Update and Cake Pops

I have been a little slow at updating the blog, not because I don’t want to but at the end of the day I’m just BEAT and simply want to sit and do nothing.  However, when I do that then I feel like I’m not using the blog for what I created it for……me to just dump my thoughts into.   So let’s see if I can provide some highlights of the last few weeks.

Visit with Chris:  Yup, we got to see Chris at the base last weekend. You may be thinking ‘how awesome’ and yes it was but no it wasn’t…if that makes any sense at all.  Yes, it was great to see him and give him a big hug and kiss but at the same time I couldn’t get too excited because there was always that possibility that his training schedule could change at the drop of a hat and then we wouldn’t be able to see him at all.  Because of that I didn’t let myself get excited and I obviously didn’t tell Kennedy where we were going.  I refuse to get this sweet little girl pumped up to see her Dad if there is even a slight change it won’t work out. 

Thankfully this time it worked out!! 

Kennedy was thrilled to see him and talked his ear off and have him some good hugs and kisses.  Me, I was pretty subdued.  Like I said, I was happy to see him but at the same time I have shut off a certain part of my brain and my heart just so that I can survive and get through this.  What I am experiencing is normal and expected but I just didn’t think it would happen so fast.   Don’t get me wrong, I love Chris with everything I have but for the next year it’s the Mel and Kennedy show and in order for me to be able to function I have to turn off that switch or else I would be a friggin WRECK and turns out that’s not a good look for me.  So…..my little wall is up and I march forward.  Thankfully Chris knows all of this and fully expects it…….I thank my lucky stars for such an understanding individual.  I’m blessed FOSHO!

Keepin’ Busy: We are keeping so busy that I have to remember to slow down!!  I have surrounded our family with the best possible extended family and friends that anyone could ask for.  We are constantly being invited over for play dates, lunches, dinners or just a quick chat and I can’t tell you how much EVERY single invitation means to me.  Each of you keep me going and I can’t thank you enough.  I hope one day that I can repay EVERYONE for everything you have done for me and continue to do.  I truly hope you all know how much I appreciate you.

Projects:  I have like 5 in my head I want to do SO bad but I have to slow my roll!!  I’m STILL working on my office.  Yes, I realize this is taking FOREVER but I have to keep everything in perspective.  I have to slow it down and just do a little at a time because if I don’t I will put too much pressure on myself and I will start to feel overwhelmed and that isn’t the idea or the goal as to why I want to continue with these small projects.  So……I will do my projects slowly and I will enjoy them.

OH, but I did try to make Cake Pops over the weekend.  Um, two words….HOT MESS!   What possessed me to try these?  Oh, well my friend Tawsha tried it about a week before and blogged about it at http://www.mybigdayplanner.blogspot.com/  and as soon as I saw her pictures (not much better than mine) I thought ‘Ok, I GOTAA try this!!’  I wanted to figure out where Tawsha went wrong (she is good at just about EVERYTHING) and figure out how to master this so both of us could make these friggin things with our eyes closed.  Um yeah….we ain’t even close!

The idea came from Bakerella at http://www.bakerella.com/make-your-cupcakes-pop/.  We followed the directions down to the last word.  Everything was going great until it was time to put the balls of amazingness on the sticks.  And…..um….that is when this project went downhill!  I think there were a couple things that contributed to the debacle:

1.       Maybe the balls were too big?  <Stop laughing you 12 year olds!>

2.       Maybe I used too much frosting….but is there really such a thing?

3.       Maybe the balls were cold enough?

4.       Maybe the frosting was too thick?

Clearly there were a few things counting against me but I decided to move forward.  I mean I had come this far why give up…right?

However, up until this point I felt good!!  I thought I had it.  Then…..I put the stick in the ball, dipped it in the frosting and it looked like this:

And 10 seconds later it looked like this:

I tried it a few more times and I got the same result, so I tossed the sticks and just dumped the balls of goodness into the frosting and let the kids decorate them, which they had fun doing =)  BUT I’m still left with NO CAKE POPS!! 

These damn things will not beat me!!  Tawsha and I are on a mission…..WHOS with us?!?!  TEAM CAKE POP!