Making a Boxed Cake Mix Taste Homemade…

Posted by Amy — April 8, 2013

Last weekend, we all had to bring a dish to my parents’ house for Easter. I had seen a gorgeous looking coconut cake on another blog and immediately volunteered to bring dessert just so I could have an excuse to make this cake. I felt it had to be fate because I just happened to have the exact amount of ingredients I needed to make the cake. It was a little involved and time-consuming, but it sounded so good I knew it would be worth it. After all that hard work, I pulled the cakes out of the oven only to discover they hadn’t risen AT ALL and tasted almost like dense cornbread. What???

Well crap. Easter was tomorrow. What was I going to do?? I was out of flour and butter since I had used the last of it on the disaster cakes. I looked in the pantry- there was a box of white cake mix. Dare I? Yep, I dared. But I tweaked it a little to add a more homemade taste and look to it- no one ever even suspected it was from a box. It was really good and looked gorgeous! Success! Here’s how I did it:

The instructions on the back of the box called for:

3 egg whites
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil

I used instead:

2 egg whites and 1 whole egg (at room temperature)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract (that’s all I use and I think it makes all the difference)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Divide the batter into 3 well-greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans and bake for 20 minutes. Using 3 cake pans instead of 2 will make the finished cake look taller and more professional. Plus, you get an extra layer of frosting that way! Use your favorite homemade buttercream (I’m sorry, but there really is no substitute for homemade buttercream. The stuff from the can doesn’t even come close).

Here’s my go-to buttercream recipe:

3 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar
splash milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (this adds so much!)

Mix together in a stand mixer until you get a nice, thick, spreadable consistency. If you feel it’s too thick, add more milk. Makes enough to frost a 3 layered cake (it makes a lot!). To decorate the cake, sprinkle with flaked coconut.

No one will ever know it came from a box! Enjoy your new-found knowledge!

Easter…

Posted by Amy — April 2, 2013

Hope everyone’s Easter was great! Ours was very happy. Cassidy loved getting her Easter basket this year- the Easter Bunny brought her some Teddy Grahams, fruit pouches, a couple of cute little books, and a giant flower headband (too cute to resist!). She was so excited Easter morning!

My whole family gathered at my parents’ house after church for a big meal and we all had a great time- I really love Easter! I don’t know if everyone watched this or not, but if you didn’t you really NEED to watch the History Channel’s The Bible series. The final two episodes were especially good- really, really moving.

I had so much fun picking out Cassidy’s outfit this year! I thought she looked so stinkin adorable! My precious girl!

DIY Stovetop Potpourri…

Posted by Amy — March 26, 2013

Everybody loves a fresh-smelling house! Me especially. I have about a billion candles and Scentsy smells stashed away in a cabinet. However, there are some smells that just don’t translate well when it comes to candles. Lemon, lavendar, blueberry, most flowers (it ends up smelling sickeningly sweet! Bleh!), and orange. I think I’ve tried just about every kind of orange scent and they all smell too…fake. I don’t know why the candle companies just can’t seem to get orange right!

Recently, I had some leftover oranges that were on their last leg and I just couldn’t resist making myself a little potpourri to make the house smell beautifully orangey! I threw in a couple of sprigs of rosemary from the backyard, a splash of vanilla and voila! Instant aroma therapy! It’s so easy to make your own stovetop scents! Just throw it all in and let it simmer!

DIY Stovetop Potpourri

2 oranges, cut into thin slices
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups water

In a medium saucepan, mix all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer. Enjoy for hours!

How to be a ‘Monday Mom’ on a Thursday…

Posted by Amy — March 21, 2013

I recently read an article written by a fellow blogger and mother, Erin, called “I’m a Better Mom on Mondays”. All I had to do was read the title before I realized the very same was true of me. Erin is spot-on; she talks about how we, as moms, are better rested and overall happier and more energized come Monday morning thanks to the weekend.

It’s true, isn’t it? Think about it- you’re a better mom on Mondays, aren’t you? Hubby’s off work for two glorious days to help you with bottles and breakfast in the morning, diaper changing, naps, and you’ve got a second man on your team when it comes to tackling temper tantrums. Heck, you may even squeeze in a nap for YOURSELF somewhere in there! By the time Sunday afternoon rolls around, you’ll have had a good dose of The Holy Spirit and all is well. Better than well- you feel like yourself again! And when Monday morning rolls around, you’re ready to tackle whatever life throws at you.

