Monday, September 1, 2008

Cupcakes Make The World Go Round!

Happy Labor Day!  Hopefully you have a day off and you are celebrating by doing absolutely NO labor.  That's what I intend to do.  An important announcement at the end!  You won't want to miss it.

First an announcement for which many of you have been waiting.  Who will the lucky recipient of the First Day of School Table Cloth.  If I make you wait until the bottom of the post, you won't be fully focused and we don't want that on a day when we are kicking off such a fun and exciting week.  

So with no further ado... The winner of the beautifully sewn First Day of School Table Cloth goes to Katie M.  from Bedford, Kentucky.  Katie I hope you enjoy yours as much as my kids and I have enjoyed ours.  I will put it in the mail tomorrow.

Have no fear rest of you highlowaha readers!  This is going to be a week chock full of  opportunities to win great prizes. 

This week we celebrate cupcakes... the perfect treat.  I will dedicate this entire week of posts to my good friend - and the source of so much of my inspiration - Amy.  All I can say is... may you be lucky enough to know someone like her in your lifetime.  Thing of it is, she really is one of a kind.  Hmmm... I'm sorry.  You'll have to settle for knowing her through me (unless you're going to Philly for Taste of USA, in which case you'll get to meet her in person!!!!!).

I'll do my best.

Amy's family lives in Connecticut, so when I travel home to visit my family in New York, we try to connect.  Last winter we agreed to meet at the infamous Magnolia's Cafe, in Greenwich Village, for a cupcake picnic.  Amy's idea.

So we did.  We met at the famous, but unassuming Magnolia's Cafe, to eat cupcakes on Thursday December 27, 2007.  Everything about our picnic date was perfect.  Standing in line and soaking in the atmosphere; craning our necks to get a peak at our cupcake selections; and finally making it to the front of the line where we each ordered our personal box of cupcakes.  The experience was topped off when, with cupcakes in hand, we walked across the street to a quaint park and sat - jus
t the two of us - on an old wrought iron park bench.  We savored every bite, as appreciative for the delicious cupcakes as we are for our friendship.  I might add, the skies were blue, the air was still, and the sun was shining.  It was Amy's idea and it was meant to be. 

Amy is shy.  So, while we had a picture of the two of us, she conveniently neglected to email it along with the others.  Consider Amy like the Charlie of Charlie's Angels (dating myself, I know).  She's always around.  Always supportive.  But prefers to remain behind the scenes.

So to kick off our week of cupcake celebration, consider inviting someone you know to a cupcake picnic this week.  You can either meet at a local bakery or bake your own.  The point will be to take thirty minutes from you busy week and to celebrate the beauty and simplicity of a cupcake... and of a special friendship.  I already know who I intend to invite.  How about you?

This is a perfect example of the spirit of #218.  That is... making time for the small things in life, that without the gentle press of this supportive community, might get lost in the monotony of life's obligations.  ...The spirit of Highlowaha.  Catch it!

Announcements:
  • AMNESTY DAY:  This day only!  O.k., it pains me that so many of our viewers don't have postcards in the Highlowaha Random Acts of Kindness Box (RAK Box).  Typically...  Send me a postcard with your name and address and it goes into the RAK box.  When I do a giveaway, or am just feeling generous), I pull a name from the box and whosever postcard I pull is the lucky recipient of the my gesture.  I am a stickler about the rules of the RAK box.  No POSTCARD, no entry into my RAK box.  Apparently putting a postcard and a .27 cent stamp on top serves as enough of a deterrent to keep the vast majority of you out.  Today.  This ONE DAY, I am granting amnesty.  Post your name and address and I will put it on a postcard FOR YOU.  Miss this offer and you'll have to mail it - snail mail - to Claudia K. Beeny, 4012 Harvestwood Court, Grapevine, TX, 76051.  Take me up on this, because you won't want to miss this week's giveaways.   
  • Taste of USA Participants: Cheryl and I are descending on Philly on Friday night.  We are so excited and hope you are too.  You won't regret it, as we have some fun up our sleeves.  Continue checking the Taste of USA site this week, as we will continue posting updated information. 
Signing off until tomorrow...

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

DARN! congrats katie...ive been refreshing the highlowaha page for a half hour now- to find out who won the tablecloth of course!

cupcakes huh? yum!

cant stay long. im off to the lake with a bunch of friends. i love mondays off from classes! have a great day everyone!!!

Katie said...

Love today's post for 2 reasons-
1. It's AMY! I'm so excited to get to just hang around her this coming weekend- as Claudia says, she's one of a kind!
2. This gives me the PERFECT excuse to find a good cupcake in this town!!!

Enjoy your labor day off, everyone!

Anonymous said...

Happy Labor Day!

It is true that Amy is rather amazing with a contagious energy...all you Philly goers will be lucky to meet her.

As far as a cupcake picnic...hmmmm I'll have to think of the perfect person to invite...it may have to be a virtual picnic (does that work too?)

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Heather... I love that you're thinking outside the box. Yes, a virtual picnic would be fun.

Actually, though, I am using my picnic to get to know someone better, who right now I hardly know. You're a newcomer to town, is there anyone who you're looking for an excuse to meet?

