Chocoholic

I love to bake and I love treats. It's a dangerous combination. I especially love baking in the fall. When it starts getting cooler out, I just have this urge to bake breads, cookies, and cakes and fill our home with all those yummy homey scents. I've been trying to work on the "moderation in all things" thing, so I try to limit baking to Family Home Evening nights... but sometimes I'll get a craving, and it all goes out the window. But I figure I work hard so I can play hard, right? ;) Sometimes I'll intentionally get an extra workout in when I'm anticipating a baking night, so I can really enjoy the fruits of my labors. Anyway, so here are my favorite chocolatey recipes for you to enjoy as well...

Chocolate Eclairs

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 1/2 cups cold milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:

2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons hot water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely. Reduce heat to low, and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition. Spoon dough onto cookie sheet in 1 1/2 x 4 inch strips.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling Directions: combine pudding mix and milk in medium bowl according to package directions. In a separate bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold whipped cream into pudding. Cut tops off of cooled pastry shells with a sharp knife. Fill shells with pudding mixture and replace tops.

Icing Directions: melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drizzle over filled eclairs. Refrigerate until serving. YUM!

Hershey's Amazing Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or a 9x13 pan.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with Aunt Linda's Chocolate Frosting...

Aunt Linda's Chocolate Frosting:

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup margarine

4 Tbs. cocoa

4Tbs. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 lb. powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Melt margarine in a saucepan. Add cocoa and mix thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and mix to perfection.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies:

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well.
Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan. I don't have one, so I just shape the balls and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool on a wire rack.

Happy Baking!

Rock On!

Celeste was invited to her friend E's "rock star" birthday party today and she had a blast! The birthday girl is from an amazing family... they sure know how to throw a party! Here are a few pics of Celeste aka "Jem"...

Here is the cutie birthday girl "Glitter" and our little"Jem"

These girls have too much fun together.

All rocked out!

Simplify

I love this picture for what it represents... those sweet and simple moments with those we love the most.

I recently read a very disturbing article from the Associated Press about President Obama's new ideas on educating our children. He is proposing that we extend the school day from 1-3 hours, and that we curtail summer vacation to stay competitive in the world. What?! I am so concerned about what this means for families if this passes. So where is the time for the family to be together? Where is the time for family values to be taught and exemplified? My friend had a good suggestion that to stay competitive in the world, we use the current school hours more wisely, and cut out ineffective programs and activities. I think that would be a much better solution. I fear that this proposal could pass since many leaders in the country might see this initiative as "free childcare". You better believe if this plan is implemented... that will be the day I homeschool my children.

Anyway, I am really passionate about this topic, and how the adversary would have us fill our lives with so many distractions, and so much STUFF... that we miss out on those simple moments... the most important things in life, that really aren't things. I firmly believe that children need time at home with the family, unstructured time to just be together. Here are some inspiring quotes on this subject:

"Our lives have become intensely fast paced filled with business and a frantic flitting about that was uncharacteristic of earlier ages. We pack our lives with so many activities and pursuits that many of us have lost sight of something that is of critical importance to families… time together." -Gordon B. Hinckley

"Women today are encouraged by some to have it all: money, travel, marriage, motherhood, and separate careers in the world. . . However, you cannot do all these things well at the same time. You cannot be a 100-percent wife, a 100-percent mother, a 100-percent Church worker, a 100-percent career person, and a 100-percent public-service person at the same time. How can all of these roles be coordinated? I suggest that you can have it sequentially. Sequentially is a big word meaning to do things one at a time at different times. The book of Ecclesiastes says: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under … heaven.”~ James Faust

"Mothers who know... do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world's goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world. Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord's kingdom for the next 50 years. That is influence; that is power." -Julie B. Beck

So go hug your little ones today and enjoy a few sweet and simple moments together. :)

Lately...

I've been so busy living my life that I haven't had much time to write about it. I'm a neglectful blogger! But I've been thinking how important it is to keep a record of our family and how special this blog will be for our kids someday, so I've decided to find a little time to write a post every day this month. (Ha ha! Wish me luck!) It might be just a few words, but it will be something. I love blogging! It's so therapeautic to write about life. Somehow, it helps me to put things in the right perspective. And I love learning more about people that I don't really get to know and to get a glimpse of what life is like for them. I love that it's such a great outlet to feel connected to other women who are going through the ups and downs of womanhood and motherhood just like me. I love you all!! More tomorrow. :)

Back to School

I can't believe how the time is flying! Celeste has started 1st grade and she LOVES it! She met a little girl from our church that sits next to her in class. That was a great blessing for her. They instantly became best friends. (I love how kids do that!)

Our little Benny-bud has also started school. He's enrolled in a 4K program here and he really enjoys it. It's a great (and free!) preschool opportunity offered by the school district to help prepare 4 year-olds for kindergarten. It's well organized, with wonderful teachers (and did I say, free?!)

It's been nice to have a little extra time with Charity and Baby Jakey. We usually read together, have learning time, or go grocery shopping. I can't believe how much easier it is to shop with only 2 kids. (Although I remember complaining to Mr. Wonderful about shopping with 2 kids when Celeste and Benny were little.) Interesting how perspective changes the more kids you have... ha ha!
Brotherly love!

