I Think You Should Watch This

But I'm a little biased, I think.



And then you should visit Project O or just visit Vashti's blog! She is a pretty funny lady!

I Feel Like A Scientist (And A Prayer Request)

If you couldn't tell, cupcakes are taking over my life.


I call it planning. My husband calls it my neurotic tendencies. My mother-in-law thinks I missed my calling. I can't help it. I want these cupcakes to look nice.

I've been searching online and I can't find anything about frozen, filled cupcakes. Can you freeze a cupcake with filling in it? Can you freeze a cupcake with a little piece taken out of it so that it can be filled while frozen? Do you want to fill it while frozen?

These are questions I am asking!! If you happen to know the answers to these questions, please let me know. If not, I will be freezing cupcakes this weekend and deciding the way to go for the wedding in March. Ooooo! Science experiments! Last time I did a science experiment with food, I threw some twinkies off of my roof.
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I've noticed that my blogging friends (and definitely The SITS ladies) are big-hearted people! I love it. And I wanted to ask you to read a post.



How beautiful is she?!

She has a really hard home life and could really use your prayers. You can visit Vashti to read the whole story.

Lots To Bake! And Cook

How are you guys doing? Man, I love Fridays. And I also love THREE DAY WEEKENDS!!! Sadly, my husband doesn't get time off on Monday, so I'm going to be home with my crazy cat...who decided to stand on my back this morning and whine? No reason. Just decided that's what she wanted at 6:30am. I think that's why, when we first got her, everyone asked if we were going to have kids soon. Having our cat is like having another small child!!

My plans this weekend and Monday while my husband is at work? BAKE!

Everyone said very nice things about the cupcakes. The groom said he wanted chocolate and vanilla. Which is fine. I still want to bake the banana ones, so I'm going to :-D

So I'm going to see how tasty my Devil's Food cupcakes turn out.


and then I'll try the banana.


THEN! I'm going to be hosting another luncheon for Project O at my church on Valentine's Day! I'm excited, but because of everything else, I've been lacking on the planning. I was thinking about doing a buffet of different types of macaroni and cheese.



Like macaroni and cheese with tomatoes and maybe some with ham (I have a TON of ham in my fridge right now). Then I could have salad and soup and cupcakes!!

What do you think? Would you give me money to eat my mac and cheese?! ;) Money that would go to help build a school for South Africa's AIDs orphans? Or would you prefer something more hearty?

I'm A Planner...And I Could Always Use Your Help!!

It's been a good weekend! Lots of luncheons, both at church. One for the community and one for Reformation. Happy Reformation Sunday! And we also did Bread For The World Sunday, where we wrote letters to our senators and congressmen to help solve world hunger.

AND...

I'm allowed to have another luncheon to help Project O! And it's going to be on Valentine's Day!! So I'm super excited. It gives me plenty of time to plan. I know that I want to do a cupcake-cake.

Like this...



But probably not as nice. And varied colors. What do you think?! I'm all excited about it. My husband says I'm a planner. :-D

We also have our hotel room for Ethiopia!!! And I'm so excited for my trip to the Philippines/Hong Kong and then to South Africa/Ethiopia and THEN I have a friend who wants to do a trip to Kenya in 2011 so we can go here...



This is the Giraffe Manor!! I mean, we'll see if we'd be able to go, but how cool is that?!

How was your weekend? What are you up to?

YOUTH TOMS!!!!!!

Go ahead. Call me crazy. I am SO excited for Youth TOMS that I was checking every day and...it paid off!!

I'm trying to purchase as many pairs of shoes as I can to take with me to South Africa for Vashti and her orphans at Project O when I go visit in May. Maybe I won't have to worry about too too many since VASHTI MET BLAKE!!!

But I had to share with you since that had been in my Thankful Thursday last week. :)

How are you doing today?

P.S. If my husband doesn't get any more donors, he's going to shave his 'stache this week. If you're interested, you can visit here. He's kind of okay with it though. It's a very sad mustache.

