A piece of cake....or not.

I love to bake. I'm not particular...I like to bake anything really. I try not to bake very often for the sheer fact that I don't want to weight 350 pounds. But when I do bake, I am instinctively drawn to cupcakes. I have no idea why exactly. Probably has something to do with the fact that they are perfectly proportioned, easy to freeze, and fun to decorate. (Allie, I know you love cupcakes, so you'll want to check this out for sure!)

Well, I recently found the cutest baking Web site of all time. She bakes things other than cupcakes, but everything is pretty much "cake" based (meaning either a layered cake, regular cake, cupcakes, or cake lollipops). I am OB.SESSED with all of the cute things she does. I can't wait for the next time I can make one of her things....Hmm, 4th of July maybe?!

14-layer cake...is this not the coolest thing you've ever seen!?!?

Seriously ADORABLE. And all made of cake.

Mini cupcake shaped lollipops (with cake inside of course)

This woman is amazing! Check out the site - you might become obsessed too!

In Times of Remembering and in Times of Forgetting...

Yesterday, Seth's parents came for a visit. We had lunch and then decided to go take a walk on City Island since they have never seen it.


Well, of course while we were there, we showed them where we got engaged. Which made me turn into a sap later that night.


On the way home from dinner, I was recounting a lot of memories from our wedding day...the warm weather, all of the pictures, the kiss (which, if you remember was intense and made me look at our guests and smile and then laugh out loud after).


And then came remembering the vows. I still remembered them pretty much word for word to this day, so I asked Seth if he did. He paused. (Word for the wise, men: when your wife asks you if you remember your wedding vows, NEVER pause) :)


"You don't remember our VOWS?!?!" I may have shrieked.


"Yes I do."


"Ok, tell me one line then."


"I, Seth, take you Danielle."


Oh, what a smarty pants.


To his credit, I found out he was just messing with my head and could, surprisingly, pretty much say them verbatim. 176 brownie points for him!

Good man...

Three Weeks!!!!

Only three more weeks until Rehoboth Beach!! I am so excited to get away for a week.

I've started getting a few of the most important beach things, like a sassy new beach chair that was on sale at Sam's Club. I love the beach, but after awhile the sand all over my legs and everything drives me a little nuts. So the chair will be nice. And luckily, I don't have to buy an umbrella because my parents have one that we can borrow.

The umbrella is a must-have--remember this sunburn I told you about? With mine and Seth's glow-in-the-dark skin and blonde hair, we're taking every precaution we can. I've already purchased several things of AERESOL sunscreen so that I do not have to be responsible for sufficiently rubbing it in and covering the necessary exposed skin. Too much pressure. :)

I'm also very excited because my friend Allie and I are trying to make arrangements for her to come lay on the beach and do lunch with me one day!!!

Can't wait to sleep in, lay out, swim, go out for dinner, play games, mini-golf (and maybe beat Seth!), have ice cream, walk on the boardwalk, and NOT check work e-mail!!

Too Cute for Words.

Numbers

1,394: The number of times I kissed these cuties on Saturday.


579: the appoximate number of bug bites I have on my body after 20 minutes outside tonight.

2: the number of those bug bites that are on my face. Prominently on my face.

9: the number of hours of sleep I need every night.

7: the number I actually get.

and finally...

13: the approximate number of times that I get jealous at 5:30 in the morning as I get ready while Seth is sleeping.

Is it Friday yet? I need sleeeeeeep. :)

Pure Excitement!!!!

I am such a sucker for vacation. Most of the time, any vacation will do, just so it means getting away for a little bit. I've been to the Caribbean a few times and am completely obsessed with it. The white sand, crystal clear water, wonderful food? Um...yes, please. :)

Well imagine my excitement when 2009 includes not one but now TWO vacations!

In July, we are going to Rehoboth Beach with all of the Ran brothers and respective "clans." We have a penthouse condo...there will be all sorts of sand, sun, and super cute nieces and nephews. We are very excited!!!!

And in December, we are going away for our anniversary. I absolutely love going somewhere sunny and warm when it is freezing and snowy here! We will be going to....

....drumroll please....

...JAMAICA! We are staying here, a gorgeous all-inclusive resort in Ochos Rios. The resort is so "all-inclusive" that it even includes the famous Dunn's River Falls excursion, horseback riding, water skiing (which I probably won't do because I hate sharks. See previous post!), glass bottom boat tours, and much more!

Basically, if you know me at all, you know that I am ecstatic to travel somewhere romantic and luxurious with Seth...it'll be like a second honeymoon three years later! :)

A Quarter of a Century?

I turn 25 on Saturday. It doesn't even phase me a little bit. People ask me what I'm going to do on my birthday as my quarter-life crisis. Well, if we're getting technical, I'm going to be working (yes, working on my birthday. horray.) But what I think they mean is what I am going to DO to ring in the big time in my life.

Sky dive? Um, no. I once thought I would. But then I thought about it and realized it is stupid and irresponsible, and if I lived, I will have just paid some absurd amount of money I could have spent a vacation only to fly somewhere to jump out of a plane.

Will I learn to scuba? Hello, I'm Danielle. Have we met? I don't do sharks. I never have. I much prefer looking at sharks through 8 inch glass at the Baltimore aquarium.

Learn a new hobby? Nah, don't even have time for the ones I do have. And quite frankly, I'm not good at hobbies. My attention span is too short. I love to scrapbook so much, yet I can't seem to push past mine and Seth's first Christmas together. Thank goodness my mom scrapbooked our engagement, wedding and honeymoon for me or else those events would be only in my head.

Travel? Yes, please. My bucket list of "places" includes Italy, France, England, Antigua and Barbuda, Alaska, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Australia. If you happen to have a free week at any of the above, I'd be happy to take it off your hands. :)

Basically, I don't need to "do" anything when I turn 25. I am perfectly happy and content with my little family, my job, loving on my nieces and nephews, planning an anniversary trip, hanging out with family and friends, and doing the same things I did when I was 24.

25 is the new 24 anyway. ;)

I'm Not Biased or Anything...

...but the twins are ADORABLE!

I managed to hold off until noon to go to the hospital to visit them. (Don't let that fool you. I wouldn't have been able to wait except that noon is when hospital visiting hours started).

McKenna is a tiny bit smaller...she was born at 5 pounds, 9 oz. Elijah is 5 pounds, 11 oz.

Here are a few pics:

Me with both of them. Only because someone handed me the 2nd one once I had one. I'm not sure how you pick up two and manage to sit. haha.

There are lots more pics on the dropshots, and probably plenty more to come! :)

THEY'RE HERE!

YAYYYYYYY! Congratulations, Michelle and Jason!

VERY excited to announce that the twins have arrived safely and Seth and I are aunt and uncle two times over!

McKenna Grace
8:00 p.m.
She has blonde hair like Michelle.

Elijah (Eli) James
8:14 p.m.
He has brown hair like Jason.

More details to follow...

They are all doing well. The real question is can I hold myself together (and get any sleep) while I wait for visiting hours to start at noon tomorrow?! (Hint: doubt it) I'm sure there will be tons of dropshots photos when I get home from the hospital. I just told their pups that they have a BROTHER AND SISTER (in an excited voice) and they are running around confused, barking, whining, etc.

Waiting...

...and too excited to focus on work!

Update: Patience is so not a virtue of mine. Can't wait to meet my niece and nephew. The suspense is killing me!