Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake (Not Gluten Free) :(

Here it is... Michaels 23rd birthday cake! I have to say I love his birthday not only because I get to celebrate the amazing man he is to me but also because I get to try my hand at creating a new cake! Cakes are only for special occasions in our home so it's exciting when this time rolls around again. After thinking of different and fun cakes to make (last year it was Chocolate Cake with Oreo Cookie Cream Cheese Icing)

This year it's THIS! Doesn't it look like chocolate goodness, heaven in a chocolate cake, give me death by chocolate! Not going to life this taste like all of the above and more. So if you have a chocolate lover in your life or maybe you are the chocolate lover - try this cake!

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Glossy Chocolate Icing

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 cups hot water
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Glossy chocolate Icing

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the center.

2 Spray two 8" round cake pans with nonstick spray.

3 Whisk dry cake ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

4 Combine water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee granules, and vanilla in a large measuring cup.

5 Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined- a few lumps are ok.

6 Divide batter between the two pans (about 3 cups each), then bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (35- 40 min).

7 Cool cakes for 15 minutes on a rack, then invert them onto the rack.

8 Leave upside down until completely cooled before frosting them.

9 To make icing, melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.

10 Stir in sugar, cocoa, and salt- the mixture will be thick/grainy.

11 Combine cream, sour cream and coffee granules in a large measuring cup, mixing until smooth.

12 Gradually add cream mixture to chocolate until blended and smooth.

13 Cook until sugar has dissolved, and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch.

14 DO NOT BOIL.

15 Take mixture off the heat, and add vanilla.

16 Cool at room temperature until spreadable (up to three hours).

17 If it isn't getting thick enough to be spreadable, put in the refrigerator until thick enough to spread.

18 If it gets too thick to spread easily, warm gently in the microwave until it's just right (20 seconds or so, repeat if necessary).

19 Stir well, and ice cake, frosting first layer, then placing second layer on top, and icing the top and then the sides.

It's the little things...

Sometimes I wonder

“Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void.”

This quote captures my life at the moment. I wouldn’t say my life isn’t valuable but it certainly feels so small. I’m just so ready for some change – I’m drowning in stress due to my job and I want to live but fail because of the tiredness. I want to have something at least work blogging about you know? I’m ready…I’m ready to spend my time doing something worthwhile. I’m ready to want to read my story rather than wish I could be living someone else’s.

My Dad

Things I learned from my dad

1. Standing up for what you believe in is a good thing and even a required thing
2. Back yourself up with knowledge
3. To work hard and play hard
4. Family comes first – always take time to spend with them
5. To ski – down black diamonds when I was 4, to follow him down even the scariest runs on the Colorado Mountains. It was work it because now, not to brag, I’m an awesome skier
6. To appreciate the knowledge that is available to you – learn as much as you can
7. Be involved in church – pour into peoples lives
8. If you can do it yourself – do it! Why pay someone?
9. How to drive a car – defensive driving
10. How to pack anything into a car – I’m pretty positive I can pack an entire house in my Honda
11. How to toast the perfect marshmallow - golden brown on all sides, completely melted in the middle... it's all about the embers
12. Be up-to-date in the happenings around the world – listen and learn how things work in politics, government, and the workings of the world
13. How to wakeboard… not that I want to do it anymore – I can but I’m not a fan of water in the nose
14. To listen to Rush – he knows what he is talking about

My mom and I have an incredible relationship – she is an amazing woman and incredible woman but I am more like my dad in many ways. I have that Thurman streak in me – it’s a good and bad thing! Haha We certainly like to stand up to the wrongs in the world, to try and inform people that they are wrong (sometimes not in the best fashion), but we care and want others to care too.

My dad has been involved in every aspect of my life growing up – he was a Sunday school teacher, an Awana leader, a youth leader, Camp leader, bus driver. My dad has a heart for youth – he loves being in their lives and being parent to kids who are not so blessed. You know you have an awesome dad when the kids at youth call him dad too.

