Happy Birthday, Hubby!

Pin It Now! December 2nd is one of my favorite days of the year - my Hubby's birthday!  This year is extra special, because it's the first time we are celebrating his birthday as a married couple.  :}

In January 1998, a dorky, not-quite-16-year-old girl walked into her first day of AP Bio/Chem, expecting to be bored to tears within minutes.  What she didn't know was that the beginning of the rest of her life was waiting for her on the other side of that generic blue door. 

In the second row sat a hunky, football-playing Senior.  Number 62, the offensive tackle with a rather tight end, to be exact.

Swoon.

Thinking I was ever so smooth, I signed his yearbook at the end of the semester with what I'm sure was a terribly corny note ("never change" - classic!), along with my phone number.  Yeah right, like hunky football players call nerdy underclassmen.

He called.  And the rest is beautiful history.


1998

I cannot imagine my life without him.  He is my everything.  He is in every thought I have, ever step I take. Go ahead, roll your eyes at my sappy sentiment...  It's all true.  After nearly 14 years of knowing each other and nearly 9 years together, I still get butterflies when I know he's almost home.  I still doodle his name with a bunch of hearts when I'm on the phone.  And if it was socially acceptable for a grown woman to have her man's football number airbrushed on her nails, I'd do it.  Again.

My Hubby is quite the golfer - we even got married on a golf course - so this year's birthday cake had to be golf-y.  Mr. Golfer Cake Topper is a tad on the pale side, but after the addition of a sharpee goatee he was much more cake-worthy.  The cake you will remember from before.  Instead of chocolate buttercream, I made a cookies & cream buttercream filling and iced the rest of the cake with colored vanilla buttercream.

Happy Birthday Mr. M.! I love you more than you can imagine!  <3  <3

Cookies & Cream Buttercream
6 chocolate sandwich cookies
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar

Process cookies in a food processor until coarsely/finely chopped (you want a few pea-sized chunks).  Set aside.  In a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and mix.  Carefully mix in sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached.  Finally, mix in cookies.

Vanilla Buttercream
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar

In a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and mix.  Carefully mix in sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached.  Add water or milk, 1 tsp at a time, if it gets too thick.  To achieve the grass look, I used Wilton's icing tip #233.