Patriotic Dessert

Happy 4th of July weekend!

We had a potluck/cookout for work today and there was a red, white and blue theme to the dishes that we were to bring, so I thought it would be fun to make these cupcakes! {Since I made these for Halloween, I figured R, W, & B ones would be just as easy}
Cupcake
Ingredients
Box Cake Mix {I know enter gasp here... I'm not on cup cake wars yet }
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil

Mix batter according to directions, and add additional ingridents as well.

Separate batter into equal portions into 3 bowls

Add your food coloring

Fill the cupcake liners up 1/2 way, layering, Red batter, white batter and then blue

Bake according to box directions.

Allow cupcakes to cool.
I like to make my own icing, and here is the recipe that I use


Frosting
Ingredients

2 lbs powdered sugar
2 cups shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp butter extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup of milk

Mix all ingredients together with a mixer

I put the icing in a piping bag, and pipe out the icing prior to serving.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! And don't forget the real reason behind the 4th, and remember those who are still standing up for our freedom over seas!

Happy 4th!

So What! Wednesday....

...If I only use shazam on my phone to then link immediately to iTunes to download the song. I'm lazy, and I'm going to use technology to my full advantage



...If I went into XXI having a "skinny day" and came out feeling as if I had hit rock bottom again! Seriously... someone needs to talk to them about there sizing.. its just not right!



...If I have sent a text message to one of my best guy friends [I blame him for getting me hooked to this darn show!] about Teen Mom starting back up, with a count down... I love these girls! July 5th is just around the corner



...If I'm equally excited for Big Brother to start on the 7th



...If I realized on my way to work that I forgot to shave my armpits and I had a capped sleeved dress on, you better believe that I drove out of my way to head back home and fix that mistake IMMEDIATELY!



...If I gave death glares to some mother shopping yesterday, she left her 9ish month old sitting in the cart as she was perusing the isles looking for hand bags and the kid was screaming, and then she proceeded to continue to shop while he was whaling. Perhaps I was so annoyed b/c I'm not a mom and I don't know what its like to have an upset child while shopping... however there are times to be a parent, and there are times to be a shopper... and in my mind, she should have been a parent

...If I'm beyond geeked to be spending this weekend on the lake! we are going to our normal summer vacation spot in Kentucky, where there is not a care in the world. The forecast is calling for PERFECT weather :)




What are you saying "So What" to?

Head on over to Mama Dew's and let us know

Getting out of a rut...

Do you ever feel as if your is the movie ground hog day?
It consists of the same routine Monday-Friday and then on the weekends?
I was finding myself being content with my “ground hog” like schedule
Wake up, work, work out, watch Justin play softball, grab a bite to eat, go to bed, repeat

I supposed it worked… I was never bored, and I always had something going on, and I knew what to expect the next day… however, I was starting to get in a rut, I needed a new vice, something to keep me motivated.

I joined a gym about 6 months ago, and up until now all I have really used it for is the treadmills. I figure if I have people around me running its much easier than hitting the pavement by myself, however spending $26/mo for a treadmill that I use 4 times a week really isn’t doing the entire membership any justice.

Included in my membership you are able to take as many group exercise classes as you want, including spinning. In high school my best friend and I would spin 4-5 times a week. It was such a good exercise and I forgot how much I enjoyed it.

Kelly had tweeted one day about going to a spinning class on a Saturday, and that was all the motivation I needed to get to the gym the next day and start my new routine, which included both spinning and running.

I forgot how much I LOVE the class and how great of a workout it is. I leave every class feeling as if I have had the best workout possible.

Recently, I have been waking up at 5:15, getting to the gym at 5:30 [I may or may not be sleeping in my workout clothes – judge away! Ha!] and spinning from 6 to 6:45, and its an awesome feeling to know at the end of the work day you can do whatever you would like because you have already completed your daily workout.

Its amazing what a new routine can do for you. I am seeing results on the scale for the first time in about 2 months, and it feels good. I am working different muscles than I would if I would go for a long run.

If you are in a workout rut, I encourage you to switch it up… challenge yourself, workout in the morning, do a different routine! I guarantee that it will make a difference! What’s holding you back?!?!

In desperate need of a recap....

