Beach 2010

So, this family vacation started way before I was born. My mom used to pack up all 11 of us and take us to Carlsbad state park and camp for 3 weeks. Yes, 3 weeks. My dad would join us for the last week. My parents grew up in California and love the beach and the same love was born in to the rest of us. Well, most of us. My oldest brother got married and brought his wife along. Then my oldest sister got married and brought her husband along and so on and so forth. Now about 50 of us plan a week long trip to California every year. We outgrew Carlsbad state beach and we only go for one week instead of 3. This year as I watched my neices and nephews body surf and sit out by the fire and play games I wondered if they will continue the tradition and bring their spouses and children. Technically we could get like 10-15 camp sites in the area we go to now as long as the KOA sticks around. We'll just have to see.

This is our youngest baby right now. Cassie's youngest girl, Laney. She LOVED the ocean.



Even in freezing cold, body numbing water, this girl was in the water and loving it.

I'm sure Cassie's feet went numb several times. She's get knocked over and head right back in with Cassie chasing after her.

She'd get so excited and flap her little hands in an excited dance. So cute. I have a video but I can't figure out how to upload it.

Isn't she so cute?! A bit cranky at times but super cute. She liked my flip flops.

The teen girls. I got Danica to look at me by aiming the camera and then calling her name. Smart right?

Ike, happy to be at the beach. Yes, blankies make it to the beach as well. There's still nap time you know.

Brianne with Ryker. (sp?) He was a bit sick and cranky too sometimes but so sweet. I got to hold him one day for like 3 hours and he just snuggled. I think it was a day he didn't feel well. I knew the feeling and I think we bonded over our misery.

Jannalee with Laney in the water. Giving Cassie a break from freezing feet.

So, I'm reading a book and my mom is sitting next to me and says, "is that us", while pointing out to the ocean. Normally 'us' is my brother in laws and sisters. But I looked around and noticed they  were all still on the beach. Turns out the 'us' was my nieces and nephews. Check them out. They're the little huddle of tiny black dots in the distance.

Next generation body surfers right there. Last year I saw the 12 year olds out there in the very deep water of the ocean and thought, "man, what are we thinking letting them out that far". Then I reminded myself that I've been going out that far since I was around six. My dad or a brother in law would hold me on my belly as a wave was coming and would yell, "kick kick kick kick" and that was how I learned to body surf.

And now the next generation is out there doing the same thing. I treaded water back then and I tread water now. I'm 5'2" and rarely reach the ocean floor. Beyond the break is one of my favorite places to be. Most comfortable and secure places and I am so glad that feeling and love has been passed to the next generation and I hope it continues on into the next generation.

The yearly California trip is probably my favorite thing ever. Oh, and we just sit on the beach all day. None of the, we have to be here and then we have to be there and make sure your here at this time, kind of things. We pack up lunches, cabanas, beach blankets, towels, chairs and kids and sit on the beach for about 6 hours. We read books and watch kids and snack and watch the new babies learn all the new joys that are the beach. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to pass the love onto to my own offspring. 

Strawberries and cream muffin tops

So, how many of you get a nice scrumptiously delicious muffin and only eat the top with the crumbly part? I don't. I actually enjoy the whole muffin. In fact I generally prefer the bottom part. I tend to not be the norm however. My husband especially just loves the top with crumbly stuff on top. Therefore I have been toying with the idea of Muffin Tops. That's right. Just the top part WITH the crumbly deliciousness. I am happy to say I have now PERFECTED my idea. Including the yummy crumbly deliciousness. It is my pleasure to introduce to you the Strawberries and cream Muffin tops. Ta Da!

Like I said, even the crumbly top.

It took me 3 tries to perfect this idea. First there were, blueberry white chocolate muffin tops. They were good but too big and too sweet for my taste. The consensus from my salon, however, was that they were delicious. Even the pregnant coworker who didn't like much of anything liked them. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist though. Then I tried banana chocolate chip muffin top. That one failed miserably, but I am determined to try that one again. And then strawberries went on sale and I thought it was time to try again. I have to say that these are absolutely fabulous and sooooo scrumptious. I used strawberries but you could pretty much use any fruit.

