Family-Favorite Poke Cake

Hello, dear friends!!!  Popping in to quickly leave you a Tummy Tempting Tuesday Recipe!  This is a quick and simple dessert that works for any occasion.  As a matter of fact, I think I might make it this weekend for my little crew! :)  Hope you're having a fantabulous Tuesday!

Family-Favorite Poke Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

10 fun size Milky Way candy bars, divided

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 jar (12 oz.) Milky Way ice cream topping (or I have just used any caramel ice cream topping)

1 carton (12 oz.) whipped topping

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using a greased 13-in. X 9-in. baking pan. Chop 6 candy bars.  Remove cake from the oven; immediately sprinkle with chopped candy bars.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Using the end of a spoon handle, poke 20 holes in the warm cake.  Pour the condensed milk over cake; cool for 10 minutes.  Pour the ice cream topping over cake; cool completely.

Spread whipped topping over cake.  Chop remaining candy bars; sprinkle over cake.  Cove and store in the refrigerator.  

Yield: 12-15 servings

A Day in the Life of Our Homeschooling

TOTALLY RANDOM QUESTION ALERT:

I have a question that I would LOVE for any and all to help me with.  I have completely changed the way I homeschool - leaving the world of textbooks and "regular school"- and I am now teaching using the Charlotte Mason living book method.  However, I am finding that many of the excellent quality books that are recommended, our library does not carry - even through their interlibrary loan program.  Is there a book swap out there?  Do you have a great place to buy used books?  I am just not finding a lot of options except buying brand new through Amazon or used through half.com.  I would love to buy all of our books, but money or space does not allow for that.  Please let me hear how you work this in your family!

AND NOW, BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED POST:

Well, it's MONDAY!!!  Are you ready for the week?  I have found that whether my week dies or survives is determined by how well I spend my Saturday!  I almost always enjoy a lazy Saturday morning, but if I stretch the laziness past morning, my week is doomed!!!  The rest of Saturday I try to spend preparing for the next week - making sure the laundry is caught up, planning my menu, making my priority to-do list, putting the house in order and now, since school has begun, planning out the next school week.

Today, I am linking up again with the Not Back to School Blog Hop, and we are sharing what a Day in Our Life looks like! (I would add what a day in our Crazy, Mixed Up, Somewhat Random Life looks like!) We have already completed our first week of school, and I was thrilled with how well my schedule worked!  It has been several years since I have had such a successful first week of school! YAY!!!  There were a couple of small things that I am going to adjust, but overall, this schedule seemed to fit our family very well!  Because I have 5 kiddos who are 9 and younger, and they all still need me right there with them during most or all of their schooling, I keep a fairly rigid schedule.  As they grow more independent, I am hoping to lessen the rigidity. Also, just a disclaimer...this schedule is not always followed to a T.  Part of the greatness of homeschooling is the flexibility it gives us, but for the most part, this is what works best for us. So here it is!

 

Time Out for Praise

Today is....good, beautiful, right!  I love it when days like this happen!  It's not been perfect, but it has been good.  I love this 75* weather with a nice breeze and lots of sunshine!  The windows are open, the music is playing, the kiddos are resting, and so I began to read a few of the Psalms - which is one of my favorite things to do when I'm very happy or very sad!  Here are a few of my favorites!

Psalm 146:1-2

Praise ye the Lord.  Praise the Lord, O my soul.

While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Psalm 135:3

Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.

Psalm 116:5

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

Psalm 106:1-2

Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?

Psalm 95:1-3

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Psalm 92:1, 2, 4, & 5

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:

To shew forth they lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

I could give you many more, but I'll stop here and let you take over!  What are your favorite praise verses? May we take every opportunity we have this weekend to just stop and praise the Lord for His kindness, faithfulness and grace that He has so undeservedly blessed us with.  Happy weekend!