Food For Thought Tuesday: Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes

Hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. 

We pretty much did nothing.  

It was nice. 

The weather however, was horrible. 

When is summer ever going to show up?

Even though the weather was horrible, this little treat did brighten my day a little. :)

I made these on Sunday and they were delicious! 

Ingredients:

SUPER EASY

These cupcakes are seriously easy peasy. The only ingredient that was not in my pantry was the Fanta strawberry soda. 

I love how pink the batter is from the soda. 

I only like to fill my cupcake papers about two-thirds full.  I find if you do it any more than this than you get major muffin-tops.  

This batter made 18 cupcakes. 

Cool, and frost.

Recipe from "Super Moist Cake Mix Recipes" from Betty Crocker

Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes:

1 box Betty Crocker super moist white cake mix

1 1/4 cups strawberry flavored soda pop ( I used Fanta)

Vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box.

Fresh Strawberries for garnish

1 Recipe of Cream Cheese Frosting.  Go HERE for my recipe.

heat oven to 350.  Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes, substituting soda pop for the water and using oil and egg whites.  

Bake for 14 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10  minutes.  Remove and cool on cooling rack. 

When completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting and top with chopped strawberries. 

Refrigerate. 

Linking up to some of these parties!

Simple Square Frame-Advice

Over the weekend, my hubby and I made this square frame. 

We made it out of very rustic wood and just nailed the it together.  

It seriously took 15 minutes. 

I LOVE the way it looks. I love how rustic and old it looks and the simplicity of it.  

However, I don't know what to do with it!

I was thinking I wanted use it as a wreath, rather than a frame but I have no idea what to do! 

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Picture A Day {Week 9}

Hope you all are having a great Memorial Day Weekend! 

It is week 9 over at my Picture A Day blog! 

Thank you for all of those that voted last week.  I actually voted for this picture as well! 

Last week your favorite photo was:

Old Milk Jug

Friday Favorites Linky Party!!

Happy Friday! 

It has been another busy week at my house. 

*Charlie has been teething again.  He now has 4 teeth.

*Hannah graduated from preschool

*I am getting my hair done! (it's about time)

and the best news of all:

My hubby passed his state Civil Engineering Exam!!!!!!! 

I am so proud of him.  Now he just needs to find a job.  :)

Last week you guys linked up some awesome creations! 

Here are a few highlights:

This Strawberry Limeade looks so refreshing.  I am definitely going to try this one out!

{Happy Little Party}

Love the color of this wire frame! So cute.

{The Gunny Sack}

This is such a great baby shower gift idea! They are washcloths and baby spoons that look like lollipops! Such a fun idea!

 {320 Days of Sunshine}

Food For Thought Tuesday: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

For family home evening we made Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

I remember eating these when I was young and I haven't had one in years, so I decided that it would be fun to make these for our treat for FHE. 

I love to include Hannah and Charlie when I cook.  Hannah is getting big enough to really do most of the work.  I just help her a little.  Obviously Charlie can't cook, but he loves to sit and watch me cook dinner every night.  

Picture A Day {Week 8}

Hope you all are having a good weekend! 

It's week 8 over at my Picture A Day Blog.  

Last week your favorite photo was:

The Tree

Friday Favorites Linky Party!!

Happy Friday!

Wow, I didn't think the weekend would ever get here.  It has been raining ALL week long and I am about sick of it!  I am so looking forward to a nice weekend spending time with my family.

Last week you guys linked up some great creations.  Here are some highlights:

Loving this planter box, so bright and cheery!

{Sassy Sanctuary}

I want one of these! I love owls, and this necklace is so pretty! 

{My Girlish Whims}

Love this coffee table redo! She did a fabulous job. 

{Upcycling My Ordinary Life}

Brag Board {tutorial}

As you know we are poor college students, and don't really have the funds to buy expensive gifts for Mother's Day. 

So I was trying to come up with an inexpensive, yet cute way that my mom and mother-in-law could hang up all their pictures of all their grandchildren, and this is what I came up with.  

It was super easy to make, and the supplies were really inexpensive. 

I made one with green lettering and the other one with brown lettering.  I actually like the brown lettering better, but I didn't get a picture of the finished product!  

So this is the one I gave my mom.

Because I haven't cooked in a week...

There is no recipe this week. 

This funk that I have been in has affected my cooking. 

I have avoided it like the plague.

I had the greatest intention of cooking a real meal last night,

but that didn't happen.

My day was spent doing as little as possible.

I have two sick kids

and I can't seem to get over a nasty cold.

So I have drugged myself with dayquil, and cough medicine

and am praying this nasty cold will just go away!

So to make up for not posting a recipe,

I thought I would show off the cutest little boy in the world.

My baby just turned 6 months old!  I can't believe it. 

I took these pictures over the weekend, and I am loving how they turned out. :)

Which one is your favorite?

ps: i actually have a craft to post tomorrow.....so be sure to check back. :)

Check these out!

I intended to do these features on Friday, but when blogger was having all of it's issues, I didn't have time to get these up.  

So I just wanted to share a few highlights from last week's linky party.

These chocolate covered oreos look so pretty, not to mention delicious! :)

{It's Always a Party at the Parkers}

These boston cream pie cupcakes look divine! 

{A Pretty Life in the Suburbs}

Love this princess and the frog themed birthday party! 

{Nothing But Country}

I am loving the mason jar trend.  I especially love these painted mason jars! So shabby chic!

