Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Where Ya Been Fluffy Cake?

Yes, yes, I know.  I haven't posted in a long time!  What have I been up to?  Take a look...























This isn't even the half of it.  Yep, been a little busy.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Legends of the Phog

It's no secret that this family {hearts} KU basketball.  A few weeks ago we took Everett to the Field House for the first time.  What's more was that it was the Legends of the Phog game.  We're talking Paul Pierce, Scott Pollard, Ryan Robertson (hey good looking.  nice to see you again), Cole Aldrich, Super Mario, you get the point.  It was awesome to see all my old faves again and it was even more awesome to see Everett pointing at all the Jayhawks, enjoying the crowd and actually watching the game.  I tell you what, E has experienced more in his short little life than I had by the time I was in my 20's!  Even though it was about 500 degrees in there, we enjoyed loved every minute!  Everett even got a few high fives from players as they came out of the locker room after halftime.  Sweet!







Monday, October 17, 2011

Mom vs. the {Half} Marathon

So last week I completed my first half marathon and as I told my running buddies, and by running buddies I mean my buddies who are much better runners than I am, I'm hooked!  I had an absolute blast!  Trust me, I never would have thought I would ever have actual fun while running.  I am not one of those people who run for fun, run to think, run to get away.  Point blank, I run because I eat a lot and I like my current clothes.  I don't want to buy a whole new wardrobe.  I mean, it's nice to get outside in warm weather, but the moment I get about a mile from home I am pretty much ready to go back.
Another part of the back story is that last spring when I decided to sign up, I looked at the dates for the Rock and Roll Marathon series and tried to find a location where 1) Does Southwest would fly there and 2) Is it pretty? I settled on Denver.  I have ran in Colorado and Wyoming and didn't think the altitude would affect me that much.  However, many, many, many, many people told me how crazy I was for running in Denver.  It may have affected my time, but honestly, I didn't feel it at all.  It could have been the adrenaline, but I never had trouble breathing or felt like I was over fatigued.
Now, being that this was my first "big" race, I told Grant that I learned so much that I just had to do another one.  Let's be honest.  I had no freaking clue what the heck I was doing.  I chalk this trip up to a learning experience.  What did I learn?  Please read on.

When flying with a one year old, make sure your portable DVD player is charged.  It really sucks when the batteries run out 20 minutes into the flight.

Speaking of which, make sure the charger you have been using and the one your brought on your trip is not the Swiffer Sweeper charger.

Remember to bring your camera.  Buying a disposable at the hotel gift shop makes you look like tourist from 1995.

Watch the forecast.  Even if your friend who lives in Fort Collins says it is 85 degrees, it probably means that it will be 35 with freezing rain when you get there. 

Bring an umbrella.  See above.

Bring warm clothes.  See above.

Bring gloves to run in and a hat and cloves for your baby.  See above.

After you pick up your race packet, read ALL the directions for how to check your clothes when you get there.  That little blue zip tie does not belong in the trash can and that bag they give you is not just for fun.  It's for all your crap.

Don't lie down for a nap with your baby and expect the fire alarm not to go off an hour into your restful slumber.

Speaking of which, don't go to bed at night and not expect that the fire alarm to go off at 11:00 at night.

When you leave your hotel room in the morning without your key, make sure you have everything including your bagel.

When you leave your hotel room for the second time without your key, make sure you have your zip tie and bag for the equipment check.

Don't stay in hotels that require you to have your room key when you go up on the elevator.  You will be extremely winded and think, "What the (beep) was I thinking running in Colorado," as you make 4 trips up and down the stairs.

Know where the start of the race is.  Even if you think you can follow someone there, it doesn't mean that those people know where they are going.

When you get to the equipment check, make sure you take your jacket off.

After you cut in line at the equipment check, make people mad, give them your forgotten jacket and then turn around to warm up, make sure you don't drop one of your $30 gloves you just bought at the Expo.

Make sure you don't leave your knee braces in the bag that you checked.  You'll look really dumb if you go back twice because you forgot something.  I didn't go back by the way.

When you sign up for the race and you put your predicted finishing time, don't underestimate yourself. You will be stuck in the LAST CORRAL with the walkers and the coffee carriers.  Yes, you read that right.

Speaking of corrals, if you are in the last one, you may want to get to the starting line a little early or you will literally be stuck in a mob and since you've never done this before you will start freaking out.

Don't plan on seeing your family at any point along the way.  A one year old is too unpredictable.

Don't give your family all your Gu to give you at mile 4 and 8.  Again, they won't be there.

Don't eat the Gu they give you at mile 10.  It is supposed to taste like "Blackberry", but you will end up literally gagging it down. 

Don't believe that your husband who is supposedly really good with directions will not get you lost and keep you walking around for 45 minutes after you have just ran for 13 miles.  Don't even bother getting a hotel a half a mile from the finish line.  It won't matter.

