Surprise

Just a regular cake mix
Ready for the oven
Yup - there done
Now the fun begins
Looks like stiff peaks to me
Be sure to put enough in the middle
Yummy!
This resembles my son's hair at times.....

My father-in-law celebrates his birthday on St. Patrick's day. And this year he happened to be in Puerto Rico. So I decided to surprise him on Wednesday evening with a cake sitting on his counter top when he got home...... He was definitely surprised and much appreciated! My husband's family started this tradition many, many years ago. I believe Kevin's grandmother use to make it for his dad when he was a little boy. I do remember Saralee telling me that Kent use to always say (I think only in the beginning) that it never tasted like the way his mom made it. I've had both Kevin & Kent tell me that mine doesn't taste like Saralee's. I'm okay with that - I'm using her exact recipe - and they never let a morsel go to waste...... It's been a few years since they've said that. But I have to tell you the way these men act over this cake - you instantly see 40 years shaved off their age. And the manipulation they use to get the most cake. They will fill your dinner plate with seconds and thirds if it means you won't have a slice of cake after dinner. It's really hilarious. My husband will break into song when he sees the cake - singing the Bill Cosby song "(Dad) Mom is great, give me some chocolate cake". I'm not quite as generous with my cake making - Kevin's parents when hosting the birthday child would make two cakes - one for the celebrant only and one for the guests! I'd rather make it and give it away. For me it's really only good on the first day. Yummy - Enjoy!

Seven Minute Frosting (I make 1.5 times) enough to frost 2 9-inch cakes

1 1/2 cups sugar (2 1/4)

1/3 cup cold water (1/2)

2 egg whites (3)

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (1/4 + 1/8)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In the top of a double boiler combine sugar, cold water, egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
2. Place over boiling water (upper pan should not touch water), Cook, beating constantly with the electric mixer on high speed about 7 minutes or till frosting forms stiff peaks. Remove from the heat; add vanilla. Beat 2 to 3 minutes more or till it reaches spreading consistency.

Dear.....

Dear Blog,

I'm so sorry to abandon you. I think about you everyday with hopes of catching up with you. But it just doesn't happen. I will try harder in the future. I really think April will be a good month for me. I sit down at my computer and spend so much time reading other blogs that I just lose track of time and before you know it - times up! Please forgive me.....

Fondly,

Sheesha

Put a Fork in me.....

This is how I'm feeling today.

I've been home with a sick child for 4 days now.......I'm done. I've had someone home with me pretty much since Feb. 11th - that's 3 weeks. Take your germs and go away! I don't want them.... The germs that is. I suppose it's the flu bug that has taken my children captive. We've had the high fever that has been knocking them down flat on there backs - followed by a lovely nasal thing. And poor Kyle, he now has pink eye. Yuck! And of course you mention the word Pink eye and my eyes start twitching. Now my hands are rough and dry - they've been scoured so many times. I'd really like to go back to my routine. A good night sleep would be just as lovely. It's not much to ask for. I miss the gym - I know it's missing me......I miss the peace of my quite home from 8 to 2:30......Maybe tomorrow......

You Know Your A Tater Tot When.....

Tater Tot Casserole

Here is something I made the other night. I had a meeting to go to and my parents were coming to watch the kids because Kevin was working at the Burlingame office on Thursday and Friday. It's super easy and has only 5 ingredients! I set the timer on the oven to have dinner done by 6:15 - so when they got back from Basketball practice it would be all ready. The table was set and dinner was in the oven - what more could you ask for.... As I left for my meeting I told my parents I would be dazzling them with my cooking expertise! I found the recipe here. Of course I cut the recipe in half as I really don't need two 9x13 pans of the stuff! With a side of veggies you are set to go! Dinner in a flash. Not sure how much dazzling I did, but they had time to eat dinner, clean up and then run off to ice cream before I got home at 7:10. It is a perfect solution for our busy lives between school, sports and homework!

TATER TOT CASSEROLE

1 lb ground turkey cooked, seasoned, drained

1 1/2 2lb bags tater tots

1 cans cream of mushroom

1 cans evaporated milk

1 cans cream of chicken

Brown meat & place in 9x13 dish. Cover with tater tots. Mix soup & milk together. Pour over top. Bake at 350 for 1 Hour. Enjoy!

