Yummy!

I don't think I've ever shared my favorite type of cake with you.
I know, I know... P90X. I get it.
But, the rest of the family isn't doing it - so I decided to go ahead and make cupcakes for them on Superbowl Sunday.

It was a particularly warm day, so I wanted to give them something cool to eat.

These babies are so good. And the icing is so LIGHT and airy and chocolatey.

I will admit, I did have one. But I also added it to my Food Journal for the day.


I even tricked them out a little (while tricking the kids a lot).
I used the Sugar Free Jell-O pudding snacks and I also used lite Cool Whip.
So, far less sugar or calories than what I would have normally served.

Pat on the back for Jaime!!

Try the icing... it's sooo good!

Housekeeping & News!

I like to believe there is someone out there for everyone.
And I like to think that there are people out there JUST LIKE ME!
Chicas who LOVE to blog, FIND new blogs, and SHARE good blogs.

With that said, allow me to introduce....
myself.

When I started this blog, I did so for a way to journal and keep track of the memories.
But now, I realize how much fun it is to share a little bit of my life with YOU ALL and for YOU ALL to share a little bit of yours.

As you can see, I don't have many followers... or commenters... but I do have a bit of traffic on any given day. [Oh, how I wish you'd visit for a moment and say hi!] 

With that said, I really want to start my own Link Party. Where any and everything goes. From grand plans to crafty glams.... I want you to share it all.  [Crafty glams?! I think I just made that up. Sorry!]

This is the perfect link party for bloggers just starting out... who want to gain exposure. It's also perfect for the more experienced blogger who has a ton of friends, but just wants to show me up in the talent category. =]

This Friday, my first ever Link Party will launch! I will open the flood gates early in the morning... and let them stay open through Sunday evening. Because on Sunday evening, I plan on going through the links and finding CLEVER and charming and beautiful posts to feature. I will also have other features from my own blog browsing from earlier in the week. [And also just in case no one decides to come to my party.]

The first party is called Flaunt. And I want you to do just that... flaunt what your momma gave ya. Um.. creative skills-wise, please. ;)

The after-party [in the hotel lobby] is called Clever. Meaning, jeez, that's clever... why didn't I think of that? Now I must borrow that idea and give FULL credit to Bianca Blogger. [No Jane Doe's around here, folks!]

So that's my exciting news.

Now on to housekeeping. For my normal blog followers, you may notice some changes (again). Sorry. I like to change things up every three point five seconds.  I've added a few new sections (pages, if you will) to the blog. One is for my P90X trials and tribs. Only visit if you are having a horrible day and need someone to laugh at.  I am also doing a Photo-A-Day Challenge (and may host my own in near future [cough cough MARCH! cough cough]....)

I've also added RSVP'd...

Basically, it's a page full of blogs/links of where I like to get my OWN partying on. Might give you some ideas of where you TOO can party like a blogSTAR. I've got it organized by day of the week. Brilliant, huh?

Finally, I've cleaned up my ♥Blog Love♥ page. How come no one told me some of my blogs were listed out of alphabetical order?! Like 3 of them. Geesh.

This is what it looks like now.

Brent at Linky Tools is a genius, I tell ya!

Whew. That was a LOT.

I hope no one dozed off, because I am about to throw out a pop quiz.
Just kidding. I wouldn't do that to you.

Or would I?!

I hope you will take pity on me and come link up to Flaunt on Friday.
I hope you are sitting around, counting the minutes until I open the flood gates.
I think it will be FUN!

Alright then. Off to do some REAL housekeeping.
Seriously, we have a Superbowl Party Mess!!

TTYL,
me

An Organized[ish] Kitchen

I got the bug on Sunday...
You know which one I am talking about.

The one where I was about to make a cake and cupcakes, and I had to practically run the Amazing Race just to find all of my bake ware. With four kids in the house, nothing ever gets put away were it truly belongs. Ever.

I went to IKEA a few weeks back and picked up some rods and stuff.
I went to IKEA a year or so back and picked up wooden utensil holders. They were too big for the drawers, so that say unopened in my pantry. For 15 months.

I decided to move everything all around in my cabinets (mostly to confuse the heck out of my husband). I reorganized my spice cabinet.

Let me pause for a moment... In the past, my spice cabinet was so much...MORE than that. It held sugar and flour, vinegar, toothpicks, chicken bullion cubes and cupcake liners and dye and all kinds of stuff. Not anymore.

Well, for some of those things.

I used the IKEA wooden things and ta-daaa!!

Once that was done, I decided to install stuff on my kitchen walls.
I was going to wait until we painted, but who knows when that will be. And these rods from IKEA are super simple to install and uninstall, when we are ready to finally get some washable paint on those walls.

I also purchased a few trays and things, along with S-Hooks to add some extra organization and to keep things off of the counter.

 I just read that one of my favorite bloggers added these same rods to her ISLAND. Isn't that nifty...?

 Sweet, huh?! Holly's got great taste!!

Yes, I realize my spice jars aren't quite filled yet. I will get to that soon...

Instead, I was too busy counting and then rearraingng my cabinet drawers. We have 15 of them.
Seriously. That's too many. Especially since I keep trying to pare down a little.

And imagine the number of cabinets I have. Some may hate me for saying this, but I would LOVE to get rid of the ones in the island. Maybe one day I can convince the husband to allow me to do a makeover on it...

So, SuperBowl Sunday was all about making (wings and fries), baking (cupcakes and coconut cake), and reorganizing the kitchen. Now that is a full Sunday!

