purchase my own.

 

 Other than that not a whole lot. No house projects. We've been visiting family, watching football, family dinners, going to a crab boil, oh and my new little nephew arrived four weeks ago! Bad Auntie, no pictures.. 

Mommy & Me Photo Shoot

My Sista-in-Law and her little girl came over Sunday for a mini photo shoot. I had so much fun snapping pictures of the two of them. Thought I would share some of my favorites.

Love these Ladies. So blessed to have them in my life!!

Ruffle Cake

Growing up my Grandma always made the same cake every year for her birthday. An angel food cake with whipped cream frosting tinted mint green. It wasn't my favorite, not sweet enough. A fact I think I was more than vocal about on several occasions.

 

This weekend I made a cake with mint green frosting for my mother's birthday. I used a butter cream not whipped cream - I still partial to the sweeter frostings. As my family and I sat around the table enjoying our desert we reminisced about Grandma's mint green cake. I would love to be able to try it one more time. I know I would like it now and I would love to be able to tell her that.  

 

 

 

Peter Rabbit Baby Shower

I've been off the radar for a while, like a month. Yikes! You see I've been putting the vast majority of my creative energy in planning and putting the finishing touches on the most spectacular baby shower for an amazing mama-to-be, my little sista. 

 

 

 

 

Side note - see that corsage, those are itty bitty baby socks rolled up for the flowers! The little bump's daddy has some creative sisters.  

 

This shower has been in the works since, well, Easter when we first decided on a theme - Peter Rabbit. And found these invitations. Then the pinterest board was created and the ideas started flying. I love how all of the details came together to create a stunning event.

 

 

 

 

We were blessed with beautiful weather last Saturday - good thing, the shower was outside.

 

 

 

 

See that bunting hanging in the trees. I thrift some old sheets and my mother and I spent an entire afternoon sewing 225 feet of it. She ironed every single triangle - crazy I know. We also placed her in charge of chairs. Rather than getting the metal folding ones her and my aunt managed to wrangle dinning room chairs and benches for all of our guests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm in love with the details of drink station - with it's labled pitchers and mason jar cups. Let's not forget the paper straws! Mama lovers her Arnold Palmers, half iced tea half lemonade. So naturally we had both available. Oh and for us non-expecting ladies strawberry basil infused vodka.

 

 

 

 

A light lunch of chicken salad and cucumber sandwiches along with a few salads and fresh fruits and veggies was served.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course there was a plethora of deserts. There isn't a thing as too many desert options. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a beautiful afternoon to celebrate a beautiful lady and her soon to be bundle of joy. I feel blessed to have been a part of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Derby de Mayo with a Special Pinata

This past Satruday the Familia had our anual Cinco de Mayo celebration. Which morphed into Derby de Mayo seeing as the race was that day. It was a day of tacos, carnitas, salsas, mojitos and betting on the horses.

Of course there was a pinata, what feista is complete with out one? This year my little sista had the honor of brining it. She made it extra special, the contents of the pinata would tell us if her little bun was a boy or a girl; gender reveal pinata!  

I love these pictures of my parents' reaction.

Nana's face is priceless - you can really sense her excitement.

We are all looking forward to meeting the little man in a few months!

Sunday Funday

A few months ago my sista and I took a photography class. One thing I took from that was my need for a 50mm lens for better indoor pictures, especially of people. It is able to let a lot more light into your photos.  

The Easter Bunny delivered. 

Thanks Familia for being my first models. 

Quality Controll

Happy Monday to you! Did you have a good weekend? Over here at the Acres we had a busy one! There was some spring cleaning, furniture building, Sunday dinner with the fam, and we had a house guest all weekend.

He took one for the team and quality checked the frosting for the cake we were making for Sunday.

He heartily approved.

Tell me, what is it about kids covered in sugary sticky frosting that makes them so darn cute?

Birthday Dinner

When Mr. B asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday this year, I thought long and hard about what I wanted. I decided that I wanted to have a dinner party. I wanted to be surrounded by friends and cook a spectacular meal. That's exactly what we did.  