Hello there my faithful readers!
Its been a minute since I last posted, and I do apologize.. however, I feel as if we either have SO much going on that I don't have time to post, or my life is so routine, that if I posted, you all would be bored out of your mind! so I thought I could catch us all up to speed really quickly on what is new/going in my life

So recently, we celebrated my cousin Wes's graduation

my aunt always does a taco bar for all of her kids graduations - it goes over so well, and its delish!
We also celebrated my sister's birthday
and I have to give a lot of credit to Doug, her fiance for picking out this mustard color purse all on his own. Alli had a yellow purse that was on its last leg and he took the liberty to get her a new one!
I have always whined about the month of June. Between my mom and sister's birthday [as well as her fiance's] and fathers day.. the month pretty much makes me broke!
So my mom decided to surprise me with my birthday and xmas present
and if you can't tell by the look on my face - i was just a teeny bit excited about my gift/toy:)
Since opening her up, I have been practicing taking pictures
Its amazing how much of a difference the lens protector makes
without
with
and then one night during a beautiful summer evening, i was channeling my inner kelle hampton by taking pictures of the sky
and the other night there was a male and female cardinals on our patio and of course i had to try to be a "professional photographer" and try and get the perfect picture - ha!

This past weekend we went with Molly and her family to a local Jazz and Blue's festival. She was being a complete and total ham. We took her out of her stroller to walk around and she would put one foot behind the other, pause, and look up at a total stranger and wave and say "hi", after they acknowledged her she would move onto the next person who she hoped would pay attention to her!

Katie took her on the merry go round and she LOVED it...
So that's a quick recap of what has been happening in the past few weeks!
I promise to be a better blogger soon... I miss all of you!

Happy 30th bday Doug

Happy 30th birthday Doug!

My sister pulled off an amazing surprise birthday party for her fiance tonight.

I'm pretty sure Alli felt as if everything possible was going awry and the surprise was going to be ruined [i.e. Doug having a flat tire, him seeing me while I was driving to pick up the balloons, driving into the parking lot and seeing one of their friends cars], but it ended up being perfect!

Clearly I didn't run over to get to the cake fast enough before Alli dug into it! ha! A delish ice cream cake from DQ [oh yea, that was another arwy moment.. she picked it up and it said TJ instead of Doug! good thing she checked!]

A washington apple from the bar

Opening up all of his gifts

Alli also surprised him with Indian's tickets for tomorrows game

And this was the ever more popular card of the evening

And all the kids before after dinner

I hope you have a fabulous 30th birthday Doug because you certainly deserve it!!

Can't wait to celebrate a little bit more on Sunday out on the course at the Memorial Tournament!

Pour Some Summer on Me Swap Goodies

I hope everyone had as much fun with your partners for the "Pour Some Summer On Me" blog swap as I did. I have included a link at the bottom of this post so you can share your goodies as well.

Its my understanding that with the holiday that some bloggers have waited to send their swap partners gifts, which is absolutely fine. I will leave up the link so once you have received your goods, make sure to come back and link up!




I was paired up with Kindra from Keeping up with Kindra. Right away I was excited because I love her blog - her blog is so modern, and she has great style [no pressure for me to buy the perfect items for her or anything! ha!] I thoroughly enjoyed shopping for Kindra and tried to keep her summer items with the same color scheme as she has on her blog - so everything she received was hot pink and navy [which happen to be 2 of my most favorite color also!]

She was so cute in sending me pictures of her and her dog enjoying a few of the items that I had sent her!

I was giddy with excitement when I walked up to the mailbox on Saturday to a package of goodies from Kindra.

When I opened up my box of goodies, it was as if I had opened up summer. It smelled so good and it just smelled like coconut and sun block! [heaven!]


I think the item that I have put to use the most thus far has to be the koozie, for some reason drinks taste better to me if in a can that is being hugged by a koozie.. don't ask me why?! And this one being leopard print AND green and silver - hello - perfect!

I LOVE the variety of bath and body works candles. I always have a candle warmer on in my house, they are so convenient just to keep the house smelling fresh, and I can't wait to use my 4 new scents. I absolutely love the fresh watermelon hand soap, and the coconut body scrub.... umm hello! this will be heaven after a long day in the sun.

In addition to the bath and body works goodies, she also included an air freshener [what a cute idea!], post it notes [can a girl really ever have too many post-it notes?]

I can't wait to see what you and your partner exchanged. Link up below and show off your fabulous goodies!

All Things Loved May

1. iPad
I never thought that I would become so attached to a large iphone.. but I have... Candy [apple] is amazing! If you have recommendations for blogging apps, do you mind sending them my way, I hate not being able to write a post without a blog app.

via

2. Little Things
Sure this app has ratings for peoples 5 and 7 year olds, but I am addicted to it, and it keeps me entertained for hours.

via

3. Peach Bellini Soap
There is nothing worse than fake peach scented things, however, this soap smells so natural. It is so refreshing

via

4. Triscuits - Plant a Seed, Grow a Movement Campaign
I love that Triscuits is encouraging people to plant their own herbs. They are including 1 plant on each box.


5.CSA
I joined a CSA this summer for the first time. I'm excited to see what goodies they bring me every week. I love being able to support a local farm rather than my grocery store, and its amazing what FRESH produce tastes like unlike something that may be store bought