Welcome to my Blog Party. You have arrived at The Happy Wonderer. I’m ellen b and I’m so happy to welcome you here. I’ve made a cake for the occassion and I’m sharing the recipe with you. My birthday is March 14th so this is a great week for a party around here. I would like to give you a taste of what my blog is like. I’m posting some regular kind of things you’ll see if you come back to visit. So relax and enjoy as you scroll on down…
Applesauce Spice Cake
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. 4 serving size jello instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1/2 C. water
1/4 C. oil
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. all-spice (optional)
1/2 raisins finely chopped (optional)
Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl of electric mixer and blend then beat at medium for 4 minutes. Pour into well greased and floured 10 inch tube or fluted tube pan. (I’ve used a bundt cake pan and angel food cake pan). Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. DO NOT UNDERBAKE. Cool in pan for 15 min. remove and cool on rack. When the cake has cooled and before I serve it I give it a dusting of powdered sugar.
This goes really well with whipped cream or a good vanilla ice cream, too. This has become a favorite in my house and is requested for birthday cakes very often.
I like to share my recipes and I really enjoy inviting table settings like these…
Special times with family and friends are shared on my blog as well.
I enjoy walking and I share photos from these walks and I’m part of a Bloggy Walking Club. The bloggers who participate keep track of their average steps for a 5-6 day period each week and share their totals. My husband who I call “Dear” on this blog and I walk most every Saturday at Emma Wood State Beach in Ventura, California.
I’m also a Brown Plate Special participant which is a sensible challenge for some of us older bloggers to eat smaller quantities and add more activity in our lives and be accountable to each other.
I participate in a few weekly blog carnivals like ABC Wednesday, Word Filled Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Sky Watch Fridays and Photo Hunters. I post a Hymn or Worship song on Sunday. Sometimes during the week I’ll share a devotional or a quote from a book I’m reading.
A fun experience I’ve had since I started blogging is meeting a fellow blogger who lives in the same city as me. After meeting we decided to walk together. We try to walk every weekday which has been great. Here’s a photo from the day we met at a local Coffee shop in town.
This is Willow from Willow’s Cottage. I’m the brunette (I think brunette sounds so much better than I’m the old lady on the right with brown hair)
I will also share photos from travels here in the states and abroad.
My sister Lana and I started blogging about the same time. We talk most everyday (mostly about our blogs). It’s fun to have a bosom bloggy buddy who doesn’t get tired of “blog talk”. We laugh all the time. Her blog is called Above the Clouds because she travels weekly by air.
I post a lot, at least one post a day sometimes 2 to 3 posts a day on bloggy carnival days.
I choose for my blog be an encouraging blog and to honor the Lord so you generally will not hear me ranting and you will not find bad language and things that I find objectionable to my heart and mind here.
Whew! My posts are not this long generally unless it’s all photos (Did I say I’m visual and love photos!?)
Thanks so much for visiting and I hope you come again. Blessings on you…
You can see more blogs that are participating in the party at 5 minutes for Mom. I’ll add the link when they have it up later tonight. Well as soon as 5MFM fixes their site you can click and get there we all crashed it I think. For now you can google Ultimate Blog Party and find some sites!
Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage. I’m working on updating my blog posts very slowly.
What a great party!
I love visiting with you!
K
What a great visit that was…you and your sister look a lot alike. I think that’s neat. The party was something I was gonna get involved in, but forgot about it. Oh well. Instead, I’ve been caught catching up on memes.
Wanna play? Could be fun…One of’ems really cool — if you haven’t already joined in. Come by if you can and we’ll have a cup’a joe or someth’n someth’n.
Love ya – *smackies*
( Meme Catchup (Hold the Mayo))
Love it all of course! Love that we have the same picture on our party posts! Truly a treat and honor to be doing this with you!
Looking forward to visiting you more. Please stop by my party this week.
Love the cake recipe, thanks for sharing.
Wow, I’m impressed by your Ultimate Blog Party post. I love all the pictures you’ve shared. Thanks for stopping by to visit my post.
In answer to your question, no, I have not been able to get on to 5 Minutes for Mom to link up. When I try I either get a blank white site page or I get a message that server cannot be found. I’m wondering if their server crashed with all the bloggers who are probably trying to visit and get linked up.
