MATT TURNS 29!!!

Well today was Matt's 29th Birthday. It was real exciting.. He got some fancy shorts all the kids are wearing, his usual workout shirts, and a gift certificate to a masseuse. The one thing he always wants is a Carrot Cake. Well this is weird because this guy will eat anything but carrots. I never able to make anything with carrots in it because he claims he hates them. Roast, soup, salad... No carrots, ever. But the weirdo wants a carrot cake. This has never made sense to me, if someone would like to explain it, that would be great....

Well, last year the cake did not turn out so well. I live in a small, cute, quaint apartment, or as Matt calls it... "The Keebler Elf House." Well my place has one of those first edition stoves with no temperature control, just hot. So basically the outside of the cake burned, and the middle cooked... So to get an idea of how WT the cake was last year... here ya go... (check out those candles...what a nice cake)



This is 2320 (code for WT)

Well so this year I was on a mission to be a baker. I am not from a baking background, neither of my grandmothers were bakers, and my mom's idea of dessert is oreos. We are more booze and restaurant type people. I love to cook, but baking has too many rules... So I decided to make a two layer homemade carrot cake with homemade cream cheese and pecan frosting. Lets just say that I had to remake one of the layer's...Can't be perfect all the time.. Well in homage to one of my Favorite blogs I got from Liz Carlson, called "The Pioneer Woman Cooks."(check it out in my favorite blogs) Here is my attempt to bake, as the "Barrister Baker." (catchy I know) I don't want to spoil the end, but it was delicious!!



"Preparation" Ingredients and Recipe on the Laptop--> that's Mo style...



Process.... "Cross your Fingers!!"



TA-DAH!! This cake qualifies as an upgrade from WT Carrot Cake to Bourgeoisie Carrot Cake.. SCORE!!





Birthday Boy!!




I know this image is stupid, put I had to capture how good this is.. there is like 8lbs of frosting on this thing.... MMMMMMMMMMMM~~~~~~



Enjoying the Fruits of my labor...

Panther Pride

Well this Friday Matt and I headed to Cedar Falls, our old stomping grounds. Matt met up with some of his friends and I with some of mine. I met up with Clare for a bit, but otherwise we hung out on what is called the "Hill," tried not to look old, and partied. It really makes me miss college when it costs only 15 bucks for a cab ride all around town and they will take you through the McD's drive thru at 2:00 am... Ah the good ole days!! We were only able to stay one night because it is getting too close to finals for me, so I had to come back and work all day yesterday. It was very hard leaving knowing my friends all got to stay and have fun!!!




Me, Bri, Liz, Amy, Ash (At the Shark Tank.. Sight of much debauchery over the years)


Last night Matt and I went to "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." It was pretty funny. It is done by the same guys who made Superbad and Knocked Up. It is kind of raunchy but not as raunchy as the other two, but still really funny!! Then we went to our favorite restaurant Big Bowl, a Thai place. But knowing my luck, our night was ruined because the Hoods quit working in the kitchen and the restaurant got all smokey and gross... Of course this happened AFTER we ordered, so we sat for an hour and then ended up having to leave and find something else to eat.. Oh well... It will take more than that to keep us away from Big Bowl.. We have one big event this next week. Matt TURNS 29!!!! He is an oldie.. This will be the last birthday we share in the twenties... I like to remind him how lucky he is to have such a young and beautiful girlfriend...

Other than that my fun time is over. Now my horrible time of year starts. Studying, Test taking, Studying... It's a bummer, but that means that summer is just around the corner... Peace Out!!!

Jessie & Blaine's Wedding

Well hello all.. Yesterday Matt and I returned from his sister's wedding in Breckenridge. It was a fun filled and fast weekend. Friday we walked around Breckenridge all day, and noticed that T-shirt shops are a dime a dozen there, (seriously how many "Breckenridge" t-shirts does anyone need??). Friday night, Matt and I's job was to secure the tables for dinner at a local restaurant that night. We were a little worried we wouldn't be able to get enough tables for 20 people.... But we went early, put our name in, and did what we did best.... sit at the bar for two hours and wait for everyone else. We completed our mission and the dinner went off without a hitch.

Saturday was full of wedding stuff. Jessie looked beautiful. Jessie and Blaine have a cute story. They were homecoming king and queen in 1990 in HS, but never really best friends or dated... Well 14 years later Jessie is a single mom of two, and Blaine emailed her out of the blue and the rest is a Lifetime Movie of the Week love story. So we were VERY happy for the couple. Nobody deserves a happy ending more than Jess!! They got married in a really neat small church that was built in 1881. It was a small wedding with just immediate family. After the wedding Jessie, Blaine and Hailey and Nolan rang the bell. That was probably the cutest part of the whole ceremony. Jess and Blaine treated us all to fabulous dinner and drinks at a cute little place called Cafe Alpine. All and all it was a great weekend. Matt and I had fun but don't know next time we will be back, as the happy couple is going to live in Des Moines. Posted below are some pictures from our weekend!! Enjoy!!




Matt, his sister Jessie, and Brother Chris (huge tool)



Jo (Chri's wife), Jessie, and I (I look like a giant next to these petite ladies..great)



View from outside our "lodge." Ignore Matt's head...



