Alexa's Graduation

It seems like just yesterday we celebrated Michael's graduation and now Alexa is graduated! Time really flies!

I made a display for Alexa with all her school pictures preschool through Senior, her 3 awards from TPA for her senior year, a book of the senior photos we took, and her acceptance letter to Scripps College. 

My grad

 With her proud parents

 All six of us.

We celebrated with catered Mexican food and the best carrot cake in the world from Hollie's Hot Cakes before heading to the graduation.

 The commencement ceremony itself was really nice. The best part was, with only 52 graduates, it was over in 1 hour 7 minutes! So different from Michael's with over 300 graduates!

 Alexa receiving her diploma from Headmaster/Mayor Hugh Hallman.

 I did it!

 With her cute friend, and alphabetical neighbor, Annie Ortiz.

Proud parents again

 My joys, love these people!

 

 Big brother could not be prouder, such a good man!

 My sister Sandra, her gorgeous kiddos and hubby. So glad they could be there!

 Proud Grandparents!

 And here it is, in all it's glory, Alexa's high school diploma. Also, her cap and silver cord for graduating Magna Cum Laude.

And to think in 4 years Celeste will be graduating, the same year as Alexa will be graduating from College. Can we slow this down, pretty please?

 

Home Run

I know it has been all about Alexa lately, but I just had to share this. Alexa hit a home run, over the fence! They ended up winning this game 7 to 6, to the team ranked #3 in our division. You can't see the ball at all, but you can see Alexa raising her arms, fist pump style, as she rounds second and realizes it's over the fence and a cute little boy in white baseball pants run down the hill to get her ball.

PS, watch it with your volume down, someone was screaming like a crazy person...

Senior Photo Shoot

I've been spending my day off editing Alexa's senior photos. She was resistant to having a professional do them, so she and I trekked out to a park in Glendale (thanks Lindsey!) and took some shots. I am really pleased with them. A line from a country song keeps running through my mind as I look through these "she don't know she's beautiful". I wish she did 'cuz, man that hair, that skin, those eyes, stunning. And that booty, damn (hehe)! 

Here are a few of my favorites:

 Yes, she is intentionally out of focus!

 Beautiful!

 And a little fun with Photoshop and a fake sun flare...why not?

I still can't believe she will be a high school grad in just over a month!

Proudest Mama

Wow, it has been a while since I have posted! I was sick for about 2 weeks, and on top of that, very busy with the kids, as all 3 girls are playing softball. Here is just a sample, last week:

-Monday, Alexa's game {big win for them and Alexa hit a home-run, woohoo!}

-Tuesday, Alexa practice, Celeste practice

-Wednesday, Alexa Practice, Sophie practice

-Thursday, Alexa game {big win against a really good team whom they have never beat} and Celeste's first games, a double header, double wins {go Hornets!}

-Friday, Alexa game {another win} and Celeste school concert

-Saturday, Sophie practice

-Sunday, Celeste practice.

Add on top of that my two jobs. Whew, exhausting at times, but really fun, too!

But that is not what I really want to post about. We have big news! Really, REALLY big news! News that came in a really big envelope:

 I could not believe it when I saw it! And I had the hardest time not ripping it open before Alexa got home! It was the nicest news ever, and worth the wait. Alexa has been accepted to Scripps. Amazing!

 My favorite part, the handwritten note that says "I really enjoyed reading your essays, Alexa!". That must have been what did it. 

A year ago we all fell in love with Scripps when we went for a visit. It was a long shot. It was her dream school. It was a far off goal to reach.

She worked hard. She took SAT prep courses and raised her score by 250 points. She put a lot of time {I mean a TON of time} into her entrance essays. And it paid off. We go out in 2 weeks for admitted students day with info seminars, tours, and meetings with the financial aid department. And, I hate to see all her hard work possibly go to waste, but that meeting will be the determining factor. So, let's hope they offer her a hefty financial aid package. Fingers {and toes} crossed!

Monkeys

We did not accomplish a "Pinterest Sunday" project this week, but with Celeste home from school sick on Monday, my day off, we were able to get our craft on! I picked up some fabulous "Minky" fabric from the best place on earth, my workplace ETC. Celeste really likes Monkeys and has a little collection of them so we made two fun, and easy items for her room.

