And this is how babies are made....

I know you may have clicked on this merely because the title looked intriguing... and perhaps sexy.

Well, it kinda is.

Babies are made because of dark chocolate cupcake batter. Yes, this is true. It's pure sex. I haven't even gotten to taste the cooked product (I hear it is DIVINE, by the way). I will go ahead and answer the question that probably hasn't crossed your mind just yet, no, I am not pregnant. I've got my bases covered...

Okay, now that you really didn't need to know that.... back to the ever delicious dark chocolate cupcakes. Want to see pictures?! Because I actually have pictures! *gasp*

I am super proud of these, I have wanted to do these designs for a long time.

Today's Project

Okay today's project (after school, of course) is dark chocolate cupcakes!
I am becoming known in many circles for my cupcakes, which is kinda cool, and a friend's mom called me to make some for a bridal shower for her work. She said she wanted chocolate, so I'm going to give her chocolate :-)

I am super excited about this recipe, it is from one of my favorite food blogs Brown Eyed Baker. She pairs it with a peanut butter frosting (yum!) But I'm still not sure which kind of frosting I'm going to use. I'm thinking good ol' homemade vanilla.

In other baking news, the SLP bake sale is coming up quickly (Oct. 19, 20, 21). I'm starting to gather some recipes for my bake-a-thon. I know I'm going to make some pumpkin whoopie pies, but I want another recipe... Perhaps if these dark chocolate cuppies go well I will make a marshmallow frosting and top it with some sea salt caramel.... Okay, now that I'm drooling all over the keyboard... Any other fall-inspired flavors? Should I do some fancy decorating? So many decisions!

Happy baking!

Long time no write...

Okay, they title can be a few things for me, 1) I haven't written in my darling little blog for a while & 2) I haven't written papers in a while and I'm kinda freaked out about writing one... (I know, I know, I'll do just fine.... can't a girl have a little anxiousness?!?!)

Well, so far all is well and good in the new casa :-)
We actually have a lot of new things, like a mattress (Mark actually fits!) and the new edition to our home arrived today... a 60" TV. Happy boyfriend, happy home right?

The first week of school is over and the first half of this week has been good so far. I"m getting used to reading things other than interesting young adult novels and I'm actually managing to make some friends. Oh, and I'm already known as "the Cupcake Girl". In fact, one of the girls even said to me "sorry, can you remind me your name again? Cupcakes right?" Yes, I will respond to Cupcake. I'll respond to anything really... That reminds me, one of my (former) roommates was very fond of giving people nicknames in college and had a bit of trouble coming up with one for me. She decided on Cupcake, but I don't think it was ever used. Well, darling, here you go!
I am excited for the SLP bake sale coming up on October! I have been scouring the interwebs for delicious, and fall-inspired, yummies. I have definitely decided on pumpkin whoopie pies a) because they are pumpkin and b) because I have never made whoopie pies before. And, of course, the picture looked amazingly delicious!
And how awesome to these puppies look! Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting
I have to admit that I am a fan of anything salted-caramel related :-)

Oh and I HAVE made cupcakes lately, but of course, I took pictures with my phone, and the phone decided to delete all my pictures... *string of expletives*
I do have another project coming up soon, so hopefully pictures will be a-plenty!

Ta for now

Goals for September

Okay, so as August comes to a close, and I have had a lot on my mind, I decided to list my goals for the coming month of change. I think I've accomplished a good deal of things in August, including finding an apartment & signing the lease, ending my job at Mr. Tux, and getting 3 shots & blood drawn at the doctor without being a complete baby about it (let's not mention I almost passed out...)

September comes to me with a lot of new changes. A new home, living with the most amazing guy in the world (it's about time), no job, and the start of grad school at one of the best colleges in the nation. (oh and a new computer! yay!)

Let's start with the obvious goals:

• Successfully moving in to my new home- with lots of packing still to do, and having to go all the way to Wisconsin with a U-haul to get all of our furniture, there is a lot that can go wrong and it's already insanely stressful... Basically, I just want the hard labor part to be over and I want to enjoy being home  

• Being a good house-girlfriend- I'm not a wife yet, and I will be going to school, so there will be shared responsibilities (we're not one of those old-fashioned couples...) Nonetheless, there's a sense of wanting to keep the house clean and I'm actually kind of excited to cook dinner and pack his lunch (tee hee, I think I might write adorable notes for him- even if it makes him the laughing stock at work, I'm evil, what can I say?)

• Start working-out again- Hurting my back put the kabosh on that a while back, and I've honestly been too lazy to take it up again. With my recent doctor trip revealing a number I didn't want to know existed in relation to my body and with helping my friend move her shit down 3 flights of stairs panting all the way I determined what I already new to be true- I need Jillian again. I'll have to break out the smiley stickers (reward system, baby- works on kids and believe it or not it works on me too!)

