Best-Ever Carrot Cake

Last week one of the linemen (I work at an electric cooperative) brought me some carrots from his garden. I was so excited! Fresh carrots are the best! When I was little my sisters and I would run out to the garden, try to pick the biggest carrot, barely brush the dirt off, and eat it. Mmmmmm...so good! Anyway, later I saw the same lineman and he requested I make a carrot cake from scratch. He remembered the last time I'd made one, which surprised me cause that was a good 4-5 years ago! Wow...must've been a really good carrot cake! So, being the nice person I am, I went ahead and made the linemen a carrot cake from those fresh carrots. Pacen was so bummed that they got the whole cake so I let him have a sliver and tonight I made him a cake of his own. It will be a nice surprise for him in the morning. A not so nice surprise will be that he has to share it with me. :) The recipe I use is out of the Better Homes and Garden cookbook. Yes, the famous plaid cookbook. It is called "The Best-Ever Carrot Cake" and it lives up to its name. I also made Cream Cheese Frosting from scratch and used a recipe out of the same book. Here are the recipes.

Best-Ever Carrot Cake

4 beaten eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, but I suggest you use it!)
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups finely shredded carrots* (lightly packed)
3/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted (optional...I didn't use them)

Allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and flour (or use grease and wax paper) two 9 x 1 1/2-inch round cake pans. Set pans aside. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon (if desired...and trust me it should be desired), and baking soda.

In a medium bowl combine eggs, carrots, and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool thoroughly on racks.

Frost tops and sides with Cream Cheese Frosting. If desired, sprinkle chopped pecans over frosting. Store cake in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

*NOTE: The carrots need to be finely shredded or they may sink to the bottom of the pan during baking.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tsp vanilla
5 3/4 to 6 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar (I only used 4 cups cause I think too much takes away from the cream cheese flavor.)

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in additional powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency. (Like I said...I only used 4 cups and it tastes great!)

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." ~ Jim Davis

It's that time...

It's that time of year. The time in between the scorching heat and the bitter cold. The time when days become shorter. The time to harvest. The time of the year that I consider to be the most beautiful. I love Autumn. I love the colors of the leaves. I love the smell. I love the weather...it's usually not too hot and not too cold...usually. :) Last weekend I went on a road trip to Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills to take pictures of the pretty colors. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a disappointing trip. It rained the whole time (just my luck...it was super nice the whole week before...almost too hot). Yes there were pretty colors to see, but they just aren't quite as pretty when there is a cold, wet fog surrounding everything. I did manage to get some fairly decent pictures at Roughlock Falls, but I had to use Photoshop Elements to enhance the color a little because they turned out too dull and dreary (due to the fog and rain). Next weekend I get to attend a wedding at Roughlock Falls and I'm hoping that the sun is shining and there is still some color to see.

This is North of Harrison in Monroe Canyon.

Roughlock Falls in Spearfish Canyon

Near Roughlock Falls

View from Roughlock Falls

On the way home...beautiful Aspen.

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. " ~ Albert Camus

"Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter." ~ Carl Bishop Hipps

Abandoned

A couple years ago I mentioned my fascination with old, abandoned, and wore-down buildings. It's a fascination I've had my whole life. When I see an old abandoned building all I want to do is sneak inside, explore, and take pictures. I don't want to steal anything or destroy anything...I just like to look. I like to imagine what it may have looked like in the past when someone cared for it and I like to imagine what it could look like if someone invested the time and money to administer some TLC. It's just so hard for me to fathom how people can let old buildings rot and crumble. There are so many abandoned buildings that are beautiful and could be put to good use if they were fixed up. If I were filthy rich and didn't have to work I would spend part of my time fixing up old abandoned buildings.

Last week I stumbled upon a website that made me drool. It is a website that lists 100 abandoned houses in Detroit. I have fallen in love with a majority of the houses on the website. They are amazing and beautiful! I've heard enough about Detroit to understand why there are so many abandoned houses, but maybe by cleaning up and fixing some of those houses Detroit can begin to clean up and become a better city. I assume many of the abandoned houses on the website are in the ghetto type areas of the city, but I just feel that if they were fixed up then maybe the neighborhood(s) would turn around and become what they once were. Have I also mentioned that I am a very hopeful person? I dream...A LOT. :)

I love this house! Beautiful and so much potential!

Look at all the abandoned homes in this neighborhood! Ridiculous! They even have decent roofs and glass in the windows...they could be fixed up fairly easily (compared to many others).

