Cupcakes!

I don't know about you but sometimes I need a cupcake. Stat! So today I decided to crack open my Hungry Girl 200 Under 200 recipe book. I have the first Hungry Girl book but I am a little leery of all the Splenda and non-fat stuff she uses. And I love Cool Whip as much as the next person but, hello, trans fats. I don't understand why someone is advocating a "healthier" way of eating but advising you to use fake food. But don't get me wrong, I do love myself some Hungry Girl. You have to pick and choose but she has some yummy recipes that are generally low in calories and fat. I perused the cupcake recipes and came across one I had all the ingredients for. Lucky I stocked up on cake mixes when they were on sale for $1! I made these:

Jelly Filled cupcakes (HG 200 under 200)

2 cups moist style yellow cake mix (1/2 of an 18.25 oz box)

1/3 cup no sugar added applesauce

1/4 cup sugar free strawberry preserves

1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350

Mix cake mix and baking powder. Add in applesauce and 1 cup water then stir until blended

Spray 12 ct muffin pan and evenly distribute cake mix. Bake for 20-22 min until a toothpick comes out clean.

Meanwhile place preserves in the bottom corner of a large plastic bag. Snip corner when ready to pipe preserves into cupcake.

Remove cupcakes and use a knife to cut a small hole in the middle of each cupcake. Use the baggie to squeeze the preserves evenly into the holes. Allow to cool and enjoy.

And then I proceeded to eat 3. Hey, they are only 2 points (92 calories) each. And now I think I'm in a carb stupor. But a yummy, yummy carb stupor. You should check out Hungry Girl if you do Weight Watchers (she has points for every recipe, which admittedly you could look up with the nutrition info but it saves a step), if you are looking for low cal and low fat alternatives to popular fatty foods or if you just need a little cupcake fix. You can check out her website here.

My So Called Life

I think I've done a post with that title before. I also think I used to like that show. Isn't that the one with Claire Danes? OK, moving on. As you can see, not much has been happening here (on my blog). My life is another matter. I am just swept along on the current of my life. That sentence deserves its own Bob Ross painting:



Before my grandmother passed away she was a huge Bob Ross devotee. Every Christmas we would get a picture she painted. I wish I had saved some of them. I do have the hand painted flyswatter holder. Don't ask, we are Okies after all. But again I digress. My organizing journey has been heinously co opted by LIFE. Exercise and school and children and random excuses. I know I just need to make time for it. Right now I live in a bedroom with one and a half painted walls. I always think, "This summer we will do all the little projects we have and we will be so productive." HAHA. But really, this summer. I am on it. But I can update you on where most of my time goes. I finished my second class for my Master's. Only about 50 million to go. Whoot whoot. I managed to do my at home final in the midst of numerous crying fits and fights over who got to use the computer. That bad boy was 28 pages in length. I know that sounds impressive but it was mostly busy work. I am in Week 4 of the Couch to 5K. Yesterday I jogged 16 minutes total (divided into four 5 and 3 minute sets). Next week is the dum dum dum 20 minute nonstop jog. If I pace myself I know I can do it. Having the Garmin helps immensely because I know if I look down and see 10 minute miles I should slow WAY down. I mean to like 12 and a half minute miles. Which is fine with me. I amended my goal time for the 5K to 38 minutes (from 35) so I would have a little room to breathe, if you will. I also need to consider the altitude but I'm not. And then in a fit of optimism and excitement I signed up for a mini sprint triathlon this October. It's a 150 meter swim, 10 mile bike, and half mile run. I also signed Emma up for the kids event so I don't have to suffer alone. She is not happy. This may be a long summer. In 3 Day news, I recently did another dessert fund raiser and ended up with almost $475. It really pays to have friends with money! So close, yet still $600 away. But that seems so much smaller than $2,000. We start training at the beginning of June so hopefully all the money issues will be squared away. That's my life in two minutes. I am making a promise to myself to update more regularly, even if the focus changes. Maybe I'll get more hits from talking about exercise! And Weight Watchers. And C25K. And triathlons. Any other key words I left out?

Everything Pink

Just so you know where my time is going, I thought I'd show you a couple pictures from our 1st bunco Breast Cancer 3 Day fundraiser. It actually turned out to be a "Left Right Center" party but what can you do. Sara and I provided pink themed desserts and drinks (forgot to take photos of the drinks) for donations. Please disregard the funky stems on these strawberries. I think next time I'll cut the ends off. And I was so bothered by the fact that my pudding was not pink. Sara said it was "salmon" but that just grossed me out more. But I was impressed by my pink ribbon chocolates. I have another dessert event next week but my friend Heather seems intent on making 20 desserts herself so I might not have much work. I did buy the "fancy chocolate" at Williams Sonoma (Guittard) so the white chocolate ribbons would be easier and tastier - fingers crossed. I also needed more chocolate for strawberries and I did not want to spend half an hour stirring melted chocolate in order to temper it. I love to bake and especially love to make desserts so this wasn't a bad way to make $175 for our walk. I'm really hoping to have the whole $2300 soon but if anyone needs pink desserts...

My New Attitude

I am reading a book now that I hope will change my life. When I saw it as a recommendation on Amazon (how do they know me so well) I had to buy it.