{Liz Marie}

I have been in a serious funk lately and unfortunately blogging has been the last thing that I have wanted to do.

Our family is going through a lot of changes and will be going through a lot of changes in the months to come and my stress level has been through the roof.  

So that is why my blogging and crafting has been lacking lately.  

Hopefully, I will get out of this rut and back to regular crafting soon! :) 

Hope you all have a wonderful monday. 

XOXO

Picture A Day {Week 7}

Hope you all are having a nice weekend!

  It's week 7 over at my Picture a Day blog.  

Last week your favorite photo was:

{Concentrating}

I love this photo because Charlie could care less that I wanted him to smile, he was trying so hard to pick at the grass on the ground! :) 

Thanks to everyone that voted! :) 

Here are this week's photos:

To vote you can look at the photos below, or you can see the full size images here. 

The poll is on my sidebar. 

This week we spent a lot of time at the park, Charlie turned 6 months old, and we got some interesting weather! 

Can't wait to see which is your favorite this week. 

Friday Favorites Linky Party!!

Happy Friday!

I know this is super late, but since blogger has been down I wasn't able to get this up any sooner! 

*since this is very last minute, I haven't been able to do features.  (I will do a feature on Monday, so be sure to check back)

I can't wait to see what you all have worked on this week! 

Please use a link or button to link back and also visit a few other links! 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! :)

Food For Thought Tuesday: Pound Cake Trifle

 This dessert was actually the creation after a cooking fail. 

I was supposed to make a Strawberry Boston Cream Pie for dessert for Mother's Day. 

Let's just say I was a little too impatient and the cake didn't turn out well.

A run to costo for some pound cake, let to this creation:

Pound Cake Trifle. 

Pound Cake Trifle.

1 store bought pound cake. ( I bought mine at costco, but you can get the stuff in the freezer section too)

1 small box of French Vanilla Instant pudding

1 cup cream

1 cup milk

3 cups sliced strawberries

1 box danish dessert

Cool Whip

A couple hours before you are ready to serve your dessert, prepare Danish dessert according to package instructions.  Let cool in refrigerator. 

Prepare pudding with 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream and whisk.  Set in fridge until thick.  

Cube pound cake into bite sized pieces.

You could make one large trifle or do individual servings.  I did individual cups.

This is how I layered it:

Pudding

Cake

Strawberries

Cake

Pudding

Cool Whip

Strawberries

We all loved how it turned out! It was really yummy and I will definitely be making this again in the future! 

Linking up to these parties!

Real Life.

I posted this on my personal blog, and thought I would share it with you. 

All I wanted for Mother's Day was a picture with my kids. 

Well, as you can see they had other plans. 

Hannah decided to throw a tantrum.

Charlie was laughing at his sister.

And I am clenching my teeth and silently yelling at Brandon to take the damn picture. 

When I was going through the pictures, I was kind of disappointed that they didn't turn out better.  

I then realized that:

This is real life. 

My life.

I may not have a perfect life, but I have the life I always wanted.

Picture A Day {Week 6}

I hope you all are enjoying your Mother's Day Weekend! 

It is week 6 over at my Picture a Day blog!

Last week it was a tie between: Pansies and Coloring Eggs.

I really love both of these pictures.  I especially love the one of my hubby and Hannah because I love Hannah's facial expression! She is so darn cute. :) 

Here are this week's photos.  You can vote by looking at the photos below, or you can see the full size images here. 

It was a fun week of pictures last week.  I caught Hannah flying her kite, Charlie concentrating on picking some grass, and I got some fun shots of the world around me. 

Can't wait to see which one is your favorite this week! :)

Friday Favorites Linky Party!!

Hey Everyone! 

I hope you all had a fantastic week.

You guys linked up some great creations last week,

here are some highlights!

Love this nightstand makeover! I especially love that color!

{Liz Marie}

What a fun idea for Mother's Day! Love the way she put this together. :)

 {Something Created Everyday}

This cinnamon coffe cake looks divine! I am definitely trying this recipe out. :)

{Sweet Little Smoothie}

Can't wait to see what you all have worked on this week! 

Please link back to my post, and visit a few other links. :)

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Hanging Letter Frame

I know I haven't crafted for a couple of weeks.

It has been kind of busy around here lately and I just haven't had the motivation to be crafty. 

I seriously have a huge list of things I want to make, but I just don't have the time or the motivation to actually make it! :)

I was able to put together a simple craft today, that I am actually using for a wedding present.

It was super easy to make, and was really inexpensive.  I had all of the supplies on hand.  

Yes, I even had the M.  

I was planning on using that for another project, but it just so happens that the last name of the newlywed couple begins with M.  

Tutorial:

Step 1: Paint your frame.  I painted mine black.  It required a couple of coats. 

Step 2: Paint your letter black, or whichever color that you prefer. :)

Step 3.  Mod podge some paper on your letter and then use sandpaper and distressing ink to make it look old.  Then use lace and a button to embellish.  I tried to keep it simple.  This person has a very similar style to my own, and I like to keep things looking simple. 

Step 4: Tie a small bow (I used fabric, that I ripped) around the top of your frame.  Then secure another piece of fabric to hot glue to your letter.  

 And your done! 

I really like how it turned out! The best part was that it only took about a half hour to put together and I didn't have to run out and get any supplies!

I think I might make myself one in the future.  We will be moving soon, and when we get settled I would really like to have a gallery style wall and I think this would look perfect for my wall! 

Linking up to these parties!