Family Shower

My family had a baby shower for me over Labor Day Weekend in Bluefield. It was so nice to see everyone and we had a lot of fun! Mamaw Shirley made my most favorite cake... her coconut cake. I'm telling you, it's better than anything you can get at a bakery!! A special thank you to my Aunt Patty for putting it together. :)

Week 34

What a difference a couple of weeks makes, right??

Shower Cake

I wanted to make a seperate post for my shower cake!! Susan from http://doughmesstic.blogspot.com/ is an old friend of my brother/family and she was gracious enough to make the cake and drive a hour to Roanoke to deliver it that day! It matched the bedding/theme for the nursery plus she asked me my favorite candy bar the week before (Almond Joy) and it tasted EXACTLY like it! It was soooo amazing! It received so many compliments from the waitstaff and fellow patrons of the restaurant that I even gave out slices. It was SPECTACULAR and if you are in SWVA and need a cake, contact Susan. I know I will!!

Baby Shower!!

On August 15th, Jessica gave me my first baby shower! It was held at Corned Beef & Co in downtown Roanoke and I invited my 8 oldest girlfriends... some of whom I hadn't seen at all since being pregnant! Only 4 and my mom were able to attend but we had a blast! We had dinner, painted onesies (cutest idea!), ate cake, opened presents, and laughed... A LOT. I was feeling very good that night and decided that we should stay out a little late and ended up at 202 Market. We ended up dancing a little bit until I got really hot and really tired. haha It was so much fun though!!

Love you girls!!

CUPCAKES!!

I haven't really had too many cravings while pregnant besides spicy brown mustard and grape pop. I honestly haven't really had a craving for sweets either EXCEPT for cupcakes! Not cake, cupcakes. There is somehow a difference to me.

Bubblecake Bake Shop ()recently opened in Roanoke and it has really intensified my want/need for cupcakes. Even though I have only had the chance to eat a Bubblecake once so far, the owner printed a recipe for her Key Lime Cupcakes in the paper. We have all of the ingredients really to go except for lime extract. We have looked EVERYWHERE for it and no where locally sells it. :( I wanted to share the recipe though just in case someone reading has the extract and can make these. They sound DELISH!!! I will definitely update once we make them but for now.....

Kep Lime Cupcakes

For the cake:
1 (18 oz.) box lemon cake mix
1 box instant lemon pudding mix
1 (12 oz.) can lemon-lime soda (such as Mountain Dew)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/8 tsp. lime extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two standard-sized muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all of the above ingredients and process for 30-45 seconds. Turn off mixer and scrape down bowl. Process until smooth, an additional 30 seconds or so.
3. Portion batter evenly into baking cups, approximately 2/3 full.
4. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one cupcake emerges clean. Cool completely before icing.

While cupcakes are baking, prepare the icing:
1 container prepared vanilla frosting
1/2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. nonalcoholic natural lemon flavoring
1/16 tsp. lime extract
1 dab of leaf green gel food coloring (available at craft stores)
1 dab of lemon yellow gel food coloring

1. Combine all ingredients until streak-free and smooth, using either the whisk attachment on your mixer or whisking by hand.
2. Ice each cupcake and garnish, if desired, with green sprinkles and a cocktail umbrella.

Baby Registeries

And because I've had many inquiries... we are registered at Target and Babies R Us! Our Target is not the best so we are mostly at BRU but the bedding and room decor goodies are at Target because they were cheaper!

Week 28 Picture

Definitely grew between weeks 24 and 28!! I am starting to feel a little huge... little did I know that my belly would only get bigger & bigger!