Cupcake Making: A Fun Activity for Kids

Reunited with my eldest brother and his family after 3 months to celebrate his birthday at our parents house. So happy and was excited to see my 2 beautiful nieces. When they arrived I have already prepared an activity for the two girls...

Since it was their father's birthday I asked them to help me prepare their dad's cupcakes; The easiest one is my 'Carrot Walnut'. It was so fun and I did enjoy making cupcakes with them. So happy to see them got excited over pouring in oil, cracking eggs, sifting flour mixing them all together and so on. I even let them drop a batter on each liners. They were so happy and giggly over their cupcakes.

The super fun part was (and they were patiently waiting for this while the cupcakes were baking) the frosting... I prepared all the toppings and the icings; the icings were supposed to be white, green and orange for the carrot but my niece wanted it pink.

 

Only the eldest of my niece were able to frost some of the cupcakes because the other one got afraid of our golden retriever dog named Winnie when she passed by the dirty kitchen, so my niece went up to her grandma sobbing. Huhu =(

So these photos above are the finished products that my niece made for her dad. Two letter "F" for her dad's first letter name and two smileys represents her and her sister. It was a really fun day for me and I guess a fun day for my two nieces too. ^^

It takes a man and a woman...

Oh yes! The title means: the movie of Sarah G. and John Lloyd Cruz, but this is not a review of that movie. Perhaps it's about my man and me..

Both of us were busy in our lives. He's busy with his work and I'm busy being a mother and a wife. I'm so focused with him and most importantly with our child that sometimes I forget me. In few days now, Josh we'll be deployed again. He'll be far away from us again for a month. I'm not really anticipating on any plans he has for us before he leave since I'm preoccupied with Jabin's upcoming first birthday in June and the business I'm putting up with my sister.

Earlier this Black Saturday morning my husband left early and went to work while me, I just did my routine: clean the room, eat, prepare Jabin's meal, wash the bottles and the dishes, bake etc. Unaware of the time my husband was home already. Just about in time when I finished my Chocolate Revel Bar. He then surprisingly told me to change clothes because we're going out.

Surprised and tired with all the chores I didn't complain neither did I choose to stay and rest. I know I got to finish my Egg Pops (egg-shaped cake pops) for tomorrow for the kids and for everyone, but my priority is my husband. The last time we had a movie night alone was the Les Miserables movie last January. I know it was just 2 months ago but that was already long for us. Movie night when we were single until we get married was our bonding and alone time together. We both just couldn't afford to take another month before we have movie night again. Also, because he's a fan of Sarah G. (though he doesn't admit this.. ssshh! hehe) and we've seen both the past movies of this sequel 'It Takes a Man and a Woman' I got to watch this for him and for us.

The movie was about giving in and not giving up. It's about what you can offer to the other without any condition. The best line I've heard was the part when Miggy (John Lloyd) said his vows; some part that I remember was (correct me if I'm wrong) "I'm not gonna say any vows because today is not about a day of promises but a day of complete surrender..." Though the words sound so promising 'complete surrender' for me is more of what you can be than what you can do. It's giving in to the things you know you can't do. Just like in that movie Miggy gave in to Laida because he know and he can't be the best guy without her same as with Laida admitting she couldn't move on with the past because of loving Miggy too much that he was and has been part of her life. It does takes a man and a woman to work things out. Be in that complete surrender with the man or the woman you love just to be with them and showing how they mean to you; may it be your time, your strength, or even your ego. That is why I still chose to be with my man even if it means draining all my energy because of things needs to be done when we get home.

Photo credit to elysplanet.com

Josh's Natal Day

It's my dearest Josh's Birthday! God has blessed him with another year to live. I don't know what are the things he's thankful for, the only thing I know for sure is that he is (always) grateful for having his family around - Jabin his son, his parents, his nephews, his sister (though she's in FL with her husband), my family, specially my parents, and me, of course.

Having a family is such a blessing. Lalo na if the family is loving, supportive, and thoughtful.

With Josh and I, we're blessed to have God as the center of our marriage and family. Through prayers and bible studies we are always reminded to be grateful for all the things we have.

So today, we celebrated Josh's birthday through the help of our family.

First, we had lunch with my family. Josh wanted seafood, though he is allergic to it. He wanted sweet sour fish, kilawin tanigue, and garlic buttered shrimp. So Josh and I went to AANI Weekend Market at Taguig and enjoyed buying fresh organic vegetables. T'was crazy too, seeing fish and shrimps jumping around; we were on the wet side of the market scouting for Lapu Lapu and shrimps. We weren't able to buy tanigue for kilawin though, because we were in a hurry to get home for Jabin. 

My mom prepared Escabeche (sweet sour fish) while I prepared Garlic Buttered Shrimp.

We also had some Pork BBQ that we bought from AANI as additional viand, as well as Vegetable Salad in Caesar/Thousand Island Dressing and Fresh Mangoes for appetizer and dessert.

 

And of course... Birthday cake for the celebrant!

Double Chocolate Cake that I bought from S&R

Baked some Red Velvet Cupcakes too, some of which we brought to his parents.

 

At his parents, we celebrated his birthday during merienda time and it already served as our dinner because it was a heavy snack. We ordered pizza from Shakey's, fried chicken from KFC with coleslaw and macaroni salad, pancit bihon cooked by his mom for long life (Filipino you know!) and lumpia.

Jabin turned 9 months

My son turned 9 months yesterday. His Dad bought mocha cake for him. I made 9 chocolate coated mallows with sprinkles on top and some cake pops. The balloons, which I made 3 weeks ago - to sample a centerpiece to use on his birthday - coincidentally has 9 balloons; A perfect number of balloons to celebrate his 9 months of existence on Earth.

Happy 9 months Baby!  

Mocha Cake by Red Ribbon

Chocolate Coated Mallows

Choco Walnut Cake Pops