Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Oh, I finally made them!

So I finally made these cupcakes yesterday that I have been trying to make for 2 weeks. First I thought I had all the ingredients, but it turned out that I didn't. Then everyone around me got sick so that was a no no.But finally it happened and they were YUMMY! So yummy in fact that my daughter tried to eat the wrapper. Silly bebe! So here they are, vanilla cupcakes with pumpkin butter cream frosting. Just in time for Halloween!

 Recipe- makes 6
Cupcake:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup & 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 milk

I mixed the butter (softened), sugar and egg together first. In another bowl I mixed the flour and powder. I combined both and then  added the milk and vanilla.

Frosting
1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
1/4 stick of butter
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. milk

Cream butter, pumpkin, cinnamon and vanilla. Add powdered sugar a little at a time. Blend. Add milk to blend well.Cook for 12 minutes at 375

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Oh, the war on food!

Her spitting food out face. Cute isn't it.
Sooo, my daughter has an enemy. That enemies name is food. There is a battle every day in our house and she wins 2 out of 3 of them. Why is there a battle you ask? Because our little princess has decided to only eat a handful of things, and I mean a handful. Fruit, mac and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, waffles and eggs. That is it. Fish? Spits it out. Meat? Spits it out. Veggies? Forget it, that is the ultimate offender. I have no idea how she will be healthy eating only those things. I am stumped. I have tried many things but she just looks at me, opens her mouth and lets the food slip off her tongue. I am not going to lie, I feel a little like a failure whenever she does it. When oh when will food win this war?

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Oh, walking through Fall. For pizza?

So I am in a big trying to get healthy kick. This is very hard as I am a cravings sort of gall. I have been eating a lot of grapefruit, tuna without a lot of mayo and trying not to snack so much. When my husband and I decided to go too our new favorite pizza place (Brooklyn Pizza!) I decided that I needed to do a bit of exercise before I consumed all that greasy deliciousness. So, off Mila and I went for a walk around our hood. We had a lovely time looking at what is probably the last of fall and I enjoyed a guilt free dinner followed by ice cream from Jenni's. (If you have not heard of this place you have seriously missed out. I will talk about them later in blog land.) 

Have a blessed weekend!





Oh, the stories we'll read!

My daughter is at an age where she loves to be read too, and I mean LOVES it. I have to read Dr. Seuss's ABC and Spot's Halloween repeatedly or she will get upset. I have read these books ten times in a row so as you can imagine, I'm getting tired of them. This got me thinking about other books that she would like. Here are some that have struck my fancy.



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Oh, more Stuff!

As I was feeding my STILL sick child her waffles this morning.(Yes, she is still sick BUT we managed to all sleep through the night. Hooray!) I was feeling a little down. So what did I do? I blasted Christmas music. Yes, I am that woman who does Christmas before its time and I am PROUD OF IT! That got me thinking of other stuff that my family would like for the holidays.Here is what I came up with.(Sorry about the use of the all caps. They seemed right for some reason.)


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Oh what a day!

Highlights from yesterday are as follows......

* Waking up and realizing my daughter has a cold.
* Making juice to fight off cold.
* Realizing we have run out of wipes as I am changing a poopy diaper.
* Running to the store to buy baby vicks , wipes, and vapor rubs.
* Baby cannot sleep due to the runny nose and drool coming out of her mouth.
* Falling down the stairs and scraping my arm.
* Husband coming home with a fever.
* Trying to take care of husband and baby simultaneously.
* Having a breakdown where I cry that I am not a good mom and wife because I cannot take the pressure.
*A screaming baby that was only able to be soothed by Doc Mcstuffins and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
*Baby falling asleep around 4am which meant I fell asleep around 4am.

Hoping for a better day.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Oh, the Bug!

Along with the beautiful scenery that happens when the leaves change, a funny little thing starts blowing in the wind. The Bug. The bug starts spreading around from one person to the next until your whole family gets it. Unfortunately, I think the bug is in our house. As soon as I noticed my husband sneezing and sniffling, I immediately realized that the bug had gotten him. I was determined to have Mila and I escape the bug so I started thinking of weapons. The best defense I feel is juicing. I made this yummy recipe for a juice that mixes fruit with veggies that I can not seem to stomach down on a normal basis. Only time will tell if it works, but I have faith that the juice will win the battle.
 
B's Yummy Juice

*A juicer- this one is rather obvious
* 2 apples
* 4 Carrots
* 4 pieces of Kale
* A handful of grapes
* 3 pieces of pineapple
* half of a pomegranate
* 2 cloves of garlic
* ginger as big as your thumb (I am horrible at measurements)

*The ginger and the garlic are a must as they fight off illnesses. I tend to use a lot of garlic and ginger because I like it with a kick.


Friday, October 19, 2012

Oh October gems!

This month has so far been very fun and eventful. Having my daughter be at an age where she can really start to enjoy the events really gives this season so far an A+. Last year she was this cute bundle that just blinked at us and occasionally made a sound.( You can imagine how excited we are for Christmas.)So far we have done a very cold trip to the pumpkin patch, fall family photos and some good leaf jumping.Yesterday was by far the best day yet. Mila used the potty for the first time! WOHOO! Of course this is still a work in progress but a step is a step. Have a great weekend!






Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Oh leggings, why can't I have you?


So I am in a mood. A mood to shop! Lately, when I walk in to stores, I want to buy everything. This is saying a lot as I am a notoriously bad shopper. I have zero patience, so when I do not find what I want immediately, I just give up and leave. I also cannot stand dressing rooms. They have the worst lighting and always manage to smell like feet. Imagine my surprise when I walk into H&M and happen to find exactly what I have been looking for. Glorious black and white striped leggings! "How lucky am," I think too myself. Well, I should have known better. My heart was dashed as I realized that the only size left was an extra large. My desperation was so deep that I drove to the other H&M store, hoping for the best. Dashed again.Those blasted hipsters got there before me. "But wait! I can order it online," I think again too myself. I find them online, click on them, and then go to click on the word cart. What do I realize? THERE IS NO CART BUTTON. Someone please tell me why a store would have a website and not offer online shopping. Needless to say, I am still legging -less.

Here is a link to the elusive leggings.
 
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Oh, Avocado? For dessert??

 For the Olympics last July, my family got together with the Chamberlains and did our own Olympics. I was in charge of creating the events and my friend Hannah was in charge of the food. We competed in events such as disc throwing, pillow racing, living room volleyball and of course the pie eating contest. We had a fabulous time! (I even made our own version of the Olympic torch and gold medals.) We then sat and watched the Opening Ceremony while eating Shepherd's Pie (which was a nod to the host city, London.) After dinner, Hannah brought us our dessert, Avocado Lime cupcakes. Now I will admit that I was not very excited with this flavor combo. I was all like, "Avocado and lime make guacamole not cupcakes!" Needless to say, Hannah made me eat my words because what she created was the most delicious cupcake I had ever had. So of course when my cupcake loving mama came into town I immediately set out to introduce her to the wonders of avocado and lime as dessert. She too was also skeptical (mostly because I am a disaster in the kitchen) but alas, I showed her that even I can wow her with awesomeness in the mouth. I found this recipe online which had almost the same ingredients except they added cream cheese filling. I am not a fan of cream cheese so I omitted that part. I knew I had succeeded when I caught my mom sneaking bites throughout her stay. So here it is, my gift to you. Enjoy!


 The Avocado Lime Cupcake Recipe
makes 16 cupcakes




Cream:

  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1 C + 2 T sugar
  • 2 C Flour
  • 4 Eggs
Mash Up in Food Processor (you could probably easily do this by hand if you were able to use 2 hands):

  • 2 avocados
  • 1 t of strong lime juice
Stir avocado mash and zest of 2 limes into the creamed mixture.
Fill cupcake wrappers. Bake at 350 for 30 min.


Avocado Frosting Recipe
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 cup of powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup of butter
Mash the avocado and mix with the butter and powdered sugar.

Here is the link to the original recipe:

Oh, the Gifts!

I am absolutely obsessed with this season. Why? Because these next couple of months are filled with such joy and happiness that it cannot help but put a smile on everyone's face. October is all about candy and dressing up. November is birthday extravaganza for our family and then ends with a holiday all about food (how can you not love that.) Then Christmas comes, bringing the magic with it as we celebrate Jesus birth with presents, food and lights. Thinking about this has me wondering about our birthday/Christmas gift list. So I have decided to list some of them so we do not forget.
Not pictured: Me writing this post while listening to the Home Alone theme. It puts me in the Holiday spirit!

Disney Monopoly
Monopoly-Disney park edition


Writing Desk

Toddler Kitchen


Boutique 9 peep toe pump.  All leather / genuine suede upper, 5 1/4" heel, 1 1/4" platform.
Nine West-Caden


Monday, October 15, 2012

Oh, the Pretty Things! part 2

Diamonds are a girls best friend right? Well, for me, I think it should be ALL jewelry are a girls best friend. I am lucky enough to best best buds with Viviana Langhoff, owner of One Origin Jewelry. Viviana has an unbelievable way of creating one of a kind pieces. As a client myself (she did my engagement ring, wedding bands, and wedding earrings) I am in awe of her collections and custom pieces. They truly are a work of art and she deserves nothing more then universal praise for her work. She has such a passion for her business that when you speak to her about a piece you want to purchase or ideas about a piece you want to create, she will help guide you to something that will exceed your expectations. As soon as my daughter stops trying to eat bracelets, I am going to have Viviana create something really special for her. Below are some of my favorite One Origin pieces. Have a happy Monday!

Ocean Jasper Pearl Post Earrings       Twig ThreadersCrystalized Coral Necklacei (thou) Valentine Ring

Ocean Jasper Pearl Post Earrings / Twig ThreadersCrystallized Coral Necklace / I (thou) Ring

Friday, October 12, 2012

Oh, The Fall Pics!

