Under the Big Top

It's not everyday your big brother turns 30 on the same day your uncle turns 60. Naturally, my parents threw an over-the-top "under the big top"-themed party for Joe and good ol' Uncle Bill, April 22.

As if my mom needs an excuse to throw a party? She loves planning and stressing herself out over the details (takes one to know one). Ohhh the details. Words cannot express the prep that went into this shindig. Wowza.

My sisters, their husbands, and their kiddos flew into town for the 90 party, and we spent all day Saturday assembling goodie bags, frosting a ba-zillion cupcakes, assembling a clown cake, watching my mom drag out two laundry baskets full of "raffle" prizes, assisting my mom with the sides for the barbecue feast, watching the guys set up the tent, arranging the truckload of party gear my aunt brought for the party (including, but not limited to, cupcakes, banners, cake walk cutouts, etc.), stocking the frige full of beer, firing up both grills for a test run, and any number of other pre-party "tasks."

It seems like every time we all get together, the memories burn brighter, and this event was no different. If this party were a sporting event, the highlight reel would be three hours long. Not only did my brother's and uncle's friends come out in full force (ranging from childhood buddies to coworkers and of course all the fam)...my parents somehow managed to have the Shriner's Calliope parade float roll up through the neighborhood blaring its circus music. Yes. You read that correctly. A parade float...rolled into their neighborhood just before the party began. It (or should I say Mr. Adamson, as that was the float operator's name) proceeded to park in my parents' driveway and play throughout the party. All the neighborhood kiddos came running out thinking some supersized ice cream man was coming down the road, and I wish I had some footage of their priceless faces when they saw the float was parking in front of the party.

With all the hullabaloo going on around their house, I am sure my parents could have charged admission for this one.

I'm leaving out so many of the details of the day, but hopefully the following photos will pick up where I am leaving off. No one will forget the magic of April 22, 2012. Happy Birthday, Joe and Bill!  

Hazel just would not fall asleep because she wanted to be a part of the baking bonanza...so Stef improvised and Hazey got to "help."

God bless coconut for its cover-up abilities. 

Aunt Terry and cousin Sam whipped up these a-dooooorable popcorn cupcakes and the big top cupcake. Terry also made all the aprons the Benz ladies are wearing. She's outrageous. 

Custom stickers (again, courtesy of Terry) for cupcake take-away boxes. Mini-version of the invitation with Joe and Bill's photo.

Big Poppi getting inked.

Sam, Stef, Mom, and Liza...who knew my sis could whip up balloon animals? Hidden talent REVEALED!

Birthday boys oh so many years ago!

Aaand here comes the calliope! 

Both my sisters and I started crying when we saw how excited my mom and dad were at the sight of this. You have to understand our family's history with Rose Festival parades--especially my uncle Bill, who never misses a parade. It was pretty special...and maybe something only my family would appreciate. 

So cute seeing the looks on their faces...they kept this part of the day a surprise.

Team Heit with the float. 

Team DeVries, party of three!

Sometimes I feel so bad for Taylor and all the random family jokes and traditions I subject him to. He is such a good sport.

How cute are they?!

Missing a few of the fam...including the birthday boy.

Steve and Hazey D.

Lize and Leo-weeo.

ALL of the family.

And another. Unofficially 14.

Elizabeth, Joe, me, and Stef. 

The birthday BOYS!

Nice gun show, Taylor. Actual size.

My, what long arms you have, Sara.

Aunt Terry and her sis on the cake walk! 

Brothers-in-law assuming their roles as grillmasters.

Sis-in-law Sara really took to her role as the raffle leader.

We even rolled out a cake for my sis, Elizabeth, as she turned 35 just two days later.

Two cakes, ice cream cones, cupcakes, but Nana B.'s most over-used phrase: "Will there be enough food?"

Birthday princess.

Saying goodbye to Mr. Adamson and the calliope.

Recreating the photo sans uncle-holding-brother.

Nana "relaxing" post-party with Hazel in her jammies.

Sisters in stripes.

Aaand he's back!

See ya later Tax Season!

A focused freshman 15

I love my job and the work environment in general. I am so lucky to be where I am...at a company that appreciates food as much as I do. Ha. OK. In all seriousness, my company has excellent core values as well as an approach to the work-life balance that I admire and appreciate. But. Also. The company sure likes food. Some people even warned me of the AHA! 15 when I got hired. 

Every Monday we have Community Lunch. A sign-up sheet circulates the Friday before, and everyone signs up to bring an item based on the theme (oh how I love me a good themed function to boot!). Last week, we had a tapas/appetizer lunch. My coworkers really showcased their creativity, and I tried to drum up something in a hurry, following our fun-filled weekend in Sunriver. 

