Cupcake minions

My youngest child turned 5 years old on Thursday!! Hard to believe that much time has passed since I first held him in my arms. He asked for minions...so I obliged. I made mini "Minion" cupcakes.
I don't ever post directions to things I make. So please bear with me as I attempt to blog about my food.

I used a Betty Crocker yellow cake mix, home made chocolate frosting, Wilton's decorating icing, white smarties, and Hostess twinkies.

Chocolate frosting:

 3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup of unsalted butter; softened (this is purely my taste)
2/3 cup Hershey cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Blend butter and cocoa on medium speed until well blended. Add milk and vanilla blend until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar (I add about 1/4 cup at a time). If frosting is to thick, add a little more milk. If frosting is not thick enough add more powdered sugar until desired consistency.

Since these cupcakes were for my son's kindergarten class I used a Wilton mini cupcake pan. I made regular size cupcakes for home. I will show both.









Bake cupcakes and let cool.

While cupcakes are baking, sort your smarties. I ate so many smarties I got a tummy ache. Just don't eat the white ones. You want those for the eyes.














For your regular size cupcakes, half of a Twinkie will be perfect. For the mini cupcakes I used about 1/3 of the cupcake.

I used a dot of gel to hold the smarties in place on the twinkie (you can use frosting too). The gel is also used for the goggles.
















Putting on the eyes. You can do two eyes or just one eye! I did both.

Twinkie cut in half for the larger cupcakes.

 Showing the size difference.

Faces in different stages of "dress!"

I frosted the cupcake with a Wilton star tip #21.

The Mr. facebooking. (isn't he handsome??)

These were so fun to make!!!

I keep saying when we get back to our normal schedule, when things go back to the way they are supposed to be...
However, I don't think I even know what normal is anymore. At one point in my life normal was an ever changing shift and dealing with inmates. Then it was diapers, bottles and early morning feedings. Now I am starting to realize that normal is the consistent change that goes on in life.
Adapt and overcome, that's what we do right?? Well now it is time to adapt and overcome the process of learning to live together again. The honeymoon period can only last so long. Then every one really needs their own space.
I am so happy that my sister spent the majority of the summer with us. I am equally happy that she is now home with my mom. It makes my heart so much lighter and happier that he is home and he is safe and uninjured and seemingly unaffected by this last deployment. I am very glad that he has gone back to work. Well kind of, he leaves in the morning and is home by lunch. It's great, no really it is...OK OK I am being sarcastic. It's great to have him home, I wouldn't change it for the world. But learning to live together is a hurdle I don't think we think about at all, until it is in front of us.
Needs and schedules are so different when your partner is in front of you, instead of half a world away. You forget what it is like to run a decision by them before acting. You have to rethink plans and consider the wants and needs of someone besides yourself. Being a control freak, I find this is one of the hardest things. I just assume that what I am doing he will be on board with. But we are learning. One step at a time. Open communication and not being afraid to say "eh I don't really want to do that or go there." Not to mention the power of compromise.

Who are all these people...

in my house?
Yes, it is a good thing that there seems to be a person in every corner of my house. My husband has returned home, safe and unharmed!!! I am ever so thankful for that. The kids are out of school for the summer and my youngest sister has moved in for the summer and life couldn't be any better.
I am a very happy girl. In an attempt to give everyone some space the kids have been signed up for various summer activities. Swimming and baseball start out the season. The girls are the Boston Red Sox and the man child is a Colorado Rocky. Much to the husband's dismay! I am excited. I hope all three have as much fun playing baseball as they did playing soccer!!!
Not sure what else the summer has in store for us, other than lots of down time and just getting used to each other again. I am looking forward to it!!
We are in limbo as far as what the Army is going to do with him...Not sure if I want to get excited for the adventure of PCSing with 3 small children, two dogs and a cat. Or if I want to hide in a closet at just the thought of PCSing with that menagerie...

Do you ever get used to it...

