This is another so 3 weeks ago dessert. I made this along with the pumpkin cake to bring over to my mom’s. I just used Trader Joe’s boxed cornbread mix. Let’s be real folks, I don’t have time to make everything from scratch and sometimes boxed things are better than I could do. I made the cornbread according to the instructions on the box, then I put them in these little paper cups (filled up halfway), and baked them until they were a golden brown and my toothpick came out clean. After which, I inserted a toothpick in the center to make a little hole and then filled each hole with some honey. I made sure to do this while the cornbread was warm and still fresh out of the oven. Then, I made whipped cream with a bit of honey put in and voila! I topped my tiny cornbread cupcakes with the whipped cream and brought them to my mama’s house.

My mom was ooh-ing and ahh-ing over them, but it really wasn’t me, it was Trader Joe’s. With Christmas around the corner, I better get my holiday baking list ready. I’m thinking a Mexican chocolate cake is necessary to go with some fresh tamales. I’m hungry just thinking about it! What type of desserts do you eat for Christmas?

It was Pajama Day at school. Nope, not homeschool, but their enrichment classes (they go once a week). If it were homeschool, then it’s pretty much pajama day all day, every day!

It was kind of exciting to get ready the night before. I have to admit, I was really jazzed to not have to worry about rushing around getting dressed the next morning. The girls took baths, got into their pajamas that they were going to wear to school, and then went to bed. The next morning, I woke them up, fed them breakfast, they brushed their teeth, then off to school we went. Love it! Somehow though, I still ended up running late! Oye! It’s the story of my life.

At school, they also had a special breakfast with Santa (instagram @rubyellenbratcher). I dragged the two babies and we helped the PTSA a little bit, but just until Glow started getting cranky for  a nap and then we headed home. True’s classmates were telling me she never talks and she just whispers because she is so shy. HA! At home, it’s the opposite. She never whispers, she just yells!

And somehow their Pajama Day ended up being Crazy Pajama Day based on how they dressed themselves, especially that True. For being a shy girl, sometimes she makes some bold fashion choices.

This is so 3 weeks ago. I made this dessert for Thanksgiving at my mom’s house. It was kind of experimental and I was just hoping it would turn out well. I figured a bunch of sweet things together have to taste decent, right?!

I used this pumpkin cake recipe for the cake portion. When it was done baking, I took off parts of the top of the cake and poured in some condensed milk (maybe 1/2 – 1 cup) all over. Next, I put those top layers back on. Then, I made some whipped cream and lathered that all over the top of the cake. I crushed honey graham crackers and english toffee and then sprinkled those all over the top of the whipped cream.

I crossed my fingers it would taste good with that random little combos I did and thankfully it did! Or maybe I just love all things sweet that it tasted fine to me and everyone else was too nice to tell me otherwise.

I did use that same pumpkin cake recipe for Soul’s birthday cake, but instead of raisins, we used chocolate chips. Also, instead of whipped cream, we did buttercream frosting. I love all things pumpkin and since it’s the season for it, we’re going crazy with it. Do you love pumpkin filled foods too?

Auntie Linda gave the girls this little butterfly kit so long ago, and we recently finally sent for the caterpillars and got this project started and watched them grow. The girls made observations daily and wrote down what they saw, along with some drawings. It was interesting learning about the cycle of a butterfly. The whole metamorphosis is amazing and strange. Sometimes looking at them when they were caterpillars or in cocoon form gave me the hibbie jibbies, but it was a lot of exciting, interactive learning for the girls. They got to practice making observations and using descriptive language.

True and Brave were so excited to finally release them at the end. We were watching one more caterpillar, which was supposed to turn, but I think somewhere along the way it didn’t quite make it, so we just ended up with 2 butterflies. We took them to the Pavilion of Wings a couple years ago, but I’m sure if we took them again this Spring they would have a whole new appreciation for it. We must try to remember to take them again when Spring comes along.

Thanks Auntie Linda for the kit! As you can tell, they loved it!!! If you want a fun butterfly project, here is one we did long ago.

p.s. my friend lance, the one who makes these cool videos when we run a race (and i’ve got a cool zombie run video for you this week), has submitted a video for the ragnar relay, and if you have time please vote for it here!

We’ve been pretty consistent in our trips to the Farmers Market and we all get excited about it every Friday. The girls enjoy getting out (so do I!) and picking out some fresh fruit and lunch. We usually pick up fresh hummus and pita bread. We even did it in the rain last week!  Our Farmers Market isn’t as spectacular as the one at the Ferry Building in SF. It’s actually 1/8 of that size, but it’s got a couple vendors with organic produce, so we’ll take it.

