Here is what actually happened.

None of these events have been altered.

No names have been changed to protect the innocent.  (I’m innocent, I swear!)

Start with cake mix.  It is a little know fact, but Red Velvet cake is my favorite!

“The cake pot was made out of Red Velvet”

“Blood Red.”

“People are going to be hacking into it.  Poor animal is going to look like it’s bleeding!”

(Name that movie!  It is a little known fact, but that is one of my favorite movies and I can practically quote the whole thing.)

Anyways . . . . .

Bake cake according to directions and let cool.  Then, once cool break apart cake and crumble in a bowl.  (Sorry this picture is icky.  I have another, but the cake really does look blood red in it.  So I chose this one.  Don’t want anyone throwing up now.)

At this point, I thought, “Gosh.  This cake really is moist.”  That should have been my first warning.

Next, you get some frosting.  With Red Velvet, of course, I used cream cheese.

You dump it into your cake crumbles.  I didn’t use the whole thing because the cake really was moist.  Second warning.

Then you mix it all together.  Bakerella suggested that you mix it by hand.  Ummm . . . I couldn’t handle this, but once you start, you have to finish.  Oh, and red velvet stains – did you know this?  I didn’t, but boy I do now!

Then you measure out a spoonful.  I’m so glad I had this scooper.  I was way over touching the cake mixture by this point.

Now, it was really, really moist and sticky (third warning).  Bakerella said I could chill the dough for a few hours – so I scooped it out on waxed paper and . . .

. . .  put them in the fridge to cool, set up, and generally do their thing.

While that is taking place, I got all my other supplies together.  Lollipop sticks – a bit longer than the standard.

Pink candy melts.  I’ve never seen these or heard of them before.  Hmmmm . . . .

Almond Bark – which doesn’t actually contain almonds.  It is just melting chocolate.

Once the balls had cooled, I tried to put them on the sticks.  Well, you can see for yourself what happened. (Fourth warning.)

So, I decided to put them in the freezer.

Then tried again.  Success!  Well, only a few casualties.  I totally thought I was on my way now.

So, I started melting some chocolate in my makeshift double boiler.

And started dipping them.  Mmmm . . . The whole house smelled like chocolate.  I loved this part!  I love licking off the drops!

They aren’t exactly beautiful looking.  A little lumpy, but I’m totally okay with this by now.

Then I melted some of the candy melts and drizzled them over the top.  Aren’t they so cute!  I totally feel like a success.  And I’m thinking right about now, “I’m going to have the coolest dessert at the dinner.”

And then the Lord decided to humble me.  Because you should never be prideful about a dish that you plan on taking to a church function.  Bringing food to church functions is about service and helping out, not about having the “coolest” or “best” dish there.  (Or so I’m told.)

I decided to eat one that had fallen off of its stick.  This doesn’t look too bad, but it was aweful!  The cake was mushy.  Like cake soaked in water mushy.  I almost gagged and I did spit it out into the sink.

Failure.

Utter failure.

Mandy tried one too – it was terrible.

I almost cried.

Instead I threw out every single last cake pop I had made.

And I went and bought this . . . .

Thank you Costco for making cheesecake and rescuing me from my dessert failure.

But they sure did look pretty didn’t they.

I’m sure I’ll try again, once my ego has recovered.

“Thanks Lesli for making this fun today.”

I just start laughing at him.

“Why are you laughing?”

me: “Oh, you’re being serious.”

“Yeah.”

me: “Oh, well thank you.”

I think it really says something when my students compliment me and I start laughing.  It just caught me off guard okay.

I recently was reminiscing and going over photo’s with a student and I came across this photo I took in Amsterdam.  I love this photo!  There really were so many bikes in Amsterdam.  I wish I could go back now that I have a “fancy” camera.  I’m sure I’d get some even better shots.

I do love the yellow flower.  Yellow, is after all, my favorite color.

The movie is about Queen Victoria as a young woman.  Half of the film is about Victoria before her ascension to the throne.  Her mother and an adviser controlled her life and wanted her to sign a regency order so that they could rule England until she was 25 years old.  She refuses to sign the regency order and begins to assert her independence.

During this time she meets and falls in love with Prince Albert.   Prince Albert was meant to be a pawn in the game of marriage and monarchy; however, he and Victoria really do fall in love with each other.

After Victoria becomes the Queen, Albert helps her to navigate the political war zone of England.  He supports her and together they help make England a wonderful nation.

The film was simply beautiful.  The romance is sweet and quiet.  I loved it.  The costuming was spectacular.  They felt like real people, even though they were dressed spectacularly.  Oh, the colors!  Oh, the lighting!  Oh, the sets!  This will definitely be added to my movie collection.

This Saturday, I am going to see the Zac Brown Band in a smaller venue in Salt Lake.

