Silent Saturday

Key Lime Pie Cupcakes

Awesomeness is afoot...

So, while I personally have nothing but good stuff to report, I have to first say that poor Not-So-Ex is so incredibly, horribly sick. He's working evenings this week and I so felt for him when he was trying to get up and get everyone going this morning. I'm hoping he'll get to the doc once he rests a little this morning. I just can't have him all sickie on our vacation! Poor baby.

My Chocolate Mint Cupcakes (with a Peppermint Patty in the middle)

I'm gonna be super duper busy the next few weeks. For one, I have 250 cupcakes to make in a week. I got started last night and knocked four dozen out at least, so that's a plus. I'm trying to crank out as many as I can ahead of time, make them extra beautiful (with special emphasis on tying them to my daughter's school colors), and freeze them so that they'll still be gorgeous and moist for the celebration. I got my bigger boxes and some of my special cupcake liners in yesterday, so that helped me get started.

A terrible pic of beautiful Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

On a completely different note, the White movie is in full swing. While I was in awe of the good review that came from the New York Times, I think I was even more moved by the article in the Charleston Daily Mail. Around here, you say Jesco and people either laugh or roll their eyes. It can bring out a lot of anger. I was pleased that the author watched the movie with an open mind instead of pigeonholing it based on rumors and fears. The response has been much more positive than I ever expected.

And, speaking of the movie, I will get to hit my first real film festival next month. I'll be attending the Flyover Film Festival in Louisville, Kentucky! I will hopefully get to stay at the absolutely amazing 21c hotel. These are opportunities I may never have had if it wasn't for this extraordinary film and the wonderful people involved. I talked to the director yesterday and he let me know he name dropped me a few times on the director's commentary for the DVD. How awesome is that?

It's so funny to think back to when we were filming. I had a friend that insisted that I was being used and, once the film was done, these people would walk away and that would be that. But, of course, it turns out that they have stood by me. I have no doubt that, if I needed anything, be it now or 10 yrs from now, if I ring up my director or even my producer, they'll do anything to help me. Some of my "friends," not so much. But anyway, that year + out of my life is not one I would ever want to go through again, but I couldn't be happier that I did it when I did.

Wendy's FAIL

Not-So-Ex picked me up a salad for lunch from Wendy's. This is what I got. Revolting isn't it.

Just another morning...

I had a very funny morning. It started out insanely perfect. My kids got out of bed when I woke them up (even the hubs rarely does that!), got dressed quickly, and were completely ready and munching on dry cereal a half hour early! That's right, this time, when I told them to get their clothes ready on Sunday evening, they did. So there was no running from the basement, where the laundry is, to the second floor, where the kids are, trying to find something for them to wear.

We spent that miraculous extra half hour watching cartoons (I love Phineas and Ferb) and eating handfuls of dry Fruit Loops (daughter can't have milk though she dearly loves it). It was really an exceptional morning.

Then we got in the car and our normal morning returned. Hunt couldn't find his backpack anywhere and got super frustrated. In the end, it was fine cause Daddy's at home since he's working later hours and can run the backpack to him at school later.

But things really got interesting when we arrived at school. Their school has a morning care program but it doesn't start until 7 am, so parents are not to drop their kids off before then. We pulled up at 6:55. I told the kids we'd have to wait a few minutes before they could get out.

For some reason, this really irritated my daughter. She first argued that a few minutes didn't matter. Then she told me I was wrong, the gym (where morning care is) opened at 5 so they could go on in. She got angry with me, and much sighing and eye rolling ensued. As she was busily eye rolling, the clock hit 7 and I told them they could go on in.

I have to say I took great delight when I let them out and watched Hunt head in through the main doors. Then I watched as Rena headed to the gym doors. She walked to the doors, which had been open since 5 am *sheesh*, pulled one of the doors, and found it was locked! *gasp* She then tried the other door... locked!

As she walked back to the main doors, she was careful not to so much as look up cause she knew I was watching... and grinning. And I somehow found the strength to not roll down the window and yell "I told you so" as I drove away.

Black Velvet Baby

So I was asked to make some cupcakes for someone who is both a family friend and one of my kids' former teachers.  And, since I'm getting ready for the big celebration at their school, I also wanted to try some new piping techniques.  So, when the teacher planning the party chose red velvet cupcakes, I knew I could get creative.

Hence the Black Velvet Cupcake.

It's really simple actually.  It's Red Velvet, just with black food coloring instead of red.  I also used my favorite cream cheese frosting, but I painted a black stripe inside the bag so that it would pipe out with a stripe.

Now this wasn't my original plan, but I loved the way it turned out.  The original plan was to paint a gold stripe inside the bag, using Luster Dust mixed with vanilla.  But, just so everyone knows, that doesn't work with Luster Dust.

Lucy the demon dog strikes again

So I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and was really looking forward to getting it over with. I left work a bit early so I could run an errand, then remembered that I had forgotten my phone at home and, since it was a new doctor, wasn't exactly sure where I was going. So I ran back home to grab my phone.

I walked in the door of my apartment in a hurry, which is when Lucy decided to exit my apartment in a hurry. I ran after her, calling her for a while but, every time I got anywhere near her, she'd see me and run the other direction. After a few minutes of this, I got pretty effing pissed. I went home and looked for my phone.

While looking for the phone, I grabbed our house phone and called Not-So-Ex to let him know Lucy got out and I was supposed to be on my way to the doc (ok so the conversation involved a bit more yelling and a lot more profanity than that sentence, but you get the idea). As I finished talking to him, I see Lucy at our front door and drop the phone on our coffee table, causing the phone to come apart and the battery to fly in another direction.

I headed out after Lucy again, but the results are the same as the first time around. But this time I reached my boiling point and finally yelled, "Fine. I'm going home, Lucy." And that's exactly what I did. I went home, hooked our other dog, Jake the wonder mutt, up outside and started looking for my phone again.

A few minutes later, as I'm on my hands and knees looking for my phone, I hear a noise and turn around to see Lucy standing there getting a bite to eat and a drink. I guess the run away game was far less fun when there was no one to run from.

To tie up all the loose ends, I did find my phone - well actually my 8 yr old had to find it for me - and we found the battery to the house phone and put it back together. So everyone came out ok.

The one where she's still kicking...

So I mentioned yesterday that I went to the doc and, luckily, all seems good. I still have some blood work that needs done but, unless there's something wacky going on with it, it looks like I'm in pretty decent shape.

But today holds another doctor's visit. This one's the one I dislike most... the one most women dread. I have a feeling you all know what I'm talking about. But I'll go, put my feet up, and hope they tell me I've gone mysteriously barren. Cause that would rock. LOL