Poor Baby

Cold on top of a cold. Viral eye infection. Teething in addition to the rest of his troubles. Grumpy, snotty, clingy, sometimes pukey. Sleepless nights make tired parents. Was pretty ok waiting for 3 hours at the emerg and cool with all kinds of different medical personnel prodding with various instruments, though.

Get well soon, little boy.

All cleaned up...(which is a three times a day scream session) but still looking like someone punched him in the eyes. :(

White Buttermilk Cake with Vanilla Cream Frosting

This makes quite a large cake, perfect for birthday parties! I have sucessfully halved the recipe, using a 8x11" pan. For the eggs I used 2 in the halved recipe. Recipe from Canadian Living.

Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs, seperated
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk

• Generously grease a 13x9 inch pan.
• In a large bowl, beat butter with 2 cups of the sugar until light. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time; beat in vanilla.
• In a seperate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and two of milk.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually beat in remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold one-quarter into batter; fold in remaining egg whites. Scrape into prepared pan, smoothing top.
• Bake in center of 350F (180C) oven for about 50 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Crumbs on the tester are fine. Let cool in pan on rack.

Vanilla Cream Frosting

Adapted from this recipe from Canadian Living. *I've cut one third of the original recipe off, as it made way too much frosting.

2/3 cups + 1 tbsp butter, softened
4 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

• In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Alternately beat in sugar and cream, making three additions of sugar and 2 of cream. Beat in vanilla.
• Frost cooled cake. Tastes like vanilla ice cream! Yum!
  

Key Lime Pie

Crust:
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup flaked coconut
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling:
1 10 oz (300mL) can sweetened condensed milk
5 large egg yolks
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 tsp lime zest

These are miniature versions I made for a party.

Topping:

1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sifted icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (180 C). Combine all ingredients until an even, crumbly texture. Press into a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake for about 12 minutes, until coconut browns lightly and let cool.
Reduce oven tempurature to 325F (140C). Whisk together all ingredients until smooth and pour into cooled pie shell. Bake for 20 minutes, until set. Let cool, then chill completely, at least four hours.
For the topping, whip ingredients until soft peaks form, dollop cream all over chilled pie (or use a piping bag) and serve.

Brothers

...and friends for life - that is my prayer for them.

Conversations About Adoption

Come hear from adoptive families, Christian adoption professionals and churches making a difference in the lives of adoptive families; then join the conversation as we talk about the many ways believers can respond to God’s call to “look after orphans . . . in their distress” (James 1:27).

Specific topics we’ll be discussing:

• How to adopt
  
• The facts on Canada’s waiting children
  
• What it’s like to be an adoptive family
  
• How to support adoptive families in practical ways
  
• How churches can start their own adoption ministry
  
• More . . .

I wanted to post this intiative from Focus on the Family Canada, if there are any reading this who have considered adoption but don't know where to turn, or want to hear testimonies from adoptive families, to have their fears stilled, to give them hope...

I believe it would be a great event to attend if you need questions answered from people with a Christian worldview. Check out the scheduled events and see if they are in your area:

Ottawa, ON – March 25, 2011

Woodvale Pentecostal Church
205 Greenbank Rd.
Ottawa, ON K2H 8K9

Toronto, ON – March 26, 2011
Queensway Cathedral
1536 The Queensway
Toronto, ON M8Z 1T5

Edmonton, AB – April 2, 2011
Evangel Pentecostal Assembly
4461 50 St. NW
Edmonton, AB T6L 7A3

Calgary, AB – April 3, 2011
First Alliance Church
12345 40 St. SE
Calgary, AB T2Z 4E6

Vancouver, BC – April 8, 2011
Broadway Church
2700 East Broadway
Vancouver, BC V5M 1Y8

Music...Thursday!

Twelve Months

A-team celebrated his first birthday today. Already! Family helped us celebrate Friday and Saturday as well. I hope I get some photos from Saturday! :)

Likes: His brother, walking around the kitchen pushing a chair, baths, books, bananas.
Dislikes: His brother being bossy, having his face wiped, napping in places besides home, meat.
Words and sounds: Bible, door, bobble, shirt, soozer, book, ruff, meow, moo, raarr. He's very good at copying any word you say to him.

More photos to follow... I have a lot of updating to do too!