TWD: Peanuttiest Blondies

For the last few weeks, I'll walk into my office, a class, or a meeting to a slew of questions. How much longer? Are you excited? Stressed? Managing to get everything done? When do you leave for Indiana? And let me tell you, it was entertaining. It was fun, getting reminded that everyone is excited for me and the fiance. As I passed these blondies out to my fellow fellows (hee!), mixed with general acclaim there were comments of how they couldn't believe I had the time in all the pre-wedding mania to bake. To me, that's crazy. These past 13 months have been only slightly filled with wedding planning, and it has never approached manic levels (thank god). But baking? Baking is always at manic levels.


But even crazy amounts of baking are good for me. My mom and I have been cranking out wedding cakes while the fiance puts together the cake stands, the name cards, the centerpieces. (Yes, I win. It feels like the fiance has done more for this wedding than I have sometimes, and that's just frigging awesome.) While he sat and glued origami to bamboo skewers, met with our DJ, and did other wedding-related things, I got to mix and stir and bake and generally just relax. This week will be full of that, and I'm glad.

That's not to say we're all sunshine and rainbows over here. It took 11 hours to get home, and involved flying Midwest instead of Continental, through Milwaukee instead of Cleveland, and with a final destination of Grand Rapids, MI instead of South Bend, IN. Thank god for my dad, who drove the two hours on Friday night to the Grand Rapids airport to pick us up. The fiance's shoulders were sore from carting a carry-on full of all of our gifts to family and friends, our ceremony shoes, and our wedding bands. We didn't want to lack any of the must-haves in case our checked luggage didn't make it. My arms were sore from carrying my wedding dress through multiple airports and between terminals as we frantically worked to get home that night. The run I had planned with the guys that next morning was a wash - after 3 hours of sleep, the last thing I wanted to do was run.


But really, it was okay. The flight attendants on our first flight were such dears - they cleared a seat so that I could drape my wedding dress to minimize wrinkles, gave us complimentary cocktails, and because it was Midwest, we even got a just-baked chocolate chip cookie. We made it home, and in time to make it to our last meeting with the priest before our rehearsal on Friday. We correctly answered his "God bonus question," and picked up our marriage license on Monday. My mom and I have cranked out 6 of the 16 cakes, and plan on making another 6 tomorrow. Family and friends will start coming in today.


And in four days, it'll be over. The stressful, less important part that is. Because in four days, the big part begins - the actual marriage, not just the wedding. And I've got a hunch that it's going to be pretty darned kick ass.

Last Week: All-American, All-Delicious Apple Pie
Next Week: Not Just for Thanksgiving Cranberry Shortbread Cake (this dethroned my past favorite from TWD - it's seriously that good) ((Make it. Now. I'm planning on making it again when I get home.))