It's time for another catch up!

I am slowly dribbling, haha, back in to the blogging world again. I know it is already 2011, but how was everyones Christmas holiday? Let me recap mine for you. It was entirely too short. But, the one thing that sticks out in my memory, my son giving me a necklace he bought at his schools "Santa Shop". He bought him by himself, no daddy there trying to persuae him into something, and he was so excited to give it to me. I opene dit up, and it was a silver necklace with a charm on it that said: #1 Mom, with a heart. I literally started to cry! My sweet little 5 year old boy! Ahh, I just wanted to squeeze him! So, I do have some wonderful pictures though from my holiday, would you like to see? Good if you do, too bad if you don't. ;) However, I would like to note that at my grandmother's house we always have a staple dish for the holidays we like to call, Spaghetti & Cheese, and this year it was replaced! gasp! Who are you Hashbrown Casserole?! What did you do with my dear Spaghetti & Cheese?! I will post the recipe and a picture (by picture I mean a picture of my husband standing in the kitchen from 3 turkey days ago, with it just sitting in the background) below if your interested. :)

Spaghetti & Cheese (Parker Family Holiday Tradition)
*this is a go by look recipe, so I will try to be specific.
1 lb. Angel Hair Pasta; cooked and drained
Block cheese; I use extra sharp cheddar, and mild
6-8 eggs; beaten
1-2 cups of whole milk

Add pasta to a greased glass 13x9 baking dish, top with sliced cheese, tuck some into the pasta as well. Mix eggs adn milk together and pour over pasta mixture, salt and pepper to taste, and bake @ 350 for 45 min. YUM.

I GOT A NEW JOB

So, I just finished my interview for a customer service job, working from home. And, I got it!!! I am so excited! I am not super excited about the last minute schedule change, but, hey its a job. I thought I would have Fri. and Sat. off, so I could spend time with my kids and all, but now it is Sun. and MOn. off. Oh well. Its money. I am excited to start training in a couple weeks! I hope I rock, so can get my performance bonus every month! Wish me luck. And, If I do fall on my face, let's hope it doesn't hurt too bad. :)

Stylish Blogger Award!! That's for me YO!

First I would like to thank my girl Kristin, not me, over at Keenly Kristin... YOU ROCK MY FACE OFF! Go check out her blog, like now, are you still here?! ;)Anywhoodles, here goes the rules:
1.Thank and link back to the person who awarded you the award (Done!)
2.Share 7 things about yourself.(ahhh great, im going to lose followers)
3.Award 15 other bloggers. (Easy-peasey)
4.Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award. (No prob bob)

Seven things about myself:

1.) I am a desperate romantic, and by this, I mean.... I love when romantic things happen that involve me, but I am too lazy to do them for my hubby. As long as he does them for me, im good. :)

2.) I recently cut out a family out of my tree.

3.) Saffron is amazing, if you haven't cooked with it, I suggest doing so.

4.) My across the street neighbors (The Hurtubise's) rock my face off and I adore them boatloads. Not really about me, but I love them.

5.) Hair lazy. I love pretty hair. I do not have any talent in doing this though. I am jealous of those who do.

6.) I secretly despise my husband for getting rid of our dog. I am very put off by it adn upset. Grant it, the dog is still here in the house with us, but this is his 2nd time coming back. You would think that my hubby would get that he is supposed to be here. Yet, there is an add up for him again.

7.) I do not like cupcakes very much. GASP!!!

Now for the lucky stylish bloggers whom I choose!

Raising Future Leaders
Food Floozie
His Little Mrs.
Julie, Being Julie
Midwest Habitat
Mom-A-Logues
Boobies, Babies, & a Blog
Moogie & Pap
Names will not be changed to protect the innocent
Sally Lee by the Sea
Southern Cinderella
Sucre Lulu
Tall Tales from a Small Town
Unofficial Mom
Mika's Pantry

Wordless Wednesday- x3

Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge 7--- THIS ROCKS!

