Foto Story Friday -- cake for dinner, because I can!

I got an email from my in-laws with a 'cake-in-a-cup' recipe. Well, if you know us, we love cake especially chocolate cake, I HAD to try it out. I didn't want to cook dinner (half the kids were gone sleeping over at G&Gs), this would be much more fun.....
1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. Measure carefully.
3. Crack the eggs with care.
4. Steady hand when measuring liquids.
5. Stir well.

6. Place in the mircowave and watch it grow. (Scott's got the most height, but I didn't get the picture.)
7. Allow to cool.
8. Add ice cream.
I chose to put mine in a bowl.
9. Eat up! Cake for dinner, what could be better?!


You too can have a cup-o-cake:
4 Tbs. flour
4 Tbs. sugar (decrease 1 Tbs. for higher altitude)
2 Tbs. cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbs.milk ( increase extra tbs. for higher altitude)
3 Tbs. oil
3 Tbs. chocolate chips ( melted, optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug


Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix well.
Pour in milk and oil and mix well. Add choc. chips and vanilla extract
and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 mins. at
(1000 watts)high. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't
be alarmed.
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired...EAT (this
can serve 2 if you feel slightly more virtuous).



Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Photos of the kids

Savanna
Shantel
Cody
Scott and EmmaLece
Scott
EmmaLece
I got this cool cabinet and turned it into a backdrop. Robby has not been shot,since right now he is getting over a black eye:
This is what happens when a group of kids playing soccer meet a group of kids playing football... right at Robby's eye! It's looking better today, but this was right when he came home from school the day it happened.

Impressed by you

Today was a "Wow! What a kid I have day!"

This morning I saw some wrapped gifts sitting on the table.  Shantel asked for a couple of grocery bags, I threw them toward her.  A few minutes later I joined them in the entry area while they finished putting the snow/cold weather gear on and I noticed the bags.  

Mom:  "Hey Shantel what's in the bags?"

Shantel:  "Well, I asked Savanna first!"

Mom: giving her the 'what the heck are you talking about' look.

Shantel:  "Yesterday, I noticed that *Jane's* shoes had holes in them and I thought I could find some that she could use.  Savanna and I got some together.  I also saw that she could use some chapstick and I thought she might like a necklace.  Is that OK?"

Mom:  "Yes that is very nice of you."  I turned away and did my best to hold back the flood.

Then they headed out the door to the bus and I was left to ponder the wonder that is my daughter and the depth of her compassion!  I think she has learned it is more blessed to give than to receive.

*name was changed to protect the innocent.*

Trunk or Treat

This year I didn't get very many pictures at trunk or treat .... it could be that I lent Shantel the camera for a picture of her friends out by the red leaves and she NEVER came back in

this is one of about 5 she took

....OK so she did come back, but she it took her forever and so she snapped a few of the costume parade.

The twins and I in the costume parade

I had to do a self portrait.... gotta love the mirrors in the church bathroom! :)

Here's Cody all Gothic

A balloon blowing contest.  I think Cody lost!

Scary kids and a couple of cute Things!

Scary Family

Shantel and 2 of her friends.

It was a bee
witching experience!

Thing 1 and Thing 2

Oh, what to be for halloween? We have been tossing around just what to be. Course some of us are still going to go Goth, but after a suggestion from Uncle Byron and having had Cousins Walt and Di refer to the twins as Thing 1 and Thing 2..... I decided to create costumes.
We went to K-mart and picked up 2 pair red sweats and 2 red long sleeved shirts.  They didn't have two of the same unisex shirts, so I got a girls and a boy shirt.  The boy shirt is a bit bigger even though they are both marked 5T.
Came home and dug through the fabric bag.  Found some off-white material already folded in half!  Grabbed a small plate from the cupboard and the fabric markers.  Two perfect circles!
Used the trusty fabric marker to assign the Things! 
Placed them on the shirts adjusted and then pinned. 
Used Shantel's trusty sewing machine on the zig-zag stitch and went to town!
All ready for a try on!
Don't they look like they are up to something?  I will spray their hair blue for the big event!  For a few more shots of these two hamming it up click here!

First snow

EmmaLece's Snow angels. By Cody
Savanna and Scott shoveling the walk. By Cody
Shaking the snow off the trees at Grandma's.  photo by Mom.
Picts by Shantel on the way to church.
Another on the way to church.
Scott making tracks.  By Cody

Just leafing around!

Tell us which one or ones you like the best.  Photos of Scott and Mom taken by EmmaLece. Photos of EmmaLece and Mom taken by Scott and Photos of Mom taken by EmmaLece.