B is for Brownies!

Good morning lovely blogger friends!! I am so excited to write this post. I made a new friend a couple of days ago and I'm ecstatic about it! We have so many things in common and she is as sweet as pie. Most of y'all probably already know her...Summer from B is for Brown!!!

If you haven't heard yet, Summer is doing a "brownie" button bake-off!! Of course that was right up my alley so I had to get in on it. If you don't know Summer's story, click here to read it. She has quite a way with words and it will help you better understand the reason for the "brownie" button. It also means a great deal to me so I was even more excited to do this. Click here to read all about the bake-off!



I already baked my brownies and designed them into my idea for a button but I haven't edited the picture into a button yet. I'm not even real sure how to do it but I'm going to figure it out eventually. LOL While I don't want to spoil the game by showing the picture just yet, I figured I'd give y'all the yummy recipe I used so you can join in on the fun!


Chocolatey Brownies

1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of iodized salt



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9" glass pan with cooking spray.

2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla extract.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring quickly until completely combined.

4. In a seperate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt.

5. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until combined.

6. Spread batter into pan.

7. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and brownies pull away from sides.

8. Cool completely before cutting.

The deadline to enter the bake-off is September 30th so get baking y'all! :)

Treasures

Last week I was reading through the book of Matthew in my Bible. Sometimes it's such a big deal to actually pick up the Bible and read it but once I do, I ALWAYS feel better and enlightened. What better way to hear about the way God wants us to live than to read it for ourselves?? So I came across a section that really struck a chord with me and I wanted to share it with y'all.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-21

Oh how true this is! Marcie over at Lemons and Laundry did a post last week that really got me thinking. This world is becoming worse and worse about material things. The media makes you believe that you need this new thing to be pretty, this new thing to be skinny, this new thing to be smart... It's a terrible cycle where we will always need the new best thing and these material things stack up and what do we have to show for that pile of garbage? What we should be concentrating on is our relationships! You can take those with you to heaven. Our relationships with people, our relationship with God. These are the things that matter the most and these days those are becoming second to money and belongings. How did we get that way? How do we get back?

Autumn is in session!

Yay!!!! Ruche has launched their new lookbook "Autumn in Session"!!! Their stuff is so beautiful and classic. Here are just a few of my favorites.

Check out the whole lookbook here!




 

Husbands say the darndest things!

I know mine does. Does yours?

I love reading the "Kids say the darndest things" lists. They are so cute!!! I got to thinking about how my husband says things that are just as cute and sometimes hilarious. Why not humiliate him and document them on my blog?

So the other night me and my husband were lying in bed, it was late and we were tired. Earlier that day I had come to him with the idea of juicing my fruits and veggies from now on to kill yeast in my body. I had a huge box of veggies in one arm and a juicer in the other. (I come up with a clever plan for healing myself about once a month.) He always just laughs it off and lets me go on about my schemes. He knows that they usually only last a day or two.

Anyway, so we are lying in bed and I am in one of my moods. I get in these moods sometimes where everything is funny. EVERYTHING regardless if it is actually funny or not. So I'm laughing uncontrollably at something that is not actually funny and even snorting sometimes in between. He turns and looks right at me and says (with a smile) "You are the weirdest person I have EVER met. I think you came from outer space."

Boots!!

I got my Victoria's Secret catalog in the mail yesterday and it was all about BOOTS! I love wearing boots and just thinking about them makes me long for Fall to be here already! Check out these great boots I found on VS's website.

SHE

Hi guys!!! Hope y'all are all doing well today! I have been so out of it lately...I haven't been keeping up with anything! Cleaning, blogging, emails, Twitter...etc. Do y'all ever get like that?! I've just been so lazy!! We have been having serious issues at work recently too. Our office manager has just up and quit coming in. She tells us that she is on her way and she never shows up. It's the strangest thing in the world. We are weeks behind on paperwork and payroll but I figured it out (somewhat) this morning and made it work. I guess the best way to learn things is under pressure right? Anyway, in case you didn't notice yet, I added a 'Like' box to my sidebar for my Cupcake Facebook Page! It's nowhere near done but I have some cupcake photos on there so take a look and if you like it...'Like' it! :D