Strawberries and Cream Muffin Tops
1/2 Cup softened Cream Cheese
6 Tablespoons of butter
2 eggs
whisk these 3 ingredients together until creamy
2 1/4 Cup flour
1 Cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon of Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
1 1/2 Cup chopped strawberries/blueberries/raspberries/blackberries/mix of all.
mix together thouroughly in a large bowl. Then add creamed ingredients and fold together. Add just enough milk to make all ingredients moist. Your dough will be lumpy. This is a good thing. Do not over mix.
1/8 Cup to 1/4 cup milk or evaporated milk.
CRUMBLY TOP-(I don't know how I feel about sharing this secret)
2/3 Cup white chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter
Melt. Start with 30 sec then stir. If not smooth heat for an additional 10 sec at a time. If it start to get grainy to not heat anymore just add flour.
3/4 cups of flour.
cut flour into butter and chocolate with knifes until crumbly.

drop muffin batter onto greased cookie sheet in 1/8 cup or 2 Tablesoon lumps. Kind of like cookies but a little bigger. Top with good amount of crumble. Bake at 350 for 15 min.

Vintage Pearl giveaway. Hurry only 2 hours left.

There is a Vintage pear givaway on this blog that I love and adore HERE

To see more of this amazingly beautiful jewellery check it out here at Vintage Pearl

You missed me right!? If you didn't just lie and tell me you did.

It's been a long time, I know. I'd tell you why but I'm no longer going to blog about my health. If you have an opinion on that feel free to tell me.

I have a lot to blog about but I have to pull from the pictures that are already on my laptop because my camera's battery is charging so I have to wait to upload other pictures. So here is the first of many posts in the next few days.

We shaved Donut. She was becoming increasingly matted and I didn't want to pay a groomer to pay her but my first attempt at removing her hair did not go so well. Then I had an epiphany. Let's drug her. Genious right? I  know. So I called my vet.

Me: Hi, I was wondering if I could come pick up some sedatives so I can shave my cat.

Vet Tech: Ummm... I don't think we can just give you sedatives to groom your cat.

Me: Will you ask the vet anyways. I know you give sedative for when animals fly and I've been seeing your vet for like 7 years now. Just ask him.

VT: Okay, but don't get your hopes up.

Me:Thanks

VT: Okay, the vet says you can come pick them up in about an hour.

Me: Sweet!

So, I pick up the sedatives and the lady tells me to test them on my cat first because for about 1 out of every 100 the sedative has the oposite affect. So I crushed the pill put it in some milk, sucked it into medicine giver thingy and gave it to Donut. Seriously wish I had video taped her because she was hiliarious drugged.

Her furr looks like a whole nother cat. So you know that inner eyelid that cats have?, well when donut is drugged it closes like halfway and she looks cross eyed. She also can't walk. Her feet criss cross. It's crazy funny.

Drugged, it seemed like she almost enjoyed being shaved. Zoom in on this picture and check out her eyes.

She loved having half the furr. She'd sprall out on her newly bare belly on the cold floor. You know me and Bargains. Well, I have to tell you that this cost us a grand total of $7. And I got 4 sedatives. So technically $7 for 4 grooms. That's crazy cheap and so worth it.

Unfortunately and sadly,(mostly sad for Bryce),(I'm not heartless, I just don't like getting animals in my bedroom and cat piss in my house), our Donut has gone missing. She is an inside and outside cat. She has a collar and we haven't seen her for about a week now. Bryce love love loves Donut. She's the greatest cat he's ever had. His words. So, this is goodbye to Donut. I hope some family decided she was super awesome and decided to steal her from us. That's what I tell myself. Check back for more posts.

Birthday and toes.

So it was my 26th birthday on April 18th. It was a good birthday. First my husband took me to his parents house on Saturday where I was met by birthday decorations and friends. We opened a few gifts and played some games and ate some yummy strawberry cake.

Cake made by Katie. It was very yummy!

We played Quelf. If you've never played Quelf, you must. But you must play with a fun group of friends and you all must be willing to look and sound a bit silly.

