Caramel Apple Spice

Have y'all ever tried the Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks??? It is SO GOOD! I love flavored coffee...but every now and then I love a good apple cider. Last Fall I tried the CAS from Starbucks for the first time and fell in love! I would crave it at least once a week. I decided I better learn how to make it at home to save some money. Now that it's Fall again I broke out my recipe and started at it again. Yummy yummy yummy!! Here's the recipe so you can make one for yourself!

Caramel Apple Spice

No sugar added apple juice

Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Dulce de Leche to taste

Whipped Cream

1. Heat the apple juice and spices until boiling. Let steep for 5-10 minutes.

2. Pour in a mug and add Dulce de Leche to your liking. (I use about 2 tablespoons)

3. Stir it up, add whipped cream and squeeze more dulce de leche on top. 

**Starbucks sells the cinnamon syrup that they use in their CAS but I prefer to make my own cider. If you want a more Starbuck's authentic taste, add their cinnamon syrup to steamed apple juice instead!** 

I think I'll make one now especially for my birthday, sit on the front porch swing and enjoy the crisp Fall morning before getting ready for my FIRST DAY BACK TO SCHOOL!

 Hope y'all have a fabulous day!

Pretty Is As Pretty Does

I have a confession to make. Ever since I started reading Gone With The Wind...I have become OBSESSED with 1800's southern plantation life. I read through GWTW, Scarlett, and Rhett Butler's People in record time and have been searching online for more books like them!! I just can't get enough. My husband even found me a plantation house built in 1852 FOR SALE in SC!! Hahaha. Oh how I wish I could buy it and spend my days fixing it up to look just like it would have in the 1800's. I told y'all I was obsessed. Click here to see the MLS listing on the house!!! It's amazing!!!!!!!!

So anyway, back to my obsession. I know Scarlett is selfish and bratty and a bit promiscuous but other than that we actually have a LOT in common!!! I feel like I can relate to her in a lot of ways. I recently read a book called Scarlett Rules by Lisa Bertagnoli. It's great!!! It gives you 24 life lessons inspired by Scarlett O'hara. I love them all but I thought I'd share my favorite one with y'all.

Scarlett Rule 1

Pretty Is As Pretty Does

Although Scarlett was portrayed as drop dead gorgeous Vivien Leigh in the movie, it was made clear in the book that Scarlett wasn't beautiful.

"Scarlett O'hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm." - GWTW

What made Scarlett different from every other average looking girl in the world is that Scarlett was unaware of her lack of beauty. Scarlett knew how to dress to play up her figure, and she know how to act make men (and women) forget she was anything but ravishing.

Truly charming people make anyone feel that he or she is the only person in the world. They know how to deliver a compliment and how to accept one. They know how to make people feel good about themselves and about life, no matter what the circumstances.

Charm is a skill that takes cultivating. What does it take to be like her, the woman whose entrance makes a party, whose smile is like the sun breaking through the clouds, who's invited everywhere and then some?

She listens. She doesn't interrupt. She doesn't reply to an anecdote with a quick "Oh, that happened to me once!" She lets the story, however trite, long or boring belong to the teller. She remembers people's names and details about their lives: new job, new baby, new home. She asks to see baby pictures, sparing proud new parents the awkwardness of an unwanted show and tell.

She gives well considered, straightforward compliments with no hidden meaning. She knows how to accept a compliment. She knows the proper response is Thank you. How kind of you. No embellishment or argument needed.

A charming woman says thank you and please. She handwrites thank you notes even if she's already thanked the giver in person.

There's so much more to that section but I managed to squeeze my favorite parts in there. I think we all need a reminder of how to be charming every now and then. I think my main issue is with compliments. I ALWAYS say Oh stop!! That's ridiculous... Or you're crazy!! or something like that. Of course I need to work on all of it!! I need to go to charm school for sure. Hahaha.

So enough about my obsession with all things GWTW and Scarlett O'hara...what's YOUR favorite book of all time??

Miscellany Monday

Good morning!!!!!!! I have missed y'all so much! I have been insanely busy the last couple of weeks and my blog has suffered. :(  I have so much to tell y'all though!!

(1) I have created a new blog for my cupcake shop!!!!!!!! I'm so super excited about it!!! Please check it out when you get a chance and follow me! Sweet! Cupcakes & More  Isn't the blog design AMAZING?! Details coming soon!!

(2) Speaking of my cupcake shop...things are going so well!! Better than I could have ever imagined! I did 2 birthday parties this weekend and I have 3 more coming up next week! It keeps me way busier than I thought it would but I love it! I can't wait to share the pictures with y'all!

(3) I know I've talked about this before...but I am FINALLY starting school again!! I managed to get in 1 short session class starting Wednesday. I'll get that out of the way and then start my full load in January. I am so darn excited I can't contain myself. I am going for an Associate of Arts degree for now which gives me freedom to transfer into a number of things. However, I have decided to get a certification in Medical Laboratory Science. I am so interested in medical research and studies and I never thought I could actually get into that. I thought it would take too long and I don't like to touch people or anything like that so I never pursued it. A couple weeks ago I heard about MLT and it's basically background medical stuff. Labs and research. Exactly what I wanted and I can get certified in 2 years. I know I'm rambling but I'm so excited!!!

(4) I can't talk about all of this without mentioning where I've found the strength to get where I am today. The last couple of months have been really hard. With personal medical problems, slowly closing down our family run business, going on unemployment...etc. I have been scared to death. I am full of advice when it comes to other people's problems..."Trust God" "Don't worry about it, God will take care of you" but when it comes to myself, it's easier said than done. I have been praying like crazy every day asking God what in the world am I going to do? I've lost my job, I can't have children, I can't afford to adopt or get an egg donor, I have no idea what I want to do with my life...Please help me! Well, for months I felt as if my prayers would never be answered. Then suddenly things seemed to fall into place. My cupcake business took off, I finally decided and feel good about going back to school, I got some of my medical problems worked out and I have even somewhat been able to look at pregnant women and babies without crying for once. Things are coming together and God has really blessed me. He always has...I think we all just get into our own little pity party sometimes and forget what all we've been blessed with. If anyone is going through something tough right now...please know that number one...you're not alone and number two...keep holding on! The light at the end of tunnel is not far!!

(5) Wednesday is my birthday!! I am turning 27 this year and this is the first year I haven't been excited about my birthday. I don't even feel like celebrating! I hate to be that way but I've been in an "I'm getting old!" slump lately. To be honest...I wouldn't want to be in my late teens or early twenties again. I am extremely happy at my current age. I just don't want to get any older! ;)

(6) Tonight I'm getting my hair done!!! I usually do it myself, but I'm wanting some highlights and I haven't quite mastered foiling my own hair. Hahaha. I'm going to go do a light brownish red highlight. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

I'm sure I'm leaving out a hundred things...but I can't think of anything else right this second. Plus, I'm itching to catch up on y'alls blogs!! Love you guys!! Hope y'all have a wonderful day! :)