Triple Chocolate Cake

Since a few folks asked for the recipe, here it is again:

1 box deep chocolate cake mix
3 oz box instant chocolate pudding mix
½ c vegetable oil (or applesauce)
½ c strong coffee
10 oz sour cream
12 oz pkg chocolate chips (about 1 ½ c)
4 eggs

Mix all but chocolate chips for 5 minutes in mixer.  Add in chips.  Pour into a Pam sprayed bundt or tube pan and bake for 65 minutes @ 350̊.  Cool a bit.  Invert onto cake platter. 

When totally cooled, sift powdered sugar on top for color.  This cake is moist and rich and doesn’t need a frosting.

~~This is easy peasy and DELISH, and is much requested by my big kids and grandkids.  It is also featured in one of Sally Berneathy’s chocolate mystery books.  How ‘bout that!

Try it.  You can thank me later!

Sisterly moments

“Before we go, we need a photo”…as I hand my phone to Haley.

Nan is telling her to just get above the waist, then we gave more specific instructions on what NOT to photograph…and started laughing…

We make fun of ourselves very well…and often!

Y’all come see us here in Mayberry next time you want a mountain fix, and we can let the good times roll…float…or zip………….before we get too old!

Life is good…and laugh lines are the sign of a life well lived! 

We’ve got’em!!!

Lest we forget…

My thanks to all the great men and women who gave their service to make our country free and strong.

Gone, but never forgotten.

God bless our troops and their families.

The cake is baked!

I got to see sister Nan when I was down south for my class reunion, and I get to see her again today over in Helen!

Maybe I can stop talking and eating and laughing and remember to take some photos.  Maybe.  No guarantee.

For now, though, I need to get my pork and beans made, load up the cooler with food and drinks, and get dressed!

In all the celebrating, we will remember those who gave us our freedom and give thanks.

How’s your weekend going?  Does it have cake?  We have Triple Chocolate Cake on the menu!  Yum…

Friday funny…or not!

Cutbacks are going to be tough!

Just another day…

 

I need an address label.

Here it is.

…five minutes later…

Dammit!

What’s the matter?

I got the box ready and had that label and now I can’t find it!  I hate it when I lose something!  I just had it.  It’s gotta be here somewhere.  I only went from here to there.

Here’s another label, honey.

Raise your hand if you can relate to losing stuff!

It’s just another day at the senior center, y’all!

Cheesy grin

Mornin’, Tow Mater.  Thanks for the reminder that today is time for my teeth cleaning.  Smile!

Two grandmas and no photos.  Yep, Joy and I got to play with Eva last night while her parents went out to dinner and neither of us got the first photo.  Shame on us! 

Eva is adorable, and one mighty happy 1 year old.  She sang, laughed, and played sooo well.  Joy and I could both eat her up with a spoon!

I went from one extreme to the other yesterday—first the local senior center to call bingo for the guests there, then getting to play with Eva last night.

This was a very poignant reminder of the cycle of life--seniors still like to play and have as much fun as they can.  Heck yeah!

Have yourselves a ginger peachy cheesy grin kind of day!  I will…after my pearlies are clean!

Misty Monday morning

Let Missy out.

Let Missy in.




KC went out the kitty door...and is staying out. I don't know why Missy wanted valet service. Oh, she's a kitty. Never mind.

So yesterday was piano recital time for these two:



They did well...and are now officially through with school and lessons. Yay for them! Their moms are still at school this week.

MM is fixing an engine...can you say GREASE?

Have yourselves a ginger peachy greaseless Monday, y'all!

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Mayberry fun

Dominoes last night...double twelves!



Candyland this morning:



We woke up to rain this morning, so the kids and I are enjoying Jammie time. No one wanted to go with Grumps in the pontoon boat to round up and push logs away, even though the rain stopped. Books and games and extra Cheerios and being lazy is hitting the spot.

Who wants to be lazy and join us? Come on, but bring your own Jammies, peaches.

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Oldies, but goodies

Haley found these old photos of us girls and posted it on FB, so I stole them.  These were made on our patio in Florida way back in the early ‘80s.  Note the mother/daughter snail outfits—that were cute way back then!

Not so cute now, at our age.  All three of us girls were wearing pink last Sunday for Mother’s Day.  Sheesh.  We forgot to call and make sure we weren’t in the same colors, you know, for the photos that didn’t happen.

And this was us just before Christmas:

Notice that I am now the short one.  My little girls are all grown up, and are now teachers…and mommies.

Time flies.  Trust me on that.  Sweet memories.

I am blessed.

Awards Day

I can say with certainty that the bleacher seats are NOT comfortable, but seeing Macey and lil Haley get awards was great!



Haley is giving a thank you to the principal...naturally, the balloons moved when I snapped:



And Missy brought us her own gift yesterday that KC had to inspect:



Excitement. The good times just keep rolling in Mayberry!

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Creek fun

Yesterday was a perfect day for Amy and friend Jane to take the boys out to Vogel for playing on the playground, riding bikes, and doing all kinds of boy stuff.

I picked up Macey after school and took her out there for a little cousins and friends fun:

All the kids put many miles on their bikes…successfully…no trips to the local hospital.  Macey and some of the guys practiced a little balancing skills, with no spills into the rocky creek below:

I’ll bet they all slept well last night.  Grumps was out working on a machine while I was enjoying the kiddos.  I can certainly vouch for him being tired and sleeping well!

