One year ago today

This was just a block away from our son's house.

A year ago today my husband and I were with our son and his family in Joplin about to enjoy a wonderful Bar-B-Q meal.  It was to  send us off as we were headng home the next day after spending a wonderful two weeks with them.  We had gone out to attend our son's graduation from his Master program and to see our three granddaughters the youngest only 6 weeks old.  Little did we know what was in store for us.  All it took was 10 minutes to totally take what you have and snatch it away from you. We knew that there was a high risk of tornadoes that evening but, nah, not us never. The first siren went off and my daughter-in-law came in and turned the TV on as this was not a drill.  The next thing she said was that a tornado was touching down on the county line which I found out was just two doors down for theirs.  We hustled and hankered down and ten minutes later we found out that we were all still alive.  The next two days were busy as we tried to salvage what we could of our kids home and get them moved to another rental in a city four hours away.  My daughter-in-laws parents home was not as lucky and they had to go to other accommodations and are now finally back in their rebuilt home.  One of their sons lost everything but what they were wearing that day.
As I look back on that day and seeing the destruction  that one tornado can make I drew two conclusion
1. I will never live in a high tornado path.
2. More importantly, that life is a very precious thing and what our children lost in the tornado was just things.  They are all alive, healthy and moving on with their lives so much so that they are expecting their 4th child this fall. People have picked up and are moving forward with their lives. There is still alot of rebuilding to be done but it will get done. Keep working Joplin the world is still watching you and admiring what you have done. 

Most of the roof was gone and the house was shifted on the foundation.

A church right across the street is what saved us from further damage.

The fear of tornadoes are still very much at the back of their minds, as well of ours too as we begin  planning another visit out there.  This time I think we will leave the motor home at home.

This was the home the fall before the tornado.

Blogs of the week

Over the last little while I have been on the search for some new blogs just for inspiration and I have come across a few that I actually really like.  My mother would love one of them as it is from a young family that has moved to France to beginning a new chapter in their lives.

Sunday Brocantes is fun blog of a family woman that goes to American versions of flea markets throughout France. Oh how I would love to tag along with them .  Until I can go back there I will follow along as she post her finds.

The White Approach is another blog that I like to check into every few days as she has great tips on refinishing not just furniture but other things as well.  You don't always have to change something to white to get the nice clean look.  Check out some of her transformations.

Centsational Girl, one of my favorite bloggers, was picked up by Better Homes and Gardens. Take at look at her new site over there Centsational Style.  Centsational Girl is also having a Home depot gift card giveaway this weekend so head on over to enter, for not one but one of three.

Another site that has some fabulous recipes is Raspberri Cupcakes,  need to try some more of them.

Well that is about all for this week.  Have been busy with some new sewing projects that I did not have on my schedule but then that is what happens when you are planning a wedding.  I will post some new pictures later this week with the big surprise of our daughters wedding dress which I am just about finished.  Yup she couldn't find anything she liked and so I ended up creating and making it. I has been 19 years since I retired from making wedding dresses and telling my girls back then I would not be sewing but buying.  I almost made it she is our last daughter to marry.

Petite treat angel food cake

I found another great recipe for Lemon-Raspberry Angel Food Cupcakes and decided to try them as petite treats.  Good news they taste great, bad it that this particular one needs to be made without the little paper liners.  The angel food cake sticks way too much.  Outside of that they were a hit with most of the testers.

Preheat oven to 325        Makes 80 minis or 24 regular cupcakes.

1 (16 oz) package angel food cake mix
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (16 oz) package of powdered sugar. sifted
2 tsp lemon zest


Spray your mini muffin tins well.  I used the paper liners and have decided not to do that again.  I cut out little disk the size of the bottom of the muffin tins out of parchment paper ( as I use these pans alot I usually will spend an hour or so and cut out as many as I can and just store them in a zip lock baggy.) Once I try a new recipe and if it doesn't stick then I do not need to use them the next time. 

I used an angel food cake mix which I added a tablespoon of Lemon Powder from King Author Flour, love that stuff. Followed the directions for the rest of the recipe. 

Spoon batter into baking cups, filling completely full.

Bake at 325 for 17-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.  Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely.

Make a small hole in tops of the cupcakes ( I didn't need too as I used my pipping bag filled with the raspberry jam and just gentle pushed them in.) so if you do not have a piping bag just make a small hole with a knife and put a dab of raspberry change into the holes.

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric  mixer until creamy; add lemon juice( I also add 1 tsp of lemon oil and 1 tbsp of lemon powder) beating this until blended.  Gradually add the icing sugar beating at low speed until blended; stir in the lemon zest(or one tbsp dried lemon zest).

Spread cream cheese frosting on tops. ( I used a piping bag again as it was easier.)

Maybe topped with a fresh raspberry.

Serve and watch them disappear.

The Princess bench is done and I have one granddaughter that loves it. She even let her mom take some pretty awesome pictures of it but she had to be sitting on it.

Before

Oh this one is to die for.

So another one of the recipes that we tried out of Southern Living was a Lemonade Pie. After the kids tried this one they have requested it for the wedding but in a petite treat version.  Have figured it will make about 50 petite treats with this recipe.