Rollin on the river

boat trip time lapse from Raina on Vimeo.

Baking

I love to bake!
I have never been a big fan of cooking, but baking takes on a whole different experience. It is usually done with joy, and less out of necessity. I love that baking gives me a sense of accomplishment. I get to start something and see it finished all the way through. I also love to see other people find joy in what I serve. When someone smiles and says they like it... it validates me in a way that I crave during my daily clean-up of trains, messy plates, spills, and bed making. I cannot bake often or else it would ruin my kitchen and my work-out routines effectiveness. But, the bonus in baking is that I get to sleuth into blogs, books, and recipe boxes to find something that excites me. Once I have the urge, it is hard to stop me... and a friend of mine started a blog that completely inspires me to bake cupcakes! Lizzy is doing fantastic with her blog, and she told me to try out her Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes with Almond Buttercream. WOWIE! I may not be able to take the pictures that she does of her works of art, but I had to take a photo of it because I think I LOVE it!

I am trying to pass along my joy of baking to my kids, so we made some Father's Day cookies and I let them decorate them (most of them) and I think they were really enjoying it. I forgot to take pictures as they decorated, but here are their masterpieces.

Birthday boy

Emile's birthday was this last week and I had so much fun celebrating him. He's a little quirky, and kinda immature at times, but during his 32 years... I have had the pleasure of spending 13 with him. 13 birthdays where I have seen him grow into a better man, a gifted father, and a devoted husband. I am certain these have been the best years of my life! It is not about me though, it is about him. Celebrating his life and how it has intertwined with mine makes me kind of sentimental and proud of all that we have accomplished together. He is capable of so much, and he makes me more secure in who I am and what I can become.

Happy Birthday!

Oh yeah.. and I made cupcakes. See... I think they were cute.