Tuxedo Cake

On Saturday afternoon Jon and I were sitting around having a typical conversation that goes something like this...

Danielle "What do you want for dinner?"
Jon "I don't know, what do you want?"
Danielle "I don't know.  Want me to cook something?"
Jon "If you want.  What would you cook?"
Danielle "I don't know.  Do you want to go out to eat?"
Jon "It really doesn't matter to me."

Except this time Jon mentioned the idea of grilling steaks and of course I agreed!  He does a wonderful job of grilling and steaks are delish!  So I decided I would be in charge of the side dishes and dessert.  I already had what we needed for sides, but what was I going to make for dessert?  I wanted something different. I am tired of the same ol cupcakes and cake balls.  I decided I wanted something chocolate and how about in the form of a real cake!  I went to my trusty Annie's Eats and came across this recipe for a Tuxedo Cake.  It was chocolate, three layers, and I had most of the ingredients already- SOLD!  It also reminded me a lot of Jon's grooms cake.  I made my list for the few items I did need and off to the store we went.   I came home and set out all my ingredients and was so excited!  I love baking!!

{all the ingredients for the cake- minus the 2 c. water}

{ingredients for the icing- I know...it's just whipped cream!}

{ingredients for the chocolate glaze or ganache}

{the 3 layered chocolate cake iced...I need practice on making the icing smooth}

{with chocolate glaze}

{TaDa}

It may not be the prettiest cake ever, but it sure was delicious!  It was a lot of fun to make too! Baking is the best therapy! :)

Party in Your PJs

I get to hang out with all my friends and wear my PJs?  I'm totally in!  No, we didn't have a slumber party (and I mean the innocent middle school type), it was BUNCO!  Karen hosted this month and did a wonderful job!  She is always very Martha Stewart in her baking/cooking (although she won't admit it).  This month we had breakfast for dinner...my favorite! She made a casserole of sorts that was made with croissants, cream cheese, sausage, and cheese (maybe a few other ingredients I am missing)- it was delish! I definitely had seconds!  She also made a french toast bake thing...YUMM!  We had so much fun playing.  We were missing two players so Jamiee's daughter, Albree, and Karen's oldest daughter, Ellie, joined us in playing and they were very entertaining!  I had so much fun, although a stupid migraine snuck up on me just before we were finished.  I made it through the rest of the game and came home and medicated myself which in turn put me to sleep.  I did wake up this morning headache free though!  Back to the point...I love getting together with my bunco group!  They are a great group of girls that are also good friends!  Oh and I am super excited about next month's bunco...a little hint...12 Days of Christmas!!

PJ Party Bunco Night

A Walk in My Shoes

The other day I decided it was finally time to break down and buy myself some new tennis shoes.  The pair I had been wearing are at least 2-3 years old.  I told Jon that I wanted to actually buy a good pair of tennis shoes and a pair that was made for me.   In the past I would just pick out something that was cheap and looked good.  I feel that I am now at the point where I need a good fitting shoe that is the right type (you know they make them for walking, running, training, etc.)  Our first stop was Sportspectrum.   I was a little nervous before we went in because they have a reputation of being more expensive than the average tennis shoe store, but this is Jon's go to store for shoes so I trusted him.   I told the salesperson what I was there for...tennis shoes, comfortable, to wear to work and that I am on my feet for 12 hours at a time.   So the lady had me walk around the store while she watched me and then proceeded to tell me that I needed a shoe with some "stability" because I tend to pronate (my feet turn in slightly at my arch).  So she then went to the back and came out with quite a few pair of shoes to try on that fit what I needed. Some were too tight on the back, some the arch was too defined, some just were flat out not comfortable. and some were just ugly.  There was one pair that I thought were very comfortable but I wasn't crazy about the look of the shoe.  Well since it was a New Balance shoe, she told me to check out the New Balance store here in town.  She said they would have they same shoe but with different color options. Here is the shoe...

While I was looking around, the husband was too.  He loves shoes, especially tennis shoes.  These wild things caught his eye...

and he just had to have them!  He loves wild colored tennis shoes!  And when the salesperson told him they were on sale...SOLD!   I was wanting some fun shoes too, especially since I didn't find my comfortable, good looking pair of shoes I was in search of.  I stumbled upon these while we were there...

and with my husband's convincing sort of, I bought them!  They do not fit the description of what I wanted or needed.  They don't have the "stability" I need and they are not that good looking, but I guess a little bit of Jon came out in me and I couldn't resist the wild and crazy colors! :)

After Sportspectrum, we headed over to the New Balance store.  I told the guy about the particular shoe I had tried on that I wanted, but that I wanted it in a different color.  Well they had one other color option and it was not catching my eye either.  So while I was there I tried on some other shoes and ended up liking these...

