Little Family in the Big Woods

Six days later and it's time for birthday cake number two. My son's favorite cake is butterfinger. Lucky for me that both cakes are easy to make. To make a butterfinger cake you will need: german chocolate cake mix eggs oil eagle brand milk caramel ice cream topping cool whip butterfinger candy bars Mix cake mix according to directions on box. Bake in a 9x12 cake pan.  Remove from oven.  Cool. Use the end of a big spoon to poke holes in the cake. Pour can of eagle brand milk over cake. Pour jar of caramel ice cream topping over cake.  Yum.  Very rich. Top with cool whip and butterfingers. (I used three.) My son asks for this cake every year. Enjoy!

Yes, my children's birthdays are six days apart. What were we thinking??? Because of the closeness, we try to be creative with birthday cakes.  I thought I would share with you a tutorial for each cake. My daughter's cake at her party was an ice cream sandwich cake. To make this cake you need: At least 20 ice cream sandwiches  8 ounces cool whip  jar hot fudge sauce sprinkles Unwrap ice cream sandwiches and place side by side in bottom of 9X12 pan.  You may have to cut a few to get them to fill the entire bottom. Pour half of the hot fudge sauce over sandwiches. Then, smooth a small part of the cool whip over the fudge sauce. Place another layer of ice cream sandwiches to fill pan. Pour over the rest of the fudge sauce and top with the remaining cool whip. Add sprinkles to suit the taste of the party person.   These Marble Mix-ins are really tasty. Place in the freezer until ready to serve. The layers look really pretty when ser...

January 17, 1994. This is the day my son was born. He is 16 years old today. I am the parent of a 16 year old. Wow. I remember so well the day we brought him home from the hospital. My husband and I drove down the driveway; telling him about his new home. I remember so many times when he was small thinking, "What will he be like when he is older?"  And now I know... He is my son. He is the person his Dad and I have raised. He is the son I could not be more proud of. I also remember talking to my Lynchburg sister when my son was a tiny baby about my fears of raising children as they grow older and become teenagers.  I knew all about kids...but teenagers.  She told me that I didn't need to ever look way ahead, but to realize that I would grow myself as my children grew.  You know...she was exactly right.  I have never wished for time to go backwards, I have never dreaded the future, but I am finding that I enjoy each new day that life ...

IT'S TIME IT'S TIME IT'S TIME Here comes another SUNDAY FUN READ accelerated reading book recommendation. This book is a little harder to read than the others I have recommended.  It takes a little while to recognize that every other chapter is written in either the past or the present. It is about a family that moves into an older house and decide to knock out a wall in one of the rooms.  When they do so, they discover a hidden room with a skeleton lying on a table.  The book is a mystery as the characters try to figure out who the skeleton is and why that person would have been hidden in that room. The kids really like this book.  It takes some of them a few chapters before they realize the past/present thing that is going on in the book.  Steal Away Home is written by Lois Ruby.  It is a 5.5 grade level book; worth 7 points.  This book is a great piece of historical fiction. I hope you enjoy today's book recommen...

Words to describe me: teacher, mother, friend, blogger,... What was that?...Did I say blogger? Yes, I did say blogger, and do you know what? It feels great. I am a blogger. People keep asking me, "Where in the world did you come up with the idea to blog?"  So, I'll just tell you. It all started with my love for couponing. While looking on the Internet for good coupon deals, I came across a group of ladies who blog about couponing. That was the first time I actually saw a blog. Then, a really good friend of mine decided to create her own blog about couponing. I began to follow her blog, where I was introduced to the famous McMama.  I then found myself checking out my friend's blog, which is a great place to get coupons( http://www.togetherwesave.blogspot.com/ ), and McMama's blog( http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ ) every day. I have been following McMama's blog for several months. I have thought about what draws people to her blog...

This is a bird feeder that I purchased several years ago at our church's Fall Festival.  It is made simple, and has screen in the bottom so that water can flow through. The birds love this feeder. So simple.

Need a quick and easy bird feeder that fits right in with its natural surroundings??? Just get a grape vine wreath and find a clay pot base that fits neatly inside. Tie six lengths of hay twine together in a knot close to the bottom and close to the top.  Place the wreath in the twine, separating the lengths into pairs.  Hang from a tree limb and fill with bird seed. We fill ours with water in the summertime for a bird bath!!! Obviously, there is no where for the water to go...so when used to hold seed, this bird feeder has to be emptied after a rain. We have had all kinds of birds visiting this feeder, especially after a snowfall. If you're wondering about our "Hallelujah Tree"...(click here ) the birds have been all over it. There were so many birds after last week's snow, we noticed a giant circle under the tree that was clear of snow. We're thinking the body heat from the birds must have melted it. Hallelujah