Cake Pops

A couple of weekends ago a couple of girls I know through Backwoods came to visit me.  Shanon and I are regular camp goers and Kim is one of Shanon's friends from Faulkner.  She would come downt to camp on the nights that Cornerstone performed, but then she was outta there.  Kim and I haven't really spent a lot of time together, so it was fun to get to know her better and it's always fun to hang out with Shanon.  Another friend, Miranda, was supposed to come as well, but she ended up having to stay home :(.  She contacted me several weeks before the trip to see if I wanted to do a little surprise party for Shanon.  Her birthday is actually tomorrow, but we both thought it would be the perfect opportunity to surprise her.  So, I was in decorating and cake making mode.  Shanon and Miranda are both cake bakers, so trying to come up with something creative that will impress them brought on quite the challenge.  After long agonizing hours of thinking about it, I decided to do cake pops!

I actually decided to buy the cake pop pan from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

I also bought a pancake dropper because I saw this video and it made putting the mix in the pan so much easier!!  Obviously she had a different maker than I did, but I thought the mix would be the same...

So, I flowered my pans (can you see all the flour in sink?).  They suggest not to use a butter spray and that is all I had, so I used regular powder on my pans.  It was quite the mess!!  I covered the inside and the top because excess does come out of the top. 

I tried to use my new pancake dropper, but the mix was too thick :(.  So, I ended up using my ice cream scoop and a spoon to put it in the pan.

I did red velvet cake and the box recipe makes 2 pans of cake pops (18+18 = 36).

This is actually the second batch I did because I forgot to take a picture of the first batch.  You can see that some of the cake did come out of the top, but the first batch was way worse.  I'm thinking that you could probably get 2 and half pans out of one box of mix if you really wanted to.

Then you just pull them out.  Some of them do have 'Saturn rings,' but those are easily removable with some kitchen sheers.

This is my tupperware half full of the 'overpour.'  I think you could get a could half a pan out of this...I'll know next time :).

Out of 36 pops only 2 of them cracked a bit.

I cooled them overnight in the fridge.

Then started creating the next morning.  I did purple vanilla flavored candies and milk chocolate.

The first step is put the stick on the cake ball.  You dip the stick into the melted candies (I found my candies at Hobby Lobby).

Then stick the stick about half way into the bottom of the cake ball.

I went ahead and stuck them in the styrofoam to rest and 'glue' together.

Here's all the cake pops before their decorated.  I stuck them in the fridge for a little while, maybe 10 minutes.  I would suggest leaving them in there a bit longer because I did have a couple fall of the sticks when I was dipping.

I guess I got too into decorating because after this point I kind of forgot to take pictures, but there are plenty of videos and tutorials out there that you can follow.

Here's the finished product!!!!!

I use that hat box for my diaper cakes (don't worry they aren't used diapers).  Actually, now I'm looking at this I realized I used the wrong box because I have purple I meant to use...whoops!!

This is what Shanon saw when she came in the house!!  I got the hanging balloon idea from pinterest...super cute and super cheap!!!  Then those stick things are from my winter table centerpiece!  Happy Birthday (tomorrow) Shanon!!!

We really had a GREAT WEEKEND!!!  We went to Chuy's, shopping, experienced 5 for 5 clearance at Charming Charlies with a 5 year old and a 1 year old...fun let me tell ya!  We stayed up late and slept in.  We got snowed on and we visited Papa Bear and Bebe (my parents).  It was a blast and I can't wait until we can do it again.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

 

Our first V-day together!

Just in case you haven't gotten any roses today, these are for you... 

We aren't big V-day celebraters, but I have recieved some pretty good presents on this Hallmark holiday in the past.  Our first Valentine's is one I'll never forget!!  I was still in college and was a makin' music director.  He drove from Murfreesboro (about a 2 and a 1/2 to 3 hr drive) on V-day (middle of the week) to surprise me at practice and bring me those flowers.  We literally only got to spend a couple of hours together before he had to leave.  It was one of those times that I will always remember though.  The next year I told him I didn't want flowers, but a Chronological Bible.  He's pretty smart sometimes and realized that I probably wanted both, so he went to the resource room at church and made me card with die-cut flowers on it :).  I still have that card!  The first two years of our marriage, V-day hasn't really stuck out to me.  I honestly can't remember what we did, but everyday with Gary is a blessing!!  I LOVE being married and it's something that I will recommend to anyone!!! 