But by the time Thursday hits…you’ve had to fish baby poo out of the bathtub with a kitchen ladle, clean up spilled cereal and hot chocolate mix off the kitchen floor, give comfort and kisses after what seems like the 40th bruised bottom, bonked head, and scratched knee, read the same book a hundred times and oink like a pig over and over again, and deal with the kind of temper tantrums that would put Mel Gibson to shame. All you want is for Friday evening to get here so you can finally get some PEACE! Where’s “Mighty Monday Mom” now, huh?

This article really hit home for me because it’s been one of those weeks. A couple of weeks, actually. Because Joel worked so hard outside on the yard, I had zero help this past weekend. I was grateful to have some work done on the house and in the yard, but unfortunately, that meant 2 extra days of ‘Thursdays’ for me. By the time Sunday morning came around, I sat zoned out in the church pew and barely heard a word our preacher said. By Sunday night, I was no better off than I was last Thursday. Help.

But I was determined to suck it up and get over myself (“alright, walk it off, Beskow! You got this!”). So when Monday morning arrived, the FIRST thing I did upon waking up was talk to God.

“Lord, help me to be a better mother today. Give me patience. Give me wisdom. Give me compassion. Help this week to be a GOOD week. Amen.”

Now, every single morning, before even taking two steps, I say this prayer. Maybe I’ll even write it on my bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker. Whatever it takes to remind me to give my weaknesses over to God and let Him take control. Because when I do that, it’s SO much easier to see His blessings. A beautiful, healthy, growing baby that makes me laugh and cry and thank God I’m a mother. I’m not saying every single day is perfect, but they’re certainly off to a better start than they were before. Now, I don’t fear Thursdays anymore. I just take each day as it comes. Each night I shake off the day; whatever happened- maybe an argument with Joel or no naptime for Cassidy- I wash it away and start fresh the next day. With this mindset, every day is a Monday.

When hardworking parents put their faith in God, they can tackle each day with a fresh, clean start and a clear mind. Once you’ve done that, keep a few helpful pointers in mind:

1.) If a tantrum arises, ignore it. Don’t lose your temper. You’ll only feel like absolute crap afterwards. Losing your temper with your baby will only make matters worse. (Thanks to my mom for this good advice!)

2.) Baby doesn’t want to nap today? Just chillax, mom. It’s not the end of the world. My days used to revolve around naptime. So when Cassidy decided she just wasn’t going to nap for more than 10 minutes one day, I was pretty bummed (“omg, I had x, y, and z to get done and now I’ll never get to it!”). But then one day I just decided to use the lost naptime for extra cuddles and giggles and the world was a better place. Like I said, just chillax.

3.) Stop what you’re doing right now and recite this to yourself: “I am a good mother. I AM A GOOD MOTHER.” And continue to recite it to yourself 10 times a day if you have to. Whatever it takes for you to actually believe it. Because- you ARE a good mother! Tell that little voice in your head to shut up! (And while you’re at it, could you tell the little voice in MY head, too?? Kthanks.)

Now, go out there and enjoy your new Monday mentality!

Filling Your Baby’s Easter Basket…

Posted by Amy — March 19, 2013

Last Easter was relatively easy for us because Cassidy was still SO little and didn’t require much. We dressed her up all cute and cuddly (complete with a giant, pink bow), took her into church with us (which she slept right through), and took her to my in-laws for lunch (which she also slept through).

This Easter, I’m thinking, will go just a touch differently. In a good way! This Easter, we get to dye eggs and do Cassidy’s very first Easter basket! Yay! The Easter Bunny always visited our house when my sister and I were growing up. He’d usually bring us a chocolate bunny, Cadbury Eggs, Peeps, and those awful, sugary, marshmallowy, candy eggs (you know the ones I mean- they were oblong, white, chewy eggs coated in a sugary shell. Bleh! I never liked them, but somehow, my Easter basket would never have been the same without them). We’d also always get a cute little outfit or a book or crayons or some other fun little toy. The Easter Bunny always left awesome goodies for us! And now he’ll visit my house!

I’m sure when Cassidy’s older, she’ll get her fair share of candy and sweets, but this year will be a bit of a challenge for us. I’m not letting my 14 month-old anywhere near candy, so…..what do we give her?? Are you in this same conundrum? What exactly do you put in a baby’s Easter basket?? Here’s a simple list I’ve come up with that might give you a few helpful ideas:

Peter Rabbit Organics fruit and vegetable pouches. I love these because they provide the essential fruits and veggies baby needs, they’re chock full of vitamins, they’re all natural and organic, and they’re fun for the little one. Plus, I just love Peter Rabbit…reminds me of my great-grandmother’s stories.

