Summer tiiiiime...and the livin's easy :)

Phew!  This summer is flying by!  I cannot believe that school starts in two weeks.  The girls are super excited this year because they both will have new teachers, and new classmates.  They were the youngest kiddos in the class so while the rest of the class is going to Kindergarten, they have one more year of Pre-K.  They miss the kindergarten age cut off by 3 weeks...  I let them choose their own backpacks this year, Cassie picked a Justin Beiber backpack and Scarlett picked Disney Princess.

Sheesh, speaking of flying by, my babes will be 5 soon... 5!?  They are growing so fast.. And way too smart for their own good :) 



So far its been a relatively quiet summer.  Lots of stayin out of the heat and swimming.  Thank God we have a pool this year! We also had family come hang out for a few weeks!  The girls had so much fun playing with Uncle Adrian.

Adrian came out from Tennessee and was probably glad to get home, the girls ran him ragged.  The night before he left I made a Texas Sheet Cake and he has now requested one for his birthday... However, according to FedEx it would cost about $130 to send one, can you believe that? So I figured I'd put my recipe on here and someone there could make it for him. :)


Ash's Famous Texas Sheet Cake ;)


What you'll need:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
frosting (recipe provided below) 

❦ Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease your pan ahead of time, I always forgot and end up  pouring it in if I don't do it at this time, lol (there's a lot going on you might forget ;) ) I use a 13X9 pan but you can do a bit bigger, or I've done cupcakes before and those were a hit as well!! 
❦ Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside. 
❦ In a saucepan, melt butter and add cocoa powder, and one cup of water.  Bring to a boil STIRRING CONSTANTLY... Once at a boil, add to dry mix and mix with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. (I like to go between 2-3 to get more air into the batter)  Add buttermilk, and mix.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Be sure to add the buttermilk and mix first or else the eggs will scramble because of the hot mixture that was added. The buttermilk brings the temp down a bit :).  Batter will be pretty thin.  Pour into the pan you've already greased!! (aren't you happy you greased it ahead of time....yeah I know... great idea ;)  ) 
❦ Bake for about 25 minutes, depending on your oven, and which way you decided to make the cake.  For cupcakes obviously it won't take as long. I always stick a butter knife in the middle and when it comes out clean, you're good as gold! The last ten minutes, start making the frosting.  When your cake is done, pour the frosting over your cake and ENJOY! Seriously, there are few desserts that beat a Texas Sheet Cake... unless you dislike chocolate... Which in that case.... I have no words. ;) 


Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting
❦ In a medium saucepan mix 1/4 cup butter (4 tablespoons) melt it a bit, and add 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons of buttermilk.  Bring to a boil.. stirring constantly! Once bubbling, remove from heat and add 2 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat until smooth and velvety. (mmm I'm drooling already)  I like to add chopped pecans to the icing and than pour on top of the cake.  I also stab a few holes in the cake for the icing to slowly seep inside of the cake.  Those options are purely up to you, although, they make it so much better ;) 


Hope you guys like it!! If you do make it, let me know how it turns out!! <3 

A letter for my girls.

 Anyone who has kids can probably agree, that from the second they are born, you wonder what they will be like, who they will be as a person.  As they get older and form their own personalities, it turns into, what they will like be when their older.   I feel sooo blessed, and I love that I get to stay at home with my girls because I've been able to be there for every important part of their lives, whether it was the first time they nursed without throwing it back up (blech),  crawling, walking, talking, their first bad word said, oops??   I even got to see how their personalities have developed and its just amazing to see these small people form right in front of me!!

Everyone who notices that the girls are twins always end up asking, are they very alike?  NOT AT ALL.  Even though they are twins, they are two totally different people.

Cassie is very dominant.  She has to be in charge, and telling people what to do.  And if it's not done right, (or quick enough) she scrunches up that cute little nose of hers and takes charge.  lol She has things planned out and if things don't go too well, she is not a happy camper.  She does not like chaos. Scarlly on the other hand is pretty easy going and doesn't mind the chaos of life.  She's off in her own little world most of the time. When the girls were first born, she was the more demanding one, but slowly things changed and Cassie became the boss ;)  Scarlly is a very sweet gal who knows how to bat her lashes and get what she wants.  In Scarlly's mind, you get more ants, with honey.. While Cass doesn't care either way, screw spreading honey, she'll go kick that ant hill and MAKE them come to her, whether they like it or not, stupid ants ;) When wondering how I got blessed with two amazing gals, a letter/ conversation with God came to mind...


Dear God,

First....No tattoos until they are old enough to know what they mean. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the ASU logo stain their tender haunches. May they be beautiful but not damaged, for it’s the damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty. When the "Crystal Meth" is offered, may they remember the parents who cut their grapes in half for their safety  and stick with Beer. Guide them, protect them when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing the street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age. Lead them away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where they can make their own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit. May they play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of their Own Hearts with the sinewy strength of their Own Arms, so they need Not Lie With Drummers. Grant them a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let them draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – And adulthood is long... dry-humping in cars can wait.  And when they one day turn on me and call me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank them directly into a our minivan with a "My daughter got student of the month" bumpersticker, in front of ALL their friends, For I will not have that Shit. OH NO...I will not have it. ;) Mama don't take no mess ;)  And should they choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see them, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,” they will realize as they clean feces off the baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over them as it does each generation and they will make a Mental Note to call me. And of course will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes. Amen.