I would like to be happy. And I would like to be happy without being perfect. I thought organizing my house would lead to feelings of competence and accomplishment but it's beginning to make me feel anxious about everything I'm not doing. The monthly tasks are just suggestions right? Not a concrete time line? I know I will put it off indefinitely if I don't have some sort of set schedule but right now I can hardly lift my head off the table at dinner let alone clean my bedroom. But some day, right? Right? I fully intend to continue, just at a slower pace. One day I will master my domain. But until then I will read this book so I don't have to keep feeling bad about all the things I don't do and start giving myself credit for all the things I do. This book is written specifically for women and I have enjoyed the first couple chapters. Now if I can put all of these ideas into action. She does specifically mention Martha and how detrimental she has been to our generation of overachievers. I must say I do love myself some Martha (and some neighbors call me Martha-bless you) but I only take her really, really easy ideas and leave the rest to the pros or Super Moms. But I will concede she has taken homemaking and entertaining to impossible new heights. Thank goodness all the people I know are not that fancy (OK save you Sara) and they impress easily. But I need to start being nicer to me. I know I keep writing that. Maybe if I write it enough it will come true.

My New Babies

I've been busy at home with the puking and whatnot. Detailed story on my other blog. Sick kids (and husband) totally derail everything. And as if I didn't have enough to think about, I am now the proud owner of two new time sucks:



I casually mentioned one day that I would love a really nice camera. I see pictures on blogs and think, "Wow, if I had a really nice camera I could take pictures like that too." Because it has nothing to do with the skill of the photographer I'm sure. The first time I mentioned it my husband was all, "We can take pretty good pictures with our little Elph." So I put it out of my mind. Well all of a sudden there's a flurry of Internet searching and he has deemed the Nikon D90 the best of the bunch. He's telling me all these things about pixels, and ISO and aperture...That's nice dear. And before I know it, he orders it. And now it's "my camera." I have my suspicions. But he seems to genuinely want me to take possession. Plus I have two new books about digital photography. And they have instructions like, "If you want to take this shot do this." Awesome. I don't have to know anything now. And just a side note to Sara, I do know how to zoom in now. I can actually take pictures with it and not walk around the park looking like a lost tourist.



The second addition to our family is a little man much like this specimen. Our little man has led a long life and is not quite as fancy as this one. But we like him. Our neighbors were desperately trying to unload a fish on Emma soon after the passing away of Odie and they finally succeeded. But being the obsessive person I am, I had to Google "betta fish" and learn they actually like living in larger tanks with a heater and filter. So we trudged down to Petco (not once but 3 times) and acquired everything we need to keep Shippo alive for a while longer. But I must admit, I walk into my daughter's room at least twice a day expecting to see him floating at the top. He is funny though and wiggles when he sees us. I just wish I could pet him.

So I'll be keeping busy for a while yet. Still have much work to do on the bedroom/office. I'll have to start using my new baby to document my journey (no, not the fish. But that would be kinda awesome).

Well No Wonder

This weekend was a pretty good one. I managed to do much more than I ever give myself credit for. But I looked at my insane schedule and I'm beginning to realize why I'm always so tired and scattered. Friday I took my children to the zoo, as any mother of the year would (thanks Heather). Then I came home and suddenly had the urge to work on the bedroom. I cleared out such a space you can actually see the bookshelf! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It made a huge difference. To celebrate, well not really because I already had plans, I went for a drink with a couple of my homettes. We drank and laughed (and made fun of the canoodling couple behind us). Saturday I worked on my final paper. If anyone has an opinion on a hypothetical model of repayment of welfare benefits please let me know. And then I will lecture you (sorry Sara). In the afternoon I went to our first Breast Cancer 3 Day fundraiser. We had a booth at a school carnival and sold handmade bracelets and little pink things. Then I came home and it was Aaron's time to go out. I put the kids to bed early and started watching a movie (in bed!) Does it get any better? Sunday we decided to take the hike we put off the week before. I made a big breakfast of eggs, bacon, and fresh squeezed orange juice (just bought a new juicer) and doughnuts. We then took a long hike on the Peralta Trail. Well, long for three complaining but persistent children. It was a beautiful hike but we should probably start sooner next time and take snacks. We did see Desert Bighorn Sheep. In the wild! It was pretty cool and worth having to carry Kate the last bit of the hike. As I was reflecting on the weekend and everything I accomplished, I looked at the neverending pile of laundry that I cannot seem to control and started feeling bad about myself. Then I smacked myself in the head - figuratively.

I'm Still Here

I know it seems like I've given up. It sometimes feels like I've given up. I look at the pile of stuff in my bedroom and go take a nap. Maybe my bedroom/office was not the best place to start organizing. Maybe I should have had some successes before I tackled the "big one." But I know it has to be done. It will just be a while. I did manage to answer the journal questions. I think getting myself in the right mental state will go a long way towards the physical part. I routinely give myself a hard time for not getting everything done. For not being perfect. But there was a story in One Year to an Organized Life about a mom with young children that made me feel like it wasn't just me. And Regina made it a point to say that something has to give. Why do I know this (in my head) but not in my heart. If I took an honest look around me I would see a house that is not perfect but is certainly a lot cleaner and homier than even before. Sure we have a long way to go. But just as with my 3 day journey, it's one step at a time.