If you can't tell, I don't like my shoes to have much white on them.   I decided on these and we went to check out (not realizing that I had not even asked how much these cost or looked at the price tag).  I almost fainted when he told me the price.  I'm sure it's the average price of a good pair of tennis shoes, but remember, I have always bought cheap kicks.  We left the store and the whole way to the car I'm asking Jon "Do you think they are worth it?  Do you think I should take them back?"   The rest of the day I would get sick to my stomach when I thought about how much I paid for a pair of shoes.   Don't get me wrong, I do love shoes, but I have a hard time paying a lot of money for a pair.   I have decided to keep them and I am still "breaking them in" which is probably my least favorite part of new shoes.   But I can guarantee you I won't buy new tennis shoes for a while! :)

Sorry for such a long post about tennis shoes...I guess I didn't realize I had so much to say about them.

Love Letter/Hate Mail

Dear Topamax,
I'm not sure how I feel about this relationship.  We have been together now for 10 days and most of my feelings for you are negative.  I do appreciate the appetite suppressant you supply,  although my love for food is still greater.   You are supposed to be making my headaches better, and not only better but non-existent, and you have done the opposite.  I have had a non-stop headache for 10 days now!  I can't stand the tingling feeling you cause in my toes, heels and fingers, but I am thankful that you are not causing it in my lips like I was warned you would do.  I do not like the constant fog I feel like I am in and how I feel like I am dazed and confused.  If you don't start doing your job (and really well) by the time we get to our desired dose then I am afraid I'm going to break up with you!
Sincerely,

   Disgruntled

November is upon us

I thought this past weekend of work was never going to end! We did dress up for Halloween on Sunday at work.  The theme of our unit was rockstars, and my co-workers looked more "rockstarish" than I did.  I did have some pretty sweet horns that the MIL bought for me! But thank goodness the weekend of work did end!!

On Monday our sweet babies got their "fur did" and I must say they are precious!
That night I decided to make a new chili recipe from Annie's Eats and we invited Jon's parents over to join us for dinner.  I definitely have to recommend this recipe! My husband was somewhat skeptical about the meal because it does have ground turkey, but he loved it anyway!  After dinner we sat around the house waiting for trick-or-treaters that never showed, but that's okay because we enjoyed the candy ourselves while watching Monday night football.  On Tuesday morning I finally went to my long awaited neurologist appointment.  It went well, I suppose.  I like the doctor, I feel she listened and really put into consideration what I have been going through.  She started me on Topamax and wants me to change my eating habits (cutting out as much MSG as possible).  The Topamax will also be a trial and error drug, like all the ones before.  I have to slowly increase my dose in hopes that it helps my headaches but does not cause the unwanted side effects.  If this doesn't work then we will have to try yet another drug. In a way I hope that this is the drug that works because I am tired of playing the trial and error game, but on the other hand if it does work I will have to stop taking it once Jon and I decide to start a family.   Oh the joys of these dang headaches! Why can't they just go away on their own?!  (I guess they are just stubborn like me!)
Wednesday and Thursday will consist of working, but we will have the weekend off!!  Saturday morning we are taking our family (Jon, myself, and the pups) Christmas card pics.  And of course Saturday night we will be cheering on the LSU Tigers for the biggest game of the season against Alabama!  Geaux Tigers!!

I hope everyone has/had a wonderful week and weekend!

Don't knock it til you try it!

I used to be totally against Sushi.  I mean raw fish, come on! I would always say that I hated it (although I had never even tried it.)  When Jon and I moved to Fort Worth we found a restaurant there called Piranha Killer Sushi, this is where I found out that I loved sushi!  I finally tried it and now I'm hooked.  I am still not very daring with what I eat, but I do eat the raw stuff.  Jon on the other hand loves the straight up super raw fish on a hunk of rice stuff.  I mainly eat rolls that have a combo of things, including raw fish.  This past week we went to Sushi Gen here in town with the in-laws.  It is one of our favorite places to get sushi around here.  I am picky about where I will order sushi from.  The place must be clean, not hot or musty, and most importantly, can not smell like fish.  I know you probably think I am crazy?!  Sushi Gen meets all of the criteria.  When we went this past week we decided to try the Monkey Brains appetizer that we have heard so many people talk about.  It consists of avocado, crab, and spicy tuna.  It was delish!  For dinner I had the spicy tuna roll (one thing I always order) and a combo roll called the Red Dragon Roll that was made of shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber, spicy tuna and crab on top.  I was very impressed.  Jon ordered the Sexy Trio roll, which was an ordinary spicy tuna roll but was topped with salmon, yellow tail, and eel, and mackerel and eel sushi.  I did try a piece of his Sexy Trio roll and it was pretty good.  The in-laws are not fans of raw fish so they had shrimp and chicken fried rice and were very pleased with their dinner.

