Cupcakes

I have recently become obsessed with cupcakes. I love all shows involving them and I have decided that I wanted to start making some. I got a magazine with some fun recipes and decided to try this one out first. They are root beer cupcakes with a vanilla ice-cream flavored icing. I have had a couple of amazing cupcakes in my life and I still dream about them wishing that I could transport myself somehow to those places that had them. In the hopes of being able to taste delicious cupcakes once again my friend and I decided to start a cupcake club. We invited 4 friends who shared our love of baking to join us once a month and each of us will make a different recipe to share. To help keep our butts from getting too big and helping us to be service minded we are going to take a couple of plates to different people who we think could use a sweet treat. Plus we each get to sample 6 different kinds of cupcakes and take some home to our families.

This particular batch served two purposes. It was a trial run for the club and they were for someones birthday. In my church we have something called a visiting teacher. This is a calling of sorts that each woman receives. Some women choose not to participate for a variety of different reasons, but a majority of the women do. It is a duty that we believe we have covenanted with our Father in Heaven at baptism to do. Visiting teachers usually go in pairs and visit on average 3 sisters. The purpose of these visits is to check on the needs of the sisters and offer comfort, compassion, service and friendship because that is what we do when we take upon us the name of Christ. We try to be more like him. So, one of the sisters that my friend and I visit has a son who's birthday is today. How's that for a long story of why we made cupcakes? :0)

It was a short day so the 2 youngest were home and they love to help out in the kitchen, especially when treats are involved. I am not one of those patient Moms that loves to get their kids involved. I am usually in a hurry and would rather not delegate responsibilities fairly among the helpers. Because in a kids world, it is all about the fairness! I really need to be better about slowing down and taking the time to let them help. This day they got to pour things into the bowl, help put the decorations on and they did a really good job licking the bowls and spoons clean. Jordy also offered up her special brand of positive reinforcement. The icing was a disaster and I hate it when things go wrong and she was such a sweet little cheerleader. "They look awesome, they taste great, you're doing such a good job." These all came from my little 6 year old along with some funny ones that I can't remember now but I know they made me laugh. Having kids teaches me so much and I'm pretty sure they end up teaching me more than I will ever teach them.
What a blessing and a joy spending a day with friends and family is while doing something nice for someone. Give it a try, you won't regret it!