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Weekend Recap

As I mentioned in my “Revealed” post yesterday, my weekend began when I gleefully left work on

Friday Evening

Stephanie organized a lovely party, and everyone went home knowing the answer to the big question…

(It’s A Girl)

And my cupcakes were delicious!Especially the PINK ONES!

Switching gears…

LB has been thinking about furnishing our bonus room with a large screen television and recliners.

Saturday

he decided we should check out a local wholesale company.

We visited

Mary’s Wholesale Furniture

And now…

some pictures from that visit I didn’t see anything in the showroom that tempted me.

However, when we asked a salesperson if there she could show us theater seating, we were taken to a catalog room and shown quite a few selections. That little stop provided us with a good starting place for continued shopping.

I’m looking forward to putting the “Theater Room” together and having movie-watching-fun with LB or my kids when they come by.

Afterward, we went to dinner.

La Nopalera.Yet again.

Then back to Kohl’s to spend my $30 in Kohl’s cash.

After making friends with the staffAnd showing LB the perfect socksI was on a mission to find the perfect $30 Kohl’s cash purchase.

It was rough deciding what to choose. There were several possibilitiesBut my ever faithful cameraman followed me closely, to capture every momentHe always catches me at my best.

In this shot I’m trying on the Jennifer Lopez Beaded Neck Cold-Shoulder Top and the Petite Simply Vera Vera Wang Straight-Leg Jeans.  YES, PETITE.  I’m 5’4″ and once in a while, a petite will work for me.  Although in this picture I look like I’ve lost my mind, I loved the fit of this denim.

This ELLE™ Mockneck Shift Dress was a favoriteProbably because there was a gold tassel necklace attached.  I’m a sucker.

So… I spent my Kohl’s cash and then some.

That said, I spent

Sunday

reorganizing my closet!

Revealed!

This post is part one of a weekend recap… because who wants to talk about Monday anyway???  It is part one because this subject (Revealed) deserves a post of it’s own.
I’ll start my weekend recap by stating the obvious:  My weekend began when I gleefully left work on Friday evening.

I headed home to gather my cupcakes (how’s that for a statement?)…then LB and I set out for the

Gender Reveal

Is it a boy or a girl?

The question is no longer simply answered…

but

REVEALED

How about ALL THAT PINK!

For anyone who doesn’t know, a gender reveal party is similar to a baby shower… minus the gift…

in most cases.The big sister is an exception, of course.

Moana was a happy addition to Lydia’s collection.

I read that there are oftentimes games where attendees guess the baby’s gender before the big moment.  For this reveal, there was hype in the form of group text messaging:

and some replied with their thoughts:

 

Some parties include providing ideas for the new baby’s name.  Glammy likes the name Finn, if anyone is interested.

So, this time next year I will be a Glammy of two little girls… and I love it.

Stephanie organized a lovely party, and everyone went home knowing the answer to the big question.

It’s A Girl!

Congratulations Richard and Emily!

And Lydia!

And the rest of the Family!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cupcakes for a Special Event

Recently I was commissioned to make

CUPCAKES

for a SPECIAL EVENT

 

Later that evening, she let me know:

Eventually I got all of the details about the gender reveal party that is set to take place Friday evening at Stephanie’s house.  There will be family and friends, refreshments, and a piñata filled with either pink or blue confetti.

With my task at hand, I began…

 In a vintage Tupperware measuring bowl (handed down from my Mama), the flour, baking powder, and salt get whisked together.  The whisking process works about as well as sifting and takes much less effort.

That’s right… I use Walmart products.

For about 5 minutes, I beat the butter and sugar together in my stand mixer.

Since I TRIPLED the recipe (below) I had to change mixing bowls mid process.  My glass mixing bowl is quite a bit larger and more suitible for mess makers such as myself.  I added SIX eggs one at at time, followed by pure vanilla and almond extractsFast Forward: add the flour mixture and milk alternately, fill muffin cups, bake and cool.

Although my frosting skills need some work… The finished product was delicious!

Modified ever so slightly, this recipe was discovered on the site Two Peas & Their Pod.

