Century Ride Information

In case anyone was curious, I thought I'd post some more information about the Century Ride I'm registering for tomorrow!

It is sponsored/supported by the Narragansett Bay Wheelman bicycle group.  They have organized (not supported) rides every Sunday all year long.  God love those that can bike in the winter.....I am NOT one of them!!!

This particular ride is called The Flattest Century in the East, and starts/stops at UMass Dartmouth in Dartmouth MA (surprise! lol).  The ride starts at 6:45am and ends at 5pm.  Their website says all riders must return by 5pm, but I'm pretty sure that means the support vehicles are done at 5pm.  I don't really know if I'll still be riding at 5pm or not, but if I am...will tell them I am going to finish on my own.  My only goal is to finish the ride....I don't care how fast or slow I ride it, I just want to finish it.

Anyway, here's what the route looks like.  I am under the impression that it can change slightly from year to year.  This map is fro 2013 I think. 

These images are from Map My Ride

The (somewhat) daunting route!!

The (fabulously beautiful) elevation 'map' of the ride!

~Chelle

A Century

What do you think of when you hear that word?  Century....

Most likely, you think of the 19th Century, 20th, 21st, etc.....  Or that a century is 100 years.  All of that is true. 

But ask a cyclist what they think of when they hear it, and the answer might very well be different.....most probably think of 100 miles.  As in, riding a 100 miles in a day.  Yes, this might sound crazy to non-cyclists...but it's an ambition that most have at some point. 

So, what is a Century?  Pretty much what is written above.  Riding 100 miles in the same day.  There is also what's called a Metric Century which is 100k (roughly 62miles) in the same day.  Usually it is ridden as part of an organized/supported ride/event and there are help vans that patrol the route if anyone needs help.  There are also rest stops where water and usually food is available.  There are also people that set out to ride 100 miles on their own, separate from an organized, supported ride/event.

To date, I've never ridden a Century.  I've done a Metric Century in Sept 2012 on Martha's Vineyard and that was an experience I won't soon forget (strong head wind the ENTIRE ride around an island?!?!).  My average speed when from 10-12mph to about 8.  But I finished it and was proud I finished.

There is an organized/supported ride near me that is 75miles (with a shorter option of 35miles) from Westport MA to Woods Hole MA and benefits the Buzzard's Bay Watershed.  It is aptly named the Buzzard's Bay Watershed Ride.  I registered for the ride last year, but feel behind on my training and did not feel adequately prepared for the ride so I didn't do it. 

It has been bugging and haunting me ever since.  So, this weekend I decided I was going to do it this year no matter what.  So I looked up the dates for this year, and it is the day after I return from Disney.  Yeah....not the best time to hop on a bike for 75 miles!  I started thinking, and there is a local riding club, Narraganset Bay Wheelman, that sponsors a Century ride each September (they, too, have shorter distances available).  

I looked up the dates, and it is the first Sunday in September.  It is called the Flattest Century in the East, so I looked up a prior year's route on MapMyRide and it truly is pretty flat!  I started thinking...I might actually be able to do this!!  See...I have an issue with hills...they don't like me, lol.  Registration opens this Thursday, May 1st and usually fills up pretty quickly.  I plan on being one of the first to register!!  I am so excited!  Here are the details of this years ride!  For those familiar with the area, it usually starts/end at UMass Dartmouth.

I went online this weekend and looked up training plans, nutrition guidelines, etc.... so I can start preparing NOW for the ride.  Training plans are designed for 12 weeks of training, and I calculated that I have approximately an additional 6 weeks or so of training. 

I have found bike paths near home/work and also near Wolf's that I can ride on.  I will also ride some roads, especially as it gets closer to the day, since all riding is on roads for the ride.

Now to finalize training plans, and check out my biking gear to make sure it's all ready to go.  Brought my bike in last week for a tune-up so it should be ready early this week to be picked up!

~Chelle

When your cell phone is also your camera.........

........you worry about the phone dying and having no way of taking pictures on vacation.

At least *I* worry about this.  I started thinking a few weeks ago (maybe longer) about this and our upcoming Disney vacation.  I don't take a ton of photos when I'm there, but I like to take pictures.  Add to that...there's a great Disney app for the phone that shows wait times, parade times, etc.... that is very useful in and out of the parks.  Well....all of this takes battery power when it's your phone that powering it all.  Phone batteries only last so long...especially with the addition of checking e-mail, etc... that I wish I wasn't compelled to do. 

