Texas Sheet Cake

We had this on Mother's Day. This cake is so not good for you, but it’s so delicious! It’s a Drissell family classic and my dad’s favorite birthday dessert. (As long as it’s served with ice cream of course!)

Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients for Cake:

1 cup butter

1 cup water (I sometimes use 1 cup coffee)

1/4 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup sour cream or ½ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting

1/2 cup butter

4 tablespoons cocoa

4 tablespoons buttermilk

1 box (1 pound) confectioners' sugar, sifted (4 1/4 cups sifted)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 bag milk chocolate heath chips

Directions:

Cake: Combine butter, water, and cocoa in saucepan over medium heat; heat until butter melts. Add sugar, flour, salt, eggs, soda, sour cream, and vanilla; mix well. Pour into a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes. Make icing five minutes before cake is finished.

Icing: Five minutes before cake is done, combine butter, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread over the HOT sheet cake then sprinkle with milk chocolate heath chips. (M&M’s look fun & festive too-along with the heath chips of course! :)

On Motherhood

Nursing, precious son

Peaceful cuddled in my arms

Sleep little baby

How incredible it is to be a mother. I did not know it was possible to feel such intense love and attachment to such a little baby. It feels so natural and right, like I am doing what God created me and my body to do.  To grow, carry, birth, and nurse a babe, to nurture and love.  Holding, sleeping, loving, playing-Blaise is at peace and satisfied with his mother near.  What a beautiful, sweet time.  And what overwhelming love we have for our child!  

Once again, I am reminded that this strong love and bond pales in comparison to our Heavenly Father's love for us. A love that sent his only son into our broken world to redeem his children. He loved us that much! As my heart is filled with an overwhelming joy of being a new mother, I am reminded, though, that God has not yet redeemed our fallen world. He has not yet taken away the brokenness and hurt and pain. I am reminded of friends who too, yearn to be mothers but have not yet conceived. Or of those who suffered miscarriages, or even lost a child. Or friends who long to be married and be a mother but have not yet found a mate. So much hurt and unfulfilled longing.  All we can cling to is the hope that God will return one day to redeem such pain-and that he will sustain us through the times of waiting, question, and sorrow. And that he will give us sweet respites of deep, overwhelming joy, that ultimately point us to Him. I pray that wherever you are, that you may see that indeed, His mercies are new every morning-for great is His faithfulness!  (Lam. 3:23)

It wouldn't be right to talk about motherhood and not mention our mothers. What a blessing they are to us! I'm realizing how valuable it is to be in the same city with our parents and to have them in our lives at this new stage in life. My mom comes weekly to love on and serve me and Blaise.  If he's sleeping, she helps me iron, do the dishes, stuff diapers etc... She has been such an encourager- from childbirth, to breastfeeding, and the overall philosophy of parenting- it's such a blessing to be on the same page and have her support. 
In the same breath, I am doubly blessed to have a wonderful and supportive mother-in-law.  Susan also comes weekly to love on us. It's nice to have a minute to clean, get dinner going etc... and know that Blaise is in good hands and enjoying himself!  I look forward to my weekly visits with the moms and truly appreciate their encouragement! 

Mmmm Granola!

This is the best homemade granola I've tasted. Antonia introduced me to it at Annie's shower-LOVE it! Now I just have to get the courage to try the homemade yogurt she says is oh so easy.... it intimidates me! This recipe is in my new More With Less cookbook (thanks, mom!)

Simple Granola

Preheat oven to 250.

Combine in a large mixing bowl:

2 cups whole wheat flour

6 cups rolled oats

1 cup coconut

1 cup wheat germ

(I added some slivered almonds, crushed walnuts & ground flax. do a bit less oats if you do this. you can also do half flax half wheat germ)

Blend together separately:

1/2 cup water

1 cup oil

1 cup coconut

1 cup honey or corn syrup

2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. salt

Directions:

Add blended liquids to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread out on 2 greased jelly roll pans/cake pan and bake 1 hour or until dry and golden. I mix it after 30 minutes. Store in covered containers for a week or freeze.

Easter Pics

"I have set the LORD always before me.  Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, becuase you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay.  You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16: 8-11

Cousin Claire

Susan made Sharon's and my dress in the 70's! And she made Blaise's sweet little outfit too! 

Egg hunt! 

Cousin Colleen

Pinata time at Innsbrook! 

Nine Months!

Blaise is nine months and is a very busy boy; he’s on the move and loves to explore! Our hard wood floors have him crawling with one leg tucked under while the other does the pushing. Pulling up is his favorite activity and he tries to on everything! (Even the toilet-yuck! We are keeping doors closed now! ) The dishwasher and refrigerator get him so excited and make him move the fastest. Needless to say, there’s been a lot of baby proofing going on around here!

A few other firsts/updates….  

• Teeth! The top two have now joined the bottom two. I thought they had broken through until last night when he got really upset. David went and bought some baby motrin then took him for a walk to calm him since nothing else would! Hopefully, the worst is behind us!  

• Finger foods. He is trying to feed himself and is most successful with Joe’s O’s (aka cheerios) and mashed black beans. There's lots of recreation and exploration going on with food at our house! (Unfortunately, not too much makes the mouth!) Apparently, this is not unusual for this stage!  

• He weighed about 21lbs at his 9month check up (60%) and was 27 3/4’ (75%).  

• We got rear-ended. ;( Thankfully the lady was not going very fast! Blaise was in his nice new car seat (still rear facing) and seems to be fine- for which we are very thankful! My neck unfortunately is still sore, especially at the end of the day, so I've been going to a chiropractor since it's covered under insurance. (She had State Farm too & was from Rolla! ;)  

• We're also thankful that David still has a job! Last month, instead of layoffs and firing people, his company cut everyone’s pay 20% (so now we're sticking super tight to our excel spreadsheet budget! ;) Ideally, he works less hours, too, so it is nice to have him around a bit more! He's been riding his bike to work since parking costs $60 a month and we've been trying to get creative with other ways to save $$. I'll take him if it's raining and Blaise and I enjoy the scenic drive of old cathedrals, big buildings and the Arch!  

Here are a few more pics from the past month.....

"Look what I did! " (These pictures are getting progressively harder to take!) 

two roudy bears! (blaise & ellie grace)

will, blaise & kate chilling at the botanical gardens

blaise's first carousal ride! (the music was a bit loud-he wasn't sure what to think!) he loved the butterflies in the butterfly house at the park too but unfortunately the pics didn't turn out. 

carrots-wonderfully cool teethers

LOVES watching the washer. unfortunately, he has now discovered how to turn the knobs and push buttons and turned the cycle off the other day!