Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

I have been away for a couple weeks, we have been so busy!

Today I am sharing Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes with you. These are fun, summery, and oh so good. My mom made these for me when I was a kid and I completely forgot about them until I saw them on Facebook one day. So, I decided to make them with my kiddos. We went to the store and got all of the stuff. My daughter was so excited, she loves baking the kitchen with me. I was keeping my nieces one night and decided that would be a fun activity. It was fun and they all really enjoyed it! We chose to do tie-died cupcakes. 

Ingredients

1 box of white cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup of water

1/3 cup of vegetable oil

24 count ice cream cones

food coloring

sprinkles

2 tubs of frosting

mini muffin pan (makes the cones more sturdy)

Preheat oven to 350. 

In a mixing bowl, mix together cake mix, eggs, water and oil. Stir for 30 seconds. Then, mix on medium for 2 minutes. 

Decide on how many colors you want (we chose 3, so I am giving instructions based on 3 colors).

Split the batter 3 between 3 bowls and add your color to each one. Mix well. We chose neon colors, pink, blue and green. 

Put a spoonful of batter into each cone. You will fill it about 2/3 full. Get a popsicle stick and swirl it around (by going up and down with the stick), just a tad bit or it will just a mix up. Place the cone into one of the muffin spots. 

Once you have filled them all (makes 24), place them in the oven for 16-22 minutes. Insert toothpick, it will come out clean when they are ready. 

Remove from the oven and cool completely. Remove from the pan and frost them completely. If you want more fun, add sprinkles! I let my kiddos decorate them. I put a plastic cloth on the table, passed out tons of sprinkles, put the icing in bags and let them pipe it out. They had a blast! 

These two were in their element! 

Witten really enjoyed putting sprinkles on one at a time. :)

My niece was so excited and loved it so much, she started eating hers before she added sprinkles. :) I didn't get a shot of hers because she started eating so fast! :)

Enjoy! We had so much fun! 

What's Up Wednesday? May Edition

Happy Wednesday! Today I am starting a new link up on my blog with Mix & Match Family, The Larson Lingo, and Pinterest Told Me To. The last Wednesday of every month, I will do What's Up Wednesday and answer the questions below. Link up, it's fun to see what everyone is up to..... 

What We Are Eating This Week:

Meal planning is one of my favorite things to do. I sit down and make a "menu" for the week and go to the grocery store. If I do this, it holds me accountable and I have all the ingredients for the meals at home (EVEN BETTER). Sometimes I do have to make a small trip to the store for fresh foods (veggies, fruits, etc). 

This week though, whew this week.... I have nothing. It's a fly by the seat of your pants type week because we just can't get back on schedule after our trip. My kids have been sleeping until 9:30 or 10 and so have I. I am going to work on getting back on some sort of schedule next week. Wish me luck!

What I'm Reading:

I am really not reading much these days. 

This is the next book I plan on starting soon:

If you are looking for books to read, check here. This is a very small list, I plan on doing another post soon on fiction and other fun books. I am also doing a list of good, fun children's books. I get asked at least once a week about books I read with my kiddos or if I have any new suggestions. I am a book lover, but especially kids books (perhaps it's the teacher in me?)

What I'm Reminiscing About:

I have been reminiscing about my kiddos being babies. Kinsley is already 4 and is going to pre-k.... I can not believe my baby is going to be 3 in a few months. Where has the time gone? I love the age they are now, but I really miss the baby stage too. 

What We've Been Up To:

We have been going nonstop for about 2 weeks. First, we went to Chicago for our 5 year anniversary. We had so much fun! We got back, packed and left the next day for Colorado. We were gone for 5 nights. So, needless to say, we have been staying home lately to recoup. haha.

What I'm Dreading:

Swim lessons... haha. Both kiddos are starting soon. While we wait for Kinsley, Witten does not like to sit and wait. So, the 30 minutes seems like an eternity. Not to mention, I do not think Witten is going to enjoy it!

