In the Kitchen ~ Banana-Coconut Crunch Cake ~ 4/30/15

This recipe came from a cookbook called "America's Favorites:  Bake Sale". 

Banana-Coconut Crunch Cake

Cake:

1 package banana cake mix (yellow if you can't find banana)
1 package (4 oz) banana flavor instant pudding
1 can (16 oz) fruite cocktail, in juice, undrained
4 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Glaze:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 13X9X2 inch cake pan.

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, fruit cocktail with juice, eggs and oil in a large bowl.  Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 4 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup coconut.  Pour into prepared pan.

Combine pecans and brown sugar in a small bowl.  Stir until well mixed.

Sprinkle over batter.

Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

For the glaze, combine granulated sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Stir in 1 1/3 cups coconut.  Pour over warm cake.

 Serve warm or at room temperature.

I wasn't sure I would like this recipe because I'm not a huge fan of fruit cocktail. But...I loved it!  The fruit cocktail mixed into the batter so well, I wouldn't even have known it was there.

This cake was so moist and delicious!


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Linking up to:  Full Plate Thursday, Inspritation2 , Creative Ways, Grace at Home, Create It Thursday, Your Turn to Shine,   Project Stash and Home Sweet Home, Share Your Cup.

Weigh-In Wednesday ~ 4/29/15

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Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.

Colossians 3:23

If you have been following along with my posts, you'll know that last Monday I had my gallbladder removed.  I've spent this entire week going from one chair to another chair, to the couch, to my bed, etc., etc., etc.  Not much activity at all, which is what the doctor ordered.

Imagine my surprise, when I weighed in and have lost 7 pounds!!!

All I can think is I must have been retaining a ton of water-weight from surgery because I really haven't been dieting.  I really don't know.  But I hope it continues.

I go back to the doctor for my follow-up this afternoon and am hoping that I can start going for walks to get myself back in the groove.  After a bit of that, I'd really like to get back to the gym and work my way back to the level of exercise I was at before this whole gallbladder thing started acting up.

I know I'll have to take it slow, but I am so ready to get back to normal activity! 

This week's stats:

Miles:  0
Total Miles:  3

lbs lost:  7
Total lost:  24

Thanks for stopping by!  Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Also linking up to  WholeHearted Wednesday, Party in Your PJs,  The Mommy Club, Works or Me, Wake-Up Wednesday and Wow Me Wednesday and Weigh-In Wednesday and Workout Wednesday.

 

Ravelry Swap Package!!! 4/28/15

My package came!  My package came!

 

I belong to a group on Ravelry called "Afghan Swap 2015".  We send three packages total through-out the year, the last of which will contain an afghan.

My partner is Renee.  I've enjoyed chatting with her and getting to know her a bit through Ravelry.  She sent me the first and second package together.  Man, did I make out!

Each package was to contain a handmade object, yarn, a recipe and other knick-knacks as desired.

My favorite color is turquoise and she remembered!  I can't wait to make something out of this yarn!  I love that she sent me a granny square pattern book and a cookie cookbook!  Great ideas for the blog and all ;)

The second bag had more turquoise!  A really cute glass container, ice-creams bowls and a little sunflower kit that I can't wait to try out.

My handmade item is a carry-all.  And it had a ton of things in it, too!

Look at all these goodies!!!

The third package had a little handmade bag, a beautiful fan lots of other fun things.

I love it!!  Thanks so much, Renee!

Bout of Books ~ Read-a-Thon Sign Up Post ~ 4/28/15

 

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I've really been struggling with finding time to read lately.  I'm hoping this RAT will help get me back in the reading groove!

Goals:

~Not stress
~Read a for certain number of minutes each day
~Finish 1-2 books
~Again, not stress!

Book Giveaway ~ Lean Body Fat Wallet ~ Ends 5/8/15

Up for grabs is the following book:

What’s good for the wallet is good for the body—an innovative approach to improving both your wealth and your health.
What would you do if you finally lost that weight and had energy to burn? How different would your life be if you were completely out of debt and in control of your finances? And what if you could do both at the same time with just a few simple, sustainable lifestyle changes? It can happen for you—without drastic dieting or austerity budgets, and even if you’ve tried and failed in the past.


Ellie Kay and Danna Demetre are life experts in two seemingly different fields—finance and fitness. Working together, they realized the principles and habits that help you balance your budget are the same ones that help you lose weight and keep it off. The result is an innovative “two for one” approach that can literally transform your life. Here’s just a sampling of what you’ll find in Lean Body, Fat Wallet:


Four essential habits for satisfying, sustainable change—and how to make them part of your life
Ten “failure factors” that trip us up—and how to steer clear of them
The single key that makes it all work: “renewing the mind”
Proven strategies to overcome emotional eating and spending
An all-purpose investment principle to keep you moving forward in hope
A wealth of stress busters that don’t rely on food or money
A game plan for raising fit and frugal kids
Why giving is an essential part of achieving physical and financial health

To enter the giveaway:

*Mandatory-  Leave a comment telling me how to contact you if you are the winner.

*Extra-  Follow my blog and leave a second comment telling me that you do :)

 

The giveaway will run until 11:59pm EST, May 8, 2015.  The winner will be emailed on May 9th.

Family Time ~ Beautiful Saturday Weather ~ 4/28/15

 

A couple Saturdays ago, it was an absolutely gorgeous day outside.  After getting our housework done, I grabbed the camera and we all went outside to enjoy the weather.