Mustaches, Vindaloo, and a Prayer

It's been a good weekend. Steve is off to a great mustachioed start of Mustaches Vs. Cancer!! Though his mustache is somewhat sad. Just a bit. He looks a bit creepy in that picture, right? Maybe it's just me. He was saying, 'No one is going to want to donate to me with that picture!' He's a dork. If you'd like to see his page for Mustaches vs. Cancer, please click here.



Vindaloo has been looking for a good five minutes for the light that she was trying to attack in this picture. No joke, she's STILL looking for it. And she's kind of upset that she can't find it.

But we did find an awesome alternative.



Lastly, so my blogger friend Vashti told me a story!! Tell me how awesome this is. She was walking around in South Africa (where she lives) and this guy walks by and says, 'Hey, you're wearing TOMS.' And she says, 'So are you.' BAM. She realizes that she's talking to BLAKE, THE CHEIF SHOE GIVER. Aka: The guy who started TOMS SHOES!!!!! HOW F-ING AWESOME IS THAT?! I freaking love my TOMS. So comfortable. She told me that story and I almost peed myself. FREAKING AWESOME.


Me in my TOMS

So she told him what they do for the AIDs orphans in South Africa and he wrote down all their information. Could you please pray that Blake loves their mission and wants to help their orphans? That would change things so, so much.

I'm sorry. What did you say? You said that you'd like to also e-mail and send letters to Blake? I think that's a great idea!! You are so thoughtful. That's why I like you.

Here's where you can send letters:
TOMS Shoes
3025 Olympic Blvd., Suite C
Santa Monica, CA 90404
800-975-TOMS (8667)
310-566-3170

And e-mails can go here.

Thank you!! You guys rock.

Hi Guys!

My neice. ISN'T SHE ADORABLE?!

I just wanted to stop by and say hello!

I leave tonight with my husband to our last wedding of the year! So I'm very excited. It'll be nice to see some friends and such.

I'm looking for some advice. I'm trying to help raise money for Project O's school. There are two South African restaurants that I've found in NYC. Braii and Xai Xai and they're both owned by the same people. Should I go out on a limb and see if they'd be willing to hold an event?! I could possibly partner with my friends who started the organization History Starts Now that deals in ending human trafficking. I've been feeling very apprehensive about these things, but I think that I could do it, especially with some help.

I was in Ohio last weekend too and there was a sign that say, 'God's work never lacks God's supplies.' I liked it.

Is there something that you've been nervous to do, but just need that little edge?

I hope you have a great weekend! I might be scarce next week a bit too. It's the Video Music Awards on Sunday and I don't think I'm sleeping until Monday night!!

Win $25,000 For Charity

Kenneth Cole is letting 3 people give away $25,000 to the charity of their choice. Here's what the website says:
In tough economic times, those who need the most are often the ones who receive the least. For that reason, we've created the BIG CHANGE GIVEAWAY.

You could be one of three people to direct $25,000 each to a charity of your choice*.

If you go to the link above, you can enter for a chance to win. They're going to announce the winners on September 1st. Only one promotion per person. And submitting from other e-mail addresses doesn't count (I already looked!).

If I win, I want to give it to Project O!

Globe Trotting

That's me! Over Macau. It's the world's highest bungee. I'm going to try to add more pictures. Whether they make sense or not. :-D

I'M GOING TO AFRICA!!!! I could pee myself. In May 2010, my husband and I are going to go to South Africa and Ethiopia. South Africa to meet my blogging friend Vashti and her charity Project O and then to Ethiopia to meet our sponsor child there (which I am totally stoked about!!!). I wish I could say 'No Sleep Til Africa' but that's almost a year away.

There's only one sad thing about going to Africa. Then I don't know if I'm going to see my family for Christmas that year because of the time we'll have already taken off. That's okay though! It'll give Steve and I time to start some traditions of our own.

I'm going to Hong Kong in a few weeks to see my family. It'll be the first time in about two years that it will just be the core family (no boyfriends, husbands...). Then we'll be going to South Korea for a few days. My goal is to find mushroom chocolate bars. I guess you can find them along the Demarkation Zone and I'm interested.

