I remember the first day

It's true.

And now, we are off to go celebrate that moment!

It’s Memorial Day in America, everybody’s on the road. Let’s remember our fallen heroes. Y’all be sure and drive slow.

Since the business I work in is open 363 days a year, I was pretty excited when I was able to take Memorial Day off-Jimmy and his daughter were both home so I was excited to spend the day together!

We started the day off with some Coney Island breakfast and some shopping before it got to hot out (it reached like 95*!)  

After we got back from all that, I started cooking and Madison did some drawing. (Ever since we went to my parents a few weeks ago, Jimmy has been raving about my mom's potato salad so I made it for him. It's actually my grandma's recipe and I was pretty impressed with myself at hoe it turned out! He wouldn't even let me eat the leftovers because he wanted them to take to work lol So I consider that a success :-)

We did some more lounging around then we went down to the pool to cool down. It was amazing! I'm usually not big on pools or swimming, but I have a feeling I'll be spending some time down there this summer lol

Eventually, we came back and started to cook dinner-yummy steaks and potato salad and I made a patriotic dessert lol

Our food coma kicked in, so we just laid around for the rest of the night and watched Maddy do puzzles...

No, really, that's how she did her puzzle... lol

 Hope you guys had a relaxing Memorial Day!

So what if I was the only one who did sparklers? lol

Summertime and the livin's easy

Source: therubberpunkin.blogspot.com via Kristi on Pinterest

It's officially summer! 

 I hope everyone is enjoying the first day and remembering the real reason we have the day off-Thank you to all the men and women who have served and who continue to serve so we can live the life we do!

Now, I have a date with a pool...

 Later, gators!

Hey Mama, I want to scream so loud for you 'Cause I'm so proud of you, let me tell you what I'm about to do. You know I love you so, I'll never let you go.

When I was younger, I idolized my next door neighbor. She was a few years older than me and just so cool-everything she did, I wanted to do right behind her.So whenever we went to the movies, and she got a package of Sour Patch Kids, I wanted a package, too.

Except, I didn't like sour things.

So my mom would suck the sour sugar off so I could eat the gummy part. I can still remember watching her face pucker after the umpteenth Sour Patch kid, just so I could eat the middle.

That's the kind of mom I want to be.

 via PostSecret

Happy Mother's Day!

One morning when Pharoah awoke in his bed, there were frogs in his bed and frogs on his head.

Last week, my family and I went to my grandparents to celebrate the first night of Passover...
It was fun, if relatively uneventful, but at the kids table (yes, I was at the kids table) we decided to continue the tradition of Passover Haikus....

No soup spoons
Passover dinner is off
But what else is new?

Jews can't have nice things
Historically speaking
I mean, c'mon, man

No China for you
Kids table makes a comeback
But I'm 24

Cousins own table
Amanda cracking up
Are we still age 10

Passover seder

A family tradition
We had Sonic

Needless to say, we kept ourselves entertained haha

The nest morning, I got the sweetest Easter basket from Jimmy and his daughter

So sweet!

I had to work, so the three of us went and got some breakfast before I had to leave. A few hours later, they stopped by and visited me at work so I showed them around the bakery. It was kinda fun to show off my office haha

I know this is late,
but did you guys have a good Easter?

So kiss me, I'm shitfaced I'm soaked, I'm soiled and brown

(Anyone else think of St Patty's every time you hear that song? No? Just me? Ok, then...)

My St. Patty's Day was decidedly uneventful...and that's honestly, the way I prefer it. No green beer or car bombs for this girl-it's just not really my style anymore.

Instead, I went over to my parents house for some traditional Irish fare and brought Jimmy home to "meet the parents". It went well, which was a relief, but really how bad can things be when there's corned beef and cabbage? haha

He originally had to work, but got called off last minute so I had promised to make him a belated St. Patty's dinner on Sunday of delicious reubens. He went to the store to get all the supplies, so imagine my surprise when I came over on Sunday to find not sliced corned beef, but a whole 5-ish lb corned beef roast! (is that even what it's called? lol)

While we were out, I started looking up recipes for easy corned beef and found one with just two ingredients-

Can't get much easier than that!

All I had to do was rub the brown sugar over the meat...


Pour the Guiness over it...
Cover...
And bake!

It was so super easy, even I couldn't mess it up! haha It turned out really well too-not dry, pretty flavorful. We both really enjoyed it and he was able to take it for lunch this week too-win/win!

Did you do anything fun for St. Patty's Day?
Do you like an traditional Irish food?

So hold me close honey say you're forever mine. And tell me you'll be my lonely valentine

So I know this is like the latest Valentine's Day recap ever, but oh well haha

The guy I'd been seeing took me out on a sweet date and we had a really good time-I can't even remember that time someone put some thought into a Valentine's Day with me... oh wait, cause it's never happened lol

We went to dinner at a brewery in the city-Motor City Brewing Works. I let him pick where we went because he wanted to go into Detroit, but he's more familiar with what is down there. They are known for their beer (obviously lol) but also for their pizza and I can totally see why! It was delicious! I was honestly having such a good time, that I totally blanked on taking any pictures, but I have a feeling we'll be going back so I'll take some then :-)

We got done with dinner earlier than we expected but weren't really sure of what was going on downtown so on the way home, we decided to stop at the casino

We went to Motorcity Casino, which I had never been to before, and played some slots...

