Jennifer Lyon


Sunday, March 28th, 2021
Weekend Roundup

My weekend rated a Pleasantly Busy Seal of Approval.

Saturday I made Bailey’s Hot Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes I made for my daughter-in-law’s birthday:

This set has Bailey’s Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

 

This set has Chocolate Ganache Icing

Then we went to their house. It was a lovely afternoon of visiting them, having barbequed hamburgers, and playing with the dogs. Special K dropped by with our grandson, Turbo. It was adorable watching three-year-old Turbo playing with their dogs. They have two pit mixes; Hazel is about 40 pounds and her nature is very gentle. Turbo threw her toy for her and they had a blast. Jett is about 70 pounds, and one of the most confident and balanced dogs I’ve ever met. However, because of his size, they are more cautious with him around Turbo. Jett’s really good with kids in general, but he doesn’t realized he could hurt Turbo if he bumped into him too hard, and he’d most definitely lick his face. In fact, he did mange to lick him a couple times, and Turbo laughed. Since Turbo has three dogs of his own, he’s used to doggy kisses.

Middle Son and Daughter in law were telling us all about a huge charity event they were a involved in last weekend to help very sick kids in the hospital. They do this every year. My daughter-in-law also does a lot of work for a dog rescue. I love hearing about their passion and dedication to making a difference, and I love that my daughter-in-law recognized this generous, caring side of our son, and helped him direct that energy into such worthy causes.

Sunday I made lactose free double chocolate chip cookies for Youngest, then went over there to see him. He’s also working 7 days a week during tax time. I got to see his two dogs (y’all know I love all the dogs, LOL), and see his new nail gun. He LOVES his tools, and is pretty good with them too. He also showed me his various work benches, because of course, you need more than one.  All forms of carpentry is how he decompresses from the daily work of tax and wealth management.

For anyone intersted in lactose-free cookies: I do it by substituting lactose free margarine for butter, and non dairy dark chocolate chips (I use the brand “Enjoy Life” dark chocolate chips), and I make sure the cocoa is 100% cocoa with no milk added. Once I make the dough, I chill it, use a cookie scoop to form the cookies, and put those in the free for 10 to 20 minutes right before putting them in a hot oven to bake. That prevents the lactose free butter from spreading too much, and gives the cookies a soft, almost brownie-like consistency.

That was my very chocolatey weekend, now I’d really love to hear about yours!

6 comments to “Weekend Roundup”

  1. B.E. Sanderson
    March 29th, 2021 at 6:43 am · Link

    Yay for your fun weekend! And all that chocolate! And loads of family time!

    I spent the weekend doing outside stuff – like clearing/weeding gardens and starting my container garden for vegetables. (It’s the only way deer won’t eat my veggies.) I’ve also been hip-deep in post publication stuff that I really should’ve finished last week. I’ve also been cleaning like a maniac because I let it go for so long. Blerg. More of the same today and for the foreseeable future.



  2. Silver James
    March 29th, 2021 at 7:33 am · Link

    What an awesome weekend filled with family, fun, and food! Those bundt cakes look awesome and I bet the cookies tast good despite no dairy. You are such a good mom and of course you raised your boys to find the right women to totally compliment the men they’ve become. You and Wiz should be proud. Also, power tools for the win!

    I mostly blew off Saturday. I pretended I was working but spent most of the day staring out the window and working pieces around in my head. Yesterday, those pieces finally fell into place. The chapter that I thought was just going to be filler between one action and the next turned out to have deeper meaning is a good set-up for future stuff and foreshadows why Sinjen does what he is going to do. Yay.

    Not much to report except walking outside a few times to enjoy the sunshine. Have a great week. 🥰



  3. Viki S.
    March 29th, 2021 at 2:34 pm · Link

    You were one busy baker this past weekend! Everything looks so good too 😊. I bet Turbo enjoyed his very own bundt cake, didn’t he?

    It’s so nice that you and the family get together and have fun. We’ve been informed that even when we are all fully vaccinated (14 days after 2nd shot) we can come in the house fully masked and play. Right now, because they need him hubs (the only fully vac at the moment) can go in the house and watch Harrison for them but must wear a mask. She won’t let more than two of us around at a time until Harrison is fully vaccinated. She hopes by Fall. I don’t know, he’ll be going on 4 and will have had so little interaction with people other than his mom and dad. I worry for him.

    Middle and DIL don’t celebrate religious holidays but have invited hubs and me over on Easter Sunday. DIL will be getting her first shot earlier that day. Sure hope she still feels up to having us over. I plan to make a lemon pound cake.

    Spunk has still been vomiting in the morning but the burping has been gone the past three days. So, maybe the Pepcid AC is working. Fingers crossed.

    Our furnace won’t work at all now. The guy tried to talk youngest through diagnostics but they all failed. He’ll be out tonight when he gets off work. Good thing since we’re due for snow again on Thursday.

    Have to go make dinner.

    I hope you have a great afternoon!



  4. Jenn
    March 29th, 2021 at 5:04 pm · Link

    B.E., it was a nice weekend here.

    Wow you are doing a lot with all the gardening and working on post publication tasks. I believe I saw somewhere (FB?) that you were updating backmatter. That’s a cumbersome job!

    Happy Monday!



  5. Jenn
    March 29th, 2021 at 5:07 pm · Link

    Silver, thanks :-)

    Thanks is AWESOME when filler turns out to be so much more significant and, I’m assuming, hitting the emotion. Yay! Also, that’s not pretending to work, that’s really, truly, for reals, working! I want that moment for my book!

    Hope your week is off to a great start!



  6. Jenn
    March 29th, 2021 at 5:15 pm · Link

    Viki, Turbo and his mom left before we got to the cakes, but he was content with the “Happy Meal” his mom brought (plus extra fries for Grandpa, LOL), and getting into the bowl of chips.

    This pandemic has so hard on kids :-) Turbo doesn’t get to play with kids his own age and we all worry about that. I don’t want to comment on your son and daughter in law, because I know they are doing what they believe best. But I feel really bad for you and your husband. It’s heartbreaking to miss out on so much for you guys and Harrison. Hugs to you all.

    I’ll keep my fingers crossed that your other daughter in law doesn’t have any reaction to the first shot so you can all enjoy some time together on Easter. Lemon pound cakes is always delicious.

    Poor Spunk. He’s had a rough time lately. I really hope it all settles down so he doesn’t have to deal with vomiting or burping.

    Yikes, you have to have your furnace! I hope it gets fixed tonight and you guys stay warm!



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