5 Years of Marital Bliss

Last week on Thursday, May 23rd we celebrated our 5 year anniversary. I can't believe how fast 5 years can fly by! It really doesn't seem that long ago that we were at the Newport Beach Temple with all of our family and close friends getting sealed together for time and all eternity. If I've learned something in the last 5 years, it is just how lucky I am to be married to this handsome husband of mine. Chad is my best friend, companion, confidant, co-parent, my support system, my everything. He keeps me laughing and I have had more fun in the last 5 years than I could have ever imagined. Happy Anniversary Chaddy!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I'm still wading through pictures of our trip and working on getting them all compiled into a book, so it will be a few more days before I post about London. For today, my best friend since birth, Mrs. Tati Thorkelson Smith got married and I am making cupcakes for the reception. I recently acquired a new cook book that I've been waiting all my life for. It's called, Your Cup of Cake, and it's awesome. This was one of the first recipes I tried, and according to rave reviews from my very accommodating coworkers, I'm going to say it was a win!

 Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Chocolate Cake:

24 Oreos

1 box devil's food cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup sour cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

Cookies & Cream Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4-5 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup finely crushed Oreos

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.

2. Take your 24 Oreos, split them in half, and place the cream side in your cupcakeliners...cream side up. Save the plain cookie half for the frosting.

3. Sift your cake mix into a small bowl and set aside.

4. In a large bowl, gently whisk eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla extract together.

5. Add cake mix and stir until combined.

6. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until and inserted knife comes out clean.

7. Cookies & Cream Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and slowly add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Gently stir in your crushed Oreos. (I crush my cookies and then put them through a sifter, and only use what goes through. I don't like chunks of cookie in my frosting.)

8. Pipe your frosting onto your cooled cupcakes and top with Oreos.

Paris.

We're still here, although it's been a while since I last posted. At the time of my last post, we were in full "get ready for Europe" mode, then we left on our trip, came back, and have since been trying to get back into the swing of things. We had ourselves quite the adventure... flew to California to drop Ryder off with my parents and then spent 7 days gallivanting around Paris and London. It was a busy 7 days, spent visiting all of the major sites, getting lost at least twice a day, and eating our way through the city. We loved every second of it. And took about a bazillion pictures. How can you not be camera happy though when you're in such amazing places and seeing such beautiful things? Ryder also had a blast on his vacation, eating up all of the attention he got 24/7, playing with Tasha (my family's German Shepherd), and getting caught up in the on-the-go lifestyle at my parents house. All in all, it was a success for all involved.

On our way to California...

Goodbye Paris. I promise we'll be back soon.