Found my favorite game ever...

Even won a little bit...

We gonna come together, we gonna celebrate, we gonna gather round, like it's your birthday.

My sweet friends hosted a belated birthday party for me this past weekend and we have sooo much fun!

After I got out of my internship, I ran over to my friends house so we could start setting everything up-ie lots of food!


I brought some pimento cheese (aka "crack cheese") and made vegan chocolate fondue-yum! We made lots of yummy food including empanadas, spinach pies, buffalo tofu bites and so much more-I just kept eating because it was all so good!

My friend also surprised me with a gluten free cake! So sweet!


I still have some left and I've been eating it all week hehe

I was having too much fun at the actual party to take pictures, but it was basically a repeat of the ugly sweater party (minus the Christmas decor haha)

By the time I left I was pretty tired but it had started to snow and ice over :-( My sweet friend Gary scraped off my windows and car so I wouldn't have to sit and wait for it to defrost (cause I was too tired/cold/lazy to get out and do it myself haha)

Do I not have the best friends ever?

Love them!

Flowers flying cross the room. Vases smashed against the floor.

I have a few fun things to recap, but I'm busy busy busy (story of my life, right?) And tonight I'm

going out (!)

on a date (!!)

with a boy (!!!)

who I actually like (!!!!)

Yea, to say I'm surprised excited would be an understatement.

So for now, you get another music video...

Happy Valentine's Day, ladies!

It's time to have a Christmas Party!

Before things really hit the fan at work, my friend Katie hosted an Ugly Christmas Sweater party and it was soooooo much fun!

I stayed entirely too late but we were all having a blast-laughing, dancing, playing games-I just didn't want to leave lol

Pretty decorations...

games, dancing and general shenanigans...

and fun friends!

So this is the new year. And i don't feel any different.

I hope everyone had a wonderful, safe and fun New Year! Mine was pretty quiet, but it was kind of nice, actually.

I had to work till 6 on New Years Eve and then again at 7am on Sunday morning, so a low key night was definitely the best option.

I went over to my parents to a delicious dinner and then me and my parents watched Our Idiot Brother.


I had actually already seen it, but we were having trouble deciding on what to watch so we settled on this. I think I enjoyed it more the second time around, which doesn't usually happen lol It's a pretty cute movie though and my parents liked it, too.

After that we setteled in for a night of basketball and bowl games.

My view for most of the night

We watched Indiana beat Ohio State and Auburn beat Virginia while my mom and I played cribbage

(at which I won. Handedly.)

We also made some "mock-tails", well mine was...my mom added vodka to hers lol It was sparkling grape juice, simple syrup and candied ginger.

Yum!

What did you guys do for New Years?
Anything exciting? Or did it look like mine? haha

All is quiet on New Year's Day.

Whew- what a year! I'm sure lots of people feel the same way, but I seriously cannot believe that 2011 is over. It's been a heck of a year...

I moved into my own apartment and have been having lots of fun decorating it

I saw some football....

and lots of baseball.

I even got my first baseball!

I saw lots of concerts.
Some with friends

some with family

and even by myself


I took a vacation

and worked alot.


And then, somewhere along the way, I fell in love with blogging. I've had this blog for a little over two years and I'm just starting to get into it. And this is exactly one of the reasons-so I can look back. My year was really full this year-lots of memories and good times and times that I felt so loved and blessed I honestly thought my heart would burst. Without being able to blog about it, I wouldn't be able to look back and appreciate just how amazing my life is. And I know it's only going to get better.

There's been a lot of change and growth in 2011, and I'm a little sad to see it go. But I absolutely cannot wait to see what 2012 has in store for me!

Source: sarahearn.blogspot.com via Martha on Pinterest

HAPPY NEW YEAR, YA'LL!

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

So who's up for a Christmas recap a week late? haha This week has been all about recouping-catching up on sleep, cleaning and laundry(!!!!), some more sleeping, and seeing some friends and family. Now I just need to find time to fit in the 30+ hours of DVR I'm behind on lol

Hannukah and Christmas were pretty good in my neck of the woods. My family spoiled me as always-nail polish, an Ipod hookup for my car, tea infuser, plus books, more nail stuff and a new bed-wahooo! No more sleeping on the floor for this girl!

We also got to see my Grandpa and his wife for lunch the Friday before Christmas and my mom and I were able to see my grandma one afternoon this past week.