Riding horses with my dad is one of my favorite memories with him. We had many grad adventures with our horses Harley, Tiny, and Zeke. That was valuable time that was spent just my dad, the horses, the great Colorado outdoors, and me. I have never doubted my dad’s love for me – he was always been there for my family and me. Most dads are working constantly coming home after dinner and leaving early in the morning. But I have very few memories of my dad not being home – he valued us – he loved us – he wanted to be there for the tea parties, the birthdays, the dinners, playtime in the backyard, bike rides at Clemet Park, and many, many awesome vacations and camping trips… he was there and I love him for that.

My dad was my provider, friend, protector, and teacher. He loved me at every turn. Every little girl should be so blessed.

So Happy Belated Fathers Day Dad! My moments with you have added many pearls to my sting. Thank you for the countless sacrifices, the unconditional love, and your presence in my life. I love you so much!

On a sick day...

Monday was a sick day - went to work in the morning felt awful so I decided I would work best from home the rest of the afternoon. What better way to eat when you aren't feeling great than making some homemade chicken soup.

So here is my recipe... adapted from a couple different recipes and a little spice of my own.

For the Stock:

• Bone in Chicken – I just use an entire fresh chicken from Kroger

• 3 1/2 quarts water

• 1 ½ onion, peeled and diced

• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

• A couple shakes of lemon-pepper seasoning (I like a lot because it adds a great flavor)

• A couple shakes of red pepper flakes

• 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic

• 4 bay leaves

• 4 fresh basil leaves

• 1 tablespoon of chicken stock

For the Soup:

• 2 cups sliced carrots

• 2 cups sliced celery, with leafy green tops

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

• Seasoning salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

Noodles:

2 ½ cups egg noodles

Sadly for me I use my gluten free noodles

Make the stock and boil for 45 minutes. Take out the chicken (let it cool before you try and take the meat off)

Put in all the ingredients for the soup and let is boil till the carrots and celery are soft.

If you want you can add milk or heavy cream to the soup before eating. Michael always likes to add it to his… I just go with the stock - less calories :)

ENJOY!

A Year Ago...

May 29, 2010 – Wedding Day! What a beautiful day it was. Our wedding day was perfect! A wedding is something you look forward to your entire life as a little girl – every detail planning out in you head by the time you are 10… and I can say whole heartedly that my wedding was everything I hoped for and more. The atmosphere, the people, the weather, and most importantly the man standing at the end of the isle was perfection. I said “I do” to my best friend – it has been an amazing year of fun, sometimes not fun, growing experiences! I’m so thankful for my wonderful husband!

May 30, 2010 – Michael and I flew to our amazing, wonderful, beautiful, and lovely honeymoon to Whitehouse Sandals Jamaica. AMAZING – that is all it comes down to – AMAZING! I believe that an all-inclusive resort is a once in a lifetime specular experience. We loved every second of our trip there… although the bus ride there made us feel like “well at least we got to be married before we died” I would love to be back there right now… laying on my floatie being offered drinks by all the wonderful people working there… grabbing an iced cappuccino and a blueberry crepe for breakfast… enjoying the clear blue ocean… it’s a little piece of heaven right here on earth.

June 8, 2010 – Mom, Dad, Michael and I started our trek with all my belongings up to Lynchburg – moving away from home. L We learned that living on the 3^rd floor makes to just want to throw away everything you own after the 1^st few trips up and down the stairs BUT in the time we have lived there we have loved the 3^rd floor because no one is tromping on our ceiling.

June 14, 2010 – I started my job as a Product Manager Apprentice… first time having to go to work every day 8 hours a day… wow was it an adjustment. 2 months later I got my promotion to Mobile Product Manager! God has blessed me in ways that I definitely do not thank Him enough for with my job. It’s extremely challenging, stressful, stretching, and sometimes just downright horrible BUT it has increased my knowledge of the technology word, increased my appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes of all these programs I expect to run and work at the tap of a finger, made me do things I would never have thought I could do, and helped me learn how to manage huge projects and stress without dropping dead in an instant.

I'm so thankful for the past year - I have learned a lot about myself, feel deeper and deeper in love with my dearest husband, and the Lord has taught me much about patience, seeking his will, and abiding in him. I'm excited to see what this next year brings!

Humidity

It's no humid today - I swear you could drink the air with a straw! Good thing I'm working in a nice air conditioned building - I'm not much for swimming in the air.