Spring is definitely here, and our boys are growing as fast as the plants. We managed outings to a medieval market, a vintage car show, and an art festival, and celebrated Graham's birthday.
Toby
- is reading more and more. He made a good attempt at Dr Seuss' Great Day for UP! from the library, and read a short thank you note that I'd written to some friends. He amused us one time we were out by picking up one of my books, dragging a chair into a playhouse, and sitting down to read.
- says his favourite colours are purple and red, his favourite food is noodles, and his favourite toy is an "odd-stickle" (obstacle) course.
- loves running around in the rain with the laundry basket on his head.
- also enjoys it when we open all the windows in the car.
- went to a birthday party in a Superman costume, but hasn't quite mastered the Superman pose.
- ate "the biggest strawberry in the world"
Quotes:
"Dad's forty-one now, and on Tuesday he's going to be forty-blinking-two!"
On seeing a particularly long-legged dog: "That's bigger than a giraffe!"
To me: "You're a little girl."
Me: "I used to be a little girl, but I'm not any more."
Toby: "Did you die?"
Theo
- still has big blue eyes, and has developed a sweet smile (not shown!)
- weighed 14 lb 10 oz at his latest weigh-in (6.65 kg if you prefer metric).
- finds his big brother most entertaining.
- reckons he could stand up if only Mum would let go of him
Thankful for:
- a lot of laughs with my church small group
- sunny days in the garden
- more than £1 a day to buy food (one of my friends did the Live Below the Line challenge this month)
Recipe of the Month
I seem to have got into making regular cakes into cupcakes - and my mum has just given me some beautiful cupcake cases, so there will be more to come! I adapted this carrot cake recipe long ago, and as far as I know it's still delighting customers at Cairns Cafe. If you want a large cake, bake in a lined 8" x 12" pan.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
8 oz plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
12 oz sugar
8 oz grated carrot
3 eggs
10 fl oz vegetable oil
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined.
Fill cupcake cases 2/3 full. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-25 minutes until springy.
Ice with cream cheese icing.
Cream cheese icing
3 oz softened butter
3 oz full-fat cream cheese
12 oz icing (confectioner's) sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Beat well until fluffy and creamy. Pipe onto the cupcakes using a large star tube. If you want to add carrots to your cupcakes, tint a few spoonfuls orange and a few spoonfuls green. Use a no. 10 writing nozzle for the carrot and a leaf nozzle for the tops.
I got 12 rather well-filled cupcakes (the deep American kind, not the shallow fairy cake size) plus a mini loaf cake. I reckon it would stretch to 15 not-quite-so-over-filled ones if you wanted.
- is reading more and more. He made a good attempt at Dr Seuss' Great Day for UP! from the library, and read a short thank you note that I'd written to some friends. He amused us one time we were out by picking up one of my books, dragging a chair into a playhouse, and sitting down to read.
- says his favourite colours are purple and red, his favourite food is noodles, and his favourite toy is an "odd-stickle" (obstacle) course.
- loves running around in the rain with the laundry basket on his head.
- also enjoys it when we open all the windows in the car.
- went to a birthday party in a Superman costume, but hasn't quite mastered the Superman pose.
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| Or this? |
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- ate "the biggest strawberry in the world"
"Dad's forty-one now, and on Tuesday he's going to be forty-blinking-two!"
On seeing a particularly long-legged dog: "That's bigger than a giraffe!"
To me: "You're a little girl."
Me: "I used to be a little girl, but I'm not any more."
Toby: "Did you die?"
Theo
- still has big blue eyes, and has developed a sweet smile (not shown!)
- weighed 14 lb 10 oz at his latest weigh-in (6.65 kg if you prefer metric).
- finds his big brother most entertaining.
- reckons he could stand up if only Mum would let go of him
Thankful for:
- a lot of laughs with my church small group
- sunny days in the garden
- more than £1 a day to buy food (one of my friends did the Live Below the Line challenge this month)
Recipe of the Month
I seem to have got into making regular cakes into cupcakes - and my mum has just given me some beautiful cupcake cases, so there will be more to come! I adapted this carrot cake recipe long ago, and as far as I know it's still delighting customers at Cairns Cafe. If you want a large cake, bake in a lined 8" x 12" pan.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
8 oz plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
12 oz sugar
8 oz grated carrot
3 eggs
10 fl oz vegetable oil
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined.
Fill cupcake cases 2/3 full. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-25 minutes until springy.
Ice with cream cheese icing.
Cream cheese icing
3 oz softened butter
3 oz full-fat cream cheese
12 oz icing (confectioner's) sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Beat well until fluffy and creamy. Pipe onto the cupcakes using a large star tube. If you want to add carrots to your cupcakes, tint a few spoonfuls orange and a few spoonfuls green. Use a no. 10 writing nozzle for the carrot and a leaf nozzle for the tops.
I got 12 rather well-filled cupcakes (the deep American kind, not the shallow fairy cake size) plus a mini loaf cake. I reckon it would stretch to 15 not-quite-so-over-filled ones if you wanted.
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