Coming Soon

Okay, these pictures are not great. 

Just wanted to show off the cards before they get sent out.

I love them!

Ridiculous Dessert

I was craving chocolate after the pathetic, no-chocolate, trick-or-treating night.

I thought cake sounded good.

I wanted to try something new. Like always.

Saw a can of pumpkin on my shelf.

I bought it for a recipe I saw on Pinterest.

A Hungry Girl recipe Here.

(I have tried the Devil's Food and greek yogurt and it is Uber-delicious!)

I used the Devil's Food Cake mix and canned pumpkin recipe.

It only took 35 minutes to mix and bake.

Then, I thought it needed frosting.

Enter Pinterest again.

I wanted to try Magical Frosting, aka Cooked Frosting.

At first I planned on making it while the cake baked, but I had so many dishes that I had to wash them first before I could cook anything else. It took longer than 35 minutes.

I started cooking the frosting at 9:30.

It took a LOT longer than they said it would.

I put it in the fridge to cool faster than the hour the recipe suggested at 9:55.

I let it cool for 40 minutes.

Then I whipped it with the butter.

I was in a hurry by then and really tired. 

I didn't even scrape the bowl. There were still some butter chunks.

I did not add the extra melted chocolate.

We ate cake at 11 pm. which up until last Sat. was midnight.

The cake was okay on its own. Moist but slightly pumpkin tasting.

The frosting was fluffy and mildly chocolaty.

Together they were really good.

I just wanted a simple and fast cake...

and then I made complicated frosting that took 2 hours.

Ridiculous.

After thought:

I was not very impressed with the frosting for the amount of time it took.

I didn't frost the whole cake because it warned that it might separate.

I kept it on the counter instead of in the fridge.

Then, I tasted it today and started eating it with a spoon.

I had to frost the cake quickly, before I ate it all.

It is just so Fluffy!

(Who is gonna get that movie reference?)

Turino Update

Pictures! I know you are excited. 

I thought you might like to see some more of Baby T. He is getting so big! 

Look at those cheeks!

Monkey Toes

Big Brother

Yummy Fingers

So sweet sleeping

Coming Home Dino Pajamas

Brother Loves!

First Smiles

Starting to Laugh!

I seriously love this little guy! I have heard many people say that they felt like their baby has been here forever. I never had that feeling until Turino. I knew that was his name and I knew he needed to come to our family. It is so much that I am sometimes surprised that he is still little. I FEEL like he should be big because he has always been here. I am glad that he is still little. I know I will turn around and he will be turing one...or two! Oh, my sweet boy! I am so happy you are in our family!

Stories

Did I miss another day again? Man, they just keep coming!
Well, we are back home today so maybe some pictures next time.
Tonight, however, you get some stories. The first is by Capri.

We go to the library,
   on the boat.
Shh! Have t'be quiet.
Somebody sleeeeping.
Burino sleeping.  (baby Turino)
Rome stay home,
   and got a cake.
But not his cake,
   Daddy's cake.
(telling Rome) "not your cake! Daddy cake!"

I am pretty sure it is about last Thursday when Daddy took her to the library and they had to be quiet and while they were there, Rome helped me make a cake. I don't know why it was Daddy's cake though.

Rome's Story
There was a witch.
And she was flying.
The she turned into a bird.
It was Halloween.
I wish it was my Halloween.
Then you have to draw a round and round.
Like a circle to race and the cars were racing on that.
And the cars win-ded.

Pretty good.

No 'Poo Day

So, I may have missed a day. In my defense, I drove 6 hours to Utah and its really only a 4 hour drive.
Anywho...I came upon a recipe for natural shampoo on Pinterest. I love that site and I thought it sounded interesting. I clicked on it and was brought to Crunchy Betty. Now, I really don't consider myself "crunchy." My Dad mines rock and my Husbands helps drill for oil and natural gas and I am okay with both of those activities. But, I didn't read the blog name, just the post title, "No 'Poo To You Too!" It is about not using shampoo and instead washing your hair with baking soda and vinegar.
It sounds strange, but I read the entire post and the comments. I think it is worth trying. I have had some troubles with my hair in the last few years. It is always frizzy, feels extra dry and gets tangled so easy. After I wash it, it is super hard to brush, even with conditioner and leave in conditioner.
Now, I have some doubt about what it will do to my secretly gray hair. (not *so* secret, I admit it on here) I mean, people talk about it darkening their color and getting rid of the brassiness, but what about gray? Is it going to strip off all of that color that I paid an arm'n'leg for? I don't know.
I think I might try it, but later. Maybe after New Year's or when my regular shampoo runs out. I would hate to waste it.