If it were just me, I think I'd be fine.  But Wolf likes to be on his phone on the internet...especially when standing in line, etc....  I'm pretty sure his phone wouldn't make it much past lunch time the way he usually uses it around home.  So, I started looking into portable chargers, etc... to see what was out there for not a whole lot of money.  In reading the many Disney message boards that I lurk on, I found a few recommendations and checked them out on Amazon.

I ended up getting a 10000mAz USB portable charger made by EasyAcc.  It was only about $30, which I thought was very reasonable.  They come in a few different color combinations (none of them with blue), and I ended up getting a purple/black one.  It can charge two devices at the same time, and came with two USB micro cords: one short and one longer. 

Most of the negative reviews for the item were because it didn't come with a wall charger to charge it with.  My response is: so what...I have a ton of them at home and can easily get some for cheap money.  I actually own a few sets of the colored ones that CVS/Walgreens sell, and just happen to have a purple one! 

I have played around with the charger a little bit at work: draining the phone battery and charging it with the charger.  It can fully charge the phone (a few hours maybe?) just about three times - which is pretty good!  It takes about 8hrs to charge the charger, which is fine for charging it overnight.

After having it in my bag for a few weeks I started wondering about a case for it so it doesn't get all banged up and such and stop working....I'm planning to use it in September and would like it to still work by then!  So I went searching online (Amazon) for a case for it, and actually found one by the same company that makes the charger!

I ordered it and couldn't wait for it to come in to see how everything fit in it.  Well...it fits perfect!!  There a mesh pocket on one side (I put the charger in here) and there's an open area on the other side with elastics (I put the cords here).  There's even enough room left in the case for my wall charger!

All in all....I'm pretty happy with it so far, and will continue using it on and off until our trip to monitor how it is working.


Wolf's and my plan for Disney is to top off our phones when we break for lunch during the day and possibly dinner, depending on how fast we are draining our phones.  The instructions say to not charge the phone in an enclosed space....so putting them in the backpack probably isn't the best idea....hence the lunch/dinner idea since we can put it in the table or seat next to us.

~Chelle     *o*

Packing for a Trip

I was looking over my packing list for Disney the other day (yes....I plan my packing list this far in advance too) and it occured to me.......I very well might be neurotic when it comes to packing for a trip, let alone a Disney trip.

You can judge for yourself, lol!

• There are 88 items on my packing list  (17 of which are on Wolf's packing list)
• These 88 items are categorized into groups depending on their usage (hotel room only, food, park items, etc....)
• These 88 items are ALSO categorized by what piece of luggage they will be packed in to (checked, carryon, purse, etc...)

 See.....neurotic!! 


Wolf and I were casually talking about packing for the trip a few weeks ago (probably initiated by me, lol) and I was trying to find a way to suggest giving him a packing list for the trip.  Well, before I knew it HE asked if I could just give him a packing list!  I got so excited and said yes, lol.  He knows me so well!!!!!   I told him I would wait for a few weeks before the trip before giving it to him and he was happy. 


Here's some more evidence on the neurotic front..........
I have an excel spreadsheet set up for the planning of this Disney trip (as I do for most trips).  In addition to the tab for the packing lists, I also have a tab to organize the whole vacation.  I have each day in a column, and have the parks rated from least to most busy, operating hours for each park each day, which park we're going to, reservation information (and confirm #s), etc.....  It's pretty detailed (in my opinion). 

Whenever I look at the packing list I want to start gathering stuff around my room/house that's on it, then I realize I still have the summer before we go and most of what I'm bringing I'll use all summer also, lol.  To satisfy the packing urge, I have a bag in my room that I am putting things in that I am buying just for the trip.


~Chelle    *o*   <--- like my Mickey???

Dining Reservations - Disney World

Since Disney has offered the Disney Dining Plan (and it's many variations), it has become necessary to make reservations for any sit-down restaurants (Table Service restaurants per the Dining Plans).  The earliest you can make reservations is 180 days prior to your check-in date.  I know this might sound crazy to a non-Disney fanatic, but yes...it really is necessary to make them this early for some restaraunts, and yes....some people really do plan their trip this far in advance (and usually further in advance).  I, for instance, had this trip planned out in January and booked it sometime in February.  Yes, I could be considered crazy, lol.

