Swish Swoosh Swash!

I love the ding ding of the little bell dress.

It says swish, swoosh, swash.

Strawberry Champagne Cupcake Sparklers

I want to make this so bad.
Looks so good!
From the DC Recipe Ladies.
Low Fat to boot.
Three of my most favorite things.
Cupcakes
Champagne
Sparklers



Servings: Serves 12
Ingredients
Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes (36 mini cupcakes, 3 per Champagne flute)
1/2 cup fresh strawberries , diced
1/2 Tbsp. good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)
2 1/2 cups flour , sifted
1/2 tsp. baking powder , sifted
1/4 Tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs , at room temperature
2 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract + seeds from 1 vanilla bean(NOTE: move down to next line...see edits to other recipe)
1 1/4 cups whole milk , at room temperature
Champagne Buttercream Frosting
16 Tbsp. (8 ounces) unsalted butter
4 cups confectioner's sugar , sifted
1 tsp. whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)
Strawberry Layer
24 fresh strawberries
1 cup good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)
Chocolate Ganache
2 cups high-quality semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
Directions
For Serving:

12 glass Champagne flutes

12 long spoons

12 indoor-safe sparkler candles

Step 1: Baking the Mini Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 mini cupcake pans with 36 mini baking cups or grease pans with butter if not using baking cups.

Dice up 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries and soak in 1/2 cup of Champagne. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

Combine the vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.

Gently fold in the diced Champagne-soaked strawberries, just until incorporated.

Scoop batter into baking cups and bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. If using paper baking cups, peel off all of the paper baking cups from the cupcakes at this time.

Step 2: Making the Champagne Buttercream Frosting

Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the confectioner's sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.

Add the vanilla extract, milk, salt and Champagne, and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Place frosting in a disposable piping bag with a large round tip.

Step 3: Preparing the Strawberries

Slice 24 strawberries lengthwise and soak in 1 cup of Champagne for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 4: Making the Chocolate Ganache

Fill a medium saucepan with an inch or 2 of water and place over medium-low heat. Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a medium glass bowl over the saucepan and melt the chocolate chips. Stir occasionally until the chips are completely melted. Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the saucepan. Pour the ganache into a plastic squeeze bottle. (If a squeeze bottle is not available, you can drizzle with a spoon.)

Step 5: Assembling Layers in Champagne Flutes

Line up 12 glass Champagne flutes. Insert 1 mini strawberry Champagne cupcake in the bottom of each glass. Next, pipe a swirl of Champagne buttercream frosting on top of each cupcake. Add several slices of Champagne-soaked strawberries, and a drizzle of chocolate ganache. Repeat layers. Finally, place a third mini strawberry Champagne cupcake at the top of each glass, pipe with a final "Georgetown Cupcake signature swirl" of Champagne buttercream frosting, and top with a final drizzle of chocolate ganache.

Step 6: Serving

Insert 1 indoor-safe sparkler candle in the top of each glass. Light the candles at midnight, serve with spoons, and enjoy!
..

New Craft Work!

One of my darling Jacee-Kay's birthday decorations for Saturday!
Whoop!
My five year old love bug!
December 31, 2005.
Time flies.

Cranky Blakey

Well, we have figured out why our poor sweet girl has not been the happiest camper lately. She broke out into a rash on Christmas Day (Afternoon) and we later found out at the doctor that she is suffering from an allergic reaction to amoxicillan(sp?)

Well here that poor girl is with her polkda dotted self. Gah. The poor thing. No more amoxicillan for this little darling.

Christmas Morning

Although I love cranky faces, I tried my hardest for a smile. Just a crack from Blakelynne. Jacee-Kay was all smiles. I just thought this picture was priceless. It didn't capture the excitement of the morning that we all shared together, but you know how I cannot hardly take the cutest grumpy faces. Ever. Flying Reindeer ate all their carrots, Santa ate all his cookies, Skeeter and Sadee recieved bones and everyone had a holly jolly Christmas.