• Not failing the first few weeks of school- Okay, the likelihood of that happening is absurdly minimal, but I'm sure I'm not alone. I want everything to go smoothly and I want all the other kids to like me.

And now for actual, track-able goals!

• Cake! I have a list of cakes and cupcakes to make this month so far. As soon as I can after moving it I really want to make Better Than Sex Cake. Chocolate, caramel topping, condensed milk, cool whip, and heath bars. Yum. I also have a cupcake order coming up! Elegant cupcakes! I will post pictures!
• September Book Challenge- From the Fantasy and YA Lovers group over at Goodreads Here! The challenge and the books I'm hoping to read are as such:
• A book with one of the letters from SEPTEMBER in it- Delirium by Lauren Oliver
• A book about Fae- Except the Queen by Jane Yolen & Midori Snyder
• A book released this year- Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren
• A book with purple on the cover- The Dark Divine by Bree Despain or  Nightshade by Andrea Cremer 

Wish me luck!

Keys! (And why I read sex novels)

So Mark and I have received our keys for our new "apartment" (it's actually a duplex!) and I'm getting really anxious to get inside! We officially move in Sept. 1st, which I suppose is a good thing because I'm actively avoiding packing my things (Note: blog writing...). I'm not really sure where to start... My good friend suggested I start with the important things: clothes, books & shoes.
I think I'm getting a bit of a complex from my mother constantly saying "when you're gone I'll have so much room!" or "There won't be so much shit when your gone."
Thanks Mom.
I get it though, she wants her house, and she did have 4 years of me not being around before I came back from undergrad poor and job-less. Even having 2 jobs didn't give me enough money to branch out on my own. This could easily turn into a political rant and all things money related, but I'm not going there... (boo! no fun!)
I'm finally excited that I get to be a real adult (albeit still poor and job-less) with responsibilities that I'm sure will get old very quickly, but excited I am nonetheless. And I'm pretty sure Mark is almost as excited as I am, although his dad seems a little more like he wants to keep Mark around for awhile.
Well, the lease is signed, our security deposit and 1st month's rent have been paid, and we have keys. It's on. We're really doing this! And now there's even more pressure for marriage. It'll happen. Eventually. We like making you people sweat.

And now! The moment my 2.5 blog readers have been waiting for! The second part of my title! I've recently mentioned to a lot of my friends that I greatly enjoy reading those romantic (and more often than not erotic) novels. Not surprisingly, I get a lot of shit mostly from my guy friends (most of the girls giggle and later ask me for suggestions...).
Boys, come on, you all watch porn and it's accepted. It's what you do. Us girls can't read our porn? At least ours has a plot. A REAL plot. But beyond that, for me it is an escape, like a good book should be.
When I say "good book", I'm not talking necessarily about award winners or books that gain the nods of scholars, I mean a book that captures you, takes you to a different world and makes you completely unable to put it down. Some girls like to read those sweet romances with gentle love scenes and marriage, and some (like me) like the gritty and, I'll say it, rough love stories with action, adventure and incredible sex scenes. Some of them make me swoon, and some well... yeah they're hot. I haven't heard any complaints from Mark about me reading them ;-)
So girls, own what you read! If you want to read your sex novels go ahead! There's no shame in getting a little novel-love! Yes, some of the titles are giggle-worthy, and some of those novels are incredibly predictable, but they're fun! I've got a few suggestions if you need any :-)

I mean really... look at this cover... drool!

Apron Obsession

So with a recent trip to Jo-Anne Fabrics with a good friend and the realization that I have done a lot of my baking lately in a dress, I have become obsessed with aprons.

My mother has graciously allowed me the use of some of her adorable vintage ones, (one is purple with an adorable patch pocket in yellow with a bicycle on it!)
With my pending move-out becoming more real and closer every day (nope, no date yet) I figured I should probably have some aprons of my own. And what would be better for me than to sew them myself! So I've been shopping around for patterns, free ones if possible and I've pretty much decided I must have this one: Pretty Ditty Apron

Of course it's not free, but this one is: Sunkissed-aprons and it's super-adorable too!

 This is, of course, dependent on when I have time and patience to actually sew... and there is always the looming projects that I haven't finished yet... *coughweddingquiltcough*

we shall see :-)

Ode to my Spork

Dear Spork,
I love you. You have made my day countless times. You are not just any cafeteria spork, oh no, you have a fork and knife on one side and a spoon on the other. AND you come in "civilized colors" as your box says. Not only are you good for camping, but you make a great lunch accessory! Not to mention how you leave me with only one piece of silverware to wash instead of three. Spork, you are fabulous in so many ways. Everyone should have one of you. In fact, I wish I had more of you. Thank you for all that you do.

Love,
Me

(And thank you REI for having the Light My Fire Sporks for me to enjoy!)


I was going to add pictures of cupcakes to this post, but for some reason blogger hates me...