Two of my favorite munchkins were there. 

I never got a picture of the cake. But it was delicious! Mr. B put his foot down and said I just couldn't make my own cake. He took me to my most favoritest bakery and let me pick out deserts. I don't know what I was thinking I only picked out one slice per guest. No left overs for me, back to Girl Scout Cookies today. 

What I did last night

Did you have a good weekend?

Mr. B and I went into the big city for date night on Saturday. Then Sunday we headed up for family dinner at my parents. The kids brought over their Wii and everyone took a turn at Dance, Dance Revolution. It was rather amusing watching everyone trying to dance along with the TV, Wii remotes in hand.

We are experiencing the 'polar vortex' yet again. I wore my long underware to work, it's that cold! This time I've been leaving the cupboard doors open in hopes the pipes won't freeze again. The geese have been moved to the basement for a few days so their toes don't freeze. I gave them a talking to last night to remind them to use their inside voices. So far so good. The weather looks like it will improve soon and they will be back outside tomorrow.

Last night I made us a bunch of breakfast sandwiches. They are tucked away in the fridge and will be breakfast for the week. One minute in the microwave when we get to work, and BAM delicious balanced breakfast. So much better than the bag of Cheetos and snickers bar I had last week.

Erwin

Last week Friday we brought home the newest addition to our family. Why am I waiting till a week later to tell you this story? Well I wanted to make sure this story had a happy ending. You never know what its’ going to be like when you bring a cat home and expect your dog to be OK with it. The dog that has been an only child his whole life. The dog who loves to chase cats. The dog who goes nuts when Mr. B pretends to be holding a kitty. Yes we brought a cat home to that dog.

I had been looking around for a kitten. Don’t judge me, but a wanted a cheap or free kitten. I had been looking for a few weeks going back and forth on the whole thing. You know it’s a free kitty then it’s the shots and the vet visits and of course we would get him/her fixed. I don’t need no grand babies anytime soon. Then I thought hey, why not try the humane society. They always have lots of cats, and they go home already fixed and with their shots. Wouldn't you know, last week they were having an adopt-a-thon. They had too many cats.

So Friday night we drove to the city to look at cats, I was prepared and had already submitted our application for pre-approval. As long as we picked out a kitty that was already fixed we could take him/her home that night. (saves us a trip). On the way there we noticed the MINI wasn't running quite right. Ok not a biggy make an appointment and Mr. B would drop her at the shop tomorrow. We were thinking the clutch was starting to slip. Well we get almost there and it is apparent the clutch isn't just slipping, it’s almost shot. NOT GOOD.

How does this happen? Well, probably a combo of Mr B driving it like a race car, the previous owner, and well um me resting my foot on the clutch. In my defense even though my instructor was great in teaching me to drive a manual, luv you honey, he never told me not to rest my foot. How am I supposed to know something that was never told to me!

We were able to make it to the humane society. Since we were there Mr. B had me go inside to pick out the cat while he made some calls to have the MINI towed to the shop and find us a ride home. I have an awesome husband, I know! There were so many fur babies to choose from. How was I to pick. I looked at some kittens and meet with them one on one in the adoption room. They were soo tiny and a tad on the skittish side. I talked with the staff member about wanted a laid back sociable cat. She suggested one a five month old male, we met with him and I fell in love. 

We decided to name him Erwin, after the physicist Erwin Schrodinger. Letting our geek flag fly just a tad on that one. The paperwork was completed and Mr. B had made the arrangements for the car. The three of us took a taxi home and the car was towed to the shop. Then it was time for the boys to meet. 

Obviously since I’m here telling you this story it has a happy ending. How happy? Well only time will tell how awesome it will get having two fur babies in our house. But let’s just say when I got home yesterday they were both taking a nap on the bed. Yes sleeping in the same space together, willingly.  

And how's the car you may ask? Almost $1000 later the MINI is back in tip-top shape.

Carving Pumpkins

Last weekend when the fam was over for Harvest Dinner, Nana was kind enough to provide pumpkins for all of us to carve.

