This Week's Photo Challenge: Movie Tribute

I've worked for the past 7 days straight. My only mornings/afternoons/evenings home involved baseball games. I actually wished for more time to focus on this challenge. But I'm happy with what I got. This first photo is part two of yet another Toy Story crying jag. And this one also involved post-kids'-room cleaning. I said to the boys, "Here is a garbage bag...it needs filled with toys that can go to Goodwill or in the yard sale." Ben brought me Woody, telling me that he could go. No. Nononononononooooooooo. Woody cannot go. I took Woody in my hands (***sniff***) and put him in my cabinet with all kinds of memories...mostly photos. And some craft stuff. And some odds and ends books. And it wasn't until contemplating this photo challenge that I realized: Woody's been shelved. So, I cried some more at the thought of that. Of what it meant. Of the finality of it. Of the sadness I felt for Woody...now stuck with pictures and albums and books...with the door closed on the cupboard. The Woody days were the best of days. Maybe we'll have a Woody renewal if Disney ever comes out with Toy Story 3.

And so...after that long-winded explanation, I offer my tribute to Toy Story:

This one is probably pretty obvious. My tribute to: The Green Mile.

Totally obvious...and just as creepy as the film...my tribute to: Silence of the Lambs.

My tribute to: Bad News Bears.

And in this last one, I was going for Field of Dreams. Bones thinks that The Sandlot is a better choice of tribute. Regardless...it's baseball...and I love this one:

Still nothing new on the work front. Yet more procrastination. So, for now, I'll just keep on keepin' on.

This Week's Photo Challenge: Looking Up

Speaking of looking up: there are some big things that are supposed to be going down at work within the next week or so. I have much trouble trusting people and counting on anyone...but things may just be looking up very soon here. Your good vibes, thoughts, and prayers would be much appreciated. :)

Memorial Day: S'Mores!

Happy Memorial Day to all! :)

This Week's Photo Challenge: Single Light Source

I realize that this isn't the true single light source that is meant...but this is what I got and I love it. The boys call this "Fire Power"...apparently from a movie that I haven't watched ("Night at the Museum", I think they said.)

I do intend on keeping up on here soon. Really. I can't even say the crap that is going down at work. I'm still working a lot...though no OT this week. And the insanity that is my manager is...well, insanity. More on that later.

Onto happier things. Let me just put this on here, too...as it was a moment that I never want to forget. A definition by Momster.

darlinest, adj., ~to be of the most darling; supercute; totally absolutely squeezable. SEE PHOTO.

Yesterday I was up at 3:45 am because I couldn't sleep (sleep issues have always been a problem and right now they are not leaving me alone...though I'm functioning well despite them...or, at least, I think so...LOL). I was up and ready to head in to work by the time Spidey finally woke up (these poor children go non-stop between each of their baseball schedules). Spidey came down the stairs, took one look at me and said, "Oh! Em! Gee!" {{{{giggle...no idea where he got that}}}} I said, "What?" He said, "Beautiful!!!" And that is where my definition comes into play: he is the darlinest. D

This Week's Photo Challenge: Hands and Feet

I am here. I am just focused elsewhere for now. I hope to catch up on here very soon, though. Here is the thing: there is lots going on at work. I am still working 40-some hours per week. Additionally, we have had 2 of 3 of G's birthday parties. The last is this weekend. And then there will be summer vacation. And loads of fun things and fun times and sunshine. And pictures! I have been staying up late into the night studying some really great photographers' stuff. Rather than blogging. There is only so much time in the day and right now...I want to focus as much of myself as I can spare on learning to take really fab photos.

Ice Cream Cupcakes

As promised on Tuesday's post (which was G's birthday), if these ice cream confections turned out, I would share how I made them. Well...my ice cream fanatic LOVED these. So, here I am to share how I made them.

If you've been following my blog for any length of time (the old one more so), you'll know that these silicone cupcake liners are what I use very often for the bentos that I make for my kids' lunch. I've actually baked in these, too. And for this cooking experiment, I used them to make the shell of the ice cream cupcakes.

I started out with chocolate wafers that I melted. I only made a dozen of these cupcakes, so I didn't melt down the whole pack of wafers...probably about half of it. I ended up adding more chocolate than in the photo below before I nuked it to melt it down.

Then, I used a fork to spread the chocolate around the liners to create a shell. Once the chocolate lined the shells, I put them into the freezer to quick set that chocolate while I moved on with the other ingredients.

I mashed a dozen Oreos. I could have used a dozen different methods to do this...but I went with the potato masher just because.

Then I prepared the ice cream ingredient. I used a dozen scoops of ice cream. I melted these down a bit in the microwave so that I could then pour them into the now-frozen chocolate shells.
I added the melty vanilla ice cream:

And then I added the mashed Oreo cookies:

And then I added some Cool Whip on top. Now, here...I wish that I had allowed the Cool Whip to thaw a bit more before adding it to the top...it would have looked better...smoother. But it all worked out.
And then I added sprinkles to the tops of some of the ice cream cupcakes...and chocolate dessert toppings to the tops of others (the sprinkles were more popular, by the way!).
And then they all went back into the freezer to set up again. Once they were frozen...the silicone shells peeled off easily and left the ice cream cupcakes perfectly shaped.
I don't even care for ice cream much...but these were darn good!

This was my first time making them and I am already ready for the next time. Next time, I will make two layers of chocolate for the shell. This will involve a little bit more time, but it shouldn't be a big deal.
Let me know if you make these...and enjoy them if you do! :)

It's G's Birthday...Check Out This Cake!!!

No, not this photo...this is an ice cream confection that I'm attempting...I'll blog more about it if it turns out.
Ooops...not this photo either...this is a second choice in the ice cream confection that I'm going to blog more about (if it turns out)...

Aaaaah...here it is! How frickin' CUTE is this? And fairly easy, too. Though the instructions in the book suck. They lie. I know they lie. They totally said to just use a snipped ziplock bag. And they lie. There is no way in hell that they didn't use a tip to get their results. Liars! Liar, liar, pants-on-fires. But it's ok. It turned out ok for a first-timer...and next time I'll try a tip. And a less runny icing that's been less watered-down by food coloring.

Isn't he a snarly gnarly delicious mess!?!?!!!!!

And I made Birthday Rice Krispies, too. I needed marshmallows to make the eyes of the alligator and I didn't want to see them sit in the cupboard and just grow sticky before I threw them away. So, instead...I made these. And they are YUM.

More to follow. G is so totally absolutely unbelievably undeniably wickedly awesomely EXCITED. I can't wait to see his face when he sees his cake and krispies and ice cream surprise. And the presents, too...of course! :)