I Saw Jesus at BART Today

No really, I did.  I don't mean like, he descended from the clouds and appeared to me.  I mean he came walking out of the train station and waited for his ride to pick him up.  Guess Jesus doesn't have his own car.  Someone picked him up in an Explorer.  I guess I kind of expected him to be more of a Hybrid car type of guy but go figure.

Anyway, I'm 44.  Turned 44 about 3 weeks ago.  A long time ago I decided I would pick an age and just stick to that.  I don't feel 44.  I feel about 25 maybe 30.  But then I started thinking this year.  This 44 year old body has held up pretty well.  I mean, I'm not as pretty and skinny as I was when I was 25 but dammit, a lot has happened.  I've had several children, 3 husbands (that's another story), many jobs, 2 bouts with pneumonia in the last 4 years.  Other than that, no major illnesses, no surgeries.  I'd say I'm doing pretty damn good.  Knock on wood.  So yay 44!!!  We'll see how I feel when I turn 50.  I have a few years to adjust.

So we are gearing up for Halloween on Monday.  I think I will dress up for the first time in a few years.  Going to be a witch (what else?).  Figure I have the name, got a pretty cool broom, why not use it?  Kids are super excited as usual.

Been venturing out with the camera more and more.  Got some fantastic photo ops while working at Brownstone Gardens in Oakley this season.  Who knew weddings could be so crazy?  The amount of money people shell out for these events is outrageous.  I mean, I appreciate it's your special day and all but $8000 on flowers?  FLOWERS?  Really?  Good lord.  Who says we're in a recession?  But a lot of the weddings were just beautiful.  Even got to photograph their bridal faire which was really cool.

My friend Mary and I also did a craft faire at a local church.  We didn't make squat but it was so much fun creating everything.  I have been sewing like crazy and  finished my third quilt and just started my fourth.  The kids love them and I am happy giving them something that I hope will last them for many years to come.

This is one of my little tiered cake pincushions with a stamped cutout of the Farm Girl's series.  So flippin' cute!!!!  I made about a dozen different ones.  Love it!  I am a pincushion freak!!!!!

So enjoy the last days of somewhat warmth we have because I have a feeling it's gonna be a cold Winter.  Thank God for all these quilts to keep us warm!!!!  Have a wonderful Halloween and hope you get more treats than tricks!!!

xo
Tab

End of Summer

Yep, it's the end of Summer.  No more swimming, no more bbq's and time to pull out our warmer clothes.  I am so glad it was a mild Summer.  The kids had a blast with our new pool.  I had fun just watching them and taking pictures.  Summer came with lots of changes.  The 3 youngest gained a year.  Jamie turned 11, Kieran turned 10 and Gavin turned 7.  Vincent graduated high school and started college.  Still can't believe I have a college student!!!  But it has been a fabulous Summer.  Spent lots of time creating with Vanessa and Mary, lots of time with my lobster, Jim.  And worked a cool new job at a local wedding location, Brownstone Gardens.  Fun stuff.

So with that being said, what's in store for Fall?  Working on my photography, sewing more, cooking and baking more.  Summer,  I just wanna laze around and enjoy the weather, not having to take kids to school everyday. Oh, and surfing on Pinterest.  Have you jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon yet?  OMG..... It is like HEAVEN.  Go check it out.  Now.  Pinterest.Com.  I'll wait...........  SEE?  Isn't it amazing???  Now don't blame me if you spend hours on end looking through pictures.  That's my late night guilty pleasure.  A little glass of moscato, a little Pinterest and mama is a happy girl.  So many fabulous ideas.

Things I've learned the last few months: Just because people have money doesn't mean they have class.  Lord, that was the big one.  Oh, and there really ARE bridezillas.  That shit ain't fake.  On a happy note, there are some truly in love couples out there.

Sewing a quilt isn't as hard as I thought and soooo much fun and rewarding.

Getting sunburned still sucks.  But it helps having a really cool husband who will put aloe on you every few hours so you don't tweek from the itching/burning combo going on.

I can bake the hell out of a cupcake.  And cookies.  Next feat: PIES!!!

I really REALLY missed having a truck and am so glad to have one again.

