Baby Shower Heaven

I had the pleasure of hosting two baby showers this weekend with the help of my wonderful aunt Jana and Cousin Tori. I had asked Jana if we could do Aaron and Iryna's shower in her back yard and since her and Tori were already planning Nicole's baby shower, we decided to combine efforts.  It was awesome! I loved having people I love working together doing what I love.

As I prepared for the baby showers, planning color schemes, making little tutu's for my little niece Sia, shopping for Nicole's little man and finding the perfect little outfits for Sia, I couldn't help but be filled with pure joy and excitement.  I can't wait to meet my little niece, to hold her, and shower her with love. 

I have also been so touched and proud of my little brother Aaron. He has grown up into such an incredibly loyal, sweet, compassionate, and doting husband and soon to be Father.  I get a little choked up thinking about it. 

I really admire Iryna's devotion to her and little Sia's health. I'm sure it hasn't been easy, but she just keep at it.  Oh and her rockn' it in a bikini the other day while 8 months pregnant. I'm so impressed and she looked beautiful.

Back to the shower, since we were doing a baby shower for both a baby girl and baby boy, we went with more neutral colors.  Thank goodness Iryna doesn't like pink.  We had peach, orange, aqua, and teal tablecloths and balloons. 

We made Rootbeer, Cap'n Crunch, Pina Colada, and Spice Cakeballs.  Every single one of the cakeballs were gone at both showers.  Jana made an Asian Coleslaw and fresh spring veggie pizza.  I made a spinach strawberry salad and the chicken salad sandwiches. Tori made an amazing pasta salad and helped me with all the cakeballs. 

The weather was perfect. Jana's backyard was beautiful with a few late season flowers still holding their bloom.  The food was great.  And the best part, 20 of the most loving, generous, supportive, and positive friends and family. 

It was such a good day, Iryna and Aaron both thought so too.

Here are some of my favorite pics

The Fear of Failure and the Joy of Success

I have thought so much about the book, the Alchemist this past two weeks.  Its about a boy who sets off on a journey to find a treasure he had a dream about.
A couple months back, while doing recipe research for my cousin's 400 wedding cupcakes, I stumbled upon the Cakeball.  I had never had cakeball or even heard about one at that point, but it looked amazing, so I stashed the idea away for a future use.
At my first opportunity I took my favorite pink grapefruit cupcake recipe and converted it into a cakeball.  They were so delicious.  I started making them for any and every event and then the idea hit me cakeballs are to die for good, it's a new thing, and I have a far more unique twist than any cakeballs I have seen.  All of the other cakeballs I have found are boring. i.e. Chocolate, white cake, red velvet.  I could make a successful business with these little balls of heaven and doing it being creative.
Goodness Gracious Cakeballs was born.  I am loving making cakeballs for birthday parties, baby showers, and the occasional bake sale, but I "had to step it up if I wanted to make it to nationals!"  So I applied for a booth at the Park City Farmers Market.  Im not going to lie, I was almost relieved that they didnt respond to my application for over a week.  I was off the hook, I could say I tried and that it was out of my hands.
But then I got the call that I was accepted and could register for the last 4 Sundays of the season.  Panic struck me with a furry!  I wasn't ready for this.  I couldn't do this.  There was too much to do, too little time.  
This is where the Alchemist comes in.

"There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure." The Alchemist

It helped me to remember that its ok to have fear, its not ok to not go for what I want because of that fear.

So I dove in head first, getting my food handlers permit, tax id #, finding and renting a commercial kitchen, purchasing everything I needed.
But when it comes to making over 500 cakeballs, I really couldnt do it all.
My other favorite quote from the Alchemist is:

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." The Alchemist

I felt the truth of this in my very soul.
My mom, aunt, cousins, and friends spent countless hours helping me in the kitchen from sun up until the wee hours of the morning.  They did more than I ever could have asked of them or ever expected.  Long after exhaustion had kicked in, they were still there.  Bagging and bowing gorgeous little cakeballs.  Then three hours later showed back up at my house to head up to Park City and spend 11 hours on our feet. 
The universe did conspire to help me sell 400 cakeballs, it did conspire to help me move forward in achieving my dreams.  It also helped me to recognize the AMAZING people I have on my side, who believe in me, and love me.
There is nothing better in life than chasing my dreams.
Check our my website :  www.ggcakeballs.com or www.ggcakeballs.blogspot.com

 

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I can do anything, I can do this

About 2 months ago I walked into my favorite baking/cooking specialty shop Spoons and Spice and purchased 2 vanilla beans. It was my first time holding a real vanilla bean and I felt a moment of intimidation, but then a calm that I know all too well came over me, "I can do anything." I have that attitude with almost all things in my life. I see something cool and think, I can do that, and then I do.


But as I walked out to my car marveling at my self assurance, I recognized a big area of my life where I don't feel like I can do anything, my weight. Baking hundreds of cupcakes and the 15 LBS I gained from perfecting my Coconut, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Carrot, and Real Vanilla bean cupcake recipes, helped me to recognize that I am addicted to sugar and a little out of control.

I had to ask my self, If I can do anything, why can't I do this? I pondered this questioned that night as I sliced open the vanilla bean to discover thousand and thousands of tiny specs of vanilla. It was almost magical. My first attempt at slicing and collecting the vanilla beans was less than stellar, but by the second bean, I had the hang of it. The vanilla cupcakes was phenomenally better than if I had just thrown in some extract.

