Happy Birthday, Ben & Ryan!

Ben and Ryan are my cousin's little boys. Their birthdays are 10 days apart from each other. We normally go to their joint birthday party every year, but now that we're 1,000 miles away, it's not as easy to get there.

This year, I've decided to send them a little present in the mail. See below for pictures!

I hope they enjoy their treats!

Happy Birthday, Grampsie!

Today is my grandfather's birthday. I sent him a package last week with a new puzzle and some chocolaty treats in it, since he "hates"chocolate. He's been having a tough time since my grandmother has been in the hospital, so I figured that he'd enjoy something sweet.

A great present for him on his birthday, Granny was transferred to a different hospital today. One that specializes in respiratory therapy, which will help to wean her off of the oxygen machine, and get her away from using the tracheostomy. I hope that all goes well, and she is able to come off of the machine quickly.

OMG, Hobby Lobby

So, on the East Coast, as far as I know, there is no such thing as Hobby Lobby. Here in the Midwest, it's big, like really big. And the one near me, is huge, and I'm talking massive. It's so big, there's furniture and finished pieces in there, along with all the craft and project stuff.

Anyways, I went in the other day to see what it was like, and see what kind of baking stuff they had. And they have an entire aisle for baking. I got so much stuff, and total was less than $100. It was awesome! Here's what I got:

4 10" pastry bags
1 8" pastry bag
1 12" pastry bag
4 #3 pastry bag tips
4 pastry bag tip clamps
3 other pastry bag tips (can't remember the #s)
2 bags lollipop sticks
1 bag milk chocolate candy brown melts
1 bag milk chocolate candy red melts
1 package of Cars theme sugar candies
1 package of duck theme sugar candies
1 package of Cars theme cupcake liners
1 plastic pastry bag tip container
1 large plastic baking tools container
1 fondant cutter
1 set of three cooking paint brushes
1 container of white pearl dust
1 container of silver pearl dust
1 cookie cooling rack
1 package of four cardboard cake bases

WOW! So excited to use all of these items! Hobby Lobby may just be my new favorite store. And, to top it all off, it's closer than both Michael's and Joann Fabrics!

IttyBittyKitty

Obie is no longer the little tiny kitty that he was when we got him on my birthday. We've really started to notice how big he's been getting, and how his face isn't the little smooshy kitten face it once was.

This picture was taken two days after we got him:

This is a picture of him taken two days ago, basically 6 months later:

I know the pictures are taken at different distances and zooms, but just take a look at the distance between my hands. It's pretty significant.

I don't want my little to grow up!

Operation Baking GALS - Andrew Marshall

April is here already! And the start of a new month means the start of a new round of Baking GALS. This month's soldier is a young man that I went to high school with. Andrew is a 23-year-old Corporal in the US Army. Andrew grew up in Tiverton, Rhode Island, and after graduating from High School, started college. After one year of school, he realized that he wanted to do something more, so he joined the Army. In the last 3 years, Andrew has been deployed twice to Iraq. His latest deployment began in December 2009, where he was sent to Afghanistan, and is scheduled to be there until February 2011. Andrew loves baseball, soccer, and lacrosse, and also enjoys spending time with friends and family. When he finishes with his duties in the Army, Andrew hopes to complete his degree in Forensics. Please be sure to not send Andrew any products that may contain olives, as he is allergic to them.

If you would like to take part in this round of Baking GALS, please go to www.bakinggals.com and sign up for a free account. When you have done so, go to the Join a Team page and click on Amanda's Team Orange. Here, you will find my contact information and can email me for Andy's mailing address.

If you have any questions at all, please contact me through the Baking GALS site or by leaving a comment on this post.

Thanks!!!

Happy Easter!

We had a few friends over for Easter since it was going to be too much money to travel home for the holiday. A very un-traditional Easter, as we ordered Indian food, but to make it feel a little more Springy and Easter-y, I made some delicious sugar cookies. We barely ate any of them, but that's ok, because they didn't last more than two hours at work today.

Happy Easter everyone!

