Skydive Adventure!

My good friend Tim is up in Oregon on leave from 29 stumps and while he was here I got to spend 2 whole days with him! Here is a little back ground on us just so you know how we tick. I want to High School with Tim all 4 yrs and than we ended up at the same University where we became very close and our friendship stuck! Now I had been Bungee jumping for my 18th birthday so when I meet Tim he had the same dare devil quality I possessed (yes where both crazy), and on his 21st birthday I took him bungee jumping just him and I.

So naturally after that I told him one day I'll take you skydiving since its the next thing on our (lets see if we can kill ourselves) list.  About 3 years went by and lots happened, he has become my hero in the armed forces, served 8 months over seas and I have my own business working my butt off as well! When Tim and I were making plans for his return & leave up here in good old Oregon aka Home, I just knew exactly what special thing we had to do together! by now I'm sure he thought I forgot and that it was never going to happen but I would never forget such a thing I promised before he left to join the devil dogs and promised all those years ago!

On to the main event we went... Mike (our new dare devil side kick), Tim & myself hoped in a newly washed Jeep Rubicon and head on our road tip to Central Oregon Skydiving in Madras, OR!
We look back now and even though it was a 3hr drive we're all so happy we had to drive cause the weather we left behind was rain and gray(no dive weather) central Oregon right after Sisters was beautiful and sunny!

Our little dive plane and the Jeep going on its 1st real dangerous adventure!

Mike chose to be the 1st test subject and suited up! Tim & I decided with bungee jumping under our belts its best if Mike just go's for it without thinking twice!

Go Mike!

Last chance to back out..naah!

Mikes dive, look for the little tinny black dot in the sky! Oh and enjoy the comentary..

To me it just seems so surral still that I totally jumped out of a plan at 10,000feet, free fell for almost 1 minute and than had a birds eye view on a gorgus day of the earth! Yeah it was amazing plus i got to do it with 2 sexy men what else could a girl ask for!

Me getting suited up!

Way ready after I let both boys dive 1st!

I think the boys were a little nervous so I let the "ladies" go 1st as I took a back seat! When it came time for me I was more than ready!

My dive video, and yes I got pink & purple on my parashut!

I cant even discribe it the jump was amazing and I had a smile the hole way down!

Mike and I after my dive!

Tim & I with gooffy smiles!

74 graduation cupcakes!

I was asked by one of my coworkers "Since you love to bake cupcakes, could you make some for my husband & daughter's graduation party...I'll pay you?" "Of course" was my answer! Here was her criteria...

1) Two different cupcakes one for her daughter graduating from Crescent Vally High (maroon & gold/yellow) and the other for her husband graduating with his PhD from OSU (black & orange)

2) Do what you think is best I need about 72 cause there are around 100 people invited to the graduation party!

Holy cow lol! I got right to work on the trial cupcakes! After 2 batches of test cupcakes I finally found the recipes I was going to use with some tweaks of my own! Here are the test cupcakes, not quite perfect. Red velvet was too dry & butter cream not quite right...

Decided to go with Red velvet cupcakes with yellow/gold cream cheese frosting to represent Crescent Vally High! Then dark chocolate cupcakes with orange butter cream frosting to represent OSU! Please realize how hard it was for me to make these cupcakes being a U of O fan! Now here are the actual cup cake recipes I used, how I mixed them and what the final product looked like!

Kitchen prep-had to make more room on the counter lol!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

by: browneyedbaker

makes about 36

preheat 350*

3 sticks of butter

1/2 cup dark Hershey coco powder

2 1/4 cup cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

6 eggs

2 1/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups sour cream

*Beat butter & sugar together until creamy (very important) always takes longer than you think. In separate bowl measure out your cake flour & coco powder. To your butter & sugar mixture add in eggs one at a time & mix well. Mix in sour cream & vanilla extract, blend in salt, baking soda & baking powder than slowly add flour & coco mixture 1/2 cups at a time letting each blend. Fill cupcake cups 3/4th full & bake 18-20 mins!

Butter Cream Frosting

2 sticks of butter

1/4 cup + 2T milk

5 3/4 cup confectioners sugar (to the consistency you want)

1teaspoon vanilla

Orange food coloring (in my case)

*Mix butter & sugar until well blended then add milk, vanilla & food coloring  (my case orange) until consistency you like.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

by browneyedbaker

makes about 36

preheat to 350*

1 1/2 sticks of butter
2 1/4 cups of sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup coco powder
red food coloring (in my case I used Burgundy frosting coloring form Michale's)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 cups + 6T cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

*Cream butter & sugar until fluffy and blended. Add in eggs mix than turn to hi speed & completely mix together. Coco powder, vanilla, red food coloring (to color) mix until color is completely blended. Even scrap sides & blend more. 1/2 buttermilk & cake flour stir. Than salt, baking soda & vinegar blend. Add remaining buttermilk & flour slowly letting each blend.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 pkg cream cheese softened

3/4 cup butter softened

3 cups confectioners sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

food coloring (in my case)

*Cream together cream cheese & butter until creamy. mix in vanilla (yellow & tiny orange food coloring) than gradually stir in confectioners sugar.

