Summer Rose and I had some sweet things in mind…in light of Valentines Day…and decided to make some dreamy chocolate cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting….

Love that Betty Crocker! I always keep some of Miss Betty’s cake mixes on hand for quick and easy treats!

Summer and I gathered our ingredients (all four…the mix, eggs, water and oil). We are very fortunate that Summer’s good friend Raliegh, who lives just a hop, skip, and a jump down a country road, often shares eggs with us from the chickens her Mama raises. Fresh off the farm eggs are richer in flavor and the sunflower-yellow yolk is so much brighter than store bought ones.

Summer lookin’ all cute and sweet in my cupcake apron…measures the water….

In goes the cake mix, water, and eggs……(Oh! have I ever told you I love my Kitchen Aid mixer so much I want to marry it. Well, I do!) You may notice the little red scratch on Summer’s jawline….that is what is left from the accident she had on Thanksgiving day. She has healed so remarkably…the doctors thought it would take six months to recover fully. (Thank you all for praying for her!)

Little Miss Summer Rosey

whipped up the chocolate goodness….

Looking as sweet as a cupcake herself,
She ever so carefully fills the pan lined with paper baking cups…..

We danced a little….sang some sassy tunes…and giggled a lot!

With a damp paper towel Summer wiped any drips off of the pan, so we wouldn’t have any burnt bits of batter stuck on. Well, we were all set to pop that pan of chocolate cupcake-love in the oven when I discovered…..whoops-a-daisy….we were having so much fun we forgot to pour the oil in the batter! Oopsie Doopsie!

But guess what?

• We did not fret.
• There were no angry words.
• We did not become frustrated or discouraged.
• There was no shame or blame.
• We did not quit and throw the whole batch away!

Instead, we discussed two solutions:

Plan A: we could go ahead and bake them and see how they would turn out.

Plan B: we could dump the batter back in the bowl add the oil, mix it again and bake it with all of the ingredients needed.

As a team, we voted on plan B. So both of us gently lifted the flimsy batter filled cups and poured the chocolate goop back into the mixing bowl. It was hilarious! Trying to squeeze and scrape every drop of batter out of the paper baking cups felt like we were milking a cow. It was sort of an I Love Lucy training session! Yes, we got a little messy….and we got a whole lot giggly…but we were making making the best of the situation.

Daddy heard the sounds of joy and wanted to get in on the fun….

Here is a girl who knows she is loved!

I am actually very glad that this mishap happened! What a great teaching opportunity for Summer….to teach her to stay calm and cool when you face a dilemma or make a mistake…to think of a solution to the problem….to keep a joyful heart and make the best of it and carry on. And if something doesn’t work out like you had hoped, no big deal, just try again.

As a mother hen, I am relentless about creating emotional safety in my home….protecting my child’s spirit. There was no need for angry or frustrating words…words that could do such harm. Every word we say is a seed that is planted in a heart. I want my daughter to have a harvest of joyful memories of home (and me!) when she grows up.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. ~Mother Teresa

Hooray we did it! Now it’s time to bake!

“Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body.” Proverbs 16:24

While the cupcakes were baking we whipped up a batch of Strawberry Buttercream Frosting…good and buttery! Here is the recipe:

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1 box of powered sugar (1 Lb.–about 3 1/2 to 4 cups)

2 sticks butter (salted–softened NOT melted)

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 cup (plus 2 tablespoons if needed) pureed frozen strawberries, thawed (sweetened in juice –put in blender to puree)

Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the pureed strawberries and Vanilla. Whip until fluffy. If it seems too stiff, add some more strawberry puree one tablespoon at a time until you get the creamy consistency you want.

To our delight, the cupcakes turned out moist and delicious, just as Miss Betty promised!

Cupcake love.

Take every opportunity

to breathe blessings in to the hearts of those you love.

“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” ~Mother

Our hubby’s need encouragement too. They need to know how much we appreciate them, adore them, admire them, desire them. I was reminded of something Dr. Phil said when a sweet young mom named DeBran mentioned it on her blog….(DeBran actually went to High School with my daughter Ashley! Check out her BLOG HERE, she is a wise young mama with two adorable babies!)

Anyhoo…Dr. Phil said that every morning we should ask ourselves

“How can I make my husband’s (or wife’s) life better today?”

What a great way to keep selfishness away, and the welfare of those we love as a top priority. What a difference a day makes when we begin it with a loving attitude! (Thanks DeBran!)

