Happy weekend everyone! I hope every one is enjoying the last steamy days of summer vacation. We counted the days and our kids only have 22 days left until school starts again. How crazy is that? Time to get berry picking and to the pool a few more times before home work starts.
Although I think the kids are starting to get ready for school...probably more to see their friends and get into a routine. Routine is a good thing to have most of the year. I am actually ready to have a set schedule too. We can only take so many weeks of not doing anything very productive.
Ready for my Top Ten picks? These are my favorite instagrams or internet finds that caught my eye lately...
1. A few weeks ago I made this wedding cake. Every single time I agree to make one, I say it is the last one. Seriously this is the last one! Please help me remember why...4 days of nothing but cake, frosting, and decorating. Oh, and the stress of making sure it is perfect because umpteen million people will be staring at it as it sits on the dance floor.
2. Did you know that Sunday June 21st is National Ice Cream Day? We had to go pick up our kids from my brother and sister in law's house last night, so we took the ice cream and shared the goodness with them a little bit early.
The girls loved the Take the Cake flavor. It was the perfect after dinner snack on a hot steamy day. And the Salted Caramel Pretzel? Seriously that was so good. It's probably a good thing that I left the little bit behind because I would be sneaking bites of that every chance I could get. But since it is half the fat, I'm calling it healthy for me. LOL!
3. Coconut Blondies that are good for me and topped with ice cream...why yes, I would love some.
4. This picture makes me drool every single time I look at it. I must have this Caprese Chicken in my kitchen very, very soon.
5. This week my hubby and I went bike riding while the kids were away camping with the in laws. It was a hot and steamy day, and we decided to ride a measly 26 miles. Aaaaaccckkkk! Remind me to never do that again unless I have a helmet hat that is full of iced coffee to keep me going. Let's just say that 26 miles on a bike when you are not used to bike riding isn't the most pleasant feeling when you are done. Bike seat are not made for cupcake butts. Just sayin'
6. Who wants to join me in eating a gigantic bowl of this Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream? Cherry, cream cheese, cracker crumbs...it looks so heavenly! I wish I had made some up to enjoy after bike riding so long!
7. These Peanut Butter Brookies make me so happy...of course, I would be happier if I had a pan full of them in front of me now. Must. Make. Them. Stat!
8. This pineapple slicer from OXO has officially moved into the spot for my most favorite tool of the week. It is seriously the coolest and easiest thing to use. Don't mind me while I go buy 20 pineapples, just so I can just it over and over.
9. Hot summer days mean cold Starbucks when going for a long drive. The best part is if you buy a drink in the morning, you can bring your receipt back in the afternoon and that cold drink will only be $2. I see more Starbucks runs in the next few weeks during this promotion.
10. Real life blog friends are the best. This week I visited Liz from Love Grows Wild, and hung out with her and her cute boys for a few hours. We met through blogging and realized how close we live to each other. It's so fun to chat with a fellow blogger about food, photography, food, crafts, food, lighting...did I mention food?
Have a wonderful weekend having fun in the sun. And make sure you go buy or make ice cream to enjoy on Sunday! A holiday like National Ice Cream Day definitely needs to be celebrated.
Chels R.
What a fun top 10 and I'm drooling over all that ice cream! We had milkshakes last night and the hubby put homemade caramel in mine without melting it a bit first. Yeah, my caramel sunk to the bottom of the glass, lol! We love bike riding-we go to Sunriver every fall before we start homeschooling again for a week and all we do is bike ride. It does help to have a nice seat. You could easily replace yours for something more comfy. I have to have a comfy one because I bruised my tailbone really bad 9 years ago (giving birth to my oldest) and it's never fully healed.
Wendy
WOW, Jocelyn! That wedding cake is stunning!! No wonder you were stressing out every step of the way! How in the world did you get it to the wedding intact?!? Somehow you did and it is perfect from the amazing 4 tiers to the elegant icing to the adorable Lego people up on top!
