tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37923296110680908532024-03-05T04:16:42.322-07:00The Newest AdditionIllyssaThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345231875160397982noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-71050408488984801502017-08-03T11:49:00.000-07:002017-08-03T11:49:01.633-07:00First Day of SchoolIt seems like everyone is going back to school! Jaxon started preschool this last week. He actually went for a few months last school year but this is his first "first day of schoool" experience. Everyone has asked how he's doing and it's kind of funny. The question almost seems odd to me. He LOVES school. He gets to go outside of the house for 2 hours, 3 days a week and see his friends and play with his teachers. Yes, I understand it's school and he's learning, but at preschool age it's a lot of fun for him. Here's some fun photos from his first day.<br />
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How cute is he with his little backpack?<br />
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They had this adorable little photo booth for kids on their first day. I tried to get him to pose so I could read the sign.</div>
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Of course the sign turned into a bird. What can I do. I tried.<br />
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Jaxon posed with his teacher. She's so sweet, it's her first year teaching and she reminds me of gum drops and rainbows and puppy dog tails. Everything that a preschool teacher should be.<br />
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This is a tradition I picked up from a fellow mom. Cake after your first day of school. If you had a bad first day at school, bummer, have some cake to feel better. Had a great first day? About to get better with cake!! It's something fun and simple that I hope to continue all through his school years and also when Carson starts school.<br />
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Did everyone else out there have a great first day of school?IllyssaThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345231875160397982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-74174658040398162042017-07-23T18:35:00.001-07:002017-07-23T18:35:13.470-07:00Summer BreakThis is our last summer before school starts for Jaxon! He actually started for a few months back in April and May but this is the official start of school him with a back to school shopping list and a snack schedule and everything!<br />
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We've made sure we've crammed in everything we possibly can.<br />
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We went and saw Panic! at the Disco. They are one of my favorite bands. Isn't it obvious I was excited?<br />
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Brian and I were having a conversation about the "Mount Rushmore" of bands. Top 4 bands you have to see. This is one of my Mount Rushmore's and I honestly didn't think I'd ever get a change to see them. It was hours of glorious, loud music followed by a very hoarse voice the next day.<br />
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We also painted our nails. Isn't is the sweetest that he wants to match his mom? Every time that I paint my finger nails he goes "blue nails too!", it makes me happy as a mom that he wants to be like me. Also, fun fact, did you know blue nails means you are Catboy and pink nails means you are Owlette.</div>
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We've had several splash pad dates this summer. It's hot in Arizona that if you don't go to the splash pad by 8am you are asking to sweat and get a sunburn. Both boys love it though and I swear Jaxon would like at a splash pad if you let him.</div>
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The zoo has been lots of fun. Jaxon got to ride the carousel and of course had to pick the giraffe, his favorite animal but it's one of two animals that don't move. He didn't seem to mind to much though. Carson on the other hand, the moment the carousel started moving he started crying. I sat out a round so Jaxon and Brian could enjoy it just the two of them.</div>
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Lastly, we got to visit a new therapy center for kids. They had an open house and so we went to see what it was like and meet some of the awesome workers there. The people were so sweet and really love what they do. Plus most importantly, it seemed that the kids loved the space and all the different things they had to play with and on. Carson especially loved the sensory ball pit. It was hard to leave without any of them.</div>
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I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!</div>
<br />IllyssaThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04345231875160397982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-75667878733282256812016-06-29T20:41:00.000-07:002016-06-29T20:41:18.308-07:00PakeWhen did life change so much? One kid become two? Stay at mom become stay at mom and worker? Errands become errands and more errands because they are never finished? Seven become seven and eleven?<br />
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Wait... I may have gotten a little off track with that last one.<br />
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Life is always so crazy it seems that one you finally get used to it, something changes. That's what pake is. Something you're not used to but it can totally work.<br />
