In Loving Memory…

My Aunt Lori lost her battle with cancer this weekend.

So this is in loving memory of her…
(this picture was just taken 6 weeks ago as she sat across the table from me at my Grandmother’s 90th Birthday party).

 Wayne and Lori

And here she is at Christmas with my uncle and cousin – such a beautiful family inside and out!

Family by Tree Tgvg 2011crop

Aunt Lori was a faithful wife, loving mother and never had an unkind word to speak.  I was always so glad when she walked in the door.  I enjoyed our long talks – she was a tender and caring listener.  She always made me feel loved.

I love her and already miss her.  Please keep my uncle and cousin in your prayers this week – my heart is breaking for them. And please remember her family and my family as we grieve together.

Losing a loved one is sobering, so I will not be blogging this week.

 Walk with the King,

 

 

How To Make A Rainbow Birthday Cake

Look what Janelle from Comfy in the Kitchen made for her daughter’s 4th birthday!

Janelle is here today to share with us how she made her Rainbow Birthday Cake – she writes:

My “Baby” had her 4th birthday party with some of her little friends. When I asked what she would like her theme to be…she yelled “RAINBOW!” Ok girlie…rainbow it is :) I’m not the most “creative” genius there is {remember, I am “comfy” NOT “creative”)…but I have a willing heart, so I scoured Pinterest for some inspiration.

I truly enjoyed making this special cake for her and thought to share with you. It was a “piece of cake” hehe! For those of you intimidated of making double layer cakes- please don’t be. Again…I am not a baker- just a normal gal. If I can do it, so can you!

There IS something special about a homemade birthday cake, isn’t there? This was one very special cake indeed. The kids LOVED the outside of the cake- then I told them there was a surprise on the inside too…you should have seen their faces. Adorable.

This is where I got my inspiration: The Idea Room and Omnomicon.

The ingredients: 2 WHITE cake mixes, 2 fluffy white tubs of frosting, 2 cake pans {with liners}, gel food coloring {this stuff is vibrant!}, skittles and marshmallows.

Make cakes separately in two bowls. This will insure them being even with one another. Follow package instructions.

Gather up 3 bowls. For the first cake I went in rainbow order. There will be 3 cups of batter per cake. Put 1 cup of batter in each bowl- red, orange and yellow. You will have to mix the red and yellow to make orange. There is no special amount I used- I just squirted in there like so.

Stir well. Do this again with blue, green and purple {mixing the red and blue together}.

Line your cake pans with wax paper liner, spray with Pam {or butter}, then pour the red in, on top of that pour the orange then the yellow. It will flatten out like so.

Pretty neat!

Bake 30 mins in a 350 oven.

Cool on wire rack until completely cool- if your cakes are still warm, they may crack during this next step!

Frost in the middle then place the other cake on top and frost all over.

Use Skittles to make a rainbow and to decorate the sides. Use marshmallows for clouds. This was SO easy- and {I thought} it was super adorable.

I found some cute candles at the grocery store- yea! I didn’t have to draw anything on the cake, lol!

Happy Birthday Munchkin!!!!!

Surprise inside! Wohoo! Oh and yes….that is “superman” ice cream. I just could not resist.

One FUN cake!!! I would make this again in a heartbeat…just adorable!!!!

I had a lot of fun decorating the house for her party.

But again, you aren’t going to see anything fancy with me…. that isn’t my strength. I think us ladies can sometimes get overwhelmed with all of the talent out there on Pinterest {esp with party planning}. For those ladies who are super talented- that is awesome! But for those of us who have different talents, we shouldn’t be intimidated :) If we have a heart for opening up our homes -that is the most important thing. No one comes to see your home anyways {unless its up for sale!}, they come to see the people.

Another thing I don’t get all excited about? Messes. I popped up a table in the garage and we had some good old fashioned kid fun. That garage was covered in glue and fruit loops by the end of the night ….Oh well?! The kids had fun! It can all be cleaned up. Let em be kids. :)

 

Rainbow Birthday Cake
Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • 2 white boxed cakes {with ingredients on package directions}
  • Food coloring gel
  • 2 jars fluffy white frosting
  • 1 large bag skittles
  • 2 handfuls of marshmallows
  • 2 cake pans
  • waxed paper liner and Pam spray
Instructions
  1. Make cakes in 2 separate bowls according to package instructions.
  2. you will need 6 bowls with 1 cup of cake batter per bowl. Make your desired colors. I made cake #1 with red, orange and yellow. Cake #2 with blue, green and purple.
  3. Trace the outside of your cake pan onto waxed paper liner and cut to fit your cake pan. Place liner in cake pan and spray with Pam or butter. These cakes will not stick!!!
  4. Pour each color of batter on top of one another like picture above.
  5. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 mins or until center is baked through.
  6. Take pans out of the oven and set directly on a wire rack.
  7. When completely cool turn over first cake.
  8. Frost top. Then turn second cake on top of first cake.
  9. Frost the top and sides.
  10. Make a rainbow pattern using Skittles. Place Skittles along the edge and finish with marshmallow clouds.

Signature

 

 This is such a fun cake inside and out! Thank you Janelle for sharing this with us!

Walk with the King,

 

Janelle

Janelle is a Christian, a Wife, a Stay at Home Mom of 3 young children and a proud- to- claim- it “Foodie”. She absolutely loves to cook and typically has an audience of 3 children, pulled up on chairs, taking turns pouring ingredients into bowls. Her spiritual gifts are a mix of “hospitality and evangelism” and is here in the center of God’s will hoping to help you get a little more “comfy in your kitchen”! You can find her displaying step-by-step photos of her recipes, giving devotionals,and sharing meal ministry stories on her blog.

You can follow Janelle’s blog at ComfyInTheKitchen.com
Follower her on facebook at Comfy In The Kitchen
Follow her on Twitter at ComfynKitchen
 

Happy Birthday to My Husband!

Photo Credit: Fawn at HappyWivesClub.com

Today (Saturday) we celebrated my husband’s birthday!  The kids decorated the kitchen to surprise him when he got home from a business trip yesterday.

 

 He’s 38 today!  Happy Birthday honey!! 

 I love you yesterday, I love you still.  I always have…I always will!

Walk with the King,

**For those who have recently subscribed via email to Women Living Well – you should find the link to the eBook right below these words in your email inbox. Give the ebook 15-30 seconds to open. Sometimes it’s a slow load. If for some reason it does not open, please email me at courtney(at)womenlivingwell.org and I will send you the direct link :)  

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Your Words…

 

 

 

Walk with the King,

 

**For those who have recently subscribed via email to Women Living Well – you should find the link to the eBook right below these words in your email inbox.  Give the ebook 15-30 seconds to open.  Sometimes it’s a slow load.  If for some reason it does not open, please email me at courtney(at)womenlivingwell.org and I will send you the direct link :)