THEN for Christmas THIS year, we're going to the Philippines to an island for a "beach vacation." That's fine...except I don't do the beach. Is that bad? I always feel fat in a bathing suit and I don't tan, I get red splotches that look like an allergic reaction to the sun. But I bought some shorts and I'm going to buy a floppy hat, some board shorts, and f- every thought I have of how "fat" I am and I'm going to enjoy it. Dang it.

Do you have any summer plans? Are you going anywhere soon or later or whenever?

Project O Luncheon

So the luncheon to support the Project O school fund went SO well at church today!! So I thought I'd add some pictures. Everyone said I was SO calm. I just told myself that God would help me through...and I TOTALLY believe that He did. We had a bake sale as well as the luncheon and while Steve and I were sitting at the pastry table, someone came up and told me that they have a fund and that they want to talk to us about putting money from their foundation towards the Project O school. :) I hope and PRAY that it works out!!

It's been a good day. :)

Thankful Thursday

AAAHHHH!!! I HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR TODAY!!! If you would like to officially be thankful, feel free to visit Sonya.

1) MY HUSBAND PASSED HIS FINAL CPA EXAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Can you tell that this means big things?!) As soon as he gets his license, it's time to look for a new job!!

2) Even though they kicked us off the first subway train today, I kept my cool and got to spend more time with my husband. Who cares if you have to wait for a few more trains? We'll all eventually get where we're going.

3) Sometimes I feel like...maybe God is whispering to me? I wrote my essay for the TOMS Shoe Drop in Durban, South Africa and I feel like God gave me some help. I mean, I guess we'll see. ;)

4) My friend, Sam. She's really been helping me with my faith and my insecurities and everything. I love talking to her and I think she's a great person.

5) My parents!! My parents have been so supportive of my husband and I, especially during his CPA exams (my dad is an accountant too). I just love them and can't wait to see them.

6) My blogging friends!!! I appreciate you guys and everything you say and do for me. I love that I have a set of people I've never met who really care for me.

7) THE LUNCHEON!!! The luncheon for Project O is coming up and I couldn't be more excited!! All I'm doing next weekend is baking. YES!!! I'm really hoping that we can raise enough money to help with the purchase of the school.

Happiness

Good evening, good evening!!

How are you guys doing?  

I'm having a good day, though my husband and I are a bit stressed.  We're waiting on his last grade.  He said to me that he'll be upset if he doesn't make "the timeline".  The timeline for a new job, a new place, a new life.  I told him that I'm proud of him no matter what.  No matter what I say, he still wakes up at 3am to look up his grade.

I've decided to make a type of stromboli deal.  I don't like salami or pastrami so I agreed to prosciutto.  I'm excited!  That's tomorrow's dinner.

Project O is a pretty sweet charity and my church has asked me to present on it in November.  I'm also doing a luncheon in June to raise money so that they can purchase a school.  Want to see what they're thinking of, school-wise?  Check it here.

How has God been treating you?  He makes me so happy!!  This new song that I heard, by Kendall Payne, is absolutely beautiful and EXACTLY how I feel (and am trying to feel) about God.  It's called "Burning Embers".  I can't find lyrics or a YouTube video for it.  So you should download it on iTunes.

"You feel like burning embers.

You feel like coming home.

You feel like my forever.

It's all I have to know."

My Three Happy Moments For Today

So my friend Sam said that, when she was little, her mom would ask her for three good things that happened in her day. She's trying to be a more positive person and I think that looking for the little things in life is a REALLY good idea. That being said...

My three good things for the day (so far)
1) I found a restaurant in NYC that looks AWESOME. It's called Ninja and it's designed to look like a ninja castle and the waiters and waitresses just disappear.

2) I haven't even advertised my bake sale yet today, but I've already made $6!! Today is a cookie day. I made peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and world peace cookies. So far, I've made about $300 for Project O!!! I had to start my count over, so I'm at $150 at the moment. My goal is to send a few children to Hillcrest Academy in South Africa, but we'll see how it goes. :)

3) I found some places for Steve and I to go on our way to the lighthouse hotel in upstate New York! There's a Fork in the Road in Red Hook, the world's largest garden gnome in Kerhonkson, and a towering rosary madonna in Stony Point, New York!!! I love going on road trips!!

What are your happy moments for the day so far?