Red Velvet Cupcakes

Valentine's Day wouldn't be complete without a delicious dessert.  

In memory of my beloved Grandmother who made me a Red Velvet cake for all of my Birthdays, except the year I made her tint it blue instead, we made Red Velvet.

Also, because Red Velvet goes along with the red and white Valentine's color scheme.

I did not use Grandma's recipe, instead I turned to Pinterest to find something a little bit easier.

Pinterest never disappoints.

I picked these zebra striped Wilton baking cups at our 

local Wal-Mart.

I thought they added just the right amount of wildness to our cupcakes. 

Then we got to the task of mixing up our batter.  The best part of Red Velvet is it's beautiful red color. 

 My friend Mikayla lent me a hand with the baking.  Actually she lent me two, buts that's not how the phrase goes.

Wyat is always around to help with the baking as well.  

You can see what part he likes to 'help' with the most.

Oooh, there's our pretty batter!  

Looks like a bowl of blood.

Well it does! 

Come on, give me a break, I live with boys!

Our cupcakes took exactly 18 minutes to bake.  I over filled most of the cups, I guess they really only need to be half full. Fortunately they still turned out okay.

Aren't they pretty? We topped them off with some really yummy cream cheese frosting.  I used a zip-loc bag and just cut off the corner.  That worked so much better than trying to spread it on. Plus it looks prettier too. 

These cupcakes get a 5 star rating in my book. 

I'd share the link with you.  But I can't find it! Good thing I wrote down the recipe.  I'll keep looking for it and when I find it, I'll come back and post the link. 

Otherwise just search around pinterest yourself! You'll find lots of delicious options to choose from.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! 

 We like to celebrate this holiday in our house.  Well, I like to celebrate it. But it isn't hard to get the boys involved. 

So this week I made plans for us to have  a little Valentine celebration.

For just a few dollars you can pick up a few decorations to make a festive and fun table for the family.

The boys also got involved in the decorating by cutting out hearts, and making me some Valentin'e day cards.  

A little crepe paper, some home made heart garland, and it looks like a veritable Valentine extravaganza! 

Don't you just love it?  

I do.  

Especially the home made cards. 

They are so precious.

Let me quote one for you: "P.s. I really, really, really love you.  Thank you for being my teacher, cook, mom, caretaker, adviser  instructor, and thank you for loving me."

Doesn't that make your heart just melt?  

I couldn't share the main message of the card, but trust me, that boy was being real and letting out his raw, true feelings in a sweet and loving way.  

I can just imagine the love letters he'll write to his wife one day.  He's starting out good! 

My personal favorite decoration I picked up at Wal-mart:

Mustache straws!!!

Isn't it crazy that one day my little boy might be able to grow one of these bushy, fuzzy things on his very own lip?  I hope not. I like the fake ones a lot, but the real ones.  Well, let's just say, it takes a special man to pull it off.  And he's usually wearing cowboy boots and dirty dungarees.

My middle son made me a flower vase. I'm sure when it's all done it will be painted up in a glorious fashion! I kinda got it in it's raw undone form.  But it's the thought that counts! 

A jar full of candy makes a festive table centerpiece.  Plus the boys were excited about all they would get to eat.  They are currently rattling the walls upstairs.  They are supposed to be working quietly.

We made Red Velvet Pancakes for breakfast this morning.  To get them in a heart shape, because that's the only shape that would have been acceptable this morning, I used a ziploc bag and a frosting tip.

You may accidentally have pancake batter pooling on your counter top if you are a messy cook like me.  But it all washes up.

Aren't they pretty?

Here's the recipe.  I got it off of Pinterest.  But I don't think it is pinned and now it's lost in cyber space somewhere.  You could probably Google it.

So, I mustache you a question . . . 

How does your family celebrate Valentine's Day?

Lego Bombs

Lego Bomb: a small piece of plastic that is sharpened to a point, usually by small blunt teeth, left inconspicuously on the floor in a common walk way, waiting for an adult to step on it.  

Results in immediate loss of limb use, excruciating pain, and causes voices to reach octaves not hit since puberty. 

I'm sure I'm not the only person that has suspected but never had proof, that our kids leave Lego bombs on the floor with the express intention of causing their loving parents pain.

I now have proof.

Exhibit A:

3 Lego men with their pointy little hands sticking up in the air, placed strategically in front of the basement stairs, waiting patiently for their first unsuspecting victim.

Exhibit B: 

My hidden camera caught an unidentified child filing those plastic hands into super pointy spears of death.

The child who shall not be named will pay for this dastardly deed.  But now I have it:  

Proof that Lego's really are left on the floor for the express purpose of crippling poor unsuspecting parents.  

Who invented these things anyway? 

Fortunately, I was able to avoid a most certain intense and crippling pain in my foot because I saw these guys laying here.  

The children's plan was foiled. 

This time.

But it has happened to me before.  It has happened to all of us before. The worst happens to be when the Lego blends in with the carpet.  You have no chance against that horrible pointy piece of plastic that somehow manages to find the most sensitive spot on the bottom of your foot. Then what happens when you step on it is that instead of taking a full step like you had planned, the sudden searing pain combined with your body's inertia, forces you to crumble to the ground in a floppy garbled mess, shrieking like a banshee or a stuck pig. 

Meanwhile your children try very hard to suppress their grins and laughter at the greatest victory they can achieve when it comes to inflicting pain on their parents.  

I'd consider fighting back, Lego with Lego, but for some reason children seem to be immune to the horrendous, biting, fierce, sharp, intense, horrible, crippling pain that is caused by stepping on a Lego.

I bet they were invented by a kid. 

And to think, I have actually paid money to bring those things into my home. 

No worries, I've got my own ammunition.

I guess they'll be having liver and onions with a sauerkraut and a squash side dish for dinner next time we get a babysitter. 

Hee, hee, hee.