Used to what? The alone time? The quiet time? No. There is nothing that can replace the sound of his breathing at night, the smile at the end of the day, or the laughter from the living room after a long day.
The being apart never gets any easier.
Lessons are learned and new coping skills are found. Days are filled with the kids and all they have going on. Meals are consumed out of necessity and they are often cold or interrupted frequently by the children's needs. Lots of growing up occurs during these periods of separation, or at least it should. You don't ever learn how to live "without" him, you learn to savor the time with him. I've learned that time is the only thing that matters, not missed birthdays and holidays. The time we get together should be considered the greatest gift of all. It should be like that for anything in life. We often take "time" for granted. We assume that things will always be the same, that nothing changes and that those that are important to us will always be there. In reality that is not the case. Life moves on, children grow, parents age and the time we should be spending with those we love passes.
Time marches on, first it is counted in months, then in weeks and days, then finally by hours. Even though it is still in the weeks stage, it is the downhill slope. It feels like the end is so far off.
The emptiness won't be filled until he is in his house, with his wife, his children and his dogs. The side of the bed, where he sleeps, will be cold until he fills it. The quiet moments will be filled with the sound of his breathing as he sleeps. There will be no more alone time, it will be filled with the happiness of being together   again.
I miss him...

Who's opinion really matters?

So I follow a few support pages **gasp** shocking I know! There are good laughs and there is helpful information. Sometimes, there is just ignorance. Maybe on both sides. Not ashamed to admit, that yes, I am judgmental. It is in fact one of my flaws. However, I can back up my opinion.
The topic was "Should Military Wives Really Speak on other Soldiers weight Issues?"
In all reality, who cares what anyone talks about? If I am talking about someone that I saw on the street, in my home or in my car it is MY business.
The comments that followed were enlightening to say the least.


ADRIENNE: You can talk about whatever you want, in the privacy of your own home. Outside of that, they really have no grounds. Everyone talks about everyone else, it is human nature. If someone asks for tips or advice on a public forum, can't really get upset when someone says something you don't agree with.
I have made rude comments and I will back up my comments if I have to. Especially when the "big person" is mad because I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with the works and they have to eat a salad because they are on a diet. I watch what I eat and I am physically active.
You can't tell me that you have walked by a group of fat people gorging themselves at the local buffet and not one judgmental comment passed through your mind. After that I am sure most would ether text a comment or the incident would get brought up in a conversation.

POSTED BY ANOTHER FOLLOWER: No I don't think that when I walk past heavier people, I have a lot of over weight friends and its their choice how they live their lives. I'm not perfect and I know that. When my friends and family come to me because they want to change I only support and encourage. My husbands unit is none of my business at one point and time it was because we were in the same unit but once it was no longer something that affected me as a Soldier. People don't have to be hateful all the time, and worrying about something that isn't effecting like another Soldiers weight is none of your business.

POSTED BY ANOTHER FOLLOWER: Wow! Gorging themselves?? Dam Adrienne sounds like someone needs a life lesson in judging! I have worked my ass off to loose 80 lbs! Alot of my weight gain was between having 4 kids, and my husband deploying every other year, not to mention that I have always struggled with my weight, what kills me is people like you! Before I got prego with this child I use to kick ass in my aerobics class as the BIGGER person and was always getting dirty looks by people like YOU! So what you can eat a cheeseburger and not gain weight, you ever stop to think that maybe just maybe that is their cheat day? I know when I was losing weight I would always have a cheat a day, its the best way to not binge and get off track! Of course you eat healthy EVERYDAY, (which Im sorry but I do not believe, alot of my skinnier friends have been blessed with a high metabolism and have even told me that) They give me credit for tryin but not one say shit to me if I go out to eat, I deserve it! Get off your high horse and quit judging people, you dont know their life struggles nor one thing about them!

ADRIENNE: I don't consider a person eating 4 cheeseburgers in one meal as having a "cheat" day. There are heavier people and there are obese people. Hate to break it to you but there is a difference. For those that think the weight of others doesn't affect you, watch the cost of health care continue to rise. Watch as the government continues to tax high fat foods. Obesity is a problem for this country. Carrying an extra 10 lbs because you just had a baby is understandable. Weighing 240 and being 5'4" is not. Call me what you want. I gave my opinion and it won't change because someone might get their feelings hurt by what I have to say.

