Game Day

Ft Worth bound.

The BEST Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes. EVER.

I've made Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting three times in the last two months, they make my belly happy. These are the most moist cupcakes I've ever had, here's what's in them:

I dump all my ingredients into my mixer & let it do all the work.

I fill 24 cupcake liners about 2/3 full.

& bake

Prepare frosting as you are cooling cupcakes. Once completely cooled, frost those little babies & enjoy immediately! 

Store in the fridge, they make an excellent breakfast...or snack...or dessert.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

1 pkg. butter golden cake mix(or yellow cake, butter is better!)
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla
BEAT all ingredents with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Spoon batter into 24 paper lined cupcake cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
BAKE in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Frost cooled cupcakes.
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
BEAT 1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened, 1/4 cup butter, softened, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spiceuntil light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 16 oz(1 box) confectioner's sugar until smooth. 

Paint Stick Lamp Shade

Months ago I royally screwed up a lampshade thinking I would be able to recover it in burlap. WRONG! I had removed the support system and was left with nothing but two metal hoops & no backup plan. So I searched high & low on Pinterest & found a hanging shade covered in paint stir sticks.  http://pinterest.com/pin/259590365990946016/
Here's my version:
Snag as many stir sticks as the paint department will give you, this took several trips. Make sure the glue gun is locked & loaded-this project used alot of glue.

Then figure out where to place the hoops. Use your glue gun to apply glue to both ends of the stick at the same time. Hold hoops in place while applying pressure with two hands & your forehead as necessary. You will look like an idiot & hope that the UPS guy doesn't show up & look through the front door. I stretched rubber bands for extra reinforcement during drying time & cut them off later.

After about an hour & a half of repeating this process I ended up with a pretty cute shade, which matches the light wood in the room or could be painted or stained.

Good Luck!

L.A.V.H

Last night, after burrito's & pedicures, a few tears & giggles, we walked through the Target parking lot & she grabbed my hand. "We have to do this more often, we both need this", she said. She is one of the best girls I'll ever know. She is my friend.

(Summer 2000)