There Goes Another One

Well this one certainly came and went without a hitch! The dark cloud I was under last year seems to have lifted. I had no weeks of depression like I did last year. And that's such a good thing! We were invited to go to Kevin's dads' for dinner on my birthday - but earlier in the day it changed to dinner out my choice and they brought a German Chocolate Cake from Upper Crust - nice treat! I believe it's the next best thing to homemade.....I didn't bring my camera to dinner, but I thought it was so lovely I just had to snap what was left when we got home! This song below is the first thing I thought of when I started this post - reflecting back over the last year - I'd have to say I've song these words many times. They seem very true for me or they must be sticking in my head! Or we have Hannah Montana on way too much! Bottom lines is: Life's What You Make It.

Don't let no small frustration

Ever bring you down

No no no no

Just take a situation

And turn it all around

With a new attitude everything can change

Make it how you want it to be

Stay mad, why do that?

Give yourself a break

Laugh about it and you'll see

Life's what you make it

So let's make it rock

Life's what you make it

So come on come on (everybody now)

Why be sad, broken hearted?

There's so much to do

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Life is hard or

It's a party

The choice is up to you

With a new attitude everything can change

Make it how you want it to be

Stay sad, why do that?

Give yourself a break

I know you wanna party with me

Life's what you make it

So let's make it rock

Life's what you make it

So come on come on

Lets celebrate it

Join in everyone

You decide 'Cause life's...what you make it

Things are looking up

Any time you want

All you gotta do is realize that

It's under your control

So let the good times rock and roll

Ow!Da da da do it nowAaaaaaaaaaaaaahOW!

Alright

Yeah yeah yeah

Yeah yeah

Life's what you make it

So let's make it rock

Life's what you make it

So come on come on (everybody now)

Let's celebrate it

Join in everyone

You decide'Cause life's...what you make it

Life is what you make it

Happy Valentine's Day

You are my heart, my hope, my help,

The passion that is me,

The whole of which I am a part,

My peace, my ecstasy.

You are my future, present, past,

My ship, my sail, my ocean,

The wind that brings me home again,

The home for every motion.

You live within me, yet I am

Without you all alone.

With you I am full of light;

Without you I am stone.

Is this foolish? Yes, perhaps,

But also it is true.

I think of life as something I

Can spend with only you.

Ah, my love! Love longs for such

Sweet celebrants as this!

Love is a burden and a joy,

Slavery and bliss.

This day of love come love with me,

Come sing with me my song.

Come be my Valentine, and I

Will love you my life long, my love,

Will love you my life long.

Headlines

Kevin brought home Sunday and Mondays' paper yesterday which was a real treat for me. I'm not really sure how long it's been since we gave up the daily paper. At first it was a real struggle for me as I savored my morning routine of breakfast and reading the paper. I enjoyed reading it from cover to cover - something you really can't do via the internet. The paper comes to the office and no one reads it so Kevin had said he'd just bring it home for me. A few times I've grabbed it when down there and there have been a few times that he's brought two weeks worth home for me. Sadly, I carried it right back outside to the green recycle can. Thanks for the thought - but really old news is just that!

So today I got around to reading Sunday's paper and came across this article. And AP Writer Ted Anthony pretty much summed it up for me! This is exactly why I've not missed the paper - or the news for that matter. I have the attitude that if it's important someone let me know. The rest is just too much! Seems to me that my dad found a site for happy news - I need to find that again. I'm so sick of celebrity news, which seems to have the front run these days. Who cares!

And to completely contradict what I've just said - I have found a new TV program that is at the top of my DVR list. It's Chelsea Lately. This gal is laugh out loud funny! She has a great (dry) sense of humor - and so sarcastic! Love it! I know it's not nice to make fun of other people - but she is so right on you can't help but laugh! Yes it is celebrity news - but it's more about the celebrity tales that won't end...... And she really makes fun of the media and there overhype on everything! So if I have to endure celebrity news - I'll take it this way - Laughing out Loud!

BTW - does anyone know why Blogger spell check is no longer working?.......