Cupcakes and Manicotti

Last night for dinner I made spinach stuffed manicotti with homemade white sauce.  They were so yummy!  I ran out of sauce though, so I did a red sauce on the rest of them.  Then, I decided I wanted to try to make healthy cupcakes.  So, I made bran-brownie cupcakes.  They are delicious!  You mix 3 c. bran with 2 1/2 c. water and let it become a batter.  Then mix a brownie mix as directed and combine the bran and brownie batter.  Then you add 1 1/2 t. baking powder and I added additional cocoa.  I then attempted to make cream cheese frosting with splenda.  It's good and acts more like a glaze, but it doesn't thicken up.  I ended up having to add powdered sugar to make it thicken.  Anyways, they are delicious!

School's Almost Over!

The semester of school is almost over.  I am so tired of homework, not being able to do fun things/spend time with Dustin, and just school in general.  I have 2 weeks left of 2 classes, and only 1 week left in my other 2.  Today, I think I'm going to bust out my super homework skills and get a lot done.  The house is also a disaster, so I wish I could get that clean, but I think I'll do homework.  When school is out, I can get the house more organized.

On the weight loss side of things..... I'm at 12.4 pounds lost!  From before the wedding, I'm at 23.4 pounds lost!  I'm super excited about it, but I am unhappy about it, because I don't feel any lighter.  I don't see a difference at all.  

Anyways, I'm going to get ready for the day since with the new medicine, it has made me sleep in lately and I don't like that.  At least I'm not waking up needing to throw up anymore!

Strawberry Chocolate Pancakes

So, I decided one morning to cook some pancakes.  I was craving chocolate and strawberries, so I made these.

Make a pancake batter from a mix.  I made whole wheat pancakes.

In a microwave safe bowl, microwave some frozen strawberries until they are warm.  Add some splenda and water and cook until it is a syrupy consistency.  I don't know if syrupy is a word.  If not, I just made it up.  You could add sugar free syrup to the strawberries instead of splenda if you like.

On a greased frying pan, pour some batter and spread it evenly.  Place some chocolate chips in the batter.  Push them in with your finger or with a skewer so the chocolate doesn't burn when you flip it over.

Flip the pancake!

To assemble, place a pancake on a plate and top with the strawberry mixture.  I dusted it with powdered sugar.  

They are easy and yummy!

Mom's Birthday

Here are the pictures of my Mom's birthday.  Most of the pictures are of her quilt room after we gave it a makeover!

These are the two paint colors.  The lighter color on the right was on three wall, and the darker was only on this wall.

We rolled up fabric arranged by color groups in these crates, hung up cork board and peg boards.  

We arranged things on the shelf.  Here, you can see the peg board better.

We  mounted her tv on a moving arm.  Under the cutting board table, we have her scraps of fabric organized.  We hung her thread organizer.

Another view of the cork boards and how we decorated.

Peg board on the other wall.  They will both be painted white.  It was too windy outside, so we couldn't do it.

Mom's "inventory control" quilt she made, that shows what her room used to look like.  We hid it behind the door.  :-)  

Meeting Randy Fenoli

Here are the pictures from when Taylor and I went and met Randy Fenoli.

Sick

Well, I've been sick.  I am running a fever and have cold/flu symptoms.  It's horrible.  I haven't written in a while and I don't have much to say.   I met Randy Fenoli from Say Yes To The Dress last Thursday.  He was really nice.  Dustin complained that I hadn't blogged lately, but I haven't felt good and I don't have much to say.  So, I hope I get feeling better soon so I can write something interesting.

Happy Birthday Mom!

It's my Mom's birthday!  On the menu, potato halves stuffed with cheese, California Garden Panini, Two Cheese and Tomato Panini, Mozarella Jalapeno Panini with Garlic Mayo.  Oh, and lemon bars.  I can say this now that my Mom is on her way and there's no way she'll see it, but the theme is DAVID CASSIDY!!!!!  I printed pictures and hung them on the walls, made signs with quotes from songs by David Cassidy or from the Partridge Family.  I am also playing a cd with songs of David Cassidy and The Partridge Family.

For her gifts, I got her a bunch of little things, but the main gift, my sister Taylor and I teamed up and we are giving her quilt room a makeover!  We are painting, organizing, putting up peg boards, etc.  It is going to be awesome!

I love my Mom so much.  I hope that I can make her day amazing.  :-)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!