Hey guys,

 Long time no read from me.... I have been uber-busy, did I mention UBER?! But I was looking at a blog that I adore and look at daily to keep up, and she (Jamieanne at The Sweetest Kitchen) has a new Mystery Box Cupake Challenge every month. For the new year, I couldn't resist, the ingredient is POPCORN!!! Now, if you have been following my blog, you know one of the first cupcake creations I made was  popcorn looking cupcake! And the funny thing is, her picture was of popcorn in a red and white striped bag!!! EEEEEK!! Mine have handmade cupcake wrappers that I made out of red and white striped paper!!!! Ok. Enough is enough, on to the knitty gritty. Please see more below, along with prizes you could win!

The official rules can be found in the "Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge" link above.
Prizes you could win and be awesome for!
The winner of January’s Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge will receive prizes from:


Bake It Pretty; a $5 electronic gift card

Beanilla; 3 Madagascar, 3 Mexican & 3 Indian vanilla beans

ExoDesign; a wire whisk charm necklace

Hello Hanna; a pack of Sweet Stands cupcake stands

Miss Kitty Creations; a handmade cupcake charm of your choice

Simply Caked; 600 brown greaseproof cupcake liners

Sweet Cuppin Cakes; a prize pack worth $25

Tundra Books; a selection 3 very sweet children's books

Thank you to all our prize sponsors!
 
NOW HERE IS MY CUPCAKE!!!
 
It is a double chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream, topped with marshmallows, cut to look like popcorn pieces. Then the "popcorn" is spritzed with yellow food coloring to look like butter.I decided to try something different for my children. They adore popcorn AND cupcakes, and quite frankly, I was tired of popcorn. :) In my son's Sunday School class, they have big styrofoam pictures of popcorn bags, and movie reels and all. So when I saw these, I figured I could make a cute popcorn wrapper for my cupcakes, and go from there! But of course, I went to the Lobby, LOVE THIS PLACE, and they only had the "old world" style popcorn bag type print. Eh, I ran with it, I think still cute!When it came time for our Friday Family Movie Night, I was pumped and ready to go with these babies! And they were delicious and quite cute! So, here are the cupcakes I made. Please excuse the pictures, I wasn't going for "magazine" hahaha, just memories to have! :)
 

Please vote for my cuties!!!

Are you kidding me!?!?!?

Almost a whole entire month (eek!) has passed since my last post. It has been so crazy! New car, new cat, new rescues, new projects, new ideas, new kid drama, and new family drama, and a mini vacation. UGH. Any who. Who is ready for the holidays? ME!!!! We usually do not start to decorate our house or get a tree until 'Black Friday'. But for some reason, we have been feeling the spirit, and decided to buy an artificial tree today and some decorations. Early?! Just a smidge, but, 'tis the season! :)

 OK. I would like a little feedback. I am thinking about branching out to Internet cookie sales..... I still have yet to figure out how to ship cupcakes, or I would be all over that. Any ideas on that too, would be GREAT!

I made some pumpkin cookies for my son's 'Harvest Party' at school and received SO many compliments and all, that I am thinking about selling them and shipping. I am thinking I am going to have to get someone to do a review for me, someone who would tell me the 100% honest truth. And I know who you are! Jana! :)

Finished product.

Scattered Mess.

Touch-ups here.

  On another note, tonight for dinner, I made Taco Soup. Have you ever had this?! It was delicious! It was like chili, but taco-ish, but chili-ish. Fantastic. I couldn't get enough. Top with cheese and tortilla chips, next time I will use Frito's, yum. The tortilla chips were good, but I am such a salty person, so Frito's rock... Naturally. :) I am going to be back on here soon with a bunch of catch-ups and photos.

  I have some great pictures of our mini vacation, Halloween, and our trip to the Pumpkin Patch.... Which by the way, we left with NO pumpkins and $60.00 in candy! Gotta love kids, oh and parents who are complete suckers! No pun intended. :) 

Tag! I'm it!

