Cupcakes of the Month!

So... this month I made two new cupcakes from scratch that I've never made before.  The pink kitchenaid mixer that I got for a Bridal Shower gift has been sitting unopened in my sun room for two and a half years!  I was waiting to take it out until my kitchen was remodeled. I also thought my kitchen would have been done by now.  I was wrong.  So I marched my stubborn self into the sun room and ripped open the kitchen aid. Wow..I could have used it so many times these past couple years..oh well.  So, the first cupcake I jumped into was the Hummingbird Cupcake.  It is a southern recipe and called hummingbird because of its sweetness.  After all, a hummingbird drinks sweet nectar.  It has many ingredients in it, such as bananas, pineapple, cinnamon, pecans and lots of other stuff.  I frosted it with a cream cheese frosting and sprinkled chopped pecans on top.

The next cupcake I created was a Salted Caramel Cupcake.  Yeah..sit on that for a little bit. Well..not actually, you'd get pretty messy.  It felt like it took forever to make.  Making the batter and baking the cupcakes was the easy part.  Making the caramel swirl butter cream was another story.  I had never made butter cream from scratch on the stove before.  That was fun!  Next came making the caramel.  Melting sugar in a pot on the stove is not one of my favorite things.  I always feel like I am doing some sort of science experiment when I make any kind of candy.  I guess it really is science though.  Anyway, when the frosting for the cupcakes was all prepared I dolloped some on each cupcake, topped them with a caramel candy and sprinkled on a pinch of sea salt. Voila!!  A Salted Caramel Cupcake!!  They are very yummy..but believe me when I tell you.   One and your done!

So..there they are, the two cupcakes of the month!  I want to thank my little neighbor Anna for smashing the bananas for the Hummingbird Cupcakes and my Mom for buying me the Kitchen aid (2 1/2 years ago).  I'm so glad I decided to pull it out before we remodeled the kitchen.

My Summer Plans!

Well..Summer is here. And there are only four and a half days left until school's out, and my days are consumed by these three lovelys!

                                                      I think it's time you meet......

 

 


Ahhhh....The oldest. She is turning thirteen when the summer ends,but you'd think she's turning sixteen.  This girl plays hard on the soccer field and is a knockout in a pretty dress.  I've watched her grow over the past six years and it is astonishing!
Now that she is older we share secrets and laugh about the silly stuff.  She has been my shoulder to lean on and I hers.  It is wonderful to have her a part of my life.

                              

This ten year old is many things...and mellow isn't one of them.  Brooke aka "Brookums" aka "my mini me"  She is quirky, spunky, dramatic, emotional and a complete joy to be around.  On your worst day she can bring a smile to your face.  She is definitely in her element while doing anything art related.  Her imagination is quite like mine.  Sometimes I'm shocked when she speaks because she reminds me of myself tremendously!  As much as she hated her drama classes..watch out for this one.  She could most definitely be in movies.  Quite frankly she could have her own television show!                                                                                      

                          

I know...I know, adorable right?  I've known this cutie since she was a baby.  At only seven years old she doesn't miss a beat.  She may love pink and all things girly, but don't let her pretty little smile fool you.  You can find her outside any time of day (whether it's sunny, raining or snowing) playing with the dogs, searching for bugs, or digging for buried treasure.  She loves to swim, ride her bike and be a part of whatever her big sisters and I are doing.  She is a "big" girl now..but I do miss the days when I carried her on my hip and she called me 'nessa.

So..If your wondering what I'm up to on a hot summer day.  This is it!  Hanging out with the girls..... swimming at the lake, chilling by the pool or catching a movie on a rainy day.  No matter what I'm doing I will have my three "Besties" by my side!

Father's Day

Today was supposed to be a happy day.  Mikey was supposed to be smiling.  But..it's not a happy day..and Mikey is definitely not smiling!  For breakfast this morning I made Mikey Eggs Benedict.  It was my first time making it and I think it came out pretty yummy.  After moping around the house for a while..not really talking too much we headed down to the cemetery.  We needed to put some twine around the hydrangeas to keep them from drooping.  I had also been planning on giving Mikey his Father's Day gift there as well.  We sat down on Aidan's bench and I handed him his card and charm with Aidan's footprints on it.  It was harder than I thought it was going to be.  We sat together crying for a little while.  I realized, as I was hugging Mike and gazing into the woods..that he will never have a truly "happy" Father's Day.  It broke my heart to think that he will never be able to take Aidan out fishing on Father's Day, like his Dad always did with him.  I am praying everyday that I can give him more children to be able to experience a true fatherhood with..not just a grieving one.  Here is the charm that Mikey will now wear close to his heart everyday.   A Daddy of an Angel.

Jewelry..

