Reason to Celebrate

Yum!

Dear Reader,

August 25 is a day I look forward to each year.  Today is my mom's birthday.  I could name so many reasons why I appreciate her presence in my life.  I think birthdays provide the perfect opportunity to celebrate the people we love.  

This year we happen to be together as my son and I are spending the week out of town at my parents' home.  While the birthday girl headed out for lunch with one of her friends, I quickly searched through her pantry to see if I could mix up a batch of cupcakes for tonight. 

I pulled out my mother's copy of Better Homes and Gardens' red plaid cookbook (with well-worn pages and fabulous fonts of past years) and found a recipe on page 74 for "Everyday Cupcakes."  I've come to love simple white cake and vanilla buttercream frosting for birthdays.  There is something so classic and so timeless about it. 

The cupcakes turned out nicely, and mostly I enjoyed seeing the pleasantly surprised look on my mom's face in returning to a home smelling of cupcakes.

Sincerely,

Abi