Mountain Jamboree Festival...

this weekend, we went up on Massanutten Mountain to check out The Recipe at the Mountain Jamboree Festival...my sis turned me on to The Recipe years ago, & the kiddos love em almost as much as we do...i'd never seen them live & there were other activities going on during the Jamboree too...it sounded like a fun time, so we went to check it out!

there was a bouncy house...& a small petting zoo...

face painting & hooping for kiddos & adults alike!

they had a rock wall that Gabby couldn't wait to try out!

& she made it to the top super fast!

Gab giving it a try, gave Jaden the motivation he needed to work up the nerve to go for it...

he didn't make it to the top, but he did really well too!

but the best part was the real reason why we were there...the music! my sis & i were psyched!

& i'm super thankful that even tho my hubby isn't really a fan...he was happy to come along & enjoy the day with us ;0)

Suntrust sponsored the event, & they were handing out all kinds of goodies...fans, highlighters, light-up wands, sharpies...the highlighters came in handy too - the kiddos entertained themselves for quite some time...giving each other "tattoos"!

by the time we left, everyone had at least 1 "tat"...& the kiddos had their arms/legs/faces covered! ~lol~

the music was awesome...we had so much fun!

& we found a killer spot, right up front...i think one of my fav parts was people watching...as the night went on, the folks that came up to dance got more & more interesting (think, free hippies gyrating ~lol~)...& there was a hooping group there (they provided all the hula hoops for the kiddos to play with) - they were simply amazing! at night, they break out light-up hoops, which is even cooler!



we left before too late...we'd had our fill of fun & decided to hit McD's on the way home for ice cream...the kiddos had fun playing with their Suntrust light-up wands in the car on the way home ;0)

we had a great time...can't wait for next year!

weekend cakes...

this weekend's cakes started off with a beautiful 50th anniversary cake...

i was contacted by the couple's daughter...she sent me some old black & white pics of their original wedding cake, & asked if it was something i could replicate

i was VERY impressed by their original 1960 cake...it was extremely detailed, & had some super intricate string work decorating the sides...something i've honestly never tried to do...& since they didn't need a cake near as large this time around, i offered to create a cake inspired by the original

it was 3 tiers of marble cake, all iced in buttercream...i made the loops & all the side detail from royal icing...& decorated the cake with sugar flowers

the reception was decorated so lovely! there was a slideshow playing of all their wedding pics...& 50s/60s music playing...i'm sure the happy couple really appreciated all the trouble their children went thru to throw them this surprise party!

& i hope they loved their cake! :0)

Saturday, i had 2 cakes to deliver...one was a fun camo cake for 10yo Levi...it was yellow cake, iced in buttercream, then decorated in camo-colored fondant

then i met up with Gabrielle & Corinn's old preK teacher...her youngest daughter is turning 1 & she asked that i make some ladybug cupcakes for her party...they were fudge chip, iced in buttercream & topped with little fondant ladybugs

Sunday also required 2 cakes...this 1st one for my cousin's step-son...he has Asperger's like Jaden, & LOVES dinosaurs...specifically the T'Rex! his cake was yellow, iced & decorated with buttercream

& last, came my niece's 10th birthday cake...she requested a 3-tiered cake, ALL in chocolate (fudge chip cake & chocolate buttercream), decorated with bright polka dots (fondant)...so that's what she got!

& she was pleased ;0)

thanks for looking!

{this moment} sidewalk chalk

{this moment}

"Photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

inspired by SouleMama - a Friday ritual

ra-ra-ree, kick em in the knee!

we give the kiddos a choice of which activity they'd like to sign up for each fall...& generally, we don't do much during the summer - since the summer is filled with enough of its own fun activities

Scouts are a given - Jaden just finished his 1st year as a Bear & moved on to the Webelos...& the girls will begin their 1st year soon (Gabby, Brownies - Corinn, Daisies)...Scouts doesn't count in their 1 activity rule...beyond that, they have to choose between dance, gymnastics, martial arts, etc...this year was the 1st that both girls were old enough to try cheer leading - so that's what they picked!