30 Day Shred - FAIL!

Yep, failed at that attempt.  Maybe I'll try in another few weeks, but it's really hard to get into a routine.  But, I really want to fit into that MASSIVE pile of pants I have folded so nicely and sitting on the floor at the bottom of my closet.  There are some really nice pants in there, and they would look great with the new shirts I have bought...

NEED MOTIVATION!!!

30 Day Shred - Day 3

Is the worst. Ugh, I don't want to move.

But I did, and got day 3 under my belt. Feels good to get moving again, and to have started working out, but man, I wish it were easier on my muscles.

Day 4 tomorrow.

30 Day Shred - Day 2

You know how the day after you workout you're really sore? You know when you're so sore that you have a hard time sitting down on the toilet? And that you try to find every excuse possible not to get out of your office chair, because it hurts so much, so you just wheel yourself around everywhere.

That was me today.

I think that explains pretty much everything. I felt great other than muscle soreness though. Felt more awake, and had a lot more energy, which is a huge positive. The only negative so far is that I find that I'm more hungry. I guess I'll need to find some foods higher in fiber then.

Worked out again this afternoon after work. It was soooo tough. It doesn't help that she has you working out the same sore muscles that we worked out yesterday. Man, I can't wait for this to get easier.

Water

Wow.

30 Day Shred - Day 1

Wow, I totally forgot how intense this workout is. Holy Moly!

We got through it, but man was it hot. Since last time we tried doing this, in our old apartment, we had a large enough living room where both Dylan and I could do it together in that space. Because our living room is smaller now, we went to Dicks Sporting Goods and bought some floor mats, and now we've got the car pulled out and the mats setup in the garage to use. But, the garage is sooo warm now that the weather outside has been in the 70s and 80s all last week. I guess the good thing about this is, though, that we're getting a bit more sweat out of it. Can't hurt, right?

Also, to start out, Dylan and I both took measurements to see how much progress we make after each of the 10 days, and then we'll also do a final one to compare day 1 to day 30. I'm going to be brave and post my numbers here:

Neck: 13"
Chest Under Breasts: 30.5"
Waist: 34"
Hips: 41.5"
Left Thigh: 24.5"
Right Thigh: 24"
Left Calf: 15"
Right Calf: 14.5"
Left Bicep: 12"
Right Bicep: 12"
Around Chest, Under Arms: 35"

Not looking forward to tomorrow, but what's going to be worse is Day 3.

Check back tomorrow for another update.

30 Day Shred....Attempt #2

Yep, we're going to try to do the shred again. We failed last time, having completed only 7 days. This time, we're going to do it every day, and we're going to do it right this time: 10 days on Level 1, 10 days on Level 2, and 10 days on Level 3.



We're starting tomorrow. Good luck to us. Oh boy!

99 Thing I Ought to Have Done

Saw this on someone else's blog, and thought it was neat. Take a look, and copy and paste this into your own blog. Bold or Italicize the items that you have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a thunder and lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

We have a friend....

...in the air ducts. We have no idea what kind of friend we have, mouse, bird, chipmunk, squirrel...who knows. But it's there, and it makes a lot of noise. We've taken the vent covers off the ceiling, and have tried to see down the tubing, but we've had no luck so far. Here's all we can see.

Not too much to look at, but hopefully we'll be able to find this little guy. Best part is that our leasing company said they're not responsible for pests, but we told them that since it's not actually in the apartment, and it's damaging their property and not ours, that we weren't going to take care of it. They eventually said they'd send someone out to take a look. We'll see if they show up.

Super Bowl XLIV

It's Super Bowl Sunday and I've bee getting ready all weekend. I've made a tasty little treat, expirimenting with fondant for the first time. I'll let you know how they taste, but in the meantime, here's what I did:

I used Oreo Cakesters.

I made my own marshmallow fondant.

I covered the Cakesters in fondant.

I made letters out of royal icing to put on top.

And, I put it all together to make these.

I'm a wicked slacker...

I am terrible at this whole blog thing. I've got a lot of stuff to catch up on, so there are going to be a few back posts, and TONS of new ones. Stay tuned!