Last weekend I attended the SHE event at my church. If you haven't heard of it, it's an event for women of all ages. Rebecca St. James, her brothers and Evie all sing inspirational songs. Rebecca and Evie talk from their heart about issues facing women in the world today. There is also a question and answer portion and they had some really great things to say. Here's what sheevent.com had to say about Rebecca:

A multiple Dove Award winner as well as a winner of America’s most prestigious musical Award—the Grammy®—Australian born REBECCA ST. JAMES has throughout the late ‘90’s until present been considered to be a major defining female voice in contemporary Christian Music.

Here is what it says about the SHE event:

A “SHE” event is a gathering in a unique “cross generational” community of women of all ages who feel called to be “their best” for God. We celebrate the beauty of womanhood in every season—from pre-teen to maturity—being ‘safe, healthy and empowered’ means finding freedom in becoming the kind of woman God intended us to be.
How often do we get to sit down with women of all ages and life experiences—and really get to the “heart” of things on issues that matter in our life? Not often! The “SHE” event provides this kind of embracing setting—with Rebecca and Evie leading us in a straight talk, from the heart, commentary on living life as a Proverbs 31 woman in a where- the-rubber-meets-the road 21st century world.
We’ll talk about the things we care about from purpose and security in God, to mentoring, to communicating more effectively with each other—whether teen to parent, or friend to friend—SHE is a place to come to network new knowledge and inspiration. Rebecca and Evie set their lives and their music before us to share God’s grace, His love—and His passion to reach us with biblical principals that speak to our heart on how special He created “woman” to be.
Whether you come to take notes, or just to take heart—a SHE conference is a place to come meet “the girls” of every age who want to learn to sit at the feet of Jesus and regain the real beauty of womanhood that the world has tried to take away.
A SHE event is open—and encouraging—whether you’re 8 or 80—to celebrate being a SHE woman—safe, healthy, and empowered in God.




Click here to learn more about it or see if the event is coming to your area soon!! You will leave there feeling like you just had a great, inspirational conversation with a group of friends. It gave me the get up and go that I've been needing for my spiritual growth lately. It had taken a backseat due to the other things going on in my life and this event really helped me to remember that God should always be first in our lives.
 
 
 
I bought Rebecca's first book titled SHE. She has a few other books out including some devotionals. After the concert she was signing books and CD's so I jumped at the chance to meet her. She was so sweet and I just love her Austrailian accent. :) Here's me, Rebecca and her brothers. Oh and her brothers are getting into the singing business too! They are called Joel & Luke and they are sooooo good!!! Visit their Myspace page here and listen to some of their songs. You will love their music!!
 
 
 

In my book she signed her name and below it she wrote (Tim 4:12). As soon as I got home I looked up the verse and here's what it says. "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." I love it. :)

Oh and I almost forgot to mention that she was in a movie!! It's called Sarah's Choice. They showed the trailer for it at the concert and it brought tears to my eyes. Click here to see the trailer. Here's the synosis from IMDb:

Sarah Collins is considering an abortion. Before she makes her final decision, she is presented with three visions causing her to think about the impact on her future.

Sorry if this post was a bit all over the place. LOL I hope y'all have a fantastic day!!

New Logo??

Thank you guys SOOOO much for all of your input!!!!!! I love when y'all are honest with me. I think I have decided to just stick with my initial thought...Sweet! Cupcakes & More. I think it's cute, it shows that I do mostly cupcakes but that I can also do other things. I don't have Photoshop or anything like that but I was in a creative mood yesterday so I started up Paint and tried to make myself a logo. I drew the cupcake and scanned it onto the computer so tell me if it looks cheesy! I didn't want it to look perfect...it's supposed to look drawn and cutesy. Tell me what y'all think!! Shannon over at Webbisodes does really great designing so she is also going to work something up for me but I wanted to see what y'all thought of this.