It was a very fun adventure to make a TON of cupcakes and Mike helped me out a lot! Maybe a bit more practice and we have a good cupcake gig going! Here is a picture of me 'riding dirty' to drop off my stash!

    Congratulations to all the 2012 graduates!

Time or lack there of!

Where in the heck did May go? I swear it was just the start of May and now its June, then to top it off tomorrow is me & Mikes 1yr..holy moly where did the year go? My 11hr work days must be keeping me too busy to notice how fast the days are slipping away. I should tell you about all that has happened in May but it would be a lot to catch up on and to be honest I cant really remember everything I have done lol! However, I got to enjoy my Sunday... Mike, Tajuan & I went to see the OMRRA sprint motorcycle races up at Portland International Raceway! It's so much fun picking out your favorite bike & rider then cheering them on even though you don't really know them at all, I also make Mike tell me all the makes & models of the bikes (I think he secretly likes it)! Tajuan is becoming a fast bike dog, he loves watching the bikes and being outside!

Daddy & Son watching the motorcycles

He is so funny cause he really does sit & watch the bikes fly by! It was not a super sunny day but it did not rain so we were all happy, and bubba still found some warm sun by the end of the races to rest in! He had a hard day watching bikes, going on rides, and meeting lots of people!

Tired out puppy!

The whole fam had a very good day! I think we're all pooped out a little overcast sun kissed and looking forward to relaxing on the couch!

T-man & Mommy riding up to PIR

Mike & I our second year @ PIR!

Memorial Day

Its wonderful to have an extra day off for most people, they will be able to get out with friends & BBQ but we still have to remember what this day means to a lot of people in the US. Its not always a happy day, in fact for a lot of people its a sad day a time for them to remember their loved ones they have lost, to thank them for what they have given for the rest of us. I am not going to push this in any ones face which is why I am writing it on my blog. I want to take a moment to thank the 2 hero's in my life, one I have lost that will always be a hole in my heart and one thank goodness is still with me safe & sound stateside. Even if its a little typed message to someone you know who has served just say thank you, it will mean the world to them!

My Hero!
USMC Hay's, Timothy
This is an outstanding man with great accomplishments in his life! He has a wonderful loving family who anyone would fall in love with once you meet them! He just finished his 1st tour in Afghanistan and made it home safely last month! Very very soon I will get to give him a big bear hug probably cry on his shoulder a bit and than jump out of an airplane with! Hes has always been my adrenaline buddy and very close to my heart!

us back in the college days

Strong

Brave

Kind & Loving

Smart

Thank You! Cant wait to see you in a few short weeks!


My Hero I lost.
Cpl. Kory D. Wiens & Sgt. Cooper
94th Mine Dog Detachment, 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade
We lost Kory & his dog Cooper on July 6th 2007, Kory the age of 20 not even old enough to drink. He was an amazing solider and only dreamed of protecting his country & the ones he loved. I still remember every moment of what happened the day I was driving home from work and got the phone call. That memory will never leave my head and I will never forget the people who helped me through it.
 It was a sunny Friday evening when a very close friend called me and told me the news, I proceeded to yell at her and tell her and I quote "That's not a fucking funny joke." than hung up on her and started crying, barley making it home in my tear fog. Two days later on Sunday to try and numb some of my pain I rushed out & got a memorial tattoo on the top of my left foot for him and his dog Cooper. He would have loved it, tattoos where our thing! I cant even say much on here without tearing up, it is very hard even to this day. He was the most kind gentle man I have ever had the chance to meet. When I was able to talk to him over seas he never let me think I had anything to worry about, he was always happy & asking how I was.

Reminds me everyday. Love & Miss you both!

I have so many good memories of his and I's conversations that keep me smiling on most days. I still keep letters we exchanged.

Letters

Us in 2005 on graduation day!

In Psychology class!

one of my favorite pictures of him & coop!

Here is a video that was done amazing of him and coop. Be sure to have tissues its emotional and touching.
Thank You so much and know I think about you two always! I Love & Miss you all the time.

Motorcycle Day

Today was an event called Motorcycle Visibility Day on OSU campus, Mikes company Premier Motogear hosts a booth at it every year and for the last 2yrs in a row I have gone to it!