i got a call from the coach last night...well, one coach - apparently, she only had Corinn on her roster...but she's gonna contact the other coaches, & get back in touch with me...obviously, it would be much easier to have them on the same squad - same practice/game schedule

i'm so excited! & actually, i hope the coach is looking for parents to help out ;0) i was a cheerleader back in the day - starting in 3rd grade, with this same crew! i was just a year older than Gabby, & back then, we were given simple green skirts & white t's with the county logo...no fancy uniforms, no poms, no socks, or pretty hair ribbons!

i continued cheering, all the way thru high school...i was a sturdy base, & could throw/lift one hell of a stunt! my girls really get a kick outta watching my old videos - a young, skinny Mama, doing jumps, holding shoulder stands, throwing basket tosses, & even busting a groove in some fun dance routines ~lol~ some of my very favorite memories are from cheering - bus trips to away games, hanging out with the girls before/after practice, pep rallies...it was all sooo much fun!

(senior year, 1997)

of course, who's to say that my girls will continue to cheer all the way thru their academic career? they may not enjoy it as much as i did...they may decide to go right back to dance, or even move on to a totally new activity next year

but hey, i'm excited to see em give cheering a try! ;0)

wordless Wednesday...happy birthday Misty!

i ♥ u!

last day of pool fun this summer...

this week's cakes...

u might remember Cindy? well, Miss Cindy put the petal to the metal after the wedding, & scored herself a bun in the oven right away! ;0) because i love this girl so much, i took it upon myself to throw her an office shower this past Tuesday...oh yeah, if i haven't mentioned it before - we are not only friends & cake cohorts, but we also work for the same software company

another thing we have in common? we both LOVE Cake Wrecks!!! so, i had to honor that by giving her what else, but...carrot jockeys! unfortunately, mine did not have mohawks :0( but they still were pretty cute ;0)

in case u've been hiding under a rock, & aren't in on the Cake Wrecks fun - here's some info on the three wrecks i included on Cindy's cake above

i think she had fun...& she left with a lot of loot! ;0) i can't wait for October to get here, so i can squeeze that little booger!

my weekend of cakes started early this time around...on Friday, i had to deliver two - one was this fun tiki for Becca's 14th, luau-themed, birthday...it was 2 tiers of fudge cake, iced in buttercream & decorated with fondant bamboo & palm trees, sugar flowers, & a tiki on top (sculpted styrofoam, covered in fondant & painted with food gels)

the 2nd was sort of a follow-up cake...Alyx celebrated her 9th birthday last month, by having a joint party with her big sis - remember the plaid cupcakes? this cake was to celebrate her actual birthday - today! she wanted to combine her 2 favorite teams - so i decorated the cake in VA Tech & Pittsburgh Steelers colored fondant...inside was confetti cake, iced in buttercream :0)

then today, i delivered 2 more cakes...1st was this sweet ladybug cake - for a little one, just as sweet...Miss Grace was super excited when i showed up to the party - her mom told me that all she's said she wanted for her birthday was cake! my kinda girl! ;0)

this cake was all yellow, filled with lemon buttercream & iced in light pink buttercream...i decorated the cake with pink & black fondant, & made the topper from styrofoam, decorated with fondant

& i've already gotten a note from Grace's mom...gotta love Facebook! ;0)
"Thank You so much for making Grace's birthday cake, not only was it adorable the cake itself was soooo good. :) You truly are really talented!"

& look - she matched her cake! :0)

and last, came yet another cake for Cindy! she didn't know about this one though...her mom secretly contacted me to also make Cindy a cake for her family shower ;0)

it was yellow cake, iced in buttercream...i made my famous fondant baby to top the cake, & little fondant baby laundry to decorate the sides

& now...i'm done for the weekend!
by 1pm on a Saturday?!

unheard of! ;0)

{this moment} so NOT twins!

(click to enlarge)

{this moment}

"Photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

inspired by SouleMama - a Friday ritual