So after being on the TTCAL board for a little while, I decided I wanted to make one of the girls a Mother's Bracelet or Memory Bracelet.  All the girls were excited about the idea.  You see..these girls have been my shoulder to lean on and support group since I lost my little Aidan.  Some of these lovely ladies have suffered multiple miscarriages of all stages, stillbirths, infant loss and preterm labor resulting in loss, as I have.  Some are on the journey trying to conceive for their take home baby and some are still waiting it out.  I could not possibly make a bracelet for everyone one of these message board friends..although I wish I could. So..I put all girls names in a hat and had Mikey pick one.  The girl he chose suffered a miscarriage and her estimated due date was in July.  Her little ones birthstone would have been ruby.  Here is the bracelet I made for her in memory of her little angel.  "The elephant never forgets" she said. "And the trunk up means good luck!  I wish you all the luck in the world E!

 

While making this bracelet I thought I'd try something new.  These little Angels can be put on a necklace,bracelet or pin.  The top swarovsky crystal on the Angels are the birthstones of little ones lost. I think they are so sweet and would be a great piece to wear in memory of a little one you have lost.  I will be selling them for anyone interested in purchasing.

 

Scooperbowl!

Miranda & Vanessa

Yes..My Mother, Miranda and I ventured into Boston on this crazy hot and humid day to go to the Scooperbowl.  For those of you who don't know what that is I'll tell you... A bunch of vendors come into Boston and each bring 4-5 different flavors of ice cream.  You pay to get through the gates, (proceeds go to the Jimmy Fund) you are given a spoon and your off!!!!  Pushing and squeezing past people to get to the tables where the ice cream is. And all the while hoping some kid (or adult) doesn't slam into you with there melting gooey ice cream. I tasted about four flavors and I was done.  Normally I can do better.  After the craziness of the Scooperbowl we traveled over to Fanuel Hall and did some window shopping.  We went into my favorite store Michal Negrin.  It has all the vintage coolness!  We grabbed a bite to eat and headed back to the train (that we almost missed) only to find out..we weren't going anywhere fast.  There was a brush fire on the tracks and all the trains were delayed..Yay! Thank goodness for commuter rail air conditioner. We definitely would have melted..just like the ice cream.  When we got home I realized I had a little touch of heat stroke..yuck! I felt sick for a good 30 minutes until it passed.  On the way home I stopped by to visit Aidan and water his hydrangeas.  I thought about him a lot today.  I do everyday..but today was a little different. The little boy on the train with brown curly hair, brown eyes and olive skin smiled at me almost as if he knew about him.  I know that sounds crazy..but it happens to me a lot.  Sometimes I daydream about what Aidan would have looked like as a toddler and a teenager.  I guess that's all I'll ever be able to do..Dream.  But that will never keep me from loving him every day.

Our weekend with Aunti...

Aunti's visit with us is over..tear.  I miss her already!  We had a great time though.  Saturday we went to Perkins Cove in Maine and walked the Marginal Way.  It was a little chilly out, but nice.  We journeyed over to the light house and had lunch and ice cream at a little place on the ocean.

Daddy of an Angel & Mommy of an Angel

                After church on Sunday Mikey, Aunti and I met my Mom for lunch at The Fat Cactus.

Mom & I

    After lunch Aunti and I went to buy some blue hydrangeas while Mikey and my Dad went to the cemetery to place Aidan's bench at his grave.  We then planted the hydrangeas and gave him a Butterfly shaped nightlight that lights up the colors of the rainbow every night. It all looked so beautiful.  I hope you like it Aidan. And know that even though Mommy can't be there at night time..the light is there to remind you I will be back  in the day time.

Dad, Me & Aunti

  " Thank you so much Aunti! I am so glad you were here for this. It is this beautiful because of your help."

               On Sunday night we went to Kimball Farm for ice cream. Yum!

Dad, Josh, Mom, Me & Aunti (Mikey was taking the picture.)

        Well...Aunti's visit went by way too quickly and I'm already looking forward to the next one. I hope that it is sooner than later!  I miss her so much already.

                                                                                          

Aunti will be here soon!!

I am getting ready to go pick up my Aunti Sandy from the airport in one hour.  I am so happy that she is coming up to visit.  The sad part is..she was originally coming up for my baby shower that was supposed to take place on Sunday June 5th.  I was also supposed to be having my maternity pictures done this weekend by Lora from "Love Photography".  I definitely have a bittersweet weekend ahead of me.  But..I must keep going.  I have to keep my head up and remain strong!  Last night I bought some blue hydrangeas for my kitchen table. They remind me of Aidan.  White roses and blue hydrangeas..those are "His" flowers.  I miss you so much Aidan..I love you stronger than the winds blow,  higher than the trees grow, all the way to heaven and back again!  Thank you for my rainbow yesterday.  Mommy loved it!!!