look whooo's {one}

My cousin's little girl, Gwen, has her first birthday party last week.  She was welcomed into year two of life with an owl themed birthday party.  I found cupcakes similar to these on one of my favorite blogs, Annie's Eats.  Annie's cupcakes used Oreos, M&M's, and Runts for the owl faces, but I made them with fondant.

I love their eyes and the little feather accents.  Too fun.

Gwen had a smash cake all to herself too:

All boxed up and ready to go!  Happy birthday, Gwen!

happy birthday {zeke}

I never had a nickname that really "stuck".  My older brother was always "bud" to our dad and little sister somehow picked up "Alicia Smeesha Parley Boo", which is often shortened to "Smeesh", "Parley" or "Boo".  But I just wasn't one of those people that got a nickname as a kiddo... and no, "Steph" just doesn't count.  Recently, however, the hubsters has been calling me "Fern", which I quite enjoy.

The baby of my family's brood, however, has had more nicknames than I could probably remember.  He turned 13 (yikes... the teenage years!) this month and I had to make him some tennis cupcakes that celebrate a few of our favorite names for him.  So happy birthday Zach.  We love you and I still remember the day you were born like yesterday.  God has used you to heal our family every since you were a little babe in mom's womb.