January Photo Challenge

One of my New Year's Resoloutions was to live more intentionally in all realms of my life - relationships, finances, faith, art, work, etc. I thought doing a photo challenge might hold me accountable and be fun along the way. And I was right. It has been fun AND challenging. When I look back at the photos, I can remember that day clearly. January was a actually a pretty fun month, and that's saying a lot coming from me who typically loathes January. But the photo challenge has helped me to enjoy and appreciate the little things in life more, look for excitement and creativity in all things, and realize how incredibly blessed I am.

Good bye January 2012. It was nice to meet you.

And now, I'm excited to discover the challenges that February will bring!

What's not to love?

The Hubs and I love to embrace our roots, specifically our Irish roots. Even non-Irish folk love to say there Irish especially on St. Patty's Day. But, we took it to the extent of visiting the motherland, and getting engaged on the Cliffs of Moher. You might remember this little beauty.

Yea, that really happened, and it was awesome.

Our love for Ireland brings me to my Hubs' birthday cake, which I created thanks to the help of Smitten Kitchen. The recipe is originally for cupcakes, but I tweaked here it and there to make the Hubs the the most awesomely delicious birthday cake EVA!

The cupcakes are awesome too, but the ganache melts into the cake and it is truly to die for.

Guinness Chocolate Cake with Jameson Whiskey Ganache and Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

 So I made everything the same. Yup, didn't change a thing when it came to the ingredients. It was perfect exactly the way it is. But I did change the way I cooked the cake.

I greased 2 cake pans (cake pans for 2-layer cakes - don't know the exact size) and evenly poured the batter into the cake pans. Then, I cooked the cakes for 40 minutes. Next, I spread the ganache in between layers after letting the cakes cool for 30 minutes. Once the ganache was on the bottom layer, I added the top layer and started spreading on the icing. We immediately cut the cake, ate a piece or four and passed out on the couch. It was the best sweetest thing I've ever eaten. 

So go make it. Like now. You won't regret it. And you're welcome.

Hello Monday!

With my first cup of coffee in hand and first gulp of the sweet caffeine {aaah}, I look back at the weekend and think of how incredibly blessed I am. What a great, fall weekend!

{Pioneer Woman}

Saturday started off with homemade cinnamon rolls that were TO. DIE. FOR! I did a little bit more cooking than I had hoped...what I thought was "8 servings" as the recipe said, was actually "8 batches" of cinnamon rolls. I have about 56 cinnamon rolls in my kitchen. I made the Hubs share some with his dad, so FIL, if you don't get cinnamon rolls, the Hubs is hoarding them. They are, and I quote "the best cinnamon rolls [he's] ever had!" Yea, I'm that good...actually the recipe is that good. Pioneer Woman is a master chef when it comes to cinnamon rolls. YUM!

I also spent Saturday catching up on some projects that I've been putting off. I finally sanded and glazed my bench and touched up our DIY chalkboard that was flaking paint. Works like a charm, now, and the Hubs added his one item he's been begging to add since I first started working on the chalkboard - ground red pepper. Do they even sell that at grocery stores? I have yet to find it at Hy-Vee!

By the Hubs - Check out the green fangs!!! Seriously!!!

By the Hubs

By the Hubs

By the Hubs - Can you see his green fangs!?

Saturday also involved a visit from a new friend. We named him Fang. And no, we didn't kill him. He is too cute and very helpful. He kills all the bad bugs in the house :) haha. And of course, the Hubs had to bust out his camera and take photos.

On Sunday, I got to volunteer for our Church's Fall Festival. I signed up to Face Paint, and got a little bit more paint on myself than on the kiddos :) I love my curly mustache and Harry Potter scar!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend, too! Now let's tackle the week!

A glimpse of the Northwest Pacific

Here are some of the Hubs awesome photographs from our adventures in Seattle, WA, and British Columbia, Canada!

The hubs and I relaxing on the dock in Bainbridge Island, WA.

Dock at night in Orcas Island, WA.

Catching a salmon in Seattle's famous Pike Place Public Market.

Missed our ferry out of Canada so chartered a plane back to the states! aagh!

Beautiful poppy in British Columbia, Canada.

View of Seattle's harbor from a ferry boat ride.

Seattle's skyline at night.

Vancouver is freakin' awesome!

Sorry for the boobs and vajayjay, but had to show the creepy mural that was in our room at the Seattle Hostel.

Whale watching at the Orcas Islands.

Cute little otter that held his mate's hand while floating :)

It's Good Friday, Good Friday!

Mary and Jesus in the Cathedral of Salamanca, Spain. Photo taken by the Hubs.

““He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”” ~ 1 Peter 2:24

 Just want to give a shout out to my Lord and Savior! Thanks Jesus!