Strawberry Cake with Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting

Mmmmm! Doesn’t that sound so good?? I made this cake over the weekend to take to work for a co-worker’s birthday. It’s such a good cake, and it’s really pretty easy, so I thought I’d pass along the recipe.

I take NO credit for this recipe as my own. It was shared with me by a woman I worked with many years ago. It was always a huge hit when she made it, and the few times I’ve made it to share with people, it’s gotten great reviews.

Strawberry Cake (this tastes SO much better than the strawberry flavored box cake)

1 3oz  package strawberry flavored Jell-O®

1/2 cup cold water 

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix 

4 eggs 

1 cup vegetable oil 

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries, thawed (I use fresh strawberries and use my manual food processor to chop them up. Also, i say the more the better!)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans. (or I’ve done two 9x13 pans to make a 1/4 sheet cake)
2. In a large bowl, dissolve the gelatin in cold water; stir in the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, flour and 1/2 of the strawberries. Beat for 5 minutes on the medium speed of an electric mixer. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the layers spring back when lightly pressed in the center. Cool cakes in the pans on wire racks. (Adjust cooking time to your oven. Mine always takes less time than recommended, so I started with 20 minutes and mine were done).
4. When cool, remove cakes from pans. You can either frost them upon cooling, or freeze them for easier frosting later.

 

Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 

1 cup white sugar 

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 

1. In a small bowl (or stand mixer!!) beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream.

Then frost your cake! This frosting is SO good. I had some leftover and I had some strawberries left so I dipped one in and oh.my.word. It’s my new favorite fruit dip – ha! :)

This was my cake I took to work:

It was definitely nothing fancy on the outside, but man was it good on the inside! Let me know if you try this yummy creation!!!!

 

Reed Funnies

Today I’m sharing just a couple of things about Reed that make me laugh.

Reed really likes bananas. And the way he says it is HILARIOUS. I finally got him to say it on video the other day.I know it doesn't really SOUND like banana, but he says the EXACT same way every time. In fact, this morning he saw Ava eating a banana for breakfast and ran into the kitchen yelling this!

Over the weekend, Ava brought home a jack-in-the-box from school. (it was at this point I realized we didn’t have one and I really couldn’t believe it). Anyway, she kept showing Reed and he would laugh and giggle. So then I brought it up close to him and he FLIPPED. OUT. He was terrified. I tried to show him it was okay and tried to make him touch it and he absolutely lost it. While it was sad for him, it was hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing. The next day, he brought it to me b/c he was frustrated that he couldn’t get it open. So I opened it for him and he lost it again. SOOOOO funny!



Oh, how this kid makes me laugh!!! Love him!

Days gone by

I really liked the recap I did last Monday of our week before and I think that is going to be my new format from now on!

On Monday…

We used to drop Reed off first in the mornings and now Ava asks if she can go first some days so we try to rotate. Usually, Reed doesn’t like to be put down in Ava’s classroom. This day he let her show him the reading corner and some toys. She was SO proud.

There are days that these two fight with each other all day long, but lately they are being so nice to each other. Love how Ava has his hand!

On Tuesday…

I attempted to get a picture of the kids in the morning. Either one of them isn’t looking or Reed won’t stay sitting. And you end up with photos like these!

Ava’s prayer on the way to school was so sweet and I never want to forget it:

Reed enjoyed a little swinging that afternoon.

I made another batch of cake pops for someone at work. I’ve really gotten a good method down lately. I’m going to do an updated post soon with some more tips.    

On Wednesday…

I make big batches of pancakes at a time because my kids LOVE them. I freeze them and then pull them out in the morning. Wednesday was the day to make another batch.

Reed likes to climb. He also hates dirt and grass on his feet.

We also got Ava’s dance photos. I was really disappointed in them. The coloring is AWFUL. Here’s a comparison of it to one I took.

On Thursday…

Ava and I had a dentist appointment. Ava loves going to the dentist.

Zach had his end of year concert that night. He pulled out his saxophone and played with the kids. He did a great job and the audience loved it! 

On Friday…

Just a normal day. Nothing special to document!

On Saturday…

Saturday was a busy but fun day. It ended with us having dinner (probably the last one) at my mom and dad’s house and Stephen and Leslie came down. The kids love playing with anyone who comes and will play with them, but Ava likes Uncle Stephen a lot (probably b/c he acts like a kid with them!).

Ava pushed Stephen on the swing.

Stephen and Reed had a little swinging time together!

And Reed insisted on feeding himself cake ALL by himself.

