Cupcakes

I love them.
I love to make them.
I love to see my kids' faces as they enjoy them :)

Here are some I made today. I FINALLY bought a cake decorator set and tried it out just a tiny bit.



I think I will make those orange ones, again, for Halloween! :)

Cupcake Creations :)

I have started out on a new venture.
The road is slow going, but I am patient :)

For a couple years now, I have been making (...creating, whatever you wanna call it...) Birthday invitations for my friend's kids. They have ALWAYS given me super feedback and would insist that I do "something" with my talent.

So, I have...finally.

I call it Cupcake Creations and I have my own little etsy store.
I specialize in kid's birthday invites, but can make any kind of invite you want or need.
This is something I have enjoyed doing for years and just needed some friends to push me, well, more like make me do something with it. LOL
So, I owe it all to them. If it wasn't for all of their kind words and encouragement, Cupcake Creations wouldn't exist.
They are the icing AND the sprinkles on my cupcake :)
Love you guys!!!!

So, if you wanna, head on over to my teeny part of etsy and have a look at what I have made so far. If you don't see what you need, just drop me an email and I can hook you up! :)

AND -- I also have a FaceBook Fan page...the link is right over there...in the right side column :)

(just click on my little banner)

Please help get John to Hawaii!!!

My insanely generous (AND gorgeous!!) friend, Hope, is sponsoring a giveaway on her blog.
We are trying to raise money to help get a Cancer patient to Hawaii as one of his "last" wishes...

Please, please PLEASE to go her blog and read his story.
Even if you only contribute $1, you will be entered into a giveaway for a BRAND NEW KITCHENAID STAND MIXER!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!



BUT for EVERY dollar that you DO contribute, you will get yourself an entry. Soooo....$25 = 25 entries!!!
Come on peeps!!! Let's help this guy and his family out!
We can ALL find an extra dollar laying around! I KNOW you all can! :)

Thanks Guys!!

It's Summer!

Summer is now, in full force, in Wisconsin.

It is hot, humid and just drains you like crazy!

Dave's vacation HAS begun and he has a week and a half off of work.
This will be THE busiest week and a half EVER.

Today and Tomorrow, him and the girls will be gone camping, then they will get back on Friday.

On Friday, my sister and her family will be coming up to stay with us. Then, that night, we are going to watch my nephew race his go-kart. After that, Dave might take Jackson to a fireworks display show at one of our favorite Fireworks Warehouses.

On Saturday is ... well, I can't really say just yet just in case someone might be reading this.
And that will be an all day affair. LOL

Sunday...we have church and our 11 year anniversary!!!! We will be staying overnight in a very nice, romantic hotel suite :)

I THINK Monday and Tuesday are our "down" days.

On Wednesday, we leave for our little summer vacation to Wisconsin Dells. We are staying here. I am soooo incredibly excited because, not only is the room/condo extremely comfortable and HUGE, the weather is supposed to be PERFECT so we can visit ALL of the Wilderness's 4 outdoor waterparks!!!


This will be one of the waterparks we will have at our Resort.
Our room is actually facing this one :)

We get back home :( on Friday.

Saturday is our HUGE 3rd of July party. LOL. Yes, I said 3rd of July.
Anyway, our fireworks show is A-MAAAAZING and the kids can all go swimming, adults get to all hang out, drink, eat and have a good time.
We started this party thing last year and it was a success, so we are doing it every year now.



Sunday is the 4th of July and Dave goes back to work that night :(

There. Vacation is done.
Well, just in thought, but it really hasn't even started yet! LOL

I have been a HORRIBLE photographer, lately. I have NOT taken ONE single pic with my camera in WEEKS!!!!
OF Course, that will change with going to my nephew's race, the thing that is happening on Saturday, our vacation to the Dells and with our party.

So, hold me to it people...I will have some killer pics to share the 2nd week of July!!

Have a Rockin', Fun in the Sun Summer and I will catch ya'll lata' !!!!! :)

Pictures...for your viewing pleasure :)

I haven't been a good blogger, lately, so I thought I would hook ya'll up with some pics.

The weather has been super, so we have been spending LOTS of time out in the yard. I do love my yard. I like to sit out on the front deck and just soak up the warm air. Yea. I said WARM air, not the hot and humid stuff...lol.

Anyways, I took the good ol' Canon S5IS out for a tour around the yard when the weather started gettin' real nice...and here is what we came up with :)

Ahhhhhhhhhhh....The ever so perrrrrrrrrty tulips and Lillies of the Valley....sooooooo peaceful looking.


