Author: Ellie

Is there life after chocolate?

The “official party line” of the Ewoldt household remains — “if it doesn’t have chocolate, it’s not dessert“.  However, I truly believe that there is one exception to this rule.  A recipe so luscious and lemon-y that it’s guaranteed to make your socks roll up and down.  …well, not really.  …but still, it’s really, really, really, really good.

You’ll need …

1 box of standard yellow cake mix

1 small package of lemon jello

3/4 cup oil

3/4 cup water

4 eggs

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl (wonder how many times I can work the word “mix” into this sentence?) or mixer (ha!) for about 4 minutes and then pour into a greased 13×9 and bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes.

As soon as the cake is baked and removed from the oven, take a roasting fork and poke holes all over the top of it.  Then mix 2 cups of powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and glaze (while cake is still hot).

Oh my … there are no words …

 

Lemon Jello Cake aka: all that is good and right about this lemony world

 

We Love the Zoo!

Yesterday, we went to Brookfield Zoo with some special friends from our church.    [true devotees of the Ewoldt family will want to note that there were 6 children 4 and under, 3 of whom were under 2 — God give us strength!]

Darcy, Aidan, Caedmon, and Piper @ the fountain

Despite our love affair with the zoo, I have to confess that on clear days (such as yesterday), as I drove east, I had a crazy desire to ditch the zoo plans and head straight for the Chicago skyline.

We’ve found that our length of time spent at the zoo is largely based on the good  mood of our kids.  [ie: it’s all good ’til the meltdown happens]  Yesterday, we made it 4 whole hours!  [baby steps … baby steps …]

Darcy in Great Bear Wilderness

The only downside to the whole excursion was the missing (or rather, loaned out) elephant.  …breaking my son’s tiny heart and making the mantra “Ehpah! [insert raspberry noises]” he’d been screaming the whole trip to Brookfield … well, just futile.  Poor Aidan.  Life is so hard.   It’s a good thing there are still tigers.  🙂

"Look at the camera, Aidan! Look at the camera, Aidan!"

Hidden Chase

Chase is loud [a slight understatement] when he wants to be, but he also has this bizarre habit of finding a random place to hide [favorite place? under the coffee table] and just sit watching his frantic mother run around the house calling for him.  It’s a little strange actually, but I’ve been informed that he gets it from his father, so, I guess my frantic-running-around-the-house days have only just begun.

Speaking of which, where is Bob?! …

"Can you see me now, Mom?"

Something Better

Occasionally, (or more often than that) I anticipate sharing from whatever I’m reading. Today’s quote comes from my current study on the book of Hebrews — “Hoping For Something Better“, by Nancy Guthrie —

“God does not intend for us to wear ourselves out with meaningless religious activity, filling ourselves with theology, working for him but never knowing what it is to enjoy knowing him and being known by him.”

Friday Five

Five person family, alliteration, etc, etc … a one sentence (or less) sum of the “random” in our week.  [and in this moment, it’s posted a little earlier than Friday]

B:  Working Randy Hultgren’s congressional campaign.

E:  On a charting kick.

D:  Read the word “Love” by herself.

A:  Obsessed with standing on his head.

C: 3 new teeth; bringing the grand total to 6.

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