Cupcake Contest

Temptations Bakery and The Herald Journal in Logan sponsored a cupcake contest today. I heard about it about a month ago and decided I wanted to enter. I went on the search for a new, fun and yummy recipe. I came up with a few and kept asking my coworkers, roommates and family about what one sounded better and they were all so helpful and willing to take the plunge and try them. :) the one that I ended up making is one I found on Brittney Probst blog one day as I was blog stocking at work. I did ask her if it was hers and she said she found it somewhere. It is super wonderful and to whoever make it up Thanks cause it is great.

I did not win anything in the contest. There were 50 different entry's. But I had fun making them and entering. This was my first cooking contest and I am already planning for the next one. I love to cook!!! Oh, my friend Whitney Olsen won for best cake. she made a crembule cupcake. She is amazing

So the pictures are of the process. I spent all day and had a blast. It was me, the kitchen, and cupcakes. what a great day!

Oh here is the recipe. Go ahead and try it :)

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp lemon zest

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare the cupcake pan with liners. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one. Mix in sour cream until blended. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternation with the milk, and ending with the milk. now mix in lemon juice and zest. Fill the cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes, test with a toothpick and cool on a wire rack.

Frosting:

2 Cups powder sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 Tbsp Raspberry puree

1 Tbsp lemonade concentrate, thawed

1/2 tsp raspberry extract

Pinch of Salt

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together all ingredients until smooth.

Spread over cooled cupcakes.

Super easy!! :)

Reilly's Wedding Sign In Book

I finished!!! I have been working on My Friend Reily's wedding sign in book. this was a new and great challenge for me. I finished the book on wednesday and the wedding is today. I cut it a little close but I think that it looks good. I tried some new things and learned some new techniques. here are pictures i took of the book. and now i can start on Brooke's book.

Car Accident

On thursday night about 7:15 pm I was in a car accident. I had just gotten off work and was going to go home. I pulled up to turn left out of the parking lot. there was a huge truck and a camper trailer attached to the truck parked on the side of the road. it was blocking all view of the lane closest to me. i was trying very carefully to see around it. i saw a car pass and so i creeped up to see around the truck for any other cars when there was a Motercycle. and BAM!!! the accident. Can i just say how bad i HATE the sound of crashing metal. So the guy on the motor cycle tried to stop and i had stopped. Good news He is ok and so am I.

I have to say how truly greatful that we are both ok and for all the nice people who came to help. There was one super lady who stayed with me for a long time to make sure i was ok then she bought me some chocolate and a card. she is an angel. there were many angel that night, like the lady that called brooke for me. But some of the best angels were the guy on the motor cycle and his family.

He was just as worried about me just as much as i was about him. He even called me to make sure i was ok. He ended up with just being sore and some road rash. Luckily he had helmet on and that he could slow down. i felt really bad though i found out that he had only had his motorcycle for 3 days.

I ended up with a ticket for failing to yeild when merging..... Sadness.

But i am also lucky to have the bestest brother in the world. He is going to fix my car and take care of me. he is the bestest.

I am very lucky to have broooke up here with me so she could take care of me and also Logan(my future brother in law) was great. he works at firehouse pizza(yum) and he made us come and eat. he also gave us a foozkie and my half had carmel and brookes did not. he is amazing.

I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.

Your Happily Ever After

Ok so last night I went to the 25 or better institute class. It was so so good. The class is Teachings of the Living Prophets. The teacher is wonderful. SO last nights lesson was Elder Uchtdorf's talk to the Young Women entitled "Your Happily Ever After". now i know that it is to the young women but it has some very valuable and important lessons for everyone. For those of you who know me ya know that i am a big princess or Cinderella fan and I LOVE the idea of Happily Ever After. There were some parts of the talk that we talked about that I would like to share.

"Isn't that what we all desire: to be the heroes and heroines of our own stories; to triumph over adversity; to experience life in all its beauty, and, in the end to live happily ever after?"

my teacher brought up a good point and or interesting thought.... what is your story going to be like? Is it an adventure, drama, comedy, scary, or boring?

"Isn't it remarkable to know that our eternal Heavenly Father knows you, hears you, watches over you, and loves you with an infinite love? In fact, His love for you is so great that He has granted you this earthly life as a precious gift of "once upon a time" complete with your own true story of adventure, trial, and opportunities for greatness, nobility courage and love. And, most glorious of all, He offers you a gift beyond price and comprehension. Heavenly Father offers to you the greatest of all -- eternal life-- and the opportunity and infinite blessings of your own "happily ever after"

How wonderful is this?!!

Then he talks about some of the stories of princess like Cinderella, belle, and the daughter of the miller in Rumpelstiltskin.

" Sandwiched between their "once upon a time" and " happily ever after," they all had to experience great adversity. Why must all experience sadness and tragedy? why could we not simply live in bliss and peace, each day filled with wonder, joy, and love."

Sometimes I find myself wishing that I live in a fairy tale but as this talk explains i do. I have a once upon a time. and now i am in the adversity stage and one day i will have my happily ever after. and to answer the questions he ask the best thing is 2 Nephi 2:11,15.

"In stories, as in life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn otherwise. Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that come in no other way. Our Loving Heavenly Father has sent us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom become stronger, and experience joy."

A kid that i was sitting next to pointed out that in the last of that paragraph with adversity and opposition the last three (learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy) that it is in order. we learn and become strong and then we experience joy.

Then Elder Uchtdorf tells a cute story about how he met his wife. he said something that clicked for me......

"Was I disappointed? Yes Was I defeated? Absolutely not! "

As it thought about that I really think that instead of just being disappointed I just skip to defeat. I am going to try hard not to be defeated.

"We all search for happiness, and we all try to find our own "happily ever after". The truth is God knows how to get there! And He has created a map for you; He know the way. He is your Beloved Heavenly Father, who seeks your good, your happiness. He desires with all the love of a perfect ad pure Father that you reach your supernal destination. The map is available to all. It gives explicit directions of what to do and where to go to everyone who is striving to come unto Christ and "stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places. All you have to do is trust your Heavenly Father. Trust Him enough to follow his plan."

I know That this is true. I know that my heavenly father has a plan for me and if i trust him and follow him and ask him he can show me and help me along my path that will lead me to my happily ever after.

This last statement kind of ties with the last statement.

""Happily ever after" is not something found only in fairy tales. You can have it! It is available for you! But you must follow your Heavenly Father's map"

The whole talk is so great. I highly encourage everyone to read it.