Meet my friend....Ms. Paula Deen....=)

So, one of my many new friends I have met since I've moved to the South has been my new friend, Paula Deen!!! A few months ago (I was about 7 months pregnant in this picture) two of my friends, Carrie and Tonya and I went to a book signing she held at a local book store, She was so, so, so nice and talked my ear off about what I was having, what his name was, when I was due, etc. She couldn't have been more sweet. Anyways, I loved her before meeting her, but I really love her now that I know how truly nice she really is. I am dying to visit her resturant, Lady and Sons, in Savannah, Georgia. Maybe I'll talk Tyler into going there for our anniversary!!!

O.K, on to why I'm posting this.....we are finally getting out and going to a movie and dinner tonight and leaving BOTH kids with Tyler's aunt Silvia and cousin Emily. Yikes! Both kids are a lot of work, so I thought I would butter them up by sending them home with some goodies when they are exhuasted at the end of the day!!! I made good ol' Paula DeensTennesse Jam cupcakes with no-cook carmel frosting. Of course I had to taste a little bit to make sure it was good....and yum yumm!!!!! Here's the recipe if you need to butter someone up!!! Ha ha... Oh and by the way, it is Paula Deen, so don't expect low fat!

Tennessee Jam Cupcakes

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 cup blackberry or rasberry jam

Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray, or use liners. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together with a mixer until fluffy.Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Beat in sour cream. In a seperate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating just until blended. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into prepared pans; top with 1/2 tablespoon of jam, spoon in remaining batter filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Spread no cook caramel frosting over cupcakes.

Caramel Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

In a med. bowl, beat butter and brown sugar at med. speed with a mixer until creamy. Add 2 tbl. milk, and gradually beat in 1 cup confectioners sugar; add remaining 2 tbl. milk, and gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar. Stir in vanilla and salt. Use immediately.

Gymnastics..

Well Californian's you are sure missing out on one of the best things Charlotte has to offer....the YMCA!!!! Ya, I know you have it, but seriously it's nothing like we have here. It has SOOOO much to offer. One of the many things to offer is a super fun gymnastics class for our little Lu Bug. Here's some pics from her class.

My lifegroup =)

So, the main reason I'm not crying everyday for home (California) is because of this amazing group of women. This is my "Lifegroup" through our church, Forest Hill. Basically it's like a small group-Bible Study. Because our church is so huge they strongly encourage everyone to join a lifegroup in order to further your faith in Christ as well as create strong Christian relationships. My group is led by my very first friend here, Carrie Brockway, who is pictured to the right of me. Anyways, we are all stay at home moms with kids all similiar ages. Besides meeting on a weekly basis for bible study, we also get together often for girls nights out and playdates, etc. I just love these women. We all support one another and encourage one another as moms. This is the reason I have become so much stronger in my faith since moving here and this is the reason I am not homesick...(not to say I don't miss every single one of my friends and family back home!!!) The first picture is of the girls and families at our first "cookout" and the next one is my lifegroup.

Thursday Neighborhood Playgroup

I have been sooooo blessed to meet so many amazing women, all whom I can call friends now and all are stay at home moms. With so many stay at home moms as friends there are many playdates to be had!!!! That being said, one of the most amazing groups of moms I have met have been right in our neighborhood! One of my frist friends here, Carrie, brought me into this group back in March. Most of the moms live in our neighborhood except for 3. We meet every Thursday and switch off houses. All of the kids are all around the same age. It's been great! Here's a few from today....they aren't that great, but at least you get the idea of how much fun the kids have!

Sweet Baby Blake...

Oh, has life changed with our new addition....we are all in LOVE with our Blake. Lu especially is in love with him and praise to God that she has not shown one bit of jealousy. I do have to say though that she has grown rather protective of her little brother and does not like it one bit when any of my friends hold him. She either will scream, try to get him out of their hands or just stand very close and watch intently to make sure they aren't hurting him. Can't say it's the best behavior, but you have to admit, it's pretty cute! Anyways, here's some pics of our little man from yesterday...

Dress up Lu...

So here's my first attempt to be a "blogger" I will do my very best to update this on a regular basis. You would not believe how busy we are during the week...seriously, Layla Blake and I go on different outings daily!

So Tuesday was one of the few days we stayed indoors most of the day. The main reason for this was the fact that there was a huge thunderstorm! That is something us "Californians" are not used to yet....yep, it rains year round here and it seems like the thunder storms are even worse in the summer....it's hot still though when it's raining and pouring...pretty cool. The thunder was crazy this day, I was shocked it didn't wake Layla up from her nap. Anyways, to make a long story short I braved going to Target that morning with BOTH kids in the cart to get her a few new toys to play with since I knew we would be stuck inside most of the day. Lu decided she loved the dress up shoes the best. She was hillarious walking around the house and she loved the sound the shoes made on our hardwood floor...