So....in light of all of that, I thought I'd share some of the places where Wolf and I will be eating!  I have elected to purchase the Dining Plan (the Dining Plan deserves it's own post!) for Wolf and I for our upcoming trip.  I won't get into the why's, etc.... in this post, but will do another post about that at a future date.  I will say that the Dining Plan gives 1 Table Service meal (sit-down restaurant), 1 Quick Service meal (typical food place at a park), and 1 snack per day, per person.  You also get a free refillable mug for the duration of your trip, which can be refilled at any soda fountain in any of the hotels.  For Wolf and I, the price is worth it....for some, it might not be.

Anyway......on to the restaurants!!!!


House of Blues


House of Blues in Downtown Disney

Since we will most likely head to Downtown Disney once we arrive, I thought dinner at House of Blues would be nice.  It's in Downtown Disney, not too far from Disney Quest.  I've never eaten here, so it will be nice to try new restaurants!

Mama Melrose



Mama Melrose's in Hollywood Studios


This is another restaurant I've never been too in Disney.  This one came as a recommendation from my Disney-loving co-worker, plus Wolf loves Italian food!  Mama Melrose's is located in Hollywood Studios, and is part of the Fantasmic! Dinner Package (which is allowed as part of the Dining Plan).  Along with dinner, we get preferred seating for the show that night (closer seats)...all at no extra cost to us!





'Ohana



'Ohana's in the Polynesian Resort

This place is great!  I've been here before (once I think).  The food is all-you-care-to-eat, and is brought to your table while you're eating.  If you've had enough you just tell them and they will move on.  It's Polynesian food and the meats are roasted (?) on big spikes and they cut the meat off right onto your plate!

Boatwright's

 

Boatwright's in Port Orleans Riverside


 This is another restaurant I've never been too, and didn't even know existed!  I found it looking through the Table Service restaurants on the Dining Plan.  This restaurant is in the hotel we're staying at, and has a real partially built boat frame hanging from the ceiling!  This is where we're going for dinner on our actual anniversary.  We're bringing nicer clothes and will dress up a little bit.





Chef Mickey's



Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary Resort

Does it really surprise anyone that I picked Chef Mickey's???  If it does....then you don't know me too well, haha!  I have, of course, been here before.  I love it!  This is a character dining meal and the characters rotate around the restaurant while you're eating and stop for photos, autographs, etc...  It's one of the few buffets that I booked.  I generally don't care for buffets, but Disney is good about watching guests and not letting them put hands, etc... in the food.

Grand Floridian Café

 

Grand Floridian Café in the Grand Floridian Resort


I have eaten here once before also.  A friend's daughter and I had supper with Cinderella & Friends the night we arrived on our trip.  We're actually going here for breakfast rather than dinner.  We have a day planned at Epcot, in the World Showcase and Wolf is planning to sample the different beers/drinks that each country offers.  I thought it best to start the day with a hearty breakfast!!





Tusker House



Tusker House in Animal Kingdom

This is the only other buffet that we have planned.  Tusker House is in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom and has African themed dishes as well as American dishes.  I've never been here, so I thought it would be nice to try the food of other countries.  I LOVE the fabric/scarves on the ceiling!!






Of the next two restaurants, we'll only be eating at one...though I don't know which one!  Neither of them requires or accepts reservations (walk up only), which makes them a little easier to work into a flexible schedule.  These are planned for the day that we are doing the Segway Tour at Fort Wilderness.  The rest of the day is up in the air, and we'll be having dinner at whichever one we feel like going to. 

Beaches & Cream

 

Beaches & Cream in the Yacht Club Resort


Beaches & Cream looks like and old-fashioned soda shop/restaurant.  I picked this one because of the décor.  I just think it's pretty cool! It's located at Disney's Yacht Club resort.










Big River Grill & Brewing Works



Big River Grill & Brewing Works on Disney's Boardwalk

I picked this one because Wolf likes beer, and specifically small-batch brewed beer.  I'd like to check out Disney's Boardwalk during the day/evening and that's where this restaurant is located.  I figured if we didn't feel like making our way over to Yacht club, we could eat here instead of Beaches & Cream.







I have no real idea where we'll be eating our Quick Service meals....there are so many options in each of the parks and the resorts that I can't even begin to guess where we'll want to eat.  It will depend on where in the park we are when we get hungry.


