A Blueberry Lemon Cupcake to Say Hello and Goodbye. . .

Cupcakes are making me happy!

It has been a good week and a sad week. A good week because my kitchen remodel is coming along. Mr. Crabby Head has been smiling and I am good with that. I let Mr. Crabby Head have the final say on the tile back splash and he was empowered by that responsibility. He did an excellent job!! AND it is finally warm in Cincinnati, Ohio. It has been a sad week because of Max.

Max was over 25 years old. I have been feeding and caring for Max longer than I have for Mr. Crabby Head and my two sons. Max had made four moves with me. He had a strong vocabulary. "Baby Birdie, What are you doing, and hello!" He could sing beautiful melodies, and he did every single morning for the last 25 years! Max was my Cockatiel.

So, in honor of Max, the warm weather, and Mr. Crabby Head actually not being that crabby:

Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes

2 cups cake flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 oil
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon extract
the juice and grated peel of one lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 21-ounce can of blueberry pie filling
1 can of lemon frosting
blue colored sugar

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (2) In a large mixing bowl combine the first nine ingredients. (3) Gently fold in blueberry pie filling. (4) Fill cupcakes 1/2 full and bake 15 to 20 minutes. (5) Decorate with frosting and colored sugar. (6) ENJOY!!

Max made me realize that things are changing for me, and honestly I am OK with that. My oldest son is in college, doing good, and happy. What more could a Mother ask for? I can't believe it, but I starting all the college stuff with my youngest son. He (Lucas, 17 years old) still has the ability to render me speechless and send me into a "fit," but I have the experience to know that we will get through these "wonderful" teenage years.

So, where does all this leave me? Well, looking ahead to my future. I know one day that my husband (aka Honey and Mr. Crabby Head) and I want to live in the mountains near a lake. I know that being out of the "workforce" for over 20 years, I would like to work. "What would you like to do, Gin?" I am hoping to open a small cafe, and use my skills to open a catering business. The wonderful thing is that I am open to anything! The other wonderful thing is that I feel happy!