Dare I say there is a hint of Fall in the air? It still reaches 90 degrees most days, but the mornings and evenings are finally starting to feel a bit less swampy.
After Robert got home from work on Friday we took Abby to Ballast Point Park for a little fresh air. The park has a fun water splash pad for kids that I'm sure Abby will love checking out someday soon; however, this was a quick trip and we spent most of our time looking at the Tampa skyline and listening to the seagulls.
Clomping her way down the dock...
...and having fun chasing her shadow.
On Sunday, Robert invited a group of his co-workers over for a potluck dinner. The dinner unintentionally ended up having a pan-Asian theme: one friend made Korean ribs, another made pork adobo, and a third brought over some amazing fried rice. In need of another side dish, Robert and I stumbled across a recipe for sweet and spicy peanut noodles that ended up being a big hit. (We recommend adding matchstick carrots and julienned red pepper for some added crunch -- yum!)
How did Abby prep for the party? By taking a nice, long afternoon nap:
I know, I know...her legs! We used to have a crib bumper on that side of the crib, too, but she would push it down and get her legs even more tangled.
Speaking of our little munchkin, I decided to use this gathering as a test opportunity for the birthday cake I'll be making in 3 weeks. Robert and I saw a Strawberry Dream Cake on a recent episode of America's Test Kitchen that had Abby's name written all over it. Strawberry cakes were always my favorite as a little girl and it doesn't hurt that it's a lovely shade of pink.
Oh yes, that's a whopping 22 tablespoons of butter! 12 for the cake and 10 for the frosting. I bought cake flour, too. So fancy!
No food dyes or fake strawberry flavor here. The recipe calls for both fresh and frozen strawberries.
That last photo wasn't particularly appetizing, was it?! I forgot to document the rest but here's the final result. It's A-MAZ-ING. And so pretty, no?
I love how food brings everyone together!
That cake looks amazing! Can't wait to try it in a few short weeks!!!!!!
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