Pink Polka Dots!!

So my daughter recently turned one. I racked my brain for a theme for her birthday party and settled on pink and white polka dots. I turned to the mom's best friend for party planning, Pinterest! I found a cool idea for a polka dot cake using cake pops so I decided that's what I wanted to do for Cecilia's party. Here's the link to the blog that I borrowed the idea from.

I debated for a while how exactly I was going to make the cake. At first, I was going to use all white cake mix and use pink food coloring to make the cake pops. After browsing the baking aisle, I decided to use strawberry cake mix for the cake pops and white cake for the actual cake. I would then top the cake with strawberry icing and use white frosting to make white polka dots on the cake. I shopped for party supplies for a few months before the party so that I wouldn't spend a fortune at once. I found the cake pop pan on clearance at walmart, so I lucked out there!

The day before the party, Cecilia and I headed to my grandma's to do all the baking and cooking for the party. I started with the strawberry cake pops. The recipe book for the cake pops says to use pudding in addition to the cake mix. I didn't. I made mine like this: I used the cake mix, added one extra egg, and used milk instead of water. They came out great. Instead of cooking them for the full amount of time suggested on the box, I cooked them for 15 minutes. This ensures that they won't dry out during the second bake.

 

 One box of strawberry cake mix made 36 cake pops.

I decided to make Cecilia's cake first. I sprayed a 6 inch round pan with Baker's Joy spray with flour. Then I put a layer of white cake batter on the bottom of the pan. I added six cake pops so that it looked like this:

 

I poured cake batter over each pop to fill the pan about 3/4 full.

 

 

I was really worried that it was going to spill over so I cooked it on a cookie tray. Surprisingly the cake turned out beautifully with no spillage!

 

 

Total cook time was about 40 minutes. That's not including the time it took to cook the pops initially. To display the cake, I cut two circles of cardboard, taped them back to back, and wrapped them in foil.

 

 

I spread the strawberry icing on and then used a decorating bag with fancy tips to write on the cake and make the polka dots.

 

 

Even though I had previously experimented to make sure the polka dots would show up, I was worried they wouldn't. This is what the cake looked like just before Cecilia dove in!

 

 

In retrospect, I would have put more batter on the bottom of the pan so that the polka dots were a little more centered in the cake, but overall I was happy with how it turned out!

 

I also made an 11x14 inch cake for everyone else to have. I made it the same way as the small cake. I ended up using 3 white cake mixes total. This gave me enough to make both the small cake, the large cake, and one batch, 18, white cake pops.

 

 

The white dots around the edge are candy covered chocolate balls (sixlets) that I bought at Party City. The large cake also took about 40 minutes to cook. You can stick a toothpick in to make sure the cake is done, but try to aim where there isn't a cake pop since you may not get an accurate reading. I had leftover cake pops so I got vanilla flavored candy pieces to melt and coat the pops with. I coated the strawberry pops with white candy and the white pops with pink candy. I then busted out the creativity in me and displayed them like this:

 

 

I had fun making the cakes and all the other goodies.

 

For the white pops, I didn't altar the recipe any. I didn't use milk in place of water, or an extra egg. I just scooped the leftover batter into the cake pop pan. I hope this has inspired you to be creative! I forsee using my creativity bone for future birthdays!

 

Questions? Ask and I will do my best to answer!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade chicken nuggets

So, Cecilia is now 11 months old and wants next to nothing to do with baby food. I get tired of eating hot dogs for dinner every day so I got to thinking today..."what can I make for dinner that we will both eat?" I decided to try my hand at homemade chicken nuggets. It was pretty simple to make, but I'm posting it here for ya'll anyway!

First, I thawed the chicken. I cut it into about 1 inch pieces. In a pie plate I scrambled 2 eggs and in a separate plate, I combined regular bread crumbs with a little garlic powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. You can figure out what I did next...yep, soaked the chicken in the egg then coated it with breadcrumbs. Before I did this, I preheated the oven to 350 and sprayed some Pam on a cookie sheet. I arranged my bread crumb-covered chicken bites on the pan.