Bangs

I was mad at my hair last night.
And there were scissors in the area.

It's hard to tell... but that's abt 12 months of growing my hair out... and abt 12 inches total.
Now I need to go in and get the entire head of hair cleaned up.
lol...
My new mantra?!

Scissors are for CRAFTING, Jaime... Duh.



Just keepin' it real, people.

Goldfield Ghost Town

Today we went on a mini road trip...a whole 30 miles up the road.
All the way to the Goldfield Ghost Town, which lies in Lost Dutchman National Park, just outside of Apache Junction, Arizona.


When we got home... and I checked my camera, I realized I took over 100 pictures during said trip.
I am sorry.

But... you *can* thank Picasa... I was able to condense all of those pictures into just 99 collages.
Okay, not really 99... but definitely less than a hundred.

I figured it will be like YOU came with US! Except you didn't have to pay the $82 for admittance to their three main attractions. Nor did you have to pay $81 for some not so good {horrible, really} lunch food.
Lucky dogs. A free trip out west.
You're welcome.

We live super close to the Superstition Mountains... they are on the east side of Phoenix. They have been my very favorite mountain range since I was a wee one. I used to call them the String Meat mountains... they look like pot roast to me.

These are the very same mountains we can all see from Nic's room - actually, it's now Abby's room.
That is, if we are all crowded in there. Here's a pic from before we moved in, just a bit further away.

And here is the range from today. Along with some cactus.

Goldfield has about 15 buildings... and is on a considerable amount of land. And on that land, there were a ton of old vehicles, tractors, and other old, old stuff just laying around (wonder if I should contact TLC, maybe get them on Hoarders?!)...   One was from 1918!! Maybe they all were. Hmmm.

Abby loved checking the things out!

Okay, I did too. (note to self, cut bangs tomorrow, too much forehead, jaime).

We took our time, walking through the small town. It was established in 1893, a mining town.
The last time any real gold was found was back in 1983, though... (weird, look how the numbers are switched!) - and it was worth about 2 million dollars. Nice!

The green building is a BORDELLO. We didn't go in.
Only because they wanted to charge us $3 each.
The nerve of them.

One attraction was called the Mystery Shack... it was all crooked. Hard to explain, but the chandelier was hanging absolutely straight and centered. It was the rest of us that were off our rockers.  We had a good time. Especially Nic. The guide let him be his assistant for several tricks.

One of the things we wanted to take the kids to do was to go see the mine.
It had been 18 years since Marcos and I had been. We skipped school went on a weekend day and took a trip down into the mine. Oh the memories.

By the way, before we actually went into the mine today, there was a little girl off to the side that whispered loudly to her mother, "I wonder if there are going to be any Mexicans down there, mom!?"

Uhem. I looked at Marcos and laughed.
Only the ones I was taking down, darlin'...
Ahhh, kids.

We found out that Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters had been there for a preliminary visit recently... and they are coming back at the end of February to film an episode. SWOON! I wonder if Steve Gonzalves will be with them?!?! 

Bottom left?!
A potty for the miners.
Blech.

And this folks... is my VERY favorite picture. Those there are REAL smiles. A once in a lifetime shot.
And I got it. In a fake mine. On Saturday, February 4, 2012.

Okay - it's not a FAKE mine, per say - just that attraction doesn't REALLY take us down into the ground. Not beyond 15 feet at least. Insurance purposes, I suppose. Hey, the tour guide did call Abby "Arkansas" the entire tour... and he also turned out the lights once or twice. And someone did pinch my BEE*HIND (lordy, I hope it was the husband!)...

All in all - it was a fun day and a great mini road trip... which is the perfect start to some of the other road trips we have planned for Spring Break. More ghosts, more mines, more Arizona... Lots of fun!

I hope you enjoyed your trip to Goldfield, ladies and gents (?!)...
It was our pleasure taking you along! ;)

Gotta be startin' something...

Name that singer... for 10 points.
[what the points are for, I don't know but it sounded like fun]

Today is the 2nd.
That means I've been doing P90X for 4 days. And I have yet to quit.
I am down 4 pounds since the 31st. Hmph.
Let's see about me sticking this out for the whole 90 days. You can read my random updates here.

In addition to startin' something... I am on day 2 of my February photo challenge.

Here are pics 1 & 2 so far...

You can follow along here. But also, if you decide to participate - please comment and leave a link to your blog! I'd love to see your photos!

In the midst of all this craziness, I am starting to really *start* some real work for my new job.
That's always exciting... right? Gotta put forth effort to continue to make the big bucks.

IT'S FEBRUARY! So excited about that! Spring Break is a mere few weeks away...
We are startin' to plan some fun, local trips around Arizona. I will be blogging about those for sure!
I am looking into staying at a haunted hotel or two down in southern Arizona...More on that later!

I've had the sickies for the past few days, but I am startin' to feel a little better. That's good news, right?!

Well, I am startin' to get tired... and I think I am ready for to watch American Idol in bed.

Hasta manana peeps. Hope you have a good one and a fresh start to the morning!

xoxo,
me

Ellis & Olive

Crud. I keep forgetting to get better pics of Dunbar.

Sorry.
But to tide you over... I've got some great pics of [the dogs].

Wait - the third member of this groups isn't a dog. He's just my brother.
But, it was definite bonding time. They loved him!

These dogs are so dirty. They need baths in a major way. Their dark coats show every speck of dust, dirt and crumb.

Anyone want to do the honors?!
Anyone?