FOLLOWER #2: It cost more money to eat healthy than it does to eat fat foods! And its not about hurting peoples feelings, you have your opinion, however to put a number like 240 on a 5'4 person is not undertandable, Im 5'2 and my highest weight was 280! Other than my weight at that time I was healthy, even my doc said so! Of course the reason I lost my my weight was because I wanted to prevent myself from getting any type of health issues! And you can say what you like about obesity, unless you have lived it you will never fully understand, its easy for someone to sit outside a situation and judge! And if you really want to get onto health care how about we take all the freebies like medcaid away from people who dont need it, or abuse the system, its not all due to Obesity! How about cancer? How about people who smoke? How about alchool! Everything makes health care go up!




There are a few issues I have with this followers comments, besides the glaring grammatical errors. First of all 5'2" and 280 lbs is obese NOT "healthy." Whatever "Dr." told her that is a quack. At that height and weight BMI would be 51.2, which equals obesity.
When I started my diet and workout plan I weighed 160 lbs. I cried when I saw those numbers on the scale. It scared me. Not because I don't want to be fat, I don't want to be obese. I don't want to ever get to the point where I make excuses for my weight. According to the BMI calculator 5'7" and 160 lbs is over-weight. I had a reading of 25.1 which is on the edge of "over weight." Having a Hispanic background and knowing what some of my aunts look like, 160 lbs was a reality check!!!

As for the video that accompanied this topic of conversation...Comparing your ability to be a good mother and being over weight to a Soldier being over weight and doing his job is comparing apples and oranges.

Being over weight or obese does effect your ability to be a "good" parent. You do not make good food choices, your children are not taught what foods are good for their bodies. They are not taught how to delay gratification. Nor are they shown that moderation is the key. How can you set the example for healthy living if you, as a parent, do not make healthy choices?
An over weight Soldier, can be considered a liability. Their cardio output is affected. Their ability to move on the battle field can be affected. The myriad of health issues that accompany over weight Soldiers can also be considered a liability. There are standards for a reason. Especially when lives are on the line. How far can the average Soldier carry or drag an over weight Soldier, including their gear and the other Soldier's gear? Some might get him pretty far, but at what expense? What about the one that can't carry or drag them to safety?

No, you don't have to eat the whole wheat, fiber filled meal everyday all of the time. However, when I see someone consuming the equivalent of a weeks worth of calories, in one sitting, I pass judgement. No one needs that many calories in a day.
With the workout plan that I am on, I require between 2000 and 2300 calories a day. Obviously it depends on what my activity level is on any given day. Making better food choices, leaner meats, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies and drinking more water than a fish lives in have all contributed to my weight loss of 15 lbs.
Yes it has been difficult and there are days when I want to go buy a box of chocolate eclairs and say to hell with it! But the healthy woman in the mirror kicks the fat one in the shins!!! It is all about self control and putting needs over wants.

add to the bucket list

The incline...enough said. That is my summer goal. I am going to hike the incline. I have two others that are saying they will do it with me. One being the dear husband, the other a good friend. The husband says I am trying to kill him. LOL 

They say if you are an experienced hiker it should only take you 45 mins to get it done. I am sure it will take me much longer than that! But here is to hoping for under 2 hours. 

oh look who can't concentrate....

I should be reading for my classes. Instead I am playing on the internet hoping the Mr gets online before 2300. So I figured we would talk about me! Around Halloween I really started having a hard time sleeping. I either couldn't fall asleep or I couldn't stay asleep. I was absolutely exhausted. So I made an appointment to have a physical. I got on the scale and it said, in bright red letters, 160! WHAT?!?! Who let the fat girl get on the scale?? No really, who?? I hadn't weighed that much since I was a Private stationed in Korea, throwing back Miller Genuine Draft like it was my job!!! WOW!
That is when I decided that I needed to get back in the gym. I put my Y membership to good use. I started slow, one day a week cardio and one day a week for push ups and sit ups. After about a month I increased it to 2 days for cardio one day for push ups and sit ups. When the husband was home for R&R I took it a little easier. When his leave was over, I decided to try the "girl" workout classes. By girl, I mean the step aerobics and cardio boot camp! Well, I was in for a surprise...
Those "girl" classes kick my butt six ways from Sunday!! and they WORK!!! I have lost 15 lbs. and about 3-4 inches. I can see the difference in some aspects. My muscles are bigger and I can run again!!! At 160 lbs I was by no means large, but I was uncomfortable. I was not happy with the image I saw in the mirror. At 150 I couldn't keep up with the kids either. The benefits of being in the gym 3 days a week for 2 hours are exponential; I am sleeping without medication, I am making better food choices, I don't CRAVE the caffeine and I feel amazing!!! Not to mention that I am starting to get the nice toned muscles that I had pre children, back!!!
In an attempt to have those rocking six pack abs that I really want, I am really watching what I eat. I downloaded an app called "lose it," I know it is not 100% accurate but it makes you really consider the food that you put on your plate. I never thought I would drink as much water as I do. I fill my 32 oz bottle at least 3 times a day! Which means I have very little room for sodas. I love Dr Pepper and Mt Dew, but I would rather eat a steak and a baked potato than drink my calories. So water is my choice of beverage.
When I started this workout regime, I didn't really have any goals, other than to keep up with the kids. Now that I see what I can accomplish, I have set some goals...
to run 6 miles non stop
to run a 7 min mile (again)
to have muscle tone and definition
to lose at least 3 more inches!
to jump on the trampoline without a cause and effect, effect! LOL

