Cancun & a New Job!

I just recently returned to the US from Cancun, Mexico. My darling fiancé (Dmac) won an all-inclusive trip to the Riu Palace Las Americas for doing his job at Vector. Seriously, his job rocks, and this trip was INSANELY fun. I'll post some photos at the end of this post. We had a blast and I wish I could go back! I'm really looking forward to more fun trips in the future.

While in Cancun, I received a follow-up phone call from CVS/Pharmacy. The manager at the local store where I interviewed was calling me to say I had passed my drug test (Duh, like I didn't know that would happen. I've been drug free since 1991!), and that I needed to go to a class the following weekend (today) in Orlando. Which I did. And can I just say that the people who claim that Vector is a scam are FREAKING RETARDS?! By their logic, CVS would also be a scam. So, here's my fun little joking "rant" on why CVS is a "scam" according to other people's logic:

CVS Pharmacy is a scam!! I was called one day a couple of weeks ago, and asked to come in for an interview that day. I couldn't make it there that day, because I had my daughter, so I went the following day. She basically told me I was hired before I even left the store. I was told that I could work in my local area, but then I had to drive "out of my way" for training. This drive was about an hour from my local area, and I was not reimbursed for the gas to drive all the way out there. The training is three days in a classroom. I went all the way to Orlando and found a sketchy little office that was shared with some credit union or something. There was only one person there, the trainer, and there was a group of people from all over the area training for the same position. I was not given any information about getting paid for training. And then, she tells us during this 6 HOUR training class that we have to pay $105 for a certificate to continue working after 6 months?! Who PAYS to work somewhere? Clearly, this is a SCAM!  I still have 2 days of 6 hour long training classes at a sketchy little office before I'm done training.

Ok, OBVIOUSLY that was all a joke! Because I really enjoy CVS so far, and I am SUPER thankful for my job. But doesn't that sound like absolutely ridiculous reasons to call something a scam? I thought so, too. But that's literally exactly what people say about Vector when they say it's a "scam". Guess what losers? The #1 pharmacy in America does all the same stuff!! So grow up, and do your job or find a new one! To prove my point, these are some quotes from websites that say that "Vector Marketing is a scam":

"Any business you have to invest money in to get hired, you should know it just ain't right!!!How do they expect you to purchase something like that and you are trying to get a job."
"i just went in 4 an interview 2day, yes like many othres posted here i scheduled the interview 4 that day, they said they are really tighly booked but they actually have an opening today, then i thought i was luky, now im having 2nd thoughts." 

Yeah. It's that silly. So once again, I'd like to reiterate that I do NOT think that CVS is a scam, nor do I think that Vector is a scam (obviously, I mean I just went to Cancun, come on.) The purpose of the above writing about a "scam" was to prove that people who do believe things like that are dumb with their reasons. :P 

Anyway, I'm totally diggin' CVS, and I'm excited about furthering my career by becoming a licensed Pharmacy Technician. :) Most of what I wrote in the above commentary were true about CVS. I was asked to interview same-day, I was basically told I was hired when I left (contingent on my background check & drug test passing), the office where I trained at today was kinda sketchy at first & it is shared with a credit union, but the trainer was super nice and I really like her. I really do have to pay $105 for my pharmacy technician license, but I am PERFECTLY okay with that, because it will help me further my healthcare career. I really enjoy my current pharmacology class at UCF, so I know this will be a fun job for me. I do not by any means dislike anything about the process. I actually had some fun at training today, learned a lot about CVS and it's history, and feel pretty good about my upcoming experience there. :) I also want to reiterate that I really do like CVS and that I find absolutely NOTHING wrong with it, so please don't take anything out of context. 

And as promised, here's some photos from Cancun:

Here we are. We look like a bunch of scam artists, right? ;) 

Matching swimsuits! :) 

Me & my sweetheart. <3 

Sunrise by the pool. :) 

Too pretty. <3 i love it there. 

And that's all I got for ya. Until Next time!

xoxo

PUMPKIN!

How great is this: The first day of October is also National Dessert Day! What better way to celebrate both occasions than to make some yummy pumpkin desserts? That's exactly what we did today.

Here's the little McNugget helping! She really enjoyed reading the Pumpkin Pie Spice label.

