AMAZING....

I have been reading a blog that I stumbled upon being a blog stocker...it is an amazing story who's blog has had over 1 million hits. So, if you are in the mood to cry, laugh and be amazed I suggest reading this....
http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/

HELLO DELICIOUS....

I made this for a friend's baby shower. It is SO good. I refuse to tell you the calorie and fat content but will say make it for a large group. Now quickly...get to baking!

BUTTERMILK WHITE CAKE WITH COCONUT

Preheat oven 350

4 egg whites

2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. shortening

2 tsp. vanilla

Unsweetened coconut flakes

Buttercream frosting recipe *see below*

Let egg whites stand at room temp. for 30 minutes. Grease and flour pans, set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add buttermilk, shortening, and vanilla. Beat on low until combined. Beat on medium 2 minutes more. Add egg whites, beat 2 more minutes. -don' worry Batter looks curdled it's not- Spread into pans and bake 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched & wooden pick comes out clean. Cool on rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans, cool completely. Prepare frosting. Layer cake with frosting between each layer and frost rest of cake. Press coconut flakes all over top and sides.

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Beat 3/4 c. softened butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 3 C. powdered sugar to combine. Beat in 1/4 C. buttermilk and 2 tsp. vanilla. Gradually beat in additional powdered sugar to make it spreading consistency.

This is the single recipe. I double both the cake and frosting recipes and turn it into a triple layer round cake with usually enough batter and frosting to make a couple cupcakes too! -you know just to have some to taste before serving.... This is a great cake. Especially, if you are not the worlds best cake decorator. It always looks pretty and finished but you don't have to go to decorating 101 to achieve the look. Throw a couple of flowers and a little ribbon on top and voila!! And that's before they taste it! Happy baking.

Condolences

I am married to a fighter pilot. Once in a while I am asked if I am bothered by the danger of his job. My reply is normally, "No, he loves what he does and he is good at it." And in all honesty I typically don't think of the 'danger'. But, there are times when we lose one of our own that forces me to think about it. Today turned into one of those times.

We are a small community of people that are spread across the world....

my tears and condolences go out to his wife and family.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331558,00.html

More Snowcapades Pictures

UUMMM...I would have posted a picture of myself here..but she who takes the pictures does not exist in photographic memories......

Snowcapades

As many of you know I have said that Cub Scouts is a "father/son" thing but that did not stop me from getting tapped to be the den leader for G's Webelos den this year. So, reluctantly I accepted the task and have made every effort to "Do My Best" (scout motto...) and got on the big learning curb to catch up with all the scouting stuff that father's seem to just "know". So, this year I attended my very first Cub Scout Snowcapades. (This ~ for those of you who may not know is a big day of sledding, fire building, tug-o-war's, snow shoeing for the boys and families.) The boy's LOVE this day....the dad's LOVE this day....I liked this day....Now don't get me wrong, as you can tell from the pictures the sun was shining, everyone was having fun, laughing, getting exercise....now here comes the part why I did not LOVE it and the reason that I think most Mom's do not attend this day or most scouting events..... WE WORRY!!!!! We worry about if they are warm enough, we worry about kids getting lost in the woods, we worry about kids getting hurt...etc... EVERY time one of my boys got on one of those 'death saucers' at the top of the very hard packed icy run and got and extra PUSH for speed I held my breath. Especially since the first FOUR kids to go down did actually get HURT!!!! Now the Dad's that were with me did not seem to blink an eye. I wanted to run up there and be THAT mom who yanked my kid away from the "bully" who was pushing him down the icy tunnel of death.....
Not a single dad or grandpa that was with me seemed to be having this feeling?

BUT..as you can see by their smiling faces they both came away from the day with only one minor injury...Carsen slipped on the ice and smacked his chin and got a snow strawberry. He was just fine until I said there was only a little blood. Then he screamed like a...well....girl....

HOTTIE OR NOTTIE

So, I went to pick up Carsen at school today and a mom of one of the little girls told me this little story.......

Her daughter is big into the cheerleading movies, and cheering etc...so they were doing little chants together. She would say a chant then mom would repeat the chant. One of the chants that she came up with went like this:

Carsen is a hottie!!!
Carsen is a hottie!!!

