A whole new world...: Fab 5 Friday...and some other stuff...

Oh, so excited it's Friday!! Whoop! Whoop! Bring on the weekend!!

I had cooking class yesterday...Cupcakes Galore - once again with the fabulous Christine. Two cupcakes on the menu...Hummingbird cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and chocolate cupcakes with a peanut butter filling topped with caramel glaze and a sauteed banana disc. Let's just say "Sugar OVERLOAD!"

We started with the Hummingbird cupcakes. If you haven't had Hummingbird cake...think carrot cake without the carrots...with a hint of banana. It's a spice cake with banana, pineapple, pecans, and coconut.

Christine whipping up some cake batter

Hummingbird Cupcakes - before and after the oven

While those were cooking we started working on the chocolate with peanut butter filling. Christine was fabulous and accommodated my need to make some without peanut butter for Grayson. (And was he thrilled!)

Chocolate Cupcakes

I love baking...I find it to be very relaxing - so this was a great class. Additionally, it was a small class today - so we all go to work solo - which I also love.

We then whipped up cream cheese frosting and caramel glaze. Super yummy! Cream cheese frosting is one of my favorites, but the caramel glaze was amazing, too!

The finished Hummingbird Cupcakes

Chocolately Peanut Buttery Goodness

Scrumptious!

Oh, dessert was fantastic last night! Happy boys and happy husband!

And, now let's get to this week's Fab 5!

1.) A package from my mom and dad! Yes, this week brought another package! Woot! Woot! Full of new clothes, candy, birthday presents, jewelry, deodorant...Yes! Quite the odd assortment, but totally appreciated! We were a little nervous as it got held up in customs temporarily, but it was quickly released!!

HUGE package from home!

My family learned a lot about international shipping - and the new Fedex Flat Rate international shipping (which while advertised on their website isn't quite ready to roll out yet!) Anyways, next time we need a good, ol' shipment of stuff from home, my parents will know exactly what to do!

2.) New position at school. I was elected to the Parents' Association board this week as communications officer. I'm very excited to work with this group! Lots of good stuff happens at our school and it will be great to join in and contribute to all of this.

3.) Crossfit. Workouts have been strong this week. Even though my back has been bothering me, I've been powering through! (Even went to the workouts where burpees were involved this week! And, I could've easily skipped out and went to Fitness First since the workouts are posted each day! Next time, I need to wear my "Burpees Don't Like You Either" shirt!) I brought my kids one night to a WOD as I missed the morning group, and I could see the glint in Caleb's eye as he watched everyone doing their thing. He was so awesome on the walk back home - he said a positive thing about each person who was working out. "Mom, Jay was so fast on the rower." and "That guy that was next to you...his pushups were AWESOME!" and "Did you see how much weight that guy did for his squats?" You've got to love his positive attitude - and the fact that he knew exactly what we were doing!

Burpees! Fu*k!!

4.) Vacation! Vacation! Vacation! Sunday we leave for Penang! So excited! Hard Rock here we come! Lots of relaxing will be going on, but I also found some cool stuff I'd like to visit/do - like the Tropical Spice Garden and taking the funicular to the top of Penang Hill and maybe the Snake Temple. Plus, I'd like to see some of the murals done by Ernest Zacharevic. Also, Christine from B.I.G. just sent me a list of local restaurants that she thinks we should check out! And, just found out that my friend, Sandra, and her daughter are also staying at the Hard Rock! (And Sandra shared that the spa at the Hard Rock is having a massage promo - SCORE!) Should be a great week!

Little Children On A Bicycle by Ernest Zacharevic

5.) U.N. Day at MKIS. And last, but not least, today was United Nations Day at MKIS. Our kiddos attend school with children from over 50 different countries and today they celebrate this diversity by bringing everyone together. (Yes, this is why Caleb and Grayson have been practicing "Home On The Range.") It was a fabulous morning full of performances from various countries and the kids dressed to represent their birth country.