One of my three Lilac bushes in the front yard. I can sit on the deck and smell their wonderful smell....love it!!


Here is the view from my side-yard, looking towards the front. You can see ONE of my Lilac bushes and the nice BIG Barrel planters that Dave's mom put in when she lived here.
She did some awesome work around this place!! I LOVE the landscaping...it just sucks having to keep it up! LOL


Here is a pic of my Hostas on the side of the house, facing the driveway. Now, these pics were all taken in the beginning of May...well, maybe mid-May...
NOW, these babies are seeping over the little edging we have there. They just get so dang huuuuuuuuge!! I will have to take an updated pic, soon, if it will ever stop being so yucky out :(
But, anyway... I Love em!


Moving around towards the back of the yard, we have Dave's little garden :)
He planted Strawberries and Onions.
Yea. I think we will be eatin' up LOTS of onions!!! Huh....at least I can try and make my own salsa from our OWN onions!!!! LOL


I felt like taking a walk back behind our big ol' storage shed and found this tire.
I don't know why, but it just looked like it would look good in a pic, so I snapped a shot.


Around the back of the shed, we have a buncha land. Not quite sure how much...maybe 2 acres? We have 5ish total, but we have a BIG yard that we use and more on the side of our house...so if I had to guess, I would say there is 2-2.5 back there.


ANYWAY-- kinda in the middle of the field is this big old tree and a little baby tree next to it. Thought it was pretty cute.

This pic kinda looks like it should be in a storybook...it looks too perfect, almost.
:)

Happy early Mother's Day to ONE lucky Winner....Will it be YOU??

My friend Hope is sponsoring yet ANOTHER awesome giveaway.
This one is EXTREMELY generous!
So you best check it out!!!
Just click below! :)

AWESOME MOTHER'S DAY GIVEAWAY!!!

Happy Birthday, Jenna!!! (March 26)

Jenna's birthday was Friday, March 26th.
My middle child is now 12...one more year til the teen years begin...BUT
if you were gauging it by attitude, oh. Well. Then she's already in her teen years...lol :)
Seriously.
I think she has more attitude than Haley, lately, and Haley is 14!!! LOL
But don't get me wrong...I love my girls ohhh sooooo very much. They brighten my day, just thinking of them!!

In honor of Jenna's bday, I am going to share some of my favorite pictures of her :)


Here is my baby Jenna. So weird how she looks NOTHING like this now. I mean, not even her nose, or her freckles...soooo not my baby anymore :(



Jenna & Jocelyn.
One of my favorites, because we don't see our Joce much anymore, we miss her something terrible! :(



Here's BOTH of my girls.
Way back when they didn't fight so much. Back when they actually played nice together.
Ahhhhhhhh...those were the days....



I took this pic of Jenna a couple summers back. It is my FAVORITE picture of her.
:)

I hope you had a super birthday, JenBen :)

The making of a beauty...

Today is Jenna's 12th Birthday.
She asked me to make her a layer cake. Oyyyyyy....
I beggggggged her if I could just make my usual cupcakes...lol...but they aren't really "usual".
I put my own little spin on them and make them beautiful and ohhh soooooo moist :)
ANYWAY, they are easy-peasy, so that is why I wanted to make them.
But, nooooooooooo...it's Jenna's birthday so I had to make what she wanted...ugh.... LOL :)

Then I caved and knew it wouldn't be so bad, since I got my new best friend from the UPS guy yesterday!!!

Here she is:


Ain't she GORGEOUS??? I so love her....

OK.
Back to Jenna's cake.

So, I thought, Hey...since I have this awesome, new toy...lol...I can pull off this layer cake thing!

I mixed up a cake mix, added my own stuff and fluff and made 2 - 9" round cakes.
Now, my Jenna is not a HUGE fan of a lot of frosting...so I whipped up some whipping cream with some powdered sugar until it formed sharp peaks. I used that as the filling for between the layers.





Yummmmmmmmmmm.....right?? lol
It looks like a big oreo cookie doesn't it??

OK.
So, Jenna's fave color is purple.
OH, I also went and bought her 12 purple balloons from the party store and a BIG Happy Birthday Cupcake mylar balloon...but Jackson already busted that one...that was a quick $10... :(

Back to the cake :)
Fave color=Purple. OK, got that covered.
So, I made up some purple frosting for her.



