Ladybug Turns One!

I just had to open with this little collage of the kids from Ladybug's birthday yesterday. She picked out the dress all by herself! 

It's taken me quite a while to go through my photos and get them loaded up here. I was just telling my friend that I'm going to have to find a new way to do this .. she suggested prepping the photos in one file for use on the blog so I can upload them all at once, which I should do... I'm just so impatient. But I will figure out some sort of process so I can update regularly and relatively efficiently and leave myself a bit more time for blogging. 

For now, here's mostly a photo entry from the last couple days....

The cupcakes: Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting. Recipe here.

I made only a half recipe this time, since it was just our little family celebration and I was trying out the recipe in advance of the family party this coming weekend. I can't remember the last time I made cupcakes from scratch; it was surprisingly fun and fast -- why don't I do this more often?

The frosting reminded me of my mom's Sunday Morning Strawberry Butter (always served with piping hot Pop-overs and Pachelbel's Cannon)

Isabel's first birthday candle:

Unfortunately, I was so busy making sure she didn't stick her fingers in the flame I forgot to take a picture of her blowing out the candle and enjoying the cupcake. But Papa had the video camera running, so maybe I can pull some still shots off that film.

Goofy picture of me taken in a dark-ish kitchen. Baking while the baby naps...the best way to spend naptime, next to reading. ;)

It took me a few years to perfect the art, but I simply love making pie crust (I use the recipe on the back of the can of crisco). In fact,  pie crust is so important to me that Papa and I spent several hours, pre-kitchen construction, discussing which countertop option would be the best for rolling out crusts. I wasn't sold on the wood (we discussed a poured concrete countertop, but the cost and the ease of Ikea butcherblock was too hard to pass up!), but I have had great success with the counters. Now I just need to find a time to take everything off and give them another coating of sealer....

(pre-water)

(post-water)

(top and bottom crusts)

(Dough scraper Papa bought me for Christmas -- I'm not all that gadget-y when it comes to cooking, but I adore this kitchen tool. I've been without one since I moved out of my parents' house, and I had sorely missed it!)

Cherries!

I always try to have the shape of the air holes match the reason I'm making the pie. Since I couldn't quite do George Washington's face, I decided to go with a Cherry Tree. Not that you can tell it's a Cherry Tree, but I know and that's all that matters. ;)

Mmmmm.... cooled till just above room temperature and already halfway gone!

Papa's not a huge pie fan, but who can turn down such flaky crust and juicy cherries? Me, I could live on cherry and pumpkin pie... and cheese quesadillas.

And an extra, slightly fuzzy little shot of my Ladybug after her nap. She wasn't all that interested in sitting still for the camera, but I had to try to capture her nap-time hair. It's adorable... every day she goes down with smooth hair and wakes up with a giant wing of fuzzy baby hair on one side of her head, and the biggest smile you've ever seen. One of these days I'll remember to grab the camera as I head up to get her and catch that look. It's priceless.