1/27/16

Peanut Bundt-er Buckeye Cake

So, there I was! Right smack in the middle of an ordinary Wednesday, about to run a few errands on my lunch hour, when I get a text from my homegirl {KK}... "Happy National Chocolate Cake Day!"

Lawd, this girl gets me.

I responded with the fact that I luv her because our friendship is based on a firm foundation of reality tv...chit chats...and CHOCOLATE CAKE! {#TrifectaYo}

Her mid-day message reminded me of a little number I like to call...{Peanut Bundt-er Buckeye Cake}. Want to make it? Please do! It's hella good. And, hella sinful. CoCo always told me to break the rules sometimes, so go 'head darlins. Chow down in your most sparkliest of crowns. 




And, don't you give one hot damn about how many calories this is.
Don't you dare!



{Step 1}: Mix it, Mamas!

Take your fave chocolate cake mix and pour the dry mix into a bowl. A 1 pkg. dry chocolate pudding mix, 1c sour cream, 1c veg oil, 4 eggs and 1/2c warm water. Mix it thoroughly in a stand mixer. 

{Step 2}: Fold it, Fellas!

When mixed, fold in 2c chocolate chips and a swirl of Hershsey's chocolate syrup.

{Step 3}: Bake it, Beauties!

Place the mixture into a greased {NOT FLOURED!} Bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, then turn your oven down to 330 and back for another 35. Test and see if you need another 5 more minutes. It's up to you, depending on how you like your cake. Let your cake cool a bit, put a dish over the top and flip it out onto your cake stand.

{Step 4}: Top it, Tootsies!

For peanut butter glaze, combine 1.5c powdered sugar, 1/4c milk, 1/4c smooth peanut butter and 1/2t vanilla. Melt it a little bit and add it to a squeeze bottle. Start drizzling from the inside out. Don't worry if the outside base looks sloppy. 

{Step 5}: Ganache it, Gorge!

When your peanut butter drizzle is all set, start making a chocolate ganache. Whisk 3t cocoa, 2T melted butter, 1c powdered sugar and 2T hot water. Make sure ALL the sugar bumps are gone before adding this to a squeeze bottle. When you're ready to rock 'n roll, start drizzling the ganache from the inside to the outside edge. Again, don't worry about the bottom lookin' cranky.

{Step 6}: Add chips, Chica!

If your OCD is buggin' out because the bottom outside edges are lookin' kinda rough, grab some mini chocolate chip morsels and line the entire cake's border. No one will spot the sloppy drizzle and it'll add a little crunch to each slice eventually!

Wondering about the "Buckeye" part of the name? Welp. As an honorary Ohioan, this is an ode to THE Undisputed Champs of 2015. This cake and that team are both the stuff of Urban legends, ya know?


Oh....one more thing, you little dears! Many thanks to those who have clicked on the following pic! You may have seen this graphic in previous posts, and if your kind heart pushed you to press, you've made me feel very blessed. I'm honored to be listed on this super site alongside some big time beautiful bloggers {especially in the Multiples category}. I truly appreciate your stellar support!


Thanks and love if you click above!









1/17/16

Babblings, Big Girls and Bottle Drying Racks

{2016.}

I'm crushin' on you so far, sweetcheeks!

I've been telling friends and fam that I'm welcoming this year with a wide-eyed, chillaxin' and relaxin' view. I'm kicking back, goin' with the flow and not taking things too seriously {not that I ever have, lol}.

It has been so freeing!





Basically, I found myself on the XS end of a clearance rack in the Target Girls section before Christmas...and I felt a little breathless for a second. So, I gave myself a little pep talk about time. Where did my teeny tiny twosome go?!

I typically shop a few sizes ahead to be ready to rock 'n roll when growth spurts take center stage...but WHAT THE FEEZIE?!!!! I gasped when I looked down at my now shaky arm -  covered with lovely soft pink leather jackets, non-footie pajammies, flowy skirts with NO attached bloomers and athletic gear. Yep. "Performance" zip-ups, for God's sake! Champion. {Stahhhhp.}


I said stahp.


I suddenly wanted to sprint right the H back over to the Circo romper display. Gimme back dem bonnets! {Pretty please.} I want onesies! {Now.} Look me in the eye, you 3-pack 'o bibs!!!! {Don't be shy, honey.}



Oh, Carter's 3-pack. You're so fresh 'n fly.

How in the crap did we get here already?

My current Twinkles then flashed in front of my eyes, and I saw how elementary-aged dimples have taken the place of wittle baby chipmunk cheeks. Barbie has given Barney the boot. Gerber puffs were Bye Felicia'd by Rold Golds many Fridays ago. Elmo has turned in to just a mere googly-eyed acquaintance. Jars of sweet potatoes have been replaced with curly fries and nuggs.

Yada, yada, yada...
So bittersweet.

It's wonderfully exciting to see these little butterflies spread their wings, but on a daily basis, I can't help but miss cuddling them in their smooshy wooshy swaddled cocoons. So, yep. Semi-new outlook for your 'ol pal over here. Born right smack in the middle of a Jr. Mossimo display.