Christmas day itself was pretty busy! I hadn't had a day off in about 2 weeks so I was really looking forward to some relaxing-which happened a little bit lol

We woke up early to Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls (seriously delicious-try them sometime. You won't be sorry!) and then headed out to see The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Yes, as a family-I have a history of watching awkward films with my parents. Zak and Miri Make a Porno, anyone? :-/

The movie itself was pretty good-though not as good as the book, in my opinion. Rooney Mara, however, was excellent-she played Lisbeth *exactly* how I envisioned in while reading. Really, really amazing performance.

After the movie, we got some sushi like any good Jewish family on Christmas lol Luckily, our favorite sushi resutrant was open so we grabbed a bite before heading home for a brief nap, after which I headed out to see a few friends.

All in all, a pretty lovely day. The holiday season felt super long this year, and while I'm glad it's over (mostly just as far as work in concerned) it was nice to be able to spend time with friends and family. It's been a crazy, amazing, stressful, wonderful year and the last month has been no exception-yet through it all, I can't help but feel exceedingly blessed to be living the life I am.

Did you guys have a good Chirstmas? Is anyone else still trying to play catchup or am I the only one who feels that way? haha

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

So Christmas seems to have calmed down a bit and I finally feel like I can breathe. I thought I'd give ya'll a peek into what a bakery looks like around the holidaze, i.e. what my life has looked like for the past two weeks.

In the past two weeks I haven't:

• done laundry
• cleaned my apartment
• adhered to my GF diet (and man, am I feeling it!)
• been to the gym
• cooked a meal at my apartment

But I have:

• watched a lot of movies (no energy to do much else when I wasn't working lol)
• worked 16 days straight
• ....and that's about it haha

And now, for some pictures!

Lots of coffeecakes and brownies (most of the stacks are about 2 feet taller than me)

Cakes, fondant decorations (see the mushrooms for buche de noel?), some moon pies and more brownies

We fill two full size semi freezer trucks with our pastries, here's one of them

We also use two full size portable storage containers to store racks...and usually run out and have to run around town collecting from our customers haha




We make breads as well, but I wasn't able to get any pictures in the department-they were too busy and I didn't want to interrupt.

I hope you guys had a good holiday!
Have ya'll recovered from the holidays yet?

It's Christmas eve, baby, in the drunk tank.

I've been a bad blogger.

I'm sorry, ya'll.

I'll be back soon with lots of stuff, including a sneak peek behind the scenes of a bakery during the holidays (there's a reason we say "holidaze").

Here's a few of my fave Christmas tunes....

Hope you all are having a Merry Christmas!

Those Christmas lights keep shinin' on.

I try to decorate my place for holidays, even if its not much.

I put up some stuff for Halloween and Thanksgiving and was able to find some wintery stuff to put up for the holidays. I even found a little holiday tree. It's the perfect size for my tiny place! I didn't want it to be too traditional

so I spray painted it silver...

Much more my style.

I also put up a menorah, a snowflake wreath and some Channukah window clings.

I love the way everything looks... And my apartment looks festive and cute!

Unfortunately, there's still no snow on the ground but its getting colder so hopefully there will be some soon. Although, it is Michigan, so who knows ha ha

How do you guys decorate for the holidays?

Someday we'll find it,The Rainbow Connection.

By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, I'm pretty much dead. That week at work is so busy that when it comes time to eat dinner, I'm so exhausted I can barely form sentences. So my Thanksgiving usually involves me trying to hold it together and then sleeping, lots and lots of sleeping. Just one of the causalities of working in the bakery business, I suppose.

This year was no different, but it was nice to see family and then fall asleep at 9pm and sleep for nearly 12 hours. I definitely needed it!

Luckily, I was able to enjoy a little Black Friday shopping-nothing too exciting, but still fun :-) My mom and I woke up around 8 so we missed all the good sales and the crazies but we were able to get everything we wanted. After we did a little shopping, we met my brother and went to see The Muppet Movie.


It was adorable! I am too young to remember the original Muppets, but a few years ago, when they tried to bring it back, I can remember my whole family getting together to watch it. The music was great, I loved all the characters and Jason Segel looks like he's having such a good time. If you get the chance, you should definitely go see it!

This past weekend, my mom and I started to do some things in my apartment-even though I've been there a few months, we've both just been so busy that this was really the first opportunity to get any real work on it done.

So we hung some shelves...



and some wall stickers...



and started to work on the bathroom.
There's still a lot of work left to do, but here's a sneak peak of my new bathroom.

And now, I'm enjoying the quiet this week before the madness begins all over again for Christmas! Woo hoo!

But, I did have a nice distraction from the insanity-I went on a date and it actually wasn't a complete disaster! In fact, we even went out again! haha I was seriously starting to doubt it was possible! He's super nice and sweet and we've had a really great time together so far. We are hanging out again tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to it-so yay!

I hope ya'll had a wonderful holiday!

Come on over, it's Thanksgiving Day

Source: yesterdayontuesday.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I really can't even put into words how thankful I am. I am blessed beyond belief.

I hope you all are having a lovely Thanksgiving.