I never much cared for pork...

3 weeks and 2 days to go until Rick arrives here in the U.S. That is, if Australia doesn't institute their Fortress Australia pandemic countermeasures in the face of the recent outbreak of swine flu. That could mean that flights in or out of Australia are halted and things more or less shut down. Even if he does manage to make it out here, the chance is real that he might not be let back in right away if they institute those measures after he gets here. For right now though Australia hasn't had any confirmed cases of the swine flu, but they are seeking 22 Aussies who shared the same flight with the 3 New Zealanders who tested positive for it.

Australia has an amazingly thorough quarantine system because they must maintain a delicate balance in their country. Hopefully with that and their adequate vaccine supply the problem will not be bad enough to invoke such extreme measures. Here's hoping...

I'm engaged!

Yes! Yes! Yes!
I am so excited!.
He proposed April 4th.

After a wonderful 10 days in Australia I was awakened at the ass-crack of dawn on the last Saturday before I left. His eagerness to have me see an "Australian sunrise" got me out of bed despite heavily protesting how very tired I was. We arrived at The Shallows in Shellharbour and walked down when it got a bit light. He set out chairs in the wet sand and we wrapped up in 2 big, comfy blankets shivering under the cloudy sky. I didn't think the sun would show itself, but he was just so cute about wanting to do it. About 7AM-ish I hear a violin playing behind me and I whipped my head around and instantly knew what was about to happen. I turned to him laughing and said, " Are you serious? OMG Are you kidding?" He said, " What song is it?" I recognized our song Brighter Than Sunshine by Aqualung.He took out a ring and asked me to marry him, and I wholeheartedly without reservation said YES!. I think I was a bit stunned. I was an absolute mess and I was not exactly an enthusiastic morning person, but he takes the bad with the good and promised himself to me. He is such an amazing person and I am the happiest woman right now.

A Land Down Under

I am having such an amazing time in Australia. Check it out!

He Just Smiled and Gave Her a Vegemite Sandwich

I'm here!

I arrived! Rick is absolutely wonderful. He picked me up in a limo! Call me blown away.
It's absolutely beautiful here. So green.
I will be taking pics and posting my adventures soon. For now, I have to collapse. That plane ride took forevah!!!!

I'm in love with a wonderful guy!

I'm in love.

3 little words with life-changing abilities.

I haven't been really good about blogging even though I have had TONS to talk about. I started another blog specifically about all that's been happening and I will eventually morph this blog into that one in the future. For now though you can read about my love over there because I have to be at the airport in about an hour to catch a flight to Australia!

He Just Smiled and Gave Her a Vegemite Sandwich.

Crush...

...officially over.

Cinnabon Fakes Cupcakes

Here is my recipe for Cinnabon Fakes Cupcakes. Finally!

Cake
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter-room temp.
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
2 tspns baking powder
1/4 tspn. salt
3 eggs & 1 egg white
3/4 cup milk
2 tspns vanilla extract

Cinnamon Mixture: 4 tblspns sugar, 3 tspns cinnamom, 2 tblspns butter. Mix with a fork until you make a crumby, coarse mixture. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. While that's beating sift together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl combine eggs, milk, and vanilla. Mix with a fork.
Once butter/sugar mixture is light and fluffy add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar. Mix on slow speed. Add 1/2 the wet ingredient mixture. Alternate until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Do not over mix.
Line cupcake pan with liners and fill 2/3 full with batter. Sprinkle cinnamon mixture on top of the batter. It will sink in during baking. Bake for 10-12 min at 350 degrees. Let cool.

Frosting

8oz. package of cream cheese-room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter-room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tspns vanilla
1/2 tspn lemon juice
1 tblspn milk

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until thoroughly mixed. Add sugar one cup at a time. Mix well after each cup. Add milk and mix. Beat on high for 12 minutes.* This is very important because we want air in this to make it really fluffy. Trust me on this. After about 10 min add vanilla and lemon juice and mix for another 2 or 3 min.
Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle a little cinnamon on top. YUM!