Cake Pops!

I've been wanting to make these for awhile, and Erica's birthday celebration gave me the perfect excuse!  If you've never had them, they are essentially balls of cake on a stick!  Here's how you make them:

1) Bake a cake using a box mix--follow box instructions. {I forgot to take a picture of this step.}
 
2) Crumble the cake and stir in 1 can of store-bought frosting.

3) Roll into balls.

4) Freeze for a couple of hours (this will allow them to stay on the stick better), insert stick, and dip in melted candy melts.  {Didn't really take a picture of this step either.)

5) Decorate as you please.  Stick in styrofoam and allow to dry.

I decided to individually wrap them since I'm taking them on our girls' trip this weekend, but you wouldn't have to.

The great thing about these is that you can play around with different kinds of cake and frosting!  I used vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting because that's what the birthday girl requested!  All of the supplies (sticks, wrappers, etc.) came from Michael's.  I can't wait to make these again!

Weekend Trip to South Carolina

This past weekend, the hubs and I took a trip to Greenville, SC to visit my cousin Brad and his girlfriend Lindsay.  We flew out on Thursday afternoon and into Charlotte, NC.  (It's about an hour and 15 minute drive from Greenville.)  Lindsay was scheduled to pick us up, but we could not find her!  After numerous phone conversations, we realized we were at different airports...she was at Greenville, we were at Charlotte.  Lol!  Despite the two texts that confirmed we were flying into CHARLOTTE, Brad told Lindsay to go to Greenville.  Oops!  We didn't mind...it sure makes for a funny story!

In the meantime, we needed something to do.  We had already left the airport and there was no way back in.  We caught a shuttle to a local Sheraton hotel and hoped to have a few drinks at the bar.  After realizing the "bar" wasn't exactly a bar, but a lobby, we wheeled our luggage across the street to the bar and grill McKoy's.  (Can't you picture us wheeling our luggage across a busy street?  Yep, we were that awesome.)  The restaurant was the local hangout for Harley-riding folk and Nascar fans....it was classy, let me tell ya!  We enjoyed a few beers and had a fun time chatting with the locals.

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out, chillin' at Brad's pool, playing mini gold at Freddie's Fun Park, and visiting downtown Greenville (super cute area!).  We even had a bonfire on Friday night because it was so cold (ok, like 60 degrees but that's cold for July!). 

Brad thought his Sweet Baby Rays bbq sauce was one-of-a-kind...until we told him we all use the same thing!

This weird bug thing on the way back from the pool..."What even are you?!"

Downtown Greenville park

Cool suspension bridge...suspended by only cables, right Lindsay? =)

We didn't even plan to dress alike!

Random hula hooping in the park

It's hard to tell, but the boys ordered martinis to match their shirts!  Lol!

Bloody Mary w/ shrimp??  Yes please!

This Week

I'm still mad at Blogger for deleting the majority of my Maui post.  And I haven't mustered up the energy the re-write it...yet.  (I will, I promise.  Even if it's 6 months late...)  So instead, I'll tell you about my week!  Despite the heat, it has been great! What to see what I've accomplished?

Monday: Pool time and lunch with Jamie and Maddox.  It was great catching up!  Tried a new recipe for dinner--fish tacos!  Yum yum!

Tilapia fish tacos--recipe, anyone?

Tuesday: Lunch with an old co-worker who is back in town (and some current co-workers as well)!  Tried new recipe #2--steak and hummus pitas--and made some delicious strawberry frozen yogurt pops.  I also organized my random stack of recipes stashed in my cupboard (i.e. the ones printed from the Internet and torn from magazines).

Steak and hummus pitas - SO good!

My cute little recipe binder

Wednesday: Breakfast with some co-workers and the Farmer's Market!  Also my first trip to Trader Joe's...on the Missouri side, of course, so I could buy some of their famous 2-buck chuck ($2.99 wine)!

First ever Trader Joe purchases!

Farmer's Market goods

On the schedule for the rest of the week:

Thursday: First attempt at making cake pops for Erica's birthday celebration this weekend.  Maybe a batch of zucchini bread, too!

Friday: I agreed to go to Jazzercise class with Jamie at (gasp) 5:30 a.m.!!!!! (Yikes, I know.)  After a nap, Katie's coming over to help decorate the cake pops!

These are all the fun things, anyway.  I've done my fair share of homework, too. =(  Some of which even made me cry (haha, yes I can laugh at myself now).  Stupid grammar and writing class...you are gonna be the death of me!!!

This weekend is Erica's 30th birthday!  To celebrate, we're going to Hermann, MO for a girls' weekend!  It should be a ton of fun!!

Hawaii - Hipstamatic Style

I just love my Hipstamatic app!