The Last Window IN... yipeee!

Celebrate... The last window in! This was a long project, not only did we replace the windows, we removed the old frames and made new ones. We do feel the house is a little more sturdy.

notice the three beams in the room...

they are holding up the celine while we build a stronger frame.

This project is stressful!

Now we get to frame the windows with wood. One project done, 5000 to go!

We should adopt!

I saw this blog... http://tulipandturnip.blogspot.com/2011/03/more-stenciled-onesies.html and decided I needed another kid because I want to buy this outfit.

It made me laugh so hard!

Some things look BETTER with SNOW

Although, it is sunny and 75 degrees outside,

I'm reminded of two weeks ago

when we had a beautiful dusting of 3" of white.

The snow just encourages me to get rid of the ugly red roof!

He melts my heart!

Chocolate Bundt Cake w/ Ganache

I must admit everytime I make a BUNDT cake,

I can't help but think of MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING,
and laugh while making!

Thank you Sanda Lee for this recipe... I make often and it is ALWAYS a hit!

Cake:

1 box chocolate cake mix (I like dark chocolate cakes)

1 box (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding

1 cup water

4 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Cake

• preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


• spray bunt pan with a non-stick spray


• combine cake mix, budding, water, eggs, and oil in large bowl. Beat for 2 minutes


• Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips


• Transfer batter to Bundt pan


• Bake for 45 min or until toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean.


• Cool cake in pan on cooling rack for 15 min.


• Invert cake onto cooling rack, cool completely

Ganache (my favorite thing EVER)

• Heat cream in small saucepan over low heat until small bubbles appear.


• remove from heat and add the chocolate chips to cream and stir until smooth


• cool ganache just until slightly warm


• Pour ganache over cooled cake


• Transfer cake to serving platter


• Garnish with additional chocolate chips

I like to use the extra ganache for serving, (I warm up for 30 seconds in microwave) you can drizzle the plate or even better, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the cake and drizzle warm ganache over the ice cream!

Burp Cloths

Baby gift needed ASAP... I'll make burp cloths!
I used two coordinating fabrics
I cut them the length of the fabric 54" (makes 2)
5" for the middle bug fabric
3" (x2) of the orange
3" (x2) again of the bug fabric

Sew all the pieces together, using 1/4" seam allowance

Trim threads and IRON!

I use new white bathroom face towels (wash before sewing)
(I've made with cloth diapers, and they don't work as well)
Put right sides together and pin.
Sew around fabric 3/8" seam allowance,
leaving an opening to turn right inside out
(or is it outside in???)
Trim extra fabric and towel
turn inside out/outside in??? :)

Pin the pieces together and quilt stitch in the ditches of the

seams of the coordinating fabric.

Fold cute, tie a bow around them. Done!

5 things to smile about... part 2

• pulling a weed and getting all the roots with it... victory!


• getting through right away when you call a big company


• When someone's leaving a public bathroom at the same time as you, so you don't have to touch the door (yes, I'm a germ-a-phobic)


• correctly guessing an old password you haven't used in a while


• catching up to the car that just passed you at the next red light..ha!

I think I'll SMILE all day long!

The One who makes me LAUGH!

I saw my son wearing this sweater last week. He looked so handsome in it! There was something about the grEy sweater and his beautiful blue eyes. I made the comment, "if you wore that sweater at school, you would have girls begging you to be their boyfriend". He said, "I'll make sure I NEVER wear it at school, I don't have the time or money". I laughed hysterically!

I washed it for him and today he will see the note I left.