Chocolate Mug Cake

so...I may be way behind the times here, but I had never heard of a mug cake until recently. and then the first recipe I came across called for oven safe mugs and, obviously, for baking in the oven. well, that seemed like a bit too much trouble to go to just for a little bit of cake...I mean, if you are going to heat up the oven anyway--why not just cook a regular size cake? and have a party! :) THEN I read about this...

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil (I used applesauce instead)
3 tablespoons chocolate chips(optional--but why would you not?)
1 tsp. vanilla

1 large coffee mug



Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well (I mix mine in another bowl and then add it all to my mug to cook--because I like it to be as neat as possible, but then I you do have to wash an extra dish...)

Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil (or applesauce) and mix well.

Add the chocolate chips  and vanilla, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. (My microwave is 1100 so I did it at 90%)

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! (do put a plate under it, if you don't want to have to mop up chocolate drizzle--it doesn't explode, just drips a bit--it's actually very cool to watch it rise and fall)

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

this serves 2 nicely (or 3 munchkins!) --and I think cooked in a heart-shaped mug would be an adorable Valentine's Day treat  :)

roses

I thought it would be fun to try sending in blog posts from my phone. --but then all this silly text stuff about it being sent from my phone comes through, too!

I'm going to try one with text, as well--but for now--here is a pic of the lovely roses my hubby gave me this week.  they make me smile. :)

They Still Do These!!!

<----------looky!

 Closer...

...that's right... I got THE PRIZE IN THE BOX

-------->

I had no idea there were still cereal boxes with prizes in them. how fun:)




 and now you also see what a seriously cool mom I am. seriously. they are still singing my praises. I mean, it's no chocolate cake... oooh! that reminds me--I have a post to share about this amazing chocolate cake that you make in the microwave (not those packaged ones that my husband pointed out they have in the store--this is homemade!)

I am feeling the need to share a recipe, since I inadvertently led you to believe yesterday that I knew how to make spam sushi. I regret I do not. My host family in Hawaii when I was there in college does. I'll ask them. oh wait, I've completely lost contact with them. *sigh* oh well. but HEY! I have this chocolate cake thingy...

spam

I HATE SPAM.

no, not the canned meat stuff. (I actually kinda like that when served in little wanna-be sushi rolls...aaaaaanyway....)

I reiterate. I HATE SPAM.

in my email inbox. and now here, on my blog.

I have experienced this before, when I first started blogging a few years back. I thought that somehow my meager little musings had captured a worldwide audience ~ and I was honored! I figured their broken English and strange wordings were just evidence of it being their second language and they certainly had a better grasp on my first language than I would ever on theirs!...however...as more and more bloggy friends went to spam filters, I figured out that these 'foreign fans' were no more than ads. attempts to lure unsuspecting victims into scams.

STUPID SCAMMING SPAM.

I'm so upset about this that I am posting this WITHOUT A PICTURE. because they have ruined my blogging fun.

yes, I know. just add a filter setting and move on, right? I'll try.

and this is my apology for the annoying spam filter that you will have to leap through before posting a comment. I find these soooooo annoying and really dislike having to go through them on other blogs--but I do it, because I know why they have to have them there. so, I hope it does not dissuade you, my lovely, loyal, blog reader from commenting. I would miss that. and the bad guys would win. we don't want that. I already feel like I've given them the win by changing my settings.

I got to see The Cos!

It was Jeff's birthday present, but I enjoyed it as much as he did! What a fun, relaxed, hilarious evening. Bill Cosby, at 72 years old, is just as endearing as I remember him being on the Cosby Show. You go, Dr. Huxtable :)

Because he loves cake...

...and because he needed SOME old age ribbing ;)

R.I.P. spring chicken

I think cracks about turning older are always better received when served on German Chocolate Cake.

Fast Food Rules

1. Don't eat fast food. (watch "Super Size Me" if you need further motivation that this 'food' is terrible for your body.)

2. Always double-check to make sure they get your order right in the drive-thru. (this rule is for those, like me, who despite watching "Super Size Me" and firmly believing that Rule #1 is what I should be listening to ~ still end up in the drive-thru, and get REALLY ticked off when an order is not correct! I mean, if I am going to fork over the $ for this stuff then every flipping, greasy, morsel had better make it into my bags! I am in the drive-thru, for goodness sake, you really think I would stoop to this level if I had the time to park, run inside with receipt in hand, wait for someone to notice me waving said receipt at counter, overhear conversation from the cook to the drive-thru bagger~

'You need a quarter-pounder, Derek?'

Derek, (checking his screen in front of him that obviously only show the current orders--not those that he short-changed a moment ago) 'Nope.'

