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my momma’s carrot cake…

October 24, 2013Written by Joy

When I asked my daughter what cake she wanted for her birthday, she said carrot cake. Right then, I knew which one that I wanted to bake. It is the carrot cake that my mom used to make a lot for the holidays. I remember helping her when I was young and now I am enjoying teaching my kids how to bake the cake.

I have a lot of wonderful memories standing next to my mom, dad and grandma, as they cooked and baked for the family and for others. The carrot cake is a cake that my mom would make for Thanksgiving or for Easter. She really didn’t bake cakes or pies much, so that is why I remember this one a lot. I am so glad that I had the chance to learn how to cook and bake, from her. My mom has Alzheimer’s now and isn’t able to cook or bake like she used to. These memories are good for me to remember the fun days that we had together. While she is still the same person, the disease has taken so much from her and from us.

I thought I would share with y’all the recipe that she used. I do not know where she got the recipe though. I just remember seeing it in the cookbook that she and other school bus drivers put together in the county where we lived. It is also my favorite cookbook to use. The frosting that I made for it, was the best that I have ever made. My only problem with it? I didn’t make enough! So definitely double this recipe if you make three 9-inch pans of carrot cake! Now on to the recipe!

Carrot Cake

2 cups cake flour 1 tsp. salt

2 cups sugar 4 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda 1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. cinnamon (I use pumpkin spice) 3 cups grated carrots (I used 4 cups)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour the bottom of three 9- inch pans (or you can cut parchment paper down in the bottom of the pan). Sift together the dry ingredients; set aside. In a bowl, mix the vegetable oil and eggs together until mixed well. Add in the dry ingredients and then mix until it is well combined. Then stir in the carrots. Pour the batter evenly into the pans. Place the pans in the heated oven and let bake for 20-25 minutes. Oven times could vary.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened 2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 stick of butter, softened 16 ounces of powdered sugar

milk (this amount will vary) 1 cup pecans, chopped finely

Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together, until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy, if it seems too thick, add a little milk, until you get the consistency that you need to spread evenly. This is just something that you will need to judge for yourself. Then just spread on the layers and cake. The pecans is to put on top of the cake or side of the cake. You can even leave the pecans off.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

(I have never claimed to be a cake decorator. This cake isn’t pretty, but it sure was delicious!!)

Do you have any favorite memories of being in the kitchen with a loved one? What is your favorite dessert or dish? I would love for you to share your memories with me!

2013, family, recipes birthday, carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, family, recipes

first time sledding this year ~ family traditions

October 20, 2013Written by Joy

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first time sledding this year ~ family traditions

This past week, we got a pretty good snow in our area. While we did get snow in our city, it didn’t stick for long. So we headed off to the mountains to find the perfect sledding place. This is one of my favorite family traditions. I look forward to every snow we get!

We found this great place called Berthoud Pass. There is a trail that you can walk along with this huge hill that you can play in the snow. There were people skiing, snow boarding, hiking, snowshoeing and sledding.

It didn’t take the kids long to get their snow pants, jackets, hats and gloves on. They headed up the hill pulling their sleds behind them.

Claire’s first trip down didn’t go so well, but she laughed, got up and headed back up the hill. The snow was like powder and they had to make a couple of trips in the same place to get the snow packed down.

Samuel was trying to find the best path down. Once he got going, he didn’t want to stop!

What was so wonderful besides watching my children laugh and have a wonderful time? Meeting another homeschooling family playing in the snow! The kids played so well together and shared our sleds with them. They even raced down the hill! There was a lot of good laughs and a friendship made at 11,000ft.

This was our view from Berthoud Pass. I see it as a place we will visit many times a year. We can’t wait to go back to hike the trail!

Once we said our goodbyes, we headed on around Loveland Pass. We had been there about a month ago and couldn’t wait to check it out when it had snowed.

As you can tell, the drive to Loveland Pass, did not disappoint. The view was amazing. The wind was blowing so hard, that the snow was just blowing around and off the tops of the mountains.