Ice cream any hot summer day is worth celebrating. Ice cream with cousins is even better. 🙂
Raquel
That is a beautiful cake Jocelyn! You are so talented!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Raquel!! 😉
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Nancy, I did!! 😉
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Jocelyn, you are so talented! That wedding cake is incredible. It looks better than a lot of the ones I see at the weddings I go to! I need to make those coconut blondies ASAP and now I'm super thirsty for a giant iced mocha from Starbucks! Lol. Thanks for another awesome Top 10. Although the fact that summer is swiftly drawing to a close freaks me out - how are we already nearing the end of July?! Craziness.
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Nancy!! I appreciate you saying that! I stress so much about the cakes I do because I want them to just be perfect! I have no clue how it is almost August.. Pure insanity for sure!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
I cannot imagine making a wedding cake. You're amazing, it's gorgeous!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Dorothy!! 😉
tammy c
that's a nice cake you decorated I love the Lego bride and groom cool.
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Tammy!! 😉
marcie@flavorthemoments
Your wedding cake is gorgeous! That takes an incredible amount of patience, I'm sure. Cupcake butt? You seriously had me laugh out loud on that one. 26 miles is brutal on a bike seat! Coconut blondies, peanut butter brookies, caprese chicken...it's all good. I'd devour all of it if they were placed in front of me. Have a great weekend!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Marcie!! 😉 Haha, yes cupcake butt about sums it up!!
Kentuckylady717
Sorry, don't see where to leave comment for the Ice Cream contest....did all you asked, and here is my comment....would love to have the chocolate chip cones 🙂
Kentuckylady717
Awwwwwww please, won't you just bake one more ? Mine 🙂 when I find a husband LOL....haven't found one in 30 yrs. so it's very unlikely I will find one now :)....but please say yes you will bake one for me if it happens 🙂
This cake is absolutely beautiful......this is the same kind I would like for you to make for me....LOL
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha!! Ok, just for you! 😉 Thanks so much!!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes
WOW great job on that wedding cake!! That looks awesome!! Have a great weekend 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Ashley!! 😉
Wendy Bilton
You are so very very clever. Yes, I understand you have been constantly icing for the last four days, but now its all finished, you can step back and say "I done that" - Im sure you will get many many compliments about it. Wish I had the patience to make a cake like that!! You are, very very talented.
p.s. I've only been following your blog for a short while, and am sooooo glad I found you!!
Thanks.
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha, thank you so very much!! I do enjoy the compliments! 😉 I'm SO happy that you found my blog!! I hope to hear from you again!!
TiffanyAzure@CremedelaCrumb
Jocelyn that cake is stunning! Bad can I just say that I personally love the Lego-people touch 😉 it's so beautiful it makes me want to try one out! But your stressful four-day tale reminds me why I should leave that art for the truly talented and patient people such as yourself. 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Tiffany!! 😉 Haha, I thought the Lego people were pretty cute myself! Well, I'm not as patient as I once was with making them!!
Teresa Young
Take the Cake is one of my favorite ice cream flavors! The Salted Caramel Pretzel sounds good too! (:
Jocelyn Brubaker
Yes, they were so very good!! 😉
Rebekah
Your cake turned out a-may-zing. Seriously. But I totally get why you don't want to keep doing them. I could never handle the stress!
Hope you have a great weekend!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Rebekah!! 😉 Yes, the stress kills me!!
Tieghan
That wedding cake! Wow, it is gorgeous!! You are so talented!!
22 days till school starts again? Oh my gosh, were does the time go? That seems crazy!
Have a great weekend, Jocelyn!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Teighan!! 😉 Yes, it's crazy how fast time goes!!
Summer
The wedding cake looks fantabulous!!!!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so very much Summer!! 😉
Averie @ Averie Cooks
You and Liz look great. And that wedding cake. OMG you are so talented!!! But I can see why you would NOT want to do it - 4 days of nothing but cake and the stress! The pressure! I would love that feeling. At all. I can see why you wouldn't want to do another! And ever since I started making my own Starbucks Skinny Frapps, I can't imagine paying all that $$ for their drinks! The rate I drink coffee, I'd be broke 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Averie! For all of your sweet comments! 😉 I really should start making my own Starbucks drinks too!!