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Wondering whether you have a postcard in my RAK box as of this minute. Here are the names of everyone for whom I have a postcard:

Maureen
Erica K.
Crystal
Cheryl
Cassie P.
Emily S.
Laura C.
Chaotic
Cassie Y.
Amy
Lori R.
Debbie
Layne C.
Jayme
Brian
Sue K.
Melanie
Sandy B.
Carrie S.
Debbie F.
Ashley W.
Heidi F.
Peggy
Nicole A.

If your name is not listed and it is Monday, September 1 simply send me an email with you address (cbeeny@lslog.com) or post it in the comments. You don't even have to list your name.

If it is passed Monday, September 1, then you will have to send a postcard, snail mail, to CKB, 4012 Harvestwood Court, Grapevine, TX. 76051. Again, name not necessary.

Having a postcard in the box means winning random prizes at random times.

Anonymous said...

So I'd like to be able to check out the Taste of USA site and cannot find it. Could someone attach the site link here so I can view it. I'd like to keep up to date of the on-goings for Claudia and Cheryl's visit to Philly next weekend!

Anonymous said...

You have my name and address, so please put it in the box. And I JUST addressed my postcard (which I bought about 2-3 days after your original request for postcards, but have been too lazy to mail), so it will happily replace the one you're throwing into the RAK box as soon as it arrives! Sorry I've been so lax... life's a little crazy these days, as you know.

Can't wait to have a cupcake picnic. I'm thinking I'll invite my BFF, since I haven't seen her in over a month now.

Katie said...

Do I not have a postcard in the box? I thought I mailed you a postcard with my JMU address on it...if not, I'll send one out tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

Dear All:

For those of you who know me you know that I do not like to ask for anything. But I feel like this is something I need to ask the readers of highlowaha to help me with. I work for Catholic High School here in Ky. At our grade school one of the parents has gone our of remission and gotten her cancer back much worse this time.

Our volleyball team on September 24 is playing a match with our rival to help raise money for the family. They are going to do a silent auction with baskets. I am asking for some help in filling this basket. I will put the basket from the highlowaha family. This will serve two purposes. One to help the family and also to get the name of highlowaha out there with people we would not be reaching.

I was thinking that all of talented people out there. If you would donate one thing and i could buy one thing then we would be able to put alot in our basket.

If anyone can help me with this pleae let me know. I need to have the basket things in hand by September 19th. THANK YOU IN ADVANCED FOR ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN GIVE ME. My e-mail address is skolkmeier@shdhs.org.

Thank you,

Sue Kolkmeier

Anonymous said...

Hi - Can you add my name too? I think you know my address. BTW - I am hoping to mail that envelope of clippings tomorrow.
Hugs, Susan B.

Anonymous said...

Never mind, I found the Taste of USA link. See everyone Saturday!

Anonymous said...

Sue -

Is there a theme for this basket? I figured you'd want things that are similar as opposed to a random basket of stuff? How about a "creativity basket" with art supplies and such.

Keep me posted and I'll drop something in the mail ASAP!

Anonymous said...

FANTASY FOOTBALL

I need at least one more person to play football with us. So far we have:
Tera
Treye
Katie
Julie
Heather
Bal
Brian

If you're intersted, plesae email me ASAP (tmichalski05@jcu.edu) so I can send you an invite from Yahoo!

Anonymous said...

Tera:

I would like to do a creative basket. Someone is already sending me note cards.

azlori said...

Cassie,
A thought about the 40th birthday...I, like Claudia, would enjoy a small group of friends. I was thinking it would be cool to have a close friend from each decade of her life...0-10, 10-20, 20-30, and 30-40. For example I would probably ahve a close grade school friend or even a close extended family member for 0-10, my 10-20 friend would for sure be my Jammin' RA from ASU, 20-30 would be some one who I went on play dates with my kiddos when they were young and then the 30-40 would be someone I am close with from work. I think it would be fun to have these people together...most would not know each other in my case but in others maybe they would know each other. It could be kind of like a "this is your life" theme/party.

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

I turn my back for a couple of hours and look at all the fun I've missed.

Sue K. I LOVE that Highlowaha is going to donate a gift basket. This is right up our alley. So, does our basket need a theme? If so, is our theme all things creative? I definitely in for something. Once I get a better idea of what other people are donating, I will commit to something. Is there a way you can post contributions as people make an offer.

Lori... As a fellow introvert, three cheers on your birthday idea. Who will plant the seed with Jim? Inviting your RA from college...what a GREAT idea.

Kat said...

Hey, I've been gone for a few days, but now I'm back! Could you put my address in your RAK box? Thanks!

Anonymous said...

If my jewelry fits into any theme HLA may come up with for the basket donation let me know...I'm in!!

Anonymous said...

Claudia, Not everyone in the USA has a waist line like yours..... How about "Healthy Snack Day". I am on Weight Watchers and cant keep up with all the goodies you are always incorporating into the site.... I have to find diet cupcake recipes... If I find one I will let you know for anyone else that may feel my pain.....

Have a great day everyone!!!!

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Maureen... Didn't Weight Watcher's tell you... all things in moderation? Trust me, I could stand to eat one or two less cookies (or cupcakes, as the case may be), but life is too short to not to eat treats.

Point well taken, however! We will dedicate a future week to healthy treats! A good test of my creativity!

Anonymous said...

For the baseket I am going to call it the creative basket. Peggy has donated cards, Tara is sending something, I am making a blanket and scarve and Heidi I would love a piece of your jewerly. Claudia do you have a card or something with highlowaha on it so I can attach it to the basket.