Getting up at 5:30am to take Vincent to BART is actually nice and relaxing.  I get some Vin time and some me time.

Spending days on end with my husband was really nice and we grew so much closer.  He is really an amazing guy and I am sooooo blessed to have him.

Having a nice big German sherpard rocks.  Sam is the best dog EVER.

Last thing: I need entirely too much sleep.  I mean, is 12 hours too much?  How can I sleep that much and STILL be tired????

So there you have it.  My Summer in a nutshell.  Now aren't you glad you stopped by??

Oh and by the way, that crap music over there>>>>>>>that isn't my playlist.  What the hell happened to my good music?????  UGH!  Technology!!!!!!!

OK, I'm officially a slacker

How long has it been? Yes, I am a bad blogger. But you know how it is, life gets away from you and before you know it, it's been months since you posted. I know you are all dying to know what is going on in my exciting life.

Well my baby finally started college today. I can't believe it. Art Institute of SF ended up being his choice and the school is amazing. I cannot say enough about how great the school is and the staff is so amazing and helpful. I don't know who was more nervous, him or I. But it is an exciting time for Vincent and I look forward to seeing him grow into an amazing young man. He is majoring in Graphic Design and I am sure he will excel in this.

Life moves too damn fast. Summer is already almost over for all of us. Jim bought the kids a humongous pool for the backyard and we all love it. Gavin has taken to the water like a little fish. He even learned to swim on his own and has gotten so dark I hardly recognize him. Who knew? I thought he'd be the one to burn to a crisp since he's so fair.

I have been on a creative roll for awhile now. Mary and Vanessa inspire me constantly and we work well together. I have gotten more done in the last 6 months than I did all of last year. And I've branched out from the scrapbooking. I've been sewing, doing altered art, all kinds of new stuff that is out of the box for me. But is so fulfilling and gives me such joy to use my hands and all of these supplies that I have accumulated.

I a finally made my first quilt, made a few pincushions, a couple of dolls, and so much more. Began embroidering again and it is just so much fun.

So life is divine. Enjoying the last few weeks of Summer with the boys. Hope to make a trip to Santa Cruz in the next week or so to hit the boardwalk. It has been ages since I've been there and I think the kids will love it. I have been dying to go to the beach all Summer and with my mom working so close we are going to go.

I am also trying to spread my wings on the cooking front. Trying more recipes to actually get a 'menu' down if I ever decide to sell my goods. So far my favorite is the homemade caramel. Who knew that a bunch of butter and sugar could turn into such a fantastic thing? YUM!

This bewitching little goodie is a pincushion I made for Miss V. I love the colors and the little graphic on top. She is so pretty!!! Also been taking a ton of pics. FINALLY!!! There is just never enough time to do all the things I want.

I made these beautiful cupcakes for Mary's daughter's graduation from high school. Red velvet with cream cheese frosting and they came out delicious. I am starting to do everything from scratch now and it makes such a huge difference. Love it!!

So here's some of my goodies down below. Let me know what you think. Don't be shy. I could use all the input I can get. My next step is to start selling on Etsy. Wish me luck!

This is an Altoid tin I glittered with Martha Stewart glitter, lined with flocked paper from Anna Griffin, added a little potion jar and some hoo-hah and it came out pretty cute.

Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Summer!!!

March Already???

What happened to February? DAMN!! It has been a whirlwind of activity in the McIntyre household. Kids are excited about Spring Break next week as are Jim & I. If all goes well, we might actually get to sleep in a day or two. No big plans except to spend some quality time together as a family. So what's up in my little world? Creating like a crazy person! I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a wonderful retreat called Queen of the Crop out in Stockton. Spent time with 2 of my favorite gals, Vanessa & Mary. And met 2 equally wonderful ladies, Diana & Angela. What a blast we had just scrapbooking & enjoying each other's company. And boy did we create!!



These are 2 of the cards I made. I also made some adorable altered clothespins. I have no idea what I will do with them but they are so damn cute I just love them. Made a ton of layouts & just basically had a lovely girl's weekend.


