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by toogie ( edited 14 Mar 2017 ) 13 Mar 2017

Good day Cuties, Just wanted to let you know I survived the 3 day week-end, ..... by the way the kids did too!-lol-



My daughter had to go to three day continuing education classes, to keep her license up to date, and SIL had to work. I wasn't suppose to have Avery at all, just the two little ones. Gus will be a year next week and Nora is almost four, but Avery's dad bowed out in the end. SIL was going to have to take off work to keep them and with a one income family now, I said no and stepped in to help.


I don't like leaving Avery in her bed while they are gone, but as I can't and shouldn't lift her, you do what works for all. Thankfully she likes to sleep in and SIL came in early afternoon Saturday & Sunday.


I told my SIL that little Gus is a human I-Robot. He can spot the tiniest thing on the floor and in his mouth it goes. Go, he does too, all over the place. I don't know how his arms aren't bruised because he doesn't crawl like most babies, but pulls himself with his arms very fast across the brick floors.


I know I'm probably boring you, but I am hoping to get some sewing done this week. I still haven't gotten my card reader to work, so I can't show photos of anything unless I use the IPhone.


I made the most delicious cake for them yesterday morning, so if anyone wants the recipe, let me know. It's CHOCOLATE-lol- I made 2 of these last week. One was for Lanie, my oldest grand daughter for her b-day because she loves chocolate and her mom was out of state, also one for us. Lanie said ,"Gram, you need to start making these all the time", so I guess that means she really liked it.-lol


When I was able to sneak a look at projects or post while there, I passed out flowers to you, even tho I may not have had time to comment. Keep up the good work Cuties! Everything looks wonderful! Have a great day, Toogie

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by parkermom 16 Mar 2017

Oh my goodness those look so yummy!! Thanks for sharing them.
My little granddaughter is on the go too, and she finds everything also! I'm exhausted from keeping one child, let alone three. I admire you.

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toogie by toogie 16 Mar 2017

lol-Thank goodness they come along one at a time, most of the time, so you think, 'what's one more?'-lol
Gus can wear me out, chasing after him, so I know how you feel.

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by dragonflyer 15 Mar 2017

Pheeew...I am exhausted just reading about your adventures...yummy cakes too!

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toogie by toogie 16 Mar 2017

Try babysitting them...-lol

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by toogie 14 Mar 2017

Adding for awesome1- I also use this icing below on a regular Butter cake, or yellow cake. If you can read, at the bottom of Clara's Chocolate Cake Supreme, "Frosting'.

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awesome1 by awesome1 15 Mar 2017

Oh, I can just taste that--well, wish I could! Wish, Wish...look so yummy. Ive never doubled (or tripled) my 1 minute frosting, so I'm copying your "Clara's recipe". I should have added before that I often do a boxed mix in a bundt pan and top it with the fudgy frosting. Oh my, I am getting so hungry-no breakfast-going for blood work in a bit. Shame on you for the pix tease. LOL

toogie by toogie 15 Mar 2017

It's a little messy trying to 'pour' it on the sides, but it taste good!

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by toogie 14 Mar 2017

Here is the recipe for the Chocolate cake. It says brownie, but it is more like a cake. Very tender and um, umm good!
It may look like the middle isn't baking, but it will. I thought it was maybe too much liquid, the first one I made, but it did bake. I have trouble with my oven, so I had to leave longer, you may not have to. I did the toothpick in the middle test, to be sure, so you may want to, also. Nora liked licking the icing beaters, as you can see in last photo.

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awesome1 by awesome1 14 Mar 2017

Toogie, I"m gonna make your cake for dessert-son is coming for dinner. However, I'm going to make myMIL's recipe frosting..I love it for one layer cake. It is:
ONE MINUTE FROSTING... 1 c sugar, 1/2 stick butter, 1/4 c cocoa, 1/4 c milk, vanilla and salt. Bring mixture to a hard boil and cook 1 minute. Add vanilla, beat until begins to look dull and not shiny. Spread fast. This is like eating homade fudge. Try it sometime.

awesome1 by awesome1 14 Mar 2017

So sorry--I should have thanked you for the cake recipe--it looks delish!

toogie by toogie 14 Mar 2017

I have that recipe, or one similar. My son asked for one a few months ago, so I text him a photo, and told him he could swing by and pick it up. I'll add it and that recipe too. Let me know how you both feel about the Iron Skillet one.

