My husband Joe makes the best cakes, so making a cake for his birthday is always a bit daunting. We absolutely love the Cinnamon Fudge Birthday Cake recipe, and it's one of his favorites to make for others, so I thought I'd try making one for him.

With the craziness (and expense) of raising four children, my parents usually celebrated Valentine's Day with a special meal at home. The most vivid recollection I have of this was when I was in middle school - the year that my mom arranged for us kids to be the chefs and servers.

Fall is definitely in the air!  Cooler weather, changing leaves, hot cider, fresh apples, and plenty of comfort food...I love every bit of it!  Now that school is in full swing, I have been busier than ever.  Many of the fall activities at our school are underway, so my responsibilities as Vice-President of the PTO and Head Parent for Sydney's 3rd grade class have kept me beyond busy.  Between redesigning the PTO website, planning fundraisers, and getting parties planned for Sydney's classroom (in addition to everything I do as a stay-at-home mom), I don't have much free time.  But who's complaining?  I really do love it!

My daughter, Sydney, just started 3rd grade a few days ago.  So to help welcome her new teacher and to show our appreciation, we decided to make a Buttery Pound Cake for her.  With some simple wrapping, curly ribbon, and a card, we were all set.  I hope her teacher enjoyed the cake as much as we did.  I ate this cake for breakfast for three days straight!  Based on what I heard back from Sydney, it sounds like her teacher was pleasantly surprised to get it, which is always a plus in my book!

Dessert anyone?  Cake is by far one of my favorite sweet treats.  I love to bake, especially when it means creating something special for someone on their birthday. 

In this season of family reunions, bridal showers, baby showers and picnic lunches, a classic treat like the cupcake is the perfect playful dessert to top off your celebration. But, why not give the old family stand-by some fresh flavor? All you need is that summer staple: lemonade!

  Each 4th of July finds my family celebrating at a friend's home at a nearby lake.  This celebration gathers together many families and multiple generations from toddlers to grandparents, and even great-grandparents.  Swimming, boating, lawn games and just plain old good conversation fill the day.  And of course, there is great food!  Everyone brings something to grill and something to share.  The resulting smorgasbord is an outstanding display of homemade delights.  Baked beans, fresh salads, garden vegetables and tasty snacks cover a minimum of three large tables.  But, the dessert table is the crowning glory! 

It’s baseball season. The professional teams are in full swing and summer leagues are going strong. I’ve always enjoyed watching a good ball game. When my older son played in a summer league I looked forward to those lazy summer nights enjoying the beautiful weather and watching the boys play. I don’t know how many “end-of-the-season” parties I helped with over the years but, I do know that when I made Baseball Cap Cupcakes I hit a home run.