On Sunday…

We got up and went to early church. Reed was a handful. I had our diaper bag because I thought I smelled a dirty diaper, So that meant my phone was with me and I snapped a quick photo of the rascal.

After that we went to eat breakfast which was also a bit of a struggle. The kids were just both really tired and not overly happy. We came home and they rested and I laid in bed for a bit and caught up on some DVRed shows. Zach cleaned my car for me (WOOHOO!!!!) and they also showered me with a new purse I’d wanted! We had a nice dinner at home and ate outside.

I tried multiple times throughout the day for these two to cooperate for a picture with me. So not easy! Lots of attempts! We finally got one, though it took an act of Congress and some twirling around to make Reed happy.

This week is going to be BUSY for us as have several rehearsals to get ready for Ava’s recital next weekend. It’s also the next to last week of school. We are in the HOME STRETCH!!!!!

being Mom

Growing up, I loved kids, babies, and was a little mother. When I was 9 and my sister was born, I made that my baby. I wanted to hold her and take care of her. I loved baby-sitting, holding baby cousins, and I just really enjoyed watching kids. I knew that I wanted kids of my own some day and as a teenager, was worried that I may never get married, or never be able to have children.

Fortunately, God chose me to be the mother of two amazing children. And I’m amazed each day at the blessings they are to me. They teach me so much and they give me SO much grace. If I lose my cool, they are forgiving. If I’m sad, they come to love and comfort me. They love me unconditionally and as cliché as it sounds, they have brought SO much joy into my life and are the lights of my life.

Ava. What can I say about this one? She’s the one who made me a mama. And from that first day (and actually even in the womb when she wouldn’t show her face during her 4D ultrasound), she has shown us that she does things her own way and that she knows what she wants and how she wants it and when she wants it. She looks just like her daddy and acts just like her mama. Zach always says he wishes she’d looked like me and acted like him. ha! He is a lot more mellow than either Ava or me and he jokes that we are paying for my childhood. And while she is so strong willed and so stubborn, I know that this will be what makes her a strong, independent woman. She also has the sweetest little caring heart. When I tell her we need to pray for someone, she never forgets – and she prays for them continually and asks me if we still need to pray for them. This week she was praying and she said “Thank you, Jesus, for all you gave us and thank you for all the God things you do that we can't.” I’m just so grateful for this fiery, intelligent little girl that I’m so very proud to call my daughter.

And my little Reeders. This boy. He melts my heart like nothing else. He has the most beautiful blue eyes and the sweetest little voice that pretty much makes me crumble. His little life started out so, so scary and I was devastated that his birth and days following were filled with visits to the NICU, seeing him hooked up to machines, and questioning if he would be okay. He is my little buddy and this age he is? I LOVE IT! As much as he pushes and tests, it is amazing to witness him learning new things and achieving new things. I’m in constant awe at how capable he is at such a young age. I adore this boy and I look forward to days of watching him play sports and growing up into the cutest little boy.

And as much as I love these two, motherhood is hard. It’s hard when they both want mommy and mommy just wants three seconds to herself. It’s hard when there is something wrong that makes them so upset and I can’t fix it. It’s hard when I see them learn a hard lesson and I know they are sorry but still need punishment anyway. It’s hard when they look to me for the right answer and I just don’t know it or know how to explain it to them. I fail them. I fail them A LOT. As hard as I try, I’m not perfect for them. And you know what? They love me anyway. They forgive me. And they don’t hold grudges (at least not yet). They think I’m the best mom EVER! It’s funny – they love me a lot like Jesus does. I fail Him, too. And yet He is always there, ready to accept me and forgive me. I don’t know much, but I know that I couldn’t do this job without the help of Jesus. I pray for my kids and about my kids constantly. And the peace I have from Jesus makes me a calmer mom. I hope that I always give my children the same grace that my Heavenly Father gives me.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you awesome moms! Your kids are LUCKY to have YOU!

(And for those still waiting, I pray your Mother’s Day celebration comes soon.)

Coping mechanisms

Linking up again today with Kelly’s Korner, Blue-Eyed Bride, Life in the Green House, and Lil Light O’ Mine for the Build ‘Em Up Series.