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by pennifold 14 Mar 2017

Must have been the weekend for babysitting Toogie. I did it too for Dana and Jason as they went to see Adele and so I offered to have the kids from Friday till Sunday about 2.00pm I made Anzac biscuits as Aqualina is allergic to eggs and nuts and they are an easy bake. I wanted to make her an eggless chocolate cake, but Dana is not a baker and there weren't enough ingredients for me to use. So I bought the extra things today before I collected the kids from school.

I love that you can still help out, and I know Ashley would be very appreciative of your help. I can't believe how quickly Gus is growing the kids seem to have a habit of doing that!

God bless you and everything you do for them Toogie. Love Chris

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toogie by toogie 14 Mar 2017

You will have to do like me Chris, bring recipe and most ingredients with you-lol
I know the weekend was hard on you, with your back in the shape it's in, so bless you too my friend. It's not easy on any of us pulling straight days. Thank goodness I got to come home and sleep in my own bed, but being back at 6 am was a bomber. I don't sleep through the nights, most nights.
This past year has gone by fast, so seems like Gus was just born. Although we have Rylan, the great grandson, born in October that is about to catch up. He really has done well, after such a traumatic start.
I was hoping and still am hoping to get some sewing done this week. I have Avery this afternoon, tomorrow is Ashley's birthday and Thursday or Friday I have a friend coming over for me to help her with some tee shirt embroidering/placement. So...........somewhere in there I want to do some sewing!!!-lol-

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by marianb 14 Mar 2017

We aleways love to hear how the grands are and what they have been doing. The cake must have been delicious, can it be made Dairy Free.. Marian

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toogie by toogie 14 Mar 2017

I'm not sure because never had to make something dairy free...Tomorrow is Ashley's 36th birthday. I thought about offering to keep the kids for them to go eat out or a movie since SIL is off, but not really ready to babysit again, I want to sew!-lol

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by heleninca 13 Mar 2017

I love ready the stories of cuties adventures with their grandkids. Thank you.

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toogie by toogie 13 Mar 2017

Well, I could tell you some funny things Nora comes out with! Kids are amazingly honest, too.

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by 02kar Moderator 13 Mar 2017

My goodness, you still have energy to stitch after that workout! Amazing! Kudos to you for taking care of the 3 cherubs and for surviving. Rest up now and enjoy the cake.

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toogie by toogie 13 Mar 2017

The cake is with them, I sure don't need it!-lol- I did eat a piece with Nora that day. She picks, or ask me to pick, all the pecans off the top.

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by mary51 13 Mar 2017

I see you had a busy weekend

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toogie by toogie 13 Mar 2017

Yes, indeed, but parents did too. I told my daughter not to let her license expire since she stopped working. She said she wants to keep them, in case she has to return to work, as a physical therapist. She doesn't want to have to take the State Board Exam again.

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by asterixsew Moderator 13 Mar 2017

Toogie congratulations on surviving what sounds like a very busy weekend. I just find that I don't have the stamina I once did. A friend popped in on her way back from work. Her daughter is moving and she is doing extra childcare and looked shattered. Keep up the good work :)

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toogie by toogie 13 Mar 2017

I have that look myself at times...shattered...as I know I can't keep up like I used to. I just took one day at a time asking for the strength to handle what needed to be done. I hope I don't ever have to do childcare, as a supplement income, because I KNOW I would not hold up day after day. I only help now and then since Ashley stopped working. NO ONE wants to care for Avery. I am the only one that keeps her, besides the parents. Even tho I can't lift everyone else is too scared....

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by sharonleekesner 13 Mar 2017

Love your adventure with the "grands". Thank you for sharing, I can just see that little bugger movin' across the floor popping things in his mouth. What a workout for you and what a nice gift for that little family.

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toogie by toogie 13 Mar 2017

I just prayed I could make it 3 days straight with them. It's not easy 'running' after little ones and I can't tell you how many trips I made to Avery's room checking in on her. SIL told me Sunday morning, when I got there at 6am, they had trouble with Avery the night before. He refreshed me on the deep suction pump, but thankfully I never had to use it. Still, it kept me on my toes. I just kept praying that she would be okay and nothing happen. At one point I had both the little ones with me in her room. She loves to hear the children play and that seemed to soothe her.
SIL was cutting a piece of cake as I left and text me, thanking me and saying it was awesome! I know he appreciated it.

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