"The cry of the ghetto is being heard by a nation with its fingers in its ears." ~ Barbara Sizemore

Pumpkin Patch

Today I went on a field trip with the 4th graders. We went to the University of Wyoming Ag Research Center and the Harvest Home Pumpkin Patch. Pacen has been on a field trip to the pumpkin patch every year since 1st grade and I've never been able to join him. This year the field trip was on my Friday off so I jumped at the opportunity to go. I've never been to a pumpkin patch and I always thought it would be fun. The pumpkin patch that LEMS goes to also has a corn maze. This year the maze is a soldier with a flag and it says "We Support Our Troops". Last night Pacen said, "Mom. Last year I ran through the maze with Cole (running through the maze is not allowed). I'm not doing that this year because the maze is a soldier and that is disrespectful to soldiers." I asked him if a teacher told him that and he said, "No." I was so proud of him for wanting to (on his own accord) respect the military.

Pacen led Mrs. Wasserburger and I around the maze and then we got to choose our pumpkins. Pacen picked a pretty large one. Surprise, surprise. :) I picked a medium sized one and I also bought a few itty bitty white pumpkins, some tomatoes, and a few squash. I can't wait to eat the squash (with a little brown sugar and butter baked into it). All-in-all it was a good field trip. We learned quite a bit at the UW Ag Rearch Center, ate lunch in the park, and had fun at the pumpkin patch. I hope I get to go again next year.

Pacen with his pumpkin

"We fancy men are individuals; so are pumpkins; but every pumpkin in the field goes through every point of pumpkin history." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Long Time Coming

Well, it's about time I post some (and by some I mean A LOT) of pictures from my Self Discovery Trip. Here are some (A LOT) of my favorites...

Day 1: Battle of Little Big Horn & National Cemetery

Day 2: Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho

Day 2: International Rose Test Gardens - Portland, OR

Day 2: Japanese Gardens - Portland, OR

Day 3: Portland and Wedding

Day 4: Mount St. Helens & Washington State Capitol

Day 4: Seattle (Pike Place Market & Waterfront)

Day 5: Around Seattle! (I LOVE Seattle!)

Day 5: Seattle Waterfront, Space Needle, and Views

Pike Place Fish & the famous "Low Flying Fish"

Day 6: Oregon Coast - Astoria and along Highway 1o1

Day 6: Oregon Coast -Highway 101, Cape Meares Lighthouse, Devil's Punchbowl, & Devil's Churn

Cold and miserable day, but that won't keep me from enjoying the Ocean!

Day 7: Heceta Head Lighthouse!!!!

Day 7: University of Oregon and on into Idaho.

Creepy!!! :)

Day 8: Back in Beautiful Wyoming!!

"Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow." ~Mark Twain

Much Needed Lovin'

This week has been quite a week. Things at work are really getting under my skin and causing me to be in a bad mood. To top it off the scabs from my tonsillectomy (that I had 2 weeks ago) still haven't fallen off so my throat is still slightly bothering me. Today, though, I received some lovin' from a very special little girl in my life, which made my week 100% better. The little girl is my 3-year-old "niece", Autumn. She used to pretty much despise me and never wanted anything to do with me. *Heartbreak* Back in June she became an older sister and now she loves to be around me. When I visit her and her family she sits with me on the couch and we talk and color. When Autumn and her mom drive through Lusk Autumn used to say, "Aunt Wook lives here and she has two snakes." Now she says, "Aunt Wook lives here, she has two snakes, and I love her." Yay!! :) I love feeling her arms wrapped around my neck when she gives me hugs. I love to see the excitement on her face when she sees me. I love the way she gives me big kisses. I have a few "nieces" and a "nephew" and anytime any of them give me lovin' it makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside and it totally brightens my day/week/year! There's just something about children's hugs, kisses, and smiles...

My "niece", Autumn

"Love is the greatest refreshment in life." ~ Pablo Picasso

Busy, busy Summer

Oh my! I have been slacking on my blog this Summer! I've been busy. I spent most evenings this Summer either playing Softball or training for my first Triathlon. As far as weekends are concerned...c'mon, everyone knows how Summer weekends are...busy, busy, busy. I made it to the lake a couple of times, hung out with friends, enjoyed Rawhide, participated in the Sioux County Fair (my hometown fair), attended weddings, etc. Summers are crazy hectic and I'm ready for things to slow down. Unfortunately, I don't think they will. Pacen is going to be participating in a few more things during this school year so I have a feeling we'll be go, go, go all year. *sigh* Here are some pictures from this Summer

Pacen and I watching Fireworks on the 4th of July

The sisters and I at Rawhide

Pacen enjoying some lake fun!

Pig Wrestling

The sisters and I at the John Mellencamp and Bob Dylan Concert

Pacen's 10th Birthday Party

Busch Stadium!!

"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it." ~ Russel Baker