And then she proceeded to push the container of Pumpkin Pie Spice into the batter.

I think she saw Mommy turning it upside down to pour some in, and she didn't realize she had to open it to do the same thing. Good thing though, or these would have had far too much spice! 

We baked No-Egg Pumpkin Cookies and Lovin From The Oven's Pumpkin Bars. I made a couple of minor alterations to those recipes, like using Pumpkin Pie spice in place of the individual spices. But they both turned out FANTASTIC. I made the cookies without Nuts, but some have raisins. I didn't use as many raisins as it called for, because I don't like super-chunky cookies. I also knew Layla would have some, and I wanted to make them easier to eat. :) 

My whole apartment smelled of pumpkin. AND I opened the windows today. The fresh air was amazing. 

I also worked out without A/C. I did this BodyRock workout. And I felt it hardcore! I couldn't even finish!! I see great results already from just a few days of BodyRocking. :) 

And, I have an interview in a Pharmacy tomorrow. I'm pretty stoked about that one. Wish me luck, and keep those fingers crossed! 

xoxo

Six Pounds!

What is the significance of six pounds? A human skin weighs about 6 pounds. Some newborns weigh about 6 pounds. Know what else? I LOST 6 POUNDS THIS WEEK! Oh yes. One week. Here's what I did:

-Limit my soda intake. I simply stopped buying it for home. I rarely got it when I went out. I probably only had about 2 sodas this week. Water and milk was all I drank the rest of the time. H20 does wonders with weight loss, or so I'm told. 

-Smaller meals. I chose to eat a little less this week. A fun weight loss tip I use is only eat half of what they give you at restaurants. Sometimes I even ask for them to go ahead and put half of my meal in a to-go box. Other times I just split it all in half and that's the most I eat. 

-BodyRock! Boy was I sore this week. Ohh man. Some of my muscles are STILL sore! And I didn't work out yesterday or today!! If you want a good workout, I definitely recommend BodyRock.tv. Always do a Fit Test first. The Fit Tests are definitely awesome workouts and teach you to push yourself. I'm most sore from my Fit Test this week. 

And that's pretty much all I did. I've also noticed that I eat when I'm bored sometimes. So I've completely stopped doing that. I only eat when I truly feel hungry. Which is a LOT less food now. 

I'll be looking much better for Cancun than I would have. :) 

Get off your butt & do it! :) 

You know what else I'm proud of & feel the need to brag about? My grades!

Pharmacology: 95%

Issues & Trends in Public Health: 94%

Interdisciplinary Studies (Cornerstone): 100%

Management of Operations: 82%

Woot woot! 

I have a kid, I workout, I go to school & get good grades. I bake. I coupon. There's not much I can't do.

Now, I'm off to decide on a ri-dank-ulous pumpkin recipe.

Tootles!

(Mommies get this reference)

Cancun, Cancun, Cancun...Did I mention CANCUN?

As you can probably tell from my title, I'm pretty darn excited about Cancun. 7 Days from now I shall be lounging on a beach drinking who knows what just feeling like a princess. Did I not tell you? My darling fiancé, who does AWESOME at his job, managed to win us (with my help, of course) an all-inclusive free trip to Cancun, Mexico! Oh yes. His job is the greatest. We're staying at an all-inclusive resort, with unlimited food & drinks, and gorgeous views. I seriously cannot express to you how excited we are. In fact, my 2 new swimsuits came in the mail today. And they fit perfectly. Super comfortable! AmiClubwear.com. Cheap, awesomeness. Shop there. Like now. :)

But before I can go to Cancun, I have to do a ton of school work. My Interdisciplinary Studies class is tough! Well, it's not really so much tough as it is a TON of work. I have straight 100's in the class. It's just time consuming. What did I do tonight? I wrote an Intellectual Autobiography, which, if you so desire, you can read here! I'm not sure that you'd really want to read more about my life. But in case you ever wondered what Interdisciplinary Studies majors do, and how I reached that major, this is a good read. In my not-so-humble opinion.

Speaking of work, I've been working out like a mad woman. BodyRock is simply fierce, and I do it daily now. I'm so sore, it definitely kicks my butt. But that's what I need: Someone to kick my butt into shape! Because, you know, NEW BIKINIS for...do I need to say it again? (cancun!)