Vanilla Almond Cupcakes

Makes 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 cup Silk Almondmilk Unsweetened Vanilla

For the Frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Silk Almondmilk Unsweetened Vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Retrieve cupcake pan(s) and liners from the cabinet for later use.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  4. Add the eggs one at at time, beating after each addition. Stir in the extracts.
  5. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until flour is just incorporated.  Try not to over-mix.
  6. Divide batter evenly in prepared cupcake liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer pan to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
  7. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. Using a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy. With the mixer on low, add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until all of the powdered sugar is added. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix on high until smooth.
  8. Frost and Serve!

Note-Frosting can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature and beat briefly before using. You can store the finished cupcakes in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Let the cupcakes come to room temperature before serving. They are best the day they are made.

Friday Favorites

Its Friday Favorites time again (not that Friday can happen too often)… and time to share the things that made this week great.

Favorite # ONE

For anyone who doesn’t already know

Wendy

is my co-worker and has been following a regimented diet plan since March of this year.

I published posts about or referencing her here and here (and here).

Wendy shared this Before/After picture of herself on Facebook recently:

She has completely transformed herself and is now completely enthralled with shopping for new outfits.

And she’s in good company!
Everyone is always asking Wendy “how did you do it?”

She will simply direct them to the website dietdoctor.com

Obviously it works!

Favorite # TWO

Last week I set out on a lunchtime bargain hunting trip to

Kohl’s

in search of new jeans.

At the time, all of my denim was from Venus or Express (with the exception of my one splurge pair from True Religion).

I found three different brands that I like.

Vera Wang, Apt. 9, and LC Lauren Conrad.

My favorite of the three are these Women’s LC Lauren Conrad Skinny JeansWomen's LC Lauren Conrad Skinny Jeans
These slim fit jeans have a stretchy denim construction (cotton, polyester, spandex) and sit above the hip. Very comfortable.

Already putting them to good use

I am a fan of her brand at Kohl’s, particularly the accessories, because her designs are so cute.

Favorite # THREE

Speaking of Lauren Conrad, I recently discovered that she has a blog.

You can find her blog here.

Favorite # FOUR

My new cupcake-cake-pop-carrier from Michael’s

Because everyone needs something with which to carry cupcakes (and/or cake pops).

Recently I made cupcakes and took them to a Gender Reveal Party. 

I’ll likely post about both at a later time; and I’m looking forward to reading what I have to say.

 

Favorite # FIVE

While searching for a giphy to express my excitement about an upcoming party, I became infatuated with the giphy itself.

This happy, multi-colored, party-hat clad creature…

party rainbow party animal party hat ready to party Sticker

Don’t ask me why… I can’t explain.

Happy Friday

and

Party ON!

Shoesday Tuesday

Far better than Taco Tuesday is Shoesday Tuesday!

Other than my activities and family, one of the subjects I blog about most is

SHOES

My first shoe post was published on May 11, 2017 and I began it with:

Give a girl the right shoes… and she can conquer the world. ~Marilyn Monroe

That may be a true statement.

Today I’m revisiting fall shoe trends because I want Wendy to have something that she can share with her mom.  And because I like shoes!  If you had any doubt, read on for clarification.

And if you are looking for shoes that are on trend this fall for a good price, you’ve come to the right post!

In yesterday’s post, I shared my most recent shoe purchase…

This cutie bootie came from Kohl’s.

 

Kohl’s always has good deals, especially if you are a cardholder.  Every other month or so I will find that I have a 30% off coupon in the mail from Kohl’s.  These booties were 20% off of  the $44 sale price.

And it gets better…

Last week my fabulous shoe find was from Amazon which is another place for great deals.

These are my new peep toe mules and they were only $17.99These mules have a chunky heel so they are perfect for someone like me who falls off of high heels.  They come in five colors which you can see if you click here.  Mine are blush, which is turning out to be a very popular color this fall.  Pantone has named this color Ballet Slipper and it listed as one of their top colors for fall 2017.

Another of Pantone’s top picks for fall 2017 is Grenadine.  Most people call it red.  This is my favorite red shoe and latest boot purchase, also from AmazonThese boots come in six other colors; At the time of purchase, the price was $27.