Yes that's Larry and Eugenia in the background. They don't have any fall clothing, or summer for that mater. They have been hanging out au natural. Perhaps they need some camo since goose season is open..

Some of us were to busy watching foot ball to bother with pumpkins. Or don't like to touch the gooey insides (Mr. B).

This belongs to the self proclaimed un-crafty sista.

Can you tell what it is?

 

Not a bad cat for an un-crafty carving free hand.

Catching Up

It's been awhile. Like almost two weeks awhile. It's not that I have nothing to share with you. Oh there has been lots happening around here. Mr B and I have been busy turning our to do-list into a to-done list. I haven't had the camera out, nor the ambition to write something. It seems like we have been go go go from the time we get home till the time we go to bed. But now that the list is relatively small I think we shall be able to catch up on things.

You see my family was here Sunday for a 'Harvest Dinner' and I can get slightly neurotic about having people over. Let's just say I was barely holding it together on Friday night, then the drill slipped and I caught my finger. Full out sob fest. Like sitting on the floor balling my eyes out snot running out of my nose holding my wounded finger. All the while Mr. B is calmly sweeping up letting me cry it out. That man is my rock, I don't know what I would do without him. But let's keep that between you and me. OK. Don't worry I pulled my self together, almost to lose it Sunday morning frosting a cake, that in Mr. B's words we were just going to cut and eat any way. But I wanted it to look like the picture, not the corners crumbling in, barely held together by sticky gooey icing. I want everything to be perfect. I blame my mother, but mainly pinterest, and the create channel. 

While I sit here now eating my beets. (yes just a bowl of beets for dinner. I truly am becoming my mother) You know I had a nice pail of the last of the garden put together Saturday. It was sitting outside by the garden. All I could think about at work today was coming home and having fresh garden beets. While silly me I shouldn't have left it all outside. The geese got to it. Don't tell but I scavenged the pile to find a few beets that hadn't been chewed on. They are delicious. Now wonder the geese and probably the squirrels like them. 

But any way, sitting here eating by beets it all seems trivial. My family isn't going to care if my registers are painted oiled bronze including the screws, or my fall vignette is set up. Nope not one bit. So guys thanks for coming Sunday and not minding that I never got around to scrubbing the toilet!! 

Thursday Night Game

Thursday night Mr. B and I hopped in the car and trekked up to our home town to watch my nephew's game.

I was pretty impressed. I didn't realize that the boys were pitching themselves in third grade.

The team played well. Unfortunately it wasn't enough.It's still early in the season. Maybe we'll have to try and make one more.

Generations

Yesterday afternoon we went to Mr. B's parents house for a cook out. I was a special cookout. His sister and her husband were visiting from Mississippi. They brought their new baby, Logan.

He's such a handsome little boy. And a good baby. I did earn my auntie badge of honor, yup spit up on. Let's just say I was wearing a slight v neck. I'll let you figure out were that went. 

Grandma Francis stopped out. Four generations of Stubbes. 

This is probably one of my favorites of the afternoon. Grandma with her great-grandson.

Same laughs. 

Priceless.

Buppa Bernath stopped out. Four generations of Bernaths. 

Right as we were setting up to take the picture Dillyn announces to me that she's going poop. 

I wouldn't want my picture taken during that either.

That's better.

Family Gathering

Saturday we got together with my family for a cookout at my parents house in honor of my fathers birthday. 

It was also my nephews birthday. He looks older every time I see him. 

There was good food. Nana maned the grill. My father normally kills everything twice when he does it. Nana on the other hand, her chick is perfect every time. She says its all about timing it. 7 minutes on one side 6 on the other. 

Family togetherness.

Toad rescuing. Does't he look like he was dying to be rescued from the window well.

A almost failed crafty project. Don't worry we saved it. My little sister is the self proclaimed least crafty of us.  

And what cookout wouldn't be complete without a trip to the pond for some tadpole catching.  

Muck boots optional. 

They were too small to keep this time. Maybe in a few weeks.

I guess we will have to have another cookout soon.