Don't expect to see mountains in Colorado.  Apparently on this course, there was only one lonely mountain at the end of one lonely street.  Not the view I was planning for.

Don't trust the airport shuttle.  There are several reasons why.  1) They will break down on the way to the airport. 2) They will act like it is no big deal that you are about to miss your plane. 3) The new driver will ask if he can stop for gas. 4) The new driver will ask if you have your paid ticket...no we just saw this shuttle and decided to get on.  Uh, pretty sure you just saw us get off the other shuttle.

Make sure your one year old has a drink when you are deciding on an airplane.  He won't take a binky when he is too busy crying and putting his fingers in his ears.


Overall, I learned a lot.  As Grant says, "I had a lot of fun, but this was the worst trip ever".  See you next fall Rock and Roll Marathon Series.  Can't wait to choose a new race!

Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

We are loving everything APPLE in our house this month!  Everett can recite that "A is for Apple", we have colored apples, made homemade applesauce, eaten apples for snack a little more than usual and this week we are trying an apple upside down cake!  Let's just say that the recipe starts with melting butter in a cake pan and then pouring the batter on top of the melted butter.  Uh, that has to be delish right?  In honor of October being apple month for us, I present to you
Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp apple pie spice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
4  large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups applesauce, unsweetened

Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, apple pie spice, nutmeg, and cloves.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low, add applesauce and then the flour mixture. Beat until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarter full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in an airtight container.

Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ vanilla extract
¼ to ½ tsp cinnamon

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth; beat in vanilla and cinnamon. Top each cupcake with 2 tbsp of frosting and spread to cover. You can also pipe the frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes.

Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight container; bring to room temperature before serving.








Monday, October 3, 2011

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Bars

I have decided to enter one of my favorite recipes into the KC Star cookie contest.  I don't expect to win, but I thought it was a fun idea.  The best thing about these bars is that they taste better the longer they are stored airtight on your counter!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Bars

Ingredients

Bars:

1 1/2 cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons milk

½ cup milk chocolate chips

10 mini peanut butter cups, cut in half

Topping:

1 ½ cups sifted confectioners' sugar

¼ cup milk

¼ cup creamy peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

10 mini peanut butter cups, cut in half



1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt, stirring well with a whisk.

3. Combine vanilla, eggs, butter and milk, stirring well. Add peanut butter.

4. Stir in chocolate chips then fold in peanut butter cups.

5. Pour batter into an 8 inch metal baking pan that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

6. Arrange peanut butter cups on top.

7. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging.

Once bars are baked, begin preparing the glaze.

8. Place confectioners' sugar, milk, 1/4 cup peanut butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in medium bowl; whisk together until creamy.

9. Drizzle glaze over cooled bars.

Friday, September 30, 2011

A Very Sad Goodbye

Disclaimer: I actually started this post several weeks ago, but I was waiting for the pictures.  I didn't want to post without them...

Last Friday I received a text from my dad to "Please call" him. Of course I was super busy with Invention Presentations and talking about 9/11 with all my classes that I wouldn't be able to call him until my plan time at 12:50. Around 12:45 I received an email that my Great Uncle Don was in the hospital due to a ruptured aneurysm and that my sister and I needed to pray because he wasn't expected to live. I immediately went into shock and then after the kids left my room I burst into tears.

I'm pretty sure I was hysterical and that is why my administrator and good friend Rachelle told me she would take care of everything and that I needed to go get my son and be with my mom at the hospital. I also have told him this, but I have to say that I was so grateful to my co-worker and friend Blake for immediately coming to tell me that he would help cover my club (Nail Painting) so that I could go home. Blake seems like a guys guy, but he's a softie. I've seen him with his baby girl. What a push over:)
I went over to my parent's house to pick up Everett. My mom walked in a couple minutes later to tell us that his condition was inoperable and that it may be hours, days or weeks left until we had to say goodbye. She said he looked great. He was talking and laughing and it just looked like he was resting in bed. We made a plan to go visit him when Everett got up from his nap. Around 5:00 I checked my phone and saw that my mom had called. When I called her back she told me that Uncle Don had died a few hours earlier.
The rest of my weekend was basically waves of tears, memories and worst...regrets. I kept thinking about how I should have called my dad back between classes. I should have just taken Everett up to the hospital and put him down for his nap later. I should have taken Everett over to his house like I had been planning. The regrets go on and on. I know what is meant to be will be and it happened this way for a reason. I know that this is perhaps a lesson for me to not waste time and to visit with my family more often. Even though Everett and my Uncle Don had just seen eachother for a lunch date a few weeks earlier, I should have done more.
My situations with grandpas as been a double edged sword. I haven't had to work through the death of a grandpa because one died before I was born and the other when I was very little. The other side of that is that I never was able to enjoy having a grandfather in my life. This is part of the reason Grant and I decided to have Everett when we did. We wanted him to grow up with all his grandparents. Since neither Grant or myself had that in our lives, Uncle Don was like our stand-in grandpa. His loss has hit me harder than I ever thought it would. I have had a very difficult time these last couple days. Last night I wrote Uncle Don and letter since I was unable to say goodbye in person. I gave it to my Aunt Peggy today so that she could leave it in a special place for him. Although I won't go into a lot of detail since I want that letter to be between him and I, I will share a few of my favorite memories of my uncle.
He had a parakeet named Polly who would sit on your finger. I was always afraid to put my hand in his cage and get him out, but Uncle Don was always so sweet and patient when I would ask him repeatedly to get the bird out so I could play with him. He never said no. He never was annoyed with the little girl asking him to get the bird in and out. He just obliged with a smile.
When I got my Jeep Wrangler at 17, he was thrilled. He would always talk about wanting to take a ride. One Easter asked me to take him and my cousin Lane off roading on a piece of land he owned. I still remember this tall skinny guy holding onto the roll bar and my small cousin in the backseat with a smile.
My favorite memories are hands down the time Uncle Don spent with Everett, or as he called him, his "Little Evie". I can remember the first time they met on Easter and my Uncle saying how good it felt to hold a baby again. I remember going down to my parent's basement and seeing Everett climb up into Uncle Don's lap to watch a KU game. I can remember him calling me to tell me that he wouldn't be able to make it to Everett's first birthday party but that we would get together soon because he "couldn’t wait to see that kid grow up". Then later he surprised us by driving over in the freezing cold so that he could join the party. My favorite part was when he asked if he could have a beer. That was Uncle Donald. He was the best.
There was not a dry eye in the house today during the celebration of life. However there was lots of great stories and laughter. My Aunt Peggy talked about how Uncle Don was a true gentleman. He really was. He was so friendly and kind and lived his life to the very fullest right up until the day he went up to heaven to be with his wife. My cousin Richard said that he always met people with a firm handshake, hug and a smile. I hope I never ever forget his smile.
I think one of the most moving parts of the service was when this poem was read (below). It really made me rethink a lot about my own life. After hearing stories about how my uncle worked as a teacher plus other side jobs so that his wife could stay home with their 5 kids so that they could have everything they needed she added they weren't rich, but they were rich with love, I decided to think a little more about the way I look at material things. After hearing about my uncle's family not being able to choose a charity for donations because he gave to so many, I decided to think about how much I was really giving back. Uncle Don was such a man of integrity and love. You would have never guessed he was going to celebrate his 90th birthday this year. He was young at heart and always a teacher. Even though he's not here anymore, I still learned from his life today. He lived a good "dash".

I read of a man who stood to speakat the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on his tombstone
from the beginning to the end He noted that first came his date of her birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years For that dash represents all the time
that he spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved him
Know what that little line is worth. For it matters not how much we own;
the cars, the house, the cash,
what matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash. So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
that can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel. And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before. If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while. So, when your eulogy is being read
with your life’s actions to rehash
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your dash?




Last, this song was played at the end of his celebration of life. For some reason, it really reminds me of him and it probably always will.

 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The Lion King

When I was little, I always looked forward to the month of July.  I not only looked forward to my birthday, but I loved not having to go to daycare and being able to stay home with my mom.  Since she was an administrator, she worked all year round except a few weeks in July. 
I always loved our time together going to the pool, shopping and especially MOVIES!  My mom was never a mom who said you couldn't drink Coke with lunch or that you couldn't have dessert.  I'll get into what I used to pack in my own lunch at a later time.  Let's just say Jamie Oliver would not be happy with my food choices.  She let me eat mozzarella sticks for dinner.  She was (and still is) awesome!  When we would go to the movies, we would eat "movie lunch".  Movie lunches consisted of hot dogs, nachos, Starburst, Twizzlers and Diet Coke! A-maze!
When I found out I was preggers, I just couldn't wait to take my child with me to the movies in the summer.  Now that I am fortunate enough to stay home with my little buddy, we were able to go to a movie at noon in the middle of the week! 
There are several reasons I was teary eyed and felt like a dream had come true-
1. We saw the Lion King!  Hello?  One of my all-time faves!  Holding your baby during "The Circle of Life"???  You may think it's double cheese-wiz, but it is a pretty outstanding moment.
2. We were one of 7 people in one of the giant AMC Studio 30 theaters.
3. Everett sat (well, and crawled around on the empty seats around us) through the entire thing!
4. We enjoyed a "movie lunch"!  Everett had a hotdog and M&Ms.  Mom had cheese, crackers and popcorn! 


 We sat in the handicapped seats in the very back as to make a swift exit upon meltdown.
 Holding his toy "elfant" a.k.a. elephant.
 All those empty seats...
I told him how he made one of my dreams come true and that I looked forward to many, many more movie dates with my buddy.  Of course I brought my camera!