Cupcake Wars

Back when I had cable, I love Loved LOVED watching Food Network.  Seriously I could watch it for hours.  I secretly want to have my own Food Network show.  Actually, I've loved cooking shows every since I was young.  I used to watch Yen Can Cook on PBS.  Yes.  I was a super cool child. 

Anyway, one of the shows on Food Network is called Cupcake Wars.  They have the owners of various cupcake establishments compete for monies and prestige and for the opportunity to have their cupcakes featured at some big fancy-schmancy party, which is always themed.  I've been having a little bit of Food Network withdrawal as of late. 

So Monday, being Memorial Day, I had a family picnic.  I decided I would make Red Velvet cupcakes(one of my personal favorite kinds of cupcakes) and some Oreo cupcakes.

And yes.  I made them from scratch. Overall I was fairly pleased with the results.  Although, next time around, I have a few adjustments to make to each recipe. 

Today, I decided to tackle filled cupcakes.  Allow me to introduce you to...

Caramel Filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Now, I just put the finishing touches on these and haven't partaken of the product as a whole yet.  But I can tell you the individual components are awesome.  I would seriously take a bath in this frosting.  The caramel drizzles didn't turn out as artful as I would have liked, but I had to reheat the caramel(yes I made that from scratch too) and it cooked a little more and then sets up so quickly outside of the pan.  Oh well.  Live and learn.  Next time will be better.  I can't wait to taste one.  I'm fairly certain they will be EPIC!

My roommate, Lindsey, told me she was impressed at how domestic I was.  And that got me to thinking...if the way to a man's heart really is through his stomach...why am I single?  Not only am I a pretty good cook(if I do say so myself), but I actually enjoy doing it!





I've suddenly found myself with a little extra time on my hands.  The little boy that I watch fell and broke his femur on Friday and will just be chilling with his mom and baby sister at home for a little while.  So I think I'm going to spend the next couple weeks(remember how my family is going to Disneyland next week without me?  I am going to go crazy with no one to entertain me!) trying new recipes and making a few up.  I'm pretty excited about it.  Don't worry!  I'll post the tasty(and even the not so tasty) attempts here on the blog for your entertainment.  I know it's what you live for.

i

i am Wendi Lyn Rushforth and i am currently reading The Historian.

i think WAY too much.
i am happy when I get to play with my nieces.
i have slight OCD tendencies.
i miss having a "person".(you know what I mean and I don't want to dwell)
i fear becoming a cat lady(I'm allergic and then I'd die and they'd eat my face).
i feel like my head might explode.
i smell, but not very often...I try to shower regularly.
i usually sing while I do dishes.
i search for sheet music constantly. I'm always looking to expand my library.
i regret my degree. I really wish I'd gotten a degree in something useful.
i love music. I had an all music day today. Seriously. I got up and organized music and then I filled in for Mr. Smith at the High School and ran through concert music with Concert Choir and then I went home and practiced for voice lessons and then I went to voice lessons and then I went to the choir concert. Can I just say, it was pure happiness!
i care way too much.
i tell myself to be patient...but it's not very effective.
i worry that I'm going to be that old crazy matronly Aunt in the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland who makes up boyfriends.
i am not the type to give up...like ever...on anything...it's a blessing and a curse.

i remember this one time when my brother and I got ice cream and mine fell in the puddle and my mom said it was all gone and then my brother(seriously he had to be like 2) smirked at me while he licked his ice cream cone.
i believe things happen for a reason.
i sing a lot. But I get anxiety about singing in front of all my uber talented friends.
i don’t always give myself as much credit as I should.
i don’t like when people treat me like I'm stupid.
i write a lot. On my blog, in my journal, on the stalls of bathrooms(okay, not the last one).
i win when I mini golf, but only because I cheat.
i lose pieces of my sanity every single day.
i dance but not nearly as often as I'd like. Who wants to take me dancing?
i wish...Where do I even start?
i never thought I would be childless, divorced, and dating again at the age of 29.

i listen to my iTunes playlists. They read my mood and play me exactly what I need.
i don't understand why some people are so stupid.
i can usually be found at the piano.
i need to go on a vacation.
i forget by choice. I have a really good memory.

I stole this from my friend, Eliza. Her blog is also private, so you can't read hers. She stole it from her sister. I thought it was fun so here it is.

Guys? Chad Fell Down...

So anyone who has a private blog...I've changed my email address and now I need new invites from ya'll. 
wendirushforth@gmail.com

Okay thanks guys.  You're swell!

Favorite Things- Summer 2012 Edition

With the heat of summer sneaking upon us, I thought I'd tell you some of my favorite things that help me not go crazy(completely) in the Utah heat.  I know you probably don't really care, but I'm a-gonna tell you anyway.

 This is my new discovery for this summer.  It's Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfector Tinted Moisturizer.  And it is AWESOME.  Seriously ladies, my new favorite tinted moisturizer.  I've been using a sample of Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, which I love.  However, it's $40+ price tag...I don't so much love.  This lovely new product was only $11.97(I've only found it at Walmart, so all you Walmart-haters, you're just going to have to untwist your panties and go).  And it's a good sized product too.  I like it because it's not too greasy(seriously some tinted moisturizers are really slimy) and it provides decent coverage.  It only has SPF 15(I think), but some is better than none.  And this stuff is perfect coverage for summer time.  I hate wearing make up any time, really.  I wear it because that little voice called Vanity tells me to.  But any time I can get away with less, I jump on it.  With this I use a bit of concealer(have we discussed how irritated I am with the wrinkles AND the breakouts?  I'm in the midst of another (undoubtedly stress-induced) breakout and I'm less than pleased), my Nars Multiple(I splurged a while ago and have never once regretted it.  I won't tell you what color it is, except that it's scandalous sounding(hey, my brothers read this blog) and it's always voted the best blush color by Allure.), a little eye shadow, liner and mascara.  Seriously takes me 5 minutes and I'm ready to go.  And I've had a lot of compliments the last few days I've been using it.