Matt, his dad Mike, Bro Chris (huge tool again), and Blaine the Groom

WE 'RE GOING TO BRECKENRIDGE!!!!

Well Matt and I are leaving for Breckenridge, Colorado early tomorrow morning for his sister's wedding. I am excited. Because of this trip I would like to reflect on my last trip to the well known vacation area..........




Last time I was in Breckenridge I rode out in a 15 passenger van full of Cosgrove's. Followed by my uncle Frank in the Tan World Truck carrying our lugging who kept walkie talkie-ing us, or calling (i don't know if there were cell phones????) and asking "What's your mile marker!!" Meghann was about to be a Fresh in college, so I would have been....13... Crazy that was 11 years ago. Wow, that means Meghann is wicked old. I think she brought like her Bone thugs and Harmony Cd with her... LOL. We had fun though, mazes, slides, and most importantly white water rafting. It was a blast. It was the last of our Cosgrove Grandchildren Trips that we took every summer because Meghann was heading to college and Erin, Sam, and the rest of us were soon to follow. Now Those three are married, Zac is out of college, and Clare and Molly are in college... weird... Well I will tell you all about the trip afterwards. It is going to be quick, but it will be fun... "Swish...Swish...Swish..." I can see myself on the slopes right now.. (yeah right more like in the lodge)

Barrister's Ball

Well last night I attended my law school's Barrister's Ball. This is an end of year celebration where the law school honors its retiring and favorite professors of the year. It was also a big night for Hamline as our law school rating was raised a Tier by the ABA and US News Reports, our ADR program was rated 5th in the nation, and our biggest rival William Mitchell fell a Tier this Friday. We are second in bar passage rates behind the U of M. That is a big deal here considering there are 4 law schools in the metro and we come in second behind the U consistently now. Some exciting geeky information for those who could probably care less. But anyway.....

At Barrister's there is dinner, drinks, dancing and a silent auction to raise money for the Minnesota Justice Foundation which funds clerkships and public legal agencies. Matt and I bought a cool abstract painting, or I should say Matt because I make no money. We were in a battle with the husband of one of my classmate's for it, but he he was a tight ass and we out bid him at the end. :) It is cool painting. It is an Abstract called "The Advocate." I wasn't able to attend this event last year because we were hob knobbing with Senator Obama, so it was my first time. Let's just say about 300 lawyers, some free booze, and music creates a good time. Lots of egos in small space makes for a good party. It was amazing how good we all look when we put on nice clothes and make-up. Much different from our dirty sweatshirts and jeans in class. It is definitely an event I will attend next year. Here our some pictures of my favorite Hamline Higher's letting loose a little.. We are RIDICULOUSLY GOOD LOOKING!!!




Matt Pre- Barrister's.. Doing his token "FBI Agent" look before we left.. He thinks he is so funny..



My girlfriend Lindsey and I. She wore her senior prom dress. We all decided she was the only one who was still thin enough to, damn her... She's too cute..



I think this is my What!??? Face.... or my token.. I can't stand that person look. They are pretty much the same..



One of my best gal's Miss Renee Uzong. (Told ya you would make the blog). She is the mac to my cheese. Or I am the inappropriate anecdote to her rant, or vice versa.... We make a good "outspoken" match.



Lastly, one of my other great partner's in crime. Ms. Ashley Rather. We know Ash had a good time because we got her to dance a little. This is the usual "self-portrait" picture. We rocked it..

Easter with the Cosgrove's

Well I am a little late on posting so I am going to post twice. Here are some pictures from when I was home at Easter. Dad thought dyeing eggs with Lilly would be fun. It was funny, but a big mess. This last week I came back to school after 10 days off. It was quite the adjustment. Well here are some pictures from Easter, Enjoy!!




Lilly Pre Egg-Dyeing... She is just taking a hit of her milk before she gets elbow deep in food coloring...




Riley enjoying time with his family...



Lilly partying it up at Mollie and Joe's.. This is her "He is Risen!!" Dance

Des Moines: Weekend 2

Well I had another weekend in Des Moines this past weekend. I should probably just move there... This weekend was a weekend of girl fun. Since it was the beginning of my spring break some of my best friends from college and I decided to meet in DM; as it is a good meeting place since we all live in Des Moines, Kansas City, and Minneapolis. Liz, Bri, Anna, and I had a great time. Let's just say I am still getting my voice back, and have had a rough beginning of the week. I have lost all "socializing" skills that I used to take for granted in the past. Friday we went for Sushi and went out to the bar People's. Saturday we thought it would be a good idea to head to a local Irish Pub around 2 in the afternoon to begin the celebration of the world's greatest nationality and stayed till 1 am. I have no idea how that happened. The drive home Sunday was mighty fun..... (sarcasm).


Anna, Bri, Liz, Me


I came back to MSP so I could shop with my High School friend Emily who is getting married this summer. We did some power bridesmaid dress shopping and had a lot of fun. Tomorrow I will head home for my first time since Christmas. I am actually very excited. I will get to see friends and family. Sunday I will celebrate Easter with the Cosgrove's in Sioux City and then head back to school Monday. Hope you all have a Happy Easter!!!