Our circle of friends and family are all still going through freshness of Danika’s passing, and one friend, Julian, wrote this on his facebook page… “I must admit, I always found Danika more or less intimidating. Is it weird to think a girl half your size as intimidating? She was, as I remember, willful, maybe headstrong. The crown jewel of the Tibayan clan. The first girl. Save for a few summers in my Vacation Bible School class, I watched her grow up largely indirectly. She would happen to be there and so would I. Still that night Melody and I prayed for her, I sobbed. At 17, I want to say it was too soon, she was too young, had so much of her life ahead of her. I want to grieve that she never got the chance to have so many of the opportunities we associate with a full life. Then I remember heaven. For Christians, our fullest life isn’t here. While we praise God for our time here, we do our work faithfully, we want to be in heaven, in God’s presence, to rest in His arms totally fulfilled. “Better is one day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere,” the psalmist says. If Jesus is my joy, heaven is my home. I still ache for her family, but there is comfort in knowing that the hope that has delivered countless other Christians through hardship and loss leads them now. For those who put their faith in Jesus, the one whom death could not conquer, the one whom the grave could not hold, and the one by whom death loses its sting, there is only life ahead. PTLJ.”

That was beautifully written and well-said.

This week’s learned, links, and thanksgivings…

Sometimes you just gotta suck it up and get help. I’m learning that slowly.

Soulie’s 3! Suddenly, it seems she speaks a bit more clearly. She didn’t really start talking until the age of 2 and a half.

I was so encouraged with the boldness and urgency that was in the message PJ, our pastor and Danika’s uncle, shared at her funeral.

The girls are excited we finally started decorating for Christmas. The tree is up!

My sister’s wedding was featured on 100 layer Cake along with some exciting news that her and her husband have teamed up with Max Wanger and they are now his associate photographers and are part of Max and Friends.

Ben’s birthday is on Tuesday. I honestly don’t know what we’re doing yet. Must figure something out quick!

Love this pretty DIY pinecones by Katie.

Love Joy’s Reindeer and Snow creation. Her pillows are also quite beautiful!

I’m making a bunch of these to put around the house.

I want to try and make this lavender ice cream recipe.

As we were singing worship during the funeral service yesterday, the line that moved me to tears was, “He gives and takes away. My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be thy name!” Death is hard, but to see our friends still praising God’s name throughout this difficult circumstance deeply encourages my soul. I know God is using this for something even greater than we will ever know.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese. I highly recommend this pasta. It’s easy, has vegetables, and so tasty. Next time, I would triple (or even quadruple!) the amount of swiss chard it calls for to get even more vegetables in. I didn’t add the red pepper in the sauce since I knew the kids would be eating this, but we just sprinkled it on our own plates instead. I also cooked some dijon mustard and rosemary marinated chicken breast, since the dish didn’t have any protein and I knew we would need it. It was a good combo.

Breaded Fish Tacos with Cabbage and Roasted Serrano Peppers and Onions. For the breading, I used panko bread crumbs, cornmeal, parmesan cheese, and salt. First dip the fish in egg, then coat with breading, then lightly pan fry. The best part, for spice lovers like us, is the thinly sliced onions and serranos sprinkled with salt and lightly coated with oil that was roasted in the oven. That spice goes so good with fish tacos. Yum!

Crunchy Turkey Tacos. This is how I ate tacos growing up… in crunchy shell. Ben isn’t a fan of the crunchy taco shell and he had his with whole wheat tortillas.

Vietnamese Chicken Pho. This time I added a bundle of cilantro in the broth while it cooked (as suggested by Joycie here). It was good, but maybe because I’m no pro and it all taste good to me, I couldn’t really tell the difference too much. Either way, I love pho!

Paella Valenciana. This was my 2nd reader’s recipe to try and we loved it. Paella sounds intimidating, but it really isn’t. Definitely doing this again! And I highly recommend you trying it out too!

Week 12/10 – 12/14
Monday: Homemade Pizza
Tuesday: Ben’s Birthday Dinner!
Wednesday: Cod with Herbed White Wine Lemon Sauce with Roasted Cauliflower Risotto
Thursday: Chicken with Artichokes and Angel Hair
Friday: Sushi or Pizza Night!

If you’ve got a good recipe to share, I would love to try it! What has been your most favorite thing for dinner lately?