On another note, our friends had their baby boy last night. We didn't have the chance to visit last night but we are going to visit them tonight!! I just love holding brand new babies. :)

I know I've asked a lot of favors from y'all recently...but if you could do me just one more it would mean the world to me. My sister is over in Korea and is having some health problems. Please pray for her when you get the chance. I worry like crazy about her and I hate that I can't be there with her during this.

I hope y'all are having a great week so far!

New Blog Design plus I need y'alls help!!

Happy Monday morning sweet friends!! I hope y'all have a fantastic week! I am beyond excited about my new blog design!!!! I was so so so lucky to have won a blog design giveaway from Shannon at Webbisodes! It was designed by Becca at Jumping Jax Designs. She is absolutely amazing!! I am super picky and I'm sure I got on her last nerve but she did everything I asked and made it look perfect! If you ever feel like having your blog re-designed, she's your girl!!! Thank you Shannon and Becca! :)

   
       Okay, here's where I need y'alls help. I am wanting to start a little side business. I will do mostly cupcakes but I can also do cakes, candies, favors...etc. So I have been wanting to get some business cards done but I haven't come up with a name yet!!! I have really been leaning towards the name Sweet! Cupcakes & More. The design would be Sweet! written really big in cursive with a cupcake as the dot in the exclamation mark and then much smaller underneath would be Cupcakes & More. My brother doesn't like it so I asked Shannon what she thought and she came up with some more good names. Now I have no idea what to do!! I was hoping y'all could help me!!! Here's a list of names. Please tell me which one you like the best or if you have another name that you like. Thanks so much!!!!!!     1. Sweet! Cupcakes & More 2. Southern Sugar Company 3. Carolina Cupcake Company 4. Simply Sweet! 5. Sugar 'n Spice 6. Sweet Southern Cupcakes      

A Ruche Scarf

Okay, after watching football last night I'm officially on board for Fall! I am so darn excited about that chilly weather!!! Please come soon! I started looking online for some Fall 2010 lookbooks. (I heart lookbooks!) I found a great Ruche lookbook from last year (still cute) and I saw an AMAZING scarf in it. I think I even remember seeing it last year... Isn't it adorable???

I taught myself to crochet last year so my first thought upon seeing this lovely scarf was "I can make that!" Well, I don't know if I can actually make it or not...but I'm going to have fun trying!! LOL I made my sister this scarf last year...

...so I should be able to figure that Ruche one out right?! I even love the yellow color of it. I'd also like to do a dark teal one. Do any of y'all crochet?? Isn't it just so much fun?? I can hardly ever find the time for it but when it's cold outside and I'm cozied up on the chair in front of the fire, crocheting just seems like the right thing to do! Haha. I'm so excited!!! I may have to start practicing my crochet skills. I haven't touched it in months!!

Okay, so who wants to tackle this scarf with me?! Any tips or patterns to share???

Vitamin B12

Well I have sucessfully taken another baby step to feeling better! While I am still waiting until the 20th to see my new specialist, I decided to visit my regular doctor to see if he had any thoughts on my symptoms. He plainly stated that what I was rambling on about was out of his area and over his head. I figured as much. However, he did some bloodwork and did find a little something that may or may not help me. My Vitamin B12 level was low. For those of you who don't know, I have an autoimmune disease. With one autoimmune disease comes many more it seems and low Vitamin B12 can be linked to the autoimmune disease, Pernicious Anemia. He didn't do any extra tests for that and I will leave that up to the specialist when it comes time.

In my usual style, I researched the heck out of Vitamin B12 as soon as the nurse relayed the results. I found out a lot of interesting stuff about it and read that low levels were often unchecked and undiagnosed. I wanted to tell everyone about my findings in hopes that if you are having some of the symptoms and can't find relief, you will see your doctor and make them check your Vitamin B12 level!! It's very important for us to stay on top of our own health. We know our bodies better than anyone and it's up to us to keep pushing to feel better each day. We absolutely cannot leave it all up to doctors because too many things slip through the cracks and too many doctors aren't updated on new research and discoveries. I know this from experience.