Alright, I'm just loopy. Maybe I should stuff my face, since I skipped dinner. Adios amigos!

A year already?

It's been almost three months since I've updated this thing?! Really? Man, I gotta do better than that! I really need some blog activity though, so I don't feel like posting is useless. You know what that means? It means get your hiney down to "comments" and leave one! :)

Anywho, what's gone on in the past three months? The biggest thing, my daughter (Layla) turned the big ONE! :) And of course, there were cupcakes, coupons, and chaos.

This was the food set up (well, part of it). See the little cupcake tree? Those cupcakes were fan-freakin-tastic! You can get the recipe I used here!

I also did a fabulous job royal icing cookies, in my own humble opinion. This is the best I've ever done with royal icing. Oh, and P.S. I did this at like 9:30am the day of the party. (party started at noon)

Layla's Smash Cake! I'm actually proud of how good it turned out. I used a healthy smash cake recipe, using bananas, applesauce, and a bit of vanilla. There was no eggs or sugar in her cake. Except for the buttercream icing. :) 

As you can see, she was pretty thrilled about her birthday. I made that outfit (with the assistance of my mother), and the hat. I'm oh-so-crafty. 

She really enjoyed her day. Played with a few friends, got lots of new clothes and toys, and looked darn cute the whole time. Who can say they did that at their most recent birthday? Not me! 

Anyway, I promise to give more blog entries. Promise promise. Now comment, kids. Make it worth my while.

Why Farts Should Not Be Noisy...

Today, my receptionist at work was working on her first essay for her writing course. The topic? "Why farts should not be noisy..." Yeah, her teacher is a little whack apparently, but I decided it was a perfect prompt for a new blog! I know, exactly what you wanted to read, right? ;] Here's my opinion on the matter:


I really feel like "passing gas" isn't that strange or funny of a thing. I don't think it's rude. I don't think it's silly, or embarrassing. It's a natural bodily function. And guess what? It means you're healthy! If you don't fart, there's something wrong with you. 

These are  some fun facts I found online: 

"The sounds are produced by vibrations of the anal opening. Sounds depend on the velocity of expulsion of the gas and the tightness of the sphincter muscles of the anus. Contrary to a popular misconception, fart noise is not generated by the flapping of the butt cheeks. You can see proof of this in the close-up video footage of Carl Plant's fart on Mate-in-a-State " (source: heptune.com) Interesting, right?

 I also thought this quote was quite humorous: "A gentleman is mostly likely to fart first thing in the morning, while in the bathroom. This is known as "morning thunder," and if the gentleman gets good resonance, it can be heard throughout the household." 

Also, "There is a company called Fartypants that sells underwear designed to absorb the odor of farts. If you should be caught without your Fartypants, another ploy is to blame the dog or cat, if one should be present, or complain about how the wind must be blowing from the direction of the paper mill.
    As for the sound... if you are in a large group of people, act oblivious and innocent, or glance quickly at the person next to you, as if you think he/she did it. Other strategies include coughing or suddenly moving your chair so that people think that they misheard the fart. If you are with one other person, you can act as if nothing happened, and the other person may believe he was mistaken in thinking he heard a fart.
    CJT addresses the problem of farting loudly in a public restroom as follows: "My solution: use a handful of loose toilet paper, cover your butt hole and it will muffle the farting; my friends and I call it the 'Buff Muff'!"
    Depending upon the company, another strategy is not to cover it up, but to proudly proclaim the fart as your own grand accomplishment and to issue a challenge to the others to outdo that one if they think they can." 

Google farting. You can certainly learn some fascinating information. :)  Thanks for reading my wonderous blog. Tune in next time. You never know WHAT I'm gonna write about. 

Tips (Common Sense) For Job Hunters

I work for my fiance's marketing office. I do all the calling to job applicants to ask them to come to an interview. I've been really annoyed lately at how little common sense people have when job hunting. It really is no wonder there's such a high unemployment rate. So here's a friendly reminder of some things that people should know when trying to get a job.