Would have been wayyyyy easier if I had one of those cake turntable thingys, or even a lazy susan, but we don't have one of those :(

I still pulled it off though!!



And of course, as a finishing touch, I put on my signature ribbons!!


Happy Birthday my beautiful Jenna Benna!! :)

My 3...well My 4, yesterday :)

The weather up here in Good Ol' Wisconsin has been BEAUTIFUL!!

mid 60s...just sooooo nice!!

So, we have been spending A LOTTA time outside. Our yard does look horrendous because of the gravel in our grass and the branches and yucky brown grass...

Then, of course, everything is brown and muddish...yuck :(

BUT we are thanking God for the breeze today, to help dry some stuff up, JUST IN TIME for it to snow this weekend!! YAYYYYY! Ummmm, yeah...no.

I DO love the snow, don't get me wrong, but only Nov-Feb. LOL.

ANYWAY--here are a few pics I got yesterday.

I am so sad because it took sooooooo much begging for me to get that pic of Jenna :( She is getting just like Haley and NOT EVER wanting her picture taken.

Then...there's Jackson. HA HA HA. Trying to get him to sit still and look at me for ONE SECOND is a NIGHTMARE! LOL.

But, it's a cute pic, non the less :)

$50 GREEN Smackers GiveAway :)

My friend Hope is giving away MORE stuff!
Check it out!!!!

http://threeboogers.blogspot.com/2010/03/hope-is.html

More "in-between" pics :)

We are DONE painting the dining room.
This room is the first room that people see when they visit us, so I am uber-happy that it is finally done. (well, almost...since the flooring has to wait a few months...)

OK, well let's get this party started...

Here is a pic of the small bathroom door and the ironing board storage.
Yes. This house is THAT OLD that it has an ironing board IN the wall!! LOL
It's actually kinda handy :)
And I got to pick out new hardware. I went with oil rubbed bronze. It actually looks just like plain ol' black...but has a kinda antique look to it.



This pic shows the teeny, tiny pantry doors and the coat closet.
The pantry storage used to be just a regular storage closet, but since I started stockpiling stuff (because I find super awesome deals...lol), I needed extra space to store everything.
And, everything that was in there was just clutter, so off to Goodwill it went :)


Here is just a pic of Jenna doing her homework. lol.
Well, it also shows the built-in shelf thingy...and part of the living room.
The living room and dining room are open to each other...oh yeah, and so is my kitchen.
Which is THE tiniest kitchen in the world! SO, I guess having a pretty big dining room makes up for that. But I do love my cozy little kitchen :)


And, speaking of my kitchen...since that got remodeled and painted a few years back...I just had to get some new stuff for it. You know...so it wouldn't feel left out :)
OK. I have ALWAYS decorated in a country/apple theme, but when we had to take everything off the walls in the dining room, I decided to just chuck it ALL in a box and Goodwill it. Time for a change.
Anyway, my kitchen is painted a dark red and red has always been my fave color. AND I bought this rug...

...at Target like 5 years ago, and I love how it's all different colors just meshed together.
I decided to NOT go with any sort of "theme" with decorating and just get all new stuff in ALL diff colors. :)
This brings us to my new dishes!!!!!
They were a tad pricey...but hey. It's my first REAL set of ALL matching dishes! No more hodgy podgy stuff :)
Well, I did have apple dishes...lol...but then I had other stuff and well, you all know I am done with the apple stuff...

Here they are :)


I so love them!! I only bought 5 place settings...but will get one more when I decide on which color to get.
I love love love my new Fiesta Ware!!! I got these at Kohl's...they were on sale for 40% off, plus I had a coupon for 20% off if you spend $100 or more. Yes...unfortunately even AFTER that 40% off, these were still over $100... :(
Yeah.
Dave wasn't tooooooo happy with that one, but he can never get mad at my smile :)
Hee hee...My husband rocks !!!

Since then (well, Sunday), I have gone to Target and bought ALL new kitchen towels, new oven mitts, a new untensil holder, new kid-friendly cups and bowls and a new Bread box.
Of course...all in different colors :)

Now...what to put on the walls in my dining room.....ugh.....

Before/After...well...more kinda in-between?? :)

Big changes are a happenin' in the Moesch household :)

In my January 19 blog, I posted pics of our living room all primed and ready for paint.
I can't believe I didn't show ya'll the finished product! Sorry!!!