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A pake: half pie, half cake. Don't worry, we're not talking apple pie with frosting. It's a pie crust with red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting.<br />
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Now this is a learning lesson. The original recipe I used is from <a href="http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/drop-dead-diva/blog/make-your-own-pake">Lifetime</a>. It was originally made on a show called "Drop Dead Diva". Total chic show but it was fun. The only thing it that whatever world they cook in, cakes rise several inches. Here in the normal world? Not so much. I've modified the recipe slightly below.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pie Crust - Either make your own or walk down the freezer aisle like I do</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Cake Mix - Here I used Red Velvet</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Frosting - I used Cream Cheese frosting</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Eggs and Vegetable Oil - As specified for your mix</span><br />
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Directions:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare your cake batter as according the directions on the box or recipe.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2. Line either your pie pan OR a cake pan with the pie crust. I used a pie pan but I think a cake pan would be way cuter on display. Once lined, gently poke holes along the bottom, taking extra caution not to poke all the way through.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">3. Pour cake batter up to 1/2 inch from top. I would say you could go higher depending on how much you'd like it to rise above your pie crust.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">4. The box mix "theoretically" makes two pakes but since I had 9 inch pie pans it was 1 normal size and 1 much smaller one. I include this as a step to warn.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">5. Bake for 35 minutes then turn oven down to 325 degrees and continue to cook for another 12-15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">6. Allow to cool completely and then frost.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">7. Enjoy your pake!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-57008474986282942872015-11-27T20:53:00.003-07:002015-11-27T20:53:23.318-07:00Cookies for TwoA lot of you are gearing up for Christmas baking. Personally? I'm not so sure I'm going to do it.<br />
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Some of you may think that's absurd but I'm thinking it just might be practical this year. I work remotely from home, no workers to give cookies to. No holiday party at work this year, no platter of baked goods needed. I only know a couple neighbors and I actually don't know their names. We just smile and say hi and wave. Plus, of the family that's coming over, only a few of them eat sweets.<br />
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But lets be honest, can a 31 week pregnant lady go an entire holiday season without treats?<br />
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No!<br />
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What this means is that I will be trying lots of "Two Person" recipes. I can't promise you that I won't eat both servings but I can promise it's good news for you! Here is our first recipe:<br />
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Cookie in a Cup:<br />
Makes one mug<br />
1/4 cup flour<br />
1 tbl butter<br />
1 tbl sugar<br />
1 tbl brown sugar<br />
1 egg yolk (if you like egg white omelets you could save the white)<br />
2 tbl chocolate chips (I only used 1 tbl but I'm all about the cookie and not the chips)<br />
pinch of salt<br />
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Instructions:<br />
1. Microwave butter until melted.<br />
2. Add flour, sugars, and salt. Mix in egg yolk. Add desired amount of chocolate chips.<br />
3. Microwave for 45-60 seconds. This is COMPLETELY a personal preference here. I like a crunchy cookie so I did it for the full 60. Brian likes a gooey cookie so his was only 45.<br />
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My mug is on the left and you can noticeably see that Brian's has more chocolate chips. Play around until you find the perfect amount. I won't judge if you eat more that one cookie mug in a night!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-73360551134123373822015-07-13T12:05:00.000-07:002015-07-13T12:05:48.462-07:00Summer UpdateSummer is always SO busy. Why is that? I remember when I used to be in school and summer break was the best. No school, vacations, seeing friends.<br />
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Now it's vacations, weddings, trying to see friends and schedule playdates, checkups for Jaxon, and still work? What is that about?<br />
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Here is a little catch up from our summer plus some fun new news.<br />
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We went to a wedding of an old high school friend of ours. It was such a cute wedding in an old barn that was beautifully decorated. Plus how can you not love any wedding where you get to keep adorable chalkboard mason jars?<br />
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The routine checkups for Jaxon. That boy of mine is getting SO big. When did this happen?<br />
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We took some wagon rides around the neighborhood. Mostly so we can go play at the splash-pad.<br />