First we covered and body pillow Celeste already had in her room. It was very easy. These fabrics are 60" wide, so we just cute 2 strips 16"x60", hemmed the top of each, sewed ribbons from our stash to the inside, sewed the 2 pieces right side together, turned right side out, inserted the pillow and tied shut. It took less than an hour, start to finish!

 

Here is a close up of the pillow case and ties.

We cut our remaining fabrics into nine 16" squares. I sewed these squares into rows 3 across then sewed the 3 rows together to form a square. We used a solid piece for the back, sewed front to back right sides together leaving an 8" opening for turning. I turned it right side out, then top-stitched the entire perimeter, sewing opening shut.It was a super easy, cuddle or throw size "quilt" that took about 2 hours.

 If you haven't seen/felt these "Minky" fabrics in person, you are missing out! They are amazingly soft and cuddly! Celeste is in love with the Monkeys, and the colors go so well in her room. 

 

Pinterest Sunday- Tagalong Cupcakes

We are keeping the girl scout cookie-cupcake theme going for the third week in a row. First, we did Samoas then Thin Mints
and now Tagalongs. If you are unfamiliar, Tagalongs are a cookie, topped with peanut butter, and coated in chocolate. 

I got my original inspiration {yet again} from my friend, Jenny. If you can't already tell, I have a little blog-crush on her {or at least a cupcake crush!}. Anyway, to mimic the cookies, we wanted our cupcakes to be a little more dense and cookie like. So, thanks to Pinterest, we found the sugar cookie cupcake recipe on the "Baked Perfection" blog here.

Sugar Cookie Cupcakes
recipe by Baked Perfection

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla; mix well. Add the flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Recipe makes approximately 30 cupcakes.

The peanut butter buttercream was adapted from the peanut butter and jelly cupcake recipe from "The Girl Who Ate Everything" blog found here .

Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
4 tablespoons cream


Combine the peanut butter, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the confectioners sugar along with the cream, and beat until well combined.

And the basic idea along with the chocolate coating was from the blog "Savannah's Kitchen" found here .

For the Chocolate Coating
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Chill cupcakes in refrigerator until buttercream is completely firm, about 1 hour.
2. Once the cupcakes have chilled, make the chocolate coating. Place oil and chocolate in a medium bowl and melt over a pan of gently simmering water.
3. Stir until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer to a large coffee mug. 

4. Holding cupcake by the bottom, carefully dip into the chocolate. Be sure to submerge all of the buttercream. 

5. Pull up and hold for a few seconds to let excess chocolate drip off. Transfer to cooling rack and repeat with remaining cupcakes. 

6. Before serving, let cupcakes rest a few minutes so chocolate can set.

Put the three together and you have our very own "Tagalong" cupcakes!

Pinterest Sunday-Thin Mint Cupcakes

This week's Pinterest Sunday the girls and I put our own twist on an online recipe. We first saw chocolate mint cupcakes on Jenny's blog. Hers was a recipe adapted from Andes Mint Cupcakes found on a blog called Mel's Kitchen Cafe . So I guess our is an adaptation twice removed? We decided to do another girl scout cookie, Thin Mints.

For the cupcakes:

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 box of girls scout Thin Mint cookie

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with paper cupcake liners and add a whole Thin Mint cookie to the bottom of each. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; using a handheld electric mixer or an electric stand mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. The batter will be on the VERY thin. Pour batter into cupcake liner, directly onto the cookie and fill NO MORE THAN 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Remove from pan and let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack. This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes.

For the frosting:

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup (1stick) butter, softened to room temperature
4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
16 ounces powdered sugar (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoons peppermint extract
Green food coloring

DIRECTIONS:

While cupcakes are baking; in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add the heavy cream and peppermint and vanilla extracts. Beat until light and fluffy. Add green food coloring until the color you like is achieved. Refrigerate until ready to use.

After baking 24 cupcakes, place remaining Thin Mints into a zip lock baggie and crush with a rolling pin or hammer. Once cupcakes are completely cool, pipe a generous amount of mint butter cream frosting and top with crushed cookies.

 You can see the cookie on the bottom, MMMMM!

Yummy! These were definitely a hit and we are proud of ourselves for our new invention!