This is one (large) breast worth of chicken nuggets. As the nuggets baked, I cooked some velveeta shells and cheese and some peas. I cooked the nuggets for 20 minutes. Then I flipped them over and cooked for a few more minutes. When I make these next time, I will flip 10 minutes in so that they cook a little more evenly.

 

This was Cecilia's first plate. She ended up eating two full plates of dinner; I guess it was good!

 

 

 

I prefer Heinz ketchup with my nuggets.

 

 

 

 

The beginning of dinner. This kid loves mac and cheese!

 

 

 

 

After two plates full of dinner, she was ready to relax. And ready for a bath!

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the post! Try some nuggets yourself! They are so much healthier than storebought nuggets!

 

 

 

Family...gotta love them. Right?

today is one in which I wish I could legally vent about my job in every little minute detail. But that would mean saying some negative things and it's actually against policy. Let's just say that I haven't been this pissed off in a very long time...and it had nothing to do with customers today. In lieu of venting about work, here's some stuff that's been on my mind.

so, I have this friend on facebook who is a retired older guy. I have gotten so sick of reading his posts lately. He has three children, two of which live in different states. He also has three grandchildren who are in different states as well. He just recently became a great-grandfather. Since I know that he will never read this blog, I can say that this is my grandfather I'm talking about. I haven't seen him since I was 15. I am now 28. That was the last time my mother, brother, and sister saw him as well. He joins the bandwagon and wishes me happy birthday along with the rest of my facebook friends, but that's about all I hear from him. Not that it really matters, but he never said anything when I had my daughter. No congratulations or anything. The only thing he has said to me about being a great-grandfather is, "wow, Anna, you're making me feel old." Gee, thanks! I mean, I shouldn't be surprised...he's been pretty uninvolved my whole life. About a week after my daughter was born, his wife, who I have yet to meet, contacted my mother to see what I needed for my new baby. Mom told her that gift cards would be nice since we had received most of what we needed. I have yet to see a gift. Again, it's not that I really care about getting gifts, but why ask?

Anyway, what's got me going recently is all his posts about going and visiting his brother all the time. And going away for golf tournaments, and traveling here and there. But he doesn't make any time to go see his kids. Or his grandkids. He just said a couple days ago how glad he was to be retired so he could do all the traveling he wants. Clearly visiting us is not some traveling he wants to do. I guess I shouldn't be too upset that he's not involved.

I've been really tempted to just delete most people from facebook lately. I get tired of seeing all these people take things for granted, like time, money, and love.

I guess I'm just feeling lonely lately. I am looking for connection to people and all I can come up with is facebook. It's really sad. I don't have any friends here. I have my daughter and my grandma. Sometimes I have my boyfriend. We never see each other.

Recently I lost my cousin. He was only 43. Much too young to die. It's got me thinking. You never know when those you love will be gone. Age doesn't mean anything. I need to make it my mission to visit with my family. So many of my family members are sick or have health complications. A couple of them I have had a rough time with in the last few years. I may disagree with their opinions of me, but I will never not love them.

All this rambling has got me feeling a little better. I still am feeling nostalgic. Now I'm really rambling so I'll end here.

A few things that I don't understand...

Why are debit pads so hard to use?

I have had a debit card since I was like 16 and have never been confused about how the card reader works...I have worked at my current job for nearly 7 years now and every day I encounter at least 2 people who cannot figure the damn things out. First, they don't know which way to slide their card. I can sorta understand this confusion...but upside down? with the strip not even in the little slot.  Hmm...Our debit pads at work first ask you to enter your pin. Lots of people stare blankly at the screen, confused as to what to do. People don't even wait for the prompts to start entering their pin, they just start stabbing the numbers like they've just been insulted. Our debit pads are set up so that the numbers don't enter until it's ready. Clearly the loud screeching beep means to keep on going. Then it's totally acceptable to get pissed off because the machine was telling you it wasn't ready for your input.