No Po Blo Mo

No Blo Po Mo? Or is it Ma? I don't remember. I am sure it is short for something. Anyway, it means one blog post every day in November. Now...can I do it? hmmm.
Today, I am singing praises of a company. I really don't do this often, but they are pretty great.
Who is it you say? Why Paper Coterie.
I heard of them a couple of times and through a few friends. Enough times that I had to go look. I usually go through Snapfish because they have all of my pictures. Then, I saw Paper Coterie. So cute. I am in love with their shaped cards. they also have calendars, planners, journals, memory books. Tons of cool stuff. Did I mention that you can customize everything? Well, you can. Add more pictures, rotate them, add words or backgrounds. I love it! I think I spent 5 hours just trying out different cards and styles.
I made a gorgeous day planner. (That I don't use.) I also ordered some cards from them. If you haven't got yours yet, don't worry, they are coming. And they are beautiful. I can't speak for the pictures (not a photog. here), but the cards are wonderful. They really make me smile. You should go check them out sometime. You could even get 50% off holiday cards, if you hurry. Awesome.
Enter the coupon code HOLIDAYCARDS2012 between now and November 4th and you can order all our great styles for 50% off. 

The List

No, this post is not about any type of "Bucket List" or "Top 10" anything. Nope. This is about that little niggle in the back of your mind that says people talk behind your back and, really, they don't like you. Or does that just happen to me?
It started out good. I got a call a couple months ago to join a Bunco game. A game night with a whole bunch of girlfriends? Sure! Sign me up! And everyone comes home with prizes, awesome!
And it was.
Growing up I never had a real close bunch of friends. In fact my "best" friend kept changing. Every year or so I had a new one. (until Lacey hit me over the head and made me be friends with her. Or was it run a snowmobile through a fence? Love you Lace!) I was always just a bit on the outside of every group. I was very quiet and shy. I had a hard time talking to people, especially in big groups. I didn't mind so much, but I still felt left out somehow. I am still a bit envious of those people who still have a close knit bunch of friends to do things with, or even just to call and hang out.
It wasn't until college when I had the good fortune to be thrown together with the 4 best roommates I could ever have. We were not the same, but we all got along and are still good friends. I would have to say they are my closest "bunch" of friends that I have. (I love you Girls so much!) I am sad that we don't live closer together and am looking forward to seeing everyone next May. Woohoo!
On another note, Josh's family makes great friends wherever they are. In fact they are still friends with people from their old PC neighborhood. I love that about his family and hoped we could do the same in ours. I try, but never feel like we have succeeded very well. Its not that I want to be popular, I just want some fun girlfriends to feel comfortable around. Who we could have parties with and invite to the movies or a girls night in or just to hang out once in a while.
Well, back to our game night. I was surprised and pleased to be invited. It is an easy game and a fun night out with the girls. They wanted to update the call list and handed it around to make sure your info. was correct. Mine was, but I noticed that my name happened to fall at the very bottom of the list. No big deal. There are a lot of people and not everyone can make it every time. The game only needs 12 people anyway. I thought nothing of it, but it stuck in the back of my mind.
I started thinking about everything that happened.
Every dumb comment.
Every slightly awkward moment.
Then, it got to me.
That shy little girl in the back of my mind started whispering. They don't really want you here. You are the last person to call. They don't really want to hang out with you. She made me want to cry.
I know it is not true. I am sure at least some of those ladies think of me as a friend, if not a good one. I am sure most of my awkward tendencies are not noticed or brushed off. So, I am not the most witty and  fun person at the party. I know that. I am just me and usually I am happy with that.
I guess I have not grown out of that need to not be picked last. To not be left out. To feel like I fit in.
So, I don't have a huge amount of friends. I will never win any popularity contest. But, the friends I have, I keep. They know how great I am. I just need to remember it.
And I will never host Bunco. I don't want to be in charge of the "List."