Good-Bye 27!

Well, here we are, Ms. Twenty-Seven at our last few hours together. I hate to sound cliche (actually, I don't really hate it) but we had some amazing times together. You treated me real nice....real nice.

I'm getting a little misty-eyed thinking back at my year. I think this year has been fabulous and will really go down in the books for me...or in this case...the blogs. Being 27 is an odd thing. I'm not quite an adult yet, I have bills that say otherwise, but I have yet to let go of my young, naive self. It's like, I love to go out and party, but not too late, I have my bedtime, you know. It's like, I am independent, but Mom and Dad, I miss being under your watchful eye. It's like I'm stuck...in limbo. This year has tested every part of my being and truly helped me grow inside and out. God, can I be anymore cliche in this post?

Let's walk down my memory lane....

7 Great moments of 27

1. My year started off with preparations for our wedding. Right away, my amazing family and friends threw Hubby and I a surprise wedding shower at the park. We were so happy to see our loved ones gathered around to support our love, showered by an insane amount of lovely gifts, and elated by all the fun activities that were planned. And...ummm... Mexican and Filipino Buffet of Food that put everyone in an euphoric coma.

This is the face of Surprise!



                             



Surrounded by Love and Food

 2. Shortly after, I was whisked away by my wonderful Bridesmaids and we headed off to Vegas for my Bachelorette Party. I couldn't have asked for a better time. We partied, we danced, we took lessons of some sort, and watched some nice....shows.

3. Then, it came. My DREAM wedding to my DREAM guy. It wasn't how I imagined...it was BETTER. I love being married and this was the best thing that happened to me this year. It was and is magical.

4. A challenging thing that happened to me this year was in my career. I was shifted from teaching first grade to High School. I was so draining and extremely hard fo me, but I'm stronger because of it.

**I'm posting this again because it truly inspires me and reminds me that I am making a difference**

5. Running has been a true test of my mind and my body. I never thought I'd be a runner and I can't quite accept the fact that I might very well be one....almost. I went from being a Baby Runner to a Toddler Runner to whatever you want to call me now. But I ran my first two 5Ks and feel like a strong person for doing so.

Race #1

Race #2

6. Blogging has been a great blessing to me. It's a place where I can be creative and test out my sad attempts to be funny. I've met some amazing blogger friends and continue to be blown away by this great community of people. I'm in love with it.

My first post...EVER.

7. Lastly, my dream to one day be a chef became a reality for a bit when I got accepted to Le Cordon Bleu. Although I wont be able to go, just knowing that it'll always be there for the taking is good enough for now.

Here's to a fantabulous 28! Or better yet...here's to ME making it a wonderful year. It's going to be GRAAAND, DAH-LING.

"This life is what you make it."- Marilyn Monroe

Can't wait to share with you what my birthday week has in store!!

Thursday Favorites: Answered Prayers

A month ago (almost to the exact date), I wrote a post about becoming a chef. I came to this fork in the road and I pretty much camped out there for the summer, not knowing what to do. Pacing back and forth, I couldn't choose between following a new dream or keep trying at an old one. Being the emotional eater that I am, I used that fork and ate my sorrows away, never wanting to really tackle the pickle at hand.
I hate pickles.

After much and much and much and much thought, I made a decision.

"I'm sorry Le Cordon Bleu, you are CHOPPED. Please pack up your utensils and go home."

You don't know how hard it was to make that decision. My heart (and my tummy, and my hubby's tummy) was saying, "Cook your heart out, Sunshine!" but My brain was saying different. I wanted to follow my dreams (SO BAD) but it's not in the cards right now... the debit cards more specifically.

So, I chose my first love, Teaching. It truly is my first passion and truth be told, I lost some of that last year. 

But this is a new year, and I want to reignite my passion again. I'm going to set this place on FI-YA! (not literally... I would never do that) I want to be a revolutionary... a force to be reckoned with....in the classroom and in the kitchen! WATCH OUT NOW!

I met my principal today and I could NOT have asked for a more supportive guy. Through and Through. And he gave me an iPad to boot! (It's for a reading program)

To make this situation that much better, he told me that if an opportunity arises where I can move back to Elementary mid-year, he would give me his blessing. My heart was about to jump out of my chest and hug him. I think if I cried like I wanted to, he would've thought I was a weirdo. I went home from our meeting feeling like I made the right decision.