Monkey Brains

Jon's dinner

my dinner

I am very glad that I decided to give the raw fish a try.  Although I'm not very adventurous in my sushi intake, I still really enjoy what I do eat! 

Pumpkin Shine on Line

Halloween is always a fun time of year.  You go to haunted houses, get dressed up and trick or treat (well, not so much me anymore), carve pumpkins...you get my point.  Every year one of the local private schools, Southfield, puts on the Pumpkin Shine on Line.  It is a contest in which other area schools enter pumpkins and they line the walk way at one of the parks in town and everyone can go check them out.  All of the proceeds from entering the contest go to improvements in the park.  Jon and I have been going for as long as we have been together.  We always love seeing all the creative things people think of to do with pumpkins.  Here are a few of the pictures from this years Pumpkin Shine on Line.

-me and the hubby-

-Nightmare before Christmas-

-Geaux LSU!!-

-we love Despicable Me!!-

-pretty fish-

-Spongebob's pineapple under the sea-

-traditional jack o lanterns-

-rapping snowman?-

-Cinderella's carriage-

-creepy kitty-

-beehive and bees-

-Papa Smurf!-

-lion fish-
One of my favorites!

-lion-

-scarecrow-

-angry pumpkins-

This year was the 20th year of the Pumpkin Shine on Line.  It is a fun and free thing to do, and I hope they continue to have it for many more years!

Breast Cancer Awareness Bunco

Before October is over I better post about our bunco from this month.  Shannon was the hostess and decided on the theme of Breast Cancer Awareness.  If you know me or have followed my blog for a while, I'm sure you know that this subject is dear to my heart.   Breast Cancer Awareness is also very dear to Shannon because she lost her grandmother to this dreaded illness.  I was excited about Shannon hosting because I finally got to see her new house and because I knew she put a lot of thought in to the night.  For favors we each got a "Fight Like a Girl" bag with goodies inside!  I also won the "last bunco" prize so that was pretty cool!  We all had a lot of fun! Here are a few pics from the night...

{the winners}

{the whole crew}

{cute Meagan}

Best Mummy I Know

First of all I want to say that I love this little girl...

Her name is Baleigh and she was the flower girl in our wedding.  Her mommy, Holly (who was also in our wedding), and I have been friends for about 5 years now, and she is definitely one of my best friends.  Shout out to Holly because she is one of the best mommies I know! She manages to work full time, go to school for her Masters, and be a wonderful mommy and wife!  And she makes it look so easy! I strive to be like her one day!  This past weekend she was swamped with school assignments but still managed to host a spectacular Halloween party for Baleigh and her friends.  I was honored when she asked me to help by making cake pops.  I knew that Holly was going to have her house decorated so cute, so I had to come up with a cute cake pop!  After all my googling I came up with three options... witches, pumpkins, or mummies.   Mummies won! (I could be cheesy and say something like...I chose mummies in honor of Holly, the best "mummy" I know) Here's how they turned out...

Holly put a lot of thought in to the party and everything turned out great!! She had lots of treats for the kids to eat.  As a party favor she gave each kid a painted mason jar that looked like a pumpkin or a Frankenstein and in it was a smores goody bag filled with graham crackers, a ghost shaped marshmallow, and a mini Hershey chocolate bar.  She also had fun games for the kids, including tossing rings on a witches hat and bashing a pinata.  All of the children looked as though they were having so much fun! It made me want to be a kid again! :)

What's been up? or down?

I have definitely been MIA from blog posting...sorry.  I have been in a writing funk I believe.  I'm trying to get back in to the swing of things, so here goes...

Lately Jon and I have been up to the same ol' thing I suppose.  This past weekend we had quite a bit going on.  On Friday I went to my friend Meagan's house for her Stella and Dot party.  She just recently became an independent stylist/sales person for the company and had a "kickoff" party to show off the beautiful jewelry.   You should go to the website and check it out!  They have some super cute stuff that would be perfect for Christmas presents!
On Saturday, Jon and I had friends over to cheer on LSU as they beat Auburn.  By half-time the guys were pretty bored because LSU was whooping some butt, so they went out and started playing bean bag toss.  We all ended up joining in and having a tournament! It was so much fun!  (I forgot to take pictures)  I did make some yummy treats for everyone to snack on, including these delicious cake balls.

After the football game we attempted to watch the third game of the World Series but couldn't stay awake long enough to see the end (which was ok with us because we would have wanted to see the Rangers win).  

Sunday we were lazy and watched football until we went to a Halloween party for our friend's daughter. I made some pretty cute mummy cake pops for the party (You'll get to see those in a different post).   That night we continued to be lazy and ordered take out and hung around the house.  

It was a fun weekend that included time spent with great friends!