Once we got to the Loveland Pass pull-off, some of us (ahem, me and a couple of the kids) sat in the van! It was COLD! the wind was blowing like CRAZY! We saw people being dropped off, so they could ski, snow board and snow show down the mountain. I don’t see how they were staying so warm with the wind blowing like it was.

My husband braved the wind and the cold and ended up with some amazing pictures. The view was a sight to behold. God’s creation is so amazing and wonderful to be in. I am so thankful and blessed that we are able to live in this area.

How has the weather been in your area? Are you taking any fun trips with your family? I would love for you to share your family traditions with me!

2013, family, photography Berthoud Pass, family, Loveland Pass, mountains, photography, sledding, snow, traditions

family time looking at fall colors…

September 29, 2013Written by Joy

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If you have been following me here for a while, you know that our family loves to go riding and seeing all the sites and views that our area has to offer. Being in the mountains, you can drive the same scenic route and see something differently every trip. However, I think my all-time favorite time of the year going riding, is when the leaves are changing. This is our 2nd fall in Colorado and I was so excited that we finally got to see the leaves this year, since we missed them last year.

We have driven the Guanella Pass before, and have fallen in love with it. It is a beautiful drive that has many trails that you can hike. It also has camping sites all along the drive that you can use. We are hoping to go back camping here, soon!

To get to Guanella Pass, we drive to the Georgetown, Colorado side and enter there. It is an old mining town that has a beautiful historic Main Street that you can walk and look at. You will drive right down Main Street to get to the road that takes you on Guanella Pass.

Before you do start driving on Guanella Pass, be sure to stop at the Georgetown Visitor Center. It is filled with a lot of history and some of the items that they have in there are amazing.

There is this park area, with a lake (I can not remember the name of it), that my kids love going to. They enjoy throwing rocks in the water and climbing on the rocks. There are picnic tables, grills and rock fire pits that you can use.

Up at the Guanella Pass Summit, there are a couple of different pull-offs that has trails you can hike in several different directions. By the time we had made it to the summit, it was getting late, so we didn’t hike.

It was just so beautiful, standing there and looking all around at the gorgeous mountains and blue sky that God created. It just takes my breath away.

I love that my kids enjoy taking trips like this with us. I remember going on drives with my parents and it brings back such wonderful memories for me. We leave the electronics off (phones and tablets), and take this time to just talk and be with each other.

The mountains have a little snow on top, from the previous evening. While it rained in the valleys, there was snow at the top. The white snow reminds me of white frosting just sitting on top.

While the higher you go, the less trees and shrubs you see, the mountains are still alive.

While we did see a lot of beautiful color and scenery, the one thing we didn’t see on this trip, was wildlife. I am thinking they were off in the trees hiding, since there was a lot of traffic out at this time.

I think this was the last weekend that the leaves will have color for this year. It is turning cooler and the leaves are slowly falling to the ground. This pass will be closing in the next couple of weeks and won’t open until the last snow clears in the spring time.

While I will miss this place during the winter, I am excited about the other places that we will be able to visit. The state of Colorado is full of so much history and has so many unique and beautiful places to visit. The hard part will be choosing what area we will visit next.

Do you go on family trips? What places bring back wonderful memories for you? I would love for you to share them with me!

2013, family, photography Autumn, color, Colorado, fall, family, family traditions, Guanella Pass, kids, leaves, mountains

N is for Noah: Trusting God and His Promises ~ review

August 26, 2013Written by Joy

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N is for Noah: Trusting God and His Promises ~ review

I am so excited about N is for Noah: Trusting God and His Promises. This book is by Ken and Mally Ham. I have heard so much about Ken Ham, and what he believes, but have never read any of his books before. I was not disappointed in this book and I really think you will like it a lot, as well.

Details on the N is for Noah

N is for Noah: Trusting God and His Promises is a hard back, spiral bound easel book that is 10×10 3/4 in size. The book is well made and the pages are very sturdy and thick, making it very easy for children to look through on their own. There are 112 pages of beautiful illustrations that are done by Jeff Albrecht. The illustrations are bright and vibrant, catching your attention right from the start. Along with the beautiful pages, is a rhyming story that takes your from A-Z about the story of Noah and the Ark. Not only does this book teach your children about trusting God and His promises, it talks about why God sent a world wide flood, how people acted towards Noah while he was building the Ark and what happened when the flood ended.

