Cupcakes and Coffee

I'm Always Right

2011-01-16T17:26:00.006-06:00

I knew it. I knew that once school started, this blog would go out the window. I was right. I haven't even looked at this since August.

I've been busy since last posting with my two jobs: teaching and being mom. Teaching high schoolers that all living things are made up of cells is awfully tiring. It's also fairly hard keeping a kiddo alive for a whole year.

Since I love that kiddo, I'll share some pics of her from the past couple of weeks. Not sharing pics of my students, though. Don't care enough about them.

Now as for the cupcakes...... I can tell you, I have the best cupcake recipe. Still working on the perfect icing for Houston. The humidity is my enemy.... affects my hair, the icing, and makes you feel like you are sweating all the time.

The Monarchs Have Flown the Cake

2010-08-15T13:19:00.004-05:00

Finished. Complete. Done.

Well, that's what I thought I was. I figured that once I completed K's Monarch Cupcakes for her birthday, that I might want to wait a few weeks before the next project: Peanut Butter and Jam. Then JoAnn's had teacher appreciation day, and I'm right back where I started. So many fun bakery festivities purchased that I'm going to have to clear off a shelf just to have a place to put them all. I think I'm going to post a few pics of the butterflies, then head to the kitchen to see what other creations I can come up with.

I'm kinda glad school is starting. My hubby and I have a deal: whatever I produce in the kitchen, he gets to at least have a bite. I am pretty sure that he is ready for me to take the cupcakes somewhere else, though. I am excited to have an audience with which to share the baked treats. If I'm doing this as stress relief, there is no sense in me getting fat over it, too. My fellow biology teachers have no idea what is about to hit them.

So here are the Monarchs, without further ado:

I'll be honest, the cupcake was the best part. But I'm not an icing kinda of girl.....

Of all the organisms in the world, she picks Monarchs?

2010-08-08T18:11:00.003-05:00

So the ingredients are gathered, and the mindframe is set.

Butterflies will be created on Thursday.

Cupcakes will follow on Friday.

Wish me luck.

Cutest Cupcake of All

2010-08-06T09:10:00.005-05:00

So I figured that I need to add a few pictures of the Cutest Cupcake Ev-ah. She has a personality the size of Texas, with a heart that is even bigger. And she only has eyes for her Daddy. Hoping it will stay that way for awhile, otherwise her Daddy is going to have to invest in a big stick. The pictures are proof.

Cupcakes #2

2010-08-03T13:00:00.009-05:00

It's been a weird summer. I'm a mother, a teacher on top of that, and yet I have this whole summer off (where I am getting paid) to do as I please. But at the same time, there is the nagging that I should be doing something...... Something other than piddling around the house in my pajamas, drinking cold coffee, and changing dirty diapers.

Enter the Cupcake Challenge.

On today's menu is Cupcake #2: the basic yellow (or butter) cupcake, filled with vanilla cream, and a simple vanilla icing on top.

Really rather easy, the process when well, only issue would be my defunct cupcake cups which did not want to sit properly in the cupcake pan. Other than that, perfecto.

Now, you might be wondering what happened to Cupcake #1. I'm saving that one for a rainy day (and a redo). You all will salivate.

Cupcake #2 is really a trial run for the cupcakes I will be making for K's birthday sleepover. I told K that I would volunteer to make cupcakes for her and her friends. She asked for at least 5 cupcakes. I told her I could do that. Good thing she doesn't understand what a dozen is.... ! Well, her mother has a cupcake decoration book, and which cupcakes does K pick out? Monarch Butterflies. Yeah, you read that right. Monarchs. Butterflies. I'm still shaking my head.

My husband said, "That's what you get for letting a 7 year old decide." And shaking my head some more.

I decided that today, since I seriously need something to do, I would go scope out all the various bakery supply stores. JoAnn's, Michael's, and Hobby Lobby all have one thing in common: expensive. Michael's was the cheapest, but also the farthest. I'm going to have to do a little more research on the supply front. For the Monarch Butterlies, I need to have brown cupcake cups, plus candy to melt down for the wings. Found the candy, which is good, but not a single place had cupcake cups. No bueno.

Her butterflies might be sitting on something other than a Sunflower.

And It Has Started Again...

2010-08-02T16:19:00.000-05:00

I've taken a 3 year and 6 month hiatus from blogging. And for some reason I feel compelled to pick it back up again. The reason? You'll just have to read for yourself.

I am a self diagnosed (I know just enough to be dangerous) small-scale panic-attack sufferer. I've been dealing with heart palpatations in the form of "beat skipping" for about 3 months now. It was only this last week that I put two and two together and thought, "Self, I believe this is stress related." I know, I know, what do I have to be stressed about? As I've thought about this, I realized that due to my internalization tatics (that I believed to be good for me - it keeps me from being verbally abusive to individuals that don't really deserve it), I have no outlet for stress. So, in an attempt to deal with my self-diagnosis, I'm taking on a hobby.

This hobby? Something that I have no business getting into: Cupcakes.

I'm going to become a Cupcake Genius.