I’m really looking forward to it.  And because it is in a small space it will feel much more intimate.

Then, I also bought the MegaTicket that USANA Amphitheater does.  It is four concerts from June to September.  Now that is a gift that keeps on giving and I can look forward to it all summer long.  I saw two concerts there last year: George Straight and Brad Paisley.  It is nice to sit on the lawn and enjoy a good country show.

This year, the tickets include:

Montgomery Gentry, Little Big Town, Jack Ingrum and many more in the Country Throwdown.  I’m way excited for all these great bands and hours upon hours of entertainment.

Tim McGraw with Lady Antelbellum – love, love, love!

Toby Keith – I’m not such a big fan of him, but . . . . we’ll see who comes with him (it hasn’t been announced yet)

Brad Paisley with Darius Rucker – totally stoked for this one!

All in all – I think these were excellent gifts to myself.  Happy Birthday to me!

And Random.org gave me . . . .

Congratualations Jesseca!  And you say you never win anything!  Here is her comment.

In case you were wondering, the blog Jesseca is refering to is The Pioneer Woman – also one of my favorite blogs.  She has awesome contests!  And frequent contests!  And she is just awesome!  Congratulations!

This was fun.   I’m going to try and have more contests in the future.

The Pioneer Woman – She writes about life on a ranch in Oklahoma, cooking, homeschooling adventures, and home and garden.  She has fostered my love for cowboys and farm life.

Bakerella – Bakerella makes all sorts of sweet treats in really creative and amazing ways!  I’m inspired by her!

Charm City Cakes – I love watching Ace of Cakes on the television and I love reading their blog.  They don’t post very often, but I love every post.  It is another inside look into the bakery.

Flikr Blog – I’m not too sure how it works, but Flikr posts a bunch of photos from users on their website.  They are just beautiful!  I love looking at all of them!

Inkygirl – She writes posts for writers.  She also writes comics and they are hilarious!

KWernerDesign – I actually know Kristina and took a calligraphy class with her in high school.  She is a graphic designer and an absolutely amazing scrapbooker!  I don’t scrapbook with paper (only digital) but I still love watching all her videos.

Post Secret – Every week, people all over the world send in postcards with their secrets on them.  I also have the books.

The Big Picture – This is a series of pictures that the Boston Globe posts.  They are artistic, they are news worthy, and they are sometimes heart wrenching.

The Bloggess – My guilty pleasure.  She often uses inappropriate language and yet she is hilarious!  I love her, but she isn’t for everyone – be warned.

Wil Wheaton in Exile – I love Wil Wheaton, I love the nerdiness!  I just love!

Because it is my birthday in a few days -

And because I love getting free things and winning contests-

I’m going to be giving away a $20 gift card to Amazon.com

And because I love Amazon!

Here is how it goes:

I have been reading over the winners of the 2010 Bloggie Awards and I realize there are so many awesome blogs out there and I don’t know any of them.  You should go check some of them out!

So, in the comments section, write down the web address of your favorite blog and why.  I’ll probably add all of them to my google reader!

Be sure and put your email in space provided.  It won’t be published, but I need it to send you the gift certificate to Amazon.

Contest Ends: On my birthday! March 3, 2010 at 3:33 pm MST. (I like 3’s)  I’ll be at the dentist during that time (yeah, on my birthday, dentist visit #7 since January) so, winners will be announced later that night.

(only one entry per person, thanks!)

(oh, and comment moderation is on, so your comment won’t appear immediately, but don’t worry, it will appear.  I have to do that because of the 900 spam comments I’ve gotten in the last month.)

Good Luck!

————

If I won this – I might buy some of these things:

Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Masters by Michael Fry

I’m really loving photography and I really love shooting landscapes.

Winter Morning Walks : 100 Postcards to Jim Harrison  by Ted Kooser

Ted Kooser is a former poet laureate of the United States.  I read this particular volume of poetry in college and just haven’t ever added it to my collection.  Every morning he would take a walk, then write a poem about what he saw that day to Jim Harrison on a postcard and mail it to him.  Genius!

True Blood Season 2 DVD

I love this series.  I read all the Sookie Stackhouse books this last summer.  The show is definitely for adults.

New Moon DVD

Like I even have to tell you why.

Letters to Prison

I don’t want to write you.
I don’t know what to say.

You’re a loser.
I’m so disappointed in you.

I can’t write that.

What he wants to hear is:

I believe in you.

Which I don’t.

Everything will be fine.

Which it won’t.

You will never be okay.

How can I write that?
I can’t, so I won’t.

Sometimes we want to hear the lies.
Sometimes we don’t want the truth.

So, I’ll write:

Dear Jesse,

I don’t know what to say.

~Lesli

But, that is still a lie.