Not only does this book tell the story of Noah and the Ark in a fun way that the kids will enjoy and understand, it also has structured learning for the kids. Your kids will be encouraged with Biblical concepts and verses. This book is shaped in an easel-book format. On one side is a picture and a rhyming sentence for the child to see), on the other side (for the parent/teacher), you have the rhyming sentence, starting point, Bible bits, Let’s Talk, Always Remember, Stuff to Do and a Quick Review sections for you to read and engage the child with. In the back of the book, there are sections that help you break down the “letters” even more. You have the Overview, Directed Discussions, Core Truth Takeaway and Quick Review Activity. You can even find downloadable coloring pages for this story at www.nlpg.com/nisfornoah_clrpgs.

My Thoughts On This

While this book is geared towards younger children, I think it is a great read for families. My kids are 7, 9 and 15 and they all enjoyed it. Yes, even the 15 year old got something out of it as well. They liked how they took each letter in the alphabet and rhymed the story. They loved the illustrations that corresponded with the lessons. Most of all, I loved that I was able to read the story to the kids and all of us understand a little better about the story of Noah and the Ark.

I also think this book would be great for any Sunday School, Homeschool Co-op class or a family to do during the evenings. You have little mini lessons on each page that you read. You could do a page or a couple of pages a day and have a great discussion with your children.

Don’t forget about the Book and Treat Facebook Party coming up tomorrow night, August 27th, 2013. We will be having it on the Master Books Facebook Page at 8:00pm CDT. The Treat is Sight and Sound Theaters. They will be giving out a copy of their show “Noah” to one person. Other gifts will also be given away. I hope to see you there!!

Disclaimer: I was given this book to review, all opinions and thoughts are my own. No other compensation was given.

2013, Faith, family, review creation, Flood, God, Ken Ham, Mally Ham, Master Books, Moms of Master Books, N is for Noah, New Leaf Publishing Group, Noah, Promises, Sin, Trust

summer reading fun!

July 14, 2013Written by Joy

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I am sure if you follow me on my Blog Facebook Page, you will notice I have an issue. Some could even call it an addiction. Yes, it is with books. I love to read and I love books. Books of all kinds! What is even better? My kids love to read as much as I do! So I thought I would share some pictures of all the books that we have been reading this summer. There are a lot of kids’books, because I hit the jackpot at a local thrift store!

Thrift store find.

We found readers, chapter books, read alouds and so much more! I couldn’t believe the books that we found. Needless to say, we haven’t run short of books over the last couple of weeks.

I had also ordered some reader books for my younger kids based on the Revolutionary War, Civil War and the journey out West. The kids and I will be learning about American History in the fall and I thought this would be a good start in getting them excited about what we will be learning!

American History Readers from Amazon.

We had friends to come and visit us on their trip out west. While they were here visiting, we took them to the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave. Since I knew we would be studying about American History this fall, I also picked up this great book about Buffalo Bill and his life, while he operated the Bufalo Bill Wild Wild West Show.

Buffalo Bill by Steve Friesen

I have even been able to relax a little and get some reading in myself. Here are just a few books that I have read over the last 6 weeks or so.

Wyoming Brides by Susan Paige Davis.

The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer

The Texas Bride Collection

Our oldest daughter has been reading a lot as well. I recently bought my husband The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Histories of Middle Earth; Volumes 1-5. So she has been reading those. I recently found a homeschool student that has written a couple of books with her mom, so I bought those for her. They are No Safe Haven and and Race Against Time by Kimberley and Kayla R. Woodhouse.

Race Against Time and No Safe Haven by Kimberley and Kayla R. Woodhouse.

I am so thankful that everyone in our family enjoys reading, especially reading together. I love seeing the older kids take time with the younger kids and read to them. Reading helps to pass away the times that it is bad weather or just so hot that you don’t want to venture out. Summer is only halfway over and I still see a lot of family reading left for us.

Does your family have a love of reading? What have you been reading this summer? Do you have a favorite author that you all enjoy? I can’t wait to hear about your summer reading fun!