A Bright Christmas

Christmas Lights Galore. =]




Cailyn and Jacee. BFF's.

Graham Cracker Honey Bun

Baby Beeber's Vocabulary

Baby B has added two words to her vocabulary.


Da-Da.
Translation to Daddy.

and

Uh-Oh.
Translation to 'Hello', 'Mama', 'UhOh', 'Feed Me'. 'Haha'. Pretty much all of these.

Math Overload

I have been trekking on a 'back to school' journey for quite some time now. Originally I was just going back to finish my associates degree. Check. But, I was so close to a bachelor degree that I said to my self, "Self, why not go back and finish all the way?" I laugh at this thought now! ha!

It has been a trek. I use this word because by definition trek means a 'long and difficult' journey. It has been just this.

Two classes stand in my way from getting into Texas A&M. A dream of mine, which is finally now at my fingertips, but still a trek away.

The first one is Math1324. Do not let the name of this class fool you. It should be called The Hardest Calculus/Trigonometry Class Ever Ever needed to get into a university.

The second one is Math 1325. I have not attempted this class yet, but have high hopes of passing 1324 so that I can take 1325 this spring.

I am taking 1324 in a winter minimester. That's right. The Hardest Calculus/Trigonometry Class Ever Ever needed to get into a university I am taking in a span of two and a half weeks. I am there from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. I am in math overload. My mind cannot even function properly at this point and it is only day 3. Two more weeks to go. The countdown is on.

I studied my bottom off for my test last night. Took the Hardest Calculus/Trig Test Ever and made a 65. It was exam one. There are four more exams.

A 65 you may say isn't that bad. But it's almost a slap in the face when you are studying as hard as I am, and this is the grade you turn up?

I keep telling myself I'm not much of a math person, but yet here I am in my everyday profession, a book keeper/accountant/payroll manager/billing department manager. How is this all possible. Ironic I suppose.



"Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater"

A Cold Day In December

We met Koree and Grandpa for a coke at the McDonald's in Palestine.
We played.
Took pictures.
And as always, had a great time.
I have only one regret.
That Starla and Brie could've made the trip too.
Here's our darling ladies though on their playdate.





Cranky faces are my favorite.

My New Love

I <3> Jeggings.

I can wear them with EVERYTHING!

It's wonderful.

Try them!

DECEMBER

Alot has happened this month:

My sister has had her very first baby. A sweet baby boy. Named Sully Mack. 'Mack' goes along with all the other babies in our family too. For example:

We have:

Alexa Marie
Jenna Michelle
Starla Martha

My girls:
Jacee-Kay Michelle
Blakelynne Martha

Starla's girls:
Koree Marie
Brie McKenzie

and now Jenna's boy:
Sully Mack born December 1, 2010.

M's are the theme! Let's see how long it lasts!

The next wonderful thing that has happened:

Lauren married Zach in a winter wonderland whirl wedding. Our children were a part of the ceremony. As we Doug and I, but my goodness our little darling girls looked gorgeous. Just precious all dolled up in their white dresses. Jacee-Kay marched down the aisle throwing out flower petals and was the most perfect flower girl I've ever seen. She never faultered once and was very lovely in her small little actions.


Blakelynne sat in a wagon filled with tuelle with Vaughn and those two were just adorable.

The other major turning point in our lives is:

Jacee-Kay will be five this month.

I am as prepared for this as I can be, and cannot believe my little angel will be five on December 31st.

She is so grown up and so beautiful.

I am loving her sponge like mind too. She is taking everything in. So Smart.

I just wanna say. that,

Christmas pictures are not easy to take. Here's what we got though.




gah. the memories.



Apparantly I'm funny. Who knew?
I just have to be behind the camera instead of in front of it to make them smile.

It also doesn't help that the digital camera generation is Jacee-Kay's generation. The generation who insists on seeing a picture the moment it is taken. "Can I see? Can I see? Can I see, mom?" The words used over and over and over again in any photo shoot my children have.