'huh. weird. I got an extra.'

~~~~ huh. Weird. I didn't get mine. oh! oh! oh! do you think....?! ~ wow. this could all work out.)

I'm in love with the Birthday Boy

celebrating Daddy's birthday with ice cream sundaes and presents.

Here's to you, my love ~ the world's best husband and daddy. You are our hero. I love you beyond words.

awww...

Hey! We like them, Sam-I-Am!

We made Green Eggs and Ham!

(it looked so gross, I just had to add the pictures!)

no special reason...I know this is often done in the public schools on Dr. Seuss' birthday--but we were reading it today (Ian loves being able to read many of the words all by himself now!) and ~ just being silly ~ Gabby asked if we could ever have green eggs and ham to eat...so...we did!
you do not like green eggs and ham?
try them, try them ~ and you may! (try them and you may, I say!)

Monday Memories...'Murder By Natural Causes'

The fun times had at the ADA's at Magenta Theater on Saturday have me reminiscing about my time with the theater company. This show was the first full-length production I did with them. It was fall '05. I got to shoot a gun :)

My desk or 'where the bloggy magic happens!'

Key Elements in my Desk Space:
(other than the Pretty in Pink framed album. because, really, that speaks for itself.)

engagement photo
(did not see the dust before this close-up of this adorable, if rather youngish couple.)

scripture cards
the camera really does add ten pounds! I just didn't know it pertained to dust as well.
(nice shot of the glasses I should have on my head while typing this...hang-on...alrighty, much better! oh, dang. now I see even MORE dust! lol)

cool art project from last year that still makes me smile
and cut-out, groovy mannequin head from an ULTA ad.
(you may also note the enormous margarita glass from Great Wolf Lodge... now relegated to the unglamorous job of holding pens and such (if you are an odd-shaped mug or glass in my house, you better prove yourself adept at much more than 'beverage bearer' if you expect to stick around long)

Ergo keyboard

which is actually really funny, because I sit on a folding chair -- at the wrong height, thus erasing all possible benefits of mr. ergo keyboard...who, I notice upon closer inspection, is covered in shiny, sticky fingerprints. nice. *sigh* ah well, from the 'webkinz' tag lurking in the background I really didn't fool any of you into believing that I actually get to sit here when they are awake did I? didn't think so! :)

have a good evening! ~ I'm going to go get a washcloth...and a dust cloth...

awards night at the theater

afterward: celebrating weeks of starving myself to fit into my dress...
ok, maybe not ;) but it sure was an amazing night and such fun to see so many friends all gussied-up! also got to listen to a concert from the Magenta Small Band~ and wow! they are terrific! --if you get a chance to see one of their concerts--do! you can get dates and ticket info at Magenta Theater website.

thank you, Jaynie, for Magenta Theater! (and thank you, again, for the award)
OH!!!!
and before I forget: we actually did get a chance to give a speech while accepting our awards--but since I had no idea I was even up for an award--of course was unprepared and muttered something about 'thanks'...so here it is...

Best Supporting Female Actor for Steel Magnolias 2009

*~My Acceptance Speech~*

(peering humbly around at everyone) thank you, oh, thank you, so much! I was so honored to even be cast in such an amazing show, that I have to first thank Dorinda for allowing me to play a role that is SO out of the ordinary for me. For seeing beyond this gorgeous exterior and sensing that deep down, I can be ugly with a touch of white trash. To Amanda, for allowing me to do unspeakable atrocities to your hair onstage, and douse you with water. To Dave, for creating the very cool contraption that allowed me to douse Amanda onstage...oh, wait...you already got an award for creating that--nevermind. sheesh! the trophy not enough for you?! now you're trying to sneak into my acceptance speech too?! (ahem) ...and to all of my other castmates for putting up with the visual assaults of my face in those glasses night after night...
and to my long-suffering husband, Jeff. He who tirelessly slaves in the kitchen to get dinner on the table after working all day just to dash home so I can run off to rehearsal. For taking on entire weekends with the children, sans me because of performances back to back (including matinees!) and doing it all without one complaint. not one. I've never heard him utter a word of negativity towards the theater or any of my time spent there.
and, of course--to Jaynie (who I actually DID remember to thank for real) for coming up with this brilliant ploy to adopt this adorable British accent in an attempt to lure people into the theater. Brilliant, I tell you--BRILLIANT!!! one wonders why we don't all do the same. she is so dang irresistible ;)

and to all the rest of you--for seeing through this ridiculous, completely (except for the parts that aren't!) sarcastic speech and knowing just how much I love you all and how much I appreciate your support--especially those of you that have ventured out and supported me in my theater adventures--it really is a magical place--hope to see you there!

giving the award some lovin'
(because, really, next to the money and the fame,
the awards really are what community theater is all about, right?
...................... right?!)
(yes...this is sarcastic, as well, it's just that kind of night)

for a non-sarcastic version of the evening ~ I suggest you link to my friend Steph's blog :)

cat on the counter

no, she isn't allowed up there.

a good day

