Happy Birthday Ma!

My mother's birthday is this coming Monday, but the restaurant we wanted to take her to is not open that day so we decided to take her today. I know I had a great time trying to make this day for her as special as possible. Everyone asks her what her secret is to looking young and having nice skin and her response is, "Pond's Cold Cream." I had a great time, I hope she did too. Have a look:

We went to eat at Combine Brothers in Hermitage, PA. The food there is wonderful and they give you tons of it!


Here is my beautiful mother!


Haha! This picture cracks me up! In the photo I was trying to show how huge the rolls are and I was using my mom's head as a comparison! I think she thought I was going to throw it at her and knock her out...


I am a pastry chef and a cake decorator so I have learned a thing or two about decorating cakes fast. Last night Brian took my mom with him to pick up some take out. While they were gone in about an hour I baked a Pineapple Carrot Cake from scratch and cream cheese icing. When they got home I hid the cake to cool and put the frosting in our refrigerator in the basement. I made my mom the same cake that I requested for my birthday. We both love carrot cake. Oh yeah and my mom was quite proud that her sparklers set off the smoke alarms!


My sister Marcie introduced my mom to the world of frothed milk on your coffee. Since then my mom was on a hunt for a milk frother. I found one for her as one of her gifts.


We also gave her a cha-cha apron which looks more like a party dress than an apron. She loved it!


I decorated this cake IN THE BASEMENT after I came home from work. It did not take long and I think it came out great!



I used a beautiful antique cake pedestal, which was given to me by my wonderful friends Steph and Jeff

It was so delicious!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! WE LOVE YOU!!!