Cupcakes and Cakes

Cute cupcakes.

 This is my cake from this week, our last week.  It was so much fun and I learned a lot.  I am sad there won't be an excuse to bake a cake every week anymore, but it's probably for the best...

Rodeo

Jordan and I went to the San Antonio Rodeo for the first time since we've lived here last Friday.  We went with a couple of friends and had so much fun, but didn't stay for the concert because it was Train, and we just don't like them.  I was lucky enough to score some free tickets to last night's rodeo from Jill and Brody, and I was so excited because it was Martina McBride.  She is one of my favorite country singers and I think she is absolutely beautiful.  Jordan was having a "guys night," so I took Traci and we had a blast!  Here are a couple of pictures from where we were sitting WAYYYY up at the top. 

And here's a little clip of Martina singing.  Wow, what an amazing voice this woman has!!

While I was sitting at the rodeo last night with Traci, Jordan texts me and says his friend gave him 2 more tickets to today's 'Extreme Bulls' and that they were awesome seats.  3 times in 8 days??  Heck yes!!  We knew we were getting good seats, but really?!?!  3rd row from the railing?  Those bulls are a lot bigger than they look from the nosebleed section!!  It was so amazing to be so close to the action and get to see the cowboys up close and personal.  And let me tell you... they are all really cute... until they take off their hats and they are bald!  Yuk!  We were even sitting right next to the little boy who won the Mutton Busting!!  He was ADORABLE!  The concert was the Eli Young Band, which was great for 2 songs, and then we were both ready to go.  I like my country singers to be country, not rock'n'roll wannabes.  All in all, an amazing rodeo experience!!  I can't wait for next year's rodeo!

Love and Cakes

Let me start off by saying, I have the best husband ever!  He is my best friend and I really think we have one of the healthiest marriages out there.  I feel so blessed to have found someone that makes me this happy, and who I love taking care of (cuz face it ladies, we take care of our husbands).  Everyone always says "opposites attract," but I have to disagree.  At least for us.  We are almost exactly alike, except he's nicer.  At least that's what my mom says...  But really, I don't think I could live with someone that was totally opposite from me.  I'm messy, so any man who expected a picked up house would hate living with me.  I don't cook, but Jordan likes junk food (like me) so that works out, too.  Exept we're fatties.... oh well.  We're happy.  We like the same movies, food, TV shows, everything!  Well, except music.  We definitely disagree on music.  Anyways, the point is, I love him so much and love having a day to celebrate our love.  Of course I wasn't very romantic and just got him some cologne, but he was really excited about it.  But he was so thoughtful!!!  He had these beautiful tulips delivered to our house on Saturday!  I LOVE LOVE tulips!  He's so good.

And then on V-day he gave me this blazer.  On our snow day we went to Bass Pro Shops and I found this, but couldn't bring myself to spend the $35 to buy it.  He remembered how much I wanted it and went back and got it for me!  He's so good.

We don't really believe in cards in our house.  Such a waste of money.  So my creative fella took one of my stationary cards and made it into a card, and then wrote a nice note inside.  He's so good.

Ohhhh and my cookie cake.  I get one twice a year- my birthday, and V-day.  Yummmmmmm!  These are my favorite!!  He's so good.

We ended up going to one of our favorite Mexican food restaurants to eat on Monday.  We were ready for the horrible wait, but when we got there, we were sat immediately.  Apparently Mexican food isn't romantic.  You know what they say... "beans beans they're good for your heart, the more you eat...."  Just more proof that I've been living with Jordan Elam way too long!

I think I told a couple of you, but on Thursday nights some of my friends from school and I are taking a cake decorating class at Michael's.  You would think 4 dentists would be good at fine detail work... maybe not so much.  This is my cake from tonight.  It is so much fun to get away for a few hours and do something colorful!  I'm pretty sure we eat half the icing, but we leave enough to get our work done.  Next week are cupcakes with pom-pom flowers!!  So exciting...!!

Maggie

Last weekend Jordan and I got the chance to pet sit Traci and James' new puppy, Maggie. 

Oh. My. Goodness. 

She is so beautiful!!  It was so much fun having a puppy around the house.  Difficult, but fun.  Big puppies make much bigger messes than tiny puppies.  Either way, I want a puppy... a cute cuddly one.  I'm not so sure Paisley wants one, though.  Puppies who are clumsy, who want to play rough, and who are bigger than her just aren't her favorite.  Poor girls wanted to play, but Paisley is just so small!

Maggie would disappear from time to time and we would find her under the couch.  I had been wanting to sweep under them forever, so she saved me the trouble!  Silly girl! 

As you all know, we had a "snow day" here in San Antonio last Friday.  Here is my proof.  It was so pretty for the 5 hours it lasted! 

Paisley has been in snow before, and she didn't like it any more this time.   

She did, however, love getting to run down the street because no cars were around to squash her.  She got a little carried away... 

My parents got TONS more snow than we did, but I guess I have to be happy for the little bit we did get.  It was a fun day all in all!

Free Trials Rock

I had a couple of questions in my comments, so I'll answer them for everyone to see.  Yes, I did them all by myself in Photoshop.  It's amazing what studyless nights can yield.  I taught myself by looking at other blogs-  there are so many talented women out there!  I have so much to learn!  I look at Pioneer Woman and Kim Klassen Cafe the most, but I do a lot of googling as well.  I haven't bought Photoshop yet, but I'm going to.  There are 2 versions: 1 for photographers and 1 for people like me.  Right now I'm using their free 30 day trial, but I will be getting Photoshop Elements, and it is very reasonably priced. 

Also, you HAVE HAVE HAVE to try this recipe.  I posted the picture of them in with all the others.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filled Cupcakes

1 box Betty Crocker Yellow Cake mix, plus ingredients listed on box to make the cake

1 large tube chocolate chip cookie dough

Chocolate Frosting

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Freeze at least 2 hours or over night, until frozen solid. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!!! If you do not freeze the cookie dough, it will bake inside the batter. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Follow the directions on the cake mix box to make the cake batter. Place paper cupcake cups into a pan and fill each one with batter until 2/3 full. Drop 1 frozen cookie dough ball in the center of each. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes depending on your oven. Do not over-bake. I checked mine at 16 minutes and they were perfect.  We didn't like it with the icing, so we left it off.  Also, when you first bring them out of the oven, they are warm and moist, but way too sweet.  And if I say that, you know it's bad.  They are so much better after they have cooled off and you can actually taste the difference in the cookie and cupcake. 

Go right now and buy the ingredients.  You'll thank me.

Photoshop Before & Afters

My Bay

I had to decorate my room at school for Christmas.  It's just so ugly and white all the time, so I did just enough not to get written up.  Silly, I know.  And you probably don't care, but I wanted a picture so I could take it down.  That's right.... it's all still up.  My patient asked me when I was going to take it down, so I guess it's time.

*sigh*