The One with Family, Apples & Cake

Last weekend our home was full of family, food, and fun. Mom & Dad E, Brian, and Grandma & Grandpa E made the 8ish hour trip to our new home in our new state all the way from the Mitten. We didn't have anything in particular on the agenda, but we quickly managed to fill our time together. 

Friday evening (after a quick home tour of course), it was birthday party time! With Kevin & Brian's at the end of October and mine in November, we can kill 3 birds with one stone cake. I was thrilled with my newest addition to my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer family--a rubber scraper beater blade. Woot! (Seriously, this is me EXCITED.) 

After presents we all jumped in the van and headed to Red Lobster--the birthday restaurant of choice. Kevin had been eagerly anticipating this all week because of the endless shrimp special. And boy did he give that restaurant a run for their money. (I'll just leave it at that.) We had a bit of a wait to get seated and then served (it was 7 o'clock on a Friday night, after all), but this gave us all plenty of time to get caught up on one another's lives. (By the way, thanks, Family, for always listening with eagerness as we tell of the news of our ministry. We appreciate how much you care about our passion and love for teens.) 

Saturday morning dawned windy rainy and downright cold, but we managed to brave the elements multiple times. We visited the Methodist Church Bazaar and came home with some sweets and fresh Butternut squash (thanks, Grandpa!). We went back  to the bazaar to check on an item I had bid on in a silent auction. We ventured out to the apple orchard and had a ball filling our stomachs with tasty samples and freshly cooked apple cider doughnuts (my favorite! YUM!) We filled the trunk with cider and 80 pounds of apples (no joke!) to split between our families. 

That evening I made an enormous bowl of pasta with sausage and peppers--a specialty of mine. It must have been a hit with everyone, because that big beautiful bowl (passed on to me from my Italian grandpa) was empty. We all managed to save room for dessert though--I made Annie's Eats Caramel Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake and homemade vanilla ice cream. Pastor Randy & Sheryl and their 4 kids joined us to help us celebrate all of the birthdays.  It was so much fun having a house full of friends and family, serving my kitchen creations and seeing smiles on everyone's faces. I love me some hospitality. 

Besides watching the Tigers lose tragically to the Texas Rangers in the last game before the World Series, the weekend was a total success. Thanks for visiting, everyone! 

Do you love to host family & friends? Or maybe you enjoy being the guest? (I love both!)