Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

I'm quick to talk about the bad companies, but let me tell you about a pleasant experience I've recently had.

To make a long story short I ordered some dishes on www.macys.com. When they arrived, one of the dishes was broken. There was a sticker on the box that said "Damaged on Arrival". I had planned on taking them back this weekend and exchanging them.

Today the Fed Ex guy brought me a package from Macy's and it was the same dishes-- undamaged. I hadn't even told them they were broken. I guess they got word from USPS. ?? I dunno, but I thought it was really upstanding that they replaced them without me even asking. It was a super bonus because only 1 out of a 5 piece setting was damaged, so I got to keep the other 4! I will be purchasing more from them in the future! You should too!

It's lunchtime, do you know where your squirrel is?

This is my new little friend. He comes and sits on my back wall everyday at lunch time. I've started throwing pecans out in the yard for him. Him and one of his friends eat them and have a little party. They sound like birds. I think they'd hang around a little longer each day if it wasn't for Dixon. He stares at them through the glass door and growls. I enjoy their company. I'll try to take more pictures later :)

Cinnamon Toast Cupcakes

I found this recipe in my new book Cupcakes by the Cake Mix Doctor. It was good. Derek gave it an 8/10 as well. The comments I got was that the taste of cream cheese was too overwhelming in the frosting. It was a 2:1 ratio with butter, if I make them again I'll use a little less.

















I thought the batter was really pretty :)









































The finished result wasn't that bad itself!

What's a better way to celebrate 30 straight days of working out than with 2 batches of cupcakes?

Mini Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Well I had mostly success making these. If I ever make them again, I will know what to do differently to have complete success. It's like they say, "practice makes perfect". That holds true in the cupcake world as well! Like I mentioned in the previous post, I got this recipe from Food Network Magazine. They had a section on how to turn your favorite candy bars into cupcakes. This one is supposed to be like a Reese Cup. I followed it except for the cake part. I just used a fancied-up cake mix. Too much time and work for basically the same results. Anyway, Derek gave these and 8/10 because they weren't too sweet. He's my official cupcake taster :)


















Mini chocolate cupcakes with the peanut butter "stuff" on top. Yes, this picture was taken in my freezer. That's part of it.

















After dipping in chocolate glaze.

If anybody wants the exact recipe, just let me know. I'm more than happy to give it to you.

On to Cinnamon Toast Cupcakes!

"and a lot of cupcakes"

Well, that's what my title header says and lately I haven't been living up to it.

Tomorrow I bake!

On the menu: Cinnamon Toast Cupcakes and Mini Peanut Butter Cupcakes

It's the first time for both recipes. I can't take credit for either unfortunately. Also, I'm pretty sure it's the first time I've ever baked mini cupcakes! We'll see how that turns out!

HI-DE-OUS

What has this girl done to herself?
Please note the "before" picture isn't before plastic surgery, just before her last plastic surgery.

The headline from People magazine reads: "When reality TV show star Heidi Montag, 23 announced last week that she had undergone 10 plastic surgeries, all in one day, the news was met with some (naturally) raised eyebrows." LOL

And then there was cornstarch.

It helped... after 5 times. We also used Dawn and clarifying shampoo. It's finally looking normal again. FINALLY!

The Post that Requires No Title

I just walked into my bedroom and found this:

















Just like any other day I had put Aubree down for her nap. Her room is really bright, so I put her on our bed to sleep during the day... just like EVERY OTHER DAY. Except when I walked in to check on her an hour later, I found her in the position above. My first thought was "She fell off the bed!" then I looked closer:

































My child had found the Vaseline it appeared.
It was all over her clothes, on the nightstand, all over the carpet, the rocking chair, and....


















Our less than 2 week old comforter :(

If anybody has any secrets for removing Vaseline from hair or fabric let me know!

Some stores...

...are really making me mad!

I am posting this blog as a source of information to those who read. A...warning perhaps.

American Eagle- Derek's Mom bought him some clothes from American Eagle for Christmas. One pair of pants didn't fit right so we took them back with the gift receipt she provided. The cashier said we could only get store credit WITH THE RECEIPT! What? I asked her what we would get if we didn't have the receipt and she said "store credit". So... Why do they offer receipts in the first place?!? They are a company that has proven once they get your money, there's no way your getting it back!

Sears- I ordered my father-in-law's Christmas present online and got expedited shipping so it would be here by Christmas. It was promised to be here by 12/21. Well.... it wasn't. So on 12/21 I called Sears to get my expedited shipping charge ($10.70!) refunded. In the back of my mind I assumed the gift would arrive the next day, but regardless I wasn't paying that extra fee. While talking to the customer service rep she told me the reason the item didn't arrive was because it was out of stock at the warehouse (it said "in stock" on their website) and had to be shipped from another store. I asked if she had a tracking number for the package. She said she didn't. Then I asked when it was shipped. ONLY THEN did she tell me it hadn't been shipped yet. Shady, shady, shady. So I simply asked her to cancel my order. She said she couldn't because it was "processing". Sears never sent me an e-mail or called to tell me about this "issue". Today is 1/5 and it still hasn't arrived!

I remember years ago getting upset at Target for not taking back their store brand items without a receipt. Not even offering store credit!

The thing is... when several stores all sell the item I want to buy I'm not supporting these stores that are not customer friendly and I feel like are out to get me.

I am interested to hear if you have any other stores that have let you down. Please share :)

HAPPY NEW DECADE!

I hope everyone enjoyed bringing in the new year! I stumbled across this poem the other day written by my cousin, Lydia, about my Mamaw. Those of you who knew her will appreciate this and those who did not will get a glimpse of her spirit. The kind we all strive to achieve when we make resolutions to become better people.

Mamaw's Egg Rolls
Blues music fills the house.
Mamaw must be cooking.
I fall back asleep to be awakened by the smell of egg rolls frying.
I walk into the kitchen blinking from the bright light
Where Mamaw smiles and says, "Hi, Honey. Get you an egg roll."
"Okay, Mamaw," I say.
I have to hurry because egg rolls don't last long in Mamaw's house.
I pick up one perfectly browned egg roll.
I hear Papaw whistling through the house.
He stops to dance with me in my pajamas on the way by...egg roll still in hand.
I finish my egg roll and pick up the spoon, wet three sides of egg roll wrapper, carefully lay a
line of meat down the center, and roll it all up.
I try to seal the ends by poking them in with my finger, but they are never as perfect as
Mamaw's.
I hand her my sloppy egg roll to fry, apologizing for its condition.
Mamaw pats my back and says, "You do a better job than I do, sweetie."
"No I don't, Mamaw," but she insists that I roll the rest anyway.