She requested a chocolate rainbow cake with extra chocolate and rainbows… here’s what we came up with.

The inside frosting layer was also a rainbow! Now you can just imagine what I could do if I actually had a piping bag and tips. This is all ziplock back piping action!

Etta is quite the kitchen helper, particularly good at cleaning… here’s a little clip of her enjoying the “spoon”.

I never imaged I would like running. I tend to laugh at joggers (sorry it’s true). Somehow I started running, not far or fast but enough to get by, so go ahead and laugh when you see me ;).

The start…

Can you find me?

I’m right there (see yellow circle)?

And we are off!

We finished… and I was so red… you don’t really want to see that :)

All the photos were taken by my husband Colton Allen on one of his Pentax Film Cameras.

Our seeds have sprouted,  the morels are out for the picking, I seem to spend every weekend mowing our little yard, we are diligently planning our summer fun, and after the first round of exams I am squeaking by with A’s in both Microbiology & AP3.

Now back to work I go! :)

Inspired by Soule Mama…

A weekly post capturing a single moment from our wild life, to savor.

A weekly post capturing a single moment from our wild life, to savor.

Photo taken by Colton Allen.

We had a wild and crazy fun holiday around here! I crafted up a small storm after my triumphant finish to the Anatomy and Physiology course I was taking at my local community college. The most exciting fun of the craft storm was learning a new jewelry skill, metal stamping!

I made 3 necklaces with hand stamped pendents for my family and friends. However I managed to wrap everything and give it away without a single photo to document.

Last night I made this little something to dangle around my neck. The wedding ring has been around my neck for some time (my finger shrunk and I can now shake my ring off at will if wearing it),  I think it looks great accompanied by a little Etta pendent and crystal.

We celebrated in style with two parties, a little family dinner with cake and a toddler fun-a-thon double birthday party with Etta’s little (now 1 year old) friend who shares her birthday. Both events were very special, each in their own way!

The cake(s) were divine!

I spent a lot of time in the kitchen and am happy to say everyone enjoyed them thoroughly!

Etta requested a Lemon Cake for her Birthday Dinner…. so this is what I made….

For the toddler party, I made cupcakes… lots and lots of cupcakes!

Butterfly Lemon Poppy-seed Cupcakes!

Chocolate butterfinger cupcakes, chocolate buttercream frosted cupcakes,  crumb on the top & bottom cupcakes, and baby cupcakes!  Besides what is pictured, there were several plates of “backup” cupcakes in the fridge!

Etta and Colton have been reading it so much, they have most of the first half memorized and recite it beautifully together!

See for yourself!

With less than a week for Halloween we decided to go get some pumpkins this weekend and enjoy the Harvest Fair at our local farm in Phoenix.

We escaped with only three pumpkins! One for carving, one for baking and one for… well looks! Yellow stripes are cool!