Some symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency are:

Fatigue
Nausea
Shortness of breath
Irritability
Sore mouth
Headaches
Hair loss
Dizziness
Sleeping problems
Numbness or tingling in fingers or toes
Problems concentrating
Confusion

Vitamin B12 is most commonly found in animal products such as fish, meat, and dairy products. If you aren't eating enough of these products, you could have low Vitamin B12 levels and it could simply be fixed by eating more of them. Low B12 levels could also be caused by a number of other things and it's best to check with your doctor before starting any supplements.


I started my B12 supplements yesterday and I've got my fingers crossed that it will help even if only a tiny bit!! :)

Oh and I'm so super excited that the first preseason game of the Carolina Panthers is on tonight!!!!!! I LOVE football season! Don't y'all??

Booty Butter Tanning Lotion

Good morning sweet friends!! I hope y'all are having a great week so far!! I had almost forgot to even tell y'all about this product!! Colleen from Bikini Kitchen contacted me back in June about a product called Booty Butter Tanning Lotion. She sent me 2 small bottles. One to try out and review and one to give away to a reader! I was super excited to try it out!! Here is what she had to say about this product:

We guarantee your readers will see a noticeable difference in their tan in just one hour. Your readers will not only be getting a rocking tan, but they also won't have to spend countless hours to achieve it! Our tanning lotion is so superior that even fairer beach babes can use Booty Butter in conjunction with any type of SPF lotion (highly recommended), and they'll still see amazing results. Say goodbye to fake bake, orange skin and say hello to a natural glow regardless of skin tone.

Booty Butter contains all-natural ingredients from the islands of Hawaii. Its special Hawaiian Kukui Nut Oil speeds up the tanning process, and Kona Coffee extract gives Booty Butter its mouth-watering aroma. Our perfect recipe also includes Macadamia Nut Oil, light mineral oil and Aloe Vera, which blend to create the perfect mix that keep your skin moisturized long after leaving the sun.
 
 
 
 
 

I wished that I had this product when I spent a few days at the beach this summer but it arrived about a week after I got back. I don't spend a whole lot of time in the sun because I'm pretty fair and of course there's that pesky skin cancer...so the next chance I got was while I was in Alabama for the Jimmy Buffett concert. I decided to slather it on before heading to the pool.

 

First of all, it smells SO GOOD!!!!!! I almost wanted to eat it. ALMOST.

 

You have to use quite a bit of it. I don't know if it soaks into my skin fast or what but I kept having to squeeze more and more out to get where I felt I hadn't missed any spots. This isn't a dark tanning lotion at all. I think it's meant to give you a nice natural glow and that's exactly what it did!! I felt good about using it because it was all natural. After a couple hours in the sun I had a very pretty glow. The glow is very natural looking and just made me look healthier. I loved it!! It was perfect for my fair skin.

 

My skin also felt very soft after using it. It wasn't oily or sticky at all. It pretty much disappeared after being rubbed in.

 
 
 
 

I'd love for you to try it for yourself!! You can go to their website to check out their products http://www.bikinikitchen.com/.

 

 

 

Also, I am giving away a free bottle of the Booty Butter Tanning Lotion!! 

 
 
 

I didn't want to do a huge extensive giveaway process for just a little bottle so I figured I would just play a guessing game! The first person to guess the correct answer by leaving me a comment will win! Good luck guys!! :)

What year did I graduate high school?

****The correct year was already guessed! It was 2001. Congratulations Shannon!!! :) Thanks for trying everyone! Make sure to visit their website and check out all of their other natural products!****

A Day of Silence for "Bumpkin on a Swing"

I'm wiping away tears as I write this post and try to think of the right things to say. I just found out that Lisa from Bumpkin on a Swing has lost her battle with ovarian cancer. I am devastated and my thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends. I didn't get to know her as well as I wish I could have, but I know she was a very inspiring, cheerful person who made everyone feel welcome in the blog world. She was one of the first people to welcome me when I started. Please visit her blog here to read her story. Lisa, you will be truly missed!