Do you ever lose it? Like wanna kick and scream and have an epic toddler like tantrum. Yeah, me either. ;)

Okay, okay. Not true. It happens. A series of events unfolds and with each one the breaking point gets closer and closer. Here’s the scene: In the kitchen, working on a shopping list. “Mama! I need a drink.” Get a drink. Start again on the list. “Mama! Hungry.” Get the kids something to eat. Go through cabinets to see what we need. Write list. “What are we having for dinner this week?” And so on, and so on, and so on. Or hearing MAMA about seventy four times in a three minute span like I did last night. The incessant whining and fighting and tattling. You know the drill. Or what about when you have a scene SO perfectly planned out in your head??? Because THAT always works out, right? And then when it doesn’t, if you’re like me, you get upset, a little angry, and maybe, just maybe, have another one of those tantrums.

I don’t like to get to the point where I pretty much lose it. No one does. I have always a been a bit explosive. I’m just highly emotional, wear my emotions on my sleeves and sometimes I let those emotions get the better of me. I’m like one of those cartoons I used to watch when I was little where you could see the red boiling from their feet all the way to the top when they finally erupted! I tend to hold stuff in until that red gets to the top of my head and then it’s all bets off. But I don’t like to do that. And I really don’t like to get to the place where I overreact and regret how I act. I especially don’t like to say stuff that I will regret. Words hurt and I try really hard to choose my words in the moment so as not to hurt someone I care about (or even maybe some I don’t care so much about). So, how do I combat that? I’ve had to learn when I’m about to come unglued. And then I try to STOP IT before it happens. It’s not always easy, and I’m not always successful, but I think being aware of it makes it less like to lose my cool.

When I’m in the moment, these are some things that help me:

• Stopping right then and praying out loud! I’ve done this before when I was about to lose it and I just prayed over and over for patience. Ava looked at me like I’d lost my mind. ha! But taking that time to stop and redirect my focus definitely helps.
• Counting to 10. really. This so basic. It’s kinda like the praying – it just makes me take a step back and get out of the heat of the moment.
• Mommy time out. Some days I’d like to give myself a whole lot of time outs. ;) When I feel like I'm about to erupt, I sometimes declare a time out and take myself completely out of the situation. I only do this when I’m not the lone parent or if it’s a situation where I need to remove myself from others or something. I just take 5 or 10 minutes completely away from everyone and get a breather. When I return to the action, I’m much calmer.
• Get goofy. I usually do this at home. If things are tense and people are whiny or gripey, it helps trying to make the situation lighter. If I act like a big doofus, I can typically make the people in my life happier – at least the little people.

When I’ve reached the point where I’ve passed the breaking point, I usually have to have a longer break. Zach is really good about noticing when I’m there and he suggests going out for an hour or so on my own. A few of the things that I do when I make time for me are the same coping mechanisms that I use when i come unglued – reading, watching a tv show, or just laying down to rest. All of it makes me feel better and gets me back to a place where I can be the mom my kinds need me to be. Of course some of those chances to regroup don’t come until the end of the day when everyone’s needs are met for the day.

This thing they call parenthood and life – it ain’t easy. Especially when you are a mom. I don’t know about you, but I know that when someone is tired or hurt or sick, they usually want mama. This past weekend in church, Ava was sleeping and Reed was CRANKY. When Ava was waking up, she wanted me to hold her and Reed wanted me to hold him, too. So I had a half awake Ava on my lap and was holding wild Reed off to the side. You just do what you have to do. However, the crazy insanity that comes with being a parent and with life is enough to sometimes push you over the edge of sanity, and it’s important to have ways to keep yourself sane! I’m curious to know - what do you do when you come unglued?

Days gone by

What did we do last week? Well, let me tell you.

On Monday…

I made dinner in the crockpot because Zach had to work late and knew we needed something fast when we got home because Reed is starving about that time. He ate like someone might take his food from him! Look at that wild hair!

On Tuesday…

I took this photo of the kids as we were walking into school. I look at this picture and feel so much. I see a glimpse of Ava as a teenager here. She just looks SO grown up. And Reed? Is he not adorable?

Tuesday afternoon went a little haywire for me at work. A problem arose and I spent the last hours of my day dealing with it. I worked over an hour later than normal while Zach handled gymnastics and wrangling Reed. I was worn out by the time I laid down and Ava was having trouble sleeping and asked to lay with me. It’s amazing how a crazy day can be erased in an instant with a sweet moment like this.

On Wednesday…

It was pajama day for the kids at school. I am sharing a few photos here to show you all of Reed’s hilarious faces. He is such a goofball.   In this one, he had fallen over and got some grass on his hands and was worried about it.

On Thursday…

We did not do anything worthy of taking a picture. :) I’m trying to think back and honestly don’t remember Thursday. ha!

