I'm FINE....

...you know: Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional.  Fine.  

Tonight is the first night that my nightmare of what I thought would happen in a shared room for my girls is a reality.  It's 8:37pm (my girls are usually in bed by 7:15pm), and Chloe has already come in and out 5 times: twice to pee, once to poop, once because she forgot her post-toothbrushing drink, and once because Ellie was trying to get into her bed.  

"And I don't want her to."

Sigh.  

But all in all, it was a productive day.  I finished a white bedskirt for Chloe's bed, so now it actually matches.  

[If that bedroom door opens one. more. time!!!!  I'm fine.  FINE.]

I watched most of conference (there were a few crayons-over-the-balcony incidents, and some food demands, and well, a little sleep), and loved Elder Baxter's talk.  

And although I didn't "work out", I did push a heavy double stroller filled with children in about 35mph winds.   I am tough.  As Chloe would say, "Did you know?  I'm amazing.  

I'm Italian and I can do a somersault!"

So here's another one of those amazing Italian things.

Italian Cream Cake

Preheat oven to 350⁰.

Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans.

Beat until they form peaks and then set aside:

• 5 egg whites

In a separate bowl, cream together until smooth and light:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening

Add and beat until fluffy:

• 2 cups sugar

Beat in:

• 5 egg yolks

Alternately, mixing well after each addition, add:

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup buttermilk*

Stir in:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/3 cups shredded coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites with a spatula.  

Spoon into prepared pans.

Bake for 25-40 minutes, until golden and toothpick inserted comes out with small crumbs.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

*In lieu of buttermilk, you can add 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice to 1 cup regular milk.  Do this step first, then set aside until needed (giving the milk time to curdle=buttermilk).

Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat until smooth:

• 12 ounces softened cream cheese
• 3/4 cup softened butter

Add and mix until smooth:

• 6 cups powdered sugar

Frost cake, then sprinkle chopped pecans all over.  

Refrigerate, then serve.

It takes a lot of pecans to cover  -
pricey, but completely worth it!