Anyway--here ya go!
Oh...wait...keep in mind that new flooring and furniture are coming the end of Spring. We have to wait because the only way we can get that HUGE ASSMUNGOUS (lol) sectional couch outta our living room is through the patio doors. And we have to wait for all the fluffy white stuff to get on outta here...
Sooooo...if ya wanna be all technical, these are more "in between" pictures, since the REAL After pics can't come until my new furniture and new flooring are in :)

OH...I also wanted to add in a kind of before pic of the dining room...it is from Jackson's 3rd Bday Cupcake tower :)
But you can see the nasty, old, dark stained doors that are now painted a nice, crisp Gobi Desert :)
And the trim is Innocence :)
Also, notice the yucky, yellowing paneling in the living room...it is SO nice to NOT have to see that anymore!!!




This is the wall/corner of the living room that you can see in the above picture.
And, of course, part of the humungoid couch that is going bye-bye in a few months!!



Here is the patio door wall...if you wanna call it that...lol. There isn't much wall left when we had this 8 foot patio door installed. Oh, and our new light :)
And another OH...and Jackson, too...hee hee!



Annnnnnnnd, the other corner of the living room and the window.



Here is what that window looks like today...lol. Yeah. I went and covered it up. Some folks might not like that, but there really is no other place for this big ol' tv stand....hmmm....well, oh boy....here's the story behind that new tv stand... (below the pic)


We were in need of a new tv stand/entertainment center. I was sick and tired of the cheap-o Wal-Mart crud, so I told Dave we had to get something REAL this time. So, after hunting 50 gazillion furniture stores, we ended up at Oak Express.
Off in the corner, by the kid furniture, I found this beauty. EXACTLY what I wanted.
Black, REAL wood, extremely sturdy and plain. Plain, meaning no frilly carvings or anything like that. Just nice and clean lookin'.
The thing is HUGE! Long.
As I was standing there, sizing it up...I said to Dave..."well, if we get this, we need a bigger TV."
Yeah.
Like THAT wouldn't put a huge ass grin on his face!! LOL
A couple years ago, we bought a 32" LCD HDTV...and it fit us just fine. But for real. If I was going to buy this, a tiny, little 32" TV would get swallowed up by this! LOL
Sooooo...we bought the new TV stand, well, the Oak Express peeps called it a Media Center...
ANYWAY-the next day, we were off to Sam's and bought our new 47" LCD HDTV. WOWWEEE MOMMA! I love it! Wayyyyyyyy better picture than our 32", which is now taking up home in the girl's room...and they are VERY, VERY appreciative!! :)

So. That is the story behind us just HAVING to get a new TV to "go with" our new TV stand.

Oh, yeah. And there was some "in between" pics up there for ya, too :)

What's for Dinner??

Meatloaf and Twice-Baked Potatoes!!

Oh. My. Gosh.
It was sooooooo good!

I followed the recipe from The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook. It is seriously THE BEST Meatloaf I have EVER tasted. I usually just make it with a lb. of ground sirloin, Lawry's Seasoning, onions, 1 egg, and bread crumbs. That's it.
But this version is OH SO MUCH BETTAH!


The Potatoes were doubly as yummy! They did call for a cup of sour cream, but I substitued ranch dressing and SOOOOOOOOOOO glad I did! They are TDF!!

If you haven't yet, you ALL have to go out and buy The Pioneer Woman Cooks Cookbook.
For real!

Carnival Pancakes

That is what Haley calls them.

Pancakes with butter, syrup, whip cream (from the can) and sprinkles.

Can you say a Gazillion Calories???? LOL :)
But they all enjoy this special little treat. So who am I to keep it from them?
You're only young once and what...it's not like they are 30ish and it'll go right to their hips!!!
LOL!


I made them for Jackson one morning and he gobbled them up!



YUM
YUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!



Then, after polishing off all those calories...a Wii workout was necessary...



Striking a Yoga pose! LOL



Then it was time for a quick jog :)

Every Carnival Pancake breakfast should be accompanied by a Wii workout.
It's just a given :)

Valentine's Giveaway!

My friend, Hope, is having a Valentine's Day Giveaway!
Go check out her blog and see how you could win!!!

www.threeboogers.blogspot.com

Blog Giveaway Winner!

...is....CHERYL!

Thank you for reading my blog!!

