Shine Bright Like a Diamond

This last week marked the 177th anniversary of one of, if not the, oldest women's organizations in the country--Relief Society. It is an organization established to promote faith, charity and service. Lady Hiva and her Relief Society group planned a large dinner to celebrate the anniversary. The theme they chose was celebrating their inner worth and to be steadfast in faith. They decided to represent that with gems and gold.

Lady Hiva was given the assignment to do bread, cake and find a guest speaker. She asked my Aunty Farina to be the guest speaker. That was perfect as Aunty is someone that has faced some large challenges in her life and overcome them. The brightest evidence of her steadfast faith is, as a single mum, raising her two young daughters to become intelligent, faithful and beautiful women.

Next was planning out the cake. Lady Hiva did plenty of research on baking techniques (it helps that we have watched ALL of the Greatest British Baker episodes) and then decided that we could make the cake instead of paying someone else to make the cake. Over the course of the week she and I would stay up late experimenting with those techniques. She baked cake after cake trying new recipes. I learned how to make crystals and gems out of isomalt and sugar. We also made flowers out of fondant. That, too, was fun to experiment.

Pouring hot isolmalt into silicone molds for gems and jewels

He was so interested in helping

The Stargazer Lilies I made from fondant

making orchids

Steady..steady...laying on fondant

Calla lilies

Shaping pedals for peonies

 

When the cake was finalized it was three layers--the first was a vanilla bean with a raspberry ganache buttercream icing, the middle layer was a moist chocolate cake with a chocolate Italian meringue buttercream, and the last was a vanilla bean with a vanilla Italian meringue buttercream. She then covered it with fondant and we arranged the crystals for the final touches. The cake was a masterpiece. I was proud of us! We make a good team.

For the bread they wanted small loaves for each of the plates, I was at meetings at work and had planned on coming home in the afternoon to help. But more meetings were scheduled--sigh. So while I was waiting between meetings I was wrapping bread in brown paper and tying them with a touch of pink yarn and twine. Before I knew it three of my good friends--who also happen to be colleagues--wanted to come in and help. We were having so much fun finishing the project that other people passing my office asked if they could help too. I am thankful for good people in my life. 

The night was beautiful. I drove Lady Hiva there because someone had to hold the precious cake. We helped do the final touches to the room--the other women had decorated it beautifully. I then stayed out in the hall with the kids, sneaking in to the room to listen to Aunty speak and then to watch Lady Hiva speak. It seemed like it was a wonderful evening. Full of chatter, laughter and spiritual uplifting.

Me and madame guest speaker

Not everyday your event gets a professional musician

If anything, Lady Hiva and I had fun working together to prepare for the event! 

Celebrating Lady Hiva

The last day (and weeks) we have had a chance to celebrate Lady Hiva. She is center of our family. She is also the rock for so many others. Even though she would never admit it, there are so many that lean on her steady leadership and love. It was fun to have a chance to focus on her for a little bit.

I ordered some items online a few weeks ago so they would arrive on time and they ended up coming while I was at work and BLAH! She opened every box! The first box I teased her about opening and she was really apologetic until the next box came and she opened it too! Well happy birthday...we will celebrate for a week straight! HAHA. I got her some Harry Potter themed jewelry, a Harry Potter board game that we played together as a family and us all Harry Potter t-shirts. Lucky Dragon informed me that I should have bought her gifts she would want, not gifts that I would want! HAHA.

I took the kids to help choose some gifts for her the day of her birthday--so she did have some surprises to open. I was so proud of our Lucky Dragon and how well he knows his mum. As we were driving to the store he said, "She loves chocolate, flowers and books." That was true enough. But I thought that could describe many women as standard answers. However, at the store he really showed how thoughtful he was.

We first walked up and down the aisle to choose which chocolate to buy. There was no buying the cheap chocolate, he knew to only buy the good stuff--Ghirardelli and Lindt (the best we can do here in the States). He also chose some Birthday Cake Oreos--a love the two of them share together. Then instead of buying flowers that will "just die" he went to the garden center and chose a box of bulbs that he and his mum "could plant together because we love to plant in the garden together." At this point I was beginning to be impressed. Finally we walked up and down the book aisle. He chose the book, I stood there while he walked up and down reading titles to decide. The first he wanted to get her was titled "Hot Rain." It was a paperback near the romance novels (not really Lady Hiva's thing) so I was not sure about it and asked why he chose that one. He explained that "mom likes warm rain." True enough. But just as we were leaving he spotted a cookbook by Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman). He said, "I change my mind, I want to get that one!" I again, was not sure if it was just the colorful cover he liked and asked why that book. He said, matter-of-factly, "Mum loves books, she loves to cook and like cookbooks." Now I know that this little guy is smart and thoughtful, but he is GOOD! And clearly observant.

 

Card chosen by Koala Bear

There were a few women from the church congregation dropped off gifts. Madre and Kell also sent flowers.

We had fun sneaking downstairs to decorate together. His whispers were not quiet enough for Lady Hiva to not hear. I had to laugh at his excitement. He arranged the table of gifts and instructed me where to place the banners so it is perfect. Lady Hiva stayed upstairs feigning ignorance. (she learned from all the teasing about opening the boxes of gifts). If she wasn't really sure what we were doing it was all given away when Koala Bear wondered out of bed, probably due to hearing our excited whispers, and exclaimed, "SO CUTE!! 'Appy Birt-day!" And giggled all the way down the stairs. She stood looking at the table and banners and said, "So amazing!" Lucky Dragon beamed with pride. I watched as he showed her the gifts, my heart was full of love for them both.

We went to eat after I came home from work. She said she wanted Thai food or Chuck-a-Rama and gave me the choice. So naturally, we went to Thai. The other place is not real food. The food was delicious!

It was a special day for a very special Lady.