The Tale of CJ the Train and Princess A

Once upon a time, there was a little train engine named CJ.  CJ the Train was a very happy engine full of spunk and energy.  He was quite content being a lone engine.

That was until one day, he met the beautiful Princess A.   He wanted to befriend her, but he wasn't sure how.  So he thought and thought and thought, and then, it hit him!

"I know!  I'll win the princess over by showering her with sweets from all the land!"  So he searched high and low all over the kingdom of Great Bergen Mall Land to find these rare and treasured goodies.  In the end, however, he was only able to find a sticker and a tootsie roll. 

"I have so little to offer her," the engine sadly thought as he looked into his bag.

And yet, Princess A had been deeply moved by the effort, determination, and persistence CJ the Train had exhibited.  He had gone to all the ends of the kingdom . . . for her.

It melted her heart, and they became the best of friends.

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Tinkle, Tinkle Little Nate

The blog has been neglected as I've been busy setting up shop (more details on that later).  But I decided to give it a little TLC tonight with a quick re-design.

It's 1am so I really need to head off to bed.  I'll leave you with this fun image and rhyme:





{ nate at 6 months }



Tinkle, Tinkle Little Nate
(to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

Tinkle, tinkle little Nate
Sprinkle time just couldn't wait?
In the bath with water clean
Is not the time for tinkling!
Tinkle, tinkle little Nate
Next time won't you hold and wait?

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Free Nursing Cover

While supplies last, Udder Covers is offering free nursing cover with promo code "Thanksgiving" (you pay shipping charge of $9.95).  I love these covers (I have Porter).  I've tried others that don't hold up as nicely. A great gift for expectant moms.

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Curious Nate

{ momo (auntie), what you doing there? }



{ what?  raking leaves?  let me check it out. }



{ so how does this whole raking thing-a-ma-jig work? }

{ ooh, like this? }



{ piece of cake!  i can do it with one hand. }

{ that's enough hard work for today. }

 

{ now time to play! }

 

{ see you later! }

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Beauty Out of Chaos

{ the chaos }



{ the beauty created }



{ the joy to be had }

* * *

There is a wonderful analogy here as I think about the mess and chaos of life.   What good could possibly come from these things?

God has a plan.  He will take the mess and brokenness of life and make beauty out of it.  And joy will be ours.

The real beauty is He's already accomplished this.  

On the cross. 

Through Jesus. 

For us.

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Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

We celebrated a very dear friend's 40th birthday this past weekend.  We hosted a quaint and intimate dinner at our home.  My sister-in-law, Jane (her pseudonym), cooked up an amazing Korean beef and potato dish.  Everyone inhaled it.  We had other traditional Korean fare, as well, which was ordered from a caterer.

Instead of buying a cake, I decided to make coconut cupcakes.  Another friend of ours made these for CJ's 2nd birthday party, and they were amazing! 

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
(Recipe from Ina Garten)

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (don't make the mistake I have and get low-fat; it'll change the texture of the cupcake)
• 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:
(I used a different recipe to get a thicker frosting which is better for decorating)

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (I always cut the sugar in half, so I only used 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

I decided to add the pink flowers to add a decorative touch and make the cupcakes prettier!  They're easy to make with a Wilton Large Star Decorating Tip 1-M.  I'm hoping to post up a step-by-step how-to in the coming weeks.  But this week will be devoted to another big project I'm working on (stay tuned for that).
 

And what's a party without some good wine?  As a complement to the cupcakes, I purchased what else, but Cupcake wines.  These are a recent new fave (and they're only $8.99/bottle).  I particularly enjoy the Cabernet Sauvignon.

We had such a fabulous time!  And we loved celebrating the life of a sister and friend we dearly treasure! S, you are an amazing blessing to us all!

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Thoughts on Being Home

{ last year's halloween }

It's hard to imagine these sweet boys can be the source of so much stress as well as incredible joy.

I had a very lucrative and comfortable full-time job in Manhattan as an Executive Assistant up until August 31st of this year.  I gave it up voluntarily (along with the incredible benefits) to spend more time at home with the boys.  I was fortunate to work out a 10 hour/week consulting position helping with the firm's marketing efforts.  It gives our family a little cushion but it's chump change compared to what I used to make.

Up until this point, my in-laws had been watching the kids.  I never had to worry if they were being loved or given enough attention; my concern was that they were being loved way too much and allowed to get away with murder!

{ cj enjoying a juicy plum.  just a
prime example of the mess i'm
cleaning up after. }

In the first month home with the boys, I thought I might have to check myself into an insane asylum!  My day consisted of constantly changing dirty diapers, cleaning the floor of their mealtime mess, washing the dishes, doing loads of laundry, dealing with toddler tantrums, and somehow trying to whip up a meal in between.  I was lucky if I could take a shower, use the bathroom uninterrupted, or even rememer to eat.  And though I even had help (the in-laws come for a few hours in the morning), I was still struggling to keep it all together.

Thoughts like:
"What have I done?" 
"This is ludicrous!"
"Women are crazy for doing this!"
"I wonder if it's too late to get my job back."
started stirring in my head.

It didn't help that my oldest was just starting to go through his terrible twos.  And you know that kid in the playgroup that every parent shakes their head at and secretly thanks the Lord is not their child - yeah, well that would be my son.  He was the one guaranteed to be pushing, shoving, stealing, yanking, and causing other children to cry.

{ boys making their usual mess }

On the weekends, James and I would try to address these issues with CJ and reinforce good behavior.  But on a daily, consistent basis, my son was lacking discipline, structure, and guidelines.  James and I knew it was important for us as his parents to provide that.  So we were prompted to consider our options and I vacillated back and forth on whether or not to leave my job.  I consulted other stay-home moms and how they managed on one income, and they all said it was feasible.  You make lifestyle changes and make it work.

Well, God has a way of working and directing our paths when we come to difficult crossroads.  James and I knew it would be a big financial sacrifice for our family, but God revealed to us our idol of security and comfort.  He started chipping away at it and laying on our hearts the greater investments in this world than a nice home, fancy cars, or the latest doo-dads.  It really came down to evaluating our priorities and then putting our faith and trust in the Lord, His provision, and His guidance.

{ cj is less of a terror at the
playground.  here he plays with
a few friend. }

I've now gotten into a routine with the kids, and in one month, can already see the benefits.  My mom, my best friend, and even my mother-in-law have all noted a difference in CJ's behavior.  He didn't push as much or throw as many tantrums.  He still has his off-days (oh believe me, there are still many days I just want to yank out all my hair!), but it's been a gradual transformation.

It wasn't some magical formula on my part.  In fact, I credit it to a lot of prayer (from hubby, friends, family)!  It does also require constantly reinforcing what is right and what is wrong, teaching him to be kind and obedient, over and over again (sounding much like a broken record).  I also highly recommend the book, Don't Make Me Count to Three.  It's an easy read with great biblical and practical insights on how to rear children.

In only two months that I've been home, I can already see the impact and benefits it's had for my children and my family.  I won't say it's easy because it's not, but I am trusting the Lord for much guidance, patience, wisdom, and grace.

God is good, and He gives us what we need and so much more!

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