“A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman–who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls. The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of honest gain….She comforts, encourages and does him only good as long as there is life within her….” Proverbs 31:10-12

None of us are perfect and we will mess up from time to time, but that’s what the words “I’m so sorry” are for.

“If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.” 1 Corinthians 13:7

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you sweet cupcakes out there in blogland who have left me such encouraging comments! They mean more to me than you will ever know! It is so reassuring to know that there are so many like-minded gals out there that also have a passion for the home and family. God bless you for being a blessing to me!

Now about that Buttermilk Pie recipe….it is coming…stay tuned! I want to also address some questions/concerns about cast iron cooking and give a source for the see-through lid that I use. Until then, Have a dreamy Valentines Day!

Hugs!

RuthAnn

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A week ago, the news buzzed around town about the winter storm that was about to roll in, bringing with it record ice-fall followed by several inches of snow. Fluffy-white snow is welcomed, but ice is another story. Thick layers of slippery ice covering the roads, trees and powerlines is a recipe for danger, so being prepared is a good thing. I, along with most of the townsfolk, rushed to the market to stock up on food, water and other necessities, knowing that in just a few hours the roads would be too hazardous to travel. For me, all of this commotion is very exciting! I love making the necessary preparations and hunkering down before a storm hits. All safe and cozy inside with the fire blazing….soup simmering…. the pantry stocked….making sure we have candles and flashlights ready….you never know if the power will go out (which it did!) it all seems a like a scene from Little House On The Prairie (minus the flashlights of course!).

The kitchen table in the Wilder’s kitchen.

How sweet is this embroidered apron of Laura’s? These same apron strings, tied in a bow, hugged her waist as she set about the domestic joys of cooking, cleaning, and gardening. She knew that her simple, everyday tasks were more than just chores that had to be done, her deeds were an essential part of blessing her family. Laura’s apron was her all-purpose companion. I can just imagine, in the twilight of an early summer evening, just as the sultry heat of the day began to cool, and the cicadas in the trees would begin to buzz, she would walk softly across the damp grass, thick with slow-dancing fire-flies, and into her garden to pick juicy, sun-warmed tomatoes and gently place them in the skirt of her apron, that she had gathered at the ends to create a make-shift basket. I’m sure it was those simple summer joys that warmed her heart as the bitter north wind frosted the window panes of her dear white farmhouse.


Well, the winter wind certainly swirled through the Ozark hills this past week, ice clinking against the windows, then the snow fell, fast and hard. Enormous, 3″ snowflakes looked more like cotton balls being thrown from heaven. I think the angels were having a good-hearted snowball fight!

In the morning, beauty was everywhere.Crystal trees glowed at dawn.

Summer Rose was a happy camper…

sledding down a small hill on the side of our house….

Hooray for Snow Days!

Summer had four happy days off from school. Our power went out for a while and then when it did come back on our heater didn’t work. While we waited for the repair man to come, I kept the kitchen warm by baking an old southern favorite, Buttermilk Pie (I’ll share the recipe in my next post).

Being snowbound gave us a great opportunity to watch a set of DVDs that I recently ordered from Franklin Springs Family Media, called Homestead Blessings. A mother and her three daughters share their skills on making bread, soap and candles. They live in a horse and buggy community in the Appalachian hills of Tennessee. Oh My Goodness!! I love these gals! I so want to go bake with them in their adorable country kitchen!

They are called the West Girls and they live life the old fashioned way, off the land, Little House On The Prairie Style!!! They are full of down-home charm and southern hospitality.Franklin Springs Family Media produces top quality DVDs that celebrate home and family. Their films highlight families who have built homes of honor. What a wonderful resource for those of us who want to bring honor, integrity, faithfulness, honesty, strength, perseverence, adventure, compassion, grace, and joy into the lives of our family.

Take a peek at these wonderful videos ……

Click here to see a preview of these homespun DVDs by Franklin Springs. What an inspiration these gals are! While you are at the Franklin Springs Web site, check out their other inspiring DVDs. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this company…I just had to share it with y’all!

These adorable West Girls also sing Bluegrass. Click here to see their youtube video “Green Beans In The Garden”, which was also a part of a Franklin Springs DVD titled Inherit The Land.

Thanks for stopping by for some “Little House On The Prairie” Pie!
Summer is back in school…the sun is shining….snow is melting….I’m getting back into the swing of things….and…God is good.

Hugs, Y’all!

RuthAnn

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