Lemon Goodness!

I obviously have a love for all things lemon, and this cake recipe from my mother-in-law has quickly become one of my favorite lemon desserts!! She's been making it for a while now, and it was always a treat when she had one at her house we could enjoy. But I just recently got the recipe from her, so now I can make it anytime I want...and I have already done just that!

Saturday night at 11:30pm, I decided I HAD TO HAVE some lemon cake! I'm just crazy like that. 11:30pm may sound a little late for baking a cake, but in "Laura time" it's really pretty early. I was editing a session, and watching 27 Dresses. Justin and I had been out for a nice date-night dinner earlier in the evening. Barrett was fast asleep in his room, and Justin was playing ping-pong and watching a tv fight at his friend's house. Yes, that is a pretty common scenario in our house these days. My "work day" begins at 8pm when Barrett's in bed. Usually during the week, Justin hangs out on the couch with me while I edit and we watch our nightly shows together. But on the weekends, I'm glad to know that he can head a few blocks away to hang out with his friends. I seem to be more productive, and enjoy watching girly movies, HGTV or Bravo while I work. Our typical bedtime on the weekends is after 2am. During the week it's anywhere between 11pm and 1am :) What can I say...we're night owls!

So anyway...I whipped up my cake at 11:30pm and was enjoying a nice warm piece by 12:30am while I worked. That's probably not a great diet plan, but oh well! I'll work it off at spinning tonight!

So, if you're in need of a little lemon goodness in your life...enjoy this yummy recipe from my mother-in-law's kitchen!

Grandma Sandy's Lemon Cake
(a.k.a. Laura's Late-Night Lemon Cake)

1 box yellow cake mix (or lemon if you want even more lemon flavor)
3.4 oz. pkg. instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup water
4 eggs, beaten
Garnish: powdered sugar

Combine all except powdered sugar; mix well. Pour into 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Immediately poke holds through cake with a fork. Pour glaze over cake (recipe below). Dust with powdered sugar

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 T. butter, melted
2 T. water
1/3 cup lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and stir until smooth

Baby Andie

Our good friends Heidi and Mitch welcomed a new little girl to their family this week. Addison is the proud big sister to Andie Nicole! Andie was born on February 3rd, and weighed 7 pounds, 10 oz (same as Barrett Russell). I was really impatient waiting for her to arrive. Besides the obvious, that I just wanted to snuggle a newborn baby! I was also dying to know her sweet little name! Her parents always keep their baby names a secret. I don't know how people do that! Maybe I'll try it if there's a next time!

I think her name is adorable (her daddy's middle name is Andrew), and I think she looks just like her big sister! Andie has tons of beautiful dark hair though.

Had to dig out my 2006 picture CD to find this one...
Here is Addison in the hospital. Hard to tell if they look alike from this picture.

Congrats, Heidi and Mitch! Barrett has just started saying Addison, so now we'll have to work on baby Andie! I'm looking forward to snuggling on the baby as often as you'll let me :)

TWO hats!

Hello, my name is Barrett.
I love to wear hats.

I love it even more when I can wear TWO hats...or sometimes even three hats.

I put them on just like this: first my stocking cap, and then my baseball hat.
AND then I do a little dance. It goes something like this.

Yeah, I have moves...and I like to parade around in nothin' but my diaper.
Showing off my belly and skinny little chicken legs.

Then it's off with those two hats...

And time for one of my favorite combos. The cowboy hat and the baseball hat.
It's probably pretty obvious that I watch "What Not to Wear" with my mommy.
I don't really pay much attention to it, but I know they're all about accessorizing.

Okay, enough of the two hats. The baseball hat IS my favorite.

It makes me want to dance and sing, and I look cool wearing it while I ride my scooter.

That's all folks! Now get that camera out of my face, Mama!