What A Week

Hello! And Happy First Friday of September! This week was full of all the things: family, food, fun, and favorites. Believe it or not, going back to school is a favorite for both Flynn and me. Honest. We both enjoy learning and spending time together. What began in a small dining room and homeschool space with a preschooler in a ponytail learning letters and numbers has evolved into a sophomore year studying Chemistry, and a teenager with curly hair and the same love of learning.

But first, even though Steve's and my birthdays are still a few days away, we all went to dinner to celebrate while Peyton and Chris were here. Nicolas was working, and we missed him, but Madison was sure to take him home some delicious leftovers! 

And then, it was the first day of school! I made Flynn's favorite chocolate chip breakfast cake, and then we headed to the new schoolroom to get her sophomore year started.

Flynn chose lasagna and garlic bread made on hamburger buns for her Back to School dinner. And because one can never have too much cake on a special day, we had chocolate chip cake for dessert. 

I will finish the week with some pup pics, as usual, since I have an extensive amount on my camera roll.

Have a lovely, cozy weekend, my friends. There will be some autumn decorating happening here, along with Sunday evening mass. I am also planning on snuggling on the couch and spending some time getting caught up wth you. As always, thank you for visiting. 

Billie Jo

Breakfast Cake 

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35–40 minutes

Total Time: 45–50 minutes

Difficulty: Easy  

Ingredients

• 1 package (15.25 oz) devil's food cake mix  
• ¼ cup vegetable oil  
• 2 large eggs  
• 1 ½ cups water  
• 1 package (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix  
• 1 ½ cups (6 oz) chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C).  
• Prepare the Pan: Pour the vegetable oil into a 9x13-inch cake pan, tilting the pan to evenly coat the bottom.  
• Mix the Batter: Add the devil's food cake mix, eggs, water, chocolate instant pudding mix, and chocolate chips to the pan. Stir with a fork until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the pan and spread the batter evenly.  
• Bake: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  
• Serve: Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Cut and serve directly from the pan. Optionally, top with whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.

* I used this recipe, but substituted yellow cake and vanilla pudding.