1. When you fill out an application, and someone calls you shortly after from a number you do not recognize, ANSWER IT. And identify yourself. It drives me crazy when a call conversation goes something like this:

Job Applicant: Hello?
Me: Hi is this [insert name here].
Job Applicant: He/She is not available. May I ask who's calling?
Me: This is Bri from The McLeod Group. I was calling about the application you filled out online.
Job Applicant: Oh. Then yes this is she/he.

WHAT?! I understand that you're trying to avoid telemarketers/bill collectors, but don't lie. That's a terrible first impression for a possible employer, FYI.

2. When you get said call from unrecognized number, DON'T TEXT IT BACK LIKE THIS:
-Yo! What up? Who dis?
or something along those lines. Not a good idea. Also texting and asking who it is isn't a good thing either. Even if you use proper grammar. Maybe if you answered your phone when I called, you'd know who it is. Fail.

3. When a person calls about your application, this is your first impression to the company. Try not to sound asleep, sick, tired, or groggy. Even if I woke you up, please fix your voice to sound somewhat normal. When people call me in the middle of the night or early morning, I fix my voice by clearing my throat and making myself alert. It's not hard, people!

4. When you are asked to come in for an interview, and we tell you specifically that there are a LOT of applicants and you should come in as soon as possible, we're not lying. We're serious. Come in TODAY if you can. I mean, you want the job right? Don't do this:
Me: We do have a LOT of applicants & the manager's interviewing on a first come, first serve basis. So I do want to try to get you in ASAP. What's your schedule look like today?
Job Applicant: Oh, I'm busy today.
Really? Busy with what? So busy you can't change around your plans to go to a job interview? You must not be that much in need of a job. I understand certain things come up, but if you tell me "I have a party to go to" or "I'm supposed to be meeting up with some people" or "I have people coming from out of town", you're retarded. Those friends can wait. You have a job interview!!! Fix your schedule, and BE THERE!
Also, "I just woke up" isn't a good excuse for an interview that is in an hour and a half. Big deal you just woke up. Get dressed and get your butt here! Dang!

Now that you've made it past that first impression call, you're ready for your interview.Here's some tips for that too:

1. Dress professionally. When I tell you to "dress nice" on the phone, I don't mean wear jeans and a tee shirt. I mean PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE people! Suit. Khakis. Skirt. Dress. You know? Those things you'd wear to an office? Yeah, wear that. Avoid crazy hairstyles too!

2. Talk like a normal person!!!

I don't have tons of interview tips cause I haven't ran actual interviews yet, I just do the calling part. But really...Common sense here people. Dang! Can you tell people's stupidity irritates the heck out of me?

Things that are popular.

I just realized how many people and things there are that are popular that I'm actually not a fan of. Here's my list...

1. Adele

I absolutely cannot STAND Adele. We can start with her music. It's plain and lacks creativity. Half her songs make no sense, and her voice isn't all that and a bag of chips. Just sayin. She's also extremely ugly in my opinion, and I really think that everyone who says "omg she's so pretty" is just saying that because she's the only popular fat celebrity right now.
Also, this picture is INCREDIBLY tacky. Smoking is absolutely disgusting, and that's just going to make her voice worse. Whether she smokes or not, this picture is not sending out a good image to young people who look up to her.

2. The Hunger Games

I don't understand the hype behind this film & book series. It's much like the HP and Twilight fads. A book series turns into movies. Big deal. The difference this time, is I didn't hear about the books until AFTER the film was announced. So it can't be all that  great. I think it's more of a psychological thing. If you turn a book series with some teen romance into a movie series, you'll be successful. Kids like that fad right now. I've watched bits and pieces of The Hunger Games, while working, but it doesn't really hit me. Neither did Harry Potter or Twilight. I'm just not into that kinda movie. And I hate reading young adult fiction. So, it isn't really destined in my life. 

3. Nicki Minaj

I don't like her music or the way she looks. Her look is basically a copycat of Lady Gaga, which is a copycat of Madonna. I'm over it. She has flow as a rapper, but her voice makes me cringe, and sometimes she just makes no sense. 

 

 

4. Justin Bieber

He looks like a lesbian woman. His songs suck. He's delusional. The End.

 

 

 

5. Hair Feathers

We're not Native Americans. Why do we want feathers in our hair? It's not cute! Guys are confused. I'm confused.
If you look at fashion this season, a lot is Native American related. It's not cute! I just don't get this trend!!!

