A Cake for Every Occasion

Most of my cake updates are blogged on my Cake website, but this one deserved some special attention so I'm also writing about it here. Not special because the cake was of Duff or Buddy-calibre particularly, but because of the history behind the person the cake was for.

This client ordered a wedding cake from me a couple of years ago for a wedding at the Fireside Grill. The bride on that day, due to the busyness that is common at a wedding, didn't actually get a taste of her own wedding cake.

As a result her husband gave the most romantic gesture when a year later he commissioned me to recreate the top layer of his wife's wedding cake to present her as a surprise on their first wedding anniversary weekend away.

Well this week the bride's Mum ordered a baby shower cake as the happy couple are expecting a little bundle in the very near future. The inspiration for the cake was a Sims-like owl, and the browns, greens and blues you see on the owl are a reflection of the baby's nursery colours and the quilt the Mum made for her grandchild.

The owl itself was made out of chocolate.

Congrats you guys on the nearly-here new arrival. It's been a privilege to have been a part of so many milestone moments in your lives together.

Snowy Fun at Midnight!

Ok. Don't judge me.
I know my children are only 9 and 11 years old but the choice we made last night resulted in family memories we'll have forever.

We had quite a heavy snowfall last night. It was a Tuesday which is when our Bible study meets at our house so around 9:30pm or so once everyone had gone, the kids got in their PJ's and into their beds, and I did a bit of kitchen cleanup before heading downstairs to jump on the treadmill. By this time it was quite thick outside and someone had rung the house to say Haliburton was closed by the police because someone slipped into the highway etc.

Fastforward to 10:40pm. Darrell is playing hockey and due home within 20 minutes and I’m 5 minutes away from the end of my run so running quite hard. We get a power outage....while I’m running on the treadmill! Imagine that !! It actually could have been a little dangerous because my machine came to quite a quick stop but not quickly enough to jar me or cause any injury so for that built-in-slow-down mechanism, I'm grateful.

The kids, however, weren’t totally asleep (excitement about the possibility of finally using their new sleds the following day) and suddenly Brooklyn got a bit scared so I made my way upstairs and lit candles everywhere and told them they could come out of bed and watch the snow through the windows by candlelight with me (aahhh).

Well 20 mins. later Darrell gets home from hockey and says he’s a bit hungry. And I was feeling a bit disappointed that I couldn’t have any tea after my shower (which, incidentally, was in the dark but lit by Brooklyn holding a flashlight shining at an angle at the bathroom mirror which completely lit up the shower stall - genius!)

SOOOO – we all got into his truck and we drove to Tim Horton’s in our jammies !!!! The kids thought it was awesome; we are sitting at Timmy’s at midnight in our pj’s (except Darrell who explained that as he was paying, he was not held to the same jammies-requirement), eating donuts, drinking tea and are the only other people in there except the workers from BC Hydro!!!! Haha

Shockingly though, in town today the snow is all gone as it didn’t freeze and then started to rain in the middle of the night. So my children, who I’m sure thought there’d be no school today, will be more than zonked by the day's end.

I am just hoping that the giggles that ensued as we looked at each other in our flannels and housecoats, will far surpass one day's exhaustion :)

Crazy 40th Birthday !

Well Merry Christmas blog readers!  I hope you had a wonderful time shared with friends and/or family.  December is always a crazy time around the Richmond/Turner household.  Largely because there are also 6 family birthdays in the same month!  SO I generally just hand everyone my chequebook from December's paycheques and have at 'er !!

But this year was a little unusual as it was .... my ...... 40th BIRTHDAY !!!!  YAHOOOOOOO !!!!

Now I realize that 'yahoo' might not be the most normal reaction to someone's 40th birthday but I was PUMPED to turn 40.  Crazy I know.  Especially as I was bummed out to turn 30.  But there are a few differences.  At 30 I was pregnant with my second baby and had only just started a regular exercising routine 2 years before when my son was born.  I wasn't as fit as I am now at 40.  I was healthy, but not as fit.  And I feel like I became myself in my 30's so now at 40 I am who I was meant to be.  As I started my 30's there was still that sense of "but who will I become?.....will I be successful?  will I be anything other than what I am right now?" 

But now at 40 I feel like I am my whole-self.  I love my life and am completely happy and at peace about who I am and what I do.  I feel like I've found a good balance between family, work and social life.  And the ironic thing is ..... I still have the exact same job I did when I turned 30 !!!  Or at least the same type of job with the same employer (UVIC).  But I am a woman who is thrilled to be the mother of the most wonderful 2 children in the world, married to the most wonderful man in the world, and who has the most wonderful friends in the world.  Who could want more than that?

Ok.  Well perhaps to be picked up from shopping at the mall on my birthday by a limousine to bring me home?  Yep.  Darrell planned that one.  40 years old and I just had my first limo ride !  It was great fun.  And a beautiful dinner to follow.  I think from now on, whenever I go shopping in the Boxing week sales, I want to be picked up in a limousine........

I hope and pray that 2011 brings you health, happiness and an understanding of how much God loves you.

Happy New Year to you all !!

This free digital collage personalized with Smilebox

British Invasion Sweets & Goods - on Facebook!

My sister's store - unlike me! - is on Facebook!  So sign up to become a Fan of British Invasion Sweets and Goods.  And if you're anywhere near Peachland on Christmas Eve, pop in for some mulled wine from 10am until 2pm!

Christmas Moments....

I absolutely love Christmas.  I love the carols on the radio, the Christmas cookie exchanges, the delightful English goodies I only afford myself at this time of year and every musical and dramatic performance my children perform in.



The 'Happy Couple' - hahaha!!

The 'Other Happy Couple' !!



The boys hanging the outside lights

 Last night we had the kids school Christmas concert and this morning went to Brooklyn's participation in her Class's presentation at the Friday morning chapel. We picked up my Mum Wednesday night at the airport so i am feeling completely comforted and Christmasy.

 



 



The Christmas Season is Upon Us!

A snowfall that sent us home from work/school half a day early, 4 1/2 dozen mincemeat tarts in the oven, and my Christmas village and Nativity Set all up on display.

YEP!  It's officially the Christmas season at our house!

Nanoose Bay Fundraiser

Last night we had a great evening at the Fireside Grill where Darrell and other Sports Staff members organized a Fundraiser Dinner for Nanoose Bay Camp where we volunteer every summer.  The restaurant was full - 112 people! - and we had a great band, wonderful food and a presentation about the camp's future and immediate needs.  So I made a cake that was a replica of the chapel.  Anyone recognize it?