Our Families Top 3 of 2012

Dean Taylor:
1- President of Campo Verde FFA
2- Working at the Potato Farm
3- Dating

Madison Marie:
1-Swimming with Dolphins
2- President of the Culinary Arts Club
3- Dating

Kyle Jacob:
1- 5.13 mile his 7th grade year
2- Getting to play Tackle Football
3- Turning 14 and having a great Party

Jessica Judie:
1- Visiting Grandma and Grandpa on Temple Square
2- Boating with her friends for her birthday
3- Being in Mrs Workman's Second Grade Class

Annette Marie:
1- Celebrating our 20th Anniversary in Hawaii
2- Learning to Weld
3- Watching Moroni getting placed on the top of the Gilbert Temple

Darvin Dean:
1-
2-
3-

CupCake Craziness...

What a day!  It was so much fun to help my friend with her daughters wedding.  We had about 400 cupcakes of each flavor below. She had many people make them,  and I was in charge of decorating them.  I had helpers and it went smoothly.  I wish I had a picture of the finished product.  It turned out so beautiful!  But here are pictures from behind the scenes and the recipes.  I don't know where she found them but they were so yummy! 

Ultimate Key Lime Cupcakes

Cupcakes

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon cake mix

1 box (4-serving size) lime-flavored gelatin

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup key lime juice

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

Key Lime Pudding Filling

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

1 cup key lime juice

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

Frosting

2 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter , softened

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons key lime juice

1^st Make The Cupcakes:

Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups (or paper liners in 12 Large muffin cups. If you make in large muffin cups I would double the cupcake part but not everything else) In large bowl, beat cake mix and gelatin with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Add remaining cupcake ingredients. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl as necessary. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each just over 1/2 full. If you fill them too much they will collapse when baking.

Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. While the cupcakes bake…

2^nd Make The Pudding Filling:

In a large bowl, mix together lime zest, lime juice, and condensed milk. Whisk in pudding mix and allow to set up 5 minutes in the fridge. Then…

3^rd Make The Frosting:

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in vanilla and 2 cups powdered sugar until mixed; beat on medium speed until fluffy and set aside. Then…

4th  Fill The Cupcakes With Filling:

Cut a small cone shaped piece of cake out of each cupcake. Fill the cavity with the key lime pudding filling mixture. Cut the body of the cone off leaving just the cap of the cupcake. Replace it back on top of the cupcake. Then…

5^th Frost The Cupcakes:

Scoop the frosting into a large ziplock bag and cut the tip off one corner of the bag. Frost the cupcakes by swirling the frosting back and forth over the entire top of the cupcake. (There should be a lot of frosting) Place them in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to let the frosting harden slightly.

Store the cupcakes covered in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Hot Fudge Filling and Peanut Butter Frosting

CupCake Batter: (12 cupcakes)

1 egg

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon of Vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon of heavy Cream

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 Tablespoons Sour Cream

1 1/8 cups of flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Fudge sauce

Preheat oven 350.

In a bowl, whisk egg and sugar until smooth.  Add milk, cream, butter, and vanilla.   Add Sour cream.  Stir in flour, coco powder, baking soda, and salt.  Swirl in fudge sauce. Put 1/4 cup into each cupcake tin.  Bake 15-18 min.  Let cool before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup peanut butter

3 cups of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup milk

pinch of salt

Cream butter and peanut butter together.  Add powdered sugar and gradually add milk and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  If too thick, add more milk.  If too thin, add more sugar. 

Once Cupcakes have cooled.  Inject hot fudge sauce into the cupcakes using an icing bag with a small tip.  Top with peanut butter frosting.  Drizzle with more fudge sauce. 

Raspberry Coconut Cupcakes

1 C. softened butter

1 C. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/4 c self rising flour
1/2 c shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 c. sour cream
5 oz frozen raspberry's

Cream butter, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Sift flours then Mix in rest of ingredients, adding raspberries last.  Do not over mix.

 Just mix until well blended, then add raspberries.
Divide evenly between 12 cupcakes.   Bake 350 for 40 min.

Frosting

5 T softened butter

8 oz softened cream cheese
2 T. coconut extract ( coconut flavoring is fine also)
1 C. sweetened shredded coconut
3 c. powdered sugar

Our Live in Cook

During the summer, Madison would make meals for us.  Not just any meals but really thought out ones even with a dessert.  What an amazing daughter I have...

Look what I found on my phone....

 

 

Looks like JJ knows how to use my phone..... 

Would you Believe Dean would not KISS Me?

We had a book club meeting about "Frankenstein".  So I decided to dress like the bride of Mr. Frank.  Hair sprayed my hair black, Painted my face Green and put on Black lipstick.  I told my boys to hold down there dad so I could give him a BIG KISS.  But I guess since he was the oldest of 5 boys, he knew all the tricks to getting away.  I did chase him around the front yard for awhile though.  He said, "Look I don't even kiss you when you have lipstick on, why on earth would I kiss you with BLACK lipstick on."  It was funny.
Oh and the book.  It was a good Idea.  I think the travel logs were very long.  And really it was a Cat and mouse game at the end with the Monster and his creator.  I felt more sympathy towards the Monster then his creator.  It is nice to have read but it will not be one that I would choose to read again. 

First Day of School 2011

I had 2 leave for High School.  And DT is driving them to and from school.  What a relief for them!  No more worrying about if anyone will see them at 6:10am riding in the car with their PJ clad mother.   

DT- Junior in High School

 

 M3- Freshman in High School

Then my next left for his first day of Jr. High. 

 K-Dawg- 7th Grader

And then there is my Baby leaving for 1st Grade.  Time has really flown by.  She is so excited to go to school.  She will be in the same class as her Bestie, Kennedi!  She can hardly stand it.  She was ready to leave by 7:30.  Basically an  hour before it was time to go....