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4th of July was a great weekend for all the Tussing's. Brian's dad and mom rented a condo in Mission Beach for the family to go stay at. It makes me love Brian that much more when I see how great him and Jaxon are together.<br />
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Lastly, for the big news of the summer so far!<br />
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That's right. That's a box of my work belongings. 4 years working at a company, sitting at one desk, with a chair with an armrest missing a chunk on the left side. All of that time is put into one file box. Most of you know that I work two jobs for the same company. One was at a desk for 3 days a week and the other is mostly at home. You also probably know Brian has been at his job for just over 5 years and working at home for about 4.<br />
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Well today at 8:40am Brian left the house and started his new job! It's very exciting for us. I will now stay home with adorable Jaxon while keeping my "remote" job. So if any of you have been trying to see us but our schedule is just to hectic? Not anymore! We are very excited to start this new chapter of our lives!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-53100104601835708442015-05-13T16:27:00.001-07:002015-05-13T16:27:55.140-07:00DIY ChandelierLast week I promised you a fun DIY project Brian and I did,<br />
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If you look back to <a href="http://tussinglady.blogspot.com/2013/11/redorating.html" target="_blank">this post</a>, you'll see an awesome teal wall and then a not so attractive brown chandelier. Just to jog your memory, it looks like this.<br />
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Yes, the table is dusty and you can see some papers but I feel like it adds to the sadness of the picture.<br />
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No, how dare you assume that I was lazy and didn't dust. Sadness people, sadness.<br />
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Pinterest is a great resource for redecorating. I had seen a post once about how to paint a chandelier. They went from 1970's gold decor to a fun vibrant red and it gave me inspiration.<br />
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I don't think you can have too much fun color in a house so we went with Gloss Yellow by Krylon. Their spray paint has primer built in so we didn't have to do too much work. Less is better in my book.<br />
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We took out some links, put on 3-4 coats of Gloss Yellow and BAM! Beautiful dining room chandelier.<br />
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It added a great look to the dining room for the cost of 2 cans of spray paint. Great project in my book.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-35873704938915150572015-05-05T22:08:00.000-07:002015-05-05T22:08:23.011-07:00House UpdatesWe like to redecorate our downstairs. A lot. We've added throw pillows and rugs, as seen <a href="http://tussinglady.blogspot.com/2013/02/redecorating.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and we've painted our <a href="http://tussinglady.blogspot.com/2013/11/redorating.html" target="_blank">dining room wall</a>.<br />
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We've done more changes. Can you believe that? I'll share a little DIY project we did next week but right now the big change is we purchased a new couch! Brian was so excited to purchase it. We actually placed the order before Jaxon's birthday in March and have been patiently, or not so patiently depending on the day, waiting for it to arrive.<br />
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Last night I got the call that it was in and they would deliver it today.<br />
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Here is the before, taken late at night with awful lighting of course:<br />
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Here is what it looks like now:<br />
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Much better! Now unfortunately the 2 pillows that are gray are supposed to be blue on the other side like the blue one in the middle so they are going to send new ones. But how great does that thing look?<br />
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It is so comfortable. If you can't find me or had a scheduled date with me that I missed, I'll be here. Don't bother ringing the doorbell either, I won't be getting up any time soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-76416401004565883722015-04-24T22:10:00.001-07:002015-04-24T22:10:45.481-07:00Jaxon's First HaircutJaxon got his first haircut. Everyone kept telling me what a big deal it was.<br />
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How can a haircut be a big deal? He's not going to suddenly turn into a little kid from my cute adorable baby boy in one 15 minutes session.<br />
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But he did. He definitely did.<br />
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I took this picture the day before his haircut.<br />
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He's so cute and still my little baby boy!<br />
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We took him to a great place called Snip-its. It's a kids haircut place and they specialize in doing a "Baby's First Haircut". They give you a lock of hair, a certificate, and a picture. They did an amazing job. I was so proud of Jaxon too! He sat there like he'd done it a million times.<br />