Her mom said...I am not saying that!!

Ummm..oh my gosh my 5 year old is a HOTTIE....His dad is pretty proud.....I am a little disturbed to think that there are little girls out thinking of my kiddo this way!! She is a cute little girl so I guess it's all good....

HAPPINESS.....

Random thought of things that bring me happiness.....
my boys, all 3 of them.
warm summer sun on my face.
chocolate.
the smell of fresh cut grass.
a loving husband.
shopping.
good friends.
boys laughter.
carsen's faith.
griffen taking my hand to hold.
the first day of school.
the last day of school.
snow days.
tivo.
my ipod.
new gadgets.
cold beer on a hot day.
great books.
good chick flicks.
fuzzy pj's.
cute purse's.
wakeboarding.
rediscovering tennis.
having the fun house.
family.
sleeping in.
grandma's breakfast.
having 4 seasons.
being asked to "snuggle me".
pumpkin spice lattes.
going home.
phone calls.
singing along with the radio.
listening to my kids sing along with me.
newly washed sheets on my bed.
haircut day.
pedicures.
carsen still holding onto some toddler speak.
seeing the big brother hug the little brother and the joy it brings the little one.
you, for taking a couple minutes to be interested in my little life!

GUILT.....

Ok, so we had been thinking about and finally decided to change churches. It is for various reasons..

1. The congragation is very elderly. ~There's nothing wrong with that but when I say elderly, most of them did not remember us from Sunday to Sunday...litereally, one guy introduced himself to us 3 Sunday's in a row in December and we had the EXACT same conversation

~"Is this your first time here?"

~No we have been coming here for around 5 years now!"

2. There is one singer that each Sunday was like someone dragging thier nails up a chalk board for Wes. Oh, by the way, she was also the head singer and the loudest~ He would walk out of there irritated every time.

3. Griffen did NOT enjoy the kids programs at all. Every Sunday it was like a war to get him out the door because he did not want to go so badly. Which in turn made Sunday morning into me yelling at my family to get a move on because I may be about 15 min. late to a lot of things and am fine with that but I cannot stand to be late to church...

So there are a few of the reasons we had been discussing it. So starting with the Christmas Eve service we tried another church. Well, the music was great, we enjoyed the Pastor's words, the congragation was much more our age group and the kids LOVED the children's church. So that's all great right...now here's my guilt. The Pastor at the church we are leaving is REALLY nice and Carsen still goes to the preschool there and everytime he sees me he is SOOO friendly and nice and always asks about Wes..etc.. Well I now feel like I owe him an explaination. What exactly would that be because there is no way I am lying to a Pastor, even a little white lie. So I imagine the conversation going a little something like this...

Pastor: Hi, Rocky How are you and the family?
Me: Oh, hello Pastor, we are doing really well. Thanks!
Pastor: So I have noticed that we have not seen you in church recently. Is everything Ok.
Me: Sure, things are great we have been going to a different church.
Pastor: Oh, well may I ask why?
Me: Sure, you congagation is too old and you know the head singer makes my husband want to stab sharp objects into his ears. Thanks for asking thought!!!!

Senior??

So yesterday was Wes' birthday. Here is Griffen's response to Wes' age.
Griffen "So Dad, how old are you today?"
Wes, "I'm 42."
Griffen, "Does that make you a senior citizen?"
Ummm...needless to say Wes was not that thrilled about that question.

I however was laughing hysterically!!

Snow..Snow...Snow....

And it just keeps coming down. Our family is loving it but we are wondering if it is going to stop anytime soon. Since these pictures were taken we have had 2 more storms that have put down about another 15 inches. Plus, it is forcasted to snow for the next 5 out of 7 days!! We have been passing the time snowmobiling around the neighborhood, having Wii tournaments, and sledding off the hills in the yard that were built after shoveling off the roof! Enjoy the pictures.

Courtesy of Calvin and Hobbes..

Guess what I got to explain to my 9 year old?? What is spin the bottle? And yes if he asks I must tell him the truth or he will ask someone else that he thinks may be an authority on the subject...not that I am an authority on spin the bottle....errrhh....did I just get myself into trouble??