I'll admit, this scares me a bit. I'm putting this out there for all to read. Now that it's out, I will feel guilty for not making good on my statement, which I will then internalize, which will cause more heart fluttering (not the good kind, mind you), and I'll end up right in the spot that I started at. But, hopefully this will be the push that I need to have a creative outlet for my stress, as well as an outlet for me putting my thoughts to paper (blog?)

So let's take an inventory on why this is going to be interesting:
1.) I'm dieting. Yeah, you read that right. I'm in the post-baby-gotta-fit-into-a-little-black-dress-by-October-(shout out to Angie)-diet stage.
2.) My pantry needs a little fattening up. I'm gonna have to add the heavies back into the game. A little butter, some shortening. No "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" for me, baby.
3.) I'm a creative impersonator. Not a single creative gene to my body, but I can recreate things that have already been created. Let's just hope that no one has a copyright on any of their cupcakes!
4.) Also, I have a 7 month old that learned how to crawl properly today. Can one really devote any time to a hobby with one of these running around?

This should be interesting.....
I've missed blogging.

Grey's Anatomy

2007-02-12T10:49:00.000-06:00

There are many loves in my life, one being my husband, another being coffee in the mornings with vanilla creamer.... on thursday nights, from 8:00 to 9:00pm, it's all about the Grey's. I find myself completely entranced by it, and if there is a loud room, they better learned to keep the conversation to the commercials. Grey's completely consumes me.

Why is that? Why do we find ourselves identifing with TV shows to the point that they are "loves" in our lives? I've done this before with Alias, Friends, Full House, and a plethora of others. I find myself glued to the TV. And that can't possibly be good for my eyes. I mean, I'm moving to the blind side as it is.

I want to meet the genius' that create these shows, that do the writing, that direct in such a way to make the moment so perfect. I want to meet those editors that decided which shots are worth it to keep, and which ones will be used as bloopers to blackmail those million dollar actors.

I want to act on Grey's. Then maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal to me. It would just be a bunch of cameras and men calling "action!" Wait, nevermind. It still would be a big deal, cause you know I would get a romantic moment with Dr. McDreamy......... kidding.

I love Grey's. I know there are other fanatics out there. And once again we will unite on Thursday evening to see if Meredith is rescued by her Knight in Shining Whatever. And if you interupt me, so help.......

Sleet of Mine, the woes I carry

2007-01-16T21:29:00.000-06:00

I think I might have seriously harmed my grandma-in-law. Scary. Honest. She fell on the 3 foot tall sleet drift in front of my apt. door. Not joking. Slid right down the thing. I was open-mouthed freaking out. She didn't hurt herself, thank goodness. I think I would have had a heart attack had we had to make a trip to the ER. Thank goodness I would have already been in the ER. What a night. Ended with Dulce De Leche cheesecake from Bahama Breeze. It was a good one, minus the fall. Hope I can find something pointy enough to chop the sleet drift in front of my door down with tomorrow. Wish me luck. And pray for grandma's safety and health.

Let it Sleet, Let it Sleet, Let it Sleet

2007-01-13T09:14:00.000-06:00

This has been fairly ridiculous. I have sleet drifts in front of my house, in front of the door to be exact. Sleet DRIFTS!!! And yes, I am positive that it is not snow. Just crazy if you ask me. Good thing me and my beautiful Nate stocked up on water and Diet Coke. We will last forever if the electricity shuts off. We have all the sustinance that we need. And if we don't open the doors or windows, the heat in my upstairs will stay around for as long as it takes to get that electricity back on. We are set. Way to have a frosty winter, Oklahoma. Way to go.

2007-01-08T17:29:00.000-06:00

Not only have I been in the USA for several months now, but I'm married and living in "The City." We are having a great ole' time. Our apt. is slightly in the ghetto, but way cute and definitely liveable. Come visit!!!

2006-09-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm in American, everyone. Finally.

Pink Rocks Everyones World

2006-09-02T09:31:00.000-05:00

My new fav album for the moment is Pink's "I'm not Dead." The rumors are true, she isn't dead, at least when she recorded this album. The international edition includes 2 extra songs on it, entitled "Fingers" and "Centerfold." I suppose her recording label decided they were not acceptable to release in America. That makes me laugh. I purposely bought the international version because of these two songs. America is missing out. If I could ascertain that my personal blog viewers all are over the age of 18, I would post the lyrics. Maybe that is why the songs weren't released. I like Pink. She rocks. And her rims are bigger than yours, she rocks harder than you do, and she can drink you under the table. Talk about woman of the twenty-first century.

2006-08-15T03:51:00.000-05:00

Alright.... no longer go to my xanga for any information. I am shutting it down. Not that I will be blogging here more or anything... cause that isn't going to happen either. Just wanted to let you know. Now, if you do want to get in touch with me, just leave a message. I will check it occasionally. But might I suggest to you to actually email me or call me. That would be much better. Thanks.

2006-04-26T15:26:00.000-05:00

Just me... my xanga is here: http://www.xanga.com/babyturtle41 check it out