Speaking of being married, I was reading my friends blog and she had an awesome post about weddings and marriage that I wanted to share with everyone. 

I hope that everyday is a Valentine's Day!

Juicing

For Christmas Gary wanted a juicer.  So, I searched high and low for a juicer that not only would do the things that he wanted it to do, but was also in our budget.  I finally settled on the Jack Lalanne Juicer

I bought the one in black to match our kitchen.  I purchased it at Kohl's on sale, but then Rachel, the bargain shopper that she is, found the exact same juicer for half the price at Macy's.  So, we both ordered one.  Christmas morning, Gary opened his juicer and the first thing out of his mouth was, "I have a juicer in my trunk..."  WHAT??  EXCUSE ME??!  Come to find out, one of his participants for SFT bought him a juicer.  Oh and let me tell you it wasn't just ANY juicer.  It was a more powerful one and one that Gary really wanted.  Of course it wasn't in our budget is why I didn't get that one for him.  His friend, Brandon, has this juicer and he knows how it works and loves it.  SO, after a long pro and con list (mental not physical) Gary decided to take my juicer back and stick with the Bed, Bath and Beyond juicer (I'm not even sure what brand it is). 

That brings me to my current story...last week, and yesterday, we juiced!  Now when I say we juiced I mean for breakfast we had a berry smoothie (ingredients include but not necessarily limited to - frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, keifer and raw eggs).  We have this for breakfast on mornings when we aren't juicing as well :).  Then Gary made a mason jar full of the juice.  You are supposed to drink 4 ounces every hour.  You don't necessarily have to do it that way, but it does keep you busy and moving throughout the day to get up and go to the fridge every hour.  There were days when I was able do that and others when I wasn't.  Our juice concotion was - carrots, apples (I asked Gary to add an extra apple to mine to make it sweeter) and celery.  Now that may sound disgusting to some and there were days that it was harder to drink than others, but all in all I think I did pretty well.  At night we would eat a normal healthy meal. 

Today is my first weekday since 2 friday's ago to actually eat a real meal at lunch and I brought a ceaser chicken salad :).  I'm enjoying this healthier lifestyle!!  I'm not saying that I don't still crave all of the bad foods that I was so used to eating and I can't say that we sometimes don't give in, but all in all I know this is better for me and I'm excited!!

Wish us luck,

Resolution Check-up

A fellow blogger had their resolution check-up yesterday and it reminded me that I need to do mine.

I started a prayer journal and I still haven't really gotten into the groove with it.  Also, it was sitting on my bedside table...along with about 30 *over exaggeration* cups from my kitchen...and water spilt on it.  You know like during the night when I'm tossing and turning and yanking the sheets from my cover-stealing-husband, I knocked one of the glasses over and soaked the whole table.  I'm still learning and experimenting with it and I'm anxious to find my groove.  I can, however, tell you that something I have been praying for was answered and the answer was YES and RIGHT NOW!!  So, that was SUPER exciting!!

As far as reading the Bible through, I'm anxious and excited to announce that I am on day #2 of reading through the Bible in 90 days.  I found this cool checklist that will help me along the way.

I haven't actually finished today's yet, but I'm almost done so I went ahead and checked it off :).  I'm super pumped and excited!  This morning when I got to work our systems were down, so that gave me the perfect opportunity to make the most of my time.  Plus, it's really awesome to start your work day with a little bit of God.  I have read through Genesis a number of times (uhh umm you know from starting to read the Bible through and not finishing), but this time I can already see how different it's going to be.  I understand that the entire Bible isn't in Chronological order, but I think that Genesis is.  So far I have read about creation, the fall of man, Cain and Abel, Noah, the Tower of Babel, Abram (before God renamed him) and Sarai, Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham sacrificing Isaac (that one always gets me), Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau and so many others.  A couple of the stories really touched me and helped me see them in a new light.  It's neat how no matter what stage of life you are in the stories in the Bible seem to always relate.

So, wish me luck and continue to keep me in your prayers!  

Let me know how your resolutions are going.  Leave me a comment below :).