Where I'm Going Fridays: 4th of July Trip Home to KC!

We're headed to Kansas City in the morning to be with my side for the 4th (as we always do).
It'll just be the boy and I on this trip, which I dare to believe should be somewhat easier than normal since we'll be sans the needy dog and an extra adult. We'll see if I eat those words later :)
As far as packing goes, I'm also daring to believe I can get it all done today- yet here I sit, blogging.
I've gone from packing a day before (pre-baby), to a week early (post-baby), to three days before (as I started better getting the hang of it), and back to a day before (as tire and carelessness have set in).
No matter how motivated I am to pack, though, I am always very thorough- except for the time I forgot my husband's underwear, about which I will never hear the end of. I always go through a checklist, which used to be hand-written until I came across a website created by a mom who could never find tips and/or advice about best practices while traveling with children...
Travel Mamas
Now, I print out the pages before each trip and go through them several times (a little OCD, I know).
I do the same thing when I cook- read each recipe in its entirety over and over. I'm always just sure I'll leave an ingredient/step out or leave an item behind. I like to think of Monica and Ross when I go through my lists- "Check!"
Here is the list I use, but Travel Mama provides others and many other tips for traveling with kids.
Travel Mamas - Packing List for Babies and Toddlers

Themed Thursdays: Recipes

The 4th of July holiday is closing in so I thought it would be nice to share some festive recipes in case you're throwing or attending a potluck holiday party.
One of the recipes I am sharing (and have tried) can be found in the July issue of Women's Day. The other can be found on the Food Network (will try this weekend)...

CORNY CUPCAKES
This recipe has you make Everything from scratch- from the cake to the frosting. I didn't have time for this on my first attempt so I had no shame in purchasing cake from a box and frosting in a can. Tasted quite good, if I do say so myself!
For the jelly beans, I got mine from Target, which has a great bulk candy/snacks section. You'll need about a pound of beans to cover every inch of cake, though I only used about a half-pound and just spaced them out (if you don't want to eat the beans then buying fewer and spacing them out will make it easier to pick them all off). Don't worry about getting perfectly yellow or white beans, as long as they're yellowish and whitish shades they'll look good on the cake. Also, don't worry about the flavors, they'll all be good on the cake!
Now I wasn't able to find any black sugar crystals so I just opted out of the "salt and pepper" look. Don't have any corn-on-the-cob holders? Your local dollar store will have them!
Here's a link to the official recipe and a picture of my first attempt (keep in mind I did this in about a hurried hour, please :)
Women's Day Corny Cupcakes

PATRIOTIC BERRY TRIFLE
Since I haven't actually tried this recipe yet, I'll just provide the link and a pic.
I'm so excited about this one because it's perfect to share- I don't like berries but my son does, he doesn't need the cake or sugar...well I don't either, actually. Oh well!
Food Network (Sunny Anderson) Patriotic Berry Trifle

Where I Am: A little lesson in self control

At 15 months, my son repeats the "S" word yesterday. There's no doubt where he heard it, as I had just shouted it out 30 seconds before he said it.
Now, anyone who knows me very well is aware that I've been known to curse like a sailor- maybe even worse. But since the birth of my son I've done very well to think half a second longer before I "shout out." But apparently I haven't done well enough- or I thought I had more time before I had to work harder at it :)
So where I am now- beating it into my brain that I have a toddler and MUST do more than Practice self-control over my mouth!