MISTY'S MORNINGS

EASY LEMON POPPYSEED CAKE   mistysmornings.com This cake is so moist and pillowy.   It makes a perfect brunch bread or a tea-time treat.  It even gets better the second day. INGREDIENTS 1 package lemon cake mix 1 box instant lemon pudding mix 1/2 cup canola oil 1 cup water 4 eggs 1/4 cup poppy seeds (more than one small container) PROCESS Preheat oven to 350. Spray one bundt pan or two loaf pans with Pam Baking (with flour) and set aside. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.   Beat four minutes on medium speed. Pour evenly into prepared baking pan. Bake 45 minutes. MENU PLAN for April 30-May 6, 2012 MONDAY - Leftover grilled chicken breasts and Truck Stop Potatoes TUESDAY - Garlic and Lime Broiled Tilapia with leftover potatoes and Hungarian Shortbread (Baking With Julia) WEDNESDAY - drive through (after Track meet) THURSDAY  -  Grilled Chicken and Shrimp Fajitas with cilantro rice and my  hom

The Happy Mother   tagged me! Rules: 1.  Post these  rules . 2.  Post a  photo  of yourself and then  write 11 things about your life .  3.   Answer the questions  for you set in the original post. 4.   Create 11 new questions and tag people  to answer them. 5.  Go to their blog/twitter and  tell them  you have tagged them. 11 things about my life: Flag Day 2012 will mark 16 years of marriage to my best friend and soul mate RW.  (I love you!) We have three boys ages 10, 9 and almost 4. I never ever ever thought I would have boys much less love having boys this much! I am an ENFP - writer, teacher, communicator, dreamer, super sensitive, homebody. Turning 40 (in October) is the most fantastically freeing feeling I have had in my adult life.  I am leaning into it and letting my inner eccentric out to play! Middle school is my favorite age group to teach and I have taught everything 6th -12th (English and Spanish).   I have been a SAHM since 2002 and just

~PRETTY~ Two weeks ago our family drove the Blue Ridge Parkway from Charlottesville, VA to Asheville, NC.  While in Charlottesville we visited Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson and in finished our trip with a visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville.  Both places were fantastic for parents and children and we recommend them for family vacations.  Our whole family agreed, however, that the best part of the whole vacation was the scenery and hiking in the mountains. 

What are you beginning right now? What a great time to ask me this question.  Here at the high point of Spring, when school days are falling faster through the hourglass of time and the days are growing ever longer, here is where I begin to feel the urge to renew.  Suddenly I want a new routine, newly washed windows, new veggies in the pantry and new clothes in my wardrobe.  Because I tend toward excess in nearly every aspect of my life, I have to be careful not to begin too many things at once only to flop hard on my face when I am suddenly overwhelmed with all the new requirements I have imposed on myself.   So, I have been considering this prompt and wondering where I most need to begin.  What one baby step can I afford to take right now that would benefit my life and scratch the itch of wanting everything renewed? The answer bubbles up quite easily.   Yoga .  I began practicing yoga years and years ago.  It was a natural choice for me.  I am drawn to anythin

outdoors…  After a soggy weekend the entire week ahead is destined to be absolutely beautiful.  Cool temps and abundant sunshine.  I treasure these last days of windows-open weather before the air conditioner stays on day and night and the blinds must be left down in the heat of the afternoon.  Not this last week of April.  This looks like Spring and feels like Spring and I will rejoice in it! thinking… Of all the wonderful visitors who come to my blog and leave me such encouraging comments.  I don't make any money from my blog so the number of comments I get are purely for fun for me and to help me make bloggy friends.  But I will admit that they give me such a boost of joy.  To find out that anyone else out there enjoys my creative adventures in this space is so surprising and fulfilling.  Just last night two people left me these blessings: Joan Apr 23, 2012 05:57 PM Hi Misty, I absolutely love reading your blog! It's become a part of

Ranunculus from Trader Joe's.  They are the perfect antidote to a gray day outside. Good Sunday morning.  Are you enjoying your weekend?  I hope so.  It is pouring rain here today - all day - so I foresee lots of coffee and coziness in the future.  Maybe even some time to read a book or work in my Smashbooks .  Definitely need to plan the week's meals as well as put away the four laundry baskets of clean and folded clothes that are lined up in the upstairs hallway.   We are having a lazy morning before going to church at noon.  The boys and my husband are playing endless games of NHL and soccer on X-box while I am enjoying time to catch up on my e-courses :   Poem It Out and Swan Dive .  I have gotten so far behind since April has swept me up like a wave and just now dropped me off on the shore.  This week is designated "Catch Up Week" for certain. What does your Sunday look like?  How about your week ahead?  I would enjoy hearing about it. Grace a

1.  I made my first video blog.  My favorite bloggers share videos from time to time and have inspired me to try it myself.  Here is an example of a recent video I love from Liz Lamoreux ~ Poetry and Smash Books . 2.  I made my first VLOG and I am sharing it IN PUBLIC - aaack!   3.   As I may have mentioned , this is my FIRST VLOG so please be gentle when noticing the obvious flaws. (such as not looking in the right camera, background noise, talking too fast...)   4.  I am really not only concerned with make-up but I just had to share the cheap products I am currently loving for Spring from Target.  It truly is my favorite place to shop. 5.  And I must mention that every. single. product. I use on my skin I buy at Target.  It's true. No - they are not paying me to say this although it would be great if they did!  I have really allergic skin so finding inexpensive products that I can actually use has been a long trial and error process. 6.  Ok, I think I am ready for you to w

The Golden Hour :: Week 52 Photo Prompt

A bouquet of flowers offered for a grieving family in desperate need of prayers.  Wordless Wednesday Outdoor Wednesday

Another recipe down in the Baking with Julia cookbook challenge every other Tuesday.  This little lemon quick bread was supremely easy and would be a good treat alongside a hot cup of tea with a  friend.  My boys did not care for it that much - I think the lemony icing I added on top was a bit too lemony for their taste - but that was my favorite part.   This is the line-up of ingredients.  Simple. Ready for the oven. The crumb and density reminded me of a poundcake - not too moist - a sturdy cake. The edges were a bit overly browned but I enjoy the crunch of a crust on a quick bread.   Lemon Loaf - a refined taste and texture - and so easy a child could make it.   Stop over at the hostess' blogs to read and print the entire recipe:  Treats The Beauty of Life Next up - Hungarian Shortbread on May 8th.  See you then!