Birthday cupcakes!

Earlier in the week, my oldest had a birthday! Usually I go all out and make her a cake, but this year she wanted cupcakes. So I tried something new. Have you heard of cake tattoos?? You know the cooking show Ace Cakes with Duff Goldman?? (miss that channel) He has these new products to help make our baking creations even cooler. These new cake designs are easy to use, edible, and can be used wherever you use icing (cakes, cupcakes, and cookies).  Link here for more info. I found these at Walmart, but I'm sure they are available at other cake supply places. 

Anyway, my daughter picked the design and then on her birthday, she helped me mix the cupcakes, frost them, and even helped me put on these cake tattoos. I thought they turned out really cute and I would totally use them again. Just thought I'd spread the word on a awesome new product..and show off my daughters birthday cupcakes. :)

All you need is Loaf!

Look what we found today! Ok...honestly I've had this on my calendar for weeks. :) My sister and her kids met us at the grocery store just for a picture with the baby loaf bus. (ok and she needed her book back.) Tillamook is my most favorite cheese! I've tried other cheaper brands, but they are nasty once you've had Tillamook.  This is the Baby Loaf bus on the Loaf Love Tour.  When you see it in person, you realize how small this little cheese bus really is. They also had cheese samples of their medium cheese and the sharp cheddar cheese--which we found out is the same recipe, just the sharp cheese is aged longer.   Tillamook is based out of Oregon, and I hear they have really good ice cream.  Wish they had it here so I could try that too.  Yummy yummy cheese! just had to share. :)

State Fair!

My little family, and a few of my friends met up at the State Fair this afternoon.  Our goal? Deep Fried food! Where else are you going to find deep fried Twinkies, candy bars, oreos, pb&j sandwich's, and I think they even had chocolate covered bacon deep fried. Ok that last one just makes me sick just thinking of it.   Below, we tried the snickers, Twinkies and pb&j sandwich. (all were nasty..but I'm not much of deep fried food person)

Anyway. besides the deep fried food, I like to take my kids around and see the animals they have on exhibit...like the sheep, milking cows, rabbits, pigs, they had a piglet race, and a sea lion show. (one of these things is not like the other?? yeah random sea lions) AND they had a lot of lemur exhibits. Going to the fair is just an experience. you can make it fun, or really lame.  My girls love to go and walk around, ride the ponies, have frozen lemonade...it's part of the fair experience! Me? my favorites are the art displays where people have submitted their photography, the sculpture made out of butter, and people watching! Talk about one of the best places to watch people walk by. I should have taken pictures of that. :)  

I took my oldest on the big yellow slide. We sat on the potato sack and it was an easy ride down. Here's a picture of my friends and my hubby going down the slide. Having fun at the State Fair! Honestly glad it happens just once a year. 

Movie Review: Eat Pray Love

Eat Pray Love

Have you read the book? I have not. Last night I saw the movie with a friend.  We left not sure what to think of the movie. Besides dragging on, and feeling slow, I thought it was an ok movie.  Definitely a girls night out movie, but one you don't need to see twice.  The movie was 2.5 hours long! They could have finished it an hour earlier. (my opinion)

The movie follows Liz (Julia Roberts) who is a writer going through a rough patch where she's trying to find herself after divorcing her husband.  She ends up taking a year off to travel to Italy, India, and Bali.  The movie has a lot of spiritual meditation, yummy food (in Italy), and a little romance.  5/10 stars 

Book Review: Spy Glass by Maria V Snyder

Book Review:  Spy Glass by Maria V Snyder

Recommend the Series, young adult fantasy 3.9/5 stars

   I've really enjoy this authors writing style. She has a way of weaving stories, character backgrounds in such a simple way that you can not put the books down.  Spy Glass is the 3rd and last book in the Glass trilogy. I finished this book last night and now I want to start all over again. The trilogy starts with Storm Glass, then Sea Glass, and last is Spy Glass.

   The 3rd book finds Opal without her glass magic abilities, lost, and feeling that she has no purpose anymore.  Throughout the book she struggles with the lose of her powers that she once believed made a difference in the world.  Then she discovers that someone may still have a vial of her old blood, and if she can find it in time, she may be able to regain her powers. Opal sets out on a mission to find her blood, or find out if it is lost forever.  (part of that was on the back of the book). When I was only half way through the book, I couldn't believe how much had already happened with Opal, and I had no idea where the story was going.  I loved it. 

