Teal

Showing posts with label cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cake. Show all posts

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Fabulous at 50

My mom's youngest sister, Racheal (better known as Aunt Shell), who celebrated her 50th birthday March 25th threw a brunch the following weekend at Ristorante Toscana Wood Fired Grill in Cherry Hill for family and friends. Enjoying a few hours with family while savoring wonderful food was absolutely perfect for a festive birthday!
Several weeks before, my mom had an idea to compile an album with photos from when they (including their six brothers and sisters) were kids until the present day as part of her present. We instantly started rummaging through family photo albums and a case of old photos from my grandparents' house. After choosing a couple dozen photos, we scanned them and I started editing and correcting the colors (remember, some of the images were old).
When this step was complete, we uploaded them to Walgreens.com and put the photo pages together for a 50th birthday book, which my mom thought my aunt would absolutely love. And, she did! The album was passed around during the brunch while my aunt narrated and the siblings reminisced.
Here are just a couple of the old-school photos - it was so nice to go back in time, identify everyone and relive parts of their lives through my mother's stories.

My grandfather and Aunt Racheal on her First Birthday

My Mom and Aunt Racheal 

My two aunts and mom with their grandfather

Pictures of the whole clan...the first is just of the eight siblings and my grandparents.

My parents' wedding - circa 1973 

My aunt also ordered a fabulous cake from Haddonfield's Pretty Sweet Bakery. The two-tiered cake, which was NOT covered in fondant, but buttercream icing (can you even tell?), was a layer of carrot cake and a layer of chocolate. The icing was just right - not too sweet - and the cake was extremely moist, which is the reason why I would recommend Pretty Sweet Bakery for any celebration.

Yum!
Happy 50th Birthday Aunt Shell!

Monday, April 26, 2010

The Big FIVE!

It feels like just yesterday our little red head was born, yet time definitely flew and it's been a whole FIVE years ago today! And, in the spirit of the littlest boy in the Abate family becoming a whole hand, we had to celebrate. After he opened gifts (actually our gift was opened after cake), we ate our favorite Sunday meal - pasta. Today's Italian feast was filled with several options including ravioli, gnocchi and cavatelli along with meatballs and salad at a table filled with immediate and extended family (missing of the few of the key players, Liv and Di, though)!

A few days before Cam's birthday celebration, I went shopping trying to think of what he would like in addition to purchasing some cute summer clothes. In the end, I filled a two gallon blue sand bucket with swim trunks, two outfits, matching flip flops, sunblock and more, complete with a boogie board sporting the same design as his new trunks!

Cameron LOVED his How To Train Your Dragon decorated chocolate and vanilla cake so much it was difficult for him to share until he learned he was taking some yummy cake home. He even sang to himself, which was undeniably adorable!

Here's some shots of the intimate festivities:

Yummy Dragon Cake and Aunt Lexy and Joe's birthday gift!

The birthday boy and his big boy cousin, Joseph! (apparently I couldn't crop Christian out of the photo while he was eating!)

Years past...I couldn't resist!
Some of my fave pics of the little guy!

Celebrating his 2nd birthday in 2007!

Blowing Out Candles!

Opening Gifts...while Joseph and Liva watch!

And on this occasion, Cameron absolutely enjoyed his ice cream....so cute!