Until next time.......
While not lofty goals, I know that it will take hard work and lots of sweat to achieve them.

This is what it comes down to....

16 Afghans dead at the hands of an American Soldier...Who do we blame? Do we cast the blame solely on the Soldier? Or maybe on the circumstances? Do we even have a clear view on what the circumstances were? Troubles at home? Troubles within the unit? Who knows!
What I do know is that the mental health of United States service members should be at the top of every one's list of concerns. There is so much information about mental health, yet no one is really doing anything about it. Check the block actions are not going to cut it. These men and women are coming home to the everyday stresses of life. They are coming home to husbands and wives that have discovered an independence. They are coming home to children that barely know them. Yet, the block gets checked. Soldiers deploy over and over. Back to back tours. Still the block gets checked. There is no real counseling, there is no real mental health check up.
It is not hard to see how a Soldier can completely get lost in a place like Afghanistan. There is no telling what kind of "outside" of the job stressors were in his life. Personally I am not surprised that something like this hasn't happened sooner.
Nothing will change. The Soldiers will return home, the block will be checked and mental issues will be left untreated. Family and friends will have to watch as a Soldier deteriorates or creates more problems for themselves and their families.
Why is the divorce rate so high? Can't imagine...19 years old marrying the first thing that pays them any sort of attention. Allowed to do it, because no one wants to sit a 19 year old kid down and tell them that they might be making a bad decision. Soldiers in financial straights...well I can't imagine that either! Let's throw all kinds of money at these kids and they will know what to do with it.
How about we solve the problems before they can happen? Let's require that service members attend group counseling sessions. No rank, no uniforms, just a group of men and women that have been through the same type of things. Let's require family counseling. It isn't easy raising a family when one parent is consistently gone. Instead of throwing money at Soldiers, let's teach Soldiers and their families how to manage their money better. Require that Soldiers attend a financial management class with every pcs.
A class that actually teaches, not a check the block. Checking the block is doing nothing for Soldiers and their families.
Let's solve a few of the divorce rate problems. Require that service members be a certain rank before being allowed to marry. Require that all service members and their soon to be spouse attend counseling before getting married.

Out of the box....

I DID IT!!!! Not only did I sign up and pay for swim lessons, I actually showed up for the actual lesson. While there was  HUGE dose of absolute terror involved, I managed to get past it. I know the basics of swimming, but I can not tread water (I panic) and I do not have any sort of breathe/stroke rhythm. It comes down to control. I know that I can not control the water so I fear it. Since my children seem to be water babies, all three enjoy the water, I decided it was time to face my fear and learn how to work with the water. I know I will never be Michael Phelps (unless we are talking about the joint smoking side of him....just kidding!!), but my goal is to have the confidence and the ability to enjoy the water with the minions. Finally going to be able to cross something off of my "deployment bucket list." Which is definitely become the bucket list of life....
For the record, nothing I have done is able to fill the hole left in my life while he is gone. He is the one that celebrates every success with me and the shoulder I lean on when I feel like life is defeating me. I have an awesome group of friends and while they celebrate with us and they are there to comfort when we need it and I wouldn't trade them for all the gold in the world (however, if a private island was an option.....) I really just want my best friend to be home. I want to be close enough to hear his heartbeat, to smell his soap and I want to be able to kiss him good night.......