a piece of cake...

...or a whole cake but I had to get catchy with the title. Gotta grab y'alls attention from the start.

I know its friday and most people in my age demographic are being social and going out on the town but tonight I'm having some down time and I'm actually really excited about it. Tonight my crazy plans are to bake a cake and drink some wine.

Now, last night I decided to get a head start and go to the grocery store to pick up some items to bake the cake. No, it's not from a box. Do you really think I would post a blog about making something from a box? Absolutely not. This cake is going to be made from scratch, with love, and it is going to be amazing. I'm not just baking a cake because I'm a fatso and wanted something to binge on. I am actually baking it for my family whom I am visiting this weekend. This week was my Aunt's birthday and next week will be my grandmother's and mine (you haven't forgotten about my birthday have you??) so I figured I might as well bring a cake with me to the weekend celebration. Anyway, as I was going to get said ingredients I decided to call my parents. I would like to pause here and tell you about our convo...Let's be clear on this...1)they both knew I was going to visit the family to celebrate the trifecta of family birthdays this weekend. 2) they are both in the same room during each conversation with them. 3) they were serious. First I spoke to my dad explaining my trip for the weekend and told him that I was at publix getting ready to bake a cake and then I spoke to my mother explaining the same thing. I must ask, whatever happened to speakerphone?

Dad's response...

Dad: "You are baking a cake for your birthday?"

Me:"What? No? Why would I bake myself a cake? That's really sad and someone better do that for me. I'm making it to take to Clayton, duh."

Dad:"and who do you think is going to do that?"

Me: "um mom, obvi. i mean she isn't going to bake it but she is going to send me one, like a cookie cake, or something. she always does...except for last year because i was fat."

Dad: "do you even have enough friends there to help you eat it if she sent one?"

My mother's response...

Mom: "why are you at publix?"

Me: "I'm going to bake a cake tomorrow night so I need to get some ingredients."

Mom: "Oh, for your birthday?"

Me: "Are you guys joking?"

Mom: "Well I don't know...you like cake."

To be honest I don't even know where they were going with their thinking. 1) do you think i really would eat a whole cake by myself? 2) please tell me you know i have friends 3) you really think i would bake my own birthday cake? 4) seriously??

...And so my cake adventure starts. I will be making Bethenny's Not-So-Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing all from scratch. In case you aren't familiar with Bethenny she is an all-natural food chef so her recipe's are all from natural ingredients, obvi. Her idea is that you lose weight not by dieting but by changing what you are eating. I think it is the same thing but whatever she must know what she is talking about she has two books and millions but I digress. So, that is what I will be doing this friday night and I will be sure to have an amazing time so that I can blog about it again next week. I hope all of y'all have as fabulous a friday as I will be having tonight.

--love.whit--

September.

I may be a little late on announcing its arrival but it's officially september. As we come to the end of the second week of the best month of the year I thought I would pause to reflect on all september has to offer this year.

As many of you might know, September, is my month. I don't actually own the rights to it or anything but it is the month in which I was born and so it is mine. Mmmsorry if you somehow thought otherwise. Yes, you might associate it with giving thanks to those who labor, remembering those we've lost in the 9/11 attacks, celebrating the jewish new year, or even wishing another friend a birthday. But, in reality this month is/was/and forever will be MINE.

You can blame my parents for this whole, "birthday month", thing. It really is their fault. Each of my siblings and I have, not a day, not a week, but a whole month to celebrate our coming into the world. Maybe it is because we were each a month early so we each get a month to celebrate until the day we were actually born. Or perhaps it is because somehow my parents arranged us in such a way that each of our birthdays are a month apart from one another-September 29-October 30-November 28-Jesus' birthday on December 25-the month celebration just seemed to fit.

Now, that you have gotten through the explanation of why this month is mine I believe it is time for me to tell you what I plan to do with it. Yes, the "reflection" I mentioned many moons ago when you first started reading this post. I know, I know get to the point already. While many people take on a new years resolution I like to take on a month-to-month resolution. If you know me and you are wondering when this started, it started....wellll now.

Being that this month is my month I thought it would be appropriate to do a little self-improvement shall we say. Since the first week of this glorious month I have stopped straightening my hair. If I would like to wear it straight I must blow it out. Now, this has actually had a number of benefits to it. 1) my hair is healthier (grow.please.grow) 2) my arms are getting a great work out. I just wanted my locks to look lovely and grow and now I'm looking buff and more repunzel-esque.

The second thing I have taken on, err actually given up, is eating out during the week and on the weekends if I do not have dining plans with friends. The goal here? Saving money and my shapely figure. How is it working out? So far, so good. I now only eat out if I absolutely have to. I'm not being Rachel Ray over here but I have figured out I can make a mean pb&j and wheat thins make me feel better (even if I eat more than I should) than a small fry.

So as we round the corner on the end of week 2 I thought I'd update you on my september. What I am doing and what I hope to accomplish. And just because I am a nice person and sharing is caring after all I'd like to also wish my fellow september babies a happy birthday. Happy September to all.

--love.whit.--

Guess who is back??

Me, duh.

Now that we are off to such an exciting start I won't let the surprises stop there. I've been busy getting a life to blog about. Since I last blogged I have applied, interviewed, cried, moved, and had a sigh of relief.

July and August were busy months for me. Basically, I grew up. I know, I know you are as shocked as am I. This growth spurt occurred after I realized I wasn't going to get anywhere if I just moved home and waited for things to happen. Things don't just happen...you have to make them happen. So I applied, interviewed, got rejected, and ultimately got accepted. I now have two awesome internships and two part-time jobs. If you are wondering when I have time to do something other than work the answer mostly points to...I don't.

Now, I am not complaining. I actually like the busy life I have created for myself. Mostly because my planner now looks so awesomely full and organized but also because there is the feeling that being busy means I am doing something AND doing something means I am getting somewhere AND getting somewhere means I am finding my purpose...or something like that.

If you are curious as to the direction my blog will take on now that I am mature, don't be sad I actually haven't really changed that much except that I have so much more to blog about. So get ready all you blog readers...Fall is going be more about leaves changing this year it's also going to be about my change. My triumphs and my ultimate fails and of course my family and friends sprinkled in here and there just because I love them so much and because they are the only ones who read this.

Alright, enough with the IFS and ANDS today.Iit's FRIDAY which ultimately means Thursday in my book. Why, you ask? Oh you will see...just keep reading. ha.

--love.whit--