Crazy Fun Weekend with Cute Kids and Food!

I was too busy having fun with a crowd of grandchildren (all fourteen were here!!!) to take a lot of pics, but we had two fun in-house projects while the big people were planting thousands of pumpkin plants....

Hershey's Tuxedo Torte (to die for, with help from six-year-old Annie!)

RECIPE HERE!!!! 

And Strawberry Shortcake Cake, a divine recipe that oldest granddaughter Katie made with help from some little cousins... which was so very nice of her!

This one I'm winging:

Strawberry Shortcake Cake:

One White Cake Mix (bake as directed in two 8" or 9" pans. Cool)

For topping:

2 cups (1 pint) whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries (not frozen, they get too juicy)

Whip cream with sugar until stiff. In separate bowl whip cream cheese with powdered sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla. Fold cream cheese mix and whipped cream mix together gently. Add in sliced berries, folding gently.

Fill layers with frosting, then frost outside of cake. Refrigerate to firm frosting. Serve cold. 

This was so pretty and delicious! Tender cake graced with fresh berries and sweet cream... Oh mylanta, you will love this and yes, I should have taken a picture but there were so many cute kids that wanted Grammy time!

And we tucked MacKenzie's birthday in there... and some business stuff... and just all around good times with very noisy rooms, a parade of snakes (who knew that one farm could have so many milk snakes????)

We had lessons in planting and growing and baking and cooking and we ended the weekend with a homemade fish fry on the side porch... which just made everything wonderful!

There's the link to the fish fry with beer batter, a family favorite... and something that's a particular favorite in this neck of the woods!

And here's a glimpse of the re-release of "The First Gift", an absolutely beautiful story of a child who dares to dream despite dire circumstances... and of the people who try so hard to make those dreams come true. Available now on Amazon!

Kindergarten teacher Kerry McHenry is nobody’s fool. She sees her own tough upbringing in the face of a poverty stricken child and she's willing to do whatever it takes to make things better.

At the same time, she finds herself torn between a commitment-phobic doctor and Phillipsburg’s widowed deputy sheriff, a complicated man who is still angry with God.

As the stakes grow higher and the characters’ lives intersect in unexpected ways, each will face a true test of faith—and come face to face with indisputable evidence of God’s love.

Multi-published inspirational novelist Ruth Logan Herne is living her dream of writing the kind of books she loves to read, books with unforgettable and totally relatable characters... like the guy next door or the family that shares your pew in church each Sunday. Visit her website ruthloganherne.com or friend her on facebook... or follow her on Twitter. She's a real people person and loves to make new friends!