Sunday Sunsets

This was taken this past week off the back porch again. Boy did I ever hear it from Lineman about not having my Sunday Sunset picture up first thing this morning. Well, sometimes my life is a bit crazy. A bit hectic. Dare I say a bit chaotic? Now it's time to settle it all down and take a breath. After all it's Sunday.

Have a wonderful day!

Calories? What Calories?

I guess you could say I'd had enough of Bakerella and Pioneer Womans recipes and figured it was time to give them a try! So I jumped right in there, with no regard for calories, and made Bakerella's Cupcake Bites and Cake Pops. These were my spring inspired Cupcake Bites.

I think I'll call these the Three Stooges.

Of course I had to try the Cake Pops. I do believe these are lower in calories. It has something to do with the stick, it's a sort of draining of the calories down the sticks. Or not.

The tops of my Cake Pops. Would you believe I asked the kids to help with this. As soon as I started I changed my mind and said it would be better if they just helped EAT them instead. They were all over that!

I will say that they were way more time consuming that I would have thought. If you do these I might recomend making the cake the night before. Also, it would be way more fun with a friend. Anyone wanna come make Cake Pops with me?

You can get the recipe and see more Cake Pops and Cupcake Bites at Bakerella and Pioneer Woman. Have fun!

11 of 52

This is with my oldest son for his "Young Authors Tea" at school this week. Obviously his young author book is about dinosaurs. He read his book to me and we enjoyed cookies and apple cider (I guess this was the tea). It was a cute book and a fun time. I felt bad for the kids that didn't have parents attend so I had them read their stories to me while I was there. It was so great to get to see all the kids. I had worked there before my Lil' Man was born. I have missed seeing the kids grow and their smiling faces.

I must add that I was glad I started this 52 Weeks challenge. It was the ONLY reason I am in a picture from this event. Otherwise for simple things like this I would only have a picture of my kids. I'm so glad you are all joining this too!

********************52 Weeks********************
52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are gald you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!
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Please add yourself each week to the Mr. Linky so we can all visit your page too. THANKS!

Last Big Storm???

I'm wondering if this is the last BIG storm to roll through. It's been a bit on the cold side. Though I cringe when Lineman told me how cold it is where we are moving to. Ohhh, burrrrr. Minus 30 is too much in MARCH.

The hoar frost turned out way better than these pictures I took. The second day the frost was nearly an inch thick. I am not sorry to say that I stayed inside with my slippers and hot cocoa. I didn't really feeling like going outside when it was Minus 5. Sorry.

Be warm my friends.

Fox and Goose Pie

The other day I made a Fox and Goose Pie for the kids. Boy did they ever love it! At first they were quite skeptical. I mean, have they no faith in me? A Fox and Goose Pie, why what kind of mother would make their kids eat something like that.

Thankfully it's not something you eat. All I can say is they REALLY liked and and they REALLY want me to make another one soon.

Are you wondering what it is yet? Are you wondering if I will tell you how to make it?

First off you are going to need this ONE ingredient:

SNOW

To be more precise you need fresh snow with NO tracks in it. Or hardly any tracks. Go out and with your feet you are going to shuffle around making a big circle. Then go and cut in the pie pieces..... It will look like this.......
Then you are going to need the "Fox" which is the person who is it....

And you will need the "Goose", the person the Fox is trying to catch.

The Fox and the Goose must stay on the lines of the pie. If they go too far out it's not fair. And if the Goose goes too far out of the lines he is then the Fox. Once the Fox catches a Goose, the Goose is then the Fox.

And let me tell you I was the Fox and I was the Goose numerous times on this day. Whew, I was so exhausted I almost threw up. Seriously! I know you did not want to hear that but its true, this is some serious exercise!

You can make the pie much bigger if you want. Depends on the number of people and I suppose the age of the pie goers. Also, you could make an inner circle for the little ones, call it a "safe zone" if they need a rest.

Now that you have the recipe.....go make and Fox and Goose Pie!

Oreos 'n' Cream Cake

I made this yummy cake to take to my friends a few weekends ago. She was having a Mamma Mia party for her friends. Inside the cake is FOUR layers and it looks so good when you cut it open. I only have the one picture because there was a slight glitch in the evening.

As I was putting the finishing touches on the cake, the power went out. The sun had set and there wasn't much light to go on. I did my best and took it to my neighbors. I got there and the other ladies were there talking by candlelight. We made attempts to start her generator but let's face it...... we all failed.

I then took it upon myself to start a fire in her fireplace. I thought that would give us a little more light and start to heat the place up if it was hours until the power came back on. I grabbed a small flashlight and got a few supplies. They didn't have any newspaper, save for the glossy Sunday ads, not the best but I would try. I lit up my masterpiece and Whaa Laaaa, fire! Then...... uh........ well............ the smoke alarm went off. Egads, can't something go right? Another lady went over and swished a magazine around the alarm and it quit. For a moment. It was back on in a flash. Apparently I neglected to open the flue. Oh well, it went with the rest of the evening so it was fun.

So the cake was sitting outside since it needed to be chilled. I never thought to get a picture of it when I cut into it because... well....... because it was dark in the house. THREE hours later the power came on. It was so much fun though. I so very rarely get out of the house and Lineman had all three boys and the neighbor girl to watch. hee hee hee hee. Oh, sorry, I'll get my composure back.. after this.. he he he heeeee. There, all done =)

Oreos 'n' Cream Cake

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Chocolate cake mix

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FILLING:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 box (16 ounces) confectioners sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons milk

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FROSTING:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/4 granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups crushed Oreos

Bake cake according to directions in 2- 8 inch round pans. Cool cakes. Cut off rounded tops (and give them to your kids to eat) , then cut each layer in half horizontally with a knife.

Filling: With a mixer beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add confectioners sugar, then milk. Beat for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Place one cut layer of cake on your cake stand and spread a third of the filling on the top. Repeat with two more layers. Place last layer cut side down on the filling.

Frosting: With mixer on high, beat heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Generously spread whipped cream all over cake, using the back of a spoon to make swirls and peaks on top. Using cupped hands gently press the crushed Oreos onto the side of the cake.

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This recipe is from the February edition of Family Circle.

To see more recipes you can head over to Crackers and Chaos and see what Shasta is cooking up! She is hosting a meme of A Recipe a Week.

Sunday Sunsets

I'm noticing that even since last Sunday's Sunset that the sun has slid ever further north. Longer days our in our future!

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Woman, put that camera down

I don't know, maybe I'm just guessing but he doesn't look very happy with me at the moment, does he? I'm not the one who climbed in there. I'm not the one who got stuck. But I am the one who got the camera before I rescued him. I'm afraid to say that's a little bad habit of mine.

Where is the courthouse?

As we were heading into town the other day my middle son Wild Child started this conversation...

WC: Mom, where is the courthouse?
Me: It's in town.
WC: Where in town?
ME: Downtown
WC: But where is it?
Me: It's near the library.
WC: Oh... can we drive by it?
Me: Why do you need to drive by it?
WC: So I know where it is.
Me: But why do you need to know where it is?
WC: In case I change my mind.
Me: Change your mind about what?

WC: ......... about getting married. So, can we drive by it?

Hmmmm, who would have ever thought a 5 year old thinks about these things.