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Stephanie

 It is a fact

that nothing has changed my life so dramatically as did the arrival of

My Firstborn

Weighing a mere 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and measuring 19 tiny inches in length, Stephanie arrived at 4:14 PM on Friday,

November 1, 1985

…and the world has never been the same.

My world was not the only one that was altered.

She changed my Mama’s world too!

And brought into being the One and Only Mema Mary!

Stephanie was a pretty baby girl.

In the hospital, when the nurses changed shifts, each would tell me what a pretty baby she was, one commenting that she had a complexion of peaches and cream.

Although it seemed to take years for her to grow hair,

Stephanie was a little princess.

At thirteen months old, she became the big sister…and later on she became the leader of the pack.She is a valued Stein Mart Associate.And she is an integral part of our family…and a beloved friend to many.Stephanie is the Family Fashionista.She is the one I consult for choosing the best shoes, trends, colors, etc.

Stephanie loves to display her creativity in the kitchenand will be my head baker if I ever get that bakery business going.

She may not demand attention, but she draws it regardless.

Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday Dear Stephanie…

Happy Birthday to YOU!

 

Waterfalls and Walking Trails

Vacation Day Two

Thursday, October 26th

would turn out to be a day for physical activity.

It wasn’t the plan and I certainly did not dress for the events to come.

Nevertheless

on day two of our fall vacation we awoke to a beautiful, cloudless sky at the Amicalola Falls (State Park) Lodge.

First stop: Breakfast.

As information:  Breakfast at this lodge is unbelievable… but it isn’t complementary.

The buffet has everything on a breakfast menu that anyone could imagine:  Grits, Biscuits, Sausage Gravy, Fried Potato Wedges, and more. What this man wanted most was COFFEE! Starting the day with plenty of coffee and a hearty breakfast turned out to be a good thing.

We left the lodge to check out the park.

There were trout homes to see… apparently.And I was curious to see the little guys. Nothing.

Then on to the top of the falls for a look downward.There are steps leading to the bottom of the falls, but alas, I was without stair climbing shoes…so LB and I drove to the bottom of the falls.

We found that the climb up would not be quite as hard as the climb down would have been.No matter… LB and I wanted to see the falls and started the climb.LB had a tendency to venture off of the beaten pathand I caught it all on camera. If you think he is adventurous here, wait till I tell you what he got us into later in the afternoon.

Amicalola Falls is beautiful!It is well worth the walk to see.So beautiful, in fact, I had to MAKE LB leave to go back to the car. After I convinced him to leave Amicalola Falls State Park, we intended to head toward the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Being that I was not so much into sitting in the passenger seat for another winding drive, LB had another plan in mind.  He would be taking me to see another waterfall.

He turned onto a shadowy road and this is what I sawAs if the roads in the North Carolina mountains aren’t scary enough for a girl from the flat state of Florida.Two miles of this single lane road.

Luckily we met only one vehicle along the way and everything worked out nicely.  When we arrived at our destination, another couple was leaving.

So… we were the only two people there.Rufus Morgan Trailhead.

Not wanting miss the opportunity to see a beautiful waterfall, we took a chance (against better judgment) and began the trek upward.Now that it is over, I am seriously amazed that I actually did this.  There were no trail markers and barely a trail.  As we started up, the pathway was somewhat clear.  However that minimal clarity soon became obsolete and was replaced by despairing thoughts such as “what am I doing here?” and “what if we can’t find our way back?” and “is that the sound of dueling banjos nearby?”

Then… there it wasOkay… there it is… we made it.

It is truly a lovely little waterfall.

Let’s get out of here.

I’m right behind you.

Go.

National Pumpkin Day

National Pumpkin Day

happened while LB and I were on vacation.

After leaving Amicalola Falls State Park, we intended to head toward the Blue Ridge Parkway.

However, the site of a field laden with pumpkins was too tempting to pass by. 

Burt’s Pumpkin Farm

was a stop that had to be made.And what a great way to celebrate

National Pumpkin Day!

according to NationalDayCalendar.com

Never in my life have I posed for a picture with pumpkins, nor seen so many pumpkins,nor such a variety

Burt’s Pumpkin Farm was complete with all the pumpkins you could imagine, wheelbarrows to gather them for easy commute to the checkout, a store with jams, jellies, butters, and breads/cakes.

Ornaments and chachkies to complete your fall home decor.

There is something about pumpkin that Americans love and it probably has more to do with the way it makes us feel.  Pumpkin is a seasonal food that brings with it the nostalgia of the events that are associated with fall.  Such things as Halloween, Thanksgiving,  gathering with family and friends.

Pumpkin is used in various autumn decorations, recipes, and other events (pumpkin chunkin’, etc).  Pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving Day is an American (Richard) favorite.  Although by the time we have had the opportunity to dollop a slice with cool whip, we have already carved Jack-O-Lanterns,(two of my personal favorites) and we have nearly overindulged in several PSLs.LB and I enjoyed a first, as we took time out of our day to enjoy a pumpkin farm on National Pumpkin Day.

Perfect timing that wasn’t even planned. and I’m now paying homage to the pumpkin on my blog.

Autumn is a Second Spring

…when every leaf is a flower ~ Albert Camus   Every leaf is a flower during autumn, which a one of the reasons many people flock to the mountains in October.  LB and I enjoy taking a trip to see the changing leaves as well.  We have made this an annual tradition and look forward to it each time.  Our trip north begins by heading west for a stop at one of my favorite places.  This year we hit the road on

Wednesday October 25th

…30 minutes later we arrived at

Classy Crossroads Boutique

in Macclenny, Florida.

After just minutes in the store, I spotted this vest and immediately wanted to touch itIt was so soft! And so CUTE!Classy Crossroads specializes in denim and boots (more brands than I can name), but there are so many cute tops,  jackets and vests in the shop. Also very cute, were the handbags by BCBGeneration, Betsey Johnson, HOBO, Steve Madden, and others.  I foresee this navy HOBO handbag in my future… Everyone needs a navy handbag.

I foresee some pretty jewelry as well… You can never have enough earrings.How is that for prophecy!

Some items are marked with “Do Not Open Until XMAS“.

Nevertheless… I’m spoiled.

Thanks LB!

After that shopping experience, we set our GPS destination for Dawsonville, Georgia, with a short stop at Fajita Grill… my Facebook Friends would have noticed my “check in”and anyone who know me (and My LB) knows we’ve gotta have our Mexican food fix! It was late (and our first meal of the day), but we were satisfied with dinner, and ready to finish this first leg of our journey… our first overnight stop…

Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge

Not the best first impression picture, but this is what we saw upon arrival.

It was 43° and I was happy that I brought my wool coat.  I would only wear it that one time during the trip, but it was worth bringing along for that moment.

We were safe and sound and so happy to be on

VACATION!

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.

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