I'm really happy here in Wisconsin, but now that life is getting more fast-paced and stressful with my new church calling, and Jon's responsibilities at work, and the kids activities, I have had a tendency to get caught up in trying to get everything done, and help get everyone where they need to be, and keep everything clean (that's a joke), and keep everybody fed and happy. Sometimes, I try to "run faster than I have strength" and then I get discouraged. It seems that all too often I forget to stop and simply enjoy the moments. Here is a quote by Anna Quindlen that makes me cry and inspires me at the same time:

"But the biggest mistake I made as a parent is that I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less."

This quote resonates with me so much because one of my worst fears would be to be so busy running around and getting things done, that I would completely miss the point of it all... which is to find joy in this journey called motherhood. I don't want to look back in regret someday, so I think I'll take a moment right now and go watch my little ones sleep. For all too soon, precious moments like these will be gone.

Silly Boy

Lately, Jakey has brought me his toothbrush and toothpaste at nighty-night time. But tonight he accidently grabbed the wrong tube. I don't think he would have liked the taste of that diaper cream!

Belly Laughs

Nothing makes me smile like happy kids! I took these pics while Daddy was behind the scenes cracking them all up. I love these pictures.

Here they are anticipating what kind of crazy antics Daddy will come up with...

Let the belly laughs begin!

Bee careful out there!

Ok, so the weirdest thing happened last week. I took the kids to meet Mr. Wonderful for a picnic lunch in an open field behind his work. We were all eating lunch and minding our own beeswax... when a breeze blew some of our garbage off the picnic table and Benny got up to get it. I'm think he must have stepped on a hive on the ground or something because before we knew it there were bees swarming all around us. Then it was like a scene straight out of a horror movie. The kids were all getting stung and they were running around and screaming and trying to get away. It happened so fast. It was just awful. Then as I was tending to Celeste and Benny and Jon was taking care of Charity, I looked over and saw a HUGE swarm around Jakey's head. I swept him up and we all ran to the car. We thought everything was fine until Jakey started freaking out and screaming again. Apparently there were two bees in his shirt, under his overalls, that stung him twice. :( Those ruthless bees. The kids were so traumatized by the whole thing... it took them over 20 minutes to stop crying. Benny kept asking, "Why did they do that to us Mommy?" And Celeste kept wailing, "Why are there bees in the world?" And Jakey- "They hurt me and didn't even say sowy!"


The worst part was that Celeste got stung on her lower lip. We were really worried about it because it swelled up a ton and it seemed she was developing an allergic reaction to it. So we decided to take her into urgent care for treatment. The doctor informed us that around the months of Aug-Sept. bees become more aggressive and they'll sting even unprovoked. Anyway, so he checked out all their owies and gave us a prescription for some heavy duty allergy medication for Celeste. Thankfully, her lip returned to it's normal size that afternoon. So we breathed a sigh of relief... until she woke up the next morning and looked like this...



The swelling had spread to her cheek during the night and she looked so miserable!! Poor thing. :( But we kept her on the medication. She's fine now. Everybody is fine now... except when they see a bee.

After watching my kids go through that I think Celeste brings up a good point... why are there bees in the world anyway? I could do without honey.

Binkie Baby

Here's my little man rockin' a binkie. This kid cracks me up!

Pigging out

Chocolate covered bacon at the Wisconsin State Fair was definitely a ONCE in a lifetime experience...

for most of us anyway...

Family Luuuuv

Celeste, Jakey, and I were able to take a trip to Utah this month for a family reunion and we had a blast! Here are a few pictures of the fun:

These are some of Celeste's second cousins. She doesn't have any first cousins yet... so it was fun for her to develop a relationship with these sweet girls.

Museum near BYU

These are my cousins Madison Nicole and Mackenzie Kathleen. I LOVE these girls. They are both so beautiful... inside and out!

We had so much fun making bows together! I am totally hooked on this new hobby. Thanks again Julie for being so generous with all your supplies.

The results of my labors

While we were busy making bows, the boys were doing what they do best. ;)

Here we are playing games together

My mom, my aunt Terri, and my Irish cousin Janice.

This is everyone minus us, my Dad, and the Moore family. We'll definitely have to do this again.

I love all my family and I miss them already. I sure wish we were closer, but the distance between us makes these visits really special.


The sweetest thing was when we got to the airport, Daddy, Benny and Charity were waiting for us... and the kids ran to each other. They could not contain their excitement and they just kept hugging each other. Then much to everyone's amusement and delight, Jakey ran around the airport hugging everyone's legs. I love how they love each other. Unfortunately, they started bickering a little before we made it to the car. But I know they love each other and it makes me happy. The pure love of a child is a beautiful thing.

“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18: 1-4

FHE idea

Here is a fun family home evening idea on service. We've found that unless we make the lessons interactive, the kids lose interest in what we're trying to teach.

Sing "Love One Another"

Have the kids build a tent in the living room (this was their favorite part) and in your own words share verses 5-7 from the Book of Mosiah.

Explain that you're going to pretend they're the people from the Book of Mormon and have them build a tent so they can listen to the words of their King.

Have King Benjamin read verses 9-19 of this inspiring address to his people:

Give everyone a chance to pretend to be King Benjamin and share their testimony about the importance of serving one another.

Even the little ones...
Lastly, take turns serving a special treat to each other and enjoy the rest of the evening together.