Eagle Scout Cake

I made a cake for my coworker's son. He finished his Eagle Scout project last spring and they had his banquet this fall. I'm still working on getting my letters level and centered but it will do. I don't love making the "shell" border on cakes, mostly because I stink at it. I stick to a zigzag type pattern and dots on the bottom. This way when I make a mistake it's a little more difficult to notice.

Dad's Chili

It's been COLD at night - fall is really setting in I guess. We have been dealing with the cold and refusing to turn on the heat. I don't think that will last much longer. Until then we have my dad's chili recipe (with my adjustments) to warm us up!

 

Chili

3 cups dry kidney beans, soak in water overnight and drain

6 cups of water

celery (I use the whole thing)

2 quarts of tomatoes

1 large onion

1 lb. hamburger or venison

8 tbsp chili powder

1 tbls oregano

1 tbls Worcestershire sauce

1 tbls crushed red pepper

 

Top with cheese and sour cream if desired. Serve with Frito's or other corn chips.

 

This chili is SPICY. If you don't like your chili to be very spicy, skip or reduce the crushed red pepper. If you use canned beans, reduce the water.

Century Ride

Each fall my dad and uncle go for a bike ride from sun up to sun down. They generally find areas that are very flat since they shoot for 105 miles in a day. This year my dad mapped out a trip that brought them within 3 blocks of our house! I get excited when anyone comes this way since it doesn't happen too often. We met up with them for a fraction of their ride and then went to lunch. We did have one potentially scary event- we were carrying our bikes down some stairs to get from the bike path to a local establishment and a stair collapsed! Yikes! Luckily my uncle had great balance and avoided a fall. The rest of the trip must have gone well- I got a text from my dad just after 9:00 and he had just gotten home. (They had to drive back to my hometown- over an hour from their starting point) He told me he got up at 4 AM to be ready for today.  That's a LONG day!
I was telling people about today's family event and they were shocked. I love my family and all their crazy ideas!

Fall is Here

I had a busy weekend filled with fun activities and some work. Here are some highlights:
Friday- Field Trip to local Nature Reserve with my 1st graders. Baked 3 half sheet cakes for a friend's son becoming an Eagle Scout. Used my new cricut to cut out 65 onesie invitations with 2 layers each and turtles for the front. Pictures to come later.
Saturday- Finished decorating 3 half sheet cakes and delivered them. Ran errands. Started sales taxes for my in-laws' business. Planned a date night in with my wonderful husband that worked hard removing docks and lifts all day in the rain.
Sunday- Church. Met up with my dad and uncle that completed their "century ride" today. Trip to the apple orchard- picked apples, enjoyed apple treats. Baked apple bread for bible study. An awesome bible study.

90 Years Old!

Matt's grandma turned 90 at the end of May this year and we had a big party to celebrate. Many people came and she was so excited. I made a double layer half-sheet cake with blackberry cream cheese filling. I also decorated a smaller cake that we didn't have to cut into right away.

What an amazing milestone in life - praise God!