Aug 01
Wahoo! Today I’m celebrating. Well, actually I’m celebrating all month, because that’s how I roll. I highly recommend that when you have a birthday, you celebrate all month too. I can’t take credit for that brilliant idea. It’s a suggestion I got from a friend of mine a long time ago and it means the month of August totally rocks every year. I’ve officially reached “antique” status. For those of you who don’t speak the language of my 2.0, that means I’m now 25 years old. Don’t fault her for the whole “antique” thing – she’s only 11, so 25 is bound to sound ancient.
There are so many blessings in my life! In honor of turning 25 today, I thought I’d list 25 things that I’m grateful for. Yep, this is going to be a long list. Deal with it – it’s my party, and I’ll write what I want to.
- The Gospel of Jesus Christ and my membership in His Church
- Mom
- Dad
- Alisha
- Logan
- Jessie
- Reece
- Wade
- Sam
- Cassie
- My law degree from BYU
- Running my own law firm
- Living in KCMO
- Cute running clothes
- The color blue – that totally bright, really happy blue.
- Cupcakes
- Country music - Trace Adkins, Carrie Underwood, Justin Moore, Jason Aldean, Jaron & the Long Road to Love… all those good people.
- Four Inch Heels
- The Piano
- Scented Candles
- Calla Lilies
- Italian Food
- Texas Roadhouse Rolls
- Men who open doors
- Big dreams. And little dreams. Just all sorts of dreams.
I picked up a card a little while ago. There’s a quote on it and it’s how I’m determined to live. “This is your world. Shape it or someone else will.”
Tagged with: 2.0s • alisha • birthday • cassie • cupcakes • dad • family • jessie • kcmo • leila • logan • mom • reece • sam • the 2.0s • wade
Jul 17
I just looked at the calendar. It’s the 17th, can you believe it? How did we get to the 17th with only ONE blog post for the month?! Maybe it’s time to create a blogging schedule. I’d say I don’t like schedules, but my mom might call me a liar. After all, I’ve always had some sort of long term schedule going – but I call them “plans” so it doesn’t feel quite so rigid. So maybe what I need is a blogging “plan.” Whatever we call it, I think I need something so I can avoid facebook messages of “get crackin’ on your blog!” Yes, that is a direct quote. Sort of. From Alisha. Really though, I could blame the lack of posts this month on my darling sister Alisha.
My youngest sister Cassie turned 10 this month. That’s right, there are NO Christensens left in the single digits! (Actually, I’m sure there are, but none in OUR immediate family. Christensen is a pretty common last name after all.) Alisha came all the way from Utah to be Cassie’s birthday surprise. Kind of fitting, seeing that Cassie is Alisha’s 2.0. (Yes, Cassie, when you look at Alisha you can see yourself in 12 years. Count your blessings.) It was so much fun to see Alisha, and then she left. Meanie. We are still working on that list of reasons why she should move out here. If anyone wants to add to it, PLEASE do. We can use all the help we can get. If you’re looking to add to a list of reasons why she shouldn’t move, please keep those comments to yourself. No one wants to hear them.
While you think of reasons for Alisha to move, I’m giving you a few more… Alisha, please pay attention.
- Dad built you a boat. Yes, I’m sure it was all for you, even if he’s been out fishing in it every day with the 2.0s. It would be rude if you didn’t use it at least weekly, and how are you going to do that living in Utah? The boat is obligated to stay on the family pond – it sinks otherwise, I’m sure. Especially if it’s in Utah.
- Yogurt! is more fun to play in Missouri. For all of you people out-of-the-know, Yogurt! is a weird game Alisha taught us when she was out here. You know the game “Slug Bug”? Yogurt! is kind of like that, except you don’t hit people. You just call out “Yogurt!” when you see a yellow car. Infinitely more fun than Slug Bug. (Or maybe I just think that because I’m better at Yogurt! than Slug Bug.)
- You can play the guitar in my postcard ANYTIME you want to. I know, I’m so generous.
- KC has the coolest old houses.
- UCM has your program. At least close to your program. So you could finish studying close to me.
- I will make you cupcakes on your (real) birthday. AND on your fake birthday. But I won’t make them so often that you get fat.
- And finally…. I love you! We all love you! All of us now-double-digit Christensens LOVE you! And we miss you already. So come home soon.
Tagged with: alisha • cupcakes • family • love • move to missouri • postcard • reasons to move to missouri
Sep 24
There is something about a cupcake that makes it impossible to hate. And most of the time, impossible to resist. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s your own personal little cake. Maybe it’s the pillows of frosting that all good cupcakes come with. I have been to a few cupcake bakeries in my time – they’re called “cupcakeries.” One of my favorites is Mad Hatter Cupcakes in Las Vegas, in the Summerlin area. When I lived in Las Vegas, they were a dangerous addiction – way too close to my house and just on the way home from the gym. (Because you can justify having a cupcake after you have worked out for an hour. Totally negates the workout, but at least you aren’t doing yourself as much harm.)
Making specialty cupcakes on your own isn’t that difficult and if you do it right, they are often better than the cupcakes you can buy. They can even look stunningly sophisticated.
There are a few websites that have some great ideas for inspiration: The Cupcake Project, The Busty Baker and Bakerella. (You’ll notice that they are also listed in my “Things I Love” blogroll.)
Here’s one of my own latest cupcake creations, inspired by The Busty Baker’s own Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes. Her photography is better than mine and her directions are probably clearer. The biggest difference between the cupcakes is that my cupcakes are filled with raspberry filling. These were a big hit when I took them to a friend’s dinner party.
White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
- Your favorite chocolate cake mix or recipe. I cheat. I use a box.
Filling:
- 2 1/2 cups raspberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
Mix the raspberries and sugar together on the stove until sugar is dissolved and raspberries have been all been smashed. Continue to stir on the stove until raspberry mixture has slightly thickened.
Frosting:
- 1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
- 1 bag of powdered sugar (2 lbs.)
- 4 squares of white baking chocolate, melted
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Mix all above ingredients. While mixing, add 1/4 cup water by the spoonful. Whip until you have a nice, fluffy consistency.
Put it all together:
Wait until your cupcakes have cooled. Cut out a hole in the top of each cupcake. Spoon raspberry filling into the holes. It will seep throughout the entire cupcake. You can replace the top of the cupcake if you want. Cover with white chocolate frosting. Voila!
PS – these are especially good if you have let them sit in the fridge overnight so that the filling really gets into the cupcake.
Tagged with: chocolate • cupcakes • food • raspberries
Wahoo! Today I’m celebrating. Well, actually I’m celebrating all month, because that’s how I roll. I highly recommend that when you have a birthday, you celebrate all month too. I can’t take credit for that brilliant idea. It’s a suggestion I got from a friend of mine a long time ago and it means the month of August totally rocks every year. I’ve officially reached “antique” status. For those of you who don’t speak the language of my 2.0, that means I’m now 25 years old. Don’t fault her for the whole “antique” thing – she’s only 11, so 25 is bound to sound ancient.
I watched the 