Vanessa has taken Mary & I on some fantastic field trips the last couple of months. Now I am the San Francisco girl but Vanessa is the Berkeley girl. She took us to so many places I couldn't even keep up!! This last weekend we went to the 50th White Elephant Sale in Oakland. They had everything & I mean literally EVERYTHING you could possibly imagine in this humongous warehouse. It was like a huge garage sale of everything. Sooooo much fun!!!


We also went to a huge used book sale at the Pleasant Hill library. Talk about fun. They had tons of books for ridiculously low prices. Mary & I snagged 2 boxes full of books.














After that, we headed to Danville where we hit a beautiful quilt store called Wooden Gate Quilts. The ladies there were so nice & helpful & the quilts there were just amazing. They even had Dr. Seuss fabric!! Definitely inspiring for all of us.

Then, off to Berkeley for lunch at Barney's! This place had the most phenomenal burgers! Everything was deeeeelish!! After a quick bite, we headed over to Market Hall which was an amazing grocery store with everything you could need. Bakery, meat counter, cheese counter, wine store & produce. Just fabulous!!

We also stopped at a cute little store across from the market called Maison d'Etre which had some amazing vintage stuff & some very eclectic items. After that, on to Scrapbook Territory. Because you know we can't go to Berkeley without stopping there! Then down the street to the always amazing Anthropology. That store is so fabulous & we are always greeted with the scent of their beautiful candles. And the clothes, oh the clothes! Quick pit stop at Paper Source & then back to our little town. Much as I adore San Francisco, I am starting to love Berkeley for the different feel there. There are so many different cultures & things to see & appreciate. You can go a million times & experience something different on each visit. Thanks so much Vanessa for showing me a new locale for adventure!!!

I am also excited to be starting my very first quilt! YAY! With the guidance of Mary & Vanessa I hope to have one completed by the end of the year (Just because I'm a newby).

As for the family, we are very excited to have added a new little member to our clan. NO I did NOT have another kid. We picked up this adorable little guy:

No not Jim. Welcome to the family Cooper Maris McIntyre. Cooper, well, Cooperstown where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located. But I couldn't very well name him Cooperstown. And Maris after my all time favorite Yankee player, Roger Maris. He is a teacup chihuahua mixed with Miniature Pincher. He is spunky as all hell so he fits right in with our brood.

Life is good, we are happy & I am filled with joy & inspiration by my friends. Spring break in less than a week!!! What will you be doing??? Have a great week!!

Lucky

This guy right here makes me feel lucky. Lucky that we love each other even more now than we did the day we married. Lucky that our family is solid & healthy. There are just those days when you sit back & are like, Damn, I have it pretty good. No, we're not rich in money but we are rich in love. Not everybody finds that. I'm one of the lucky ones.

In addition to being lucky with the killer spouse, I have these little buggers to drive me wild. No, seriously. They drive me NUTS. But I don't know what my life would be without them. See the little pixie on the left? He's the instigator. I swear, the kid could talk the Pope into stealing a bike. And the attitude in front? Oh, he's the mouth. Never knows when to quit. Now the one on the right, he's the tattle tail. If you're doing something you shouldn't be doing, don't let him catch you. He WILL tell. And the big boy in back, what can I say about him? He is more like his mom than I'd like to admit. Stubborn, always right and ALWAYS has to have the last word. But you know what? I wake up every morning grateful to have them. Wake me up in the middle of the night because you had a nightmare, holler for me when you're fighting, cry when you don't get what you want. But then there's the best part. Gavin giving me my special 'cuddle time', Kieran hugging me everyday and telling me he loves me, Jamie leaning his head on my shoulder while I cook, Vincent (who is now taller than me) giving me a bear hug. That makes it all worth it. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

OK, so yeah, life is good. On another note, I am getting to know two very wonderful women. Vanessa and Mary have been such a joy to be around. It is so invigorating to spend time with such very wonderful and creative women. I feel so inspired and fulfilled when I am with them. Vanessa took us on a little field trip to Berkeley to show us the cool crafty spots. It was so much fun. We went to Anthropology, Paper Source, Scrapbook Territory (of course!),Castle in the Air, Sur Le Table, Stone Mountain & Daughter's Fabric Store, Berkeley Bowl and Zachary's Pizza. All fantastic places and ideas galore.