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Suddenly, he's so grown up. He's now a little boy and I just can't believe it. Just a year ago we were going to first doctor's appointments and I was certain that I was going to mess him up some how.<br />
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He's got 6 teeth and 6 more on the way. He's growing up so fast. I do have to say though, I think Brian and I make pretty cute <strike>babies</strike> kids.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-34395974132753853062015-04-16T15:40:00.000-07:002015-04-16T15:40:51.680-07:00Jaxon's First Birthday and Mom GuiltJaxon turned one!<br />
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3 weeks ago, almost 4 actually.<br />
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I had this great party planned. Popcorn and cupcakes. Friends. And a lovely post the next day on what a great party it was.<br />
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You want to know what happened instead? Jaxon got the stomach flu, then Brian got the stomach, we rescheduled for the next weekend. Slew of doctor's appointments, a large emergency room visit bill, sleep training, and no more morning naps later... I'm finally blogging about his birthday.<br />
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We were able to celebrate on his actually birthday a little with a small cupcake from Barns & Noble. Did you know that if your child is part of their Children's Club that they can get a free small cupcake or cookie, no purchase necessary, the month of their birthday? I think it's worth signing up just for that.<br />
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While we there we also picked up an abacus. Brian thought I was crazy but Jaxon loves it!<br />
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The weekend of his party was fun. We did a very simple theme, cupcakes and popcorn. We popped TONS of popcorn and had small boxes for everyone to take. For toppings we grabbed some flavored seasonings at WalMart: kettle corn, butter, ranch, and bacon cheddar. I also set out chocolate chips, pretzels, and reese's pieces for people to mix in with the popcorn. It was hit!<br />
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The only thing that went wrong was Jaxon apparently has NO interest in smashing a smash cake.<br />
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Enter mom guilt. He had a great time and got cake and presents and smiled all day. Me? I felt bad because it wasn't on his actually birthday like we planned, felt bad that he got the stomach flu, felt bad people couldn't make it.<br />
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Can we ever just be happy in the moment? Do we have to have pinterest perfect parties and a 1 year old who perfectly smashs his cake?<br />
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As I sit here typing this I've got a little one toddling around and playing with my curtains. I think every once in a while it's a good idea to just watch his smile and remember that if he's happy and healthy then I'm doing a pretty good job at being a mom.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-42086692596146089652015-03-18T14:50:00.000-07:002015-03-18T14:50:29.850-07:00True ConfessionsWelcome to True Confessions, if you are not prepared then by all means turn back my friend! Click back, close your tab, close the laptop!<br />
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1. I most assuredly thought of Usher when I typed in the title for this blog.</div>
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2. I used to never, I repeat, NEVER put seasonings in my food when I cooked. I figured that food tasted good so it would taste good in the end. Don't fret, I have since changed my ways.</div>
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3. Quotes fill more of my conversations with people than they realize. I will randomly use quote from a show in our conversation just to see if anyone notices. 8 of 10 times they don't.</div>
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4. When I go to Disneyland I budget for churros. That's right, an entire budget solely for churros. I could eat churros every day of the week.</div>
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Brian and I had a lovely lunch date out and guess what we had for dessert? Churros!</div>
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We hired a sitter and went out to lunch to a local taco place called Joyride. My very last confession for the day, as much as I love our son, I do love going out with my husband and enjoying just some time to ourselves.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-1722201185217878542015-03-09T20:36:00.000-07:002015-03-09T20:36:06.217-07:00Part Time Mom, Part Time WorkerI love being a stay at home mom. There are some serious upsides. There is the obvious of getting to see this lovely face ALL the time.<br />
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My favorite perk of staying home is that whenever I go to the store, I try to go on random times. Monday around 10am there is NO one at the store.</div>
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The only down side is that this is not my entire life. I also work part time. I won't lie, it's not my favorite part of my job. I sit in a lot of meetings.</div>
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But all this being said, I love my husband for being supportive during all this time. It's a little chaotic at times but he's so supportive not to mention the best husband and dad. I might be a little biased on that but I'm ok with that!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-35541350524846577712015-01-12T11:50:00.000-07:002015-01-12T11:50:33.703-07:00Date NightRemember date night?<br />