Next question is if you want cash back. Options at the cash register are "no" "20" and "40". Instead of reading, people stare blankly at me, thinking that's how you finish the transaction. When I ask them if they want cash back, I get hollered at, "NO!" I nicely point at the reader and say, "go ahead and select, 'no'." Customers then proceed to try to murder the screen with the pen. And for some reason think that it will only register if they pound the screen 3 or 4 times...even when it beeps after the first hard poke.

Last question at the cash register is if the amount's ok. "What does that say? I forgot my glasses." That's a common question. I am then worried for everyone else on the road driving alongside the moron who is driving without their glasses. Anyway, I tell them what it says and cue the stabbing again.

We have debit readers at our parts counter where we don't take cash. You can only use debit or credit cards. Since there aren't any cash registers over there, the second question, "Cash back?" is omitted. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who select no for the "is the amount ok?" question thinking it's asking for cash back. "Oh, I thought it was asking if I wanted cash back." Do you even read what you're agreeing (or disagreeing) to?! Now we have to start all over...and we once again have murder victims.

I am constantly asked, "What am I supposed to do???!!!" "Well, sir (or ma'am), what does it say there on the screen?" "It says 'please slide card'." "Well, then you slide your card (you goddamn moron!!!)... I just don't get why these things are so hard to use! "Every one is different."


Why people sport the rebel flag...

Let's start this off for anyone who doesn't know what the rebel flag is. It's the flag used by the south during the civil war. It's red and has a blue x across it with stars in the x. Also, in case you didn't know, the south lost the civil war.

So, what, you like to support the loser? I mean I get it that even losers are winners (because at least they tried...or something) but COME ON! Let's just advertise to the world that you are a redneck racist! Sorry if you are that one weird person on the planet who waves that flag and isn't racist or a redneck. or from the south. It's mostly northerners that I've seen with the flag flying. In Missouri this last year, I've hardly seen any...working in Michigan, I saw them daily. So what's the point? Please...I'm confused.


Why are you an asshole to someone you expect to help you???

If you come into a business expecting help from the clerk, the fastest way to NOT get any is to be the world's biggest douchebag right from the start. It's even better to insult the person who's trying to help you. That will get you super far.

News flash! That was all sarcasm up there. Don't be a jerk and you will be helped. Promise!


Just because I work in a parts store means I'm a mechanic, right? And I know everything about every car ever made. Especially yours.

Here's a PSA on behalf of everyone who works retail automotive...when you are going to get parts for your car, know something about your car! Like...the year would be a good start. Just because I work in a parts store doesn't make me psychic and able to just magically figure out what kind of car you have. Especially if it's not in the parking lot. I have seen this conversation happen:

Clerk: How can I help you sir?
Customer: I need such and such part for my car.
Clerk: Ok! What kind of car is it?
Customer: Oh hell, I don't know! It's my wife's car!

Uh, what? How am I supposed to help you?

On the flipside of this, please don't assume that I don't know ANYTHING just because I'm a girl. I actually do know a little bit. And if you are a woman, don't assume that the women behind the counter are as dumb as you are. It's more insulting to me to have a woman treat me like crap than a man. I've been a part of this conversation:

Me: Hi! Can I help you, ma'am?
Woman: Are there any men here?
Me: um, no. Just me and (my female coworker)
Woman: SHIT! I need to talk to a man.
Me: well, what do you need? I'm sure I can help you.
Woman: No, I need a man to help me.

Come to find out, she wanted wiper blades or something equally simple.

So, while I don't want you to expect that I know everything, please don't assume I know nothing! And don't be a jerk on purpose :)

Anyway, those are just a few things that are confusing to me. Anything confuse you? Let me know and I'll blog about it!

Cecilia's Tale

I'm watching Baby Story on TLC and it has me inspired to recount my pregnancy and the birth of my amazing daughter. Of course, it's such a long tale that it will take more than one entry to complete. Plus, I want ya'll to come back and read more! So, here goes!

December 2012

December brought about a lot of changes for Joe and I. We found out that he got hired to General Motors! Yay! But...the plant is in Wentzville, Missouri and we lived in Flint, Michigan. Boo! Mid-December, Joe started his new job. I hadn't gotten my transfer from work to go through yet so Joe moved to Missouri without me. That was probably one of the worst days of my life. I cried so hard I nearly vomited...but onto a different story.

