BUTTERBEER CUPCAKES {Recipe}

I am really having a hard time getting motivated to get back into blogging.  Not sure why.  I guess I just have so much on my plate and I am not sure what I am really getting out of blogging.  But I don’t want to just quit.  So, I figured maybe if I start doing it I will feel more like doing it!

My second son turned 9 at the beginning of August.  I decided to try to talk him out of a big party by offering to take him and 3 or 4 of his friends to a movie and dinner.  He liked the idea.  We ended up just having pizza at home and then going to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2, which was AMAZING!  I LOVE Harry Potter.

To make everything a little more special, I made some Harry Potter themed treats and Butterbeer Cupcakes for dessert.

These were super yummy.  The cake part was not too sweet, so it was a great balance for the super sweet frosting.  I found the recipe and directions on Amy Bites.  The only change I made was making my frosting with half butter, half cream cheese.  They were very tasty and the cupcakes baked up perfectly.  Thank you Amy!

Here are the other treats I put together for the movie.  Note to self: Never take loudly wrapped candy and plastic water bottles into a movie and give them to 8 and 9 year olds!  I could NOT believe how loud these kids were with these! 

I just bought some jelly beans and put them in bags with these labels I found and printed onto cardstock.  Super easy.  Not the cutest ever but they kids had no idea!

So the colors didn’t work all that well on these.  It says “Eat Slugs”.  I came across these gummies that were on clearance so I made this little label really quick and bagged these up.

These are licorice wands.  I dipped licorice in white chocolate and silver sprinkles and put them in cello bags with a few M&M’s.  The kids loved them!

So, that was an easy way to celebrate a birthday! The kids really had a fun time and felt very mature

GUEST POSTING TODAY

I have the honor of guest posting over at Kiki Creates for her Oh Baby Week!

You can read my post on announcing a pregnancy HERE.

I would love for you to leave a comment over there and tell Kiki I sent you!

For those visiting FROM Kiki Creates, please pardon my lack of recent posts.  I have been spending the majority of my time entertaining my kids and trying to keep my home from falling apart.  I am excited for school to start again so I can get back to creating and blogging about it!

COMMENTS

Due to a lot of spam comments I am making it so that I approve the comments before they are posted.  Sorry.  I know its kind of annoying.  Stupid spammers!  lol

Also, I love to reply to your comments through email but if your email is not linked to your account then I can’t, and that makes me sad!  So, get that email linked up already, would you?

Thank You All

Thank you so much to all those who commented on my last post.  Your comments really did help me, as did putting my feelings “out there”.  I am feeling ok about things and I know both my sister and I will be ok.

Today, my dad’s best friend passed away unexpectedly.  They have been friends since childhood and they are now in the late 60’s.  They have lived in the same town together for most of their lives and less than 5 minutes away.  They spend tons of time together and take great joy in their friendship.  My heart is now aching for my dad, as well as this man’s family and my own family.  We loved this great man very, very much.

Today I am thankful my best friend is only 6 hours away, and not in heaven yet.  I have much to be grateful for so I will focus on those things and be happy!

Needing Encouragement {Personal}

I know it’s been forever since I’ve blogged and this post isn’t going to be terribly exciting but I need a little encouragement.  I just need to vent a little and get some things off my chest.

My sister has lived in the neighborhood across from mine for the last 8 years or so.  It has been wonderful.  Three of our children are within 3 months of each other in age.  We have spent a lot of time together and were always there for each other when help or emotional support was needed.  We became best friends, even though we are 5 years apart in age.  It has been a wonderful 8 years.

Yesterday she moved to Utah.  Six hours away!  My heart is broken and I find myself unable to function.  I am so sad.  See, the thing is, I have other friends.  But not a best friend.  Not a sister-friend.  There is nothing like it.  She was my person.  She was the person who “sees” me, if that makes any sense.  She was the one who noticed when I wasn’t fine even when I said I was.  She was the one who brought me a treat just because she loves me.  She was the one I could call at the last minute to watch my kids.  She was the one who had my kids over all day so I could rest when I was sick.  She was the one who included me.  She was the one who sat with me at church.  She understands me like no one else does.  She knows my heart.  And now she is gone.  And as soon as she left I felt lonelier already knowing she wasn’t in the next neighborhood.

My heart is broken.  I know life will go on and it will all be ok but right now I feel like I can’t go on.  And I feel overwhelmed by everything else in my life.  I have a lot to do in the next week before we leave on vacation.  When we get back, school will be starting and I am not ready.  I feel like I have a lot on my plate right now and no fork to start eating with.  Or maybe I just can’t figure out what to eat first.  Or maybe I just don’t have enough energy to get the food from the plate to my mouth.  I am tired.  I am worn out.  I am sad. 

Thanks for letting me vent about this.  I just needed to lay it out there.  I can’t talk about it to anyone in person because even just typing it tears were streaming down my face.  I would not be able to get the words out.  So, thanks for letting me share.