This window display at Castle in the Air was to die for. And all made of paper. So incredibly beautiful. The store had so many great art supplies. Big beautiful sheets of paper, various inks and an amazing classroom upstairs.

Anthropology was my favorite. Their displays were so incredible and I was just blown away by their presentation. Check out this dress. Again, all made of paper. Who thinks of this stuff?

I came home all ready to start making some goodies. Love that feeling of just wanting to dive into your supplies and create!

Also loving this Spring-like weather. It has been beautiful here the last few days. But alas, the wind is kicking up something fierce here now and I think Spring will be put on hold for a little longer. I am definitely ready to venture beyond my little area here and start taking some pictures. Soon enough!!

Take a minute and think about what makes you happy. Be grateful for what you have. And don't let life get you down. Trust me, it does get better. I'm proof.

May the Force Be With You

So at about 4am my sweet Bella Rue is barking her butt off in the living room. Bella NEVER barks. So I wake Jim up to investigate. I throw on my Cal sweatshirt and search for the nearest weapon. Do I grab a gun, a baseball bat, a knife? Oh no. Mama grabbed.....the light saber. Whoever was in my house was in for it. I was gonna go all Luke Skywalker on their ass. Jim looks at me and goes, what are you gonna do with that?' I say, bash their freakin' head in. Feeling brave, I walk out first and am confronted with my 18 year old Vincent. He looks at me, looks at the light saber and says, what the hell are you gonna do with that?" The force is weak with this one. So light saber in hand, I boldly walk into the living room to find....Bella barking at a deflated balloon. Good thing it was a balloon because I can swing the crap out of light saber. All those years of playing 'Star Wars' with my brother using a gift wrapping tube with a flash light jammed in the end paid off. Yes, we were poor so we couldn't afford a 'real' saber. But we adapted. This is a warning for those who are thinking about robbing my humble abode. You will die. And it will be painful. Have you seen what can be done with a light saber? It ain't pretty. I'm just saying, Luke got his hand whacked off with one and it looked pretty painful.

On a happier note, I have been on a roll in the kitchen. I have been whipping up some fantastic goodies in the kitchen. Case in point: I made this delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup last night courtesy of the oh so talented Martha Stewart or who I so affectionately refer to as, Mawthah.

This was so so good and the perfect comfort food in this cold foggy weather. Love me some Mawthah.

Last weekend it was homemade minestrone which was amazingly simple to make.

So I have ventured off the path of just making baked goods and moved into actual food. And I am in HEAVEN. It is so rewarding to put something together and have it come out absolutely delicious and have my family like it.

Now these delightful little things are homemade cinnamon rolls. And I don't mean that Pillsbury crap you bang on the counter to open. I mean real, honest to goodness homemade cinnamon rolls. O h m y G O D. It just isn't right that I learned to make these. And they are to DIE for.

This recipe came from my new favorite cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond. Seriously the best $25 I have EVER spent. Ree is on the premier issue of Where Women Cook Magazine and she is truly amazing. She has a ton of fabulous recipes with step by step illustrations of how to do each recipe. This is great because you can actually see how it is supposed to look. Check out her website at ThePioneerWoman.Com. She also has some of her recipes on her site. Amazing stuff.

Another excellent magazine is the Food Network Magazine. It has some great recipes and no outlandish ingredients that you wouldn't be able to get at your local supermarket.

And yes, I am still crafting. I have gotten together weekly for the last few weeks with the gals and we have been creating like crazy. So much fun. Friday night we were at Scrapbook Territory in Berkeley which is the BEST scrapbook store in the Bay Area. They truly have anything you could think of. Stamps, paper, altered art. Just a scrapper's heaven.

Alright, now go get your light saber, put on your apron and start cooking!!!! If you want any of these recipes, drop me a line and I'll shoot them to ya! Bon apetit!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

It's that time of year again. How did 2010 fly by so quickly? Maybe it's because I'm older. Maybe it's the kids. But nonetheless, another year has gone by and the kids are growing faster by the minute. My darling DeAnne of Precious Moments Photography hooked me up with Santa pictures this year. For the first time, we got all of the kids on Santa's lap. Actually, DeAnne got them on Santa's lap. It was truly a Christmas miracle. Vincent is now officially 'too old' for Santa. I, of course, will never be too old for Santa.