As you said, I’m sure we’ll get on there eventually! 🙂
thanks for the yummy recipe!! I love your blog!!
Can’t get on the site to post my party, so I started visiting. You know I’ll be back. You and Lana are my inspiration.
Blessings on ya.
Aren’t sisters wonderful? You two look like you’re best friends! Thank you for throwing such a wonderful party!
BTW, that Spice Cake looks delicious!
Wow! That did make me feel welcome! 🙂 Thanks for the cake!
The cake looks fabulous, thanks!
Funny about Palermo Coffee…that was the name of our little coffee place when I was in law school *and* I recently took a trip to Palermo, Sicily. I posted one photo of the trip yesterday for my dad’s birthday (hearts in Palermo!) but I’ll have much more next week.
Come visit me at my party:
Welcome to the Ultimate Blog Party!
Party on!
Hi Ellen!
I’m a big-time walker, too. Though your routes look WAY more fun than mine. *grin*
Thank you for the wonderful cake recipe and your tables, my goodness! How GORGEOUS!! Can you come over and set mine? lol
That is SO COOL that you met a fellow blogger. I would LOVE to meet a neighboring blogger. Know anyone in Springfield, Missouri? lol
I also love photography and am a visual person. We have a lot in common!
Have fun surfing around!
What a lovely party – the cake, the setting and your pictures are absolutely gorgeous – you shouldn’t have gone through all the trouble. But, I’m glad you did. It’s truly lovely to meet you (and your sister) and I hope you enjoy the rest of your visitors!
Your spice cake looks delicious. I enjoyed all your pretty pictures too. Hope you can stop by my place too.
This is my first visit here. I really enjoyed all the beautiful photos. It’s nice to meet you! 🙂
Oooooooooo, that cake looks great! This party is much fancier than mine;) I had a great time and enjoyed all the patterns! Stop by my place if you get a chance.
Oooooooooo, that cake looks great! This party is much fancier than mine;) I had a great time and enjoyed all the patterns! Stop by my place if you get a chance.
http://acowboyswife.com/2008/03/06/its-my-party-and-ill-dance-if-i-want-to/
Your party is FANTASTIC! I LOVED it! What a super idea!
The photos are WONDERFUL. Can’t you tell I am so EXCITED to be here? LOL
I wish I had a sister as a friend. I have a crew of brothers only.
That applesauce spice cake sure looks YUMMY!
I hope everyone has a great time at all the parties.
loved visiting
i’m going to try the recipe
I really enjoyed stopping by your site!! Your photos are AMAZING!! And the table was just devine. Will be sure to try the cake… hmmm, maybe even today!!
hehe, you know I’ve been here, thru
above the clouds site before.. I was trying to place you!! What a lovely blog you have! 🙂 and love the photography!
I think everyone’s “broken” 5 Minutes for Mom. I can’t access it… Sigh…
But my party is up. 🙂
great recipe! and great party! hope to see you drop by mine. 🙂
As always what a wonderful post!!! I have really enjoyed all of your lovely pics! My party is up too and yes I do believe we broke 5 MFM site! LOL 🙂
And I’m the old hag on the left whose blonde hair is turning ‘another color’.
This is a great post, Ellen! I love the photos. They all make me know you better.
Hi Just popping in from the blog party! Nice blog you have. I love the place settings. I like victorian style.
What a beautiful site you have. I love your pictures! Thanks for stopping in at my place. Have a great time partying!
Wow!! You are quite the hostess. I need to throw a dinner party now.
Stop by my site if you have time.
Wow…what a great post! Not many have found my post yet :(, but I’m afraid that’s due in part to how “absent” I’ve been in reading others and commenting.
Your set table is BEAUTIFUL (and it’s kind of neat that I HAVE already seen so many of these pictures). While I love the china, those green glasses have to be among my favorites.
Hope you have time to visit my party post, too :).
That is so awesome!!
A hopper from Google here, since 5minutes is down. I also stopped by your sister’s blog. You both sound delightful!!
http://timeandseason.blogspot.com
Oh, that cake looks SO GOOD! Yummy! And I love the place settings. Glad to be invited to your party!!
You are so lucky to have a bloggy friend and for your sister to be a blogger. I know very few people IRL who blog, and those that do aren’t people I get to see or talk to often.
Thanks for visiting my blog and good luck on the giveaway!
