Happy Birthday Miss Jessie!

Though it be late, I decided I better record the happenings of this day or it may not happen for a while. Today Jessica Vandermark had the 23rd anniversary of her birth! I was in charge of making her birthday cake. I was so excited, I love cooking especially for those I love and then whoever else is going to be around to eat it.

The birthday girl and some of her friends

I decided to make a dark chocolate raspberry cake, once it was done I decided it was probably not enough cake, so decided to make a lemon raspberry cake as well. They went together, they both had raspberry...so I got to work. I had planned to photograph the entire process, but alas, I am much better at cleaning while cooking than taking pictures while cooking.

Chocolate Cake Base

Lemon Cake Base

Lemon Curd for the Lemon Cream Frosting

Raspberry Filling, unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the Chocolate Ganache, it was brown.

The work was fun, but it was even more fun once they were done and Jessica got to blow out all the candles! There were 24 of them, there was one extra for good luck.

Who knew that so much smoke could come from a birthday cake?

Cutting into the chocolate cake

Everyone dying for a piece of cake, but not being brave enough to get the first piece.

We had quite the dessert feast: cakes, caramel apples, and cookies!

Jessie and her fellow nursing student friends

Robby, Heather, and Tyler loving the cake

Jessie and Bethany I love catching people with food in their mouths

Dillon and Scott with their epic poses, can't get enough of these!

Jessie and Andrew, they both like to give hugs, can you tell?

Birthday hugs!

Heather is either not feeling the love, or doesn't approve...you decide

Jon, Lauren, Jessie, and Elissa such a handsome group!

After the party, we were finally able to eat our dinner. Even if Marie Antoinette's statement, "If there is no bread the people should eat cake." were not asinine in and of itself I can attest that when you are hungry cake doesn't feel that great on your empty stomach. Anyway we were all quite hungry and either a little slap happy or bit lethargic. The pictures say it all...

Heather and her happy self, I love that girl

Elissa, poor thing is so tired. I love her sleepy face.

Jessie is candidly beautiful, as always. She is such a lady.

Well, not much lady like behavior going on here...

Jessica, me, Heather, Elissa. Best friends separate for the evening.

I love my Provo family and all that we are able to do together. My lovely girls fill my life with so much happiness and love. I hope I do the same for them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS JESSIE! I LOVE YOU!