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Remember looking at each other across the table, leaning over over-priced food, ordering dessert and spending a while at the restaurant just talking?<br />
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I remember doing that... roughly 9 months ago... before having a baby. Now days it's lunch days while grandma watches him. Dinner dates... well they look a little something like this now.<br />
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I wouldn't trade it for the world. It's dinner with my husband who is also an amazing dad. Playing keep away with hot plate and tiny hands is a whole new ball game but who doesn't like dinner and a show? All in all, yeah, maybe I don't get as many one-on-one dates with my husband as we used to but I would trade any of it for the world.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-40074337671333422292015-01-05T13:30:00.004-07:002015-01-05T13:30:58.445-07:00Digital LifeEver sit and think about the electronics in your life? I realized today as the UPS man drove away leaving my new iPhone on the porch that life isn't too far fetched from what they pictured in the 50's. At one of my jobs we had orientation and they showed us this image:<br />
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Granted my house isn't waterproof but life is pretty high tech now days. Keep in mind my husband and I are young millennials and I work in the IT field. We have 2 iPads, 2 smartphones, an iMac for work, a Surface tablet for work, a Macbook Pro laptop, an Xbox, a Roku streaming device, and a Roomba.<br />
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Could there be any more electronics in our house? We try to make sure it doesn't separate us from each other or our friends too much. We don't bring our phones into the bedroom, they charge downstairs at night. We also try and not mess with our phones too much when we're with anyone or even just with each other.<br />
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It's amazing how different life is even from when I was little. I will say though, I may not be able to hose down my furniture but it's pretty great being able to push a button and have my living room vacuumed while I sleep.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-45888909157406075802014-12-11T21:57:00.000-07:002014-12-20T18:16:05.776-07:00Christmas DecoratingThis year we are hosting Christmas at our house. Brian used to have it at his house when he was little so now it's going to be at our house since we have Jaxon. It was really fun to decorate with Jaxon although he mostly just tried to eat the ornaments.<br>
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Watching Brian get all the decorations ready.<br>
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Jaxon eating ornaments.<br>
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Brian and Jaxon putting ornaments on the tree.<br>
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Us being goofballs and covering Jaxon in tinsel.<br>
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Decorating the TV niche.<br>
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Getting ready to send out all the holiday cards while listening to holiday Pandora.<br>
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Fun fact. This ornament is one of the first gifts Brian gave to me when we started dating in High School and we're pretty sure it's the first picture taken of us.<br>
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<br>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-71756031924126037612014-12-11T21:41:00.000-07:002014-12-11T21:41:03.217-07:00Baby FoodHave you ever made baby food? I haven't. Well, I hadn't until just the other day when I tried my hand at making pureed carrots. The thought process was simple: my baby is old enough to have real food so I'll make his baby food.<br />
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It's simple enough, but you know what no one tells you? That pound and a half of carrots you just bought that you have no idea your baby will like, is a complete WASTE! There, I said it. A complete waste. If you are going to make baby food for a baby that has never had food before, just buy 2 carrots. Two! Follow these simple steps then, if your baby likes carrots, you can make pounds at a time.<br />
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First, peel and cut your carrots into small pieces.<br />
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Steam the carrots for roughly 9 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.<br />
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After that, puree in either a blender or a food processor if you have one. Add water until a desired consistency is reached. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.<br />
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For your viewing pleasure I've included a video of Jaxon trying this puree for the first time. It took about a week for him to start liking them and not making this face every feeding.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-32501640195339875142014-09-27T16:05:00.001-07:002014-09-27T16:05:19.272-07:00Chocolate Chocolate-Chip CookiesHave you ever a cookie that it made you stop and make that "mmmm" noise? A cookie that was so good that it made you stop and go, "Oh that's a good cookie." A cookie that you made a mental note to bring to your next event where you want to impress people. Bring it to your next bake sale and be the coolest kid on the block. This my friends, is that cookie.<br />