Yes, every single picture, and every single photo shoot.
Oh well, I guess I would want to see it too! She must get it from her momma...

I have recovered from the up all night Friday event...

that took place two days ago.

It is now Sunday.

However, Santa got all her goodies. =]

Whoops, I mean all his goodies.

Now I can sit back and wait on Christmas Eve. So far away!

Turkey Bug!

Our love bug's first Thanksgiving.

She ate turkey for the very first time.

She was not as excited as I was for her to try turkey.

I kept saying 'Oh how sweet, it's her first Halloween!!'...(think I am sleep deprived much?)

But, I finally stepped up the beat and got with the Thanksgiving Spirit.

With only her two bottom teeth to help her chew and bite down,

Blakelynne ate some Turkey food.

Yes, cutest turkey eater ever.

Or at least I think so.

It went kinda like this:

Chomp, chomp, Chomp, chomp. Grunt, Grunt. Yum. Yum. Da-Da. Ahhhh.

Repeat three times.

The Last Customers

Wednesday evening I had the pleasure of meeting up with my dear friend Leah, and my new friend Cassie. They introduced me to the 'Shaker' at Bodega Coast, a little restaurant on University Drive here in College Station. I had the best time. We talked about our husbands, our kiddos, our lives in general. We stayed out past our bedtime and probably laughed the whole time.

As the end of the night rolled around, we were so engrossed in our conversation (no idea what we were talking about) when a gentleman who I assume is the manager/owner of the business approached our table.

He only said one sentence, "You guys are the last customers, " he smiled and walked away.

We all just thought how funny, and laughed out loud with one another, as we started to look around the restaurant and realized that yes indeed, we were the last customers left.

So, we decided with this new information we should probably head home to our families.

My friend Leah emailed me a second ago to tell me that she learned yesterday (Thursday) that the restaurant had closed down for good.

We literally were THE last customers.

How ironic is that? Kinda sad too. (I feel bad that I laughed now)
At least I got to try the Shaker before it was too late I suppose.

I miss a little town east of here

It is November 18. It is November Eighteenth. It is Nov. 18th. It is 11/18/2010.

Ok it's official. No matter how you write it, it still looks like Christmas is seriously right around the corner. No scratch that, it looks like Christmas is literally in your drive-way.

I'm so unprepared this year. I mean, hardly have bought one thing. No decorations are out yet. I just don't have it all together.

I have plenty of excuses. However, I need to get the ball rolling.

I have been really lucky in just enjoying my life instead of jumping on board to the fast paced holiday season. It just gets so busy, sometimes it's nice to just "take a relax" as my daughter would put it.

One thing about this time of year when the weather is turning cold and staying cold is that it makes me really homesick. I yearn to be back in my small little town, as a young girl, where the walls to my bedroom wall were so thin I could hear the crickets outside chirping.

Growing up we didn't have any street lights (although we lived smack dab in the middle of town) and so the only light we would have, if we were lucky, came from the moon. Two words: Meteor Shower. How lucky was I to get to watch those all the time?

No central heating and air, so we shared one space heater to help keep us warm at night. My sisters and I would wear huge, heavy socks, that belonged to my dad and long nightgowns and stand in front of the heater. We quickly learned if you get your socks and clothes HOT from standing in front of the space heater, you could take off running to your bed and you could warm up your cold bed faster.

I miss walking outside to "going nextdoor" in the dark to a friend's house. Listening to nature all around me and hearing rustling of....well....something. It would just about scare the heebeejeebies out of you. But somehow you always knew you were safe, and that you were just a few steps away from home.

I miss the days when my dad would make a 'pot of beans' to make my tummy happy and all my sadness go away.





I even miss the misty mornings in the pineywoods. I just love this picture I found taken just right outside a park in Gilmer. A little eerie but just an adventurous road.

Right around this time, I miss my little town.

11.18.10

Love Story.