With Scrap Diva officially closed, I am off to explore new worlds. If all goes well, I will be assisting DeAnne with the studio in 2011 and I can't wait. While I love the scrapbooking, I truly love the creativity of photography. I love taking tons of pictures and uploading them to see the results. I can't get enough of it.

And moments like this make my heart sing. Having the flexibility of being a stay-at-home mom is a luxury I am very fortunate to have. Thank you my darling Jim!!!

So what's new in the world of Tab? Well, Vincent is officially an adult. 18 years old!! I can't believe I have an 18 year old. I also can't believe how quick it went by. And not only that, he just completed high school a whole 6 months EARLY!! Can I get a woot woot?!!!

So to celebrate his birthday, Britt and I took him on the grand tour of San Francisco, his favorite place. We went to AT&T Park (of course) and went to the Giant's store. Got some cool stuff for him. Then to Lucca's for an early lunch.

Can I just say, there is nothing better than a prosciutto, hot coppa and monterey jack cheese sandwich on a soft roll. And it MUST be from Lucca's. It is the most amazing delicatessen I have ever been to. Love it.

Next, we drove to the Golden Gate Bridge to enjoy said sandwiches and watch this lovely surfer catch some waves. We also took a trip down Lombard Street, went to Ghiradelli Square and then headed back to Concord where we went to the batting cages what Vincent used to go to when he played baseball. All in all, it was a fabulous day and we all had fun. I am so proud of my boy and I feel so blessed to have him. He is an amazing young man and I adore him beyond measure. I am a very lucky mom to have such a great kid. I mean, adult.

Well here's to another fabulous year for my little family. We may not be rich in money but we are rich in love and blessings. If I don't get back here before the end of the year, have a wonderful Merry Christmas and a very very happy new year. May the coming year be a happy and prosperous one for you and yours.

xo

tab

Marital Bliss

Yesterday I had the extreme pleasure of watching this beautiful young lady get married. I have known Nicole for about ten years. Her mom is my best friend, Nancie. When I met Nicole, she was just out of high school. She is truly an amazing young woman. Not only is she beautiful on the outside, the is a beautiful person on the inside. And her new husband, Cory is lucky to have her. What was amazing about their wedding is it was so wonderful to see two people so sure about their decision to spend the rest of their lives together. They were both literally glowing at the aspect of becoming husband and wife. The best part of the wedding was when Nicole was asked if she would take Cory as her husband, she enthusiastically said, I DO!! Everyone laughed and she said, I'm excited!' That warmed my heart so much to know that she has found someone she truly loves. I wish them both a long and happy life. And I am grateful to have been a part of their celebration.

So last week I had a shoot up at Chabot Space & Science Center for the new Bill Nye the Science Guy Exhibit. It was an amazing exhibit and lots of interactive stuff for kids to get excited about 'going green'. Lots of information about using renewable energy, recycling and whatnot. The cool part is, I got the meet the man himself.

Bill was really cool and funny and it was a lot of fun seeing everything they have there. Jim came and was my assistant for the first time. Our first time working together!!! All went well and it was beautiful up there as always. If you haven't had a chance to go up there, do so. It is a really cool center and the view up there is amazing.

Halloween was a blast. We went trick or treating with DeAnne and her family in their new neighborhood. Vince, of course, is now too old to go so he stayed home to watch the WORLD CHAMPION GIANTS. (It had to be said) We had a ton of fun walking around and checking out everyone's costumes and all of the decorated houses. The kids got a TON of candy and a good time was had by all. Even the adults!! Jamie was a Giant's Fan (he refused to wear a hat), Gavin was Venom Spiderman and Kieran was a vampire. DeAnne and I reminisced about the days of homemade costumes and staying out until the last light went out. Our kids were wiped by 8 and we were like, WHAT?? Let's keep going!!! Ah, I miss the old days.