Kristen had to mummy wrap her head or pay the penalty. She totally passed the Quelf test.

Then we had to be siamese twins.

Then we had to play pattycake with Kevin as siamese twins. All in a good game of Quelf.

I also got a sweet new quilted throw from Coldwater Creek, a new DVD and Kevin got me the Buffy the Vampire Slayer graphic novel book 1. Which I then proceeded to read along with the first 6 volumes in 3 days. I'm kind of a Buffy buff. The graphic novels just carry on from the Series finale.

Then I got my big gift from my mom, which was my Baby book. Here are just a few things from that priceless gem.

My birth cerificate says Susan. My parents named me Susan not Caroline/Callie. Then when my mom realized how different Cassie and I were she decided to give us twin names. I knew  this but a piece I just learned is that they didn't change my name until my baby blessing. That's a long time.

The 4 inch height difference between Cassie and I has been there since birth.

But as seen here, it's all in her legs.

I've always closed my left eye the second I step outside.

I was super blond and my hair still is naturally blond. It's ashier and uglier though.

My first solo and my first State Queen title. Dance solo. Funny thing about this picture is that that hair is not mine. Someone walked behind me in this picture and it looks like I have long hair.

I broke my leg. Spiral broke my shin bone to be exact.

I'm in different clothes in this picture because the break was so bad they couldn't cast it. Everything had to settle first. They sent me home for 3 days 2 nights I think. It was a nightmare. I slept on my parent floor so my mom could give me pain killers and I wanted to be there. It was awful. Then I went back, they numbed my leg, moved things around and then cast it. It was bright pink. It was still a nightmare. They wanted me to put weight on it right away and I cried and cried everytime I tried. My mom set me up on the hide-a-bed in the room by the kitchen for like  a week. I ate avacado toast to my hearts desire.

Cast from toe to leg joint and I still did the splits. Dance rehearsals eventually too. Oh did I mention I broke my leg by walking down the stairs on roller blades? I really should make up a better story.

When I was 12 I got bit by a dog. His teeth his bone. Doctors in the E.R told me that if it were a person bite they'd have to amputate my leg. This was after it was stitched up. It looked worse then it was. You should have heard the comments and seen the looks from people in the E.R. 12 Year old girl with 3 gaping holes in her leg, bone easily seen and they made me wait for like 3 hours. My mom bought me cheese its from the snack machine.

And I did my toes this weekend. New asymetricle argyle. I like it.

Sweet Dreams.

Babies. I have been dreaming of my baby. No, I am not pregnant, remember it's impossible. I am alo not in the process of getting a baby. You know, adoption or foster care. But sometimes I dream of my first baby. Well I think she is my first baby. This dream was very very pleasant. It was also very life like. My sister Joy took my tiny sweet baby girl from me and said, " well, she doesn't look Proffitt or Christiansen but she's just as cute!". And Rebecca, started going through the super cute new baby girl stuff I had brought with me. She was a very small baby. We had gotten her 6 days after she was born. She had been born 4 weeks early so they kept her a little longer. She was  dark skinned. I don't know what exactly but a mix of nationalities. Beautiful color and about 5 pounds 8 ounces. It's the same baby every time I dream. Well, this time I did not want to wake up and I even dreamed about her again the next night. The next day I hit Orange patch and they had pastel letters to hang up in a nursery on major sale. Normally they were $8.99 and they were on sale for $.99. I bought the letters for my little girls name. I know what your thinking but I already know what I'm naming my first girl when/if I have children and it was only $4. I couldn't help it. All was so pleasant that I decided to continue the fantasy a little bit. So, here's what I found.

This first one is my favorite but the others are a close 2nd and 3rd.

Love this dresser. It's awesome. And so cute dirty clothes hamper.

Top 2 diaper bags. The one on the right is PERFECTION!

Could this blanket be any cuter?

Super awesome burp clothes. Is 6 enough. No, I'd need more.

Bibs. And the blanket. I want a baby just so I can buy this blanket. It could be her silky. The blanky she loves most of all.

And lastly the little sling baby carrier. It's pink and also super cute.  

Sometimes day dreams make life better.