I am now a Middle School English Language Development Teacher (Math, Study Skills, and Reading)

Now I can take out my teacher tools and magic dust....and clean out our guest room.

Cooking School will always be there for me.... I will put my Chef dream aside (not away).

Until then...when I'm not in my classroom, you can find me here....

Happy. Cooking in my Kitchen.

**Thank you to all my family and  friends (blog ones included) for all of your support through it all. Listening to me bitch and moan? Why are you still loving me?

 And to my patient and supportive Husband, where ever this road will take me... I want nothing more than you by my side...oh and can you drive? I hate driving. ***

How to Make a Hello Kitty Cake

I make cakes sometimes. Remember.

Every now and then, family and friends will ask me to make them a cake. I gladly say yes, because I really enjoy making them something that will make them smile. Buuut, then I start panicking a little bit...ok ok... A LOT a bit! I want it to be great so I start to plan, prep, and freak the heck out! Anxiety starts to creep onto my back and rides me like a sorority girl on a mechanical bull. It'll whisper all kinds of things that make me worry.

Your cake will stick to the pan. Nobody is going to eat it. Someone will find Sonic's hair in the fondant. You'll run out of time and everyone will throw tomatoes in your face. You're weird.

When I actually get to making the cake... I commit full force and ignore everything in life including hunger pangs and bladder alarms. I'm  in the ZONE and I LOVE IT!

This week's challenge was to make a Hello Kitty Cake for my friend Linette's graduation party. My creative juices activated! (That sounds gross, Joanna)

Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients:
16 oz. bag of mini marshmallows (get the good stuff!)
2 lbs bag of powdered sugar

1 cup crisco

3 Tbs of water
extra powdered sugar for dusting
extra crisco for hands

If you have a mixer with a dough hook, it is best to use it. Not only is it easier, it is less messy. If you do not have a dough hook, use your hands and mix the ingredients in a bowl. Just be warned... this will be MESSY!

Also, it's best to dust powdered sugar on your countertop before you put the mixture on it. This will prevent sticking.

When everything looks combined, pour onto the counter. Be sure to scrape EVERYTHING from the bowl til the very last crisco shmear. 

It's best to make this the night before. Leaving it on the counter is fine, but if you will be making this days ahead, put it in the fridge. Just be sure to plastic wrap it tight!



The Cake

Linette requested Marble, so I made a box of cake. Thanks Duncan Hines. I put it in the fridge to cool completely and harden just a bit. This will help you carve it easier. I printed Hello Kitty's picture straight off the internets and used it as a template.

YAY for cake scraps! They went straight into this belly ::points to muffin top belly::

I also cut out a piece of cardboard to fit the cake exactly (you shouldn't really see it) so that I can move the cake around.



Then, I topped it with a simple Chocolate Cream Cheese filling and stacked level 2 right on top!

   

I stuck it back in the fridge for about an hour and applied a regular buttercream frosting as a crumb coat. A crumb coat will help the fondant stick to the cake.

Microwave your fondant for about 20 seconds. Make sure it isn't melty, but it is firm enough to hold together, yet soft enough to roll out. It should be pliable. Roll out to about 1/8 of an inch or so.

I bought some rings that go around my roller to help get the perfect thickness. I highly recommend them. Roll it out enough to cover the cake...and then some. It should be overlapping quite a bit. Pat down and mold fondant to the cake with your hand. Cut the excess with a pizza cutter and pat the edges clean.



Now, I must apologize because I was so much in my cake zone that I stopped taking pictures. But, in a nutshell... I colored some fondant and rolled the nose and bow. I used black icing to pipe the eyes and whiskers.

Hubby asked why she doesn't have a mouth...It's because she speaks... from her heart. ::tear:: gag!

Then, I got crazy and made another box of cake, rolled out more fondant, and attempted a body. This is what I came up with... graduation Lei and all.

This cake-gift took me 10 hours to make. I had fun and wish that I could've kept it for myself. 

My anxiety subsided when I presented the cake at the party. It was a hit. Everyone thought it was amazing ::blush:: and some even said it tasted yummy. I'd like to think I did pretty darn well.

This always hurts a bit...

My birthday is coming up and I hope someone will make me a cake. I don't care if it looks nice, I just want to feel like someone took the time to make me something sweet and special. I like chocolate or Funfetti...in case you were wondering.