~Chelle

Wilton Icing Fun Workshop

As I mentioned in another post, one of my co-worker's daughters is in Girl Scouts.  In doing the research for the Valentine Day cupcakes we did at work, I came across Wilton's Icing Fun Workshop and their Girl Scout Sampler Kit.  The workshop is designed for Scout or youth groups (or in our case....companies, lol).  The Kit comes with a piping bag, three tips, coupler, instructions and a Patch.  Wilton provides everything you need to know to run the workshop via free downloads (teacher instructions, Certificate, practice page for piping). 

Well, my co-worker and I were talking about it and she thought her daughter's troop would love to do it.  She is their leader, so we set about setting up a day/time to do the workshop with them.  I provided each of the girls with four cupcakes, a cupcake container, icing for the bags, etc.....  The Workshop has the girls color the icing and fill their own bags...given the time constraints of the Troop Meeting I demonstrated how to color the icing and fill the bags and handed them filled bags ready to use. 

I baked the cupcakes and prepared everything ahead of time.  It probably took two to three days of preparation just for the cupcakes and icing/bags.  Ahead of time I put together a folder for each girl to bring home that had the instructions, Certificate, practice sheet and cake/icing recipes I used.  The girls helped me set up the tables at the meeting (took about 15-20min).

After demonstrating how to color the icing and fill the bags, I showed the girls how to pipe the different things they were going to learn, and explained the different tips they would be using.  Here are there practice sheets!  They did pretty good - though some had trouble with the leaf tip.

After sufficient practice time, they set about to decorate their cupcakes with their own imagination!  Some of them were very creative!!!  One of the girls made a Minion (from Despicable Me) and another figured out how to make flower petals and a butterfly using the leaf tip!!!!

It was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed themselves greatly - including me!!  It was so great in fact, that my co-worker presented it to her monthly Service Unit meeting and the workshop has since been posted on a State-wide message board for Girl Scouts!!  I already have three workshops scheduled and can't wait to schedule some more!

Here is the flyer that was posted on the website:

I did learn a few things while doing my first one, and will take what I learned to improve the workshop for future troops.

~Chelle

A Magical Vacation

So....it's no surprise that I LOVE Mickey Mouse and Disney World....it may come as a surprise to you that it's been 5-6 years since I last went (WAY too long for a Disney fan....but that's what happens sometimes).  Now...6 years may not sound so bad, but the last time I went I was fortunate enough to be able to go 5 times in a four year time span...so I kind of got used to that, lol. 

A co-worker also loves Disney and her and her family go every year.  She's been planning a trip for April vacation (they are there now!!!) and I was getting jealous (hah!) and decided to see how much it would cost for Wolf and I to go.  Surprisingly it wasn't too bad (considering it's Disney after all).  I priced out a 9 day/8 night trip and found that it was affordable for us to go.  So...once things settled down at work (lots of things going on....but that's for another day) I sucked it up and booked the trip! 

We will be going in September/October for our Anniversary!  I'm so excited!!!  It will have been 6 years since I've gone by the time we go.  It will be Wolf's first trip to Disney so I have planned what I hope is a semi-relaxed vacation (he's not the open&close the park type like Jen and I, lol) that will also allow us to see a lot of stuff.  All new for him, and some new for me too! 

So you're probably wanting details....huh?

We're staying at Port Orleans Riverside.  I've only ever stayed in the value resorts but wanted something a little nicer for our first trip (he even mentioned the other day about going for Christmas some year - yay!).  It's sort of set in the Old South and there are mansion buildings and bayou buildings that have the rooms in them.  I was going to request a specific type of building/room, but I've always let Disney surprise me and have never been disappointed....so I'm going to do that again.

We'll be doing all the parks, and hopefully a waterpark.  I've built in time for Disney Quest (Wolf is a gamer) and relaxing days also.  We're doing a Segway tour at Fort Wilderness too!!  I'm super excited about that!!!!  Jen and I tried the Segway's in Epcot when we were there and they were fun....this is a 2hr tour on outdoor wooded trails!

All the planning is done for the trip....Dining Reservations are made, hotel reservations, ticket package, Disney's new Magic Bands have been customized (color and name).....all that's left is to finish paying for the trip!!! 

Oh....and airline tickets (can't forget those!).  I'm watching fares on Southwest and JetBlue and waiting to see what they come down too.  We are still 157 days out, so they can fluctuate quite a bit still.  I was reading an online article about time-frames for purchasing airline tickets and it was suggested to buy at the 75 day mark for Orlando.  So, I have enough in a savings account for the tickets and am watching.  If I find a super-deal before the 90-day mark I'll buy on the spot.  Otherwise, I'm going to watch and wait for 90 days and then if I see a decent price after that I'll buy.  When I priced out the trip I found two roundtrip tickets for $488....I'm hoping I find that price again!!!

