Summer Birthday Plates Bonanza

Summer birthdays.  My daughter has one.  Unfortunately for her, each summer many of her friends are away and unable to attend a birthday party.  So we end up including a whole bunch of adults, which creates the problems of what to serve? How to decorate?  What sort of plates do you use when half the guests are under ten and the other half are over forty?  Lucky for you I have the answer. These adorable cupcake plates, napkins, and gift wrap are perfect.  Cute enough to satisfy little girls' desires, adorned with yummy looking cupcakes so boys won't have to eat off of Barbie's face, and elegant for the grown ups.  Oh, and there's another reason to love these. My mother Carolyn Bucha did the artwork!  I know you were under the impression that I must be the most awesome member of my family, but my mother is a wonderful artist.  Just look at these plates!

You can buy them on Amazon, so there's no need to drop everything and run to the nearest party store. Just click here!

What to serve on these plates?  Here's an idea.

And now here's this...

It's My Birthday! Hooray!

Dear Reader,

It's my birthday again which means that we'll all celebrate with the traditional sleeping late, eating of pancakes and drinking of champagne all day. Wait... You don't get the day off for my birthday?  Write to your congressperson or someone!

This morning my kids gave me some lovely birthday letters in which they said both,

"I hope you have a happy birthday, you know why?  Because I love you!!!!" 

AND

"In my opinion, every year you become a better mother, meaning when you were one, you were a terrible mother.  But now, I don't think you could get any better."

This blog is called Eat Your Feelings, and today I feel pretty good, so what will I eat?  Sushi and cake of course.  It's not everyday a girl turns forty.

My birthday gift to you is this collection of songs from the year I was born, written of course, in honor of my birth. Enjoy!

It's my birthday (cough, sputter, hack, wheeze)

It is official.  I have pneumonia.  I haven't gotten out of bed for four days.  And it is my birthday.  Bwaaaaaah!  Feeling very sorry for myself, of course, and can't eat anything, as am totally nauseous.  But to every dark cloud there is a silver lining!  Not only am I losing the pounds that I meant to lose before my birthday, the fine people at Penguin/ Plume sent me an advance copy of the paperback of my book.  On sale January 4th!  Just in time to return all that stuff you didn't want for Christmas, and get the gift you really want - my book!

My book will fill you with the love that your friends and family are too selfish to provide.  My book will nurture you with delicious, creamy, salty, and sweet treats, as well as decadent pastas and super-crispy fried chicken.  My book will sustain you with the easiest ever recipe for Mom's Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup for Closet Cases!  In fact, I am going to ask my husband to make some for me right now - wait!  I don't mean... You know... Just the recipe is real easy and delicious.  He's not a closet case.  Totally not.  Okay, stopping now.

Want to know what I got for my birthday?

A few of you asked what my kids gave me for my birthday, so I thought I would share.  My husband took them to a store called, "Everything In Store $2.99" so they could buy me something with their own money.  Which they did.

They bought me jewels.  What appears to be a basket full of crabs is from my son, who is seven.  The girl, my five year old, got me the playboy bunny, natch.

It's My Birthday Puff Pastry With Love and Affection and Brie

Dear Reader,

That's right!  Today is my birthday!  To celebrate, I am going to spend a little time with my very best friend, Puff Pastry.  Then, before the kids get home, I'm going to sit in a dark movie theater with all the other dirty old ladies and watch New Moon again.  I can if I want, cause like I said, it's my birthday!

Enjoy.

It's My Birthday Puff Pastry With Love and Affection and Brie

You will need:

Love

Affection

Puff Pastry

Brie

Egg

Fruits

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Hug the puff pastry tightly, whispering affectionate words until it is thaw.  Place the brie on the pastry and give it a kiss.  Then wrap the pastry around the brie like a little present.  Place on a baking sheet into the oven that is as warm as the love in your heart, on this day, my birthday!  Crack an egg into a bowl and paint the pastry all over.  Any leftover pastry can be cut into letters to spell out, "Happy Birthday Heather!  Enjoy the cheese!"  Pop into the oven for about 20 minutes and then bring to my house for me to enjoy.