A lot of the snow melted yesterday, so with all the brown and haze and old patchy snow, it was probably the ugliest day of winter, at least in the morning it was. Jake worked all day too, making this Saturday like another weekday. We needed some kind of pick-me-up.
Month: January 2016
Cake for Breakfast
I’m having one of those weeks where I stay up much too late and then ask myself in the morning, “Why did I do that?” So all day I’m super tired, but once the kids go to bed all of a sudden I have this burst of energy and there is so much I want to do! So the cycle of going to bed late continues… Anybody with me on this?
Usually we are pretty good about going to bed early (and I’m a major proponent of this), but with the kids waking up around 8am lately I have been pushing bedtime for myself. Well, then Hyrum pulled a major switch and started waking up a few times at night and now gets up for good at 6:30am. So needless to say, I was pretty tired the first morning that he did that.
Ava could see how tired I was (probably because I wan’t getting out of bed,) so she got Hyrum out of his crib, grabbed a box of crackers and some bananas from the kitchen, and before closing my door said, “We’ve got to close mom’s door so she can sleep.” (Angel!) For the next hour, she put on a movie and played with Hyrum in the playroom. It was amazing! I was so happy and so grateful! I made sure she knew that.
So, when Ava requested chocolate cake for breakfast, we had chocolate cake for breakfast.
And we gave her two “good attitude rocks.”
Ava has had more than her fair share of sass and complaining lately, so we started this thing where we put “bad attitude marbles” in her glass jar for poor attitude choices and if those are all gone, we put “good attitude rocks” in. Once she reaches ten good attitude rocks, we give her something special. So far, it has worked so well! It’s a great reminder for her to think before she reacts, and it’s also a great reminder to us to recognize her for all her good choices! She received her first “special thing” the other night, and it has only made her more motivated to make good attitude choices, and it seems the good attitude choices are becoming more prevalent (that’s our hope at least!) If you know of someone (kids I mean) who may be struggling with this same thing, maybe this could work for them too! Sometimes we just need ideas.
Leftover Spaghetti
I planned leftover spaghetti tonight for dinner (such a good idea), so when Jake came home from work and played pillow fights with the kids, I practiced songs on the piano. Their laughter was more music to my ears than my piano playing, but the two sounds were happiness to me nonetheless. When I walked into the kitchen to get the spaghetti out, I saw pink hues out the window. Quickly we opened the back door, wrapped up in a blanket, and admired the painted sky. We finished the night with spaghetti faces, donuts, and a handful of meltdowns, and I’m just feeling really blessed. #mamanotes
And can I just mention how much I love our piano? We bought it from our friends when they sold us their home a few years ago and it’s totally out of tune, but it is one of my favorite pastimes when I have just a few minutes of free time here and there. Making music (even as a total novice) is uniquely joyful for me.
Another side note: While Ava was eating a donut that Jake brought home after work today, she shared it with Hyrum as he followed her around the room. When she bent over to give him a bite she said, “I won’t forget about you little chub.” hahah
The Best Chocolate Cake EVER.
If you love rich, dense, easy to make chocolate cake, then this is the last chocolate cake recipe that you will ever need! It’s my absolute favorite, and every time I make it I get so many people asking for the recipe. So here you go.
This cake is so delicious. Your family (and your guests) will love you for making it.
Is your mouth watering yet? Here’s what you need:
Chocolate Lover’s Bundt Cake:
1 (18.25 oz.) pkg. devil’s food cake mix
1 (3.9-oz.) pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
2 c. sour cream
1 c. melted butter
5 eggs
1 tsp. almond extract
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
chocolate ganache topping:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 c. heavy cream
Preheat oven to 350° (175° C) and grease a 10-inch bundt pan.
In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and almond extract. Mix until blended. Scrape bowl and beat 4 minutes on medium speed (or as long as you can by hand.) Blend in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache:
Place the chocolate into a medium bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for more than a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over the (completely cooled) cake. Pour along the top of the cake, letting the excess fall down the sides of the cake. If it is too runny, let is cool longer.
Now take it to all your family and friends so they can all enjoy the deliciousness. 😉
Tip: Keep cake in the refrigerator at least one hour before serving. It hardens the ganache and makes the cake taste more dense and rich in flavor. Also store it in the refrigerator for the best taste.
The great thing about this cake is that it can feed many people. The cake is so rich that you can cut it into 20+ slices. Great for birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, valentine’s day, etc. Nice!
These are for when she goes camping
I was sitting on the couch when Ava came over and asked, “Can my baby sleep by you?”
“Sure,” I said.
She set her baby’s crib next to me and for the next five minutes she walked in and out of the room bringing me things and giving me specific instructions. “Ok, so these are the rules,” she said.
“If she cries, just give her her bottle.
And these are her toys and her diapers. She’ll need a change when she wakes up.
And this is for her in case she gets sick.
And these are for when she needs to wash her hair.
And this is for her in case she needs to throw up.
And I have these over here for when she goes camping.
And here are raisins. The kitchen is right there for when you need to get food.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
With that she peaked under the baby’s blanket and whispered, “I’m going to be right back, ok?” Then she pulled two photobooks from on top of the piano and headed downstairs.
I really adore her.
#mamanotes