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have even constructed a very detailed packing list for me (and a much smaller one for Wolf).  Wolf is getting excited about it, but not as much as me.  Which is totally understandable....he's never been and I love it, lol.

Oh!!!!  I went online to design t-shirts for us!  I was going to buy them from an online retailer, but a) they are $25 a shirt and b) they are Mickey and Donald and there may be copyright issues with it.  So.....I am making my own!!  I have bought the t-shirts at the craft store and put together the designs we like.  I of course picked Mickey, and one of my favorite quotes from Walt Disney.  Wolf picked Donald.  We looked online for ideas and he found one he liked, lol.

I have transfer sheets at home and can print the designs out on my own printer.  Since I'm not selling the shirts or using them to promote a business, there's should be no copyright issues. 

I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  157 days until we leave!!!! 

~Chelle

Workday Fun

Now I realize not every day at work is fun......but sometimes you need a little break from the regular day.  We've been doing this recently at work, and here are a few of the things we've been doing:

Valentine's Day Cupcakes!
This was a decorating event, led by yours truly!   Each person got 4 cupcakes to decorate and a sampler decorating kit from Wilton.  The event was fashioned after Wilton's Icing Fun Workshop.  Everyone had a blast!  Here are some of the pictures from the event!

These were the samples, and the techniques that I taught/showed them.

These are some of the creations that they came up with!

Someone even re-created the Hostess Cupcake!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gingerbread House Contest

At Christmas-Time the company sponsored a Gingerbread House Contest.  The company purchased kits from William Sonoma, and I volunteered to put all the houses together since they had to be done ahead of time.  I was surprised at how quickly they went together once I did a couple of them.  In total, I put together 12 of them, and we all worked in teams of two to decorate them.  We ended up with 7 teams to decorate.  My team's house is the one on the top left of the picture below.  We used what came in the kit and everyone brought stuff from home to use also.

Easter "Flowers"
Some of us got together the week before Easter to put together Easter "Flower" pots made with Dum-Dum lollipops.  They were a lot of fun to make.  I ended up getting spring-time ribbon and stickers because I made mine to bring to a cookout the week after Easter. 

We got round Styrofoam balls and cut each one in half (only need half of a ball for each flower pot).  We then hot-glued the balls, round side up, into the terra cotta pots.  You then just start sticking the dum-dum lollipops into the Styrofoam....trying not to leave any open/empty spaces.  You can cut and wrap streamers around some of the lollipops to make them look like leaves.  I hot glued the 'leaves' around the inside edge of my second pot.  We then put the decorative stickers on them!

I am going to a cookout at one of Wolf's aunt's this coming weekend, so I made these to bring with me. 

~Chelle

Life, etc.... Updates

• The new phone is friggin awesome!  Not so awesome....had to go with a new plan from Verizon since my current one no longer existed.  So, instead of unlimited data each month, I now pay for 4G/mth.  Now I know that sounds like a lot....but it was $10 more than 2G was, and since data overages are $15/G, it seemed stupid not to do 4G.  I re-evaluated after a few months and saw that I was averaging 2.5G/mth....so stuck with the 4G.  Watched the marathon on my phone today, so I upgraded to 6G for this month since I hit 3.8G and have 10 days left this month, haha.  I'll put it back down next month.

• Wolf and I went to Fire & Ice in Cambridge for my birthday.  It was great!  I have been to the one in Boston years ago and it was good, and I'm glad Wolf and I went!  I was surprised with flowers at work on my birthday also!  He really is the best!!!

 

• Wolf and I had our first anniversary on Sept 29th.  We went to King Richard's Faire in Carver and had a great time.  It's a renaissance faire and is just a good time.  If' you've never been, you should go to one at least once.  It occured to both of us a few weeks later that we sort of missed our anniversary, lol.  I dressed up in what was called a Pirate Wench costume....but it was kind of renaissance wench-y. I borrowed a velvet cape-thing from one of Wolf's co-workers and it went well with it.  He dressed up as sort of a pirate/renaissance guy.  We went out to dinner on the way back to Wolf's afterwards and got more than a few looks walking into the restaurant!

  

  Wolf & I, and the rose he bought me even after I told him he didn't have too!

