Baby Cobe turned 1 year old on November 13th! I cant believe its already been a year... it sure has flown by. Growing from his tiny 6.5 pound fluff ball self into a whopping 85 pounds a year later, Cobe brings our family so much happiness! (As well as chaos and craziness, but thats why we love him most.) Surprisingly, he was willing to wear his birhday hat and almost blew out his own candle on his cake. I found a dog-friendly cake recipe online which actually turned out tasting rather yummy. Yes, thats right, I did try Cobe's birthday cake. I am not a huge fan of carrot cake (according to Mom thats what it tasted like) but despite that, Cobe managed to eat his entire piece in two bites. If you're a dog lover like I am, try this out for your next furry, four-legged friend.
Peanut Butter Puppy Cake:
1 cup flour
1tsp baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
Mix flour and baking soda. Add the remaining ingredients. Pout into a greased 8" round cake pan (I used a bread loaf pan though). Bake at 350 degrees for 27-30 minutes. You can either top the cake with some peanut butter like we did, or the original recipe said to puree cottage cheese in the blender til icing consistency.
Thanksgiving is one of the greatest times of the year. Whether you spend it with all your aunts, uncles, and second cousins or just with immediate family or close friends- take time to give thanks. I am thankful for many people in my life!
First and foremost, my incredible parents and sister Heather.
Granted this picture was taken last year, were a little behind in our fam photo shoots. My family is so emotionally supportive and are always just a phone call away. We have so much fun together and our family dinners (when were lucky enough to have them together) are full of laughter and great conversation. I couldn't be more thankful and blessed!
I'm also so thankful for great friends Caley (future Nursing School roomie...woo!) George, Tyler and Austin. We literally are the 5 best friends anyone could have, haha. Theres never a dull moment with this crew and were always finding some sort of mischief to get into. Our love and bond in Christ is special and brings us closer than most friends. Love these people!
Tori and Megh. I don't even know where to begin or where to end. Yall are the greatest friends, always have been and always will be. Our conversations are endless and so is the fun! I wouldn't replace yall with anyone or anything, cant wait for hundreds and hundreds of more crazy fun times!
And of course... Thanksgiving Dinner!!! Cant forget to be thankful about that :)
Try these fun treats out!
Turkey Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Nutter Butter Cookies (1 for each cupcake)
Double Stuf Oreo Cookies (1 for each cupcake)
Chocolate cupcakes, baked and cooled
Chocolate decorator icing
White glue
1 sheet brown card stock
½ sheet yellow card stock
1 tube red decorator icing
1 tube of yellow decorator icing
1 tube of black decorator icing
Candy corn (8 candies per cupcake)
Wide round decorator tip (optional)
1 pastry bag (or plastic bag)
Tape
Instructions:
1. Cut a strip of brown cardstock (1 strip for each cupcake) about 1 ¼ inch wide by 10 inches long; you will use this to wrap the cupcake for the turkey body.
2. Cut 2 turkey feet for each cupcake from the yellow card stock. Make the each leg about 1 inch tall, with a triangle at the bottom. Then cut an upside down “w” to make the turkey’s toes (see photo below step #3).
3. Glue the 2 turkey feet to the center of the brown card stock strip, and set it aside to dry.
4. Push 8 pieces of candy corn into the cream of an Oreo cookie, so that the narrow tip is wedged between the 2 Oreo discs and the wide end of the candy corn is sticking out to look like the turkey’s tail. Fan the candy corns around 2/3 of the circumference of the cookie (see photo).
5. Add a turkey beak to the Nutter Butter cookie by using the yellow decorator icing. Pipe a small bit onto the top center of the cookie, then lift up while you’re still squeezing, and release to make a beak (see photo).
6. Add a gobbler to the turkey face with the red decorator icing: start squeezing icing just above the beak, and around one side of the beak. Then, squeeze more red icing just below the beak.
7. Use black decorator icing to make two eyes above the beak.
8. Once the glue has completely dried, wrap the brown strip around one of the cupcakes and tape it in place with the turkey legs in front.
9. Ice the cooled cupcakes with chocolate icing. Use a wide round decorator tip, or cut a hole in the corner of a plastic bag, to pipe a thick round tube of icing on top of the cupcakes (make sure the frosting is thick enough to insert the cookies into it).
10. Assemble the Turkey Cupcakes: once the brown wrap is in place, inserting the Oreo into the icing in the back of the cupcake for the tail, and then insert the Nutter Butter into the icing in the front for the head (see photos). Serve!
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. "