These are just a few things that are popular that I'm not really in to. 

They are just my opinions. I know many people disagree, but it's just me. :] I had to vent about these crazy trends. <3 

 

Disclaimer: These are the thoughts and opinions of myself only, and do not reflect the opinions of AMC Theaters, mark., or any other company I may or may not be affiliated with.

Easter Eggs & A New Job!

Why, hello there! I need to update more regularly. I say this in EVERY post. But it's true.

Easter was great fun! Layla had such a fun day for her first Easter. Here's some shots...

This is what a hard boiled egg looks like after the LaylaBug gets a hold of it. Squished to smithereens!

Dying Easter Eggs for the first time! What a mess!!

We decided to put her in the basket. Too cute, right? She looks JUST like me here. Jeez!

Smiling away in her Easter dress. Right after church.

Post-Church photo. Me & my girl in our easter dresses! 

Layla got lots of fun toys for Easter from the Easter Bunny. She got to watch the big kids hunt Easter Eggs. She got to dye some eggs. She got to play in the sandpit/volleyball court for the first time. AND She got to go swimming for the first time. What a day for a 6.5 month old! She definitely made mommy's Easter far more enjoyable.

In other news, I have a new job!!! I'll give you a hint as to what it is: popcorn, stubs, curly fries. Ah yes, the wonderful world of AMC Theaters!!! I started work yesterday, which is really Orientation, I'm not "on the job" yet, but it was so much fun! I love my manager and the awesome girls I am starting with!

If you think that makes me busy, let me remind you of my other daily duties:
-Full-Time Student at UCF
-Full-Time Mommy to Layla
-Working as an A.M./Receptionist Manager at Dmac's office
-Working as film crew at AMC Theaters Lake Square
-Planning a wedding for September
-Selling mark. and being a mark. mentor assistant

Yes. I do it all! And no, there's nothing I can't do. I also find time to cook, clean, do laundry, and bake. And make all of my daughter's baby food. :]

I am loving life. Keeping busy makes me happy.

Our little love story.

Ever wonder what Dmac & my story is? How we met, how we fell in love, etc? Well, thank my favorite blog, Lauren's Latest, for sponsoring a giveaway and inspiring me to post about our love story. I could win a Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR Camera with accessories, Canon PowerShot Digital Camera, or a $30 Fandango.com gift certificate, for posting this story. So, without futher ado...

It all began on February 7, 2004 (oh yes, I remember the date). I was visiting my cousin, Alesha, and that weekend she happened to have a school project to work on. It was an English assignment, in which the group was to create a video of Much Ado About Nothing. They knew they would be short people, so she invited me to tag along to help out. The video was being filmed at Daniel's house (this is where it gets good!! haha). It was basically love at first sight...for me at least. After spending the day there, it came time to leave, and I kissed him. He swears (to this day) that I "gave him a wet willie" first, but I insist I was kissing his cheek.  Anyway, we ended up sharing a kiss, which was my very first kiss. Fast forward two years later...we had stayed friends and spoke from time to time...I knew he had edited the movie before, so when it came time for me to make a video for my school project, I knew who to ask to edit. So on September 2, 2006, we got together again so he could edit my video. Not much editing was done, because we were infatuated with each other. We started dating that day. But it was to be an "open" relationship, because, well, we lived so far away (2 hours) from each other. About a month later, when we went to homecoming together, we made it "closed".

After lots of ups & downs, we moved in together in 2009. We took a short break the following summer, but got back together after realizing there wasn't anyone else out there that really could make us happy. We moved back in together, and that's how our little McNugget came to be. Layla was born in September 2011. And we're planning a wedding for September 2, 2012.

He is the most perfect guy ever. This is the VERY VERY abridged version of our love story, but you don't need EVERY detail, now do you? ;]

Easter is coming soon!!! I can't wait to share all the pictures of Layla's first Easter!!

Post your own love story and enter the contest here.

Today's Real Post.

Aloha! No, I'm not in Hawaii. Wish I was though.

Anyway, I saw my Gainesville besties today. So sad that I'm leaving them. <3 <3 They're the greatest girls ever. I hope to see them often. Hopefully they come visit. And I'll come visit too. Layla started to cry when Chantee was leaving. <3 So sad.

