Remember our Heroes -- Words of Wisdom

Hi all!  Just a few words to remember our heroes and all  our loved ones who were lost on that tragic day.  TTFN. 

Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew.

- President George W. Bush

 
 
XOXO,

Kim

Coca-Cola Cake Recipe

Hi all and a Happy Friday to you!!  Well, I figured I would keep the cake recipes going and, for today, I present you with a recipe for Coca-Cola cake.  I make this cake for a neighbor and she simply adores it.  She says it makes for a very moist and rich choclate cake.  I don't eat the cake, as I can't deal with the extra caffeine.  I've considered making it with caffeine-free Coke, but just haven't yet.  TTFN.

XOXO,

Kim

Coca-Cola Cake

Ingredients:

For Cake:

1 C Coca-Cola
1/2 C oil (again I use Wesson best blend)
1 stick butter
3 Tbsp cocoa
2 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt 
2 eggs
1/2 C buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

For Frosting:

1 stick butter
3 Tbsp cocoa
6 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 (16 oz) package powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour (well, I use extra cocoa) a 9x13 pan.

In a saucepan, bring Coca-Cola, oil, butter and cocoa to a boil.  In a seperate large bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt.  Pour the hot mixture over the flour mixture and beat well (again, I use my KitchenAid).  Add eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla and beat well.  Pour into your prepared pan and bake fro 20-25 minutes or until done.  Cool on a wire rack while making the frosting.

To make the frosting, in a saucepan, combine butter, cocoa and milk.  Heat until butter melts, then beat in the other ingredients (for this, I just use a hand mixer).  Spread this warm mixture on the cake when it's just cool to the touch.

  

Hummingbird Cake

Hi all!  Sorry my posts are a little scattered this week, but between the holiday and Ittybit starting a new year of preschool, I feel so far behind!  I've been promising this for a while and finally had the time to sit down and post.  For those of you who asked, here is the recipe for Hummingbird Cake -- with a few pictures of the family, of course!  This was the cake Eldest Son requested for his birthday.  TTFN.

XOXO,

Kim

Hummingbird Cake

For the Cake:

cooking spray
3C (plus a little for dusting) all purpose flour
1tsp baking soad
1 tsp salt
2C sugar
3/4C vegetable oil (I use Wesson best blend oil)
3 large, ripe bananas, chopped
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple with juice (I only use Dole)
1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1tsp ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, beaten

For the Frosting:

1 pound (1 box) powdered sugar
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 stick butter, softened
1tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 and spray and flour three 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.  Tap out excess flour.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the cake.  I tend to use my KitchenAid to make sure all ingredients are incorporated without breaking up the pineapple and banana too much.

Divide among the three pans and bake for about 30 minutes.  If using more than one rack, make sure to rotate cakes halfway through for even cooking.  Cakes are cooked when the tops spring back after being lightly gently pressed.

Cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes in pans.  Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely, top side up, before frosting.

For frosting, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and beat until creamy.  You can add milk for your desidred consistency, but I don't use any.

Use about 1/4 of the frosting on the first layer, 1/4 of the frosting on the second layer and the remaing frosting for the rest of the cake.  Makes a beautiful three layer cake.  Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.  Bring cake back to room temperature before serving. 

Note:  You can also add pecans or walnuts  to the cake and/or the frosting, but we opt not.

And the Winner Is...

Hi all and welcome to a new, but short week.  Well, the giveaway has officially endeed and the winner has been chosen.  Do you want to know who it is?  Do you, do you?! 

Well, the winner is  Looking 4 Lilly!!!  Congrats to you.  Now, please contact Bleu Bird to create your spirit top.  I hope you all enjoyed this giveaway and have found a top (or outfit) or two or three that you will be purchasing from either Bleu Bird or Becs TweetFeet!  TTFN.

XOXO,

Kim 

Labor Day Words of Wisdom

Hi all and welcome to the last weekend of summer vacation for some.  Others of us have been toiling away for over a month now!  As we celebrate, don't forget these are the last days to enter the spirit top giveaway I'm hosting.  Entries will be accepted until midnight on Monday, September 6, with the winner being announced on Tuesday.  Now, here are the words I know I need to live by.  What about you?  Do you ever forget to relax?  To recharge?  Do you keep going endlessly?  TTFN.

The man who doesn't relax and hoot a few hoots voluntarily, now and then, is in great danger of hooting hoots and standing on his head for the edification of the pathologist and trained nurse, a little later on. ~Elbert Hubbard

XOXO,
 
Kim

We've Got Spirit... Tops Reminder

Hi all!  It's almost time for a great holiday weekend.  What do you have planned?  Hopefully, you'll be entering my spirit top giveaway!  Here is the original post with all the details!  Good luck to all who enter!  TTFN.

XOXO,

Kim


Hi all!!  Welcome to a new week and a very special giveaway that I'm super excited to share with you!


I would love to introduce y'all to Bleu Bird Deigns and Bec's Tweet Feet.  These two ladies have collaborated on some of the cutest clothing ever and they have gracioulsy offered one lucky reader their choice of spirit top ($50 retail value).  I absolutely adore the spirit wear they have made for my little ones!  Now, they can cheer Eldest Son on in style. 

 Here are some other spirit wear designs they have made.

 

And here are some other outfits made my Bleu for my cuties, as well as other examples of their work...

 

Well, since all of us can't win a spirit top, Bleu has generoulsy offered all my readers a 10% discount using the code Spirit10.  Simply, convo Bleu through her Etsy shop to receive your discount on any new purchase.


Now, here are the rules:


The giveaway runs until September 6 at midnight with the winner being announced on Tuesday, September 7.  What a fun way to celebrate back to school!


For one (1) entry you must follow this blog and let me know


One (1) entry for "friending" Bleu Bird on facebook, again comment this has been done


One (1) entry for "friending" Bec's Tweet Feet on facebook and comment this has been done.


One (1) entry MANDANTORY go to Bleu Bird Designs Etsy page and pick out your favorite item and comment about it here.


Two (2) entries for sharing this giveaway on facebook or tweeting about it (@4kidlets).  I must be able to verify.


Three (3) entries for blogging about this giveaway and letting me know to verify.


Please combine all of your entries into one post.  Good luck to all who enter.  TTFN.


XOXO,

Kim

Hello

Hi all!  Hope your week is going well.  Much too busy here and now were playing catch up since Eldest Daughter has been sick.  Thankfully, she's back to her old self today!  Yet, we had Ittybit's Open House today and I still have a few errands I need to run, not to mention the school work that needs to be finished.  Oh the joys of homeschooling!  Truth be told, I still wouldn't change it for the world!  I love watching my children grow and learn.  There is nothing more beautiful than seeing them grasp a new concept. 


Don't foregt about the adorable spirit top giveaway I'm hosting, as the deadline is fast approaching!  TTFN.

XOXO,

Kim