And the rush is on....

This is the time of year that there seems to be a lot of hurry up and go, do, go, do and not much stopping to enjoy the festivities and soaking in the reason we have all the decorations, shopping, and a whole bunch of yummy food to make and buy and eat--LOL. So this year I will slow it down a little (mainly because my adorable little grandkids are not here to show me and infect me with their excitment). I want to hear the stories of the people I come in contact with and really listen. I want to smell and really enjoy the aroma of the baked goods the candles and fresh pine. I love all of the stories of Jesus and the celebration of his birth. I want to celebrate Family, Friends and life. This seems like a perfect time to be a little kinder, love a lot more and live with joy.

My good friend Margie let me borrow one of her cake pans, so today in our wonderful rain fall that we needed so badly I baked a homemade (from scratch) cake. The house smells oh so good. I did not trim the layers so they are sitting a little lopsided, but it still looks yummy. In case you can't tell it is a giant cupcake--it is really cute. Margie's was cuter but I still love the way mine looks. The Wilton cake came with a great recipe for a Chocolate Pound Cake that taste way better than this photo looks. It would look great as bundt cake too!


2 teaspoons instant coffee
1/2 cup boinling water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teasooon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter, softned
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup fimly packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour or use pan spray with flour to prepare pan. In small bowl, dissolve instant coffee in water; stir in cocoa powder and mix well. Set aside to cool.
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside. In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla; mix well. Combine cocoa mixture and sour cream. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beating after each addition until smooth. Flold in chocolate chips.
Bake 60 - 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 mins. Turn cake over onto wire rake to cool completely.


PS---I did not have any mini chocolate chips but I did have the rasberry flavor chips that I put a cup of into cake. The reamaining chips I Melted 45 seconds in Microwave then added Two Tablespoons of ready made icing to it for the filling. I then iced the cake with remaining tub of icing. This tasted great.
This cake would be fine with just a dusting of powder sugar over the top. Hope you try this in your house, I know you will love it

Happy Holidays......

Thankful......

There's No Place Like Home......

Wow, It has been a a really crazy, weird month. First Off--It really saddens me that Jeb's Mother and Grandmother lost their homes in the San Diego Fire. When the fire's first started Al said he had a feelin that this was going to be a bad one. There has been very little rain so everything is so dry!! Then the wind gust got over 80-90mph. You hear some fireman tales that the fire was moving over 50mph at it's worst.

When Al & I realized that this was going to be bad for so many....we also knew we were not really prepared for a full scale evacuation ourselfs. What do you take? How long to you have to pack? We do now have all the "important" papers in one place---I don't think I could really grab all of our pictures, but I could get most of them. But then I think of Jeb's Mom---she was away on a short trip---certainly could not grab anything, could she.

All of this really got me thinking---What is home, What did I crave during this stressful time?
I just wanted my family all together--so I called them all and told them what to do or where to call if needed. That is home to me, just knowing they are all safe. Ok--with that plan in play, and Al working long, long, hours ---You would think that I would have loads of time to organize and clean and make things pretty in our house----But no. At the dwelling we call home, I was glued to the TV, getting more and more depressed. So, I headed to My Local Scrapbook Store (It's About Time...). I always find peace and love there, no not from the paper, but from the people there. What a great place just to chill and do something I love---Talk and Create. Poor Amy, Lisa, and Mel, they got stuck with me because I don't have to call ahead and see if they are up for Company. And I do feel at home there. There you go---I have another place I call home! And of Course---where ever my Mom is, that is my home too! I also have a place on the internet a home of sorts because I love all of those people too. That is TallyScrappers, I always have that warm cozy feeling there. I know sounds strange but I truly feel love there. I also have to say that because of my LSS, I have truly met some of the nicest people that I believe I will have for a good long time. They are my home too!

So I have to say, no matter where I lay down to sleep that I will always have a home. Home to me is not just a roof over my head, but much more!

I am so Thankful for my Husband, Children, My Mom, My Sisters and My friends who always welcome me home! Happy Thanksgiving!