 

A few of my flowers were in bloom, so I had to capture them.  I knew the 70 degree weather in Pennsylvania in April wouldn't last.  (And it didn't!)

My mom and my cousin's little boy, Dexter, came to spend some time with us.

 

Laken and Dex had such fun on the swings.  We hadn't gotten the trampoline set back up yet.  You can see the empty shell behind them.  Look at that cheesy smile on Dex's face!

 

I adore this picture.

They spent some time reading in the sun.  One of my favorite pastimes!

They didn't stay seated for long.  Someone mentioned bikes and that was all it took.  We dug out one of the girls' smaller bikes for Dex to ride.  It has since been spray painted green to be a boy's bike.  You wouldn't recognize it for the Princess bike it once was.

One of the few things Kaylee will come out of her room and into the great outdoors for is bike riding.  She heard we were going and she was off!

Laken loves getting her picture taken and posed graciously for this picture :)

Did you have any of these rare Spring days or does it still seem like winter where you are?  What activities do you like to do outside?

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up Totally Terrific Tuesdauy,  Titus 2sdays, Unite, Share Your Stuff, Treasure Box, Do Tell Tuesday and Titus 2 Tuesday, Hearth and Soul, Tuesdays with a Twist.

Make it Monday ~ Stained Glass Granny Complete ~ 4/27/15

 

 

 

Last week, this was the progress I had made on my Stained Glass Granny.

 

 First, I finished all 35 granny squares.

 

 

Next, I crocheted all the squares together.  This took me a while.  It is a tedious process that I don't really mind, but I was still sore from surgery so I had to take a couple breaks after wrestling with the strips of squares.

 

 

After I got them all crocheted together, I added border rows, alternating between color and black.  I finished it off with a black scalloped edging. 

 

 

And...Stained Glass Granny is COMPLETE!!!

 

 

 

 

 

So, what do you think of my Stained Glass Granny?  Have you made one similar?

 

Now, on to my next project.  I think I'll call it "Sunny Blue Hawaii".  More on that later...

 

Please leave me a comment with a link so I can return the visit!!

Linking up to Making Memories Monday,  Making Your Home Sing , Inspire Me Monday, Merry Monday , Motivation Monday, Made By You, Creative Mondays, What'd You Do this Weekend and Pieces by Polly Block Party,  Monday's Musing and Making Monday, Stitch It Up and Hooking on Humpday, Yarn Along , Yarn Fanatic , Keep Calm Craft On.

Songs on Sunday ~ Prayer of Thanks and Day One ~ 4/26/15

 

I would like to thank each and every one of you that prayed for my gallbladder surgery on Monday!  I now have a prayer of thanks, because everything went very well.  I was in and out of surgery in 45 minutes and home within 4 hours of my arrival time.  It went so fast!  I was amazed. 

 

From what I can tell, I'm healing well.  I'm no longer taking ANY pain medication and just have a little bit of soreness when I get out of bed.  I go back for my follow-up appointment on Wednesday to find out when I can go back to work.  Again, thanks so much for the prayers.

 

Now, on to Songs on Sunday.  This song speaks to me on so many levels.  Are you ready to start Day One of the rest of your life?

 

   

 

Well, I wish I had a short term memory
Wish the only thing my eyes could see
Was the future burning bright right in front of me
But I can't stop looking back

Yeah, I wish I was a perfect picture of
Somebody who's never not good enough
I try to measure up but I mess it up
And I wish I wasn't like that

I wish I wasn't wishing anymore
Wish I could remember that nobody's keeping score
I'm tired of throwing pennies in a well
I gotta do something
Here goes nothin'

It's day one of the rest of my life
It's day one of the best of my life
I'm marching on to the beat of a brand new drum
Yeah, here I come
The future has begun
Day one

Well, every single day Your grace reminds me
That my best days are not behind me
Wherever my yesterday may find me
Well, I don't have to stay there

See my hourglass is upside down
My someday soon is here and now
The clock is tickin'
And I'm so sick and tired of missing out

It's day one
And here comes the sun

Every morning, every morning
Every morning, mercy's new
Every morning, every morning
Every morning, I will fix my eyes on You
Every morning, every morning
Every morning, mercy's new
Every morning, every morning
Sun's coming up, the beginning has begun

Starting over, I'm starting over
Starting over, I'm starting over, starting now
I'm starting over
Starting over, I'm starting over
Starting over
Starting over, starting now
I'm starting over

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

 

I'm also linking up to Spiritual Sunday and Counting My Blessings , Faith And Friendship , Grace And Truth , Dance with Jesus, Sunday Stillness, Give Me Grace and The Weekend Brew.

Weekend Round-up ~ 4/25/15

 

 

Sunday

 

Sunday, I asked for prayers for my upcoming Gallbladder surger and featured the song "More of You" by Colten Dixon.  Listen to it HERE.

 

Monday

 

Monday, I shared the progress I've made on my "Stained Glass Granny" Afghan.

 

 

 

Tuesday

 

Tuesday, featured our time spent together with the girls learning to make pizza.

 

 

 

Wednesday

 

Wednesday, was an Earth Day Hodgepodge and a Weigh-In Wednesday.

 

Thursday

 

Thursday, was FINALLY a new recipe here on Colletta's Kitchen Sink.  I made the yummy

Peanut Butter Coffee Cake.  You should give it a try!

 

 

 

Friday

 

Friday, I talked about some of the things that made me smile this week.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up with Link Party Palooza , Sharing Time , Dare to Share , Inspiration Spotlight and Strut Your Stuff.