I love your photos!! I’m envious of folks that get to travel a lot. We’re slowly working on traveling more and of course, our camera is never far behind.
Oh and the cake looks awesome!!
Great layout! Had to find you through google , since 5minutes for mom site is down. I over the colors and pictures! My site has a disco going on, so come by and dont forget your dancing shoes!
Come visit me at http://palofmine.wordpress.com
Nice to see you here at the party, Ellen. I believe we have “bumped” into each other on Thursday Thirteen.
You have a lovely house — I particularly like the blue tableware. Thanks for the wonderful party.
Great party! That cake looks delicious, I’ll have to try that recipe. I think it is great that your sister also has a blog. My sister and I are very close.
Wow you take beautiful pictures too. They are amazing. Thank you so much for sharing.
Happy birthday, Ellen! And what a terrific invitation and introduction to your blog. Your cake looks scrumptious! I’m preparing for a birthday dinner tonight, but usually when I’m cooking dinner, I can’t do dessert. Maybe for dessert tonight, I’ll ask everyone to come look at your cake and …pretend! Actually, a friend already knows of my “disability” and is bringing birthday cake 🙂
Beautiful pictures! And that cake looks wonderful.
Hope you have a great Birthday!
Aha! Now I know why your blog seems familiar… I’vfe already visited your sisters!
Party on!
tammy :):):)
I think I’ve been here before…beautiful pics! AND I just visited your sister’s site…I was wondering why I was having dejavu! 😉
Hello Ellen B! This is a wonderful post, and you did such a good job of summarizing things and posting lovely photos. I have enjoyed your blog very much ever since I first discovered it in late June…you do a great job and it is always uplifting, informative, and encouraging.
I also want to say I just love your table settings every time you share them….it’s a treat to get to see the lovely arrangements you make for your table.
Many happy wishes for your birthday!
What a lovely introductory post. I love all of the photos of your travels. You have some UK in there I see. Thanks for visiting my party today. Come back and see us some time.
thanks for stopping by my party!
yours is so fabulous, lots of neat things to see!
it is always great to meet another semi-washingtonian{sp?} =)
happy blog party!
Great Blog!!
BEAUTIFUL PICTURES!!
I absolutely love your table settings. Can you come to Jersey and set my table?
Happy Blog Party!!
I was so excited when I stopped by Lana’s place and saw a familiar face! Your table settings and dishes are beautiful. I would love to have mine out, but have a cat that thinks the dining room table is her domain!
It’s always a pleasure to peek into your blog and find beautiful pictures, yummy recipes, heart-warming family stories, words of wisdom and encouragement in the faith. Thank you for a year of blessings!!!
I enjoyed getting to know you a little better! I always enjoy my visits here.
My party post is here.
Great post and I love all the pics you shared. I’d walk a lot more if I had that beautiful scenery to look at. And there’s just something about a nicely set table that I love.
Now, it was probably hard for you but as a twin mom, I think it’s wonderful that you were old enough to help with your twin siblings. I often joke that twins should automatically come with a 12 year old.
How cool you got to meet a fellow blogger!!!
You’re a wonderful hostess, Ellen. No wonder your parties are so popular!
Beautiful pictures as always, and a gracious tour.
What a commitment to beauty. I love your photos, pictures and all the wonderful things you do to enjoy life. I will certainly have to stop back by! Thanks for coming to visit.
Wow! Ellen, I love your table settings and the beautiful crockery!! You have the most awesome photos! I have to try baking the applesauce spice cake. It looks too yummy!
Old lady with brown hair?….I would never have given you that description! Thanks so much for stopping by. That is a really fab post and the pictures are lovely. I have never visited the states…maybe one day- glad you like Old England though….I’m pretty fond of it myself! Enjoy the parties!
Beautiful photos! Thanks so much for stopping by my site! (glad you like the pirate hat!)
HA! I was thinking you looked really familiar! Of course you do, I saw your sister’s blog yesterday! Hehe, small world!
I love your blog! Enjoy the party!!
I always enjoy your photos when I stop by.
Our Happy Happenings
Livin’ With Me
Happy birthday! I’m a March baby, too. Mine is the 18th.
Happy Birthday! You have beautiful pictures on your blog.