Books. You can never go wrong with books. Cassidy has books for every season and holiday (mostly thanks to her Aunt CiCi!)! I found a cute little baby-sized Easter puffy book at Target today that we’ll put in her basket.

A cuddly stuffed animal. I found these at Pottery Barn Kids and thought they looked so sweet and soft! Perfect for the Easter basket!

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A colorful hair bow or bow tie. Every little boy needs a sweet lil’ bow tie and every little girl needs a big ol’ hair bow on Easter Sunday! That’s just how it is! These both are found on Etsy.

Really, you don’t need a whole lot of things in their first Easter basket- just a few fun little items. I say you can’t go wrong with a book or two, some fruit pouches, and a stuffed animal. And maybe a cute little Springy outfit. And maaaaybe a pair of blue baby jellies.

I hope all you parents out there have as much fun as I did finding sweet tidbits for your little one’s Easter basket!

DIY Miracle Spot Remover…

Posted by Amy — March 14, 2013

Has this ever happened to you? Brand spanking new WHITE shirt; your first wear, and BAM! Spaghetti sauce/baby spit-up/grease. Right down the front. Yeah, me too. A lot, actually. It seems like I can’t ever wear a new shirt without getting it spattered in cooking grease. The old me would’ve either a.) learned to live with the stain, or b.) donated it to goodwill. But not now! Now (thanks to my sister), I have a new spot remover that works better than spray-n-wash or any other so-called stain remover. And it’s all made with things you probably already have lying around the house! AND it’s non-toxic and doesn’t have a bunch of nasty chemicals. Score.

And it passed the ultimate test. Aforementioned brand new white shirt + dog pee (ALL down the front- thanks, Izzy). On top of that, I forgot about it and let it sit for over 24 hours (whoops). I mixed up a little of the spot remover, brushed it on, let it sit for an hour or so before washing it, and whaddaya know- as perfect as the day I bought it. And don’t worry about using it on colors- it works great and doesn’t bleach!

I bought a few little summer outfits for Cassidy at a garage sale (no shame! They’re good as new after a good wash in hot water!) and one outfit (the one pictured above) had a couple of small stains on the front (I’m thinking grape juice), but after treating it with this stuff, it came out good as new. Sweet.

DIY Miracle Spot Remover

1 teaspoon Dawn dish soap (Original blue)
4 tablespoons Hydrogen Peroxide
2 tablespoons baking soda

Mix together in a small bowl. Spoon a little over the area and brush gently (I use a toothbrush) into the stain. Let sit for one hour. Machine wash and dry like normal. Enjoy your new stain-free life!

A Christmas Recap…

Posted by Amy — January 8, 2013

I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and spent lots of time with family and friends!! Our first Christmas with Cassidy was everything I hoped it would be- laid-back, yet exciting, fun-filled, and happy, happy, happy! Our little family of 3 (well, 4, counting Izzy! Can’t leave her out!) had such a magical Christmas morning and so many dear memories were made that Joel and I will always cherish.

Our Christmas Eve was spent with my family. I was asked to sing O Holy Night at our church’s candlelight service, and I’ll never forget looking out into the congregation and seeing my baby girl dance in her daddy’s arms as I sang. Joel and I were worried Cassidy would be super fussy on Christmas Eve staying up so late past her bedtime, but she was an absolute dream! She ate a huge dinner, played with her new toys on my parents’ living room floor, and didn’t fuss one bit.

When we all got home (only 1 minute away, thanks to our recent move! Best idea ever!), Joel and I put Cassidy down and started our Christmas Eve tradition of opening our stockings. Joel is seriously amazing and always gets me cheese for my stocking! Best husband ever! This year he got me some from the famous Zingerman’s deli in Ann Arbor while he was on a recent business trip. OMG- BEST. CHEESE. EVER. Christmas=made!

Christmas morning was everything I had imagined. Cassidy slept all through the night (which she always does, but the last few nights had been very rough due to teething), so we all woke up refreshed and raring to go! She loved her baby doll and cupcake rattle from Santa, but I think she was most impressed with her mega blocks. We’ve already gotten quite a bit of play out of those. Santa brought Izzy a squeaky squirrel toy, which of course, didn’t last long.

After we finished opening our presents at home, we drove over to Joel’s parents’ house and had Christmas brunch with them. More presents. More toys. More fun! Then we took our little family home and played and rested the rest of the day. I’m telling you- best Christmas ever. Seriously. I’ll never forget seeing the excitement on my baby’s face as she experienced her very first Christmas. Joel and I went to bed that night two very exhausted, but very, very happy and fulfilled parents.

