February 6, 2014

Weekend Plans

This weekend promises to be a quiet, cozy one. My favorite. : ) First off, as I write this, my father is stable...thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers. He is in no pain, is eating some, and is resting comfortably with his beautiful wife by his side. Please continue to keep him in your prayers. : ) Friday afternoon we are planning on visiting him and then getting a quick bite to eat on the way home.

Saturday I am going to get my hair trimmed and colored. I canceled last weekend, as things were scary with my dad, and the fact that a nasty cold had set up shop in our home. Madison has a Confirmation activity during the afternoon, and then her Initiation Mass at 5:00. The girls and I will be attending with her, and Steve will be home preparing dinner. I am planning grilled chicken breasts on the Foreman Grill...love that thing!...with some mashed potatoes and broccoli. Steve always grills extra chicken and we use it on salads throughout the week. Yum! After dinner, Steve and Rhett are going to late Mass because Rhett is serving.

Sunday we have no plans except count down the hours until The Walking Dead returns at 9:00!!!! If you have not tried the show, please do. Really. Once you get past the yuck factor, it really is a great show. It is not about gore or zombies. It is a show about how people survive and adapt and adjust to a whole new way of life. The characters are amazing. : ) I am planning on brunch Sunday afternoon with waffles and sausage and scrambled eggs and fresh fruit. Then I think we may make some pizzas to eat during the show. And that is our February weekend. I hope yours is happy, and cozy, and fun, whatever your plans may be. Thanks for visiting. : )


Peyton stayed home with Flynn last Friday when we went to be with my dad, and when we got home we found that she and Flynn had gotten all ready for our Chinese New Year dinner. : )


Peyton made these up herself. She is the sweetest!


Flynn's favorite was the Chinese lantern...


Saturday afternoon she dressed up in love for Mass and to go visit Grandpa. : )


Sunday morning we woke just in time to see the little guy tell us to snuggle back in for 6 more weeks. And that is alright with me.


Sunday afternoon we started our little party prep with table decorations...





and awesome cake baking. Peyton outdid herself with this one.


A close up...just because...and if you want to try it yourself...


Whoopie Pie Cake


Ingredients
    Cake
  • 1 box Chocolate cake mix (prepared per package directions) + 1 extra egg
  • *cocoa powder for dusting the pan
  • Filling
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups Marshmallow Fluff
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • Ganache
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
How to Make
    Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Grease 2 9x13 sized pans with butter and dust with cocoa powder, set aside.
  3. Prepare cake according to package directions, but add in an extra egg to the mix.
  4. Split the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Allow cakes to cool completely.
  6. Filling
  7. In stand mixer beat butter and Fluff together until smooth.
  8. Turn mixer to low and slowly add in powdered sugar. Turning mixer back up, continue mixing for 30-60 seconds until smooth.
  9. Spread the filling on top of one of the cakes. Top the filling with the other cake.
  10. Ganache
  11. In small saucepan bring the heavy cream to almost a boil. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then pour over top of cake.
Notes
you could also bake this in 2 9x9 round pans
Thanks to Pinterest and http://cookiesandcups.com/whoopie-pie-cake/ for the recipe!


Love Day Apparel is what my little lady is loving theses days...


and painting all things Valentines as well. : )


Steve took the older kids on a "Field Trip" this week. They went to Harrisburg to the Great American Outdoor Show. This is the biggest Outdoor show in the world. There are miles upon miles of all things hunting, fishing, and outdoors. They were soooo excited to meet Lee and Tiffany from The Crush...their favorite hunting show on The Outdoor Channel.




How happy does my son look here? ; )


Steve is a wonderful Dad. : )


Flynn and I stayed home and had a cozy day together...and were thrilled with the treat they brought home for us!


Happy Weekend, friends!



18 comments:

  1. I am thankful to hear that your dad is comfortable. May God bless him.
    Oh, all these delicious looking treats! I would love the cake. I also love the table settings. You have a lovely family. Enjoy the weekend.

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  2. Your weekends are always wonderful. Your oldest daughter is just beautiful and your little one in her sweet Valentines attire is adorable (I'm a bowhead all the way, and love love love the bow)!

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  3. Continuing prayers for you and your family. Just love the pictures. I so enjoy reading and looking at photos. Sure makes my day. Blessings

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  4. Happy to hear your Dad is better; prayers answered. I love reading about your family and their activities. You are good parents in that you spend time with your children, while teaching them to be the same when they are grown. It blesses my heart to see children actually enjoy being at home and with family. Our Pastor is bringing messages in February on 'Strong Families'. I would vote for you and yours.