 The Apartment has AC.  It also has 2 floors and no basement.  Oh how I miss having a basement retreat.  And oh how I hate sleeping on a 2nd story.  Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.  And I'm sorry but due to personal preference, I like to sleep with at least a light blanket(my bed spread really isn't very heavy.  It's a security blanket type thing, I guess.  Mock if you must).  But my mom bought a tower fan at Costco(love Costco) and it came with a mini.  So I've been using that.  However, it has started making weird noises...so I'm taking it back to my mom's house today.  There's no way I'll survive the summer without a fan next to my bed.

One of the best things about summer is all the fresh produce.  I'm a real produce snob and don't particularly care for canned fruits and veggies.  I mean, I cook with them when it's necessary.  But I really don't like to just eat them.  There are a few exceptions, of course.  Mostly, though, I love me some fresh fruits and veggies.  I can't wait for all the gardens to start producing and the peach trees to come on.  I know, that's still a while away.  In the meantime, I can enjoy that not all fruit is going to cost me my first born(suckers!  I'm not likely to have to pay up on that!) and be less than satisfying because it's not in season.

Another thing I'm excited about is swimming.  It's on my 30 Before I'm 30 list.  "Learn how to Swim".  I'm sure you've all laughed to yourself that I'm 30 and don't really know how to swim.  I'm happy to provide you a moment's entertainment.  I have my first pool party of the summer this weekend and while I probably won't be swimming laps, I do get to wear my swimsuit, which I actually really like.  And yes I'll be putting a bit more effort into my exercise routine this week.

Well, there you have it.  Some of my favorite summer-related things.  There are others, of course, but these are the ones I'm most obsessed with currently.  Maybe as summer goes along I'll update the list.  Meh.  We'll see.

Affirmations

You know how all those self-help books tell you to have daily affirmations to help you be the person you want to be?  I've been working on my own little affirmations.

I've been getting really frustrated with people who are maybe placed on this earth with the specific mission of driving me crazy.  I know, that's probably not the case, nor is that a very sunny point of view.  But come on, we all have those people.  Maybe they're people you're forced to interact with because of work or church callings or even because they're family...but you HAVE to deal with them and somehow they manage to drive you nutsy nearly every time you see them.  Or maybe they're just random people you come into contact with by chance and you wish their mothers hadn't let them eat lead-based paint when they were children.  Or you know, we're all a little annoying sometimes and even our favorite people and best friends can make us want to pull our hair out sometimes.

You're probably thinking I have low-tolerance or something.  Yes, I suppose that's true sometimes.  We all have those days.  But I'm trying to have fewer.  Here are my new daily affirmations...

"I will not people with my car.  I will not punch anyone in the face.  I will not slam someone's head into the wall."

Laugh all you want.  Or you might think that I have an anger-management problem.  I would like to clarify...I've never actually hit anyone with my car, punched anyone in the face or slammed a person's head into the wall.  But sometimes I have really strong urges.

I have to repeat these to myself often throughout any given day.  But I think it's helping, and isn't that what's really important?

Update Pictures

Due to the nature of life, things are always changing. Not quite a year ago, we had a family photoshoot with my mom's side of the family. However, since then things have changed. So for my mom for Mother's Day, I gathered my siblings and my nieces and we had a quick little photoshoot. We'll obviously need to do another shoot in the fall after Rushforth baby #2 and McCabe baby #2 arrive. But for now, this will do...

Aren't we pretty people?

I love these faces! So. Much. And they are growing up WAY too fast!

Taylor is showing us how to smile.

Emma loves Taylor...maybe too much.

Life changes so quickly. And often we are left with memories...and photos. I wouldn't trade these memories and photos for anything and I'm so glad I've always got a camera with me to capture people and moments like these!

Quotes

So as I waste time with Pinterest, sometimes I come upon a fun little quote.  And I decided to share a few...

"My Doctor told me to start killing people.  Well, not in those exact words.  He said I had to reuce the stress in my life.  Same thing." You know it's true.

"Everything happens for a reason, but sometimes the reason is that you're stupid and you make bad decisions" Story. Of. My. Life.

"Just because I laugh a lot, doesn't mean my life is easy.  Just because I have a smile on my face everyday, doesn't mean that something is not bothering me.  I just choose to move on, and not dwell on all the negatives in my life.  Every new moment gives me the chance to renew anew.  I choose to be that.  I choose to be happy."  I'm working on it.

"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.  Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.  Think only of the best, work only for the best and expect only the best.  Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.  Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.  Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side as long as you are true to the best that is in you!" This makes me exhausted!

"Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling.  You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps.  It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in.  It is what God gave you time for." ~Elder Neal L Anderson Yesterday was Mother's Day, which is my least favorite day of the year...I'm just going to leave it at that.

"It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life's story will develop." ~ President Dieter F. Uchdorf I need to do a lot better.

"You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear." ~ Oscar Wilde I love Oscar Wilde.  And I love this quote for oh so many reasons.

"An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward.  So when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means that it's going to launch you into something great." It ought to be something spectacularly great at this point.

"Pray and seek for strength to change our circumstances rather than praying for our cicumstances to be changed." ~Elder David A. Bednar Yup.