Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

The kids start school in less than two weeks, so we are trying to get the most of our last few carefree days. Yesterday after doing some arts and crafts they decided they would like to make a cake for Daddy. We looked through my cookbooks and found a recipe for an old fashioned chocolate that looked super yummy.

The 5 year old was in charge of measuring and pouring, the 3 year old did the mixing. They did a really good job until it was time to wait for the cake to cool before frosting. We had to pull out the boardgames to keep them busy.

They both helped frost the cake and we practiced a new technique I described as swirling. It involves butter knifes and quick motions making it ideal for little kids. They had a blast and the cake was delicious. Most of all they were very proud of their creation and couldn't wait to show Daddy when he got home.
Does anyone else like playing around with Instagram? I'm obsessed with that app on my iPhone. Have a great rest of the week!

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Mailbox Moments Mondays - Week #1

I'm participating in a new link party hosted by Mailbox Moments. Every Monday for four weeks they will provide a prompt to inspire bloggers to share how they keep in touch with others. This is a perfect project for me as I love to keep in touch with friends and family, especially using regular snail mail. Today's prompt was: write a long over-due letter to a friend telling them about a favorite memory.


I decided to write a letter to my BFF. We met in 5th when my family moved to a new country and someone we knew told us about a family that lived there that would help us out. Moving in 5th grade is far from ideal but having someone to show me the ropes was great. Bea and I quickly became best friends and my family all but adopted her as she spent many a weekend at our house. We have many memories together... from going through middle school and high school to her being a part of my wedding. I'll never forget the day I called her 6 years ago to ask her if she would be my daughter's godmother.


The content of the letter I wrote her will remain between us, but as you can see I included a few other goodies. She has a love for stationary so I sent her a notepad with her initial and I also made her a key chain. Nothing fancy but I hope these things included with my letter make her smile.

I chose this picture of us because it brings back great memories. Bea is the one in the middle, I am on the right. This was taken the summer before we started college. A couple of weeks before I met the man (boy at that time!) that I would marry. I say this because recently Bea showed me a letter I sent her from college telling her I met someone that I thought was the one. I love that she still has that letter!

Thank you Mailbox Moments for providing this great idea... I can't wait to write more letters in the upcoming weeks.

Fabric covered summer journal

One of my favorite things to look at from my childhood is my old journals. I found quite a couple while cleaning my mom's house this summer and they inspired me to make one for my daughter. Her preschool teacher had her keep one during the year, so she was already used to the idea.

I simply took a composition journal and covered the front cover with fabric. In order to make the inside look a tad more polished I added some scrapbook paper. The ribbons are cutesy but also serve to close the journal. We brought this journal everywhere and she journaled at the end of the day before going to bed.

She's starting Kindergarten in a couple of weeks and I know we'll always treasure the memories from this last summer before school. Just this morning I got teary-eyed looking through it, I love how she interpreted the different things we did together.

Have a great week!

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