Dear Blog, (2)

Happy 2nd Birthday!! 

I am sorry I only really write to you once a year on your birthday, but I'm usually pretty busy baking, posting my baking, taking care of kids and a husband, hanging out on social media sites (twitter, pinterest, facebook) promoting you etc... It really doesn't leave me a lot of time to have a heart to heart with you. 

As it's your birthday and all I think it's about time we had that heart to heart. Really  more of a reminiscing of the past year... here are a bakers dozen of our time together. 

1. Remember that time when I made coffee extract and I questioned if I had made it right? I made it with just coffee. Then I went to Starbucks for a freakin' lot of espresso to make it again and there was like no difference?? 

2. OMG do you remember the Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars I made for the 4th of July? They were so amazing ... I am drooling just thinking about them. 

3. Do you remember I baked a whole weeks worth of Harry Potter inspired treats? Yeah? It's a lot of work sorting out a themed weeks worth of bakes! But oh so rewarding. 

4. It seems like yesterday I hosted my first giveaway of a book I absolutely adore! 

5. Remember the Mickey Mouse cookies I made for Baby Baker's 3rd birthday? They were so cute and she loved them! She is more of a fan of Dora the Explorer at the moment. Wonder what she'll like in a half a years time? Do you also remember the sugar cookies I decorated to look like pizzas for the bigger Mini Baker?

6. Remember when I didn't win the Hummingbird Bakery Cupcake Competition? My Peach Melba Cupcakes were pretty amazing. Hey their loss, right?! However I was a runner up in the Lola's Cupcake Competition and received a voucher for 10GBP to spend at their shops. I still haven't made it to London since then...note to self: plan trip to London! 

7. I did spend the day in London with my good friend Bijal, remember that? I dragged her to bakeries I had yet to visit. It's a hard job being my friend sometimes. I make you eat cake with me. :0) Here is a link to Part 1 & Part 2 of that day! 

8. Remember when I was all nervous about attending my first (and only) Clandestine Cake Club? I thought they made you guess the location and that if you couldn't figure out a series of riddles you were just shit-out-of-luck and had to eat a cake to yourself. It's not like that. They tell you a day before the "secret" location. Was a little disappointed to find out I didn't have to figure it out by clues and riddles. Ah well, I was really happy with my Cherry Cola Bundt Cake and the group of people I met that night. Hoping to attend again in July! 

9. The majority of the cupcake recipes on here are for the Cupcake Book Club hosted by Kelly from An American Cupcake in London. Remember the everything is not as it seems Red Velvet Cupcakes and Toffee Bakewell Tart Cupcakes? They were for 2 different books, but both were good. 

10. Except these cupcakes ... Do you remember the Slo-Mo Cupcakes I made to celebrate World Book Night? I gave out a Judge Dredd graphic novel. I make a lot more cupcakes then I thought? 

11. These Raspberry & White Chocolate Celebration Brownies have been a big hit! Not sure how or why but they are my most viewed for this year. Remember my friends requested them for our dinner night? All who tried them loved them! 

12. Hey, do you remember when I bought that mini doughnut silicone pan from Lakeland's? Who knew it would get so much use? I have made a lot of fun mini doughnuts and plan to make a lot more! 

13. It only happened a month ago, but I will never forget my baking day at Cake Boy! 

So, there it is 13 memories of our year together. I'm looking forward to having another heart to heart this time next year. Same time, same place yea? 

I'm planning a few themed weeks, first one hopefully coming at the end of the month, other then that who knows where 2013/2014 will take us! 

I almost forgot to mention you're update look, remember we did that? I hope you're happier now that you look all nice and stuff. 

Love always, Lisa