I woke up this weekend feeling out of sorts. Coming back to Austin after spending eight days in Colorado was hard. I left cool summer days to return to hot and humid Texas, where cockroaches fly across the room at night.
I went swimming this morning. After two eggs, a piece of toast and a mouthful of watermelon, I walked with Ryan down Avenue G to the community pool in Hyde Park. We unrolled our beach towel (yes, we only have one), stretched out our goggles, took off our sweaty shirts, and jumped into the crisp water.
My arms and legs stretched and contracted in the ice cold water. My sweaty and swollen limbs were transformed into agile and graceful appendages. Stroke after stroke, lap after lap, I marveled at the joy of being in water during a hot summer.
After swimming and drying, Ryan and I made the long walk back to our home. We walked underneath the cover of full Magnolia trees, we spied on a momma cat taking care of her kittens, we stopped to kiss at the intersection of 38th and Avenue F.
For a moment (actually several moments) I forgot about missing cool Colorado and my family's always open arms.
But then I stepped into the bathroom to comb out my very tangled, chlorine soaked hair. I wiped away the mascara smudges underneath my eye, and then I saw it---my pearl earring was gone.
Noelle gave me a pair of pearl earrings on the eve of her wedding. I wore them when she walked down the aisle, and I hadn't taken them off since. Immediately, a rush of emotion overtook me. Not only had I lost my pearl earring, I had lost so much more...my home, my sisters, my parents...
Ryan and I drove back to the pool (far too hot to walk by then), and we searched and asked and prayed that we'd find it. After several futile minutes, we walked back to the car, and once again, I cried.
I went swimming this morning. After two eggs, a piece of toast and a mouthful of watermelon, I walked with Ryan down Avenue G to the community pool in Hyde Park. We unrolled our beach towel (yes, we only have one), stretched out our goggles, took off our sweaty shirts, and jumped into the crisp water.
My arms and legs stretched and contracted in the ice cold water. My sweaty and swollen limbs were transformed into agile and graceful appendages. Stroke after stroke, lap after lap, I marveled at the joy of being in water during a hot summer.
After swimming and drying, Ryan and I made the long walk back to our home. We walked underneath the cover of full Magnolia trees, we spied on a momma cat taking care of her kittens, we stopped to kiss at the intersection of 38th and Avenue F.
For a moment (actually several moments) I forgot about missing cool Colorado and my family's always open arms.
But then I stepped into the bathroom to comb out my very tangled, chlorine soaked hair. I wiped away the mascara smudges underneath my eye, and then I saw it---my pearl earring was gone.
Noelle gave me a pair of pearl earrings on the eve of her wedding. I wore them when she walked down the aisle, and I hadn't taken them off since. Immediately, a rush of emotion overtook me. Not only had I lost my pearl earring, I had lost so much more...my home, my sisters, my parents...
Ryan and I drove back to the pool (far too hot to walk by then), and we searched and asked and prayed that we'd find it. After several futile minutes, we walked back to the car, and once again, I cried.
One of the joys of living in Austin...my cat, Cricket
I've never been big on jewelery...but the pieces I do wear hold immense sentimental value. When I lost that earring this morning, it reminded me of how I had lost an aspect of my relationship with Noelle. We were both grown up. We were both married. We'd never be the same silly little girls again.
I hated Austin for a few hours. I hated the sun, the humidity, the cockroaches, the traffic, the swimming pools.
But as I often do...I realized how silly my hatred was.
And then, Ryan got a phonecall. A little girl, with the same sense of adventure that Noelle and I once possessed, had found my pearl earring while canvassing the bottom of the pool.
Ryan smiled. I nearly started crying again. We both gave each other a hug.
So here I am, with two earrings and a slightly sunburned forehead. I'm still homesick, but I'm also grateful for people and swimsuits and egg sandwiches and cupcakes and hugs.
Now these cupcakes are a departure from the norm. I had heard that there was a way to make boxed cake mixes taste *almost* as good as the "from scratch" variety. Since I make so many baked treats, I had to give the simple version a try.
I'm happy to say that the cupcakes turned out wonderfully--by adding a mashed mango, organic vanilla extract, buttermilk, oil and 4 eggs, my cupcakes were moist and flavorful. Easy too!
I hated Austin for a few hours. I hated the sun, the humidity, the cockroaches, the traffic, the swimming pools.
But as I often do...I realized how silly my hatred was.
And then, Ryan got a phonecall. A little girl, with the same sense of adventure that Noelle and I once possessed, had found my pearl earring while canvassing the bottom of the pool.
Ryan smiled. I nearly started crying again. We both gave each other a hug.
So here I am, with two earrings and a slightly sunburned forehead. I'm still homesick, but I'm also grateful for people and swimsuits and egg sandwiches and cupcakes and hugs.
Now these cupcakes are a departure from the norm. I had heard that there was a way to make boxed cake mixes taste *almost* as good as the "from scratch" variety. Since I make so many baked treats, I had to give the simple version a try.
I'm happy to say that the cupcakes turned out wonderfully--by adding a mashed mango, organic vanilla extract, buttermilk, oil and 4 eggs, my cupcakes were moist and flavorful. Easy too!
Mango Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream
1 box of yellow cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup oil
1 mango (pureed)
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Line or grease two standard muffin tins.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the above ingredients. Stir until well combined (2 minutes by hand, 2 minutes by mixer). Divide equally and bake in your preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Lime Buttercream
2 sticks butter (softened to room temperature)
6 cups powdered sugar
2-3 TBSP cream
1 TBSP fresh lime juice
Zest from one lime
1. Beat the butter in a stand mixer until creamy, add 2 cups powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add 2 more cups of powdered sugar, beat well. Add in cream, lime juice, lime zest and final 2 cups of sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Pipe or spread over cooled cupcakes.
PS. Cupcakes are always better with gummi bears on top!
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
1 box of yellow cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup oil
1 mango (pureed)
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Line or grease two standard muffin tins.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the above ingredients. Stir until well combined (2 minutes by hand, 2 minutes by mixer). Divide equally and bake in your preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Lime Buttercream
2 sticks butter (softened to room temperature)
6 cups powdered sugar
2-3 TBSP cream
1 TBSP fresh lime juice
Zest from one lime
1. Beat the butter in a stand mixer until creamy, add 2 cups powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add 2 more cups of powdered sugar, beat well. Add in cream, lime juice, lime zest and final 2 cups of sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Pipe or spread over cooled cupcakes.
PS. Cupcakes are always better with gummi bears on top!
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
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