The Cupcake Effect

    






     Charlie + Cupcake =

Charlie + Cupcake + Playground =

Charlie and the Train

 My little bear couldn't wait for the train to stop! He just stood there staring at it as it rolled around the kiddie area.

 I had him ride with my mom because I wanted to take pictures.  Her pictures always come out so blurry because she moves the camera before the picture has been taken.

 Here he is looking at the conductor as though he really understand the exchange that is about to be made. 

He thought that I was going too.

I really love this picture because of his little hand on mama's leg... its just so darned sweet!  I love these two people more than anything!

I.Am.Winning!

 I seem to have luck running through my veins. My kid's daycare has a fall festival every year, and during this time, they raffle huge gift baskets.  I bought three tickets on the last day and won! I walked into the daycare to pick up Charlie, and the Director called me into her office to give me the news.  I couldn't believe it!

 

The basket was filled with all kinds of yummy, baking goodness! 

I have never had creme brulee or even seen it on a menu, but I've heard the folks on The Food Network mention it here or there. I don't think I'll attempt to make something so fancy... I might use it to darken up a chicken or something... I dunno.

This is what encouraged me to buy tickets for the raffle.  My husband and I always celebrate at the Cheesecake Factory... I literally think its the only restaurant we go to besides Chick-fil-A (which I consider a real restaurant since the staff places fresh flowers on the tables).  I can't wait to go!!!

 I often try to make things by scratch, but sometimes my baking doesn't turn out well, so I welcome boxed goods.  I've already made muffins and a loaf of bread (see below). And that Pam spray was right on time because we were soooooo out!

The cooking supplies were too cute since they were geared towards encouraging little kids to help in the kitchen. Charlie will use those sometime next year.

This is one of the boxes of bread... it was pretty amazing and very easy to make. I nearly burned down the house because I used wax paper in the oven thinking that it was parchment paper... but all is well! The wax smell is finally out of the house, and nothing actually caught on fire! Success!

Inspiration Monday- Party Friendly

This is a cool look for the Inspiration Monday over at Two Birds. This sweater of mine is one of my faves, and these boots are worn too often.  The top is a thrifted Jones New York that I got from the Goodwill.  I wore this to a baby birthday party (which explains my disheveled hair). It's a nice look that gave me the ability to run after my toddler (or some other kid) if I needed to.

An Appalling Afro

I want your to take a good LONG look at this monstrosity of an afro.  It is absolutely hideous... HIDEOUS! And it makes me want to slap the model in her face for wearing such a craptastic wig and posing like a clown!

I came across this picture in Michaels as I stood in line to purchase my items.  Because it was a few days before Halloween, I just assumed that it was some sort of costume that she was wearing.  After staring long and hard at it, I realized that she was wrapping what looked like a Christmas present, and that this was a REAL advertisement that had been put out by the company to sell tape or something.

I literally looked around expecting someone to jump out and say that I was on some sort of hidden camera show, but that didn't happen... so I whipped out my phone and took this picture. I posted it to Facebook and complained there. A friend of mine found the same add in Boston and sent me a picture.  I couldn't believe (well, actually I could) that this was a national advertisement.

As a woman who has naturally kinky hair and who wore an afro in college, I am absolutely offended at this terrible wig. I mean seriously... why does she even need to have an afro? Why couldn't they have used her real hair or a more believable afro wig?

I'm stepping down off my soapbox, but I just want the ad people for 3M (or whoever is responsible for this) that they should be ashamed for such a terrible ad.

Out of Commission

This is the look of a stomach virus... I wanted so badly to participate in the inspiration Monday last week, but I had the ultimate misfortune of catching a virus that lasted about four days.  Without going into dramatic details, I'll just say that this virus resulted in me rolling into the back of a car at a stop sign, losing four pounds, missing Homecoming, and falling far behind at work. 

After I got better, the local news reported that some elementary school in one of the metro counties had over 100 students and several staff catch a bad stomach virus... the entire school had to be sanitized.