•  Wolf and I had a good Christmas....and he was quite generous with my gifts :)   I care much more about Wolf than about the gifts...but it's still nice to get them.  He got me some cupcake themed pajamas (so comfy!!), and a co-worker of his went to Disney before Christmas and saw the Alex & Ani bracelet and contacted Wolf about getting it for me for Christmas.  I also love the necklace!  I wear them both daily!

• For New Year's eve, we got tickets to Frozen Fenway.  It sounded much more fun than it ended up being.  Frozen was definitely a good way to describe it!  We thought we were going to get to ice skate, but apparently you were supposed to bring your own.  We did end up sledding down a big slide on innertubes and that was a blast!  Afterwards we meandered over to Boston Common too see what First Night activities there were to see.  We saw some cool ice sculptures and stuck around until 8pm (the T was free after 8), then headed back to Wolf's to warm up and ring in the new year on our own, lol.  It was fun, but I don't think I'd do it again.

• I had a stroke of brilliance for Valentine's Day and got Wolf a multi-opening frame and put pictures of us in it, along with gluing charms to it that mean something to us.  I got beautiful flowers delivered to me at work, and a Mickey snow globe!!

The little charms are from AC Moore and represent things about us!



Not only do I love Mickey, but I love snow globes too!

• Back in September I had purchased an indoor trainer for my bicycle.  The intention was to ride indoors once it got too cold outside. Well, in January or February I finally put it together and put the bike on it!  Better late than never, right?  I have to say that I really like it.  It's certainly not the same as riding outdoors, but it's pretty good.  I've ridden it most weekdays and ride for 15 minutes.  When I started I had to take a break every 5 minutes.....now I can do 10-12min before needing a break. 

• I'm planning a vacation for Wolf and I for September/October.....but it's so spectacular that it deserves it's own post - so stay tuned!!!

~Chelle

Baking / Decorating Updates

Baking/Decorating Updates

 
• My cousin's daughter had a Halloween themed birthday party in October.  Everyone was to dress up, so I dressed up as a 'Renaissance Lady' and wore my outfit from King Richard's again.  Wolf dressed as an insane asylum patient (hey...if the shoe fits....lol). I also made her birthday cake.  She absolutely loved it!!

• My god-daughter's birthday was also in October - she turned 3!!  She loved Cookie Monster, so I did a cookie-monster cake for her, along with Big Bird cookies!

• A co-worker's daughter's Brownie troop was bridging up to Juniors and I was asked to make the cake for their ceremony!!!  I surprised everyone and did cookies for each of the girls too! The cake was chocolate/green marbled.

 

• JEM's nephew Aedan turned 4, and wanted a Spiderman cake!

  

• A co-worker's twins had a Super Hero birthday party.  One was dressing up as Batman and the other as Spiderman....so they each got their own small cake!

• We had a few birthday's at work, so I did cakes for them.

• My cousin's son was turning 8 and the party theme was aircraft.  So I looked online and came up with a fighter jet.  He loved it!!!

• I did a wedding cake for a friend a few years ago (see the post here), and was asked to do a wedding cake for her aunt that was getting married.  The cake is frosted in buttercream with royal icing roses and purchased sugar pearls.

I used Hershey kisses for the rose centers!

• Lately at work, we've been doing a lot of team building/fun activities among the Accounting department.  One of those activities is Laser Tag.  If you've never gone you really need to at least once!  We all got hooked!   Well....two of my co-worker's had their children's birthday parties at the Laser Tag place and asked me to do the birthday cakes.  I was thrilled!  Here are the cakes that were done!  Wolf came also, as did Muffin's two older boys (they're 15 & 16...holy cow!).  We ended up playing four games in total and it was awesome!

• A co-worker asked me to make her a carrot cake for Easter.  While mixing it up I got jealous and made some for my house and to bring to Wolf's mom's house.

Co-Worker's cake.  The bunny on top is purchased and made of sugar.

Mine (left) and Wolf's mom's (right)

• This is out of order...but oh well, lol.  I did Christmas cookies this year, and actually toned it down from prior years - I only made 5 kinds!  I believe they were chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip, cranberry, peanut butter chocolate chip and sugar cookies.  All except the sugar cookies (I think) were Gluten Free! 

• This too is out of order, lol.  I tried my hand and some cinnamon pull-a-parts.  They were great except I let them rise in the pan too long.  I also kind of forgot about them in the oven so they cooked a little too much.  They were delicious anyway! 

I think those are all the baking updates I have! 

~Chelle