My mom and I scoured our mental recipe books as well as scoped out some cookbooks and websites. In the end, we both decided I should try a simple appetizer from a magazine ad for puff pastry. I think they're called spinach and cheese wheels or something, but I decided to use a peppery cheese blend and add bacon to really make 'em pop. What's better than bacon? Well...bacon + puff pastry. A perfect marriage. 

Super simple method. Just thaw the puff pastry, roll it out, brush with an egg wash, top with spinach (I used frozen chopped spinach--thawed and thoroughly squeezed free of excess water), sprinkle with your favorite cheese or cheeses, and then toss on some crumbled bacon. Roll it all up and cut into little wheels! Just brush on a little more egg wash for that glisteny look. I think I baked them for 15 minutes or so on 350 degrees.

The next day at work, we had a garage sale as well as a cookie baking contest. I was a little over ambitious and thought I could get two different kinds of cookies baked, including my absolute go-to for oohs and ahhs, Salties, as well as a new cookie Taylor's sister introduced me to. She came up for a bake night a couple weeks ago and brought this incredible Heath-white chocolate-coconut cookie recipe. I think she found it on Pinterest. I gave my portion to Taylor to share at work, and he said they were a hit. I've since decided to call them the "AHA!s" as I won second place in the cookie contest with these treats.

My winnings from the contest--mini bundts! Can't wait to put this to use! 

I don't have a photo of the cookies (sad!), but I'll be sure to snap one next time. What I love about this recipe is how you can just throw everything into the KitchenAid and crank on the power. Piece of cake. Here's the recipe, from a blog called That Skinny Chick Can Bake: 

1 ¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup quick-cooking oats
4 1.4 ounce Heath bars, cut into chunks

1/2 cup coconut, shredded
8 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks

Preheat oven to 375º. Line baking sheets with parchment. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.Add vanilla and egg. Beat well.

Add flour, baking soda and salt to creamed mixture. Mix well

Add oats, toffee pieces, coconut and white chips. Mix well.

Place heaping tablespoons of dough on baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool a few minutes, then remove to cooling rack.

Try them for yourself! Thanks for the recipe, Whitney! XOXO 

Things you just never outgrow

Family trips to Sunriver.

The Easter Bunny. 

Egg hunts. 

Posing for pics on "the Rock."

This is just a short list of the things I'll never outgrow this time of year. 

I am so fortunate to have such memorable family traditions, including the annual Easter weekend getaway to Sunriver. Although the cast of characters changes year-to-year depending on schedules (e.g., Taylor was stuck in Taxland and couldn't escape, and the Californians are making a trip up in two weeks for Joe's big 3-0), we always-always-always brew up some hysterical new repeater jokes, eat until we pass out, walk and pedal our way around the fresh mountain air, and celebrate whatever big or small event happens to be coinciding with our visit. 

There's only one other holiday that parallels Easter's importance, and of course I love Christmas, but I particularly cherish the significance of the days leading up to the Resurrection as well as the outpouring of hallelujahs that follow the 40th day. 

I'm having some withdrawals from the weekend, and I'm in a bit of denial that I have to go to work tomorrow morning.

Let's let some photos do the talking. Happy Easter! He is risen! 

I don't normally take my phone on my runs, but I went out for a 20-miler, which turned into a 15-miler, and since I was alone, I decided it might be a safe decision. Once I got to the river, I was glad I did. Gorgeous day.

I spy the Easter Bunny hiding eggs for the "kids."

Just one of the Lady's tablescapes. Too cute. 

Instead of gum in the eggs like when we were kids, packs were dispersed around the tables...

...and on the mantle, along with the strand of egg lights. No corner left un-decorated. 

There's always an egg in the wreath (and one in the barbecue).

New addition #1: eggs lights along the door path.

New addition #2: The cutest chick on the block.

The baskets were adorable colorful colanders this year. 

And the traditional Easter grass-and-eggs cupcakes. My mom was so upset because the mint M&Ms turned out to be various shades of green instead of multi-colored pastels, hence the St. Patty's variety.

Joe and Sara on the hunt.

...still looking after I captured my limit and re-hid three eggs for them to find. 

Do you spy the egg? He eventually found it.

The newly-ish-weds. The chick. The Rock. And some street graffiti?

Just the bro, sis-in-law, and me this year. Fewer people to fight for the eggs. 

What once was 200+ eggs filled with gum has since become fewer eggs with a payout. 

My absolute favorite individual eggs Benny...bubbling up before our eyes! I think it was the elevation. This has never happened before. 

The traditional turnovers, accompanied by cinnamon rolls, the almond racetrack, ham, the mini eggs Benedict, fruit spread, mimosas...what am I missing?

Here they are again...mmm.

I guess I don't have a farewell photo since we took the Rock pic mid-egg hunt. Goodbye Sunriver. With several trips on the docket for this year--including the annual cooking challenge--I'll see you super soon!