Caramel Apple Cake

I am so excited for this weeks challenge. We were told to use apples and caramel. A couple of days later I saw a recipe for Caramel Apple Cupcakes. I am so excited to show you this recipe. I am not so excited to tell you that my husband was not home and I had to peel the apples myself. I am so spoiled. The reason I need him is because I always do something silly like spray the apple juice in my eye.
Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 3 medium apples ( granny smith) peeled & shredded
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 11 ounce bag of caramel bits
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix cake mix according to directions on box. Then add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake according to box. I did realize this needed about 10 minutes longer to cook than the box said. Check it to see how your oven cooks it. Pull out of oven and let stand.
Pour the caramel bits and heavy cream and vanilla in a saucepan over low heat and melt together. Make sure you are constantly stirring. As soon as it is melted together pour over cake. Let stand about ten minutes before serving.
This is not my recipe. I found it on Mrs. Happy Homemaker. She made it into cupcakes. Please stop by and tell her I sent you. Her pictures look amazing and I am hoping to make them into cupcakes soon.
Pamela
Pamela

A smack in the face

Have you ever been smacked in the face? This morning during my quiet time I was reading about pride and over and over I felt like I was being smacked in the face and being told to wake up.
I have an amazing son. A son I enjoy being around and guess what he is a teenager. If there was one character about him I would change it would be that he very often talks negatively. You may not even notice it if you were around him but it seems like it is constantly in my face. Constantly reminding someone of their faults or how they could do better. Or if a sister would say I want to be a singer when I grow up he reminds them of how many singers turn out worldly or how her voice is not good enough. He has also started back talking. I know that part of it is just being his age and feeling like he wants to be more involved and so I do try to take into account. Michael loves to watch super nanny, he has for many years. The other night he went to bed and it was left on in the living room. So my hero and I stayed up watching it for 2 more hours. The show we watched gave us a great idea. This family set a chart up and said they would give each child a certain amount of money weekly if they did not curse. So our thought was we would do the same. Michael does not curse. But every time he back talked or said something negative then he would mark off a quarter. Since we do not pay our children for daily chores this would be a great way to help him earn money. It is really about re training him to think before he speaks.
So back to this morning. I was having my quiet time, reading about pride and humbling ourselves. My first smack was, I need to not only encourage him to re train his brain but that every time he marks off a quarter to take a moment and pray for help to stop before speaking and to think about how his words are affecting others.
Today I read about humbling yourself and asking for help and repenting of the things you are struggling with day after day. It made me think about how I will ask for help with one situation and receive it and then I get prideful about handling it on my own. So I forget to ask for help.
Then the big smack happened. I was so caught up in having my eyes opened about my son that I was not listening. I realized that this morning’s quiet time was not about my son. It was about me and how I speak to everyone. Am I looking for the good in every situation? Am I encouraging my children when they tell me about their goals and dreams? Am I speaking with a sweet spirit? Or am I harsh and to the point? Am I in too big of a hurry to hear what they need to talk about or what they want to talk about?
Father, today I ask you to tap me on the shoulder and point out how I am not being humble when it comes to my thoughts. Thank you so much for opening my eyes. Thank you for being there for me and giving me your word to teach me and encourage me.
Pamela

Happy Birthday Grace

Have you ever wanted something more than tell people. I have. I use to joke that I wanted a long visit to a hospital. You know someone to deliver food to your bedside. Time to read a book, watch all the latest movies. Yeah, guess what that is not what a hospital stay is really like. After the first week of laying flat on your back you have no brain. You do not even remember to write down who visited.
Six years, five weeks ago I was lying in bed trying to take a nap when my water broke. I instantly went to the hospital. They then told me my water had not broken but that I was urinating on myself. My response was ARE YOU KIDDING ME? A couple of hours later I was sent home and told to use depends and if it last more than a few days the doctor could put me on medicine. So I went home and sat on my couch with my legs crossed tightly because every time I moved I leaked fluid.