Please contact me with your shipping addy and I will get your prize to you ASAP!! :)

These are a few of my favorite things...in my Kitchen :)

Anyone have stuff in their kitchen that they just love? That it wouldn't be THEIR kitchen unless these things were in it??
I have a few of those :)

I'll start ya off with something simple. A towel. This is no ordinary towel. It is a flour sack towel. I love love loooooove it! Why? I mean, geez...it's just a plain, ol' stained, worn out, thinning towel!?!?!?



Well, that's just it. Everything that makes it plain, makes it great!
I love that I can just throw it over my shoulder, that it is long enough to actually stay up there! LOL. I love that it is thinner, so that when I hold a big glass mixing bowl, to dry it, that it actually is easy to grip the towel over the bowl...and that it is large enough to cover the whole thing while I dry it.

My next favorite thing, was mentioned a bit in the last paragraph.
My 3 glass mixing bowls. Love them. Of course.



I actually need a couple more, I think. I mean, you can NEVER have too many mixing bowls! Maybe I will go for some colored ones. Maybe ones that come with lids...so that I may store up a fruit salad or prepare a cake mix a few hours ahead of time...you know, you should always be prepared...lol :)

Keeping up with the glass stuff...A couple months ago, I found a 6 pack of Coke IN GLASS BOTTLES at WalMart. So, I bought them. Coke tastes it's absolute best coming from a glass bottle. No if's and's or but's about it. It's just a proven fact. (according my my taste buds, anyway)
Well, I drank up the delectable liquid and maybe shared one or two, rinsed them out and now they sit on my shelf, in my kitchen...above my sink.



What is that old can doing up there, you ask? Well, when the girls were cleaning out the old milkhouse to make it into a clubhouse, they found this. It was realllllly dirty and yucky, so I washed it up. You can't tell, but it is the round, hard edged can from ... maybe the 80s. Nowadays, the cans have more rounded edges. And the opening is very small. Today's soda can has the "wide mouth" opening.
Anyway, I just thought it was a good addition to my glass bottles :)

I did tell Dave that maybe I should change my kitchen theme to Coke, but nah. I am thinking maybe just no theme. LOL. Or all things red? I love that color.

AND speaking of red...



This was one of my Christmas presents and she is oh so loved :)
My Keurig Mini Brewer is the PERFECT addition to my kitchen. Not only is my mom happy to have THE perfect cup of coffee or two when she visits, my sister, Angie, will no longer have to run to the gas station in the morning, when she visits!!! LOL
I cannot say enough about this little machine.
I have never been one to drink a full pot of coffee...not even 4 cups. It's usually a one cup day for me, unless I get ALL my housework done and just want to cozy up and relax at the end of the night...THEN it turns into a 2 cup day.
But for real. This little lady makes a mean cup of coffee. I love her and her little flavorful cups, too!

Moving on to my next favorite thing. Well, it is my 2nd to last on this post, but there are SOOO many lovable things in my kitchen...as you will see with my last one :)
But this one...WOW.
It is the newest addition...



Chili will never be the same...without her. She has helped me perfect Chili as we know it.
She also helped me out with the PERFECT pot roast!
The Pioneer Woman will be takin' up camp on my countertop from now on.
I suggest to all, if you LOVE to cook or bake or would like to learn HOW to love it...GET THIS BOOK!
**Here...I will help you out...Just comment on your favorite thing(s) in your kitchen and you will receive an entry to get this cookbook FOR FREE!!! You can also tell everyone on your FB page to come and enter AND Blog about it...BOTH will get you one more entry...each!!**

And even if you already have this, that's OK...you can just try to win and spread the joy by giving it away to someone who NEEDS it. But then again, I honestly think that EVERYONE needs this book!!
You can read up on what this book is all about here.

And now...
On to my last favorite thing that spends lots of time in my kitchen...

This little guy is MY FAVORITE Kitchen addition...lol :)



He spends LOTS of time in here...askin' for Coco (chocolate milk), Spiderman fruit snacks, chickens, cheese, corn and checkup (ketchup).
It always makes my day when I see his little smile!!

**Cookbook giveaway**
Up to 3 entries per person. You must comment and list your favorite kitchen person or thing :)
Relatives, VERY close friends and NEW friends are all invited to enter. The winner will be chosen, at random, on a piece of paper, stuck in a plastic Fireman's hat, and picked out by my last favorite Kitchen addition on Friday, January 29th, 2009 at Noon CST.

Thank you all and GOOD LUCK!!