   Before the Glass trilogy, Maria V Snyder wrote another series called the Study series (Poison Study, Magic Study, and Fire Study). This was the series that I was first introduced to Ixia/Sitia and where you begin the journey into this 'fantasy' world.  Posion Study is centered around a girl named Yelena and the story of her finding her magic in a world where magic is a death sentence. Love that series, and it is in the Study series that we met Opal for the first time, get to know her background, and then Maria V Snyder decided to write her next series (Glass series) based on Opal. These books are easy reads.  Although it's not necessary, but I recommend picking up Poison Study first, and then move on from there. Link to Maria V Snyder website here for more info.

Muse song--Glorious

   This is for me and Muse fans. :) and I love to make those closest to me roll their eyes when I post Muse. hahaha.

   That one night when I couldn't sleep I was looking up Muse clips on youtube, and I found the B side tracks. For me it was like opening a new present filled with new toys for me to play with.  Me, having never heard of B tracks, did some digging and found that you find them when you buy the singles. A lot of these songs I have never heard of, and I LOVE them. Here is one that I loved so much that I went on itunes and downloaded it! (that and just a few other Muse b tracks) I listen to some of them and I wonder why were these ever B tracks! Anyway, listen! I'm hoping to eventually turn some of you to loving Muse as much as I do.

   And if you liked this one, here are a few other song titles of B tracks you can look up on youtube and listen! (too many to post vids here, and I would probably never hear the end of it from my husband--who makes me turn off Muse if it's on.)  Easily, Eternally Missed, Crying Shame, and Nishe (this is only instrumental).

Movie Review: The American

The American. rated R

This should be quick. Really all I want to say was this movie was misrepresented.  My expectations were for a more intense, fast paced movie--Clooney is no Bourne, but still looking for something more. Moved very slow, one guy on our row actually fell asleep. Very artsy, the cinematography was good, just not what I was in the mood for.

The American is about an assassin looking to get out of the business, finishing one last job. But he makes the mistake of making a couple of friends.The background is set in a beautiful picturesque town in Italy. If you're still interested, wait until it's a dollar, don't waste your time seeing it in the theatre. 3/10 stars

(the best part of tonight was actually going on a date with my husband! definitely been awhile. Maybe I shouldn't pick the movies...) :)

Book Review: One Day by David Nicholls

One Day by David Nicholls

Recommend 3.5/5 stars

Did not know what to expect when I picked up this book from a recommendation. Basically, the story takes place during a single day each year for almost two decades in the lives of Dex and Emma. The first chapter starts July 15, 1988, the morning after they both graduate from university. They have barely met, going separate ways in life, but they can not stop thinking about each other. A deep relationship builds between them, and even though their lives are very different from what they once dreamed, they remain friends.

I like how the back of the book describes it, "over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day -- July 15th--of each year.  Dex and Emma face fights, hopes, missed opportunities, laughter, and tears." That really sums it up. Hard to describe this book.  Love Story? the ups and downs sometimes faced between friends? This was a book where you wanted to know 'what's going to happen next?' with these characters. Almost didn't want the book to end, I wanted to know more. Loved it and hated it.  :)

Kindergarten.

Once again I'm up, and thought I'd share the latest. My oldest started Kindergarten! She was counting down the days. Can we say excited? me too. My daughter only started to get nervous when we arrived at the school.  We walked her into class, found where she puts her backpack, and then she was out the door to play on the playground--not nervous anymore. :)

Honestly, didn't have a lot of time to do anything before I had to pick her up again. She loved it. When we picked her up, all she could remember was playing on the playground, singing songs, and coloring a Queen paper. We'll see how things go next week..  And if you're curious how the little one did while her big sister was at school? don't think she really noticed. ;)

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Not very often are we kid free when spending time with family, so last night we decided to have an adult dinner for my dads bday!  Well.....our husbands would disagree, they thought my sister and I were acting like children at dinner. haha. What else were they expecting when they put us across from eachother at the table? Anyway, dinner was yummy...chinese.