blueberry buckle

i have a confession to make. i seem to think there needs to be dessert. all. the. time.
it's a serious fault, i think.

but i'm picky. i don't like to make or eat just any old dessert, although you might not be able to tell by looking at me☺

i was flipping through the "cake" section of my dessert recipes to find there are only 3 cakes i make - pineapple upside down cake, texas sheet cake & pumpkin sheet cake. otherwise, there are a couple of coffee cakes and shortcake. that's it.

it so happened that i was in a cakey mood the other day, so i pulled out one of those coffee cake recipes. i know this as blueberry buckle.

it's yummy & it has blueberries in it. those requirements are way up there on my list of good.

blueberry buckle
2 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. shortening (which can be substituted with butter, or *gulp* lard if that's all you've got)
3/4 c. milk
1 egg
2 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen
glaze & crumbtopping recipes, see below

cream sugar, shortening & egg. add dry ingredients alternately with milk. stir in berries last. spread into greased 9 x 9" pan & sprinkle with crumb topping. bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. drizzle with glaze after a few minutes of cooling. serve warm.

*for a 9 x 13" size cake (like i make), make 1 1/2 times the above recipe.

crumb topping (blend together with a fork or pastry blender)
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. soft butter

glaze(mix together to drizzling consistency)
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1-2 tsp. hot water

make it, bake it, eat it. you'll be glad you did☺

beautiful girl | nappanee children's photographer

i'm like a kid in a candy shop with this girl in front of my camera. i could just eat her up! i knit this hat just to take pictures of it on her pretty little head.

i don't know about you, but i'm in love ♥

kisses, girly-girl!

i ♥ faces week 13 "dramatic b&w" photo challenge | nappanee photographer

this week's theme at i ♥ faces is "dramatic b&w" photos. "b&w photos that are dramatic, sensational and/or moody in the way they are presented".

wow, that's intimidating! i don't normally look at my own work & say 'whoa... that's sensational!'

personally, capturing a good photo of my 13 yr old, in itself these days, is sensational!
so i'm going for it ☺

it's not like i'm going to win or anything... but the guest judge this week is none other than my very favorite photog out there, the fabulous tara whitney. her work is one of the reasons i constantly strive to get better at this picture-taking thing!

and this kid... he is so darn handsome.
any reason to post another photo of him *sigh*

so here's hoping that my entry's not deemed as just "a typical portrait photo that has been converted to b&w".

i'd love to have it passed along to be judged by one of my greatest inspirations in photography. ♥

baby #6 | nappanee pregnancy photographer

my sister-in-law is due as we speak.... yesterday, to be exact.
but her babies like to cook extra long like mine did, so no new babe yet.

i was very excited to do these belly shots with her because this is probably the last one & these are the only photos like this that she'll have.
and personally, i think she has the perfect baby belly, don't you agree? ☺

these are a few of my favorites...

see what i mean about that perfect belly?

this was fun jamie, can't wait for the baby next!

xo
apryl

italian wedding soup

a new recipe here at the deeter residence.

we 3 amigos decided it was good. (sadly, dad is mia at dinner these days)
even the people who normally turn up noses to the cooked spinach like it in soups. go figure.

check it out.
see what ya think:)

this guy

i'm completely psyched out of my mind about...

this 13 year old, 5' 10 1/4" tall, spore crazy, always hungry, mythbusters loving, piano playing, star wars fanatic.

yep, that's him. he's the lucky one.
the one his mother is always after... always honing this one she is.

it's all because i love ya boy.
l.o.v.e. love.
don't forget it ♥

xo
mom

very pretty, very pregnant | nappanee photographer

if you heard it, you heard right...

i had a very pretty, pregnant lady in my house last week having her belly pictures taken!

this is just a teaser 'cause i'm not quite ready to share more, but look for them soon - hopefully before the bun's out of the oven☺