Approaching 30

family, surprise party, birthday, chicago, summer

Do you know how hard it is to write a recap of a weekend you aren’t ready to let go of yet? Hard. Chicago had everything going for it this weekend. Great food, perfect weather, a music festival that keeps hundreds of thousands in Grant Park so you can enjoy the rest of the city crowd-free and a […]

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Lessons in layer cake

birthday layer cake, ombre layer cake, white birthday cake, buttercream icing, blue ombre layer cake, birthday, holiday, baking,

Some of you may remember when I made my first attempt at an ombré cake back in March for my Mom’s birthday. It wasn’t a complete flop but I rushed through it, failing to execute the preschool-mastered skill of color order. Yes, it still tasted good and fit in with the whole St. Patrick’s day theme […]

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Dunk tanks and Explosives

owen's 8th birthday, golden birthday, red white and blue themed party, fourth of july birthday party ideas, water sports, dunk tank, firework birthday party, boy birthday party ideas, cotton candy

This weekend I flew home to celebrate my nephew’s 8th birthday, complete with a mix of water sports, explosives and cotton candy. I know what you’re thinking. What else could a bunch of 8 year-old boys want, right? Right. I can take little to no credit for the party or the details because my sister handled […]

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Moving Day

Hey there. Me again. Back after a brief hiatus with more photos and fewer words. I promise I’ll be back on a regular schedule once we are all moved in but until then I hope you’ll settle for a photo update of the last few days. Friday was spent down in Champaign celebrating with family and […]

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The art of unplugging

ultimate chocolate cake, birthday cake, easter cake, bird nest on top of chocolate cake

So I’m back in the city after several days visiting friends and family at home. If you read my last post, and by read I mean just looked at pictures, you have a pretty good idea of how most of the weekend was spent, laughing with friends and family, celebrating and lots and lots of […]

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So long, farewell

It’s been a weekend of celebrations and goodbyes. Several days of toasts and surprises. I am full. Both in my heart and in my belly. And while I don’t have a lot of words today, I do have a lot of photos. Special thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate our move, my Aunt and […]

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Showering Baby King

gender neutral baby shower, baby king, gray baby shower, sweets table, cake table, pleated cake, mini tassel garland cake topper, tassel garland,

One of my best friends is having a baby! If that phrase sounds familiar to you, it should. I’ve been saying it on repeat now for the last two years and probably will for at least another one. Yes, at times it does seem surreal that the girls I transitioned from friendship bracelets to bars with are now […]

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Farewell Chicago: Feeling Fortunate

sweet home chicago banner, farewell tour of chicago, chicago skyline banner

As our moving date approaches, I’m becoming increasingly aware of just how fortunate I am. I guess leaving a place after six years will do that to you. By now most everyone is privy to the big changes on our horizon and as much as I try not to think about saying goodbye just yet, the goodbyes […]

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

chocolate chip cookie cake, baking, cookie cake, birthday cake, cookies

Growing up, we were a birthday cake kind of family. Vanilla, chocolate, funfetti or according to my sister, only grocery store cake and nothing else, whenever your birthday came around, you were the deciding factor as to the dessert on your special day. Yes over the years there were clown cones and cupcakes, pies and ice […]

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Hearts and Love and Mushy Stuff

valentine cookies, valentine sugar sandwich cookies, martha stewart recipe, chocolate sandwich cookies, pink cookies

Let’s talk about love. On second thought, let’s not. Let’s talk about making the most of a holiday that celebrates love by whipping up some sweet treats for friends and family. Valentine’s Day is here and that means restaurants everywhere will have a chance to jack up menu prices just by throwing in a chocolate […]

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