On Friday…

We had a really quiet evening. We met up after work and did a quick trip at Sam’s. We picked up one of their pizzas for dinner and it was a relaxing night. I also cleaned out our refrigerator (we are some exciting people, no?!?!) and these crazies think it’s fun to sit in the door if it’s ever open more than a few seconds.

On Friday nights, Ava and I like to lay in my bed and we usually watch one of her movies or shows. Friday night we watched a show about Disneyland and she was SO excited about it. We need to get that girl there. We also like to be goofy. :)

On Saturday…

We were a little lazy. It was rainy and cool and it was just a good day to lay low. We did a few things but took it pretty easy. Reed enjoyed his lunch tremendously. 

Ava had asked if we could have Mexican for dinner. However, Reed boycotted his nap for the day and was soooooooooooooo cranky that it just wouldn’t have been fun to take him to eat. So Zach took Ava to dinner while I stayed home and she had a great time!

Reed thought a good place to fall asleep was on his daddy that night.

On Sunday…

We had to take another trip to the walk in clinic. On Saturday, Ava told me her neck hurt. When I looked at it, I started feeling around and noticed she had a swollen lymph node on the side of her neck. We decided to see how it was Sunday. When she was talking, she sounded like she had some head congestion so we decided to just get her checked out. 

Diagnosis: Throat infection. Not strep. The doctor said her tonsils were very infected. She’s on an antibiotic and will hopefully be cleared up soon. She doesn’t really feel bad so I’m glad she said her neck hurt. Once again, the only visible symptom was a swollen lymph node.

We worked around the house and got it cleaned. We also did a lot of prepping for stuff this week. Toward the end of the day, we let Reed enjoy a Mickey Mouse episode. The kid loves “mou”. :)

There you go! The highlights of our week. They fly by anymore! I can’t believe it’s already May! Hope you all have a great week!

Teacher of the Month!!

Last Thursday, Zach called me after school to tell me he’d received an award! A local radio station has teamed with Mrs. Baird’s and they have a program called Teachers on the Rise. To be eligible for the prize, the teacher must be nominated by a student. The student must write a paragraph about why their teacher deserves to win. The nominations are reviewed by a panel of judges, and voted upon. There are three winners each month based on grade levels and I’m so excited that Zach won this month! Teachers from all over our area are eligible and what an incredible surprise for him to have been selected!

A representative of Mrs. Baird’s came to his school on Thursday for what was a “surprise” assembly for Zach. Most of the faculty knew there was an assembly at the end of the day, but Zach had no clue. When they gathered in the gym, they were told that a teacher had been selected as winner of the prize and then they called his name and he went up to receive his prize!

They also called up the student who nominated him, and they read the nomination letter he wrote. When Zach got home that night and showed me the letter, I could tell how incredibly touched and honored he was by the words his student wrote. He was also the very first winner from a private school and was so honored to be selected as one of this month’s winners!

Along with some loaves of bread and some donuts, Zach won a $200 gift card to Wal-mart and $150 gas card! In June, we get to go to a party at local movie/dinner venue for an evening out. That night, they will also do a drawing amongst this year’s winners and one of the winners will receive $1,500!!!! Of course we’d love to win that but I know that any of the teachers who have won are well deserving and probably all of them could really use it. No matter what happens, I’m just so thrilled for Zach to have won this award and even more thrilled it came on a day when he really needed some affirmation in his career! The student who nominated him also won a gift card so I know that was exciting for him as well!  I’ve had several people tell me they have heard about him winning on the radio and have sent their congratulations!

I could not be more proud of this man and the work he does daily in the lives of his young students! I am amazed over the fact that a teenage boy would be so touched by what Zach does that he would take the time to write a letter to nominate him. I think that just speaks volumes about the teacher and man that Zach is! He works harder than almost anyone I’ve ever met and he has challenges and obstacles that many of the music teachers in our area don’t have simply because of their size and talent pool. Zach has taken a program that has struggled for YEARS and in just a short time, has drastically improved it. When he arrived, he had enrollment of approximately 30 kids in the three grades he taught. Next year, he is looking at enrollment of almost 90!!!!! In a school of only about 215 students, this is quite incredible. Throughout the hardships he’s faced, he carries himself with the utmost character and professionalism. This award came on the same day as Zach was facing some disappointment and I’m just so grateful that the Lord cares so much for us that He orchestrated this award to come the same day and eliminated those feelings of disappointment. God knows just what we need and exactly when we need it. He also knows right where we should be and I’m SO THANKFUL for that! Congrats again, Zach! Thank you for being you and making us so proud!