Crazy Life!!

I have been MIA and I apologize for that!! My great aunt who was such an amazing part of my life, passed away the beginning of February. So I have been helping my mom clean her estate. It amazes me how much stuff my Aunt accumulated over the years, I guess that's what happens when you live in the same house for 60 years!!!! But I am back now with some really neat ideas that I am going to post!! Stay tuned!!

Me, my Mom, my Aunt, and Ashley 2004

Long journey home!!!

I am so excited that I had to share with you all!!!

Two years ago in 2011 we had a little female kitty that showed up at our house,

we live on a farm so kitties showing up is not a rare thing. Needless to say she had a litter of kittens, 5 of the most adorable little kittens you have ever seen in your life!!!

I fell head over heals over them.

They were my babies, needless to say I had to find homes for them.... I would only give them to amazing homes, one to my mom, one to my dear friend Mindy and two of the boys I kept for my farm, the last little one I had to bring into my home because she needed a surgery! Fast forward one year to June 2012, one of the males I kept for my farm Jason, went missing, I feared the worst.

Last Friday, January 18th, 2013 almost 7 months after Jason first went missing, I got out of work early. I turned down my road and I saw my baby Jason running down the side of my road towards my house. I pulled into the end of my drive way and ran 1/4 mile down the road calling to him, he ran up to me I scooped him up and took him home. I couldn't beleive my baby made it back home!!! He was exhausted, he was dehydrated and very skinny, his eyes were red from the trauma due to exhaustion. We started him on antibiotics, and he slept for 2 straight days, I was so happy he made it home.

I am happy to report that Jason is doing very well his one eye is completely healed and the other is doing much better!! I wish I could find out where he has been, and hear all about his journey home. I am so over joyed that I have my baby back!!! I would love to hear about your amazing animal stories!! Please share them in the comments section!!!

I will keep you all posted on Jason and how he is doing!!

Cherry Filled Vegan Cupcakes

In an earlier post I made DIY wedding decorations I told how I saved money on the cake by making my own cupcakes, I want to share the recipe that I used with you! They are delicious so delicious these cupcakes won on Cupcake wars. I used Chloe Coscarelli's  Vanilla cupcakes recipe that I found here at  Chloe Coscarelli's page. I decided I wanted cherries in mine instead of the other ingredients in the recipe.  I hope you enjoy them as much as my guest at our wedding and I did!! 

Vanilla Cupcakes

 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup soy, almond, or rice milk
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
• Preheat oven 350 degrees  
• In a medium bowl combine all ingredients  and mix just until moistened do not over mix!
• 
  

Line 12 cupcake pans and fill them 3/4 the way full

Bake for 18 minutes 

Let cool, once cool cup the tops off the cupcakes and remove them *

Fill the holes with cherry pie filling

When the cupcakes were baking and cooling I mixed up the frosting

Frosting

2 tablespoons grenadine 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4  tsp. almond extract 

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients

With an electric mixer, mix all ingredients until smooth, add a little water if needed

Once mixed well,  put frosting in a quart sized zip lock bag

Snip one of the bottom corners to allow for piping onto the cup cakes

Pipe frosting onto your cup cakes

Eat up!!! I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does! Please leave a comment on how your turned out.

*I placed my cupcake tops in a bowl put some of the cherries and frosting in there and Brad and I ate it like that. You won't want to waste a bit of them!!

Vegan Fruit Smoothie

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite breakfasts. Not only is it Vegan, but it's healthy, super easy and so yummy!!! My husband who is NOT a vegan drinks them all the time! I add Barley Grass to my smoothie because it's a complete protein.

Vegan Fruit Smoothie

1 Banana

2 cups Frozen Strawberries

1 cup Orange juice

1 Tablespoon Barley Grass

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend, until smooth!

and enjoy!!

Yup It's that simple!!! How easy is that!! You can choose any fruits these are just my favorites, play around with it, and let me know what you used! 

New year...It's time to* Shine*

First and foremost... Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season, mine was great! Super busy but great! 

I don't usually make New Years Resolutions, but this year I have decided to make goals for 2013 not a "resolution." So here they are "My goals for 2013!"

1. Become more organized!! Yup this is a biggie, Paper and clothing over take my rooms!!!! I am an avid shopper for clothing and find that I don't have enough hangers let alone closet space in general.  So it's time to to clean out my closet and take things to the local mission.  My rule for cleaning out my closet is.... A) If it's in season, and I have had the opportunity to wear it in the last 2 weeks and haven't, it has to go!! No ifs ands or buts! It's time to say good bye to it! B) If it doesn't fit, it's got to go, we all have those "skinny jeans" that we all want to get back into, but honestly with the way trends change by the time I get back into them they aren't fashionable anymore, so good bye clothing that doesn't fit right! 

My office room looks like a bomb has gone off, Papers, papers, papers!!! My goal in the office is to sort the papers, and rearrange it so I can actually find what I am looking for in under 5 minutes!!

2. Dedicate more time on my blog! I want to dedicate more time with all of you, and make my blog all that it can be. I have really enjoyed my time creating it.  My goal is to post 2-3 times a week even if it's just rambling. 

3. READ, READ, and READ some more!!! I want to read a lot of new books that have been on my "to read" list, on Goodreads, and review them. Reading is my outlet, I love that feeling when you connect with a character, and you don't want there story to end. 

4. To start taking more photo's. I want to capture more moments. Who knows where this could lead, if nothing else I will get to see amazing things!

5. Finish my book I started writing!!!

6. Be the BEST wife I can be. My husband is amazing, I know that I would not be the person I am to day if Brad wasn't in my life, he makes me smile when all I want to do is cry,  he has shown me what it is to be loved and I have found the most amazing love of all in him! 

2013 Looks ambitious, but I'm up for the challenge! Please leave a message below and let me know your New Years resolutions or as I call them, my goals for 2013!!