11 Months…

Posted by Amy — January 2, 2013

Our little miss Cassidy is 11 months old…wow. Only one month left until she’s a year old. I can’t seem to wrap my brain around that one no matter how hard I try. Here are a few fun updates:

I got my first “baby kisses” the other day (you know, the adorable bumping-into-your-face-with-the-mouth-wide-open type of baby kisses. I thought my heart would burst!)!

We have curls! Cute, perky baby curls at the back of her head. And the face that they’re RED baby curls….well, it just makes it that much cuter.

Eating still continues to be a great success! Salmon, spaghetti, pulled pork, animal crackers, Thai food (yes, Thai food…as long as it has no heat whatsoever. She loved Pad Thai!), all kinds of fruits and vegetables…you name it! She prefers feeding herself, although sometimes she still lets me feed her, which I kind of love. Spaghetti continues to be her favorite, although she loves ditalini pasta tossed in pureed carrots. Mmm, tasty!

She’s also learned how to drink from a straw. I know that one seems a little soon, but our doctor recommended it for her. She’s still not quite used to it, but she does love for me to give her drops of water with the tip of the straw.

Teething has been a roller coaster of emotions. We always know when she’s working on a tooth when we can’t get her to sleep to save our lives. No sleep plus a grumpy, uncomfortable baby definitely does NOT a happy mommy make. Oh well, it’s all part of it, and each time we just remind ourselves, “this too shall pass.”. And BOY, are those little chompers cute! (she has a total of 5 now)

And last but not least- she took her first steps last week! Joel and I were lucky enough to be right there for the action, as well as my parents! She’s been standing all on her own for a while now, so we’ve just been waiting for those first steps to follow. I’m sure she’ll be walking any day now!

This picture makes me look like an absolute idiot, but I just had to share it- my nephew just happened to have his camera at the ready just as Cassidy stood on her own for the first time a couple of weeks ago. What a moment!!

I can’t get over how fast this is all going and how BIG my baby girl is getting, but I absolutely love seeing what each phase brings! She’s an absolute joy to be around- funny, full of life (and energy!), with a mind of her own. There’s a bit of a red-headed temper there, too, but she is my child, after all.

I’ve been planning her first birthday party and can’t wait to see it all take shape! This is the fun part!

Merry Christmas to All!

Posted by Amy — December 23, 2012

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Love,

Joel, Amy, Cassidy, and Izzy

Thoughts on the End of the World…

Posted by Amy — December 21, 2012

The past 3 nights with Cassidy have been pretty rough. She’s working on a new tooth, so naturally she’s not sleeping well at all. Naps are practically non-existent. It’s pretty hard to see the big picture at 4 in the morning… “why won’t this baby let me SLEEP?!”, “I’m so tired; this isn’t fair!”, “will it ever get easier?!”. She woke up screaming at midnight, and again at 7:30 this morning. Bloody murder. That #$@*&!% tooth is REALLY starting to annoy me.

Then, Cassidy screamed and kicked while I changed her diaper this morning. I hadn’t even had my coffee yet and poopy diapers and baby powder are flying everywhere. Legs flailing. I thought sarcastically to myself, “this is going to be a great day…”.

I finally get her down for a nap (that she so desperately needed) this morning, then crawl into my own bed to try and catch up just a little on my sleep. Even 15 minutes would be nice. No sooner does my head hit the pillow then the baby is awake and screaming. GREAT! FINE! I’ll just never sleep AGAIN!

Joel suggests we take the baby and go out to lunch. Our favorite Thai place. Cassidy is all smiles and giggles. The restaurant workers smile and giggle with her. They love her there! A young guy sits alone at a nearby booth and we hear him talk to the waitress about money being tight and trying to find odd jobs. Cassidy starts getting impatient for her lunch and lets out a blood-curdling scream; the young guy smiles at us and Cassidy instead of getting annoyed that we’re interrupting his lunch. We quietly tell the waitress to put his lunch on our tab. She tells us how sweet we are and says “good things will come to you.” I silently look at my husband smiling across the table, then at my precious baby girl and think to myself, “we already have good things.”

I sit in the backseat to keep Cassidy company on the way home. We play peekaboo and giggle and talk to each other. When we get home, I give her a bottle and rock her to sleep. I look down at her precious, angelic face and think to myself,

“if the world ends right now, I’ll die perfectly happy.”

A Little Something Lovely

Decorating, baby-raising, and random musings

Category Archives: Everyday Life