What I'm Working On:

I have been working on getting my Young Living up and going. I am also working on my blog and getting the house organized. The big thing is my kid's closets.... I have boxes and boxes of clothes! YIKES!

What I'm Looking Forward To:

I am looking forward to our trip to the beach at the end of June. It's an annual tradition and so much fun! It's our family, both of my sisters and their families and my parents. There are 8 kids total, 5 that are 5 and under. It's so much fun! 

What I'm Wearing Today:

I am wearing lounge wear! haha... I normally wear capris, shorts, just a simple top during the summer. 

What I'm Excited About:

Again, our trip to the beach!

In June we are going to Galveston with my family. Some of my favorite memories growing up and now passing them down to our kids. It's a BLAST!

What I'm Watching:

I can not remember the last time I turned on the tv in our house. Seriously. I am not much of a tv person and my kids aren't either. 

What I'm Listening To:

The kids and I have been listening to the Disney Junior DJ Shuffle album a lot. We also like Uptown Funk lately. Miranda Lambert's "Little Red Wagon".  We have been dancing and singing in the afternoons when I like to call it, "the witching hours". 

What I'm Annoyed By:

All of this rain!!! It has seriously been raining for 8 weeks!!! It's crazy.... I am beginning to wonder if we will ever be able to head to the pool.

What I'm Hoping For:

I am hoping that the rain will stop so I can start my garden and get in the pool.

What else is new:

There's not a whole lot of new going on at the moment. 

So... What's Up With You? Comment and let me know what you're up to... :) Don't forget to follow me on instagram: https://instagram.com/christyd2010/

STAY TUNED FOR MY UPCOMING GIVEAWAY! DETAILS COMING SOON. :)

Have a great day!

Road Trips With Your Kids

Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet? 

Today I am doing a post about taking road trips with kids. I always have people ask me about traveling because we have traveled a lot with Kinsley. Once Witten got here, we didn't travel as much (not sure why). Most of our adventures have been by plane, but we are planning two road trips: Colorado and Galveston. 

Beau and I love traveling. Sometimes we travel with our kids and sometimes we travel just the two of us. 

1. Leave late at night or early morning. 
We always try to leave late at night or early morning. This makes things so much easier. If you leave at night, they can sleep in the car. I normally give them a bath, put on their pjs and they're set. We get to our destination, check in and get back in bed. Perfect. If you leave early morning, they seem to nap better. 

2. Blankets!
Bring their blankets! Must do... I have noticed that if they are covered with a blanket, they tend to be more content. 

3. Music/Movies/Activities
I bring iPads, movies, coloring books, crayons, stickers, paper, little toys. I always bring a few familiar movies and a couple new ones. I also put a couple on each child's iPad and bring earphones. 

4. Dress Comfortably!
I always dress my kiddos in something comfortable when we are traveling. Pjs, cotton shorts, t-shirts... and toms or flip flops. This makes it easy to put on and off when you have to make pit stops. 

5. Pack snacks or candy
I always pack easy snacks: pouches, crackers, pretzels, trail mix, fruit snacks. On vacations we normally indulge... so that means candy too. My kids like Mike & Ikes, Skittles, etc. 

6. Pack a bag that is easy access if needed. 

I always try to keep a fully stocked bag in my super cool minivan... haha. Ok, so the minivan is just a season and I won't always drive one, but for now it's the most practical for us. Back to the subject: 

Inside your bag:

an extra set of clothes/undies for each child

wipes, pull-ups (if this is your season)

5 LARGE ziplocs

sunscreen

bug spray

snacks

basic first aid supplies

bottles, pacifiers, burp cloths, etc (if this is your current season)

7. WIPES, grocery bags, did I mention, WIPES? 

We use lots of wipes and I like to put trash in the grocery bag. Then, at our next stop, toss it in the trash can. I also keep hand sanitizer in my van at all times. We use after the park, before we eat (if your kids are anything like mine, they snack a lot). 