I've always lived religiously by the "live in the moment" Mommy mentality... {spontaneous dance parties, Taylor Swift sing-a-longs before school, bracelet making before bed time, etc.}...so it's time to do even MORE of it...but at an even slower pace. No more rushing around. No more over-scheduling. No more keeping up with the Kardashians. {That last one is just a metaphor. I have E! network on loop, yo.}

Just good 'ol fashioned marchin' to the beats of our own drums. It's gonna be a Sweet '16!






{Product review time}

Glimpses of our twinfants are still bouncing around the house to keep our hearts a flutter.  Here's one of our faves...The Boon Grass Countertop Bottle Drying Rack.



We once used these beauties to keep track of alllll the itty bitty baby bottle stuff. {Caps, rings, bases, etc.} They came in SO handy that we couldn't bear to part with them after our chicas said sayonara to Similac.

The gist? Here it is. A bunch of sturdy plastic points allow you to keep an eye on strangely-sized kitchen accessories as they dry - you know the kind -  the doodads that don't fit quite right in the dry side of the sink. They prevent garbage disposal whoopsies with the quickness!

{I just said doodads. Told ya I'm a vintage soul, ya whippernsappers.}


#Doodads


These drying racks are sold in small and large sizes. We have 2 small versions stacked side by side, but the large is a boss. If one of these bad boys ever bust, I'm totes getting big poppa. They'll cost you around $14 for a small and $20 for a large.




Doodads on point.



Tarzhay hooked us up with these beauts, but you can def find them elsewhere...with even cooler attachments...like little stems and twigs and flowers and such. So, get shoppin' sweeties.

Big thanks for letting me jump on my soap box today. Do you have any baby items you've upcycled at your casa? Tell me about 'em!


Thanks and love...if you click above!



P.S...Oh, yes! I'd love some cheese with my whine today.
{Havarti please.}



1/10/16

Black Velvet If You Please

Happy New Year!!!!!!

I'm back at rambling blogging, so I hope you'll stay with!

Whatcha been up to? You ready to take Sixteen by storm? Good! Buckle up, because I have a honey of a hurricane to tell you about. {Velvet Hangers.}





I can't. Even. Deal!

We can all relate to the following nightmare-ish photos, but I want to share with you how to kick these Felicia-style scenarios to the curb. These images are not safe for the faint at OCD heart.



The Circle of Life. Where one begins...one ends?




Girl fight. 




Excuse me gorgeous, can I cut in? 




Red for the win.



Man down.



It's like they're gossiping about the one to the far left.




Umm.


Over the holidays, I kept hearing about "Joy" - the movie based on the HSN powerhouse, Joy Mangano, and I remembered she is the brains behind the almighty {Huggable Hangers}. This lightbulb moment coincided with my organizational plans for 2016. Zhooshing up my closet had been sitting pretty at the tippy top of my list.

Now, I love the nice workout I get each time I try to unhook hangers from fist fights each morning. But, while the bicep lovin' is mucho appreciated, it's sooooo yawn-worthy. Terrible time-waster! The concept behind these Huggable Hangers seemed to be a total knockout, and I wanted it right on my side of the ring.

{A few facts}...

  • They're slim.
  • They're lightweight.
  • The hooks can swivel.
  • Velvet coating provides a non-slip grip.
  • Clothes will hang level for easier  selection.
  • The shape forms to your garments.
  • It's designed to also hang pants. 


Sign me right up, Joy!!!! I checked out a few YouTube reviews for her name brandies, and then naturally high-tailed it to Google to see if I could find a deallio on them.

I did! But...I wanted to save even more moolah. So, I checked out some comparables. While a set of leopard-printed gems made me weak in the knees, and Miz M's hot pinkies looked adorbs...a few sets of black velvet beauties from Better Homes and Gardens are now the newest members of our famiglia.

Here is what they look like. I scored a set of 30 for $12.88 right at my local Wal-Mart. Best price I could find...and for those that know me well, I searched to the ends of the web to provide this research. {There might be even better cheapies out there, but I factored in convenience...a.k.a. impatience!...as well. I didn't want to pay for shipping and the possibility of having to send these back if they didn't strike my fancy.}


Hey there! How's it...hangin?


Real Talk: here's a {before} snapshot of my faves. A little rough around the top edges, eh? Just a buncha Daisy Fuentes prints tryin' to step to a Vera Wang army. {Shudder.}


See you peach floral. Get back in line.

As I started to tidy this tango, I discovered many treats. I looked at each dress and reminisced about an event it was attached to. {Gave me all da feels.} I was able to pitch a few that just aren't my thang anymore. {Gave me plans to donate.} I laughed at some "what was I thinking" prints. {Gave me agita.} And...one of my fave findings...was a new dress! {Gave me some future dinna plans.}


Oh, hey there, sweets. 


As I started to reorganize, the line-up started to look like this. Clean...crisp...cute! Stuff 'o dreams, ya'll. #haha



Two are twisted. They're still just getting to know each other.




Getting better! Time to soon spread out. 


I squished these dresses together just to show you the chunk of space I was able to gain with these goodies. I've since spread these out for easier scanning. {Hmmmmm...who has a Kohls 30% code on hand? hehe}


Geesh. What did that floral robe say?

Final thoughts? Buy 'em. Someday I'll spring for some genuine JMs, but for now, BH&G is totally having a moment ova here. I'm now off to new adventures. Seeking help for my dear dress obsession {#Obdression}...and...


...saying bye to this bunch of Felicias. 



Thanks and love if you click this pic above!