I've started thinking of how much money people make off of things that would be so easy!! Example: EVERYONE and their mother makes bows now. Seriously! Have you noticed? Maybe it's just me, but I get bombarded with "Like my page!" invites on facebook for people who make nothing but BOWS all day long. Excuse me, but I was the queen of bows in High School. Don't assume I can't make them myself. And everyone seems to be doing it. I mean, can business really be poppin' for that many bow makers? I don't see a ton of bow-wearers. [Let me insert an apology to all bow-makers out there. Didn't mean to insult you. I think I got a bit carried away, actually. My point is, Bows are more popular than..well...popular stuff. lol]

So, I'm thinking of some things I feel would be fun to make and sell on Etsy, Facebook, etc. Some ideas:

• Wreaths. I'm obsessed with the DIY wreaths on Pinterest. I want to make so many of them! I may have to start.
• Jewelry. This is one you can really get creative with. Everytime I go into Michaels, I am drawn to the bead/wire/pendant section. I could get my Innovator side really going on that one. [Damn, now I sound like Vector Peeps with their CVI talk that no one understands. My apologies.] 
• Aprons. I'm seriously diggin the fancy aprons these days. Fo shizz. I could make some pretty dank aprons, I'm pretty sure. I'm pretty handy with the sewing machine. It would be a time consuming process though.
• BOWS. Because everyone does, right?
• Iphone Cases. Yes, I'm inspired to make my own. Out of a clear/blank basic plastic case and some additions (rhinestones, paint, jewels, etc.) I could do that! ;] 

Any other ideas for some awesome crafty things I could make & sell from home? I'm pretty stoked on this idea, by the way. :) Rake in some dough. Speaking of which, I found some pretty fancy expensive china in my house. Not sure where it came from, but I'm sellin that shizz. ON EBAY bizznatch. :] I'm getting a little carried away. I should go to bed. Xoxo.

Sometimes...

I can't help myself from thinking I have the greatest little family in the entire world. Seriously, does it get any better than Dmac & the McNugget?

I want to freeze frame mornings with Layla between 6am and 9am. Why? Because when she wakes up around 6am, I feed her and we lay on the couch together and cuddle. It's our morning routine. We always fall asleep together for those 3 hours on the couch. <3 It's the greatest time in the world. I really cherish it, because I know it won't last forever.

I find it mildly concerning when I notice that I have a test due that same day. Yeah, that was a lame answer.  

I decide to take the plunge and marry DMac. I know, BIG shocker. :P

It really hits me that Layla will be 6 months old in less than a month. Where'd the time go?

I can't believe how lucky I am when Layla looks at me and smiles. She is so perfect and I love her to pieces. I am SO lucky to have such a happy, healthy little girl.

I feel like I never, ever, ever want Layla to grow up. She's too much fun as a baby. <3

I feel like a really good person when I choose to donate to X-Cause when the cashier prompts me to. I feel even better when I ask if I can donate when I see the little paper thingy's hanging all around.


Do a SOMETIMES of your own! <3

It's MOVING TIME

It's time to get packing. We're moving out of G-Vegas on Friday. It came suddenly. It was supposed to be 3/15ish, but, after some thought, we have decided that this weekend is the most opportune time to pack up our stuff and head on down to the Burg. I have mixed feelings about this.

I hate that Layla won't have her own room. I also hate that I have to be without my love for a couple of weeks while he finishes school in G-Vegas. I also hate that I have to share space with my parents, because, well, how awkward is that?

But, I really like that I'm living with my parents too, because, well, lets face it, they're a huge help. They pay the bills, cook the food (but I'll be doing a lot of that too, duh), watch Buggie while we're working...I can work! I can go to class. I can be around my old friends. But I'll also miss my G-Vegas buddies. Not for too long though. I know they will visit me. :]

So now we're rushed to pack. Actually, most people would find this incredibly stressful, but it's actually pretty relaxed for us. In the past, we have moved alll of our belongings in our own car in less than 24 hours-usually more like 12 hours. This time, we're getting a TRUCK -- oh yeah, doin' it big, baby! -- and taking 3 days. How awesome is that?! ha.