It was just another day in paradise.  I wouldn’t trade this for any place else on earth.

Life is a one-time offer.  Use it well, y’all, and have yourselves a ginger peachy Wednesday!  I have a lunch date with a cute 4 year old today, lucky me.

Smooches and other stuff

Ansley and lil Haley giving Alex some sugah.  Lucky guy!

And then the girls were getting a little goofy with wee Will, who can hold his own with the big girls:

All this, while the big guys were doing some cooking in the kitchen for all the mothers:

MM was no slacker—he was manning the grill doing manly stuff that involved fire…and danger.  And it was good.

And now all us mothers are back in the real world of having to fix dinner, do laundry, go to work, and all the other normal stuff.  We enjoyed being treated like queens for the day.  Thanks, guys!  Y’all rock!!!

And bugger…no photos of all the queenies.

Can we have a do over???

Mother’s Day recap

Ansley reading to Alex:

Macey playing with Will:

Jason and Brian enjoying a chat…and a beer:

The other photos didn’t turn out well.  Bugger.  My “new” camera is not playing nice, but we had a great time.  The guys brought side dishes and MM grilled some steaks…and they all cleaned up.  All the mothers (Amy, Haley, Faith, Joy and me) got the royal treatment, as we so deserve.  We could learn to love this, but it won’t happen again until this time next year!

It was great while it lasted, and was much more fun than going out to eat.

Thanks, guys!  Y’all rock!!!

Happy Mother’s Day!

A very Happy Mother’s Day, especially to Haley and Amy, who blessed me with the wonderful gift of grandchildren…and to Faith, who arrived with another grandchild to love.

~~Thanks to my mother, not a single cardboard box has found its way back into society.  We receive gifts in boxes from stores that went out of business twenty years ago.  -Erma Bombeck

(Some of us understand cardboard boxes; for the rest of you, it’s reusing gift bags!)

Just remember that you girls and Brian were all raised with love, despite the many quirks, and boxes, that were undoubtedly thrown into the mix!

And everyone survived, relatively sane…and with a sense of humor!  You are all exceptional adults that have made Dad and me very proud.

I love you all to the moon and back,

Mom

And a Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers, surrogate mothers, aunties, sisters, and strong women everywhere.  We make the world go round!

Soggy soccer and stuff

This was yesterday when we had a little sun. I doubt we will see the sun today. Bugger. More rain is on the way, and today the wee boys have their final soccer games. Boys aren't afraid of a little mud, especially our youngest. He is a mud magnet.

--When your mother asks, "Do you want a piece of advice?" It is a mere formality. It doesn't matter if you answer yes or no. You're going to get it anyway. -Erma Bombeck

Don't forget about your mama tomorrow, if you are blessed to still have one. I sure miss my mother and my mother-in-law.

Share some smiles today. I definitely will. Run, boys, run!

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Sweet music

I am busting with pride in our local high school choral group, and not just because Ansley is a member either.

Their performance was nothing short of great.  There is some amazing talent in our town, and the director showcased it well last night.  Kudos to her and to these awesome young adults.

The rest of our evening was spent installing the (second) new router, which did not go well.  Plug and play it was not, so I had to call for tech support, which always takes awhile.  The fun isn’t over.  I set up the iPad this morning; the wifi worked, then it didn’t work.  It doesn’t want to stay connected.  The laptop is working—two feet away.  Bugger.  Play nice!

Did I mention that the first replacement router arrived DOA?  Yeah, we are having fun…NOT!

At least the sun is shining and the temps are warming up, so that makes me happy.  And our KC boy arrived home after staying out all night.  I’ve told that boy his curfew is dark thirty, but he doesn’t listen.

Have yourselves a ginger peachy, electronics gremlin-free Friday, y’all!

Life is good!

Yes, I do claim this bed, thankyouverymuch, and the blanket is soft and customized to my liking. Please don't rearrange it. Any questions?



These two sweeties had their final choral concert last night. Much enjoyed by all parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts:




Well, except for one restless little artist cousin who got bored. This one:



He wound up playing on my iPhone to keep him quiet. I remember my own little boy playing with Matchbox cars at the many recitals and concerts he had to endure because of his two sisters. Wait, that same now big boy snuck in a game or two on his own phone last night, but I know he was paying attention when lil Haley and Macey were singing. Only the toys change over the years with boys!

Good job, kids. We get to do this all over again Thursday night for the high school concert.

Who says Mayberry is dull? Nevah! Sing on.

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Let’s dance!

 

And dip

And shake our booty

And pose with old friend Bob

And sit with old hubby and rest

We had fun, even if we are senior citizens!

Dance while you can.  Life’s too short not to enjoy it, y’all!  Have a fab Tuesday.

Budding artists

Haley and kids admiring artwork:



Ansley's contributions:












Alex made this...naturally it involves boating and water!



There was a lot of talent on display in a variety of mediums:









Not bad, considering these were made by kids of all ages.

Encouragement and opportunity are important keys to success in anything.

I am proud of ALL their efforts!

Life is about blooming where you are planted, y'all! And smiling.

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