For a few days after he left, I had weird feelings...and was late getting my period. On December 18th, a Sunday, and also Joe's birthday, I went to church like usual. The church I attended in Michigan is a Metaphysical Church. We have a portion of meditation during service and after we share any messages we may get during meditation. Anyway, before I went to church, I had made plans to stop at the store on the way home and get a pregnancy test, just to assure myself that I wasn't pregnant...just feeling weird. Well, during message time, one of the reverends stood up and said that she had seen me, not to far in the future, holding a swaddled baby. My baby. I stood up and said, "Nah, I'm not pregnant. Joe got a new job and we are moving to Missouri...that's the new life we are getting. Seeing me with a baby is just symbolism." But now I really started to worry.

After church that night, I hung around with Nicky and talked. I shared with her my suspicions and my plan to pick up a test. She made me promise to call her as soon as my test came back, either positive or negative. The whole way home I kept thinking, "what am I going to do if this test is positive?!" Stopped at the store, picked up a two-pack of pregnancy tests, and headed home. As soon as I got home, I took the first test. Surprise! I'm pregnant! Now, you should know this. Joe has never really been sure he wanted kids. He was leaning more towards not wanting them. So now I'm freaking out. Not because I'm pregnant, but because I don't know how I'm going to tell him. And he was 650 miles away and not due to come home until Christmas Eve! Do I wait? Do I call him? I really didn't want to have that conversation over the phone, but didn't want to surprise him with the news right before we went to the family Christmas party!

I called Nicky and shared my news! She was the first to know that I was gonna be a mom. She assured me that things would be alright and told me to call her if I needed anything at all. I debated all night what I was going to do. I resolved that after work the next day, I would call Joe and tell him. Give him some time to think about it before he came home. Work went well. I cheated and told a couple people at work that I was pregnant. Most were surprised!

Monday evening came along. I was increasingly nervous about the phone call I had to make. I settled down on the couch and called Joe. I told him that I needed to tell him something but he needed to promise not to hang up on me or freak out. He promised and I told him that we had got an early Christmas present. He was confused. I said, "We're having a baby?!" He was speechless. I thought he had broken his promise and had hung up on me. "Are you there?" Nothing. "Hello? Are you there?" "How did this happen?!" I tried to break the tension...unsuccessfully. "Well. Sometimes when a man and a woman really love each other..." "This isn't funny!" "I'm sorry...I don't know what to say." Anyway, I won't bore you with the most uncomfortable conversation I've ever had. He assured me that he still loved me, just needed some time to think about things.

I really was nervous that I was going to lose him. We talked a few times throughout the week and he was getting accustomed to the idea of being a dad. We decided that we were going to surprise our family for Christmas with our news. That Saturday was Christmas Eve and Joe would be home when I got home from work early that afternoon. Throughout the week I had gathered supplies to make gifts for our family for the big reveal. Joe's mom, who was the first to know, got an angle ornament that said "My Grandma is an angel" My mom and stepdad got coffee mugs that said "#1 Grandma(pa)" and my dad got a tshirt that said "World's Greatest Grandpa". Joe's mom's reaction was the best!

http://youtu.be/QgnPdzlpbjA

and here's my mom's reaction:

http://youtu.be/4MGMUOB5TRs

go watch them. they will make you smile.

So, now life was on track to change drastically. We were going to be parents. After 6 1/2 years of being together, we were going to welcome a "little us" into the world. I couldn't wait! Just like I know you can't wait until the next part of the story!

Ladies and...gentlemen???

So, the topic that prompted me to finally create this blog. What is up with the battle of the sexes lately? Why are we so concentrated on gender? And limiting the rights of women? And blaming rape on women and not the men who rape them?!

