Cake Recipes

These recipes are especially for you Erika. I had to blow the dust off of my "Anne of Green Gables Cookbook" but it brought back so many happy memories.

These are both great recipes. I just made the Yellow Butter Cake with Chocolate Buttercream for Aaron's birthday and it was so good!

Anne's Liniment Cake

2 C sifted all purpose flour

1T baking powder

a pinch of salt

1 1/4 C sugar

1/2 C melted butter

1 C milk

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1. Grease and flour cake pans, preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Measure out the sifted flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar and mix together in a large bowl.

3. Add the melted butter and the milk to the flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon.

4. Beat together with electric mixer for 1 minute.

5. Break the eggs into a small bowl. Add them with the vanilla to the cake batter, then beat with the electric mixer for another 3 minutes, constantly scrapping the bowl with rubber spatula.

6. Pour the cake batter evenly into the two cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

7. Test the cakes with a toothpick. Let them cool for 10 minutes.

8. Loosen cakes from pans and let cool on cake rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Creamy Butter Frosting

1/4 C butter

1/3 C table cream (you can use half/half...the full fat kind)

1 tsp vanilla

3 C confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

1. Melt the butter over low heat.

2. Put melted butter, cream, & vanilla into mixing bowl and combine with wooden spoon.

3. With an electric mixer, beat in the powdered sugar, a little at a time. Continue beating until the frosting is thick and creamy-about 5 minutes.

I made this cake for Erika when we were in Junior High...I colored the frosting green in honor of our heroine Anne Shirley. It looked a little strange but my sweet friend loved it.

And here is the link for the awesome Yellow Butter Cake....follow it to a tea, right down to lining the pans with parchment paper. It's really a "good thing"...(sorry, I had to:)

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/best-birthday-cake/

This is the same cake recipe from my cookbook...but not the same frosting. So here is Martha's Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting from the "Martha's Cooking School Cookbook" that my grandma just gave to me. (I love this cookbook!)

Easy Chocolate Buttercream

1 pound (4 sticks) of butter

1 tsp pure vanilla

3/4 C unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder

5 1/2 C sifted confectioners sugar

~with an electric mixer, cream butter on medium high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to medium; add cocoa. Mix until smooth. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix on high speed until well blended, 10-20 seconds more. (If not using right away, cover it w/ plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Before using bring it to room temp. and beat w/ electric mixer on med. speed until fluffy.)

Glowing Birthday Cake, Leopard Print Headgear, A Stowaway

Every year Aaron asks for the same thing..."A Jenny Cake". This year it glowed!

One tough Kookie

Everyday Elizabeth wakes up and says, "Daddy's in Boston...I'm in Boston too!"

You can take it with you

I have two brothers.

We have been through a lot together.

We are close.

They are incredible men and I love them.

I can't imagine life without them.

Today..., Garth, came by for a visit. He made something for me...

"To take it with you" he said.

Yes...he painted this rendition of our little home here on Pine Street. He made the frame from some old boards in Papo's garage, and put it all together for me.

He understands.

He always has.

Change of Heart

I'm not really a person that jumps on board just any "bandwagon" that rolls our way. I'm a skeptic by nature and on top of that I'm terribly stubborn. On that note, I have admittedly been skeptical of home school, until recently.

On a whim...late one night, while Aaron was away in Boston I stumbled across a book on the internet titled.."The Well Trained Mind, A Guide to Classical Education at Home." A few clicks later and I (actually surprising myself) ordered the hardbound third edition.

I truly believe that the Spirit of the Lord was leading me that night.

Last week was one of the hardest I have gone though as a wife and a mom. The realities of our upcoming move are sinking in fast and I feel a bit overwhelmed at times. I was scheduled to fly out to Boston this past Wednesday, but because of a huge snowstorm had to change the flight at the last minute and leave early Tuesday morning. On top of that I had to fit in a trip to the dr. for myself where I found out that I had pneumonia...just an hour before the pharmacy closed. Thankfully I got all the meds needed (barely)...rush home (thanks mom)...help Abigail with her report, make dinner, finish laundry, hold my babies, tuck them in, make a million lists for Poppa & Momma, pack at some point..and crash for 2 hours.

I found myself on the plane just before the sun is up and drop into my seat. My mind was spinning...stomach churning. Hunger...I thought. It will pass. No....it just got worse and worse. "Please Lord, I don't want to throw up on this plane." It was still so quiet as sleepy passengers filed in. I'm in the front row..(first class thanks to Mitek). I fight the urge with everything in me, but to no avail. At least I made it to the dinky bathroom. Unfortunately everyone and their brother could hear me...no engines to at least cover up the catastrophe. Note to self: Do not take very strong anti-biotics on an empty stomach.

The hunt for a house was even more discouraging. I don't want to sound ungrateful...I truly am overwhelmed with God's graces on us. We walked thorough a dozen houses with everything from blue toilets to expansive spaces without a speck of character. It was hard to imagine our family in those rooms...if you know what I mean. The only way I can explain it is that we found a lot of houses but not a home. Still...I know that it will work out...in His perfect time.

In spite of not finding a house to call home we did find a very loving fellowship in Foxboro. Finding a church has been the most important thing to us, and both Aaron and I felt at home the moment we walked into Church of Emmanuel. After a long week filled with more downs than ups this came as the most welcome surprise. We worshipped with our brothers and sisters in Christ, hands lifted high in praise to our Mighty God.

Back to "The Well Trained Mind". Aaron had to work while I was there, which gave me a lot of un-interrrupted quiet time. I felt like the Lord desired my full attention. He spoke to me though His word, refreshed my heart with His Spirit and revealed to me His vision for our children. I was being called to be their teacher. My fears of failure and inadequacy paled in comparison to the call. He so clearly revealed to me His will that I had no other choice but to obey.

I was apprehensive to talk to Aaron about what the Lord had spoken to my heart. We have both been on the same page about homeschool in the past (skeptical) not to mention we are moving into an area with some of the best public schools in the country. I whispered a prayer to Jesus, that He would prepare Aaron's heart too.

My enthusiasm must have been contagious, because after sharing with him all that the Lord had revealed to me, he willingly agreed. After reading just a few chapters of "The Well Trained Mind" he was moved to lead in home educating our children and just as inspired as I had been.

The future is unclear. There will be days of doubt. But God is rich in mercy and we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4 & 10)

A conversation about gall bladders

"Mommy, did you know that Mrs. Fennimore has to have her gall bladder removed?"

"No I didn't...how sad. We should pray for her."

"Yes...we should. But Mommy, did you know that gall bladders are beautiful to look at?"

"Really?"

"Oh, yes, they are very lovely and marbly things. Mrs. Iverson brought hers into class once to show us...they are just beautiful."

Thanks Abby Sue...or as you prefer these days...Abigail.

Ben is 7 & Artwork for the Huesbsch Family

Ben asked for " Top Ramen with a side salad and some ranch" for his birthday dinner.
I was so blessed when Melanie asked me to make one of my nest pictures for her family!
Mario Kart Toadstool Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes for the birthday boy.
I had to recruit mom's help for this party....it was gettin' rowdy up in here!

One of a kind.

This afternoon Abby Sue was sharing with me some of her difficulties with friends at school.

"They whisper about me, they think I'm weird, they make fun of me. They say that I'm annoying."

I was feeling overcome right along with her. At a loss for words I stood quietly trying to think of something to say that would console her little heart.

Ben was listening intently to his sister, with his arms wrapped around me, then turned to Abby and says...

"You are one of a kind."

She grins...then smiles. Looking down at her eclectic skirt...she twirls with confidence.

He is exactly right.