June/July Favorites

I just realized I skipped June! A tragedy...I know. I'll just have to combine June and July's faves together. They have both been super hot and I don't think August is going to be much better. I am already hoping for Fall!!!! Fall is my absolute FAVORITE season. This Fall is going to be especially spectacular because we are in the process of putting a hot tub on our screened in porch. Can you just imagine?? Chilly Fall air, my husband and I in the hot tub with a glass of wine. Well you don't have to imagine that...LOL But I'm telling you it's going to be great. Anyway, here's my favorite things from June and July!

Persons Unknown

Please tell me someone else is watching this show!!!! I am OBSESSED!!!!!! When I first started watching it I thought it was a bit weird. Well, it's still weird. But I like it!! If you haven't heard of it, click here to read about it! It's awesome!!!!! I'm even starting to develop a bit of a crush on Joe!!!

Fresh fruits and vegetables

I have tried to start cleaning up my diet a little bit by not eating so much processed food and/or HFCS. I started eating a lot of fresh fruits and veggies with meals and an apple or pear for snack. It makes me feel good to eat natural food straight from the source!

Burt's Bees Medicated Lip Balm with Clove Oil

LOVE this stuff!!!!!! I've been using it for years but it always comes in most handy during the summer or winter months. I love the smell of the clove oil and it makes my lips super soft without leaving any residue around the edges. What I love most about Burt's Bees products is that they are made from natural ingredients. Their lip balms contain no petroleums and only use the natural colours found in the natural ingredients used in the product.

Forever 21's 5 pocket Denim Shorts

These are some of the best shorts I've ever owned!!! They are the perfect length, the perfect color and they fit great! They are also super comfortable. Oh and they were only $10.50! It doesn't get any better than that!

Gone with the Wind

I just finished reading Gone with the Wind last week. I am surprised I didn't read it a long time ago!! It was amazing!!! I got pulled right into the the time period and wanted to be dressing up and going dancing! I also learned a lot of history and a lot about the South. If you've never read it, I really really recommend it. You will love it!! Now I'm excited to watch the movie so I can see all of the characters come to life. :)

MAC Painterly Paint Pot

LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff!!!!! It is a cream eyeshadow base and it is amazing. It smooths out your eyelid and makes it look perfect. You can wear it just like that and it makes you look wide awake and healthy. Or you can put eyeshadow on top. It makes the colors really pop and keeps my eyeshadow on all day! I tend to get oily eyelids during the day but this stuff doesn't get oily or budge all day. If you don't have a favorite eyeshadow base yet, GO GET THIS! You will thank me. :)

What are some of y'alls favorite things from this summer??

Pay Attention To Your Words

"Wise words satisfy like a good meal;

the right words bring satisfaction.

The tongue can bring death or life;

those who love to talk will reap the consequences."

-Proverbs 18:20-21

Our words can kill or nourish life. Today, pay attention to your words. Use them judiciously. Imagine they are coins. Don't toss them away. Invest them wisely and reap the rewards.

-Encouraging Words: Your Daily Devotion

This was such a powerful message for me. I don't know about y'all...but I have a problem running my mouth sometimes. I can't help but gossip and always tend to say exactly what I think whether it's appropriate or not. More times than not, I find myself looking back on a conversation I had and wishing I hadn't said half of the things I said. Sometimes we don't stop and think about the damage just a few words could do. Let's all concentrate and think very hard about what we are going to say before we say it from now on. Not only will we feel better about what we say, but I'm sure others will feel better about it too. :)

Off to the Buckeye State!

Happy Friday!!!! Me and my husband are heading to Ohio tomorrow morning to visit my grandparents! We haven't seen them since last Thanksgiving. We spent a couple days up there visiting with family and my husband went hunting with my cousin. It was a little bit of a different experience up there with all the snow and the freezing temperatures. He loves it though!

We will be going to Scioto Downs tomorrow night for the horse races and I am so excited. Instead of jockey racing, Scioto Downs has harness racing. It should be fun and interesting! :) I haven't been since I was a little girl. I don't really remember much about it except walking around with my grandpa and picking tickets up off the ground. Haha! I also remember going to see a few horses that my grandpa had.