I need to update this blog-a-roo more often. Fo shizz. Keep checking. I'll try to update every Wednesday, at least. Because JennaMarbles inspires me. Ohhh yes. INSPIRATION!! <3

The BEST White Cake Cupcakes I Have EVER Tasted.

Oh yes, I'm back to making my famous Cupcakes. :] I've been wanting to for days, but poor little miss Layla has apparently not been feeling well, so she hasn't given me a chance to bake any. I also did a complete cleaning overhaul in my apartment on Thursday, so it's so much easier when you have a clean & well organized kitchen to work with.

Now, I had stocked up on cake mixes a month or so ago when Publix had them BOGO. (P.S. PUBLIX BOGOS ARE THE GREATEST THINGS EVERRR!) So, I've been sitting here with a few boxes of cake mix in my cabinet, with no intention of making a boxed cake. I am not a fan of processed foods, and boxed cake, to me, is just to blah & generic. Anyone can make it. It's not WOW enough for my liking. I'm ashamed to make boxed cake. I don't like my food tasting average. It's just not me.

I knew these cake mixes had to be used though. I'm not a food waster. I hate throwing out things that have expired. A certain someone in our family (I won't mention names here but some people know who I'm talking about because it drives me absolutely insane) likes to pass food along to us. Because she's an EXTREME couponer and buys more food than is humanly possible to consume. Now, I'm all for free food, and handouts, but here's the thing: she gives us EXPIRED food. It's absolutely disgusting. I'm not talking like "oh this expired a month ago", I'm talking YEARS ago. She gave us 3, count them THREE, boxes of food a few months back. I read the dates on them, and I threw out all but about 4 canned goods (which we all know last decades). They had all expired like 2 years ago. Yes, years. That is not an exaggeration by any means. But, I digress. This has nothing to do with my amazing cupcake journey.

Where was I? Oh yes, not wasting the cake mix. So, I had the genius plan to doctor up my mix a bit. Make it a little more unique. So, I took a recipe I found at Recipe Girl and adapted it to the items I had in my kitchen. Here's the end result:

1 (18.25 ounce) box white cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated white sugar
a small pinch of salt
1 cup water
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites

Whisk together all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix well with hand or stand mixer. Pour into either a) well greased cupcake pans or b) cupcake pans with liners in them. Bake on 325 degrees F for 18 minutes. 

OH.MY.LANTA. These are by far the most amazing, perfect, soft, moist, spongy, white cupcakes EVER. No lie. You can eat them without frosting. They're that good. In fact, Daniel & I ate two of them without frosting, fresh from the oven. They are absolute perfection. I'm a culinary master. tehe. 


I just wanted to share that recipe with you guys. If you make it, be sure to let me know how yours turned out. I'll post my end product & frosting recipe tomorrow. <3 Goodnight, cupcake lovers.

Happy New Year!

First post of 2012! Hooray! :)

I think I need to update this thing far more often. Resolution?
Speaking of, here is my list of resolutions for the New Year, and the most important part, my plan on achieving them.:

1. Not Be Pregnant in 2012. :)
How to accomplish: Use birth control. Be careful. Be smart.
2. Be bikini ready by February. (Trip to Dominican Republic!!!)
How to accomplish: Exercise. Eat right. Cut out fast food. Cut out sodas. Cut out candy. Take vitamins.
3. Be sexy.
How to accomplish: Be confident. Practice good hygiene. Wear cuter clothes. Care about my looks.
4. Be organized.
How to accomplish: Organize one room at a time. Get rid of unnecessary things. Keep up with the cleanliness of my home.
5. Be an awesome mom!
How to accomplish: Take care of Layla. Play with her often. Teach her. Let her have some independence. Love her.
6. Be financially stable.
How to accomplish: Fill out a monthly budget & stick to it. Don't buy unnecessary things. COUPON!
7. Grow my mark. business.
How to accomplish: Sell. Recruit. Work on leads. Help other reps. Work closely with my mentor. Sell. Recruit. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. :)

Good stuff? I thought so. It's a lot, but it will make me better in the end. I'll be sure to blog about my journey.

What are your resolutions? And MOST importantly, how do you plan to accomplish them?