Last but not least, we are preparing to bid adieu to Scrap Diva. My home away from home. DeAnne has decided to devote her time to the studio full-time and spend more time with her family. It's a good thing because she is so good at the photography and that really is where her passion lies. I am very excited for her too. I have spent many an hour there laughing with her and Brittany and all of the wonderful people I have met through her. I was truly blessed to have met DeAnne and she is an amazing person. I wish you all the luck in the world my friend!!! I love ya!!

That's it for now. Off to bed and the start of a new week tomorrow. Baking, school, photo editing and much more!!! I love it!! Have a wonderful week!!!

11/43

Cryptic huh? So what do those numbers mean? Well the first is this: 11 years. 4015 days. 96,360 hours. You get the idea. That's how long I've been married to this man. My lobster. Why lobster? Friends moment: Phoebe explaining that lobsters stay with the same mate for life. Well it took me 2 husbands and quite a few broken hearts to find my lobster. I'm his butter. Get it? Haha! Anyway, through the ups and downs, ins and outs, joys and sorrows, we managed to hang in there and have a better marriage now than I ever thought we would. Now don't get me wrong. This man drives me NUTS. And I don't mean in like a mad passionate way. I mean, he makes me INSANE. But he also balances me out. When I am stressed he knows how to calm me down. When I need a hug, he sees that. He is the bread to my butter and the breath to my life. This darling Irish boy. And I adore him. So that being said, happy 11th anniversary my adorable McFly.

Now on to the 43. Well I'm sure you can guess. I turned 43 this year. I must be getting old because I actually forgot it was my birthday this month. Sad I know. So I look in the mirror and I see this girl (Yes I still see a girl) and think, I look tired, I look out of shape. But I don't look 43. Do I? And while I stand there picking my 43 year old ass apart I stop. And I think, hey dammit, this 43 year old body has been through A LOT! I've been married 3 times. This lovely body has given birth to not one but TWO sets of twins and 3 single births. 6 Boys and one girl. This body has ran, bungee jumped twice, suffered many spills on my dirt bike with my brother (ah the life of a tomboy), been hit by a line drive by the biggest 10 year old girl I've ever seen. This heart has been broken more times than I care to count. I've survived on little or no sleep and managed to function. This body kept me going when my diet was crappy and I got little or no exercise. And I realize at 43, that maybe I need to give myself a break. I look damn good considering. And hey, I'm still alive and kicking. Still got some get up and go in me. I'm funny as hell, I have a wonderful family, great friends that fill my life with joy and laughter. All in all, 43 is OK. Plus if I can still give my 17 year old son a piggy back ride, I think I'm doing great.
Anyway, enough about me. We were very happy to have my brother return safely from overseas and even happier that he was able to come home again for a longer visit. As always, he looked fantastic and we were able to spend some great family time together. We all had a great cooking lesson from my step-mother Licia on how to make papusas from her native Guatemala. Yummy!!

Vincent got a lesson on self-defense courtesy of my brother. And the kids got a kick out of seeing Uncle Beto take their big brother down. And some great family pictures. I can't believe how much my dad and brother look alike. I am so proud of all that my brother has accomplished and what an amazing guy he has turned out to be. I also had to opportunity to introduce him to a group of ladies at Scrap Diva who regularly organize care packages shipped to soldiers overseas. I couldn't be prouder to introduce this man as my younger brother who now towers over me.School is back in and we are enjoying our first break of the year. Yes, we have one of those wacky school districts where we get breaks every couple of months. But I love having some time off with these boys. It has been unbearably hot and we are all anxious for Autumn to arrive. 105 in the end of September? Seriously? UGH!

Looking forward to a productive weekend. Pictures, sewing, crafting. Anything to keep my hands busy and the creative juices flowing. It's been too long since I took my camera out and I need to hit the city again soon. Maybe Chinatown, maybe North Beach. But I am headed over the bridge to some hopefully cooler weather. Wish me luck! Have a great weekend!!

August???

Good Lordy I am lagging!! But there's a good reason. Really. Well, Summer flew by. Since we live in a school district with a year round schedule we get a shorter Summer. But wow, this year's went quick. Before I knew it I was buying school clothes and supplies. With this new year, all my little men go to school around the same time and I actually have more time to get stuff done while they're gone. It's was amazing to walk into the house that first day and realize I had no kids for not 1, not 2 but 6 whole hours!!! What's a girl to do???