So with all the beautiful colors that happen when fall season approaches, you know that the cameras must come out. This past weekend, my family and I did a little family photo shoot with our friends, the Chamberlains.They are a fabulous family and great friends. Anyways, their kids are wonderful and we had such a good time that I have decided to share some behind the scenes pics with you all. Enjoy and have a wonderFALL (haha) weekend.








Thursday, October 11, 2012

Oh, There Was Just Something About Him!

I am totally in a romantic, reflective mood right now. You ever get those? You know when you start remembering things that make you smile and giggle to yourself and then you realize that you are by yourself and you look odd. Well yes, I am having one of those moments. So I have decided to write down how my husband and I met. Another reason I am doing this is because as the years have passed the memories are getting foggy and I must not forget them, so here we go.

In my first semester of college, I went to visit my best friend Viv who was attending college in Chicago. When I got to the airport, I went to the train to wait for Viv to pick me up. When she arrived , she was walking with two guys. One to her right and the other to her left. Who would have thought that years later she would marry the guy to her left and I would marry the guy to her right. So yes, that was the first time I layed eyes on my future husband. The first thing I noticed about him was how quiet he was. He had a backpack on and had his earphones on (yes very artsy.) As I hung out with Viv and all her new buds I found myself drawn to him. Needless to say my husband now has no memory of our first meeting (which you better believe I give him crap for.) Anyways, what followed after that was about two years of me visiting and us getting to know each other. But right around year three is when the real flirting began. Our conversations were awkward in a cute, I think your cool kind of way. We talked about music and then there would be silence and then chocolate malts and then there would be silence. You know, cute.

The next step in our path to love was very mature and thought out. We started talking through our friends, haha. Eventually, through Viv we discovered our mutual feelings for one another, but alas, it could not be for I still lived in Florida. This all changed when after graduating college, I moved to Chicago to be able to live in a big city and yes, perhaps find love with the quiet boy with the earphones in his ears. After months of ignoring our feeling for one another (why we did this, I do not know, nerves maybe), we eventually decided that this was meant to be. Four months after we became official, we got engaged. Six months after that we were married (we did not waste any time, hehe). Three months after our wedding I became pregnant. And then nine months later we were joined by our baby girl. Looking back, I must say that I would not change anything. Tony is truly the man that God made especially for me and I am honored that God would bless me with such a gift. Here is too God and His awesome planning skills!!





Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Oh the Pretty Things!

                 

Alright guys, we all know that we have at least one thing in common, a love of pretty things. In this case, I am talking about home decor.I do not have a house yet, but that does not mean that I am not preparing for the day when I will get to decorate the crap out of it. I like to spend some of my spare time checking out the latest designs and ideas that people have out there. Some of my favorite places to look at are Elle Decor and House & Beautiful magazine. They have FAB ideas that meet many different design styles. Here are some of my favorites!


 
                                     House Beautiful Beach                                    
House Beautiful BeachKitchen

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Why the Lobster!

Oh, what is in a name! In this case it is lobster as you can clearly see. Why did I use this as the name of my blog you ask? Well because it is one of my many passions. I LOVE IT! A piece of lobster next to anything will brighten up my day in a minute. Just writing about it right now is making my mouth water. Because I love it so much, you will probably see me write and post pictures about it frequently. So here we go. The first lobster picture...
boozinfoodie.com          
Now that I got that out of my system, the best lobster I have ever had was at Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse for our wedding anniversary. I loved it so much that we went the next year too and so it will continue. It is pricey but WORTH IT! Man, my mouth is still watering!



It's a beautiful morning!


So the most important things in my life are my family and my faith, so this morning I am letting you take a peak into what it is like around here. First of all, the day starts out with me trying ( and I mean TRYING) to get Mila out of bed. You see, even though she will scream like there is no tomorrow when we put her down for the night, the morning is a whole other story. When I enter her bedroom I am treated with a toddler who is PRETENDING to be asleep. How do I know this, well, the giggles kind of tip me off. Then she proceeds to sit up in a dramatic fashion and show me her teeth in a huge grin. This of course melts me immediately. Then as if I am not already wondering how I could have given birth to anything more cute then her, she starts to jump on the bed. This I laugh at, which I know I will regret when I will eventually have to explain to her why we do not jump on the bed, but whatever. Then comes a game of running to the opposite side of the crib when I try to grab her. Eventually I am able to grab her, change her, and move upstairs where yum yums and fun begin. These pics are a little visual into the yum yums and fun.

                                          
                       A lovely meal of scrambled eggs on Ariel's face.         
 
   
                                         We then have reading time. This weeks selection:
                                                         Princess Bible by Andy Holmes
                                


                                         The teacher then comes out of me and we say our alphabets...
                                     


                                         and color them.

Not pictured: * Dance party where I proceed to make Camila spit up to the music of ..
                        -Mumford & Sons
                        -Owl City
                        -Chris Tomlin
                     * A walk outside where Camila soon began to try and eat rocks.
                     * Our German Shepherd almost running us over out of pure excitement.
                     * Me trying to throw a stick for puppy to catch in which I threw my cell instead. oops!!!
                     *Camila running away from me as I try to change her diaper.
                                                        So far a successful day!