Double Birthday

On Friday Nick and Heidi celebrated their 29th and 2nd birthdays.  Nick and I have been super busy working on graduation at the university we work at, so I've been pretty lame at planning birthday surprises this year.  In fact, I passed out at 8 o'clock last night and left him to watch TV alone, on a Friday night, on his birthday.  Wow.  I suck.  But at least on Thursday I did spend 3 hours slaving away in the kitchen making these... which some of you might remember I posted on this blog 2 years ago.

They were totally as delicious as last time, so if you haven't made them yet - find an excuse ASAP.  We also went out for a romantic dinner Friday night, leaving Heidi alone on HER birthday.  So today we decided to make up for it today by going on a long hike in the Peak District together.

Lately we've been bracing ourselves for what is looking like it might be an exciting but also a little challenging year ahead. But at least for a moment life seemed pretty near perfect in the Peak District this afternoon.  It's funny how blue skies can do that to you.

Double Birthday Madness

Yesterday was Heidi AND Nick's Birthday!  

Woo hooo double birthday fabulosity!  

I tried to make it Nick's best birthday ever.  

I'm pretty sure his ideal wife is an all singing, all dancing type of domestic/career goddess who gets up in the morning before him, runs him a bubble bath, cooks him breakfast and sends him out the door with a kiss.  Then this woman goes to work making lots of $£$£$£ but not more than him, and manages to cook him dinner and keep an impeccable house at the same time.  

She also irons his shirts.  

Clearly, this is NOT me.  But hey, for one day I can try right...?

At 7:00 am the alarm went off and I jumped out of bed to put these in the oven...

Pumpkin cinnamon buns... mmmm....

While they were cooking I whipped up some icing AND ran him a bubble bath 

(perfect japanese housewife - no?  fyi our current house does NOT have a shower)

After we had breakfast he put on a well ironed shirt and headed out the door with this... 

A pretty sloppy looking Carrot Cake,
and I'll never know if it tasted any good since his colleagues ate it all, 

but considering the fact there is 1.5 pounds of powdered sugar and 2 packs of cream cheese in the icing alone - I'm guessing it tasted alright....

After he went out to work I decorated the house and wrapped his present. 

 Unfortunately, at noon I got a call from the restaurant I was trying to make reservations at to let me know there was no room at the inn.  

boo.  

Massive wife fail.  

We did go out to eat but the food was wack.  

Hello restaurants of Sheffield - why do you all suck?

I thought I'd finally managed to get him a present he'd actually like that was a complete surprise...

but when I gave it to him, he held it for a minute and asked if I got him a tent.

Yes that would be it. 

Do you think that counts as a surprise?  

Because getting him a surprise bday present that he likes is on my bucket list -

 and I don't know if I succeeded or not.

This picture makes me laugh...

Oh there we go Doodle, now you can see!  

She's not allowed on the couch because she is always dirty and couches aren't washable like sheets are, 

but she is convinced that she should be allowed on the couch, 

and we didn't have the heart to kick her off / miss the photo opp.  

Besides, it was her first birthday afterall!

Sideways puppy kisses!

I love this little dog sooo much.  

And I love him too.

Even if we do take the most god awful selfies together... 

Those cinnamon buns appear to have been stuck straight to my chin.

Oh well, enjoy my doobler, internet. 

If only Heidi had a keen eye for photography and opposing thumbs - 

I swear were really not that unattractive of a couple.

Well that's all folks.  

I know I skimped on Heidi in favor of Nick, 

but truth be told she didn't actually know it was her birthday.  

I plan on fixing her up some pupcakes on Monday though.  

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!  

We're off to a wedding tomorrow morning which is sure to be fun!

A Fall Weekend Photos and Flavors

Hi Friends,

How was your weekend?  I know it's Tuesday but it feels like Monday to me because I don't work on Mondays.  My weekend was fabulous and very busy. Nick went away for the weekend to a rowdy bachelor party, he came back intact, but the groom is missing an eyebrow!  They get married this weekend - how mad would you be?!  I would be soo mad!

The Doodle and I had a much less crazy girls weekend enjoying a little much needed sunshine.

And playing with lots of friends.  New and old....

This is Heidi's new friend Chili.  

I really liked the way she matched the fall colors.

Such a model, no?

I also did lots of DIY and cleaning and baking!

Like this delicious loaf...

You should definitely try this New York times No Knead bread recipe - right now.  

So easy to fit into your day, and whats better than fresh bread?

Nothing else can make your house smell that good.

I've been getting SO busy in the kitchen this week.  

I can't wait to show you what I've been making, 

but its a birthday surprise so I can't reveal it just yet!

It's Heidi and Nick's birthday on Thursday.

I'm sooo excited!

More on that later, but rest assured, Thursday will be mouth wateringly delicious!

Happy Birthday Sister!

Today is my little sister's 21st birthday!!  She's all grown up now I guess.  I wish I could post embarrassing pictures of our childhood together, but unfortunately those are all across the ocean.  So this will have to do...

Isn't she beautiful?

Clearly, she will have never had a drop of alcohol before tonight...

First time we got our littlest sister intoxicated off our great uncle's homemade kirsch.

Don't worry we were in France.  Stuff like that is legal there.  

This is my fave picture of them ever!  Aren't they so pretty?

Happy 21st Birthday (month) Princess!  

Love you!