My grandpa actually used to harness race when he was younger!! He has raced at Scioto Downs and tons of other tracks in Michigan and Ohio. He won first place in a few races. The horses he won with were named Tam-O-Shantor and Paul K. I just think that is so awesome! He is adorable because he is super proud of it and doesn't hesitate to tell you all about it. I wish y'all could come with me to listen to his stories!!! I will try to take some pictures of the pictures he has of him racing and posing with the horses so I can show y'all!

Doesn't that seem so much scarier than actually riding on the horse??? I wonder how often they crash em up?

What do y'all have planned for this weekend??

 

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!

Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head!! Hahaha. I had to throw that in there. Love me some Lion King. Anyway, don't y'all just love coconut??? The smell and taste bring me straight to the tropics! Not only is it delicious but it's also very healthy!! Coconuts are rich in specific fats that have great health benefits.

Coconut water has been known to re-hydrate the body, raise your metabolism, boost your immune system, cleanse your digestive tract, break up kidney stones, fight viruses, cure hangovers, boost thyroid health, eliminate swelling, reduce wrinkles and balance your ph among many other things!! And if you're into Ayurveda, I've read that drinking coconut water can have a calming, stress relieving effect. I came up with 10 different ways for us to use coconut water so we can all benefit from this wonderful fruit!

I know you can find coconut water in health food stores or on the internet but I'm not sure if you will find it at your local grocery store or not. Make sure you get natural coconut water with no added sugars. It's pretty sweet all by itself!

1. Make tea with coconut water instead of plain! I made my decaf Earl Grey with coconut water and it was DELICIOUS!

2. Pour yourself a glass of coconut water with a few drops of lemon juice. A cool, refreshing drink for the summer!

3. Make your regular rice with coconut water instead for a delicious side dish!

4. Freeze the coconut water in an ice cube tray and add to any drink for a taste of yummy coconut.

5. Add a cup of coconut water to your favorite smoothie recipe. I love to add it to strawberries and bananas. The coconut water helps to replenish your body after a workout!

6. Add it to your shampoo and/or conditioner for oily hair. (I haven't tried this yet but I'm definitely going to!)

7. Smooth coconut water over your face and leave on for about 15 minutes before rinsing. It helps to clean, tone and hydrate your skin. I've read about it helping with acne and acne scars too!

8. Mix coconut water and your favorite fruits, freeze and you have yourself a delicious popsicle. :)

9. Soak your feet in a mixture of warm water and coconut water. It hydrates the skin and makes them nice and soft.

10. Soak your fingernails in coconut water before a manicure to soften your cuticles and hydrate any dry skin around them.

There are tons of ways to utilize coconut water! It seems like a miracle liquid! Even celebrities are taking notice of it.

Do you need any more reasons to get yourself some coconut water ASAP?!

Twilight Cupcakes

Good morning everyone!!!!!! I hope y'all are doing fabulous! I am so grateful for all of the sweet comments from you guys. I can't believe how many amazing people I've met on here. Thank you guys!!!! I'm feeling a little better but not 100%. I did find a new doctor though that I'm pretty excited about!! She is a specialist and I am praying that she is that perfect doctor that I've been looking for. My appointment is on the 20th so we shall see!!

If you read my Twitter you already know that I was hired to make Twilight cupcakes for a birthday party this past weekend!! I was sooooo excited about it and I brainstormed for a while and this is what I came up with!! The kids LOVED them which is what was most important. :)

Isn't the little apple so cute?! I'm pretty proud of it!! It's the first thing I've molded out of fondant.

The girls were Team Edward. :)

Sorry for the terrible picture quality. My camera was full so I had to use my phone.

The cupcakes were my delicious vanilla buttermilk cupcakes. You can find the recipe here. The frosting was yummy cream cheese frosting. It is the BEST cream cheese frosting EVER and I promise I will share it with y'all soon when I show you the red velvet cupcakes I made for a friend. Inside the cupcakes is a cherry filling.

I've been pretty busy with cupcakes lately and I am LOVING it!!! I also made farm animal cupcakes for a baby shower this past weekend and I can't wait to show y'all those!! :)