A Birthday Cake for Dad

Remember how Patrick and I are obsessed with the TV series CAKE BOSS? Well, for Christmas Patrick gave me a cake decorating kit from Buddy's official Cake Boss line of products. I had been waiting for an excuse to try it out and decided my Dad deserved a fancy cake for his birthday this year.  Patrick helped out with much of the decorating and while we kept expecting a disaster similar to something you'd see on the show to happen, the whole process went quite smoothly. No collapsing cakes or peeling away fondant in this kitchen!

We figured it took us around 6 hours to create our masterpiece from start to finish. That seems like so much time but, hey, it was our first attempt to do anything like this and we were determined to get it right! Here's a glimpse of the process...

Saturday Night:
Making the marshmallow fondant. 

I decided that fondant is pretty much Play-doh for grown-ups.

Sunday Morning:
Yes, Patrick is in his bathrobe.  We filled the cake and dirty iced it before church so it would be ready to cover in fondant and decorate when we got home.  

Dirty iced in buttercream frosting.  So glad this part does not have to be perfect because cake frosting is definitely not one of my talents...

Covering the cake was the part I was most nervous for but it wasn't as difficult as I had imagined. (Which is probably because Patrick was the one who actually did this step!) 

Sunday Afternoon:
The finished product!

We were so excited to show off our hard work!

Dad! He doesn't like to smile for photos, but trust me, he was excited to eat his cake!

I think Mom was a little excited, too.

Happy Birthday, Dad! We love you!

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

Growing up, I was not especially fond of my name. It seemed as though at least half of the girls in my school class were named Amanda. One of my favorite books growing up was "Chrysanthemum" by Kevin Henkes. This picture book is about a little mouse who doesn't like her name. Her classmates tease her because the name Chrysanthemum is soooo long, doesn't fit on a name tag, and it is the name of a flower.  Even though this fictional mouse and I had different reasons for wishing we had been named something else, I really felt I could relate to Chrysanthemum so I read her story over and over. Plus, the book has darling artwork and is charming and funny.

Really, I love each of Kevin Henkes' books.

When the Utah Children's Theatre announced "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse" as part of their season, I was ecstatic.  How amazing would it be to bring one of Kevin Henkes' books to stage?!

Sadly, my schedule didn't allow for me to audition for this play. However, I did have the opportunity to put together some bits of choreography for it and was so happy I could be involved in this production in a small way.

I saw the show's closing performance and enjoyed every minute of it.

I had several dear friends in this show and I was very entertained by each of their performances.

Chantryce made her debut at UCT in this show. With her infectious smile and endless energy, she is a great fit for children's theater!

How cute is Bailey?!

Meighan usually is cast as the evil or mean character. (She is not mean in the least in real life, just a really talented actress.)
She made such a cute mommy mouse.

PS I appreciate my name much more now that I am older and feel I found the perfect fit for me in the nickname Mandi.

The Vintage Whites Market

One thing I really appreciate about my friend Heidi is that she is always on top of what is happening in Salt Lake.  Without her I would miss out on so many fun things, such as The Vintage Whites Market.  This is the second time this market has been held in SLC. We went last year and had the best time and I was so happy for a chance to go again. I wanted to buy just about everything in sight. Attending the market really is a test in self-control for me.

The Vintage Whites Market was started by two women from Montana. All the more reason to love it!

Kayla was able to come along with me and Heidi this year. It was interesting to see which vendors and items each person was drawn to.
It is a bit hard to fully appreciate it from this photo, but I loved this photographer's idea. She had two trees that she strung string across and clothespinned her photos to. Planning to borrow this idea sometime in the future.

The Vintage Whites Market was held at the Utah State Fairgrounds. As you can see, it was absolutely packed with vendors and eager shoppers.

So sweet and charming.

I had been wanting a little dish for us to keep our rings in when we are washing dishes, sleeping, etc. and I was so happy to find this white one. Not an owl, but I still think it is perfect. I also found this blue frame. I donn't have the right photo to put in it yet, so I put together a little some to fill it in the meantime.

Already looking forward to when The Vintage Whites Market returns to SLC next!

