Parents Should Watch This

I hate to start the day off on a sad note, but I am looking at this as spreading the word, not sharing a sad story. Parents out there should take a look at the video on this link - I hope you never need the information, but if you do, it may help you one day.

http://jody2ms.com/archives/599

The Best Cake Ever

I meant to post this a while back and forgot - so I have to catch up... Right after Christmas we had a dinner party for a few friends and my sister-in-law. It was a really great night, and I think the food turned out alright, but I am sure that the cake did. It was awesome, I want to make it all the time it was so good - and to top it off it wasn't that hard. I really enjoyed cooking something from scratch (since I don't do it that often) and I loved the fact that it turned out well (as not everything I cook turns out really well)...anyway - here's the recipe...you have to try it!!!

Coconut Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Cake:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cake flour
2 1/2 cups cake flour (about 10 ounces)
2 teaspoons baking powder object
1/2 teaspoon salt object
2 cups sugar object
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup egg substitute object
2 large eggs object
3/4 cup light coconut milk object
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Frosting:
1 cup sugar object
1/4 cup water object
5 large egg whites object
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt object
1/4 cup butter, softened object
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
3 tablespoons toasted flaked sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350°

To prepare cake, coat 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Lightly coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust pans with 1 tablespoon flour.
Lightly spoon 2 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place 2 cups sugar and 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute and eggs to sugar mixture; beat well. Add flour mixture and coconut milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract.
Spoon batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Remove wax paper; discard. Cool cakes on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, without stirring, or until a candy thermometer registers 250°. Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; using clean, dry beaters, beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; continue beating until egg white mixture cools (about 12 minutes).
Beat 1/4 cup butter until light and fluffy; stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract, if desired. Fold in 1 cup egg white mixture. Fold butter mixture into remaining egg white mixture, stirring until smooth.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Repeat twice with cake layers and 1 cup frosting, ending with cake layer; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Chill until set. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 317(25% from fat); FAT 8.8g (sat 5.5g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 4.4g; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 10mg; SODIUM 267mg; FIBER 0.4g; IRON 1.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.6g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2006

Pregnant Again?

So, I've been trying not to believe that it's possible that I am pregnant again - and believe me the opportunities over the past 3 months have been far and few between...but it is possible. I have been procrastinating over taking a pregnancy test for weeks now - but it feels as if there is a tipping point. Everyone has been making comments about how funny it would be if I were pregnant again - I mean everyone - colleagues, my boss, family, etc...I am almost freaked out that the more they say it the more it could be true.

It's not that I wouldn't welcome another child - I always wanted 3, but I am so not ready!! Not ready at all - I can't figure out how to even begin to contemplate what that would mean.

But, that being said - perhaps I should just take the darn test...but not tonight - and probably not tomorrow.

The Gift

So, I uploaded all of the pictures that I could get to (which wasn't as many as I wanted - given the fact that I also started working (from the office) again this past week)...but anyway...I uploaded the pictures, created the DVD and after the baptism (which went well, but more on that later) I ran it for my family.

Everyone really seemed to like it - there was a lot of pausing and recreating of poses. My brothers (the majority of the pictures are of them) seemed to really like it, so all in all I think it was a hit.

Now I just have to get the other 40 boxes of slides scanned and on DVDs and the gift will be done in time for Father's Day right???

Back to Work

So, I have officially been back to work for 1 week and 4 days and today, the 4th day of the second week, I am working from home. Add to that the fact that last week - I had to leave early on Friday to take my darling daughter to a doctor's appointment and you may understand that I am feeling the pressures of motherhood and working and its only been less than 2 weeks.

Early this morning, my daycare provider sent me an email telling me that one of her daughter s(who are in the home w/ her while she takes care of my daughter) had a 104 degree temperature last night and although she was fine with Reese still coming to stay there today she would leave it up to me. Well, that didn't make me too comfortable as I really don't want my 3 month old ending up w/ a 104 degree fever. So, like all good "alpha" moms I went to my back up and asked my husband to ask my mother-in-law (who watches Reese 3x a week) if she could take her today. No luck - my mother-in-law was otherwise engaged w/ plans that couldn't be changed. So, I called in to let my boss know that I was going to work from home.

So, some of you may think, no big deal - why is she complaining - she gets to work from home. Well, my issue is that I feel guilty and I feel stupid because in writing my email to my boss this AM I feel like I asked for permission to work from home (something I should note) is quite normal in my office) instead of stating my need. I have read a lot about how women tend to ask for permission while men just do it and then apologize if it was not the right thing to do, which is how then end up making 24 cents on the dollar more than women.

So, now I feel like I feel guilty for not being in the office, having just come back 2 weeks ago and I feel guilty for asking permission to take care of my child.

Not off to a good start w/ this whole "alpha mom" thing now am I.

*I should note that the alpha mom thing is just a joke - I am really just trying to be a great mom, a great wife and a great employee...that should be possible right?

Special Gift

So, I am working on a special gift for my father. Well, truth be told it is for the whole family (all though much less for me than for my mother, father and brothers, but more on that later). I am scanning old slides that my father has into our computer and I am going to make a book for him or a DVD, the end matter is less important - what is important is that I am going to be able to get him to relive his memories of our childhood - and of some of his newlywed years before kids. See, his birthday is coming up soon, and I wanted to give him something special and Brendan and I were going to buy a new printer, so we bought a new printer, scanner, etc... and it can handle slides!!!

I am so psyched - I have spent all morning scanning slides into the machine and I am still only 1/2 the way through this box and he has like 40 boxes. Needless to say - his gift will only be the starting point as I won't have the time to scan all of the boxes before his b-day, but none the less, I can't wait to see his face. Here's a sample picture!

New Year's Resolution

So, I've done it! I have officially started the groundwork on my new store - or boutique as I am finding is the popular term. Motherhood and Apple Pie is becoming a reality. I have a business plan ing progress, I have started researching vendors, I am moving a head with a full head of steam and - I am psyched!!

I still have some issues that I need to work out. I am trying to find vendors that will drop ship so that I don't have to maintain an inventory, and I am trying to find a company to develop my website w/o breaking the bank, but other than that I am truly on my way.

I have to apply for my tax id #, but I plan on getting the paperwork together and filing ASAP! and then there is no stopping me.

I am not sure that my DH is behind me 100% on this - I think that he thought that it was a bee in my bonnet and that it would go away, but - it hasn't - two years have gone by and I am finally doing something about it.

I have met a number of women who run their own businesses, and I have tapped them for advice and reccomendations - they have been more than helpful. I have a list of products that I would like to sell and am in the process of getting the catalogs and information on retailing from the vendors.

Ahhh - so much to do, so little time, but I hope to GOD that it is going to be worth it!! Wish me luck!