Well, of course, there's crafting. Did some of that. Also getting this photography thing going. I was very fortunate to have gotten a few jobs shooting up at the Chabot Space & Science Center. I had never been there before and my wonderful friend Sharon hooked me up. It is just beautiful up there. Who knew the Oakland hills were so beautiful? Not me. So along with my lovely assistant, Brittany, we made a few trips up there to take some pictures. It was so much fun and I am thrilled to finally be getting this off the ground.

I also have become completely obsessed with baking. It's seriously ridiculous. Jim was like, isn't the photography enough? Sadly, no. My most favorite thing to bake are cupcakes. I am on a quest for the perfect cupcake recipe. Now I thought I was good. I even learned how to use a piping bag and I have to say I was pretty impressed with myself. See?

Yummy French vanilla cake with Swiss buttercream frosting topped with fresh blackberries. Amazing. Then I finally got a chance to try a Cupkate. Ever heard of her? She is amazing. First off, she buys this used mail truck, converts it into a roach coach and sells cupcakes out of it. She goes to several locations in the Berkeley area and sells a variety of cupcakes everyday. Her name is Kate, hence the name CupKates. ANYWAY, I have been hearing about her for months. So Vincent, Britt & I were in the area about a month ago when she was by Scrapbook Territory and I had to try one. Ok, two. First, here's her cupkates. Cute right. Very simple, straight forward cupcakes. Flavors? Oh my, there was Creme Brulee, Key Lime Pie, double vanilla, double chocolate, smores, red velvet, lemon raspberry, and salted caramel. Drooling yet?

I mean look at them. So I got the double vanilla and a salted caramel and Vincent got the smores and the double chocolate. Can I just say they were like HEAVEN. I mean, seriously the best thing I have ever tasted in my entire life. I can't even describe how incredibly moist the cake was. And the frosting was like chocolate mousse. Just so delicious. I was shamed. My cupcakes were no longer so fabulous. I was just a mom who bakes cupcakes. Not cupkates. But fear not, I did not let this get me down. At least not for too long.

So I came home, jumped on the wonderful world wide web and began the furious search for the perfect cupcake. I printed a ton of recipes and today tackled one. Guiness cupcakes. I admit, I was aprehensive about pouring my beloved Guiness into a mixing bowl. For those of you who have drank Guiness, you know how incredibly bitter the Irish Stout is. It is definitely an aquired taste. And not in the least bit cupcake like. But throw in some Ghiradelli cocoa, some sugar, eggs and make a yummy chocolate ganache. I have to say they weren't half bad. Jim insisted he got a buzz eating them. I wish. Now they weren't even slightly moist. But they were very dense and I loved them. But I will keep plugging away. When I find the perfect recipe, watch out.

OK, that was my long cupcake story. I have also mastered the perfect lemon bar. I had never had lemon bars before but had heard everyone rave about them. So I found a recipe in one of the lovely Paula Deen recipe books I had and made them. They are so delicious!!

On one final note, I have to say I am incredibly grateful for my lovely husband of over 10 years. I have been begging him from day one to make me a large work table for my crafting. Nagging him is actually more like it. Well it took 10 years but he finally made my table and I am so giddy I can't stop looking at it. I haven't taken a picture yet but I will. I look forward to creating some great things on this table. He thinks I'm nuts because I just walk by it and giggle because I am so happy. So Jim, you are truly the best. You're my lobster and I adore you.

Have a great week!!!