LOVE!

Another trend this fall is the over the knee boot.

I had to have them…

but only at a price that wouldn’t make me cry.

These were $29 when I purchased them on August 31st.  Some Amazon sellers prices seem to change often.  Right now the sale price is $37… still a good deal and available in four colors.

Now that I’m putting this in print, I’m beginning to think I have an obsession.  But at least I can say I’m always looking for a bargain.  That said, I have one more to share.

This peep toe bootie was a recent purchase from Amazon… seller ZOOSHOO

LB recently purchased a pair to replace some he wore out and he was very excited about their arrival.

The Nunn Bush Marvin St. Plain Toe Derby Shoe from shoes.com

I just didn’t want anyone to think I am the only shoe lunatic in this house.

 

Happy Shoesday Tuesday!

Monday Musings

Today is Monday… and I’m Musing.
Without fail my Mondays are continually filled with recollections of the previous weekend.  Partly because I like my weekends and partly because I dislike Monday.  A lot.

Today has been no exception.

Blogging is like journaling in a sense. Taking time to write about my life is something I do to evoke mindfulness and boost memory.  It also causes me to be cognizant of what a blessed life I have.

Today I am recollecting Friday night little pizzas and a movie Saturday morning coffee time with Elvis

and my Sunday afternoon outing (typically going shopping or out to dinner) with LB.

Those are the events that take place nearly every weekend.

In a previous post (Friday Favorites) I mentioned that I went to Kohl’s on Friday during lunch to try on jeans. Before I headed back to the office, I stopped by the shoe department. Sadly, I didn’t have time to try any of them on for size. When I mentioned how many cute shoes/booties I came across, LB suggested that we go back.

Am I Going to Say No to That?

shopping Sticker

Sunday afternoon we headed out…and back to Kohl’s. These are the “SONOMA Goods for Life™ Thelma Women’s Peep Toe Ankle Boots” in Olive.

And they came home with me!

In my recent Trunk Club experience, I mentioned that Ann-Claude has included a pair of booties

BP. $89.95

that were just about the same color, which I obviously like, however the price wasn’t right.  The BP. booties could have been mine for $89.98.

The Sonoma booties from Kohl’s were $44

…and I had a 20% off coupon.

 

 

 

Friday Favorites featuring Hobby Lobby

Being the self proclaimed awesome blogger that I am, it is my duty to share a Friday Favorites post at least twice a month.  I’m already behind.

Favorite # ONE

There is a new Hobby Lobby at the St. Johns Town Center!

Last weekend we were shopping for fabric to cover a cornice board (which is a post for another day). We decided to check out the new location and loved it!

It was so tidy, organized, and filled with all sorts of fun items…

Favorite # TWO

 Mexican Restaurants!

In addition to Hobby Lobby, we also checked out the new restaurant “Chuy’s” at the St. John’s Town Center this weekend.

It is a cute place. 

The acoustics in the building make for a very loud dining experience.  When we discovered that the bar area is not quite as loud, we decided that it would be the best place to sit if we decided to go back. 

I can’t say that this is my favorite Mexican Restaurant, but Mexican restaurants in general are my favorite!And leftovers are always great!

Favorite # THREE

This outfit that I wore last Saturday.

Unlike a blogger that has it all together, all I can say is my top is from Shein.com and my denim is from Venus.com.  My handbag was a gift from my sweet girls Stephanie and Amanda.

Favorite # FOUR

Kohl’s for a quick shopping trip during lunch.  (Sometimes you just need to get away from the office even if only to accumulate steps on your FitBit).  Today I stepped away to visit the Kohl’s that is minutes away from my office.  I tried on jeans and my pictures are horrible.  But it is still the best getaway place EVER!

Favorite # FIVE

At the end of a long week I have enough energy to get myself home and that is about it.

When my son and his family are close by I don’t always catch up with them, but I always catch the notifications and posts he and Emily share.

This picture of little Lydia (My GlamBaby) was shared to reveal the coming of her sibling and My 2nd GlamBaby.

This little picture is genius!  I Love It!

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