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It is similar to a brownie in texture but with that cookie crunch. I got the recipe from <a href="http://juliasalbum.com/" target="_blank">Julia'a Album</a>. She calls them <a href="http://juliasalbum.com/2013/03/outrageous-chocolate-cookies-recipe/" target="_blank">Outrageous Chocolate Cookies</a>. She uses a full 12oz of chocolate chips. This seems too much to me. For me, the cookie is all about the cookie and the chip just adds to it. To Brian, it's all about the chip and the cookie just holds it together. I'll suggest 8oz of chocolate chips but it's all up to you my friends. Chip at your own accord!<br />
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Recipe link: <a href="http://juliasalbum.com/2013/03/outrageous-chocolate-cookies-recipe/" target="_blank">Here</a><br />
Recipe listed for your connivence.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span><br />
8 oz semisweet chocolate<br />
4 tbls unsalted butter<br />
2/3 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
2 eggs<br />
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (here is where I suggest using less chocolate chips)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Instructions:</span><br />
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips and butter in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second increments, stirring between each, until almost melted. The texture will be similar to thick frosting.<br />
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flower, baking powder, and salt.<br />
3. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.<br />
4. Spray baking sheets with cookie spray. Drop tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating half way through, until cookies are crackled on top, 12-15 minutes. My oven was 13 minutes and they were perfect.<br />
5. Let cool on a wire rack until you feel they will no longer burn your tongue because let's be honest, a hot cookie fresh from the oven is always better than a cooled cookie.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-14968205251511643762014-09-10T12:27:00.000-07:002014-09-10T12:27:09.884-07:00Jaxon's NurseryIt's been a few months and not very many people have seen Jaxon's nursery. It's a pity too because it's kind of my favorite room in the house now! I spent almost a month picking out the paint color. Yes, I know, it's just paint, but it's for the nursery. Kind of a big deal! Here is a little tour of our Superhero nursery.<br />
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This is the closet, I just love the little blue hamper! The only clothes hanging in there now are those bigger than a year. Otherwise, all the clothes are in his dresser/changing station.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP50eVNIzc_jAyRlMpf2O10Qqs6seODbXage3-JyE1qXaKykQaW-BF1xafSSBTyX7FvCtBXv3EDog8LSPMc-dmIQoTPhNaaKVVsiky2oa89hYPORT7aD6RrGbEgYXMZ1VLgxV_HQCtFis/s1600/IMG_0245-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP50eVNIzc_jAyRlMpf2O10Qqs6seODbXage3-JyE1qXaKykQaW-BF1xafSSBTyX7FvCtBXv3EDog8LSPMc-dmIQoTPhNaaKVVsiky2oa89hYPORT7aD6RrGbEgYXMZ1VLgxV_HQCtFis/s1600/IMG_0245-1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Brian and I designed the pictures above his dresser. We also opted for a standard kitchen trashcan. There a couple reasons we did this as opposed to a diaper pail. The first is that it's foot operated, I don't want to touch my hands to anything while changing a diaper. Second, it takes the same bags as our kitchen, so when I buy in bulk it's a lot cheaper.</div>
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The thing I love most about this dresser is that it let's me organize things just the way I want! A simple trip to IKEA to buy some <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00192631/" target="_blank">drawer organizers</a> and a cute Superman tin later, you've got a really easy way to keep things organized.<br />
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The other side of Jaxon's room, the view you see when you first walk in has the fun stuff.</div>
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We found a great set of wooden blocks and a Superman clock at Barns and Noble. I think it's one of the highlights of the room now.</div>
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And lastly there's the project that took a friend and I two long afternoons to complete. Jaxon's name spelled out in comic book letters.</div>
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I can't wait until Jaxon is old enough to appreciate this room as much as I do! Although by the time he's old enough to like it, dinosaurs will probably be way cooler than superheroes.</div>
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Add some paint on the inside, swirl it around and pour out any left over paint. Be careful if you have long hair though, you will get paint on it.</div>
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Once you're done, you will have some beautiful, shiny, colored vases.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-41235728305670716122013-11-08T09:10:00.000-07:002013-11-08T09:10:52.170-07:00RedoratingIt's amazing how just a gallon of paint can take a wall from dull to bright and fun in just a short afternoon.<br />
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Recently, I decided I was tired of all the red in my house. I had a red rug, red vases, a red painting, a red wall... you get the point. I know, how can a red wall be boring? Well, it was red when we bought the house and with all the red and black in the house it felt like our house was out of an IKEA catalogue.<br />
