So much to do, so little time!

Hey ya'll. It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon here in South Alabama and my mind is busy daydreaming! I was just wondering if any of you have this same problem....... I want to be it all and do it all but don't have enough time, money or clones of me to do that! ha! Here's a quick run-down of what all I'd LIKE to do (some of it I already am):
1) magazine (doing 2 actually)
2) retail shop (check)
3) blog (check)
4) write a book (started) and write a children's book

5) have some sort of successful website (researching)
6) weekend franchise opportunity I just found and think ROCKS! (again, researching)
7) Paint & Craft (totally stays in thought mode- NO time for it)
8) Be a great Tweeter! (still working on figuring it out)
9) Own a coffee shop/bakery where ladies can just hang out & chat! (on the bucket list)

10) ZUMBA (gosh do I ever NEED to do this one!)
11) Lay on the couch for an entire week watching tons of movies (I wish!!!!!!! Sort of contradicts the whole zumba thing huh?)
12) Check off some things from my bucket list such as travel to New York!

13) Read more. Maybe even be a part of a book club. (do magazines count? That's all I have time for)
14) Learn how to shoot a gun & go huntin' (I'm a southern girl, I SHOULD know how to do that, right?)
15) Get a weekly massage (my neck screams YES right about now)
ETC, ETC, ETC
well, you get the idea. Are you like that at all? Or am I just crazy or A.D.D or something???

Enough rambling for today. Remember: Embrace your awesomeness!
Until next time,
amy

Sweet Treat Day is Coming!

Valentine's Day will be here SOON! Yes, a day of love, romance, dates, nice restaurants, flowers, cards, chocolates and other desserts!!! V-day means no D-day! No dieting on Valentine's Day, or at least according to my own made up rules. So today I just wanted to share a secret family recipe with you, just in time to bake for V-day. My late, step-grandmother's red velvet cake recipe!!! Yes, I'm giving it you, despite all the millions of dollars I could make if I just turned it into a business. But you all know that I have enough businesses!!

Just one thing I ask of you. Once you bake it and try it, come back here and tell me what you think! Of course I think it's the best out there!!!

Icing:
12 oz. cream cheese (room temp)
1 1/2 boxes of confectioner's sugar
Mix together. If too stiff, add a tad bit of warm water.

Cake:
1 stick butter (softened or melted)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs (I use large)
2 oz. red food coloring
2 tbsp. Hershey Cocoa
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
dash salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp. white vinegar

Beat together butter, sugar and eggs. Make "paste" w/food coloring and cocoa- add to mixture.
Add salt, flour and baking soda.
Add buttermilk and vanilla.
Fold in vinegar very gently.

Bake 30 minutes in floured or non-stick sprayed pans on 350 degrees.
(I usually make 4 layers)

I frost lightly between each layer (icing is very sweet) and heavily on top.
Add chopped pecans to top and side if you'd like!

ENJOY!!!!!
until next time!

Yes, I am Wonder Woman!

   Of course I am only one of millions of women who think they are already, expected to be or need to be, Wonder Woman! We are a daughter, sister, friend, mom, wife, career woman, taxi driver, counselor, chef, maid, nurse, cheerleader, decorator, shopper, organizer, and the list goes on. Whew, it's enough to make you tired just reading it, right ya'll?  Well, I said I'd update you on my latest, "revised" projects so here goes! First, I have decided to close the main location of my retail shop, j-girlz. Instead, my items will be be re-located inside another local gift shop (of which I won't have to run! lol) and also we will be opening a smaller version in my hometown, which I've always wanted. Wicksburg, my "hometown", isn't exactly a town so we need some cute shops here for a little shopping convenience! Next, my magazines. I am SO excited that jody magazine will now be Southern Belle magazine and will be reaching out more regionally and hopefully national! j-outdoors magazine will continue to be focused on local people and stories but we are changing the name of it too! I met a really fabulous lady who will head up the outdoors mag to take a little bit of the load off of this Wonder Woman. I am slowly building a team of awesome ladies & men who will help make these little projects a success. AND, yep, there's more, hence the Wonder Woman title...... I am working on websites for both mags, a shopping cart on facebook for j-girlz, another website - to be announced soon, a plus size pageant, ground floor plans with a friend for a women's ministry retreat, writing more of "my book" and tossing around some ideas to help raise awareness for teen cancer. SEE? I TOLD you I was Wonder Woman! How bout you??? Would love to hear some of your stories on what all is going on in your life to make you feel like Wonder Woman!
    I have a friend at a former job who calls me "Awesome Amy" so I guess I'll take that and run with it and use it as my new motto for you all! (and I also stole this line from a movie I watched today! ha!) ....... "Embrace Your Awesomeness"! We are ALL awesome women and can do anything we dream! You just have to believe and WORK! Doors won't open if you don't turn the knob!
Until next time,   (which will include my grandmother's secret recipe for Awesome Red Velvet Cake!)

The Icky, Yucky Funk

I think I have to officially admit that I am in a temporary (hopefully), icky, yucky funk! You know, the one where you're not really TOO tired, you're not actually depressed, you're just feeling a bit lazy & blah. I'm sure lots of you women who have crazy, busy lives can understand what I'm talkin' about. I'm pretty sure I have adult ADD, well at least that's what my hubby thinks! My brain goes in a hundred different directions at all times and I think sometimes even it just says "enough" and forces me to take a breather! Proof? See this pic?

Yep, my Christmas tree is still up! Last week I used the excuse that the BCS Championship game day was a holiday, this week, I'm all out of excuses! I did get the outside stuff down 2 weeks ago so at least the outside world didn't see how "redneck" I am by leaving Christmas lights up! Guess I'd better get it down tomorrow. Another week and even I'll start believing something's seriously wrong with me!

     On a more serious note, here's the latest update on our Skylar. (For those of you who don't know, Skylar is the 17 yr.old boyfriend of my youngest daughter, Jessie and has Hodgkin's Lymphoma). He was able to come home last week for a few days, after 4 weeks in Children's Hospital in Birmingham. It did him a WORLD of good! His attitude is much better and he is determined to fight this battle with a smile on his face. His faith, all of our support, hundreds of people's prayers and of course, Jessie, are all helping him face the toughest battle of his life. He's had lots of medical issues his entire life so needles, doctors and hospitals, he's used to...... this time..... whole new ballgame. But as the Martina McBride song goes.... we're gonna love him through it. My God is still in the same miracle business today as he was when he rose Lazarus from the dead. Here is a pic of Skylar, now wearing his boggin because he's lost almost all of his hair. He went back up to B-ham this past Tuesday for another round of chemo and is back home again until next treatment. Gosh, I love that kid!

Well, I've taken up enough time and space today. I'll be updating again in a day or so on new projects I'm working on! Actually, old projects but with new life!
Until next time,
AMY