05/30

beer birthday cake


My hubby turned 30 recently…and I must say, he’s hotter and more amazing than ever. He seems to get better with age…good for me! He had a wonderful dinner celebration with friends and family at his favorite steakhouse, received most of the things on his list and the ultimate gift for us to enjoy is a trip together {maybe Nashville or Cali wine country} without the kiddos to celebrate our 30th birthdays. {Now I just have to get over my fear of flying…working on it but it’s not going so well as the flight is not yet booked}.

Being a DIYer, I wanted to create something fun for him from the kiddos and me that included some of his favorite things and the number 30. The end result was a beer, sparkling water and ice cream cake, topped off with cigar candles.

Ingredients
12 Stella Cans of Beer
4 Guinness Cans of Beer
7 glasses of Pellegrino Sparkling Water
1 Dreyers Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
2 spotify gift cards
1 pair of designer glasses
3 cigars
= 30 gifts

And, to make it more special, the kids and I listed all the reasons why we love daddy/Tommy, and the kids wrote special notes too.

How To
Enlist adorable and priceless help from your kiddos

Write love notes/reasons why we love you notes on small pieces of paper, punch a hole in the corner of each one and use twine to attach to each beer/gift on your ‘cake’


Find the spot where you want to display your cake because once you make/layer it’s really hard to move {i did have to hide it for a little bit in a big box, so if you need to do that, just make sure each layer is on a separate base}.
Place the beer, or bottom layer of your cake in the shape you want – I created a circle with each beer next to each other.
Find a cake pan or strong base for your second/middle layer. I used a small metal cake pan base {the kind where the side can be removed}.
Add your second layer, which in my case was bottled water. Because my hubby likes the bottles, I used 2 cans of the Pellegrino Sparkling Water on the inside of the circle so top layer {half-gallon of ice cream} would fit snugly in between the bottles.


I used a hot glue gun to securely place the bottles exactly where I wanted them to be, with the base of each bottle ‘hanging’ of the edge of the cake pan {the hot glue was easily removed from the cake pan post celebration}.
Empty the ice cream half-gallon in another frozen-friendly container or buy 2 and eat one before you make the ‘cake’ so the ice cream doesn’t melt.
Use a knife to slit 3 x’s on the lid of the gallon ice cream container to tightly fit the cigars.
Add the cigars.

Wrap each cake layer with thick burlap or rope

Place other gifts, such as gift cards, glasses, etc around the cake
Get your vocal cords ready to sing ‘happy birthday’ to your loved one

{images via Tutto Bella}

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03/28

the little things…

It’s the little things in life that have the biggest impact sometimes. When I think of the little things that make me smile, it’s watching my kids discover something new for the first time, or the sound of tiny feet running into our bedroom in the morning, or a sweet note from a friend, a hug, a smile – whatever it may be, the little things are noticed and often, never forgotten.

All that was so ‘high level;’ in relation to what this post is really about. I’m not even sure why I got into that. This post is so not deep or philosophical. But, you know those little things that you’ve discovered, or special treats that can make a big impact in your day-to-day routine? That’s what we’re sharing with you today…some of our tricks of the trade that are small, but worth trying.

1. Frozen grapes in your wine glass.
Instead of ice, add frozen grapes to your glass of vino, and it will look pretty, and stay chilled without getting watery.  

2. Coconut Oil on the skin
Looking for a glow to your skin, without feeling oily? Coconut {organic and unrefined} is my go-to for a healthy, softening and brightening skin lotion. It adds a special glow, and doesn’t stain clothes or make me feel oily. You can find liquid Coconut Oil or solid Coconut Oil {when rubbed in between your hands, it will melt immediately and then you can apply to your skin} at your local health food store, and possibly grocery store. 

3. Cinnamon in coffee
Cinnamon consumption has been known to have positive health benefits, including lowering blood sugar and has also been noted to detoxify the system, help fight bladder infections and stimulate brain function. My brother-in-law, Will, said this coffee trick, changed his life. 🙂 Just a dash of cinnamon added to the ground coffee in the filter {before you brew} will give your coffee a little {and delicious} kick, and healthy non-natural flavor. 

4. Chlorophyll in water
I know this sounds totally gross, but a couple drops of chlorophyll in a glass of water is so yummy! Even my hubby likes it, and the kids ask for green water daily. If you’re not a water drinker, but enjoy mint flavor, adding chlorophyll to your water will make boring water, tasty and refreshing. Chlorophyll fights toxins and boosts energy, so you’ll get some healthy benefits as well. Find liquid chlorophyll {mint is our favorite} at your local health store, and follow the directions for appropriate amounts of chlorophyll in your water. 

 Do you have any little things we MUST try. Please share! Send us an email at trejsorelle@gmail.com or comment on this post.

{image via Tutto Bella}

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