Baby Shower Pop-arazzi

If you didn't know, my dear friend Jessica is expecting baby #3. A little girl, and her name is Holland. Jessica is known for showering all of her friends with love and affection, and she goes WAY above and beyond. Jessica has a servant's heart with a knack for hospitality. Her door is always open (I mean, I do have a key, so to me it really IS always open) literally and figuratively.

I'm pretty sure the second Jessica told us that Holland was on her way, my sister Laura, and our two close sister friends, Ellen & Cindy, called dibs on throwing Jessica the best baby shower we possibly could.

During a ladies who lunch day along the coast, we clinked our brains together (and maybe a glass of wine too) and brainstormed the best way to shower Jessica and new baby Holland with lots and lots of love.

Somehow, a She's Ready to Pop theme came up, and the ball started rolling and never stopped.

I'm talking popcorn, soda pop, pop rocks, & push up cake pops.

Ellen did a ton of work executing the theme, including bright pinks and greens, and she even made the gorgeous crepe paper puffs, bunting, signs and banners. Girl is a genius with scissors.

Cindy hooked it up with all the matching plates, cups, tablecloths, cutlery and balloons.

Cindy's cute friend Deanna flew in for the weekend and was our official baker and balloon carrier. 

My sister provided tons of soda pop, fresh fruit, veggies and coffee.

And Ellen whipped up three types of popcorn!

Umm...I bought pop rocks. And Ellen cuted them up for me while I was being a slacker in Hawaii. Thanks Ellen.

I think our guests enjoyed it all.

Most importantly, Jessica, I hope you felt loved, showered, and prayed over as much as you have done the same for the rest of us.
We love you, and we love Holland Joy too. Can't wait to see her cute, squishy face!
I have a feeling she is gonna be very POP-ular.

With Love,
Us.

Grand Marnier Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Let's talk about cupcakes for a sec, shall we?
Well, that didn't take much convincing, did it?

Last weekend, for Jessica's shower, I pulled an old recipe out of my {GMail} archives. One of my favorite cupcake recipes.

Growing up, my mom's guilty pleasure was Pepperidge Farm Orange Milano Cookies.
Around the holidays she always had those chocolate oranges that you have to pound against the counter to break apart the slices.
Both of these treats weren't a favorite of my kid taste buds.

But after awhile, the flavors grew on me. I think chocolate orange is an acquired taste. And a good one at that. My grown up taste buds approve.

I have made this recipe a few times, and every single time it surprises me how much I love these cupcakes. It really shouldn't, the recipe calls for booze and real whipping cream after all.

And like most recipes that I choose to use, all of the ingredients are things I already have in my cabinets.
Although, I did have to get a new bottle of Grand Marnier, as I had none left!

These cupcakes call for 2 eggs + 2 yolks - this gives them a super fudgey consistency to die for. 

Ingredients
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped (I use chocolate chips)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Lightly sweetened whipped cream
Orange Zest for Garnish (optional)

Preparation

Line 12-cup muffin pan with muffin papers. Combine chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until melted and smooth, about 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and liqueur in large bowl until thick ribbon falls when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Sift flour over; using rubber spatula, gently fold in flour. Fold in chocolate mixture. Divide batter among muffin papers. Cover and chill until cold and firm, at least 25 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake cupcakes in papers on baking sheet until tops are puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with moist batter attached, about 7 minutes. Serve cupcakes with whipped cream & garnish with orange zest.

Makes 12.
Original Recipe Found Here.

Showers of Joy

I'm kiiiiiinda excited for the end of summer. And I'll tell you why. One of my most favorite mamas is expecting her third little girl. It's no secret that girl 1 and girl 2 have a special place in my heart. And I'm preeeetty sure girl 3 is gonna join the ranks.

It was due time for Mama-of-three-to-be, Jessica to be showered with love and honored by some of her lovely friends, so Katy and Julie and I got together to spend an evening doing just that. 

An evening shower, full of pinwheels and whimsy...

Sweet treats...

And light bites.

Hosting a shower with Julie and Katy was a dream. These girls have talent and creativity coming out their glue gun burned fingertips. 

All the gorgeous touches, small and big were Julie and Katy's masterpieces - invitations, buntings, and pinwheels galore. They had a vision and brought it to life.

I brought Brie, artichoke dip, and Grand Marnier cupcakes.  Oh, and Lemon Bar Puppy Chow.

Jessica, I hope you felt honored and cherished, and sweet Holland Joy comes into the world knowing how loved she is by all of these ladies in your life. 

It's no secret that you care and provide for your friends, family and those around you (nonstop!), I hope  that you felt even just a bit of that same care here. We love you and, I can't wait to squeeze Miss H.

And if she chooses to arrive on my birthday, that wouldn't be too shabby either. (Please speak with her about that).

Love you, friend.

A Bun in the Oven - Baby Shower Deets.

The BFF had her baby shower last weekend in LA.

I made a QUICK (and I mean QUICK) trip down to SoCal to visit and celebrate her Bun in the Oven.

BFF Julie's husband is a graphic designer, and for their wedding made the CUTEST graphic of bride and groom Wii Characters in their likeness that were incorporated into various parts of their wedding.

I should have known that the cute bun in the oven design on the invitation was also designed by daddy-to-be.

It wasn't until the cake was brought out that I was enlightened to this extra special touch.

 Me & Mama-to-Be

 Baby Niece of the Mama-to-Be & Me.

 Two other friends from High School were there for Julie's special day too. 

My good friend Katie, who was on niece-patrol. Sweet gig if I do say so.

Look at her little hand, I think she really likes Katie.

 Melanie was a fellow bridesmaid in Julie's wedding, and we've been friends since Jr. High. 

It's always fun catching up at Julie's life events.

 The hostesses ran with the bun theme, and it was so cute!

There were pork buns and chicken buns.

And puff pastry bun rolls - with cinnamon, brown sugar, and BUTTER.

The parting favor were sweet custard filled Asian buns from a delicious bakery.

 

 Julie and Dave are so loved.

So is their little bun.

They were showered with so many wonderful gifts.

 So many fun games at the shower. 

Including name suggestions for the baby.
They have a last name that pairs awkwardly with a lot of names, which makes this game extra fun.

My personal favorite game was Baby Picasso.

The room was divided into two, and we had a blindfolded draw-off. 

 Julie judged, cutest baby drawing won.

And so many gifts. SO SO MANY. 

One of my favorites was the baby carrier. 

Mostly for the packaging. 

And finally, Cake Time!

A lovely day, hosted by some wonderful ladies who gave Julie such a warm welcome into mommy-hood. 

I am so excited for what her little family's future holds!!