Photos by Lina Burns:

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone

I'll be waiting all you have to do is come.

You'll be the Prince and I'll be the Princess

It's a Love Story,

Baby Just say...

Yes.

Pretty Princesses...

Jacee-Kay and Blakelynne of the House of Burns.

Here are our lovely daughters.

So gorgeous all dolled up in their pretty dresses.

More to Come.

Blake is on the Move.

Yes Yes she is. Beginning November 6, 2010...Blake is officially crawling.

Army crawl, but still a crawl. And yes...she is everywhere and into everything.

Her and little Vaughn like to race down Grammy's hallway...crawling of course.

Cute love bugs.

Jacee-Kay wanted to bring a

Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwhich to school tomorrow.

I told her that I was so sorry, but no sweetheart.

Naturally, there was a small temper tamtrum, moment of sadness,

tears flowing down, not quite understanding, fit thrown.

On the flip side, I let her pick out a piece of Halloween Candy.

Ah-Ha.

The chocolate bribe. =]

A Mixture of the Last Few Days.

A Movie Starring Blakelynne:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jje2tkTUO38

Fall Festival Fun:

An array of rainbows and hay stacks.

Our Halloweenie Girls

A marrying girl and a flower girl.

Get it?

Ok...a sweet flower and a Bride.

Precious!

And we had to post this, being that it's Blake's first Halloweenie and all:

Yes, I seriously did this...

I Laughed Out Loud.

Jacee-Kay Cried Out Loud.

Doug Shook His Head Loudly.

My Amazing Husband

Along with Blakelynne's arrival arrived sleepless nights. Welcomed by me of course. I love cuddling with her and feeding her in the wee hours of the morning when it's just us two. However, Doug has been wonderful in helping. But he has yet to get up and feed her for me so I can get just one good nights rest. One because she is so picky about me feeding her, and two because I really do enjoy it and can't help but take over the night time feeding schedule. This week both of our love bugs have caught colds. Jacee-Kay's worse than Blakelynne's little congested self. I seem to have caught a mixture of everyones sickness. I was just so tired last night. I even missed Project Runway (MY FAVORITE SHOW) Finale!! I am devastated. I still don't know who won because I am kinda hoping to catch it on rerun this weekend.

Doug did the most amazing thing any woman could ask for. He got up with the baby at all her feeding times and I didn't miss a wink of sleep. I got to sleep in until 4:30 a.m.!! More sleep than I have had since before my sweet girl was here!!! He didn't even tell me he would do that, he just did it to surprise me.

I am such a lucky girl!

I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed...still hacking and coughing but that good nights rest was wonderful!

Jacee-Kay has the Flu

Jacee-Kay has the stomach flu. I absolutely hate when my sweet girl gets sick. It is completely unfair and it's so hard on little ones to be so sick. She is on the upswing of things now! so yay!

Blake has yet to catch anything. Knock on wood. Seriously, find a wall and knock.

It's hard to keep them separated from one another b/c JcK just loves Blakey so much.

They are so sweet. Jacee-Kay told me today that her mouth tastes funny and even water tastes bad. Like I said, it's not fair for those little ones to get so sick. They don't even understand why their mouth tastes funny.

Doug and I are sleep deprived. After being up with Blake at her normal times, then up with Jacee-Kay from 1:00 a.m.- 8:00 a.m. (no naps...how brave are we?) it would only be natural we would be so exhausted.

Of course instead of catching up on zzzzs we are choosing to forgo the sleep and watch a movie.

Priorities.
=]

Twenty-Seven

Tomorrow I turn twenty-seven.

I don't quite know how I feel about that yet.

I'll let you know after I am officially twenty-seven.

Make a Mommy Scarecrow

I just had to post the 'Mommy' Scarecrow.





Grammy and Jacee-Kay spent Sunday evening making a scarecrow.





Somehow it turned into a mommy scarecrow.





Here she is:

Aggie Game Day

I have learned alot about Aggie Game Day.