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To switch it up we bought a white coffee table, some colored pillows, some silver pieces, AND painted the wall green!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4-jn6l7mA99sDYqJ8TIB9pUbcOhqkMNRaUO1KwZt8kHbe_rmGFkn888yXIdh8E_jJx3kY7O6VpIEqng0O9hyphenhyphenZnGQodEtqBCR4FS4hCuVpcEEZWRZ_hwYVbnuIf_bg7I3Q0lm1YW7VcU/s1600/IMG_0336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4-jn6l7mA99sDYqJ8TIB9pUbcOhqkMNRaUO1KwZt8kHbe_rmGFkn888yXIdh8E_jJx3kY7O6VpIEqng0O9hyphenhyphenZnGQodEtqBCR4FS4hCuVpcEEZWRZ_hwYVbnuIf_bg7I3Q0lm1YW7VcU/s640/IMG_0336.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And the after! Please ignore the odd lighting. Like I said, it took an afternoon and I was too lazy to wait until tomorrow to take a picture.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-52362983945599409192013-10-30T17:19:00.001-07:002013-10-30T17:19:22.683-07:00A/C UnitWhy is it when you imagine your dream house you never think about the A/C unit?<br />
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It's huge, obnoxious, and not super attractive. That's why.</div>
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I have a problem with our A/C incase you couldn't tell.</div>
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The problem is that not only did our dogs as puppies dig behind it, they also ate the wiring. Twice.</div>
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So, the hubby and I decided to make a solution. We wanted to a fun DYI project that would look good but still be easy.</div>
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I did what most sensible people would do. I turned to Pinterest. I found a cool fancy one <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/22166223138578531/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. So I DYI'd.</div>
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Here is the before:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWTymp6oWo5USFFMuar6gmVBfv8GDvW_Cd0vjIWUYRf2Y5UPzKMF_Au9yvLEoa0N5nIHfoWWm9XmC85wCHn_peAe085dEt8QnxZjGHHQkQdQ5Hpk0meZ_MSKmeXldBRCk7qYFmAiihaw/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWTymp6oWo5USFFMuar6gmVBfv8GDvW_Cd0vjIWUYRf2Y5UPzKMF_Au9yvLEoa0N5nIHfoWWm9XmC85wCHn_peAe085dEt8QnxZjGHHQkQdQ5Hpk0meZ_MSKmeXldBRCk7qYFmAiihaw/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is what we did to stop digging and chewing:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yGXeDxhjvL-or2wftQLCLPTWF4_F7UMfpBbBEVUHMIeaX8_aoCKGtQr2uS1QmQauj8QsvnJW8JkiFpK45xZDFbyaJ8q34m6ZilmHUZLpYn1XiyjXhrr7_SxKTQKpyTOEbgloUBF6YaM/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yGXeDxhjvL-or2wftQLCLPTWF4_F7UMfpBbBEVUHMIeaX8_aoCKGtQr2uS1QmQauj8QsvnJW8JkiFpK45xZDFbyaJ8q34m6ZilmHUZLpYn1XiyjXhrr7_SxKTQKpyTOEbgloUBF6YaM/s400/photo+(1).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So we gathered some supplies (by supplies I mean pallets) and did some cutting:</div>
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Put it together:</div>
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Look how great it looks:<br />
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Not that rustic pallet isn't cute, we loved it on the bench. But here we wanted to paint it white.<br />
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We love it. Doesn't it look SO much better back there? Plus, know we have sort of a cute country theme going in our backyard with all the little pallet stuff.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-76583229303368690692013-09-15T21:24:00.001-07:002013-09-15T21:24:57.425-07:00Exciting NewsYou know how when you haven't seen a friend in forever you hug and squeal and say it's been too long! Well for each of you reading this I want to squeal and hug you and say that it's been too long!<br />
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We've been down this path before, I don't post then I try to post more often. Well, I have a very valid excuse for not posting this past summer.<br />
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My dearest hubby and I are expecting Baby Tussing this March. This will be our first little bundle of joy and we couldn't be more excited.<br />
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I'll some posts and catch you up on our summer, we've done some pretty fun things that you'll enjoy reading about.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-91149159967755121762013-06-11T17:44:00.000-07:002013-06-11T17:44:43.815-07:00Planter Bench<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You may remember that I was trying to build a pallet swing from this <a href="http://tussinglady.blogspot.com/2012/06/weekend-projects.html" target="_blank">post</a> a while back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, life always has a way of changing your plans on you. We had future plans of building a planter but our dogs sped that plan up. There was a loose corner of our grass so we abandoned our swing and decided to build a planter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We cut up all the pallets into 17" pieces then bolted them onto frames. We did the entire thing ourselves. It came our really, really well and makes the yard look great. Plus, the sage brush is a nice little plant that doesn't take a ton of care. I pretty much kill everything I try and plant. This one should live.</span><br />
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It rounds the yard out really well.</div>
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I love how the different colors of pallets make it really unique.<br />