Accountable

It's official. I'm chubby. Oh, who am I kidding? I've been chubby. But when I hit the dreaded scale yesterday and saw that I had surpassed the 2oo (yes, that's 200 POUNDS), I realized something had to be done. Now I admit, I am one of those people that thinks if I eat once a day, I won't gain weight. AND I also have a husband who has told me for YEARS that if I eat 5 small meals instead of one big fat pigfest of a meal I will lose weight. With that in mind, I am doing a MAJOR shift in my diet. And excercise. Apparently chasing kids all day and running them back and forth to school is not considered excercise. Or I have the slowest metabolism in the world because it just ain't cutting it anymore. So I decided the best way I can push myself to lose this chubbiness is to tell you, my meager audience, my progress. My thinking is, if I have to share my piggishness with you I will be less likely to pork down on that last cupcake because I don't want it to go to waste. I figure, if Cathy Zielske can show her progress, why can't I? Heck, she even has before pictures is shorts and a tank top. It's late and I look like hell so I won't subject your poor eyes to that. But I will divulge: as of today, I weigh 221. I need to lost like 70lbs. I don't want to look anorexic, mind you. Just thinner. So there it is. Me in all my 221lb. glory. I am bound and determined. So if you see me stuffing a donut in my mouth, smack that damn thing out of my chubby little hand (is that an oxymoron?). I promise, I won't hit back. OK, I'm off to catch some z's. Tomorrow is a new day and my butt is losing some weight. Wish me luck!!

Summertime!!!!!

Yes, it is my favorite time of year. When the clothes get smaller, the weather gets warmer and I get to barbeque to my heart's content. Kids wrapped up school yesterday so today was our first official 'lazy' day. So I now have a first grader, a third grader, a fifth grader and a high school senior. And while I did cry that my last baby finished kindergarten, I look forward to the longer days so I can actually get some stuff done. This running around at all hours dropping kids off and picking them up is exhausting. I actually have to set my alarm so I don't forget to pick anyone up. But this is what I live for. Taking care of these boys and doing the best I can to ensure they are educated and safe. As I listen to Kieran yell, 'You suck Jamie.' Ahhhh, parenthood.

Last week DeAnne and I took our brood out to San Francisco for a little day trip. The best thing is it was on a Friday so there were less tourists and more parking spaces.

First stop:

Treasure Island.

Not the hotbed of activity and when we stopped at the convenience store there it was pretty scary. But the view of the city was amazing.
Next stop:
Lombard Street

DeAnne, Britt, Vincent and I have taken SEVERAL trips to the city and everytime we go to Lombard Street it is packed and the line to go down is a mile long. The key: go on a weekday! We sailed right through to the delight of dear Britt.

Then it was on to the Palace of Fine Arts:

It was just breathtaking here. Unfortunately, the Palace part is closed for construction but we walked around the lake and got some great pictures. It was a gorgeous day and the weather turned out to be perfect.

We also walked by the Expolratorium and did you know that the first Wednesday of every month is FREE? Go check it out.Then we went to the beach at Crissy Fields. My first time there and it was beautiful. There were dogs running in the water, a few guys windsailing which was really cool to watch. I had no idea how fast they went. And the kids had a blast digging in the sand. It was incredibly relaxing and I am now determined to go running out there.

After hanging at the beach we went on to Ghiradelli Square. We walked through Kara's Cupcakes and surprisingly, did not purchase any. Then had lunch at Lori's Diner. Now, I have been to Lori's a bunch of times and have always loved it but this time, I was sooooo disappointed. First of all, it cost a freakin' arm and a leg there. Yeah, I know. It's a tourist area. Bu $9 for an OK burger?? And no kid's menu? Then the service was horrible!! Let me just say, we will not be going to Lori's again.

After the Square, we took a little walk down towards Fisherman's Wharf until the kid's looked like they were about to drop. Then we headed back to our cars. This was the amazing view we were treated with on the way back:

So after a long day of sight seeing, we pile into our respective cars and just as we start the engines, all these bicyclists start flying by. Me, not being a city girl, assume it's a tour group. But oh no baby. It was:

CRITICAL MASS!!!

What the?????????

HUH???

OMG WHY????

Now I am all for people expressing themselves. But what does Critical Mass have to do with you riding your naked freaky ass down San Francisco streets? And why oh why were my children subjected to this? Try explaining to an elementary school child why that big ugly man is riding his bike down the street NAKED. Not fun. Now if they were Calvin Klein underwear models, well that's an entirely different story. And I would have gotten many more pictures. But alas, they were not Calvin models. Just old men with their junk flopping around. Gross.

As you can see, it was an eventful day. So much fun, so many different things we saw. That is why I adore the city. You can do so many things in one day. LOVE me some San Francisco. Next trip: hopefully Santa Cruz. Enjoy the beginning of these Summer Days!!!