Hello Ellen! I believe I’ve visited you before on WW posts. Nice to stop by for another visit & I enjoyed your party! Happy blog hopping & I hope your birthday is special!
what beautiful photos! and a delicious cake. i’m copying that recipe for future use. yum!
thanks for stopping by my party too. 🙂
Wow! You throw a great party! I love formal table settings and I will have to bookmark your your cake recipe. We like to camp at Emma Wood when we get a chance. The coast is so relaxing for me! You have a good eye for photos – they’re beautiful. I look forward to stopping by again. p.s. You are welcome to drop by my UBP post as well.
Is this a sister site? I think I saw you already!
However, the link is not working for some reason. 😦 It gave me a 404 error coming here and I had to click on your sidebar in the most recent posts.
Hi! I’m Cher – StardustLullaby.com – nice to meet you!!
I LOVE the table settings – we set our tables “Fancy and Relaxful” (that is what my 7 yr old calls it) as often as possible – we LOVE it!!
I copied your recipe down for future reference! Looks wonderful! You’re lucky to have your sister to blog with 🙂
Come visit me at my Party – Music, Cartoons, Games and Party Favors! We’re giving away an Award-winning Stardust lullaby CD! http://stardustlullaby.blogspot.com/2008/03/welcome-gals-to-ultimate-blog-party-at.html
Sign up on our mailing list for a chance at our monthly giveaway! http://www.StardustLullaby.com
Happy Partying!! Cher 🙂
That cake looks so yummy!
Thanks for inviting me to the party! That was a very elegant post. I love the idea of a blog walking group! It sounds like fun!
I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures! You sound like someone I would enjoy meeting IRL. Have a wonderful day!
Happy UBP ’08!
Lundie
Funny, when you mentioned your sisters blog, I recognized that I’d already party hopped over there as well.
I love recipes. Keep them coming.
Have a great party.
Awesome table settings
I love those blue dishes. They’re so gorgeous!
Hello Ellen, it’s nice to meet you! First and foremost my dear, you are certainly NOT old! You’re beautiful! It’s so nice that you have a bloggy friend so close and that your sister blogs too! I’ve found that it’s hard to talk with ‘normal’ friends about anything computer/internet related if they don’t do it themselves! LOL Enjoy the party and thanks for having me by! The cake was fantastic!
HEY!! You didn’t tell me your birthday was the 14TH!!!!! OF COURSE YOU’RE INVITED TO MY PARTY!! You can wear a pooh-hat and sit in the blue choo choo chair with the other birthday girls and boy!! Did you want a dinosaur or a baby doll? I’ll need to wrap it fast!!
oh and I forgot to ask how “old” you needed to be to join that brown plate club?? It sounds wonderful!
GREAT blog. I’ll be back. Nice to meet you. Happy blogging!
What a FANTASTIC SPREAD!!!! It’s so sweet and classy! Wow!!
Well, thank you so much! Happy blog party! I hope to see you around again! Cheers!
Oh… um… and uh – and it was very nice to meet you.
(shuffle feet)
I really really like your table settings! And the photos are gorgeous!
Thanks!
I love the china, especially the set.
Thanks for the cake recipe. I may have the need to make it soon.
Enjoy the party!
I was at your sisters blog a couple of days ago and tried to get to yours but couldn’t find it !! Then I was reading through this and saw the photo of the two of you and was like “Hey … I recognize those faces !!” Great party !!
My party is happening HERE
That apple spice cake looks so yummy and your china is beautiful. You wouldn’t want my boys at your party because that would be the first thing to go. 😦
Lois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Partying along at Goodies for Mom. Come on over for our party games and goody bags.
Great looking cake. I’ll have to try the recipe. And I love all your photos and your China.
Happy party and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Love your great post. I just met a blog friend a 2 weekends ago. It is awesome to make such great friends. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Christy
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/sharpcrew
Wow, some beautiful pictures. I think blogging is such a great way for women (and men) to connect with other people with the same interests.
The brown plate special sounds fun. Is brown a “thinner” color than blue?
Hi Ellen,
Thanks so much for the Applesauce Spice Cake… It was delicious! I’ve had a blast reading through blogs for the UBP… and sorry to see this is the last day. But I look forward to checking back with everyone and pray you have a blessed week.
Thanks for sharing the beautiful pics!!! How did you get them to be 9 pics in one? Great shots – BTW!
God Bless, HL
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