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  5. Glad to hear your dad is doing better. Continued prayers.

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  6. Praying for Dad! Beautiful family! Peyton is an awesome baker. I could really use her help in that department around here :)

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  7. The Great American Outdoor show sounds like fun. Love those yummy doughnuts - although I am trying to resist sugary treats just now...relaxing weekends are the best. So glad you dad is stable. I love the fun way your family celebrates! You must be a fun mom! My son LOVES The Walking Dead but I have never watched it. Maybe I should start...but blood and guts shows always put me off and give me nightmares, so maybe not. Have a great weekend. Thanks for the yummy recipe!

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  8. I have no idea what Ganache is or how to pronounce it! My bad bad cooking skills. Great looking cake.

    My oldest son just loves that show...it scares my pants off just seeing dead people walk around...There must be something about that show because so many people love it!

    Have a great weekend. Getting my hair done also.yippee....it is the little things in life. Flynn is adorable..all your kids are adorable!

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  9. So glad your sweet dad is comfortable and with your mom. Continued prayers for all of you.
    Super cute Chinese New Year dinner! Yay Peyton and Flynn. I love that your girls are as festive and nurturing as you are. You're such a wonderful mom. And your weekend sounds delightful as always. You inspire me to snuggle up with my kids and enjoy a slower pace. Happy February.

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  10. Sounds like a wonderful weekend to me! I have not viewed the Walking Dead…maybe, on your recommendation, I might have to try it! Mary and I love a good thriller…she's not quite ready for "scary movies" , but she is definitely my movie-watching partner!!! Stay warm, my friend! Did you get lots of snow? I saw Pittsburgh (or was it Philly?) had lots of ice and power outages.

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  11. I'm so glad your dad is doing better, I hope you have a wonderful time visiting him tomorrow! The whoopie pie cake looks amazing as do the donuts. Now I'll be craving donuts all weekend ;)

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  12. Sounds like a lovely, relaxing weekend ahead! I am so thankful for every one of those :) So glad to hear your about your Dad. My prayers are with him.

    Love how fun and festive everything looks in your home and the decorations! And that cake looks amazing! It has my mouth watering right now. Your daughter is a talented baker.


    Have a wonderful weekend ahead!!

    Blessings,

    Jazzmin



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  13. Billie Jo, you really have to stop sharing such tempting food pictures...that whoopie pie cake, oh my!! DEFINITELY making that one :) And those donuts...I'll take two, please!

    I am so, so, so glad your dad is doing better!! And I know it makes your heart rejoice too.

    Have fun getting your hair done - I cut mine today. I took about 4 inches off and I love it :)

    Enjoy your weekend, sweet friend. Love and hugs!

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  14. The cake looks awesome! My hubs would be all over that...it would probably win a blue ribbon award at our state fair :) The pic of Rhett...that is HILARIOUS!! Seriously...I bet he was smiling for days ;) Flynn looks older all of a sudden in that first picture of her standing ready for mass. Oh my goodness! :) So happy to hear your dad is stabile. My FIL has been ever since hospice stepped in. Hugs to you all!

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  15. It sounds like the perfect weekend. I like the weekends when we have nothing planned but to be together. Which kind of sounds lame because really we are almost together all the time during the week, but the weekends we get with daddy home so that makes all the difference. Of course, my kids are now at that age where being with other kids and 'doing something' is what they want to be doing. sigh. It makes it a little tough where we live and with a winter like this that keeps us from most everything.

    Such delicious treats and meals you have going on there. You guys really do celebrate everything. How awesomely fun!

    So sweet to see Flynn all dressed up. She is just too cute and I smile every time I see her.

    Hair color and cut. Now those are the things weekends are made for. *bliss* New color or cut? Be sure to share if they are :) Remember how nosey your friends are. lol.

    Have a great weekend! Thanks for the update on your dad. I'll keep on praying!

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  16. Billie Jo, I'm so glad that your father is stable. I will keep him in my prayers. Love all the pictures! That cake looks decadent. Have a lovely evening. I didn't know you were a Walking Dead fan. I am a BIG WD fan. :-)

    Rose (pen name & new blog)

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  17. so glad your dad is doing better!!:)
    a cozy weekend on the horizon for you guys.
    enjoy every single minute of it.
    oh that cake looks yummy!!!
    have a happy day billie jo

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  18. I love all the special touches you do for everything...Chinese New Year, the Superbowl...love day!!!!

    Those donuts at the end, mouth watering.

    Have a wonderful weekend! Prayers continuing for you dad. (and you)

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Thanks so much for saying hello!

Billie Jo