J2- 1st Grade

Goodbye my Kids, Good Luck in your new School Year!  I LOVE YOU-

Happy Father's Day 2011

For Father's Day, Dean got a Real Honest to Goodness Ice Shaver like the ones in Hawaii.  We got special glasses to serve it Hawaiian Style.  Vanilla Ice Cream on the bottom, Shaved Iced with flavored syrup, and then topped off with sweetened Condensed Milk.  Yummy!

Heart Palpitations

So Kyle went into get his physical so he could play JR High sports.  Out of all of my kids, I thought there is no problem with him.  Well he has heart palpitations.   So we had to go to a specialist and they put these monitors on him to test his heart beat for the next 24 hours.  Poor guy he had a slip and slide birthday party that afternoon and we went swimming that evening.  But he made it.  After reviewing the data, They did release him so he could play flag football, Cross County and Track.   

The Toes have it....

Summer Pedi with the girls.  We decided to get all the same color of blue but we had different designs on them.  JJ got polka dots, Madi zebra strips and Me the flower.  It was a fun afternoon with just the girls. 

May I help you?

Madison Volunteered at the Library this Summer to help with the summer reading reward program. She ended up doing 17 hours of service.   I mean who wouldn't want help from this teenager?

Kyle Philippine's report

For the Worlds Fair for 6th Grade, Kyle Choose the Philippines to do his report on.  He did the poster by himself.  He chose the famous boxer, Manny Pacquiao, as his person of interest from this Country.  

What Beautiful Eyes You have....

Look at my girl. Notice anything different?
No Glasses- Contacts for my High School girl. 
Such a cutie...

Jessica turns 6!

Yes it is true- she is SIX!  I told her that I was not going to let her turn 6 this year, just 5 1/2.  She was so upset with me.  She cried "You can't do that, only GOD can change my age!" 

Her main gifts she wanted for her birthday was a Cowgirl outfit and a BIG white board with markers.  We got her the cutest Cowgirl shirt and matching hat.  She already had the brown skirt and the boots.  Oh We also got her a belt with pink water guns.  WATCH OUT YOU ROBBERS- COWGIRL JESSICA IS IN TOWN!  So Awesome if I do say so myself.  And of course the white board with markers. 

She had a little Birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza with some of her friends.  What fun this turned out to be!  Oh and an ice cream cake from Baskin Robins.  Yummy.

This is what I know....

The Thyroid is a tricky little Organ.  It is just about 4cm X1 cm and it controls just about everything.  From regulating the rate of metabolism,  how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body should be to other hormones as well as the growth and rate of function of many other systems in the body. Your emotions and hormones are also tied to this little organ as well. 

As someone I love very deeply about has issues with her Thyroid, I am become quite familiar with this organ.  She has Hypothyroidism plus Hashimoto's thyroiditis.  What does this mean?  Well, her thyroid is under performing PLUS it is attacking itself.  We thought we had got her T3 and T4 (thyroid levels) under control BUT a resent Blood work has shown her levels have skyrocketed. 

Her Microsomal TPO-Ab is OVER 1000, normal range is less then 35.

TSH, Hish sensitivity is 26.5, normal range is .3-4.0

T3 total is 99, normal is 102-200

T4 Free Non-Dialysis .7, normal range is .9-1.5

Thyroglobulin Antibobies is 110, normal range is less then 41

Her Thyroid measured around 5cm X 3cm.  

She has eliminated Gluten, as well as limiting dairy, eggs, and soy from her diet.  Plus she is on the swim team and swims 2 1/2 hours everyday for the last 3 weeks, her weight has gone up.  She has been overall emotional.  And ALL of this is tied to this little Organ called the Thyroid! 

The doctor has ordered a special combination of T3 and T4 medications for her.  We will not know if this will help until after a month of being on this medication.  Then she will go back in for more blood work.

The most important thing I learned about the Thyroid, is unlike my gallbladder I had taken out about 7 years ago and have not missed it sense, you can NOT just take out a Thyroid.  And if your Thyroid does die, you have to take medication for the rest of your life to help your body function. 

Here is hoping we are able to find the right levels to help her.  She is the bravest young woman I have ever known.  From all the blood work that she goes through on a consistent basis and the medications she takes every morning and evening.   She is AMAZING!

40, 40, 40, 40, and 40!

JJ Finishes Kindergarten...

JJ Finishes Kindergarten!  Miss Beazer was a wonderful Teacher. 

The Mowing Man

Kyle has become our official Mower.  Look at those mowing skills! 

The Hair Dresser

My Favorite Hair Dresser.

She is always ready and welling. 

Call today!

Goodbye SMS-

My heart is full as we say Goodbye to SMS. 

Simply Moore Services has been a great company for our little family.  

I believe it started as a Dream of Dean's when he was a young man.  

7 years ago when SMS was officially created, Our Family was taking a step of FAITH.

We were stepping out of a secure job to start a new company.

SMS first started as a Real-estate adventure.

But through Divine inspiration, SMS quickly grew as a Computer Consulting business.

It has sustained our family of 6.

It has been a means of helping others and providing jobs.

It has helped with extra things for the family and the PROJECTS for Dean's creative outlet.

(let’s see how many trailers has he made)

Running a Company has had its challenges. 
But I am so proud of Dean and the leadership he displayed thoughout these past 7 years.    

Here’s to SMS- you will always have a special place in our hearts.

FFA Banquet 2011

This is DT's 2 year in the FFA.  He got the Star Farmer Award.  Only one person in the FFA chapter is awarded this award.  It was for all of his contributions to the FFA chapter over the school year.  He has been the Treasurer for the past 2 years and was elected to the VP position.  I am really happy he has found something he LOVES doing.