On Monday I went to the doctor. The doctor who got a phone call on Saturday night about me. He was told my tests were negative and I was okay. He took one look at me and said yes your water broke. I was admitted that night. I had no clue what I was in for. I was 26 weeks pregnant with three other kids at home.
Day after day I laid in that bed. I did not read books, I did not scrapbook. I just laid in bed. My brain was in a fog. That is what happens when you do nothing but lay around. My doctor came every day to check on me. He was amazing. He would tell me to continue to pray.
At 31 weeks there was no turning back and my precious baby girl entered the world. I did not hear a cry or even see her before they rushed her to the NICU. Later that afternoon my hero wheeled me down to see her. It seemed so weird that I was able to stand up for more than a few seconds.
I remember the first time I saw her. She was so tiny. They had put a little bow in her hair. Did you know K Y jelly dries hard like glue and is perfect for getting little hair bows to stick to a bald head? She was breathing on her own and doing well. She weighed 2 pounds 12 ounces. It was hard to not hold her or touch her.
That was one of the best days of my life. My precious baby girl Grace was born. She honestly is just as special to me today. Today she is a fun loving little girl. She loves to snuggle. She loves to play outside.
Today I say happy Birthday to my baby girl!
Pamela

Homemade Baby Wipes

I have seen this on many blogs and thought there was NO way it could be that easy. My husband enjoyed this one because he pulled out the electric knife to cut the paper towels in half.

1. Buy good bounty towels, have someone cut them in half.
2. heat 2.5 cups water, not boiling just hot
3. add 2 Tablespoons baby shampoo to water
4. Add 2 Tablespoons baby oil to water
5. Add a couple of drops of tea tree oil if you are worried about mildew.
6. Pour water mixture over paper towels and turn paper towels upside down (obviously in a air tight container)
7. Pull the inner cardboard tube out.
8. Use baby wipes by pulling from the inside first.
I did read that you should not expose to heat or sunlight. That you should keep it in a air tight container. I am so excited to try these out. They feel amazing and smell wonderful. Not that I want to change a dirty diaper but I am anxious to try them out.
If you enjoy this recipe you may enjoy my homemade laundry soap recipe or my dishwasher soap recipe.
Pamela

Monday

I hope no one minds that I combine Not me Monday and Miscellany Monday. In my mind they go together.
1. This week we did not find the smell that had been there for weeks in my sons’ room. And it was not a bag from camp with wet clothes in it from a month ago.
2. I am not the parent who checks under her children’s beds and in their closets when they are told to clean there room. I am also not known to pull anything out of places it does not belong and leave it in the middle of the Childs floor.
3. It was also not my son who woke up and found no clean spoons in the drawer so instead of opening the dishwasher used a measuring spoon.
4. I did not lie to my friend for 3 days about her husband coming home.
5. Did you know that twice in the last month we have gotten free Domino’s pizzas? They make this offer on there facebook page for a free artisan pizza. So twice I have ordered one under my page and one under my husbands. I did not however make my husband go out at 9pm one night to pick them up.
6. My beautiful baby girl turns 6 this week. She has actually grown a few inches. She is still skinny as a rail and her ribs look scary to me. Why do all six of my children need clothes in the same month. We are on a tight budget right now so it was not me that trusted my 6 year old when she said the pants she was trying on in the fitting room fit her. It was not me who almost cried when we got them home and they were too short. I mean big time too short. UGGG anyone have some size 5 pants that are long they want to send my way.
7. I do have a question, why are clothes not made to fit my daughter exactly? She needs a size 4 waist and a size 6 length please. Oh and dresses she needs a size 7 for length and size 4 waist. I am sorry my little girl is not wearing a dress that shows her little bottom as cute as it is.
8. Are you someone who is late or on time? I am always on time. Actually it is normally me setting in the parking lot with the kids waiting so I do not arrive too early to something. So it was not me who was late to AWANA last week because I stopped to buy allergy medicine. It was also not an AWANA leader who made a comment about me always being late. WHAT???????? Do you know me?
9. Do you have a list a mile long of things you just need to get done? I have a 9 hour training to do on line and never find the time to do it. This training would make it possible for me to get paid for doing something I already do for free. So it is not me who is in my room typing this out instead of taking the training like I should be.
10. Okay, honestly it is not my fault that I cannot do the training because I have to have one more authorization I was not aware of. I cannot get it because it is a holiday. Can I say UGGGGGGG any louder?
Pamela
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