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The dogs love it. We will randomly find Achilles chilling in the yard either on the bench or underneath it for shade.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-12270858466874937662013-05-31T10:33:00.002-07:002013-05-31T10:33:59.321-07:003rd AnniversaryMr. Tussing and I recently celebrated our 3 year anniversary. It was a great day. We played Jenga, went to a nice restaurant for lunch, drank some wine, ate some bread. And just to show mature you can be after three years of marriage, a house, and two dogs; we went for ice cream.<br />
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Strategic moves there Mr. Tussing<br />
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Jenga is not for the faint of heart.<br />
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Lunch at a local restaurant <a href="http://www.postinowinecafe.com/" target="_blank">Postinos</a><br />
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Have you ever tried bruschetta? Mr. Tussing hadn't either.<br />
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They had wonderful service. I loved seeing and hearing that all day.<br />
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No Anniversary could be complete without trying the new waffle cone. Totally awesome.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3792329611068090853.post-75809777344175799462013-05-25T16:51:00.000-07:002014-09-29T15:07:17.138-07:00Birthday Cake<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love my family. I love baking. Neither of these statements should come as a huge surprise. It also shouldn't surprise you when the need for a birthday cake in our family arises, I'm usually the one that volunteers to bake it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My mother in-law recently discovered she has some allergies. Now when I say some, I don't mean peanuts or pollen. I'm talking about the kind where I need to make a cake that's special.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How special?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gluten Free. Dairy Free. Soy Free.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just saying those brings up thoughts of dry or over dense or just plain gross baked goods. Recently as a birthday gift I received a baking book. Want to know the only kind of gluten, dairy free cake the had? A crunch cake. Crunch. Cake. Those two words should not be together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I turned to Google. Then King Arthur Flour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do you think? Doesn't it look unbelievably tasty? I fed it to everyone and you would never know that it was gluten, dairy, and soy free! Tasty for an everyday occasion or you can throw some candles on it and call it a birthday cake.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cake Recipe</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 Cup Sugar</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cup Gluten Free Flour (I used King Arthur Flour but whatever brand you prefer is fine)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa (Again, King Arthur Flour but personal preference)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 1/2 tsp baking powder</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp salt</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Xanthan Gum</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/3 cup Vegetable Oil</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 Large Eggs</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/3 cup Water</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tsp Vanilla Extract</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Preheat oven to <span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; line-height: 19px;">350°F. Grease two 8" or 9" round pans.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. In a separate bowl mix sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. In mixing bowl beat oil, eggs, water, and vanilla.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Add dry ingredients 1 cups at a time making sure its well blended in between. Beat for 2 minutes once they're all combined.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #282828;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">6. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Bake the cakes for 30 to 33 minutes, about 3 to 4 minutes past the point where a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cake Frosting</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/3 cup & 3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 cup Powdered Sugar</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup Dairy Free Margarine</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 Tbsp Non-Dairy Alternative (I did use Soy here but only because I'm</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">allergic to Almond Milk and don't like Coconut Milk)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Vanilla Extract</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp Maple Syrup</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Mix cocoa powder and powered sugar in a bowl.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Add remaining ingredients and whip for 2 minutes until fully mixed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now a warning on the icing. It won't be thick like out of a container or even most frostings. It will be more a glaze like you see in the pictures. Pour it on and spread it around. It will cover very easily.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0