July 2nd is not only a start to a fantastic holiday weekend, but it also marks the day our beloved Cara was born. Today, July 2, 2010 Cara turned twenty-two!
Her second birthday celebration at Southgate Coins was greeted by a flower basket full of royal blue lobelias, soothing white alyssums, vibrant purple cutting verbenas, beautiful pink dianthuses, bright yellow marigolds, and birthday balloons tied to the basket to top it all off. Cara was able to keep her basket with her wherever she worked through the day.
Here's Maya to tell you about the presents:
Thanks, Rebecca. With each birthday that passes, the Southgate crew comes together to find the perfect gifts. As Cara will be leaving her position at the coin shop in mid-August to pursue a career in secondary education, Nicole and I (Maya) thought that this birthday should be geared toward her new profession.
After getting some clues from the birthday girl, we girls decided upon a Rolling Workmate mini-file on wheels. This little piece of essential teacher “luggage” will suit Cara perfectly—with enough room for binders, projects, her laptop, and all of her necessary office supplies. It rolls easily, and locks too. It was even stocked with office supplies (pens, highlighters, clips) to start her off.
As with Rusty’s office chair, the Workmate was too large to wrap. Nicole improvised with a large, green bow for our favorite Irish girl. We wheeled it out from hiding and Cara was delighted. Good to know that quality trumps quantity!
Of course, Marie always knows how to make a Southgate girl smile—get her something from Coach! In addition to a gorgeous trio of stud earrings Cara received, Marie surprised her with a pink-and-hearts themed Coach wristlet. All of the girls remarked that when they see the notable Coach packaging, they know it will be something good. Cara couldn’t have been more pleased with her new accessory!
After giving the presents, it was time to move on to my (Nicole) personal favorite part of a celebration—the edible treats! Cara’s cake, followed the teacher’s theme, and it couldn’t have looked better! Cara yelped with excitement when she saw it. The cake was red velvet with Bavarian cream filling and white frosting.
Vibrant red script and a bright red apple decorated the top, while colorful “teacher-like” math problems and the ABCs decorated the sides of the cake. Surprisingly, the apple that sat on top was also edible! It was fondant, molded around rice crispy treats, to form Cara’s first “Teacher’s Pet Apple” from her number one fans! It was yet another custom-made and thoughtful detail, as Marie and Rusty go out of their way to make sure all these occasions for us are extra special.
Maya and I (Nicole) have celebrated both of the birthdays Cara has had at Southgate Coins, and I’m going to miss having her with us for all the events and gatherings we will have in the future. Nevertheless, I’m happy that this birthday celebration couldn’t have gone more perfectly, with wonderful gifts, and food. We were also happy that Akimi, our newest team member, joined us for the party, as well as a good friend of the store. We will all have lasting memories of Cara’s 22nd birthday celebration here at Southgate Coins.
From all the Southgate Crew, happy birthday to Cara!