being transparent has never been a strength of mine. oh, don't get me wrong ~ I do not have a poker face AT ALL. if something is bothering me, you'll know. you just may not know what it is. not really.

I've never made friends very easily. i wrote once about my social anxiety. i know that is a big part of it. but WHY i have the social anxiety is more the issue at hand. it's not one thing, and I'm not going to go into all of it here (not that I even could--I certainly don't have me figured out!) I just wanted to comment on the fact that many of the reasons I get anxious are completely unfounded thoughts that other people have things more 'together' than I do. that other moms, wives, women are better moms and wives and ...well...women than I am. they certainly have more fun together. go out more. get invited to more parties. have better behaved children (this may not be that far off...lol), have better hineys (*sigh*), make better dinners, ...and the list is neverending...and the list is SO UNTRUE!!! sooooooooo untrue! it's not true--do you hear me, women???!!!! IT'S A LIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry. sometimes it just needs to be said.

and today, I was blessed by a speaker who made herself so transparent and real to our moms group--that it really jolted me. nothing she said was new. I've heard it before. but then the lies creep back in. and I retreat to my solitude.

now this is not to say that I live a live of loneliness and sadness. I do not. I find joy in many things around me. and I am an introvert, so I need my alone time to rejuvenate and get ready for those 'play times' with others. but too often, I use the excuse of introvert or social anxiety as an excuse to not reach out to a friend...a friend who is most likely experiencing the very same types of lies that go through my own head! ("i'd love to have her over, but i'm sure her children never punch their siblings in the face, or pour the entire gallon of milk into the fruit drawer in the fridge to see if the apples will float, or scream at the top of their lungs when asked to clean up said milk or apologize for said face punch...")

it was so refreshing to hear so many women speak their reality out loud, in a safe environment, in our small group time. we cried. and cried. we are, after all, women :)

and I came home and I called a friend that I had been missing. and it felt so good to talk to her. and we set up a time for her to come over for lunch--and many of you know just HOW HARD that is for me to do!!! I have one friend whose house I regularly go to with my kiddos each week. but aside from that ~ well...let's just say *deep breath* I'm working on it *exhale* :)

I want to be real. it is so much easier for me to follow a script then to engage in an unwritten conversation. but knowing that we are all flawed helps. *sigh* I could ramble on about this all evening. *another happy sigh* but ~ I need to go to bed ...


AND!!!! i need to share some awesome news~~~~ completely changing subjects but in keeping with the GOODNESS of this day:

a HUGE praise for a friend's 4 year-old daughter that is , as of this morning, CANCER FREE!!!!

she was diagnosed with leukemia right before Christmas, and began treatment, but this morning her bone marrow test showed that she is already in remission! she is HEALED! there are, of course, still medications to be completed to make sure it stays gone--but this is the miracle we were all praying for her. --insert more tears of joy here-- it was a day of tears.

thank you, God.

A very good day.

Stairs not stars

me. on my way to bed. realize I haven't posted for today. oops. run, get camera. attempt to take awesome photo of stars ~ no cloud cover tonight! so beautiful! can't figure out how to make camera take photo of stars. camera refuses. @!#!!! ~ take photo of stairs. unattractive. photoshop it. better. post it. goodnight :)

first cemetery walk

as long as I can remember, I have been walking in cemeteries. first, as a child with my parents, then, in high school with friends (we were always very respectful...I absolutely cannot understand vandalism), and a few times as an adult, including an very old one on the east coast that Jeff, Shell and I were able to see in '99 --it was incredible to see dates as far back as the 1700s.

today, I shared this tradition with my three younger children. they all enjoyed walking among the plots and reading the names and dates. we smiled at the beautiful inscriptions, and, of course, I cried at the ones who died much too young. we did not know any of the people personally whose graves we visited today, but we did get to know their names and a glimpse of them ~ 'loving mother', 'devoted husband', 'dear friend'.

it was a lovely afternoon of reflection, quiet, and fresh air. and the overcast, grey day that we would have otherwise seen as dreary, provided the perfect backdrop to this outing :)

Back to Schooling

from casual study on the couch ...

to workbooks...
to computers...
to texts...



we are back in full swing today :)



was I the only one that had a really hard time getting up this morning?!

lego creation of the moment

it's a horseshoe game. and, there is a dinosaur head on the top and if you hit the dinosaur head with the horseshoe and it bounces back to you, you advance to level two and get to throw your horseshoe again. (ian's description when I asked him what he built...have i mentioned how much i love this kid?!)

Break is over for the college kiddo

~Shell heads back to college~

"love you! drive safe! call! mwahhh!"
*sigh* miss her already

Ringing in 2010

kiddos with their friends. they all made it to midnight this year!

me, Dana and Heather



Happy New Year!!!