The Great Thaw

It's about time we get some above-freezing temps!  Lets hope for some most of these 15 inches to go bye-bye!  I am SO ready for warmer weather.  I think what annoys me the most is the nasty slush and the residue the salt leaves on everything.  I know that with melting snow comes lots and lots of mud, but I don't really care at this point.  I am SICK of the snow.

We got a new dryer.  If we are friends on Facebook, you may remember my status update a few weeks ago, complaining that my dryer was dead.  After a few weeks of doing laundry at Mike's parents' house, we finally got our new dryer!  It's nothing fancy but let me tell you, it is QUIET.  I love it.  When the delivery guys were hauling away the old, dead dryer, a little chipmunk fell out of the bottom.  Apparently the dryer wasn't the only dead thing in our basement... I know, disgusting.  I'm actually still kind of grossed out about it.

I've found my flavor of the month.  It is definitely CINNAMON!  I love that sweet little spice :o)  Folgers has a cinnamon swirl coffee that is A-MAZING.

Also, I have been itching to bake an apple pie.  I don't know why this need is taking over every thought I have.  Whenever I log onto the Internet, I immediately start googling best ever apple pie recipe.  I have never made a real fruit pie from scratch.  Anyone have a great recipe to share?  I think I'm going to make one for the babysitter for Valentine's Day.

I live in Fort Wayne.  Have you heard the buzz that Fort Wayne is getting?  Even Jimmy Kimmel had a high horse moment on the topic.  Here, see it for yourself:

Yeah, people are voting to rename Renaissance Square the Harry Baals Government Center.  I think this is completely ridiculous.  I don't care that he was the mayor.  The only reason this was suggested is because it is Harry Baals.  The only reason people are voting for it is to see if, when it wins, they actually name the building that.  Dumb.  Go here and vote on anything BUT the Harry Baals Government Center.

Have a great weekend!

Flavor of the Month

Food

I have been obsessed with all things peanut butter lately.  I eat a PB granola bar for breakfast every morning. I HAD to have a PB cup blizzard last night. Jaden and I made PB cookies this week.  Peanut butter is currently my heaven on earth!

Music

I love this song!  I seem to have a thing for songs that are remakes of old favorites :o)

TV

I know, I know... I can't help it!  This show is like crack to me... bad for me but SO addictive!

What I'm Wearing

Earrings: Forever 21, Both Shirts: Old Navy, Jeans: Maurices, Shoes: TOMS

I'm loving gray and yellow... just about as much as that peanut butter!

Movie

Watching this TONIGHT!! :o)

Flavor of the Month: Peppermint

So, October brought my pumpkin obsession (by the way, I did try Edy's pumpkin ice cream finally and LOVED it!  Even better with chocolate syrup on it!), followed by November's cranberries.  The frosty weather led me into Starbucks the other day.  Instead of my usual grande non-fat, no whip mocha, I ordered a peppermint mocha.  Oh.my.gosh.  BEST drink on earth.

Did you know?

The signature red-and-white stripes of the peppermint candy cane did not become traditional until the 20th century, but nobody is quite sure who first thought of the design.

I also saw that not only does Edy's have a peppermint ice cream, but Starbucks froze my piece of heaven on earth and made a peppermint mocha ICE CREAM! 

I think I'm in big trouble... February's flavor of the month may have to be Slim-Fast!

Cranberry Muffins

Remember my pumpkin obsession in October?  I never did get to try Edy's Pumpkin Pie ice cream, but I did try a pumpkin Hershey's Kiss!  I think I've moved on from pumpkin... I am LOVING cranberries!  Obviously I've downed my fair share of Diet Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash, but after hearing that our babysitter was in the hospital for kidney problems, I decided that she needed some cranberry muffins... and so did I :o)  Now, I kind of pride myself on my muffins.  I'm pretty much an expert when it comes to muffin making and these, my friends, turned out to be the BEST tasting muffins I have not only baked myself, but have ever eaten!  Seriously, I'm that good :o)

Prep Time: 15-25 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Ready In: 35-50 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredient List:
½ cup butter or margarine, softened (I used margarine and softened it to a creamy texture; slightly melted)
1 cup sugar; 2 tablespoons sugar (for topping)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (for topping)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries; 12 whole cranberries (for topping)

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
Fold in sour cream.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt; stir into the ceramed mixture until just moistened.
Fold in chopped cranberries.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two thirds full.
Place a whole cranberry on top of eack muffin, pressing slightly into the dough.
Combine sugar and nutmeg topping ingredients; sprinkle over muffins.
Bake at 400º F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done.
Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove to wire rack.

I've already donated my skinny jeans to Goodwill because I KNOW I will be sporting my very own muffin top after baking these tasties for parties this holiday season!  For now, I'll be sharing them with these party girls.  Only kidding about the jeans ;o)

Randomness right now....

I love fall.  I love everything about fall!  I love the clothes, the colors, the leaves falling, apple cider, the falling temperatures, EVERYTHING!  One thing I am SO in love (like All-4-One style) this fall is PUMPKIN!  It is my mission in life... or at least this fall... to eat/drink all things pumpkin!  So far, I've enjoyed a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks (more than once!), a pumpkin pie blizzard from DQ, and this morning I devoured a pumpkin filled muffin from Starbucks!  I am also itching to get over to IHOP for some pumpkin pancakes.  What am I missing out on?  What are your favorite pumpkin treats?


Two songs make me turn my radio up and sing my little heart out...
Eminem and Rihanna's Love the Way You Lie

p.s. That is the color that my hair was before I toned it down... yikes!

and Bruno Mars's Just The Way You Are

SO good :o)

Today is going to be a great day.  First, I get off of work early to go to the dentist.  It may seem strange to be excited about this, but just wait!  I have a super cool post coming up about this!  Then, I am having a massage.  Mike got me a gift certificate for Mother's Day and I'm just now getting to use it!  It will be so relaxing!  Then tonight, I am going to Abby's to watch Grey's and Private Practice with her and Kalie.

Get this!  This is so lame.  Yesterday, I was at my desk when a co-worker came in and told me a reporter from the newspaper was here because we were given zippers.  Apparently someone called our warehouse and asked if we could use some zippers.  That someone was Vera Bradley and those zippers were in the amount of two pallets stacked six feet high each.  I still don't quite understand the donation... Most likely VB wanted to get rid of their junk zippers so they thought that if they donated them, not only would they get a tax write-off but also get their name printed once again.  Jackpot!  Anyway, you can read the rest of the story here.

Last but not least, you all should head over to Amanda's blog and wish her congrats!  She gave birth to Miss Rosalie Pearl last Friday!  Dad, Mom, and baby are all doing great!  Congrats Michael & Amanda!!

Happy Thursday, everyone!