Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Sick of me yet? Liar. I think I have posted more in the past four days than I have in the past four months! I am anxious to show you what I've been up to lately....

So, as you can see in the previous posts, my girls' birthdays run March, April and May. Basically starting in February I become this crazy, blubbering, cross eyed fool searching for the coolest birthday party ideas. Now, remember that everyone is different, and everyone becomes obsessed about different things. My craziness is making my girls' cakes. I could not imagine buying a cake, it just wouldn't suffice.

However, since dealing with my crazy skin "thing" the past several months, birthdays had to be modified jiiiiiist a titch. For Rachel's birthday I bought cupcakes. I couldn't even fathom the energy of making a cake. By the time Emma's birthday came around, I was feeling tons better, so I was on the lookout for some incredible, cool looking cupcakes. Enter Martha Stewart. Now, I know some people have boycotted her since her whole scam situation, buuut, who am I to judge? I love her ideas, recipes, and pretty much anything she does.

I found these delicious vanilla cupcakes on her website that were D.I.V.I.N.E. Seriously people, these were the cupcakes that make you grab one and run into a closet to devour.

Next on my list was finding a salted caramel topping and filling. Enter Sprinkle Bakes blog. I used her recipe for the filling, buttercream frosting, and the sugar candy.

These were truly amazing! I did have a bit of a time with the pieces of candy sugared. Still need some practice on those. I will definitely be making these again!!!

The cakes were dense and full of flavor, with the yummy salted caramel filling and the buttercream frosting. Delish!

Linking To:

Sundae Scoop Party

Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrap up Party

My Favorite Things Link Party

Entryway

So I have been on a MAJOR redecorating kick lately. (well, more like the past few months) So far I have redone Rachel's room, master bedroom and master bath. So my next venture is our entryway. I don't have a lot of space to work with, but I wanted something different. There used to be a fake pine tree (or as Brad calls it, the year round Christmas tree:) here in the corner. The daycare kids and I would decorate it for every holiday which was fun, but after 5 years, I was ready for something different. I have been on the lookout for a small-ish bench to put here, but was having no luck. At our local antique store, I came across this old stadium chair.

It is in perfect used condition! I took off the two wooden planks on the bottom, and need to spray paint them. Without the planks, the chair is tippy for little kids. So once I had that in place, I now needed to find something for the wall.

This is an old screen window from a barn that Brad's parents tore down a couple years ago. I added hooks on both sides and attached wire to hang pictures from, and hot glued the brown flowers in the corner. Loved how it turned out! After getting that hung, I was looking for one more thing to hang below the frame. I found this Family Rules printable here and changed the color to a more sepia look, and framed it.

So this whole project cost me $20! The chair was the only thing I had to purchase. Everything else was stuff that I had in my craft bin.

Next up is my laundry room that I finally decorated, even though it is an unfinished room, haha!!

Linking too:

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Southern Hospitality

Alayna, Alayna, Alayna

My sweet baby Alayna turned 5 (yes I said FIVE) on May 2. I honestly cannot believe that it has been 5 years since she arrived. I know every parent says that, but truly it feels like it's been a couple years. (although some days it feels like twenty, just sayin...) She has been such a wonderful addition to our family, her goofiness, humor and energy keeps us on our toes!

She loves all things outdoors, and you will frequently see her wearing either a bathing suit, or a leotard even if it is 20 below zero outside. We are very proud that she recently hit 34 pounds despite the fact that she eats all.day.long.
She is SUPER excited to start school in the fall (and maybe, just maybe I am too) and I know she will do great! In fact, her Wednesday night church teachers remark at how quiet, well behaved she is. um ya, that's all an act people, this girl will win an academy award sometime I tell ya!

Technology, Hmmmmph!

I am one that would truly die a slow, very painful death if I did not have my computer. Being a daycare mom at home, with 8 children, all day long, the internet is my "social" time. So, not having the computer work for a week was pure hell for me. Thankfully I have a computer techy daycare dad that helped us out. Unfortunately I still couldn't post anything on my blog, grrr. Today I figured it out and am so happy to be able to post again! I can't wait to show you what I bought for my entry way, and other little "newbies" in my home.

Cara

All About Emma

Ohhhh, my sweet Emma Jo turned 8 on April 23rd (yes, I am a *bit* behind on blogging, ok?) and I'm pretty sure I heard to diva gods calling her name. *sigh* This girl is 100% a girly girl. To.The.Bone. The morning Prince Will and Kate married, Emma proclaimed that at least the US has a princess. And it's her. Yep, that girl's got it, I tell ya!

Emma loves anything that involves pink, glam and glitter. Oh, and cat walks. She has a beautiful singing voice, and loves to make up her own songs ( and they even rhyme!). Her newest venture is playing piano, although she's never had lessons, she can sit and pick out tunes on her own. She loves drawing, and anything crafty. I love seeing how my girls can craft, or see something old and think of a way to redo it! She is a very sensitive one that has taken some getting used to for me, haha! Although she can be a MAJOR drama queen, Emma is a lover of all things, and loves making people happy.

For Emma's birthday we took a group of her girlfriends to our local skating rink and got our groove on! I think mama might have had more fun than the girls.....

I decided to make cupcakes instead of trying to transport a cake in my vehicle. I made Martha Stewarts vanilla cupcakes with a salted caramel filling and a caramel buttercream frosting. Umm ya, they were good. I used suckers for the flower and laffy taffy for the leaves. Emma and her best friend Emma helped put them together.

The cupcakes were a big hit! We enjoyed a fun filled afternoon of skating, pizza and cupcakes. And true to form, only two of the girls ended up in tears......

Craft Night

I enrolled the girls in a "Girls Only" craft club. I think it was one of those things you get sent in the mail that sucks you in and then makes you feel guilty if you quit type of thing, ha! So anyhoo, we've been getting these for about a year, and usually once a month (ok, maybe every couple of months, but who's counting) we try to have a craft night together. I am going to attempt to do this once a week (I know, right?) because it really is fun to get out a big craft bin and go to town. Rachel made a pet picture frame that she loves. Unfortunately her poor kitty is on his last life, he keeps pooping and peeing on the couch....but that's another post....Emma made a girls only diary that has a bunch of pages to fill out. It is soooooo her type of thing! Alayna made a card and found a pic of all of us at the pumpkin patch. I laughed when the girls asked what I was going to make. I said I would never have time to make anything because I would be helping them with their projects. Oh well, that's what scrapbooking weekend is for, right?

Sugar Snap Pea and Ham Risotto

I found a FABULOUS new blog that has a ton of good recipes, Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I decided to try the risotto recipe, and boy was that a hit! Everyone loved it (yes, even Alayna!!). This was the first time I have ever made risotto, and I now look forward to trying more recipes like this. Sugar Snap Pea and Ham Risotto 4 1/2 C chicken broth 8 ounces sugar snap peas 2 Tbl olive oil 1/2 C chopped onion 1 1/2 C thinly sliced leek ( I didn't have leeks, and omitted this part) 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 C Arborio rice (or any other medium grain rice) 3/4 diced ham 1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese Bring the chicken broth to a boil, add peas and cook 2 minutes until crisp tender. Remove peas with a slotted spoon, and rinse with cold water. Heat oil in a saucepan, add onions (this is where you would add the leeks) and cook until soft, then add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Ad rice, cook 1 minute, then add 1/2 C of broth. Cook until broth is absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 C broth to rice mixture and cooking until all is absorbed. This process is a bit time consuming, as you have to stir constantly, but ohhhh so worth the effort! Once all the broth is absorbed into the rice, add ham and parmesan cheese. I served this with homemade crescent rolls and a salad.