Not many people know but I Love motorcycles (except Harleys not sure why just grow up hating them) its a little unknown obsession of mine so of course when I get the chance to hang out around them all day with some really fun guys/girls I am all over it! Plus I get to hear my boyfriend moto-geek out & its attractive how smart that kid is ;). I have a little bit of an adrenaline junkie in me but most of the time I can keep her under control!

 I guess now I have been dubbed the unofficial "umbrella girl" of this event. Its basically eye candy along with the bikes, but lets face it we're in Oregon and the most skin I show is my face lol! Besides I have to shamelessly promote the bike shop so I am in full head to toe gear that they sell! Its a pretty fun day and a lot of people showed up to display their rides in the quad! Here are some fun pictures!

Umbrella Girl!

We had a great turn out on display!

I really like this white Kawasaki ZX6

Last but certainly not least is Mikes bike we refer to her as Roxy! She is my favorite bike but I'm a little biased, its one one the reasons I had to hang around with Mike after I met him! One of the fist times I came over to his house he made me homemade sushi ( yeah I know!) and took me on a night ride! Amazing! Only occasionally does my junkie side come out and I make Mike drive faster!

Our second kid Roxy!

Mothers Day

Everyday should be Mothers Day right?  I had a very special mothers day this year, for the second mothers day my wonderful amazing Grammy came up from Sacramento CA! Even though it was a short trip having her here is like..well I don't know how to describe it, incredible, marvelous and wonderful are all words I want to use at the same time lol! It makes me feel like a little girl again, carefree and full of energy, she brings a sort of peace & balance to everyone around her. My Grammy & I may not be blood related but I hope for myself to grow up and be just like her in every way, shape, & form!

This Mothers Day my wonderful hot mommy (Mikes words not mine ;) planned an entire day riding in a limo going wine tasting around Monroe! Yes I know my sister & I are god awful spoiled by my mom, we remind ourselves everyday that she gave us this life with everything in it & there is nothing that we could ever do to show her how much we love her! Both my sister & I get our spunk, traveling addiction and ambition from her! WE LOVE YOU MOMMY!

My wonderful Family starting our wine tour!

So this was my Grammy & Mikes 1st ride in a limo, so being the Mackey/Krygier girls we had to make it awesome! It started out with a beautiful scenic, sunny country drive..Oh & mimosas dah!

Grammy & Mom!

Tush & I

It wouldn't be a complete day without mike & tush being weird!

About 45mins away to our 1st stop was... Domaine Meriwether Winery an absolutely beautiful place with the most friendly "wine tasting associate" she had a dress & cardigan set I covet! Definitely going back there!

1st wine stop!

Our 2nd destination was Benton Lane Winery this one one also very cute and its where we enjoyed our lunch out side on the patio with breath taking views! The limo company we went through provided us with luch and appitizers yum yum!

yum yum eat um up!

catching people chewing!

The 3rd place was Pfeiffer Vineyards this was a fun place but I have to say while the owner was friendly & sweet, I did not enjoy the atmosphere as much and the tasting was $20 per person(not that great). This could be do to the fact that it was beautiful & sunny in Oregon, yeah i know shocker..and this winery designed there interior to look dark like a wine cellar, so I kinda wanted to be outside in the sun! Mike did buy all the moms Stella & Dot jewelry since there was a girl selling there and it was beautiful! It was my least favorite out of the 3.

At the 3rd winery outside!

After wine tasting we were all feeling pretty good we sat outside and talked about our adventure like true winos while Mike made all the ladies some feta and spinach stuffed chicken, brussel sprouts with homemade kalamata olive bread!

What A Weekend!

I slow ran my very 1st 5k race EVER w/ obstacle's on Saturday May 12th, it was a blast! The Terrain Mud Run in Eugene happened at Camp Harlow. My team's (Oregon Muddies) heat was set for 11:00 and we were pumped! My mom, Grammy, sister, & mom's husband all came down to give support by cheering us on! I was not sure if I was going to survive or fail & end up walking the entire thing, but avast I DID IT! I signed up for the 5k thinking oh boy what have I gone & done to myself now, so I kinda trained but not much time to get enough training in. On Mud day the team decided to stick together as a team and finish this thing together, what an incredible awesome team we had no one got left behind & we completed all the obstacle's as a team running into the finish line holding hands! We have tons of pictures but here are the most important ones lol...



The Team Before..

Shelby & I Before

The Oregon Muddies staying true to their name!



Shelby & I rocked it hard core!

We Rock! It was so much fun and I cant wait to do more races in the future!