Sam's First Birthday!

Sam is one!

"Ooh, cake!"

Taking a small taste.


The cake for the birthday boy.

Surrounded by gifts.

We celebrated Sam's first birthday over the weekend in Yreka. His actual birthday was on the 8th but obviously the weekend was a better time to get the family together. The participants included Sam, Ben, and I; Great Gram and Pop; Grandma and Grandpa; Uncle Howie, Aunt Pauline and Olivia; Uncle Pete, Aunt Beth and Kayla; and Uncle Ray.

Before I left Happy Camp to return to Yreka I made two big lasagnas as well as mini bundt cakes. I was so excited to bake cakes at a normal altitude since all of my cake baking attempts in Tahoe have fallen short.....literally. I opted for chocolate and white cakes with chocolate ganache and fresh berries. Both the lasagna and the cakes went over well with the family.

As is usual with a little one's first birthday, there were way too many gifts (thanks, everyone for making Sam and Ben so happy). He received two remote controlled cars, a drum, a baby doll, a toy cell phone, books, and lots of other good stuff.

The sweetest part of the evening was watching Sam with his cake. I had forgotten to leave the ganache off one so we gave it to him anyway. He ate the raspberry off the top and proceeded to use the ganache as body paint. Luckily I had the foresight to strip him down to his diaper before presenting him with his celebratory pastry.