casey crocker’s Chocolate Cake

It’s Valentine’s Day on Saturday…so for this month Casey made chocolate cake=) which also doubled for her birthday cake that she also celebrates at the beginning of this month. (check out her bday post over on her blog)

Our afternoon together was almost cancelled due to a threatening winter storm…which didn’t happen at all, I’m sure this added to the happiness of all those Super Bowl celebrators out there. But at Casey’s house – all of us, Carl included, are non celebrators. Like we’re the people that hope that both teams lose=)  I ended up just driving in a bit of rain to her house and whew was I ever glad, I look forward to our monthly visit and the prospect of maybe not being to do it or reschedule it was very disappointing.By far this was the most fantastic time we’ve had together. Have I said that before? oh well I’ll probably say it every time…hehe! As we continue this adventure together our friendship is growing more and more…which is a good thing…but for our Casey Crocker sessions I’m not so sure. We are so interested in catching up with each other she cooks faster and I forget to take pictures=) Like she added a cup of coffee to this recipe, but did I get a picture of it? no!Oh and we both were able to use our crafty sides (well mainly it was all Casey) and make a banner for the cake and a heart runner for the table. Talking about life while waiting on the other to finish with the, single, pair of scissors, haven’t we all done this…at least one time? it was so fun! The house smelled so wonderful!!!! Casey and I were just taking our time surrounded with card stock, tape and string while we waiting for them to cool, completely. Carl comes around the corner and was like “it’s cool, enough.” haha someone was pretty hungry for chocolate cake=)Perfect!!!! so lovely!!!Sooooo Carl (who was so impatient to taste this wonderful smelling cake) was given the honor of being the first to taste this fabulous creation of his wife. BTW he loved it!Annnnnddd since it’s Valentines Day WHY NOT make a mini couple shoot of it?!?!?My heart is melting!!! =)

I took a piece home because of my evening (doctor’s suggested) restriction of sweets. And I ate it for breakfast (no judgment please=) y’all know you would have too. And Casey it was excellent!

So hurry over to Casey’s blog and get the recipe…

Happy Thursday!!! and I hope your Valentine’s Day is wonderful and everything that you hoped it would be.

 

My trip to New Bern…=)…

 

I spent the night of my birthday packing. I was flying to North Carolina early the next morning for a quick weekend trip to visit a girlfriend of mine….a birthday gift to myself, hey! it was my 21st haha=)  ….and I didn’t get started packing until about 12 o'clock (when all my siblings had finally gone home or to bed) and so when I finally had my shower etc. and was completely ready for bed it was way after 2:00 am. And on top of this I had to get up at 4:00 am…surprisingly I woke up to my alarm and I was pretty much awake, after only a few short hours of sleep=) (I slept a lot on the plane) My first trip to do solo and it was so much fun! It was so enjoyable traveling alone that I will be doing it A LOT more before I die=)

You know those trips you look forward to and think about so much, that when they happen there kinda a let down. Due to your expectations being way too high. But this visit wasn’t like that at ALL.  It was everything I imagined…no it was even better! Anne worked out all the plans, what we were doing each day etc., before hand and it turned out to be a magical weekend…one spent with such an incredible family. I will never be able to be thank them enough, for everything! They have no clue how welcome and special they made me feel.

Anne is a wonderful friend, we met several years back at a mutual friend’s wedding… She’s put up with me growing up, all my awkward life phases etc. I don’t know how and she still likes me…haha=) She’s a dear friend and I’m so blessed to have her in my life. I’m so grateful that God allowed our paths to cross.

So naturally I took pictures…enjoy=)

A turbo prop was the plane that flew me into New Bern NC from Charlotte.  The left landing gear had some problems and so our flight was delayed an hour, waiting on this to be fixed…sitting in this stuffy, warm little plane…with all those other people..fun right?!?!?Finally here at the Robinson’s home…this is the lovely mom of the family. she loads of fun=)and Kate…if I didn’t already have so many sisters I’d want her as my sister…=)And the incredible Anne…with the birthday cake she made me=) it was soooo good! This is Nicholas Spark’s house…no kidding! this completely made my day/weekend=)We went into the most darling toy shop… It really was…Mini photo shoot of the ANNE=)Kate=)Sisters <3Sharing coffee…I LOVE this one! She’s so beautiful!It was closed, but I got to look through the window=)The Robinson’s home…On our way to Cape Lookout we passed an island with wild ponies…they were perfectly perfect! I’ve only read about these and have never seen them before. Incredible! I left my zoom lens behind so this is as close a picture, as I could get…The Mr and Mrs=)She laughs all the time…you can’t help but be happy when you’re around her.There was barely anyone at the beach…it was sprinkling on our way out to this island, but it stopped. And we were just there for the window of good weather, it started raining on our way back=)  We went and saw The Hundred Foot Journey (just us girls) the last night I was there…we headed outdoors to take pictures of their dresses=)Lunch…did I say the food was amazing?!?!?!?And Anne took my camera=)hot chocolate…don’t tell anyone please=)Indianapolis at night…from the sky=)

And thus concludes my 21st birthday! It was so fun and relaxing.

Have a wonderful weekend! And enjoy this weather, fall will be here before we know it. Personality it could come sooner than later, I’m ready for summer to be gone…can’t wait for Autumn=)