• If you could have your next birthday cake made...what design would it be?
• Favorite cake flavor?

Thursday Favorites: NOT Being on Time

 I was picked to be in a jury once and Mr. Growly Bear Judge made this very clear on the first day:
If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late, and if you're late, don't bother coming.

You would think after he barked these orders no one would be late, but leave it to Ms. Ditzy Mcditzyface to come in late the next morning with a full Starbucks Frap in her hand. Ummm... "Earth to STUPID FACE! You're STUPID!"

  

Although I keep to his advice in my professional life, in my personal life, its a whole different story. I'm late 80% of the time. It's ALWAYS one of those things where I have MORE than enough time to get ready, yet dilly dallying gets the best of me and somehow, someway, the stars align to make me LATE. I smudge my eyeliner, Sonic throws up on the carpet, I hit every red light, it's Old People Day and everyone is driving slow.... see... the stars make me late.



...via...

So, why is this my favorite then? I'm not talking about this kind of late...
I'm talking about PRESENTS! Stay with me now...It'll all make sense in a minute...or not.

Don't you just LOVE getting presents early or late? I guess I could've just opened this post with that.
WHOMP WHOMP...

Hubby's birthday was in February, but he got this birthday present from his amazing wife.... last week.

I don't know about you, but he doesn't look sad to me. I think the point of this story is... it's not always bad to be late. Right? It's like an extended birthday. He got the HP Touchpad which is like the Ipad but BETTER! Did I say that right, Hubby?

My birthday is on July 18th (YEAH!) at 4:23am (I'm just kidding, I have no idea what time I was born) but I got my present from my amazing husband....last week.

I. am. happy. It's never too early for birthday presents!!!

Now I understand many avid readers, btw I'm not an avid reader, HATE Kindles

**Ahem** Christine**Ahem** but I found it was appropriate for me. I don't tend to hold on to my paperback books very long, and if I do they collect dust under my bed. Sure, I'll still buy and keep pretty hardcovers of classic novels, but things like "How to Stop Being a Lazy Bunghole" isn't something I want chillin' on my shelves for my guests to see.

Now let's ::swoon:: together over cute Kindle covers!

Via Kate Spade



Via Kate Spade

Ashley...do you love yours?

Via ElizabethDavidDesigns on Etsy

  

Via momandmia on Etsy

 

Via SimbiosisbyJulia on Etsy

Did I mention my birthday is coming up?

• Are you more of an early bird or late bird?
• Kindle fan?
• Which one is your fav. case?

Red, White, and Blue in the Face

This weekend (and every other weekend) I do this thing where I let everything about myself go on rest mode. I sleep in, I don't do any hardcore cleaning, and I pretend that calories are some made-up lie that the devil created to make us unhappy. I eat to my little tummy's content...well... I eat until my little tummy is about to throw up my insides. ::le sigh::

I love food. I hate food. I love food. I hate food.

This weekend I over did it. I didn't think you could feel DRUNK off of food, but leave it to me to get NOM NOM WASTED! I saw, I ate, I conquered and now I feel like that little hussy doing the walk of shame home at 8 in the morning, hair a-frazzled, feeling regret, guilt, and like a food whore.

Here's what I remember before I blacked out from my self-induced food binge.

I am ashamed. (I didn't eat this all in one sitting, btw)

But the good thing about this thing we call life, is that we have more days that the Lord has blessed us with, to recoup and repent.

Here is what I do to make up for a food filled weekend:

1. Forgive myself and move on. Can't feel sorry for myself for too long or I will eat myself into a depression. No lie. I'm an emotional eater.

2. Plan for the days ahead. I sit down with my planner and stuff each day silly with fruits and vegetables and things that will make my body happy and healthy. I plan each meal to the very last morsel so I will be less likely to stray.

3. Workout. UGH! Boy do I hate working out when I feel guilty. I cried this morning when Jillian on the DVD yelled at me. I must work off the bad food vibes that I put in my body!

4. Load up on Green Monsters. Spinach is a super food that can help your body recover!

5. No punishment. I don't believe in self-abuse. I'm not going to deprive myself of anything. Eat in moderation. We all know exactly what we need to do to make our bodies strong and healthy. Do your best.

Let's hope for a healthy week. I hope I don't have a hangover.

• Tell me one thing you do to recover from eating WAY too much.
• Tell me one of your yummy guilty pleasures.