This is the cake I made for Hope and Tripp. Hope just found out that she is pregnant and is due on March 21st and Tripp had hernia surgery this week. They are both doing great but I thought Hope needs to celebrate and Tripp needs a pick-me-up. It was my first fondant cake!
As if you did not get the idea in the first two shots...
We had my mom over to celebrate her birthday. My dad was out of town so we made her dinner at our house. I thought this picture was so cute so I had to post it!
This weekend we again trucked it up to Charlotte but this time it was for an engagement party for Jimmy Largen and Tanya Baker. They will be getting married in the spring and Adam is a groomsman. The engagement party was at the Panthers Stadium in suite 87. It seemed to get both of us excited about the upcoming football season. Walking into the suite, I couldn’t resist telling Adam that “this is the way to do football.” The cushioned seats, air conditioning, buffet, open bar, and pool tables all seemed to put you in a trance.
Suite 87...
Adam, Dowell, and the future groom Largen
All of the Sigma Chi boys
and their better halves :)
After the party, we headed to Chris and Shanley Gaither's house. They just bought a beautiful home in Myers Park. That is where things started to get crazy...
I mean really crazy
This is a few of the Gaither's backyard from their huge porch. How crazy is it that they own a basketball court. I am pretty sure that is the coolest thing ever.
After everyone geared up we headed to Nolan's Kitchen. It was great to see everyone and we are looking forward to the next get together.
Adam has been working late so I took the opportunity to go to happy hour! We all met at The Sheraton downtown at their Rooftop Bar. It actually turned out to be a great crowd. Clary Powell, Tracey Ammons, Whitney Livingston, Ley Linder, Jason Richardson, Gill Strait, Nicole Barr, Robert Cranford, and I all gathered to celebrate Jessi Mahney’s birthday and see Ley Linder before he goes to graduate school. Ley is beginning his graduate degree at Appalachian State University and leaves this weekend.
The Sheraton has been renovated from one of Columbia’s original banks and has a neat bar downstairs called “The Vault.” It is nestled within the bank’s original safe and is a historic centerpiece of the lobby hotel. 
The girls then headed to Tsunami in the vista for some sushi- which was delicious.
I had an appointment in Lexington today so I was able to meet Anne and baby Kate for lunch. We went to The Bistro in The Flight Deck Shopping Center because it has the best spinach dip. Kate was 8 weeks old today. It really seems like yesterday that she was born. She has become very expressive. Anne says she is quite the drama queen.
Here is the proud Momma
Here is Kate in the headband and dress I bought her...
Grace came over to play last night while Mason and Kelly went to dinner and bowling. We played upstairs with her toys until she was worn out and went fast asleep. Below is the new bouncing cow for her to play with...
Grace makes the funniest face when you ask to see her muscles. It is as if she is straining so hard. Check out the video below...
My sister, Anne Marie, turned 30 on August 5! It is crazy to think that she is thirty because I know that it will not be long before I too will follow. She celebrated by having a party at her house. She loves to entertain and this was no exception. Joey (her husband) and I wanted to make sure that this party was different from the many that they throw each year. When my sister was turning 3 years-old my mom threw her a Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Party. Since she was turning 30 this year it only seemed fit to recreate it. My friend Jessica owns a company called SugarLump Stationary but they specialize in many things other than stationary. She made this amazing banner for me and also stickers that I put on the cups and balloons. (I plan to write an entire post about the great products I have purchased through Sugarlump...so stay tuned)
Below is the cake that I made for her party. It was my first "character cake" and it took a long time. Hopefully, with practice I will get faster.
I printed out a bunch of pictures of Anne Marie growing up and placed them around the house. I also had a large picture blown up so everyone could sign it.
This is the best picture from the party. She was not too happy that I displayed this picture in her house. I am pretty sure she thought she had destroyed all of the evidence of her awkward years but after a bit of digging a few things surfaced. (I must say that I am sure that we all have many photos that we wish would be destroyed-myself included but this picture is just priceless.) I would like to title the below picture as "A Beautiful Swan."
Here is the family shot from the party. Mom, dad, Uncle Joe, and Aunt Renee drove up from Columbia.
Here is us with the fun cake.
Below is Anne Marie recreating the picture from when she was three. You can see the other cake I made in the background so there would be enough cake for everyone.
Those were my party beads (thanks Rich)
Don't they look like two models?
Things always seem to get crazy at these parties.
Yeah, I'm not really sure what was happening here. All I know is that it was early morning.
Here is Anne Marie's reaction to the above shenanigans...
All in all, it was a wonderful weekend. I am so lucky to have such a great sister who does so much for so many. 
Here are some pictures from my latest cake.
Close-up of the roses...
Don't worry, Adam and I have not eaten this entire cake by ourselves.
Hopefully, more to come!
This weekend Adam and I again packed the car for a roadtrip but this time we were headed south to Atlanta. My friend Evan and her husband, Scott, just recently bought a new house. We were unable to make it to their housewarming party and this weekend was the perfect opportunity to visit. Evan and I met at Clemson and became close over our freshman year. Our friendship grew and we were bridesmaids in each others wedding. Evan and Scott moved down to Atlanta for her to attend Emory Law School. I selfishly hoped that they would move back to South Carolina upon completion but now she is officially a Georgia Peach! Isn't their new home amazing?
As soon as we got to their home, we jumped back in the car to head to the Braves v. Dodgers game. I had never gone to a Braves game before so it was a great treat for me. We had great seats right behind first base. I have never been to any sports game where I had a waitress to take our orders from a menu and then bring the food to where we were sitting!
Here is the crew...
Okay, so it rained during the game and this waitress explained that she "just had her hair did!"
One of our friends from Irmo High School (Lisa Wessinger) now works for the Braves. She has an office there and works in merchandising. I have not talked to Lisa very much since school but I let her know that were were heading to Atlanta for the game. It was was great to see her and catch up. I hope that less time goes by before I get to see her again.
Out in The Highlands after the game...
The next day, Adam and I woke up to fresh Chick-fil-a chicken biscuits (hey, we were in Atlanta and Evan gave us the all-star treatment). It was a great way to start our day. Adam and Scott went golfing while Evan and I headed out to do some damage shopping. Adam and Scott both got a Par on one of the holes so that was quite the accomplishment of the day. We then went to Blue Moon Cafe to get some pizza and calzones. After dinner, we drove Adam to meet with his childhood friend, Danny, and his sister, Julie. They live right outside of Atlanta and Adam wouldn't dream of goingn to Atlanta without seeing them. It worked out great for Adam to spend some one on one time with Danny and for me to do the same with Evan.
The next morning I woke up and drove to pick up Adam. Of course on our way home we stopped at the Georgia Outlets. 
