What if horses were the reason we existed?

^ It's a long story.

We've had two pretty rad vacations as of late where we hit up Top Sail Island, NC; Tehachapi, CA; Newport Beach; and the Vegas. Will and I haven't gone on a ton of trips together yet, so it's needless to say that we learned a few things.

• Cadbury eggs are better than airport food.
• When meeting new people it's important to notice qualities other than their ta-tas.
• The giant thermometer in Bakersfield is a trick to get you to buy gas.
• Sleep while Brooke drives... you won't see how fast you're going.
• The stratosphere is farther away from the strip than you think.

We had a pretty rockin time on both trips and can't wait for more to come! I know that vacation pictures can be lame at times, so I'm just posting some of my favorites. We did a lot though, so be feel free to exit whenever you just can't take it anymore.

Top Sail

We stayed in the pretty one on the right.

Will said he wants to live here... I'm not completely opposed.

Thank you to the Dickerson for planning all of the awesomeness. It was beyond wonderful and so worth missing the last week of class!

Tehachapi

The windmills. I still get excited to see them.

I like power lines... so what?

3 Island Lake

Newport

Vegas

Vegas still smells bad and still has gross boobies all over, but there are still some cool things to see.

Vertical Integration

I made another cake, and she's a bute (yes, that is my horn you hear tooting).

I can't take credit for the creative brilliance involved in this cake though. I found the tutorial on I am Baker. I love her blog and I loved this cake!

She was gone within 10 minutes. But, I guess that's typical when you're family takes up a whole entire pew at church...the long ones, in the middle.

Yes I did just post that

I made myself a treat. It's the easiest thing I've ever made. It's delicious warm or cold. And the best part is that Will doesn't like it...which means it really is just my treat. It also means that I can grab the Tupperware straight out of the fridge, grab a spoon, and dig in with no shame. Some may consider that gross. But ya know what else is gross? ....I don't shave my legs often...we're talking once a month...and that's a good month. You may dwell on that if you wish.

Sweet Rice and Mango

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup white sugar, or to taste (I use 1/2 cup)
• 2 mangos, peeled and sliced (it's also great without the fruit but... who can really say no to mangos?)
• 1 (10 ounce) can cream of coconut

Directions

1. Combine the rice and water in a saucepan (I use the rice cooker and skip the rest of this stuff). Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until water is absorbed.
2. Mix the desired amount of sugar into the hot rice. Top with mango slices, and pour some cream of coconut over the top of each bowl. (I add the rice and coconut into the rice cooker and let it sit on the warm setting just cause I like my rice coconuted!)

S-M-R-T

It's raining today. And whenever it rains, I feel the need to hibernate with my books. Right now those books happen to be my second run through of the Hunger Games series. What? They're making a movie soon. (Interpretation: I feel like I have an excuse to re-read the series rather than attempting to become cultured by reading other books.)

However, the hibernation today will be short lived because I'm going to my first day at my new job. I'm finally being shoved into the work force. I can no longer claim that I am a student and get by with the government giving me money and spending my time studying (but I have to admit, that was really cool while it lasted). All of this has come about because I officially have a bachelors degree. I'm graduated.

It took four years but when I got this letter in the mail a few months ago I could not help feeling a bit apprehensive.

*Bad picture I know... but that big bold print they obviously wanted me to see reads

"Important Graduation Information."

Although I'm sure they did not mean too be harsh... they

definitely did not bother breaking it to me softly. *

I thought this day would be a day of rejoicing... No more finals, no more train rides, no more text books, no more part time minimum wage jobs without benefits. No sir. After graduating I would be free to read books that I wanted to read, I could spend weekends doing things I wanted to do, I would sleep through the night without waking up will while listing biology terms in my sleep. So why the feeling of anxiety?

I'll tell you why. I'm so happy with my choice of majors, I'm sure it's what I want to do. But with my degree you can't really do much of anything unless you have a masters degree and thus, your practicing license. And to do that, you have to get into grad school. Well, I didn't.

*We hung the deacceptance letter on our fridge because sometimes I

think it's important to embrace the failure...but it's mostly just cause we're cool.*

Suddenly, I didn't have a plan for my future. That's why I was anxious. Luckily when the deacceptance came I had just bought myself a big '0l dish of the Rio... Lets just say I finished the burrito that night and leave it at that. After I gorged myself and had some time to embrace the failure, I did feel a bit relieved relieved. I was relieved that I wouldn't have to be a grad student because, that's hard stuff! And among many other benefits that came along with this failure (which I won't bore you with), I found that these things usually happen for a reason. Life is about Plan B anyway right? Plus, I'm graduated!

So, the moral of the story is that someone (and by the way, He is way smarter than you) has always got your back. It's usually best when life doesn't go exactly the way I plan it anyway because let's face it... I have no idea what I'm doing.

Weather update: it's actually snowing a bit now... thank you Utah.

*Will has already proclaimed that he is going to convince our children that I

graduated from the Y. I tried to make sure that wouldn't be a possibility. *

New Tricks

Will Stole me a flower. I love flowers--probably a little too much--but I'm too stubborn to buy the over priced little boogers like the greedy flower shops want me too. While I understand this stubbornness may in fact be nothing more than a pride issue I doubt I will get over it soon.

Here's the story. Will went to a conference at school and when it was over he noticed a bouquet of roses on the table and thought to himself, "they're probably just going to throw them away... I'm going to take one." So he did. And he gave it to me and I loved it.

Here's why:

1. Because I got to once again stick it to the flower bosses.
2. Because it reminds me of when my Dad would cut the prettiest rose off of our rose bushes and bring it inside for my mom. We all new it was just from the garden, but we also knew that it was just for Mom. I loved seeing them on the table in our everyday dinner glasses because even though it didn't cost anything, sometimes it really is just the thought that counts.
3. Because that is just the sweetest thing ever!