I have never met a rape victim that was like, "yeah, I totally wanted to be raped." NO! That's what rape is, FORCED SEX WITH AN UNWILLING PERSON!! I mean, it just sickens me that people think that women who dress "slutty" deserve to be raped. Why is the current thinking "teach girls to be ladies and dress properly" and not "teach boys to be gentlemen and not treat women like shit." Why is it the fault of the victim. It's like saying that people who are murdered are at fault for the person who pulled the trigger. it's absurd and totally ridiculous.

Recently, the morning show changed on my local radio station. Now I listen to the Elvis Durand Show every morning on my way into work. A couple weeks ago there was a story about a school in New York (I think) that was trying to make the female students take a "no swearing" oath in order to be more ladylike. The male students were not required to take the oath. Why should the boys not be taught to be more like gentlemen? Why are we trying to force women back?

I understand the separation of gender spheres to a point. It's important in child development to have two parents. To have a male and a female role model (these don't have to be the parents...) I am firmly of the opinion that with the exception of reproduction, men and women can do everything that the other gender can. I work in a male dominated field and am doubted by men daily. Simply because I am a woman. Hell, I'm doubted by women too! That's more insulting to me! Anyway, off topic.

Rape is a crime. Criminals don't deserve (much) sympathy for the crime they commit. The victim deserves some sympathy. Not blame! Do we blame someone who gets hit by a drunk driver for getting hit? No, we blame the drunk person. Why then do we blame women who are raped? Why, why why??? I really am saddened by this.

Birth control is another gender issue that bugs the crap out of me. If we want teen pregnancy to go down and want people to be more responsible about reproducing, perhaps methods of birth control that are more reliable than condoms should be made readily available. I really feel that at the very least, birth control pills should be FREE for every woman who wants to take them! Just because a woman takes birth control doesn't make her a slut. I have taken birth control for 7 and a half years and have been with one man my whole life. Not the definition of a slut.

Insurance companies will cover vasectomies but not birth control. Sexist? yes. The medical profession is a huge problem in our country. If people went into medicine because they truly wanted to help people and not because of the money, we wouldn't have nearly the amount of problems we do. No one will do anything to help people medically unless they are getting paid! it's awful! and the insurance companies are just as bad. if not worse.

*Sigh* these things have been on my mind since before the election and the dumb politicians who think that rape-induced pregnancies can just be automatically terminated by the body. God, I'm ashamed to admit that Todd Akin was up for election in the state I live in!

I know that some of you will disagree...but I don't really care! :)

Let's continue that introduction

So, back to our introduction.

Many of you who will probably read this initially probably know me personally. But let's refresh. I'm Anna. I am 27 (for 2 more weeks) and live outside of St. Louis, Missouri. Coincidentally, I have lived here for a year, today. I work retail...at an aftermarket retail automotive store. Legally I don't think I can mention it...I recently was promoted to store manager.

I am in a relationship with a wonderful man. This June will be 8 years that we've been together. Holy crap. 8 years...

In August we welcomed our first child, Cecilia Belle. She is my world. She brings so much joy to my life. She will probably be the primary subject of my blog posts. I have learned so many things since I became a mom. Well, to be truthful, the learning started when I got pregnant. The story of my pregnancy and birth will come later.

So, as a store manager I work 50 hours a week. And I have a 7 month old baby at home. Life is busy. I have learned the true meaning of "multi-task".

I have been out of high school for almost 10 years. Holy crap. 10 years...Went away to college and majored in history. During this time, my inner feminist came out! And not just feminist...but humanitarian. I developed some pretty strong opinions...which I will talk about in this blog.

I never did get my degree in history...I do, however, have an Associate's Degree in Arts. My job at the auto place has recently turned into my career. Never thought that would happen!

So, in conclusion; I'm Anna. I'm a mom. I work full time. I'm pretty opinionated. And I like to talk! Welcome! :)

Introductions...oh wait, there goes my child...

Hi!

For starters, I'm Anna. I'm a Mom. I also work full time. Oh, and I have an opinion about...everything! Don't we all? This will be the place I come to vent about things in the world that drive me crazy! Also a place to brag about my wonderful daughter, Cecilia. I'd love to post what's on my mind, but that wonderful daughter of mine that I just mentioned is making her way towards things she's not allowed to play with!