The 4th + Welcome Home from Camp CAKE

Do you have any 4th of July traditions? We usually go to my sister's pool for the afternoon and eat barbecue nachos or something equally as good. We deck out in our patriotic garb and the kids end up doing some sort of parade or 4th of July "show." 

It's one of my favorite holidays. I LOVE THIS LAND, and I am so grateful to live here!

.......

Following the 4th, on the 6th, we retrieved our older 2 kids from camp. They were gone for 3.5 weeks! This mama is happy to have us all under one roof again. 

While they were gone I had a bit of an identity crisis. Suddenly I had so much less responsibility -- kidwise. Who am I? Why was I put on this earth? 

Now that they are all home again I am so busy and overwhelmed. I'm cranking out huge batches of taco meat and my washer has. not. stopped. in three days. It's hilarious to imagine all that questioning and deep thinking I was doing 2 weeks ago.

And because no homecoming is complete without a cake, I made this easy chocolate chip one. 

It lasted 5 minutes. It's SO good!

great picture, right? 

1 box yellow cake mix 

2 3 oz boxes instant vanilla pudding 

4 eggs 

1 tablespoon vanilla 

8 oz sour cream 

1 cup oil 

1/4 cup water 

8 oz chocolate chips 

bake in a greased bundt pan at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes