Asbill Soup

Sweet Girl

2010-08-10T13:14:00.002-05:00

I can't believe my baby is already going into second grade! I can't call her baby anymore, but she will always be my baby girl. She's my favorite girl. I couldn't have asked God for a better child, because when He gave me Emma, He outdid any thought I ever had ! She did so amazing on our vacation and this is just a very small sample of some of my favorite pictures of her. I hope you love them as much as I do !

If I Were A Rich Man......

2010-08-07T11:19:00.004-05:00

You're singing the tune now aren't you ? So, I'm at work today. This is not a normal Saturday for me, but since we are short-handed, I'm here. After a little web surfing I came across a to-die-for dress, and I'll gladly take your donations......

Now, I can think of several reasons why this dress caught my eye....unique color, I love stars, and it has a little bit of a retro flair in my opinion. I found it at Anthropologie, so no wonder it's awesome !

I think this dress would pair nicely with a subtle beige or nude pump, but since I am who I am, I'm going with bright yellow !

But, this would be my choice for subtlety. I'm just not usually that subtle !

A dress like this has to be well thought out. My new favorite hairstyle to wear, I know it's not new, but knew for me since my hair is finally long enough, the classic, loose side bun. I think it would be nice and sweet.

And last, but certainly not least, the face. I'm thinking light eyes and firey red lips. The red would offset the yellow shoes off course. Ok, maybe not really, but I think it would look fantabulous. So, makeup much like this dummy.....please don't be offended. I meant that in the nicest way possible.

While you are ooing and awwing over my fab finds for today, I'll keep dreaming !

A Few Universal Truths

2010-08-05T09:34:00.002-05:00

1. Nothing stinks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you are wrong. (HATE THAT)

2. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page report that I swear I didn't make any changes to.

3. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5 or # 6, I'm pretty sure we all know how to get out of our neighborhood.

4. I hate leaving the house confident and feeling like I look good and then not seeing anyone of importance all day. What a waste !!

5. Wouldn't you rather try to carry 10 plastic bags on each arm versus making 2 trips to bring in the groceries ? (why do we do that?)

6. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer after you die.(you know what I mean!)

7. Don't you hate it when you miss a call on the last ring, only to call that person back immediately and it goes to their voicemail ? Where did they go after I didn't answer ?

Last one....

8. Even under ideal circumstances, most people have a hard time locating their keys in a pocket, finding a cell phone in their purse, and pinning the Tail on the Donkey, but I bet money that everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

Disneyworld 2010

2010-08-02T12:50:00.002-05:00

First let me apologize for the lack of posts this past week, but there was no time ! I won't go into lengthy details at the moment because I'm at work, but let me just say that Disney was so wonderful and we'd go back tomorrow. Feel free to start looking at our unedited pics on Flickr, but I will slowly be adding more. There were only 800 or so !! If you've never been, you must go !!

Count Down Calender

2010-07-23T12:56:00.002-05:00

Count down to Disney
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

One more thing...here is a little closer look at the calender. You can't see the whole thing, but it's super cute. James' sister worked very hard to make them for the girls. Thanks Aunt T !!

The Countdown is Over!

2010-07-23T12:50:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Here it is...the last day of the count down calender....We are very excited that the trip is finally here ! The eagle flies at midnight...that's code for: we leave at midnight. I think I'm the only one ready for the drive, but I'm ok with that. I'm a road trip kind of gal. Pray for safe travel and decent weather and check back for updates. I'm going to try to post some while we are gone.

Zoe

2010-07-23T11:04:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

This is Zoe. She's a Boston Terrorist and she wears dentures. Ok, she doesn't really, but her under bite is so bad that her teeth stick out most of the time. They are so perfect and straight that we call them dentures. Its very hard to take a picture of her because she's part kangaroo, but I like her.

A Girl and a Chicken

2010-07-22T08:11:00.003-05:00

My mother saved one of her baby chicks from near death, and it thinks its a dog or cat ! I say "it" because its not obvious yet if it's a hen or a rooster. This chicken tries to come in the house and they've tried to get it to go with its mom and siblings, but it will chase behind mom when she turns her back. I only hope she hasn't named it. Emma loves it though and she thinks it's funny.

When I got home from work the other day she said "Look ! I'm a pirate ! Argh!!!"
Sorry for the bad quality of the photos....camera photography you know.

2 More Days !

2010-07-21T09:35:00.002-05:00

Well...give or take a few hours !!! I can almost see the castle from here. I can't wait to see my old friends, Cindy, Snow and of course my newest friend Princess Ti....I'm just as excited as the kids ! Ok, I may be MORE excited. It's debatable. Either way, the count down has been on like Donky Kong, and the end is drawing near!

Blogging again ?

2010-07-19T13:24:00.003-05:00

Well, I'm not making any commitments, but due to recent changes in computer access, yes, I could be blogging some again. Where have I been ? What have I been doing ? Loads !!! That's my story, sticking to it. It's been so long since I posted, I really didn't know where to begin, so rather than go backwards, we will go forward and we will start with the weekend getaway.

This weekend I was privileged to get a weekend away with James, my sister and her husband, and two other couples. We went to Boerne, TX and stayed at a golf resort. The fellas got more than their share of golf while the girls shopped. The hill country is great, and given the chance, and maybe some lotto winnings (even though I don't play) I'd move there in a heart beat. There are some great shops in Boerne on a small scale and we met some very helpful and Texas friendly shop owners. We were also fortunate enough to take a little drive to Fredericksburg. It's a magical little place and I could probably spend more time there than my budget allows. I have several favorite items after the trip and here are a few of them:

RED

Ok, I get it's not an item, but a store built inside an old Buick dealership. I really don't have a favorite item in this store. I love it all !

Oilcloth,

Always liked it, but now I love it !! It was everywhere on everything ! I've researched this morning some tutorials on making chairs like these, and once I find the right vintage base, this type of chair will be perfect for an upcoming project.

LOVE pillow cases.

I want these, plain and simple.

Mackenzie-Childs checkered grill.

I'll ever own one of these and I honestly couldn't see dirtying it up, but it was just too cute.

Davenport Home Furnishings

Emma has already asked to change her bedroom for Christmas, so I may have to consider this company. The problem would be choosing. Super funky, excellent quality.

Very soon we will be leaving for Disneyworld. I'm hoping that my blogging days aren't over and I'll be able to give a few Mickey updates while we are gone. I hope everyone is enjoying the summer and hopefully I'll be back soon !!!

HAITI

2010-01-22T21:03:00.001-06:00

My heart aches, and I'm left speechless.

2010-01-13T21:24:00.001-06:00

Yes, I am still alive. It's just been a busy busy time since Christmas. I'm hoping to post this weekend. I hope you are all well and enjoying God's blessings. I bet you are at least glad I got rid of the Christmas music !

Special News Alert

2009-12-22T08:09:00.001-06:00

My computer has crashed !!! I have close to zero internet access. Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year. I hope to talk to you all soon !

Mary did you know ?

2009-12-14T19:56:00.002-06:00

Please pause the Christmas music at the bottom of the page to listen to one of my all time favorite songs.

10 Years Younger

2009-12-13T13:17:00.002-06:00

In recent months I've noticed more fine lines and wrinkles. Actually, I've noticed them for a wile, but I've just now let them bother me some. So....I ordered some skin care products to try. The ad claims to make you look 10 years younger. WOW ! They were right, and it's not just 10 years, but closer to 20 ! Since I started using the products a few days ago, I've gone back in time and now I've hit puberty. My face has broken out worse than it has ever ! So now I'm dealing with that. Lovely. Curse you Joan Lunden and your infomercials !!

More Heartspun favorites....

2009-12-06T18:52:00.001-06:00

Dear Vivi - Thank you for these wonderful pictures of my family. I'm in love with them and I think you are super talented ! Thank you for being a great friend. You have a very sweet spirit !

Who's ready ?

2009-11-28T11:55:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T20:20:00.002-06:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

I am so thankful ! God has blessed me and my family immensely. I hope you all have a safe and blessed thanksgiving. Now, I leave you with these very silly cupcakes....

Toothless

2009-11-22T20:46:00.003-06:00

Emma has been nursing a loose tooth for a while now. James and I have been trying to get her to pull it out, but she was too scared. This morning, I told her she looked like a witch. As you can see, this tooth is barely hanging on....

A few hours later, it finally fell out !!! She is very excited that she can put a straw in the hole.

Junkyard dawgs.....

2009-11-19T20:31:00.004-06:00

Well, what can I say....I asked my friend Viv to do our Christmas pictures because I knew she wouldn't disappoint ! She is an amazing friend and an amazing photographer. Don't ask me why, but I've been wanting to take pictures for a very long time at a junkyard, and this week we were fortunate enough to make it happen. Looking at these pictures makes me all teary eyed because they make me so happy ! You can see some of the others on her Heartspun Imagery website. Enjoy !

Busy busy

2009-11-12T22:06:00.003-06:00

Due to my schedule, I've been unable to blog much. I feel like I've been put through the ringer with everything that has been going on at work, so I don't have a lot of extra energy to really blog much. I have yet to give a Central market update. I can tell you the food was delumptious and super easy to make. I will have some pictures to post in the near future that I'm super excited about and I need to get shopping for ! I'm praying it all turns out how I see it in my mind's eye. Sometimes I get angry with my mind's eye. I see it one way and I won't rest till it materializes in that fashion...can be frustrating. Let's see...what else. Busy, busy. Sleepy, sleepy. I love my baby. I love my hubby. I'm ready for Christmas. I'm ready for our C3 Conference in a few months. I'm ready for Disney in a LOT of months. I wish we were having a baby, but all in all, I'm very happy. Now, it's time for bed. Good night all.

And....this was how we found Sleeping Beauty last night before we went to bed. This is about how I feel.

Happy Halloween !

2009-11-01T19:12:00.006-06:00

I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween. We had a fun filled day for sure ! Here is my super cute Harajuku girl and my easy Martha Stewart ghost cake. I definitely took the easy way out on the cake !

2009-10-27T22:39:00.001-05:00

My cats have gone completely mad. I don't know if it's the additional Halloween decor I've put up, but they seem possessed by the kids plastic tablecloth !

Pranksters

2009-10-25T21:22:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

One thing is for sure, we have a lot of fun at home. We are usually always singing and dancing and playing tricks on each other. Tonight, while Emma was getting ready to get her bath, James and I armed ourselves with cans of silly string. We snuck up on her and emptied both cans. She thought it was really funny ! I'm sure there will be more tricks to come.

Central Market

2009-10-22T09:08:00.002-05:00

For my birthday this year, which was in August, James surprised me and booked us a cooking class at Central Market in Houston. I was so excited and I've been patiently waiting for the day to come. Saturday will be the day ! I'm going to take my camera with me, but I'm not sure if they will allow pictures. Hopefully they will and I'll be able to give a full report. The menu is Fall Food and we are hoping to love it enough to make some of it for Thanksgiving dinner.

Here is the menu:

Seared Tri-Tip Steaks with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce
Herbed Crispy Cracked Potatoes
Baked Acorn Squash with Maple Butter
Pumpkin Flan with Pecan Streusel & Carrot-Root Beer Reductions

I think it sounds great !!!

Houston Zoo

2009-10-21T09:12:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Friday afternoon when we walked out of the hospital, we were quite surprised by the weather. It was so cool outside and so gorgeous. We were very thankful. We passed the zoo on the way home and Emma asked again about going to the zoo. We decided to take her for a little while on Saturday afternoon. It was gorgeous outside and I got some cute pictures of Emma and her cousins. I just love this kid !

Emma's costume

2009-10-21T09:08:00.003-05:00

Emma was so excited to finally get her costume. It was delivered while we were in the hospital, but she tried it on as soon as she could. Of course she was dancing for us and being dramatic.

Texas Children's Hospital

2009-10-19T12:26:00.002-05:00

Well....if I had to say something about Texas Children's Hospital, it's the best and the worst place to be. I won't go into great detail, but long story short, in a total freak accident, Emma fell backwards off of our garden tub Tuesday night and hit her head on our ceramic floor. We ended up at the hospital twice until she was admitted. Her first scan revealed bleeding by her brain, but at that point they weren't sure where it was coming from and how severe it was. They ordered another scan and injected her with a contrast dye so they could look at her vessels. Praise God that one revealed the bleeding had stopped and she didn't need surgery. When the doctors were bringing up surgery on my baby, I honestly thought I was going to hyperventilate. We ended up staying until Friday and the hospital was so awesome. The staff was so wonderful and I am so thankful. Emma is a tough kid, but I know that because of the people there, she was able to get 2 IV's without shedding a tear, she got 2 cat scans without shedding a tear, and she gave about 6 tubes of blood without shedding a tear. Not to mention all of the other scary things that hospitals have and do. They were really great. I pray that we NEVER have to go back there, but if we do, I'm so thankful to live in a place where we have access to a medical center as awesome as we have in Houston. Emma was actually sad to leave the hospital. She said it was fun. I was also thankful for the reasons we were there. Walking the halls of the Neurology floor will make you appreciate the blessings in your life. It's a tough place to be and there are some tough things to see there, but I promise you that it will open your eyes. Today I have a praise and a prayer request. I'm praising God for keeping Emma safe, but I ask that you pray for those kids at Texas Children's Hospital.

Halloween invites

2009-10-13T19:53:00.002-05:00

Halloween invites
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

The invites are in the mail ! I wish I could say this was my original idea, but I got the inspiration from Better Homes and Gardens. I think they turned out pretty cute. Emma had fun letting me paint her feet !

Happy, Not-so-happy pets

2009-10-11T21:45:00.002-05:00

Happy....

Not so happy......

EEK !! Halloween cats !!

Happy Halloween !

2009-10-07T10:14:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween !
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Well, I had planned for a detailed post, but I am short on time, which is the norm lately. These are our pumpkins. We will be carving them, but not until the end of the month. Unfortunately, it's too hot to carve them now. I love Halloween !

Bad blogger

2009-10-06T10:45:00.003-05:00

I know, I know....I've been a bad blogger. I really do have several posts piled up in this brain of mine, but I've been too busy. I work for a bank and we merged with another bank back in December, but the actual change-over has yet to happen. Needless to say, it's happening this month and it's been pretty crazy around here. I'm still working on a Halloween party for the kids and I have a pumpkin post to do for you. For now, I'll leave you with a picture of Emma's Halloween costume.

Harajuku Girl

She's going to look pretty doggone cute !

Seasons of change

2009-09-25T10:15:00.003-05:00

Now that fall is officially here, I start getting emails with decor ideas and awesome recipes and it makes me all giddy. I love the holidays. James pokes fun at me because with every holiday, I claim it as my "favorite". He told me recently that they are all my favorite. I can't help it. I love family and I love getting together and to me, that's what the holidays are all about. First up is Halloween. I love Halloween. I think it's a blast to get to dress up as some one else for an evening and go to carnivals and play fun games. If I had the time, and of course the money, my house would look like something out of a Martha Stewart catalog to represent each holiday. Maybe someday, but for now I'll just show you some of the super cute Halloween ideas I've seen

recently.

I love to see beautiful and elegant Halloween displays, but for now, I'm really drawn to the kid-friendly ones. I do love this silhouette tree though. I think it's very elegant. I've thought about doing silhouette portraits for our bedroom, now I may have the perfect craft to jump start it !

If you'd like to see some very elaborate decorations, check out Grandin Road . Pricey, but amazing.

This year I'm hoping to have a little Halloween party for the kiddos before we head to the church carnival, but it's up in the air because of work. So, we shall see. I know some people are against Halloween, but to me it's a boat load of fun and I can never remember a time when I didn't dress up. Do you have any Halloween traditions ? I'd love to hear them and maybe get some ideas for myself !

Hosanna

2009-09-25T09:24:00.001-05:00

Minnie party

2009-09-19T14:58:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Today was my nieces birthday and she had a Minnie Mouse party. I had lots of fun making this cake and the cupcake toppers. Minnie Mouse is just too cute, so it makes it lots of fun! Thanks for looking !!!

2009-09-19T14:57:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Sneak peek

2009-09-17T21:58:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

It's 9:15, everyone is asleep, and I'm working on a little something for this weekend. I hope it turns out to my liking so I don't scrap them all !

A sweet follow up....

2009-09-17T12:48:00.001-05:00

Too cute !!!

2009-09-16T16:06:00.001-05:00

James 30th birthday

2009-09-08T08:59:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

This past weekend, James turned the big 3-0 and I couldn't let it pass without celebrating. We had a 70's karaoke party and it was a lot of fun. Check out my Flickr for all the pics !

2009-09-08T08:57:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Seriously ??!!

2009-09-03T09:55:00.004-05:00

Being a Texan I've grown up with the myths of the Chupacabra, but thank heavens someone actually caught it !!! I was beginning to worry. ;)

CNN actually ran a story about this and it is a little gross, but I'm sorry....it's just a poor mangy dog. You can click to watch the video and see for yourself.

The Chupacabra Caught?
by Mike Krumboltz

It really does exist! Maybe! The famed chupacabra has apparently been found, and it's a Texan.
Or at least it was. The beast is now dead, but news of its capture near Blanco, Texas, inspired Bigfoot-sized searches. Lookups on "chupacabra" surged a whopping 571%, and related queries on "what does chupacabra mean" also roared. (For the record, its rough translation is "goat sucker.") The find also inspired renewed interest in the equally notorious Montauk Monster.
Jerry Ayer, owner of Blanco Taxidermy School, has possession of the mythical beast's body. According to CNN, the animal was discovered by one of Ayer's students. The student had "placed poison...to catch an unidentified animal that had gotten into a family member's barn." Little did the student know the animal in question was (maybe) the chupacabra.
In the video from CNN (which is pretty gross, so beware), Ayer shows off some of the unusual features of the animal, including abnormally long legs and teeth. It looks a bit like the world's ugliest (and meanest) dog.
Of course, this is hardly the first time someone has claimed to have captured the chupacabra. In years past, brave souls have spotted it in places ranging from Russia to Maine to the Philippines. Often the animal is spotted by folks who conveniently forget to snap a photo.
Not so this time. Ayer says he plans to preserve the animal and then donate it to a local museum so it can be enjoyed by others. As the taxidermist puts it, the beast is "a tremendous conversation piece." Sort of like the Mona Lisa or a really stellar collection of garden gnomes.

Wow, the things that make headlines nowadays.

We're gearing up !!!

2009-08-31T21:21:00.001-05:00

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2009-08-31T21:20:00.001-05:00

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Feeling Convicted

2009-08-27T09:11:00.004-05:00

I've tried to do this post a couple times this week, but with power outages and doctor's visits, this is the first real chance I've had. I've felt very compelled all week to write this post and I think it's mostly because I don't know about the salvation of the majority of the people that come across my blog.

In the past few weeks I've had some health issues that have really frustrated me to the point of tears, and this week something else happened that prompted a trip to the doctor. Unfortunately, I got no answers and right now we are "waiting it out" to see what happens. In the back of my mind, I still am thinking the worst and I know I really shouldn't do that. In addition to this, James and I have unsuccessfully conceived for well over a year, but have really been struggling with infertility since about January. Infertility is a tough thing. It's emotionally hard and can been physically hard depending on what kind you are dealing with, but the worst part for me is the fact that it has made me a judge. I don't want to be that way, but it's very hard to want a baby so bad and it seems like every where you look you see someone that shouldn't be pregnant. I know that's so wrong to have that way of thinking ! In my mind I start trying to hash it out with God, and I have this conversation that goes back and forth where I try to figure out how the unwed teen mother gets to have a baby, but we don't. Or I see people that are terrible to their children and they are pregnant again, or people that are just down-right unhappy with the fact they are pregnant. I could go on forever on this. To me, this part of not getting pregnant is the toughest to deal with because it seems so unfair.

Now, with all of this being said, here's where I sit. I am blessed beyond belief and I am very aware of this. Every morning this week, I've prayed in my car and listened to Christian radio and I promise you that God has been whispering in my ear all week that everything will be ok. He's constantly been telling me this every day this week and I know He's always telling me this, but for some reason, this week my heart is so open and receptive to what He has to say and it feels great. I KNOW no matter what happens with us trying to have a baby, or with health issues, that it's going to all work out to what He has planned for us. I KNOW that what God has planned for our lives is better than anything we could dream up on our own. Right now, I feel kind of like I'm in God's waiting room. I don't know what will happen, but I'm extremely at peace this week.

So here's the main motive behind this post. In addition to feeling all of this, I got to thinking a lot about the people that read my blog and I started wondering about their salvation. I thought to myself that what if someone else is going through a tough time right now, but because they don't know the Lord, their burden is even heavier than it could be ? Have you ever thought much about your relationship with God ? Do you even believe in God ? Are you the person that I used to be years ago that thought if you only lived your life in such a way that would be pleasing to most that you will most definitely go to Heaven ? I am not ashamed that I used to think that way because I think that many of us are blinded by the enemy and are told many lies about the real truth of salvation. I'm so thankful that someone shared with me the truths in the Bible and now I know how I can have eternal life in Heaven. I feel compelled to share it with you all this week which I have to say is somewhat out of my comfort zone. It's not that I'm not confident in what I believe, but talking openly to anyone and everyone is not something that comes easy to just anyone.

Some of you may think about some of the things you have done in your past or may be currently doing and you may think that God wouldn't love you they way He says, but that is so not true. In Romans 3:23 it says "For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God". Everyone sins and even as a Christian, you will sin. You will never be perfect and anyone that says they aren't a sinner is blinded by reality. The Bible also says in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord". I love life and I love living it, so to really think about dying sometimes stinks, but dying to this body only and having eternal life is amazing ! If you are unsure about your own salvation, ask your self this....Do you know what it takes to be saved ? Romans 10:9-10 "If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." And if you are skeptical, or have been told there are other ways to be saved, in John 14:6 Jesus says this "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." These are not my words, so please feel free to look them up for yourself. I could probably go on all day, but this is a good start.

My prayer for you today is if you do not know the Lord, that you will open your heart and receive him. I can promise you that your lie will be changed. I am 32 today and my life is better now than it has ever been and I know it is because God loves me, he gives me peace when I need it the most, he will never leave me, and He has given me the free gift of salvation. All I had to do was ask. I have a wonderful husband that loves me for who I am. I have a beautiful daughter that is so amazing and I'm so thankful on this day !!!!

Pray for your teachers

2009-08-23T19:26:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow Emma will be starting school much like the most of the school districts. Remember to pray for your children's teachers and remember to pray for everyone they will come in contact with on a daily basis. These are the people that will have your child more than you will in a day and ultimately can have the biggest impact in their young impressionable lives. I'm very excited about Emma's teacher this year and I can't believe she's going to be in first grade already. Soon we'll be picking out an outfit and getting ready for bed. Good luck to all the kiddos tomorrow and the teachers !

Updates

2009-08-17T09:48:00.003-05:00

Well, my blog posts may be scarce for a while, but I hope not too scarce. Our laptop at home has petered out. The laptop itself actually hasn't, but the receptacle in which the Internet cable goes into is messed up. I honestly don't know if it can be fixed. I'm looking into it.

The Jonas Brothers was awesome. Emma and I had a big time, but I was unable to take in my camera, which was a little disappointing. It's not a professional camera, but you were only allowed to bring in a pocket camera, but I don't have one of those. Thankfully there was a very nice lady sitting next to me that took a few pictures and she is supposed to email them to me.

I have a baby shower cake to make this week and I haven't even started on the details ! I need to get after it and hopefully once I get pictures of it, I can find a way to post them on here. I can upload them at home, but no Internet, no uploads.

And lastly, I traded in my beastly Nissan Armada this weekend on a....drum roll please......Nissan Cube !!! Yes, it's a clown car, but I love it ! Surprisingly enough, it has tons of room in it and it gets 30 miles to the gallon, so that's a no brainer. Of course, I can't show you a picture of it, but I'll leave you with a picture of one I found on the Internet, but imagine it in black :)

On another note.....

2009-08-13T22:33:00.002-05:00

She hearts Nick Jonas

2009-08-13T22:09:00.003-05:00

I heart Nick Jonas
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Well, here it is in all its goopy glittery mess. I hope it dries fast !!!! There's enough glue on this poster to shellac the walls. I would like to embellish it some more, but it's 10 p.m. and mamma needs some sleep !

Jonas Bound

2009-08-13T20:47:00.003-05:00

Emma is counting down the seconds till tomorrow nights Jonas Brothers concert !! Right now we are making an "I heart Nick" poster. That's Emma's favorite Jonas. I'm pretty excited too !!! I think it is going to be a blast !

Out Of My League

2009-08-11T14:44:00.001-05:00

James used to play this song for me and sing it to me. Even now when I hear it, I feel the same as I did the first time he ever played it for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWT1u8ez8KU

Ringo and Clyde

2009-08-10T09:43:00.003-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Who says cats hate water ??!! He looks to be enjoying it to me ! It was that time again. I've given Clyde and Ringo baths since they were kittens, but it's been a while. Ringo didn't mind the bath as much as Clyde did, but we got it done !!

And Clyde....he wasn't up for picture taking....

Punching bag

2009-08-10T09:23:00.003-05:00

One

Two

Three !!

This is what you get when you take a big kid, a little kid and an old thrown together Threadcakes contest entry. A cake as a punching bag, an encourager, and a willing participant ! Sorry Soul Sister.

Soul Sister

2009-08-04T08:41:00.003-05:00

I couldn't help myself. Since learning about cakes has become a small addiction, I really wanted to enter another cake in the Threadcakes competition. Do I think I have anything worthy of winning ? No. But it gives me an excuse to play. I've been wanting to learn to paint on fondant and when I came across one of their new designs, I fell in love with it and new it would be the perfect opportunity to try painting. I really ran out of time to make another cake, but last night I had some free time and I threw it together at the last minute. It could definitely be better, but I enjoyed painting. The lady is painted fondant and the circles are fondant cut outs. I hope you like it !

Here's the T-shirt design. I really must purchase this !

And here's my version of it. I got some cracks in my circles because I let them sit too long before bending them over the cake, but such is life !!!

Birthday Cake

2009-07-31T10:25:00.003-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

My sister in law asked me to make a cake for a co-worker for her birthday. Since I didn't know anything about the lady, I decided to do something pretty conservative. The cake didn't turn out exactly like I had hoped. I have to agree with James, the "tendrils" are too heavy. They should be a little thinner. I think it looks like an Octopus is laying under the flowers. This was my first attempt at a bow and I wasn't too pleased with it, but I went with it anyways. The ribbon should've also been a little thinner. Good practice I guess, but I can be a little anal about things. Hopefully it'll taste good ! Alternating layers of chocolate butter cake and golden butter cake with cookies and cream filling, covered in chocolate fondant. Thanks for looking !

On another note, only because it just crossed my mind, and I don't mean to make anyone puke this morning, but.......you know what I love ???

(cue the songbirds)

I love falling asleep holding James' hand. Sorry, I have issues......

Blossoms

2009-07-31T10:24:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

These are my first fondant blossoms.....I kinda like them...

Bad, bad, bad

2009-07-30T15:07:00.001-05:00

This is my confession, and I'm really embarrassed. I'm very sad to say that I'm addicted to watching "Toddlers & Tiaras" on TLC. At the risk of offending someone, I will refrain from saying what I think about the show, but I can't help but watch it !!! Forgive me.

Playing In The Sprinkler

2009-07-26T00:09:00.002-05:00

Playing In The Sprinkler
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

My Threadcakes contest entry ! I needed one more detail, but I'm not changing anything now. It's late and it's been submitted. This was loads of fun to make. It's an orange cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, covered in fondant. All the accents are fondant, including the characters. So, wish me luck !

A little crowded....

2009-07-25T09:14:00.005-05:00

I don't like it when James works nights for many reasons, so I try to make the best of it. One great thing is I get to lay right in the middle of the bed with the pillows stacked around me. It's Food Network all night long and it's pretty relaxing. WRONG !! Emma sleeps with me which I do love, but we watch the Disney channel, which at least puts me to sleep. Last night after VBS the animals were all feeling needy. So this is what my bed looked like. I had Emma to my left and Nalani, Clyde and Ringo to my right. Of course Nalani was almost sideways on the bed and she's not a tiny dog. She weighs about 110 pounds, maybe even a little more now. She sleeps like a rock too. I finally kicked them all out of the bed around 2 a.m., but all in all I got about 3 hours of sleep. I will more than likely be napping this afternoon !

BTW, I had to take this picture before I kicked them out.....

Silliness

2009-07-24T10:02:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Well, I've been working on something and I hope to reveal it by the end of the weekend. I made these guys last night and I think they turned out pretty cute. Since I'm not making these for someone else, I won't be too anal about the details. They are both made from fondant. I hpoe you like !

The smallest things...

2009-07-23T12:34:00.001-05:00

He knows that the smallest things make me smile and make my day. This was in my Inbox this morning when I got to work.

i sure love you. have a great day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghhivSh1hSc

So simple, but so big.

Silly Cake

2009-07-22T14:22:00.003-05:00

If you were a cake awaiting a silly design, which would you pick ?? Do tell....

Totally Akward(and true) Tuesday - Secret Pee

2009-07-21T09:15:00.002-05:00

While checking out my friends blogs this morning, I came across a story by Megan and had to participate.

As some of you know, I grew up doing musical theatre, and when I was in 8th grade, I auditioned for The Wizard of Oz and was cast. Well, being a kid, I was a munchkin of course and a couple of other things, but mainly a munchkin. The coroner to be exact. Since we were supposed to look kind of silly, our costumes were padded and some people had big bellies, most of us were girls playing boys, so we had wigs and moustaches. Well....opening night was a hoot. During the munchkin scene, when the witch shows up, all of us munchkins would go and hide. The mayor and I hid upstage in the center, facing each other. For whatever reason, Toto went ballistic and was barking uncontrollably at the witch. Toto had rehearsed just fine, but this particular night, he was not happy. The mayor and I got the giggles, but were trying NOT to laugh. I looked at the mayor, which happened to be a girl, and her moustache was falling off. I took her moustache and rolled it up in my scroll. So that made us laugh even harder. We were laughing and laughing and I couldn't take it anymore. I felt the panic come over me and I looked at her and said " I need to pee!". About 5 seconds later, I did, and once it started, the flood gates were open and there was nothing I could do about it. We were still laughing though. Once the scene was over and we got up to continue singing and dancing, I remember worrying that there would be a huge wet spot on the stage, but thank heavens for a big padded costume. The stage was dry. After that, I quietly went to the dressing room, and hung up my costume and didn't say a word.....Thankfully the wardrobe ladies washed our costumes every night. A few days later people started talking and laughing about it, and do you remember the song "One and one, we're having some fun, etc. etc." ? Number 3 ended up being "Three and three, we wonder who peed...." True story.

Do you have a funny story that you'd like to share ? Post it on your blog today and then head over to Tova Darling and you can provide a link back to it !

My crafty turn

2009-07-17T23:06:00.002-05:00

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Well, it seems like every time I turn around someone is crafting something ! Lately, I've had an obsession with pickle jars. I can't seem to throw them away. After reading other blogs and seeing all the projects that have been going on, I figured I better get after it. So, I decided to throw some ribbon on a few of my pickle jars. Emma usually has ponytail holders strewn every which way, but putting them in this jar helps keep them together, and the bright colors really add to her bathroom. I put ribbon and 3D butterflies on a larger jar for her scrunchies, bracelets, sunglasses, etc. If anything, it gets them off the floor !!! It is by no means perfect, but I think it turned out pretty alright.

San Antonio, TX

2009-07-17T10:25:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

As I said in my previous post, I have house work to do after being gone for several days, so I will do some small posts today. We spent several days in San Antonio this week and had a big time. We went to Natural Bridge Caverns and the drive through safari on the way. We had never been to the caverns. It was really neat, but I did feel a little panicked every now and then. I'm a claustrophobe. We spent two very hot days at Sea World. I'm always amazed at what animals can be trained to do. I didn't spend a lot of time editing pictures because there were so many, so what you see is what you get. You can check them out in my sets in my Flickr. Take a look !

Back in action....sort of...

2009-07-17T10:16:00.002-05:00

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Since we've been out of town since Sunday, and since the housework needs some tending to, I'm going to do some tiny posts today. Last Friday our church had a father daughter sock hop. It was a lot of fun for the kids and I was very pleased to see that most everyone dressed up. They had moon pies and root beer floats and Emma dominated the hula hoop contest. I think she went for 6 songs in a row before the judges were making the contestants do tricks while hula hooping. When she won, she was hopping on one leg. Impressive for a 6 year old. You can see the rest of the pictures in my sets in my Flickr. I didn't spend any time editing these, but I hope you enjoy them !

My new love

2009-07-11T09:06:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Call me weird, but I have been wanting an old chair for my bedroom for about a year. The kicker was, I wanted bright green. I've found several on Ebay for great prices, but the shipping was outrageous, so I had given up my search. The other day I went into a local shop and was asking about some other items, when I told her I'd given up my search for my chair. She told me that the lady 2 doors down had one for sale. Unfortunately, her shop was closed. The following day my mom went by and checked out the chair and said it was perfect. Since I will be off of work next week, my plan was to go in next week and buy it. When I got home yesterday James had already gone to the store and bought it for me ! It is probably the best surprise I've ever gotten and my favorite thing I've ever owned. I know, I'm a nerd. I'm so thankful he got the chair when he did. He said as he was carrying it out, a lady was walking in and said "he got my chair!". So....it would've been gone next week !

BlueQ

2009-07-10T11:20:00.006-05:00

Thank you Pioneer Woman, thanks for nothing !!!! BlueQ...I'm officially addicted. Not a good thing, but my my, what neat stuff ! They have the most awesome, and most unique stuff I've ever seen. I have a question, at what age do you officially qualify as a cougar ? Because I SO want this soap

I think I would drink more water if I had a cool water bottle like this one. Yeah, I'm sure of it.

My mom definitely needs this car freshener...she is the crazy cat lady you know....

And since tattoos, real and fake, are popular around our house, we need these. Maybe my sister will get some for the new baby. (hee hee).

The possibilities are endless. There are way too many products that I'd choose. Check it out and once again I say thanks for nothing to the dear Pioneer Woman herself.

Drowned rat

2009-07-07T14:26:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

The other night whilst preparing the dips for the reunion, I heard tons of laughter coming from the front yard. I finally had to go look, and this drowned rat was running through the sprinkler. The summer was so fun when we were kids. We grew up on a street that was filled with kids, and on super hot days, everyone would have their sprinklers going, and all the neighborhood kids would run from house to house just to cool off.

and this....

2009-07-07T14:25:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

"Take a picture of my boogers"

Maybe it's the rain.....

2009-07-07T10:11:00.003-05:00

The MUCH needed rain.....Today I'm feeling down though. Actually, I've been not feeling like myself since our IUI a week and a half ago. I'm not really sure why, but I've been out of sorts. Today I feel bad about myself, I feel sad that I'm not PG, and jealous of those that are, I'm annoyed by some things going on at work, and because I am not that confrontational, I just keep it in. I just feel blah. I know I shouldn't feel the way I do, and I know that the enemy is working harder on me right now since I'm falling victim to a lot of my thoughts......Maybe it's just the rain. It will pass.

I've been tagged !!!

2009-07-07T09:24:00.002-05:00

Megan from Infertile Myrtle has tagged me today ! So, here it goes.....

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:

1. Going to San Antonio
2. Father/daughter sock hop at church Friday (I'm cooking so I can be nosy)
3. 5 o'clock Friday
4. Getting pregnant
5. Bible study tonight
6. Singing with James Sunday morning
7. Playing golf again
8. Going school shopping for Emma

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Went to the store
2. Came to work
3. Watched a video tutorial on butter cream
4. Worried about things I probably shouldn't
5. Had lunch with James and Emma
6. Booked a hotel for San Antonio
7. Bought tickets to Sea World
8. Cried

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

1. Play golf well
2. Play any sports well(not very athletic but secretly wish I was)
3. Play the guitar like a pro
4. Figure skate
5. Have a baby
6. Have any job I wanted regardless of what it paid
7. Take some awesome cake decorating classes
8. Spend a day at the pool

8 Shows I enjoy:

1. CSI
2. Unwrapped
3. Food Network Challenge
4. River Monsters
5. Property Virgins
6. House Hunters
7. Food Detectives
8. Locked Up

8 Friends I'm Tagging:

1. Ellyphant
2. MAK-now
3. Love Leslee
4. Consistently Inconsistent
5. B.Jane Brewing
6. Obsessed With Cupcakes
7. Pretty Partridge
8. Crystal's Corner

I hope everyone has a good time doing this. It's just something fun to pass the time. Please leave me a comment and let me know if you did yours so I can come check it out !!!

Lonely sunflower

2009-07-06T16:20:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Well, it wasn't really THAT lonely...It was one of 3, but stood tall among the rest. I took this picture over the weekend at our family reunion in Hockley, TX. The sunflowers over looked my family's small garden. This is one of my favorite pictures I took all week. I'll post more later about our weekend....

Southwest Corn Spread

2009-07-03T13:01:00.004-05:00

In an earlier post, I was trying to decide what dips to take to the family reunion. Well, I went with a classic fave, Spinach Dip (easy way out too), and I made a Southwest Corn Spread that I found in the Taste of Home recipe book. It was pretty tasty last night, but I would be willing to bet that once the flavors marry, it will be great. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup lime juice
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
1 can (8-3/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Tortilla chips or crackers

Directions: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and lime juice until smooth. Add the chilies, onions, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt; beat until combined. Stir in corn and walnuts if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve with crackers or chips. Yield: about 3 cups.

It was very southwesterny, but I think it could have been a little saltier for my taste, so be sure and serve it up with some salty tortilla chips !!

I played a trick on Emma last night while I was making this recipe. I was mixing the cream cheese and lime juice with my hand mixer as she came into the kitchen. She said "ooooh can I lick the batter!!" I said "Sure......(hee hee hee)". She got a glob on her finger and as quick as it went in her mouth, it came back out. She thought it was funny and we all got a good laugh ! I love that kid.

Happy 4th everyone ! I wish you all safe travel and many blessings over this weekend !!

It's good to be a man

2009-07-01T10:25:00.003-05:00

It's good to be a woman too, but I think, generally speaking, men are allowed to get away with a lot more than women do. Typically, men can act as silly as they want and us gals look at each other in disbelief, shake our heads and say "boys will be boys". tsk tsk. Look at this fun ! A big guy slip and slide !!!

Now don't get me wrong, had I not nearly had my innards ripped out the day before at the doctors office, I too would've been slipping and sliding all over the place. I may have gotten some crazy looks from some of the other ladies, but who cares ! I only get to live this life once. So girls, get out there and don't be afraid to act like a goon !!! You'll love yourself for it, I promise :)

4th of July Reunion Time !

2009-06-30T14:07:00.006-05:00

With the 4th of July knocking at our door, it can only mean one thing....Family reunion time !!!

With that being said, I'm really conflicted as to what to take this year in the way of goodies. I won't have time to bake up a cake. I'm a little bummed because I had a super cute idea for a "family" cake. I've decided to skip any baking and look for any make-ahead dishes. I think I've settled on a few dips, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. Any awesome dip suggestions would be great !!!

Let's not forget about our homemade ice cream. We'll be headed to the reunion armed with our white Chocolate Matcha Ice Cream mixed up and ready to freeze ! I can't wait for that ! Or, maybe I can....it may taste terrible ! Who knows ! I do know one thing...we are going to have a blast at the reunion. I look forward to spending a weekend with distant family and catching up. It's always loads of fun. We will have a silent auction and for the 3rd year running, we are having a white elephant gift exchange. I picked up a few ultra cute items at the Dollar General, where everything is NOT a dollar, and I hope I can end up with them ! (sneaky, huh).

On another note. I'm loving the retro items found on http://www.unique-vintage.com/ I do not love the prices, but hello ! Love the stuff ! My birthday is right around the corner.....

None But Jesus

2009-06-23T09:13:00.001-05:00

With Hearts As One | None But Jesus from I Heart on Vimeo.

Ink 2

2009-06-20T08:12:00.001-05:00

Me getting my new tattoo
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

After several years of wanting another tattoo, I finally got one. It seemed only fitting since James recently got one too. Our friends, Vince and Amy, also went and each got one. I must admit, it hurt WAY less than I remembered. I guess I just had a better, more skilled artist this time. It was a fun experience. James and I kept thinking the entire time that we knew the tattoo guy from somewhere....it didn't hit me till we were leaving.....Duff ! From Ace of Cakes ! This guy looked a lot like him and even spoke like him. It was pretty funny. I'm very pleased with the end results !

Almost done....

2009-06-20T08:07:00.003-05:00

New tattoo
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

All finished

2009-06-20T08:07:00.001-05:00

New tattoo
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Love Notes

2009-06-17T09:01:00.001-05:00

lovenote
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

I LOVE love notes....this was waiting for me when I got up this morning. It made my day.

Inked

2009-06-10T12:40:00.002-05:00

James' new tattoo
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

You just never know what you could get if you come to my house. You could get a song, a cake, a Bible lesson, a tattoo.....ya just never know. James' good friend Rollo came by yesterday to give James a tattoo that he's been wanting for a while. I don't have a picture of it once it was complete, but i snapped a few shots during the fun. I had forgotten how loud a tattoo gun really is. It echoed through the house. It was quite entertaining and I like the way it turned out.

Grooms cake

2009-06-08T10:11:00.002-05:00

Grooms cake
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

This is my 3rd fondant cake, and my first tiered cake and it did not come without issues as well ! Heat is not a friend of fondant and we all know how steamy it was this weekend. Well, the plan was to drop the cake at the reception site before the wedding. I was assembling it on site. A few minutes before James and I were loading up, he got a call and a transformer had blown and the power was out at the KC hall. SO, we ended up taking it after the wedding. The power was back on, but hadn't been on long so it was still pretty warm and humid in the hall. I broke the heart before I put it on, the fondant had a tear in it...among other things that I see that I don't care for. All in all, it turned out ok, and I thought it tasted really good. The bride and groom loved it and that's what matters most. James was awesome. He helped me out a lot, but he was very encouraging and that helped the most !

Annie's princess cake

2009-06-08T10:07:00.002-05:00

Annie's princess cake
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Well, I survived the weekend ! This was Annie's princess cake and I was very pleased with the results despite the issues that I had with it. It was a lot of fun to make !

Falling Slowly

2009-06-03T09:20:00.003-05:00

So beautiful. Makes me feel lonely and loved all at the same time. Makes me miss James, but fall in love all over again. I want to sing this. From the movie ONCE.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoSL_qayMCc

Proud of my girl

2009-06-02T11:52:00.001-05:00

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Not for any one reason in particular. I'm just thankful for who she is.

2009-06-02T11:49:00.003-05:00

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2009-06-02T11:49:00.001-05:00

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2009-06-02T11:48:00.001-05:00

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Practice makes perfect (so I'm told)

2009-05-27T09:50:00.002-05:00

First pillow cake
Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

I realize that "practice" is called practice for a reason, but if I'm going to practice on something, in the future, I need to practice as if it's the real deal. This is my first pillow cake and it turned out alright, but I did NOT set myself up for the best results. First of all, I decided to just use what I had available to me. I wasn't about to whip up a batch of crusting buttercream, for a tiny 6 inch practice cake, so I used what I had. I happened to have a store bought can of cream cheese icing. Do you know what happens to fondant when you put it over cold cream cheese icing ? It's gets sweaty and sticky and the fondant seems to not want to cooperate very well. This was my problem, but live and learn. I also forgot to stamp the fondant with the diamond pattern before I put it on the cake. It would've been much easier to stamp first. Also, I was told to freeze the cake before carving it. I didn't care for this technique at all. Cakes thaw out really fast and it started getting too sticky. Next time I'll go a different route. All in all, I know what to do different next time, and yes, there will be a next time. I am pleased with my little buttons though :)

What kind of cupcake are you ?

2009-05-22T16:51:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't you know it...I don't even like carrot cake !!

You Are a Carrot Cake Cupcake

You are a complex person. You have many interesting layers to your personality, though others might not know it.

You are drawn to a cross section of people. You friends play different roles in your life.

You are like a cupcake because you are are deceptively simple. There's actually a lot to you!

There are many ingredients in your life, and you only want them in proper amounts. Being you is a delicate art.

What Flavor Cupcake Are You?

We can't help it.....

2009-05-20T10:42:00.002-05:00

It's true. Women are really just born this way. We can't stop talking....we don't know when to shut up....

P.S. Dad secretly wants to be a Wiggle

Avon Calling....

2009-05-20T10:29:00.002-05:00

You know what this reminds me of ? Do you remember the 80's Olgilvie commercial where the lady would spin her head around, her voluptuous....curls, would bounce and she'd say "Olgilvie home perm" ?? First of all, those were not permed curls, they were from hot rollers. Probably the kind that burned the identity off of your finger tips. Anyhow, when I think of Avon, I think of the 80s. However, Avon is still going strong and there's not a Cosmo or Glamour mag around with a top ten list that Avon hasn't made. From what I read, Avon still has one of the best skin care lines and anti-aging lines around, but it's much more affordable ! So, the reason for the babbling....I'm going to start selling Avon. I feel a little silly and who knows if I'll actually sell anything, but I figure anything to make some extra mula has to be worth the effort. I haven't received the first catalogs yet, so I'm not sure what campaign I'll be in, but if you are interested in Avon products let me know and I'll get you a book. You can also go to the Avon website and browse. Happy, cheap, shopping !

I'm a wiener !

2009-05-20T09:26:00.002-05:00

I couldn't believe it when I opened my email this morning. Bakerella had emailed me to let me know I had won a cupcake tower from her recent contest. I was SO excited ! If you have never looked at her website, please proceed to checking it out now. I can promise you that you will immediately want to go purchase some sprinkles and bake some cupcakes ! Now go forth and bake ! (and bring me some)

I scream, you scream...

2009-05-13T09:35:00.008-05:00

Is it supposed to be "I scream, you scream" or " Ice cream, you scream" ??

***Just a note about Tom's shoes......My mom ordered her a pair and she said they are the most comfortable shoes ever. I saw them yesterday and they are incredibly lightweight, but they have an arch support in them, which really surprised me. Check them out !

Back to ice cream. Ever since Viv did a post about her homemade ice cream adventure, I've been curious. Conveniently enough, we are having our family reunion on the 4th of July this summer and ice cream is a big deal. I was unable to go to the reunion last year, but I heard that the ice cream freezers were lined up and there were plenty flavors to try ! (Debate-I call them ice cream freezers, and other folks call them ice cream makers. Which is it ?) As soon as I found out about the reunion, I knew I wanted to look into getting me a freezer and I knew instantly that I wanted to make something weird. In fact, when I told James about it, he said "Oooooh, we need to make something off the wall !" So, yes, we are both weird. I knew right away what kind of recipe I wanted to find and, guess what, I did ! I wanted to make some chocolate matcha ice cream. I've been very intrigued by "matcha" lately anyway. It's becoming very popular in the baking world. Matcha is just green tea powder, and I hope it tastes great, because the color is wonderful !

See ! Isn't this beautiful !!!
We have yet to try out the ice cream recipe, before we feed it to others, but we haven't bought a freezer. As much as I'd love this awesome one made by Cuisinart, I'm sure we'll be Wal-marting soon for a more affordable one.

It's pink ! It's awesome !

Next on the "to get" list is the matcha powder. I've seen it online, but haven't looked in stores for it. I'm hoping the super HEB will have it. Here's the recipe:

Matcha White Chocolate Ice Cream
Adapted from Kuidaore
Makes about 1 litre

1 ½ cups heavy cream1 ½ cups milk1/2 cup granulated sugar1/8 teaspoon fine salt4 large egg yolks8 oz white chocolate, finely chopped2 tablespoons matcha powder, sifted
Equipment: Ice cream maker + frozen insert, fine meshed strainer (chinoise), cheesecloth
1. In a medium heavy saucepan, bring the cream, milk, sugar and salt to a simmer over low heat, stirring constantly.
2. While whisking eggs, pour about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture in a thin, steady stream in the bowl of eggs. This should temper the eggs. Now pour the tempered eggs in the rest of the saucepan with the hot cream mixture, in a thin, steady stream while whisking the hot cream.
3. Cook over low heat, constantly stirring, just until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Do not let this mixture boil. Pour this mixture through a strainer lined with cheesecloth.
4. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30 second intervals until chocolate is melted. Add the matcha powder to the chocolate and stir vigorously with whisk to mix well. Add this to the strained hot cream and stir to blend. Cool this mixture and refrigerate until chilled.
5. Freeze according to the instructions for your ice cream machine.

Sounds pretty awesome, doesn't it !!??

Circus Party !

2009-04-30T10:33:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

Pics are up !

2009-04-29T09:02:00.005-05:00

Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

2009-04-29T09:02:00.003-05:00

Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

2009-04-29T09:02:00.001-05:00

Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777

2009-04-29T09:01:00.001-05:00

Originally uploaded by amberdawn82777