$ GASP! I have been tagged by that most adorable Kristin, from Keenly Kristin!

Here's the drill, when you are tagged, one of you will be! You answer the 8 questions that the tagger has come up with. Then you get to create 8 questions of your own, tag 8 people, and continue the torture! ;)
So here goes.... P.S. If you were not tagged (b/c it is SO HARD to choose just 8 from all of you lovelies), then feel free to chime in as you wish!

Her 8 questions for me:

1. What is your favorite dessert?

Surprisingly enough, it is NOT cupcakes! :) I adore adore peach cobbler, pumpkin gooey bars, and brownies! Oh yes, and Buckeyes!
2. What do you "collect"? (bags, sunglasses, shoes, figurines, etc.)
I used to collect those glass paper weights with glass designs inside, not so much anymore.... Although I was just at an antique store and found some that were nice. Hmm...3. Who was your biggest celebrity crush as a teenager?
"Like, Oh my gawd".... It had to have been.... Justin Timberlake. He is still gorgeous. Now it is more like Kristen Stewart and Oh there are sooo many.
 4. What is your "signature dish"? (what recipe are you known for making, that you take to most functions, etc.)

Spaghetti & Cheese-- like macaroni and cheese- but with angel hair pasta (this is a family holiday staple, if it is not in the house on a holiday gathering, people will FLIP)- and pumpkin gooey bars!
 5. What was the last movie you saw in the theater?

Me and my darling children went to see Toy Story 3! Too cute, can't wait to get it when it comes out tomorrow.
 6. What is your favorite scent for a candle?

Without a doubt "Home Sweet Home" by Yankee Candle
 7. What is your favorite pair of shoes?

Are these shoes that I own? Or wish to call favorite? If its a pair I own: my Sperry's. If it is a pair I wish to own: Christian Louboutin "Miss Fast Plato" heels I adore! (see pic to left; aren't they sexy!?)

 

 

 

8. Do you sing along with the car radio?

 

My kids will scream... YES!

In our house, music is key.... all kinds! Especially jazz, classical, swing, big band, and anything from the 30's-60's!

 

Now on to my 8 victims!

 

Duane @ Duane Scott

 

Lucky Jones @ Happy High Heels

 

JMarie @ bichonpawz

 

Mary @ Food Floozie

 

Jana @ Boobies, Babies, & a Blog

 

Stephani @ Home Sweet Farm

 

Tanya @ Miller Family Racing

 

Lauren @ That 22 year old Housewife

 

NOW on to my 8 questions for the tagged above!

 

1.) If you could choose to be any kind of food, which would it be, and why?

2.) What is the best memory you have from elementary school?

3.) What is your most favorite holiday tradition?

4.) What would be your dream location to live (money not a problem)?

5.) Have you ever been stung by a jellyfish? If so, where were you?

6.) What is your favorite color?

7.) If you could choose to marry any celebrity, who would it be?

8.) What is your absolute favorite song? EVER.

 

Thanks guys! Can't wait to see your answers!

$ Ady's big 1st birthday!

Hey guys!
This past weekend I did my best friends, little girls, first birthday cupcakes! It was a blast, I forget how much I miss all of my friends! We moved an hour and a half west of them, and I just forget how fun they are. Anyways. I did her cupcakes, the theme was polka dots, the #1, and cupcakes. So I grabbed a picture of the plates and used the color scheme from there. I completely forgot that my camera was in my purse, and DID NOT take one picture of the party! Very sad. But I did manage to save a couple from her page to use.
Adylen was turning one, and buddy, she loved it. All of the attention, the cake, the food.... Who wouldn't?!
It was at this gorgeous new park (again, wish I had pics), and they had 4 different playgrounds, a huge interactive game that made sooo many sounds and lit up, it was beyond cool. My kids had a blast, and it was fun, the weather was perfect.... OK time for some pictures....