The Ice Cream Cone Cupcake Saga

If you need a good laugh for the day I encourage you to read on…



This story begins many months ago, at the start of our churches Awana program. It was our first gathering, where leaders discuss the ins and outs and what’s to be expected, the clip board begins to make the rounds. You know the one full of dates and obligations for you to commit to, if you wish.


As I do each year I signed up to bring Ice Cream Cupcakes to the end of the year awards in May. May is a long, long way from August so no worries! And the cupckae are so easy to make.


Well as the time drew nearer I begin to realize Gabe had his first t-ball game the night before I was to take the cupcakes. So I decided to bake them the Monday before the awards {Wednesday night} and ice them after the t-ball game on Tuesday. I was happy that I actually had a plan of attack.


Monday comes and I get a call from the Awana’s leader asking if I could bake a few more.


Sure, not a problem I have plenty of cones at home. So I agreed to bake a total of 48 Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes.

I baked the first 24 without a problem. As they cool I begin to wonder just how I am going to transport 48 Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes. Then I remembered seeing a tip somewhere not too long ago and gave it a try.

This was when I took a few pictures and thought it would be great to share with you a "how to" make Ice Cream Cone Cupcake.

Using a man’s shirt box and a ruler I drew out 3X4 rows cutting a 2x2 X at each cross point. This allowed each cone to snuggle down in the box. Perfect!

I proceed to making my second batch of Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes. I mix up another funfetti cake mix pour into my muffin liners and pop open my last box of cones. It is then, at 10:30 in the evening, that I realize my cones are MINI cones! I didn’t even know they made such a thing.

With my mix already mixed I decide to just make cupcakes for the family. I used some powdered sugar I had to make a frosting and Hannah would enjoy them in her lunch the next day.

I’ll just have to bake the other 24 after tomorrow night’s game and buy canned icing for them.


Piece of cake, right?


So, after the game I run back to the store to buy another funfetti mix, because hey that’s what the kiddos like, and another few boxes of Ice Cream cones.


We get home; I get the kids in bed and bake my 24 remaining Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes. It’s then I realize that I forgot to buy ICING! It’s 10:30 pm again and Ryan is at a ballgame {work} and I am home alone. So no problem I’ll just make some. That’s when I realize I used all my powdered sugar the night before making icing for the cupcakes without cones! And at this hour it was too late to go ask my neighbor’s.

So what am I to do? I work till 5pm Wednesday. The Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes have to be at the church by 6pm. We live 25 min. from church, one way. Hmmm…… I load the un-iced cones into my car before work. Drive by Homeland and buy 2 large containers of icing and ice 48 Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes in the back of my car in the church parking lot!

I believe this may be a sign telling me to stop volunteering so much.

But look, the kids loved them. And that made it all worth it!

I Hate Screaming!

First, for the record this is NOT a picture of me or anyone that I know. But I sure can relate to her, can't you?
Our mornings had become so crazy. Hannah in tears , Gabe wanting to watch the end of Sid the Science Kid rather than getting dressed. Mommy yelling that we need to get in the car NOW! I don't care if you haven't brushed your teeth or you don't have shoes on. We need to go now! The joy of a school transfer and our responsibility to get her to school on time.

So I created a new rule that we started Monday. First, you will be out of bed no later than 45 minutes before we leave. There will be NO T.V. until you have eaten breakfast, gotten dressed and have your bags ready to walk out the door.

The first two days have been a success. And I think everyone is happier not hearing mommy yell. Now I am going to introduce this into the mix. I purchased a copy of the Day by Day Bible at Mardel's last night. I plan on ready our 7 minutes together why the kids eat breakfast. I am sure they will balk at first. And I am realistic that it will be more like 14 months for us to complete. But I think reading the Bible in a year is far more enticing than hearing mom yell, LET'S GO!

O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A....Oklahoma!

This is how my night started.

Sweet Hannah had her awards ceremony at church tonight. She was honored with a ribbon for her participation in TNT this past year. We were very proud of her. She told me on the ride home that she wanted to work towards the Timothy Award. This will take the next two years to reach and require her to memorize 485 bible verses. Wish her (us) luck! I can't think of a better goal.

Then, two hours later, she was setting on the couch praying and clutching one of her American Girl dolls by candle light. The kids had been in bed when our electricity decided to go out. It took them all of about 2.9 seconds to come find us. In Oklahoma ,this time of year, bad weather is just part of everyday life. Living in Tornado Alley and a lighting strike zone gives the word thunderstorm a whole new meaning to the Gaines Gang! I swear there is something in the ground here that draws the lighting to us.

Grandparents kept us posted with weather updates. (Note to self...prepare weather radio BEFORE storm and power go out.) Concerned for their grandchildren they advised us to take cover. We have been blessed with neighbors that just installed a new underground storm shelter. And had given us a tour making sure that we new how to lock ourselves in when we needed to. I am very thankful that they choose this over the new couch they really wanted for their living room. We spent about 45 minutes of quality family time down there. Ryan was trying to get Hannah not to talk or ask a question every 2 seconds. And Gabe was seeing how many times he could "toot" in the cramped, damp, no air circulating death trap!

We headed back to our house at little after 11pm still with no electricity. I am amazed how the pioneers did it. My guess is they all enjoyed a good 8+ hours of sleep each night!

Midnight came slowly but along with it came back our electricity. The air kicked on and we sentenced everyone to there own bed and fell fast asleep. Never did we have a drop of rain or any wind.

Only in Oklahoma!

Cubbies Night!

Last night was Gabe's Awana Cubbies Award presentation. Amazingly he was able to complete the entire year. I will be honest, at first it was a challenge just to get him to sit still long enough to read the lesson.

He had such a great cubbie leader, Eva. Ms. Eva and Gabe really hit it off and this helped with his desire to learn, I have no doubt.

What an amazing program Awana's has been for us. It really helps each child hide the word of God in their heart. He was so proud to get his Cubbie bear and certificate with his name on it.

Next week Hannah will be recognized for her first year in Sparks.

This is another sign that summer is just around the cornner! We are looking forward to the slower weeks of not having to run here and there. But I welcome them back come mid August!