I hope that helped if you are planning a road trip with your family. I can't wait for ours to get here! My kids keep asking: "When are we going to the mountains?" "When are we going to the beach?" They are THRILLED... and I can't wait either! I always have so much fun with my family. 

What are your tips for traveling with kiddos on a road trip? I would love to hear some other things you do to make it easier. I love to hear from you, so leave me a comment or contact me via email. 

If this is your first time stopping by, I'm glad you did. Follow along or follow me on bloglovin'. 

Follow me on instagram: https://instagram.com/christyd2010/

Weekend Wrap-up: Mother's Day Edition

Happy Monday! We had a fun weekend! 

On Saturday morning, Beau and the kids made breakfast. They made pancakes and bacon. Although Witten requested bacon and cucumbers... hmmm  for breakfast? Ok. So, that's what he ate. :) He's not a big carb person. Beau says, he couldn't be our son. haha.

Saturday it rained off and on all day and we had a birthday party at the farm. It was a little girl from Witten's class. He comes home and talks about her a lot, so I think she's one of his favorite friends. :)  Her mom told me it happening rain or shine, so we ventured out to the party. It was wet, muddy and a big mess! We still had fun and I think Witten had the most fun feeding the animals and splashing in the mud puddles. :) Kinsley was worried the whole time that she was muddy and told me she's not a "rainy girl". haha... 

Each kiddo got a bucket full of bread and carrots. They had so much fun feeding the chickens, pigs and goats. 

Feeding the chickens.

This boy loved feeding carrots to the goats. 

My little guy loved the mud!

Witten did a dive into the cupcake! hahaha.... He loves chocolate! They got the cupcakes from a little bakery called Stir Crazy. They were very good. 

The kids had so much fun feeding the animals, playing, petting their farm dogs, and doing the piñata. I think feeding the animals and the piñata was their favorite part. It was a fun party! I am thinking about having Witten's there in September when he turns 3 (insert me sobbing here). 

We celebrated my mother in law on Saturday night. We had an early dinner  at Hard 8 BBQ in Coppell. It's one of our favorite places. It was a good time!

Sunday I woke up to breakfast in bed kids crying and an 80 lb dog howling and whining in his bed. So.... at 6 am we had two kids in bed with us and a dog laying next to the bed. We had some good laughs and cuddles.. 

Daddy's girl! <3

And there were 4 in the bed....... and the little one said...... :)

Then, the kids and Beau went out to make me something and breakfast. Fast forward a couple of hours, then they brought me breakfast in bed. It was rainy all day and I decided to stay home in my pajamas all day long. It was glorious! 

Once, I was actually up for the day, I came into the kitchen to this

A few of my favorite things: A white chocolate raspberry bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes, two candles that the kids made for me, a very sweet card, and a gift certificate to get a hot stone massage. They went above and beyond as always. 

Later on, we went outside and sat on the porch in our pajamas. It was nice and peaceful, listening to the rain and my kiddos playing on the porch. 

My husband and the kiddos went to the store for some things we needed. They came back with the Paddington movie. So, we took early baths and watched Paddington while Beau made one of my very favorite meals. It's most definitely comfort food, it was perfect for this rainy day. 

One of my VERY favorite meals. Made with love by my husband. He even went to the store twice because we thought we had everything and missed an item. 

I had a very nice day with the ones I love the most. They always spoil me, but today they went above and beyond. I am very blessed. 

I know that for some today is a hard day. I pray that you find comfort in the memories you have of your loved ones. To all the

Moms out there: including moms of fur babies, step moms, stand in moms & any kind of mom you are! I hope you had a Happy Mother's Day! 

 One of my very favorite times of the day... bedtime stories!

Living my life with this man and my kiddos makes me a crazy  very happy lady. hahaha... At times, but I love my little family more than words can describe. I thank this man for all he does for our family.  Thank you Lord for all of your blessings!

XOXO