Each little or big mountain I tackle, gives me that much more confidence to tackle bigger mountains.

So here I am tackling another mountain, because I can do anything, I can do this.
July 1st kicked off my self changing experiment.  I spent 15 days exercising regularly, both at the gym and going on several hikes. 
I didn't consume ANY sugar!! I even skipped out on fruit and stayed away from carbs.  I spent that 15 days eating nuts, string cheese, lots of veggies and lean meats...peanut butter and celery was my favorite breakfast.  I had zero alcohol..that's right, zero. I went to 3 different 4th of July parties, I withstood the social pressure and my love of a cold beer on a hot day.  I was committed and therefore it was an easy choice and what I had a blast.  I lost a total of 14 lbs in 15 days.  Day 16 was my birthday and wow, did I feel good about myself.
One of my favorite bday pics:

With all that has been going on in the last few weeks since my birthday I haven't been quite as strict.  I have been eating blueberries, watermelon, and the occasional treat.  I still have so much further to go, but its nice to know that I can do anything, I can do this!

The Freshman 15 of Cupcaketry

I must have been crazy when I volunteered to make cupcakes for my cousin Tori's wedding.  I thought, how hard could it be?  Well, It wasn't hard, just extremely time consuming.  But in true me fashion I had a blast doing it.  I loved doing something uncomfortable, something that I didn't exactly know how to accomplish, but in the end, ROCKED.  Maybe saying that my cupcakes "rocked"  is a little prideful, but I tried the cupcakes...lots of them and I thought they were "rocked" worthy.  As I buttoned up my jeans today, I had to admit that I tried too many cupcakes, about 5LBS worth of cupcakes too many.  So while Im now swearing off cupcakes, cookies, cake, and sugar for at least the next two months, I thouroughly enjoyed several weeks of cupcake heaven. 
I am now a pro at making
Mini Ruby Red Grapefruit Cupcakes

Mini Carrot Cake Cupcake

Mini Real Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Mini Coconut Cupcakes

Seeing Green in Chicago

What can I say but Wow.  I love Chicago.  I really would love to live there.  I am so drawn to the hustle and bustle of a big city.  There is always something going on. There was always something to see no matter which way I looked and I had so much fun with the girls.  My dear friend Amy, totally hooked us up with air fare and made it impossible to say no.
We embarked on the windy city the during its famous St. Patty's Celebration.  Lots of Liquor, a green river, and Leprechauns everywhere = More fun than I can write about.  But here are the highlights:
Shopping Mecca i.e. Crate and Barrel, Sephora, and Tiffany's & Co.
The best and most expensive pizza of all time at Gino's...Note to self, don't drink the "punch" its STRONG. Walking almost everywhere. My Tiffany's ring.  Taking people out in the drugstore with my new polka dot umbrella, much to the chagrin of Amy and Gab.  Sweetwater Sports bar. Our Boutique sized amazing hotel room overlooking the river, right on Michigan Ave.  The river being dyed green.  Our lunch at La Scarolla, no doubt run by the mob.  Benny's Booze Emporium....I could have spend so much more time and money there.  Jameson and Ginger.  Our drunk cab driver's ride of laughs.  Wrigleyville.  Fog. Cold.  Rain and more rain. 3 Green Tutu's...we created quite a stir wherever we went.   Fado and more Jameson and Ginger. Inviting a Sailor and a Leprechaun into our already squished cab was the best thing I ever did.  Hours of shenanigans at Shenanigans. Strategically placed Shamrocks.  The Corner Bakery.  Lunch at the hotel restaurant, my Jameson and Ginger that wasn't "a drink...its a Johnson & Johnson product...no more tears!"  Getting all dolled up.  Doing each others make up.  Getting back to the hotel at 3am and catching a flight at 6am.  The crazy cab driver's serenade of Sexual Healing.  Hours at the Denver airport.  And Home.

 

Blacksheep or Bust

The Black Sheep Family Christmas party is by far my favorite Christmas tradition.  I love the food, booze and most importantly the people.  My black sheep family consists of the majority of my cousins on my dads side.  We started celebrating together about 5 years ago.  We all believed that family should be there to support and accept each other.  None of us are perfect at this.  I'm certainly not perfect.  But some things are just easier to accept.  Its easy for me to accept people and their life choices, when they are based in love like Jill and Tammy.  But not so easy to accept the one's who are prejudice, selfish, thoughtless, bigoted, cruel, or vicious.  I am still working on how to love people like that.  Hopefully, someday I will find the secret.

Now, back to the food, booze, and people.  I added a few new things to my Mexican Chocolate Fondue tradition; Banana bread, pumpkin bread, black berries, raspberries,and my  new favorite,  salt & pepper kettle chips.  Dipped in chocolate, they were AMAZING!!!  I loved the Lemon Drop Shots, which is a where you take a shot of Vodka then bite down on a lemon wedge rolled in sugar.  So GOOD!

It was great getting to know a few new additions to our flock of sheep and I loved giving everyone a "Family of Blacksheep" family fold for X-mas.  It turned out so cute!!

                                                                       To Andrew