Fireworks on the Fourth

I didn't mean to creep on that canoodling couple, but they're kinda cute, no? I hope you all had a fabulous 4th of July. After a dinner that included corn on the cob (for America!), we snuck on downtown to watch the fireworks. After last year's parking garage fiasco, we decided to park a mile or so away and walk to avoid traffic. It worked out pretty well, although if we go again next year, we're just riding our bicycles downtown.

And the award for best dressed goes too... That lobster shirt is unbeatable. Also, ALWAYS ON THAT PHONE.

Clearly we need to work on our focusing skills. See what I did there?

The concert was nice and the fireworks seemed even more impressive than they were last year. Love me some fireworks! The weather was perfect. I don't want to jinx it or anything, but we've had such a wonderfully mild summer so far. I love it.

The amount of people heading home was insane. I think they said about 100,000 people attend annually. That's a lot of people! Folks as far as the eye can see, seriously.

Even though I had to work that morning our fourth of July was nice and relaxing. Although one year in my adult life, I'd like to actually have the day completely off. What's it like to be able to hang out all day and bar-b-q? ONE DAY. When I'm a real adult.

52 weeks of baking: 27 - 4th of July cake

For the 4th I wanted to bake something patriotic so I went to my go to summer fruits, strawberries and blackberries! I used a Smitten Kitchen recipe for strawberry summer cake, and just added blackberries. This recipe is stupid easy and you could swap out whatever fruit you'd like. It's actually very similar to this cobbler I made in March, just a little fluffier and more cakey. And although this is made in a pie pan and looks an awful lot like a pie, IT IS A CAKE! Brendon has been calling it a pie and even had me saying "I think I'll have a slice of that pie.... CAKE." Whatever it is, it's good.

Butter and sugar. The way all great things begin.

Delicious served with freshly whipped cream (what's not?). Because you cover the top with sugar before you bake it, it creates the best crisp sweet crust on top while the bottom is light and fluffy. I love this cake and plan on making it again, testing out different fruits. Although the strawberry is pretty unbeatable. The blackberries I got were a tad on the sour side and they're a bit seedy for me. But I needed that blue for the patriotic aspect! And I'm not nuts about blueberries, although if you are I think this would be excellent with them. Raspberries too. Peaches. Try it all.

Also, two posts in one day, y'all. Watch out.

More weeks-o-baking!

the Fourth

Hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day being all patriotic and such! God bless 'merica, y'all. Brendon and I both had to work (time and a half baby!), but we had the evening off so we headed down to Auditorium Shores, with literally thousands of other people, to watch the fireworks downtown. The weather was phenomenal, the people watching was prime (you never fail to provide the most interesting characters, Austin), and the company was perfect! We had a little patriotic concert from the Austin Symphony and then got to watch some fireworks!

 Because you refuse to make normal faces Mr. Hogan, I must post your weird ones.

The fireworks were awesome. I'm so glad we got enough rain this summer so they weren't all banned! I love fireworks. Growing up we had only done them ourselves (perks of living out in the woods!), so the first time I saw professional fireworks was in college. And I was in love! Fireworks with music? Yes please! I could watch them forever.

It was a seriously good night minus the fact that I was completely exhausted and suffered from a severe allergy attack that evening. I was looking rough by the end of the night. Also traffic was TERRIBLE getting out of the stupid garage we parked in. We spent 45 minutes waiting to get out of our parking spot. So bad. And I had to be at work at 5am! But we survived and it was worth it. Although I don't think we will brave the thousands of spectators again. Not parking in that damn garage anyway, that's FOSHO.

Sick husband and the 4th

Poor Brendon is a sicky little baby. He's got a cough and is feeling crappy. I'm reeeeally hoping it's not pneumonia! That would be a nightmare, I keep telling myself: no way is our luck that bad. Poor baby, he's still sleeping and he has to work tonight. Booooo, I wish I could make him feel better! I miss my perky husband, he never gets sick. I'm usually the one who catches everything, guess his good luck could only go so far. In the mean time I get to return the favor and get to take care of him.

I forgot to talk (type?) about the 4th of July! Because I'm lazy, there are zero pictures. Brendon had to work during the day so we got a late start to our festivities. We headed down to my dad's around 6 and had some family time and some very American cuisine; hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, fruit salad, and peach pie with my absolute favorite ice cream, Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla (seriously, the greatest ice cream on the planet). So yummy! Unfortunately we are in a nasty, nasty drought so we were unable to blow up some of my dad's firework stash and they canceled all the shows around San Antonio and Austin except for some in Kyle, Roundrock, and maybe Kerrville. Lucky for us, by the time we were driving back up to Austin and passing through Kyle, the fireworks show had began! So we pulled over on the access road with a billion other people and watched them from afar. Not as great as seeing fireworks up close, but at least we got to see some! I LOVE FIREWORKS! Growing up we had always done our own at home, perks of living outside city limits, so I had only gone to my first "professional" firework show (that I'm aware of) a couple years ago at UNT. I was seriously impressed. Last year we saw some in Coppell with our friends. Although doing your own fireworks is fun, the professional ones are way cooler to look at. Plus no burning your fingers off. Hoping that next year will be a little wetter and more shows to chose from!

In other news, it's still insanely hot.