Back Again Because It's The Cup

(It's so shocking that The Toddler grew up to love cheerleading, isn't it?)

I Used to Love that Car

I've been doing a lot of laying low recently, but there was that ONE errand that couldn't wait and couldn't be delegated. Alexis and I piled into the car and headed out, with full intentions of taking care of that exact one thing and then heading home.

It was a beautiful, sunny day -- the first day when shorts and a tank top were a good idea, but an open sunroof and windows rolled down were an even better idea. We were singing along with Pharrell's "Happy," Alexis' current jam, when she grew quiet.

Quiet is never good. I should have known that.

Just when the quiet lulled me into that happy place you find with the windows down and radio blasting. Alexis suddenly yelled out the scariest words she had ever uttered, "MOM! I LOST MY TOOTH!" She yelled it with the intensity someone would yell "FIRE!" or "RUN! A BEAR!" for good reason.

Have I mentioned that I can't stand teeth that aren't firmly planted in a mouth? BECAUSE I CAN'T. Alexis knows it. In fact, she often tries to blackmail me into doing things by threatening to wiggle a loose tooth if I don't.

It doesn't work, but it comes close.

I was rattled to the core. I mean, A TOOTH. IT FELL OUT OF HER FACE. Fortunately, we were close to home so my pleas to remain oblivious to what the hot mess in the back seat looked like were met with agreement.

And then we pulled into the driveway.

Alexis whipped off her seatbelt, stood up, and reached around the seat to try to shove her mangled hunk of disgustingness in my face. But before she could, things got worse. SO MUCH WORSE.

It turns out that there are scarier words than "I lost my tooth." They are "I dropped my tooth." In my car. And I'm pretty sure it bounced off of my shoulder on its way to who knows where because SERIOUSLY, ALEXIS COULDN'T FIND IT.

I couldn't cope with the thought of a mangled tooth sitting somewhere in my car, just waiting for me to accidentally discover it and DIE BECAUSE OMG GROSS. I talked the husband into helping with the search. Alexis and he spent 30 minutes looking for that stupid thing.

There was a point when I considered slipping up on the whole Tooth Fairy thing since that was certainly a driving force behind the desperate search, but then I remembered that I really did want it to be found. I wanted it to be found so badly that I actually got annoyed when Alexis was distracted from her mission because she became obsessed with the idea of cleaning the car. I reminded her to search and search and search some more.

She failed.

Despite Alexis' desperation, the tooth was nowhere to be found. Somewhere in the depths of that interior, a tooth is lurking. Waiting. Plotting against me.

I'm going to have to get a new car, aren't I?

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I made the mistake of mentioning Easter to Alexis.

WHOOPS.

I keep forgetting that she has a true and deep fear or the Easter Bunny.

Since I mentioned it, she has spiraled into a crazy person hell-bent on either exacting her revenge or figuring out a way to make friends with him.

On the day that she was trying the "friends" route, she thought it might be nice to make Carrot Cake for the giant creep. Which, why would I argue with making Carrot Cake? EVER?

I've posted this recipe before, but it's worthy of a repeat because it is THAT good. I wouldn't change a thing (she says after she has already eaten something like 6 of them ... Carrot Cake Cupcakes are my kryptonite, apparently).

This recipe is adapted from here.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (I don't keep buttermilk on hand, so I used 3/4 cup skim milk plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice -- put them in a cup together and let them sit for at least one minute. The milk will curdle and will work just fine as a substitute.)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrots (I used baby carrots, but any carrots will work.)
1 8-oz can crushed pineapple (Drain off the excess juice, but don't stress about it. Just get that stuff at the top of the can.)
1 cup chopped pecans

Note: There are no raisins in this recipe because RAISINS DO NOT BELONG IN CARROT CAKE. Ahem. ;-)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in your pans. This recipe makes about 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes, so plan accordingly.

2. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

3. Use an electric mixer to combine the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract at low speed in a separate large bowl.

4. Add flour mixture to your large bowl. Mix at low speed until everything is happy.

5. Fold in carrots, pineapple, and pecans.

6. Use a measuring cup to scoop cake mix into the cupcake liners. This cake doesn't rise very much, so fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when you stab it into a cupcake.

8. Allow to cool.

9. Ice with a cream cheese icing. This one is perfect for the job, but double the vanilla extract just for fun.