Number 1) NEVER walk in front of the tv. Just avoid that argument all together.

Number 2) NEVER drive through town, esspecially on George Bush, Wellborn, Texas Ave by the University within one to two hours before or after a game.

Number 3) You can however do all your shopping during game day hours. If the game starts at 11:00 a.m. you can leave your house around 10:45 and miss alot of traffic.

Number 4) The tent sales are you friend. Go to them and enjoy the low prices.

Number 5) If you get the opportunity to go to a game, you must. The experience is unreal, and although people tell you this from any university, they haven't experienced it on Kyle Field. I don't even understand football; but if I go to an Aggie game I'm all about football!

Number 6) You get to kiss your sweetheart when the aggies score...

(My favorite one personally)

Number 7) You get to use the phrase "Raisin 'Em Right." While referring to raising your children up in the aggie spirit.

Number 8) It is appropriate to say 'Howdy'

when you answer the phone or greet someone.

Number 9) Thanks and Gig'Em!!

Peanut. Peanut Butter and Jelly

Peanut Butter Oh Peanut Butter. Jacee-Kay's favorite snack. As soon as she was old enough to eat peanut butter, she did. Her favorite was grape jelly and peanut butter sandwhiches. She would rather eat that than anything else in the world. Which was a good thing because we just didn't have the money for much else. In fact we were scraping by on peanut butter sandwhiches, ramen noodles, and would even reuse water bottles by filling them back up with tap water. Yes, we were broke. The two of us girls against the world. We are so blessed with our new baby sister and Dougie who takes care of us three girls.

Poor Jacee-Kay. Her love for peanut butter has put us in a slight predicament. You see this year when she started pre-k, I would send her to school with her usual peanut butter and jelly sandwhich. (Although Dougie got her started on Strawberry jellly instead of Grape jelly. He won't eat his any other way...ok ok he's right strawberry is better than grape what were we thinking?)

But about a week into school we received an email from her teacher telling us that there was a child in school who had severe allergies to peanut butter and that unfortunately they were so severe that no one could bring peanuts or peanut butter to school. Of course how could I explain this to Jacee-Kay. Her most beloved meal for lunch is no longer allowed. I for one understand the rule and want to teach Jacee-Kay to be considerate of other people's allergic reactions. I feel worse for the poor kiddo who cannot have peanuts. No child should be deprived of such a wonderful thing as a pb&j sandwhich.

So, I found something called Sunbutter. Made with sunflower seeds instead of peanuts. I said to myself...."self...this is just the ticket!"

No. This was not just the ticket. I switched on her the very next week at school. And darn, you know what?! Jacee-Kay knows when I use sunbutter instead of real peanut butter. She gets so confused. She will ask me why I try to trick her. I just laugh because she's right, I do try and trick her. Only because I know she won't eat it if it's not really real peanut butter. So smart that Sweet Four year old of mine is.

This Morning We:

Watched Handy Manny while sitting on the ground by ourself...

well two pillows kept our chances of bumping my head slim to none.

Mommy made a playground for me on the floor and my big sister Jacee-Kay snuck me a bite of her chocolate chip pancakes.

Life is good.

I wore a new outfit today.

My mommy's favorite cousins Amy and Rachel made me the sweet bow to go along with my favorite girly outfit.

Perfect for a day at Grammy's house.

I love it.

I feel like a pretty girl with my hair bow in.

Of course my big sister, Jacee-Kay had to wear her

Halloween sweater that mommy bought last summer.

She calls it her T.J. Maxx steal.

No not deal. Steal.

We laugh because that would be silly for mommy to steal something.

But she said the price was that good that she felt like she stole it.

The necklace is from Grammy.

I think I'm really gonna love Halloween.

And candy corn.

I will just have to convince Jacee-Kay to sneak me a piece when mommy's not looking. =P

The Fall has Come.

It is October. Wow.

The last seven days have flown by.

Here's what happened:

It's the simple, day to day, ordinary things that make the world go 'round.