Will is the greatest... but really.... the greatest. However, I will never ever tell how great he is because...yeah right... like I'd just post all of his awesomeness on the internet. If I did, I'm convinced that government ninjas would see his awesomeness and take him away.

The Cakes

One reason I'm diggin this blog is because it is going to help me document my road to becoming a cooking master! .....yeah right.... but it will at least help me keep track of the recipes I like. So I'll start with cupcakes:

Mountain Dew Cupcakes.

The Dew and I, we're buds. However, I was wary about putting the nectar into cakes... I thought it was a little extreme. But, Brooke and I found it a worthy challenge. Despite the ridicule and the disgusted looks that we got, they turned out pretty good i think. Will even liked them... and that means it was a success.

Cake:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup Mountain Dew
• 1/4 cup of lemon and lime juice (juice from 1 lemon and 1 lime)
• zest from 1 lemon and 2 limes (separate into 2 piles, one for buttercream)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Beat butter on medium for 30 seconds. 2. Add sugar and lemon, lime zest. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy. 3. Add eggs one at a time, Scrape sides of bowl in between additions 4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add to mixer bowl. Turn on low for 5 seconds. 5. Add the Mountain Dew, lemon/lime juice, and lemon extract . Mix to combine. 5. Scoop into cupcake papers about two-thirds full. 6. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Frosting:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons Mountain Dew
• Juices from half of 1 lemon and half of 1 lime
• Lemon and lime zest (rest of zest from cupcake recipe. Or zest from half of 1 lemon and 1 whole lime)
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• Neon green food coloring (yellow and blue if you dont have green)

1. Sift powdered sugar into a bowl or onto parchment

2. Beat butter at medium-high speed until creamy

3. Add half of the sugar, turn mixer on low for 5 seconds.

4. Add the Mountain Dew, zest, and lemon extract . Beat until combined.

5. Add food coloring to the desired color.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

I knew these would be good as soon as I saw the recipe... and I was right. I've been craving more of these ever since we made them. The cake is absolutely fabulous and the frosting has just the right amount of pink lemonade taste... Oh my, so good.

Cake:

· 1 package white cake mix

· 1 small package vanilla instant pudding

· 3 Tbsp sweetened pink lemonade drink mix (like Country Time Pink Lemonade mix)

· 1 cup sour cream

· 2 tsp lemon zest

· 3/4 cup water

· 3/4 cup oil

· 4 whites eggs (save the yolks for tomorrows recipe)

· 6 drops of pink food coloring

Frosting:

· 1 cup butter, softened

· 1 cup shortening

· 1/2 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

· 2 tablespoons milk

· 2 teaspoons vanilla

· Zest from 1 lemon

· 2 pound package or 7 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

· 3 drops of pink food coloring

1. In a large bowl, whisk cake mix, pudding mix, and drink mix together. Add sour cream, lemon zest, water, oil, and egg whites to the dry mix. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Use a strong mixer, this batter is thick.

2. Scoop batter into 24 lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cupcakes don’t look wet and a toothpick inserted in one comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.

3. Prepare the frosting by creaming butter, shortening, and lemon zest together. Then add lemonade concentrate, milk and vanilla with a mixer. Beat until smooth. Then gradually add the sugar, mixing well until light and fluffy. Beat in the food coloring.

4. Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes.

p.s. please forgive the ill-formated changing text fonts throughout this post... i'm a bit embarrassed, but don't care enough to fix it all.

Duran Duran anyone?

Day two and I'm already loving the expressive freedom of having this here blog. So, let's get right to it... Story time!

A long long time ago, Will's family was delighted to add a new member to their family... a 2000 Ford Explorer, soon to be known only as Leroy. The Dickerson's and Leroy shared many wonderful years together and when we were married, Will and I were happy to welcome Leroy into our family. But, the happiness did not last long. Sometime in February Leroy's transmission just couldn't do it anymore and, well... that was the end of Leroy.

*Leroy*

In dire need of transportation (mostly because the train and I were becoming far to acquainted with each other), we sought after a new vehicle. Will spent many hours searching, until he found a winner.

*Granny*

You can imagine my surprise when I looked out the window and saw Grandma here sitting in the driveway. But, it's ours now. Yes, Granny is older than both Will and me, BUT, she has a ridiculously low amount of miles on her and runs quite well. It's weird to say it, but, this is our NEW car. Though I must fight the urge to puff my bangs, wear leg warmers, and rock to synthesized tunes while we're driving together, she'll do.

-Fun fact: She maxes at 50 mph. Just sayin.

I am Erica

I'm new to this and frankly, I don't think there is anything even remotely interesting about my life that anyone else would want to know. Perhaps, a year or two ago when i was single and being crazy it would have been exciting, but now... we're a pretty typical newly-wed-go-to bed at 11 couple. And that's pretty much what my life revolves around now...yet, I love it. So be warned, this could get boring. Read on if you dare.

Though I don't know the exact direction this blog will go, I hope it can be a place for my happy thoughts, life musings, and pretty things (...hooray for parallel sentences.....). So to start... introductions:

- Will and I have been married almost a year and (cheese alert) yes, we're madly in love (feel free to grab a barf bag if you need one...don't worry, I'll wait...............................). Though we're not very exciting, I love being with him while he makes me laugh and while I win tickle wars.

-We Love going to movies

*I made him dress up but... he wouldn't his wear glasses...*

-Sometimes we have adventures

*Yurting. It's fun.*

-Other times we just stay at home and do embarrassing things

-We can't play risk (that's another story)

-This is my family

-I am an experimental baker. But I admit, sometimes I just like to make cakes look pretty.

*We dress up when we bake*

-My life is pretty great