Meeting Baby Esther

There is a new addition to the Jensen Family... Esther Joy. She is about as beautiful and perfect as babies come. Patrick and I were so glad we had a chance to meet up with Jay, Aubrey, and Grant on Friday for a bit to catch up and meet Esther for the first time.  

I had some nice cuddle time with Esther.  I could have held her forever. She has that wonderful brand-new baby scent and makes the cutest noises while sleeping.

That face! Grant is such a handsome big brother.  He has so much personality and is a smart, little boy. We are always entertained when Grant is around.

I am so happy for my brother, Jay.  He has the sweetest wife and children and is such a great dad!

A Year of Dates: March

I remember driving by Scheels during its construction and wondering how it would ever be possible to find enough sporting goods to fill a store so humongous.  Then I found out there was a Ferris Wheel inside. And a restaurant, an aquarium, mini-bowling, and much more. It now all made sense.
It seemed Scheels could provide a whole evening of entertainment and so it made it into my 'Year of Dates' as March's outing.

The two "must-dos" on our agenda for the date were to ride the Ferris Wheel and find a treat at Gramma Ginna's Restaurant and Fudge shop. However, as you can see from the photo overload, we found lots of additional things to keep us entertained on our visit...

The 65-foot tall Ferris Wheel.

Patrick was so worried I was going to drop his new phone but I had to get a foot photo.  It's tradition so it was worth the risk (to me, anyway).

Loving the view from the top of the ride.

Patrick was a little nervous when the Ferris Wheel stopped at the very top so I made sure to hold his hand extra tight. :)

The wildlife mountain. Despite what you might think from the goofy pose and expression on my face, I was actually really impressed by the display.

There were several fun scenes set-up specifically for photo opportunities.  I am all about taking silly photos so I was in heaven. I am lucky that Patrick is always such a good sport.

I love that I can say "Merry Christmas!" after each of our 'Year of Dates' adventures.  I am glad this gift has turned out to be such a success, so far.  It's just the best having something special that we can both look forward to each month.

A Dream Come True

Once upon a time (as in last Friday), the company I make my Little Mermaid and Cinderella appearances through hosted their annual Daddy Daughter Princess Ball.  Pirate and Princess Parties know how to make little girls' dreams come true.  The event included appearances by all of the favorite princesses, carriage rides, fancy treats, and a chance to dance to your heart's content.  The night was a dream come true for this girl, too.  I was able to borrow the costume and wig needed to portray Rapunzel. I just adore Rapunzel- her personality, her story, and her amazing hair, of course!

That wig!

It brings me back to my long-haired days...

Beautiful, but I can't imagine trying to maintain it between parties and events.

Hosting princess parties is usually a solo job so it was such a treat to meet all the other sweet and talent actresses who work for the company.  It was fun to swap princessing stories and get tips on costumes, wigs, and make-up from each other.  I especially enjoyed getting to know "Sleeping Beauty" and "Belle." Aren't they stunning?! 

Definitely a night to remember!

Harry Potter Marathon

Not too long ago I learned a sad, sad fact about Patrick... he hadn't seen the Harry Potter movies. (What?!) So, we had a little marathon over the past month and it was obvious Patrick really liked the movies because he was always trying to keep me up way past bedtime so we could keep watching.  Last week to celebrate completing our marathon (because the movies were great, not because we were happy it was all over), we taped up Patrick's glasses (which really are broken!), posed on brooms for some photos, and ate Forrero Rocher "snitches."

Life with this guy is too much fun!

A Year of Dates: February

I received the cookbook "Savoring the Season's with Our Best Bites" at my bridal shower. I remember looking at all the recipes later with Patrick. His eyes lit-up upon seeing a photo of Chunky Monkey Pancakes. I made a mental note to whip them up for him one day.  Here we are 15 months or so later and I finally had a perfect opportunity to do so.  For the Year of Dates gift I made Patrick for Christmas, I chose to serve Patrick breakfast in bed for February.

My makeshift breakfast tray. We had Chunky Monkey Pancakes, turkey bacon, Cutie oranges, and scrambled eggs. (The pancake recipe included how to make peanut butter syrup. Patrick loooooved it!)

Food = A Happy Husband

And a happy husband equals a happy wife.