Saturday 4 December 2010

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like..... A Birthday!

Tomorrow my eldest daughter will be 8 years old.
Where does the time go????? I am going to take this opportunity to post a gratuitous baby shot : )



Here she is, my brand new babe, almost eight short years ago.

Today our world is white. And very busy!



We headed off to the park, nice & early.





The mittens I have been spinning & knitting for Rosie are done



They are made with 'Thrumms'



And are super-warm, I am told : )



Back home to the fireside & hot chocolate : )

Yesterday I baked Elianna's birthday cake & today I iced it.
Filled with buttercream,



his name is Walter. He is rather appropriate for this weather





This afternoon promises to be as busy in a lovely, happy, productive way. We have party food to prepare & presents to wrap. The girls have Christmas cards to be working on. (I shall be giving these lovely cards a post of their own, in the next week, hopefully) & I have lots of Christmas knitting to be getting on with.

I will leave you with some ideas of how we celebrate birthdays in our home - & our favourite birthday recipes too!

Birthday’s

The essence of our celebration; you are an important member of our family, we love you & our lives would not be the same without you!

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psalm 139:14


Birthday to-do’s & good things to eat.

Find balloons tied to your bed when you wake
Be greeted by kisses, the same number as your age
No chores today!
Birthday gifts & always a book
Find a balloon on your chair at breakfast time
A prayer of thanks for you
A special birthday muffin for breakfast, with a number candle
Your height measured & marked
Birthday party tea
Homemade birthday cake with candles...we sing happy birthday, you make a wish!
Number (of your age) sugar cookies
You get to wear your very own birthday crown
A letter for you written in your journal

Read: Happy Birthday to You! by Dr Seuss

Classic Birthday Cake
(makes one tier)
4oz self raising flour 4 oz caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder 2 large eggs
4oz soft butter 2-3 drops pure vanilla essence

Pre-heat oven to GM 3
grease & line cake tin
sift flour & baking powder into a roomy mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients & whisk till thoroughly combined. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of tap-warm water. Whisk again.
Add the mixture to the tin, level off & bake on the centre shelf for about 30 minutes.
When cooked remove to a cooling rack.
The cake can be sliced in half, layered with jam & buttercream or stacked.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
(Fills & frosts a 8/9” cake.)
3 cups icing sugar 2 tsp vanilla
3 oz softened butter 3 oz chocolate, melted & cooled
3-4 tblsp milk

Mix sugar & butter in a medium bowl on a low speed. Stir in vanilla & chocolate.
Gradually beat in enough milk to make frosting spreadable.

Sugar Cookies
2 cups plain flour 6 oz softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pre-heat oven to GM 3

Cream the butter & sugar. Add the egg & vanilla, beating well until mixed. Add flour on very low speed: do not over mix.
Gather dough into a ball & wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an hour. Allow dough to sit for 10 mins before rolling. Roll on a floured counter to 1/4” thick. Cut with cookie cutters & place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12-15 mins.
Can be frozen.

4 comments:

Lisa said...

We all hope Elianna had a super wonderful birthday! What a gorgeous cake you made for her! How very talented you are, Lynn!
Blessings,
Lisa

joc4jesus said...

Happy Birthday Eliana.
Lynn you're back; I can't believe it. I missed your inspiration so much. Hurrah. Now reading back through what I've missed. What happened to the Waldorf stuff?
Hurrah Hurrah!!!! Love your blog!
Jo

Lynn said...

I am back! LOL!
I have gone back to my 'first love' CM, but I have kept a lot of the Steiner ideas - songs & rhymes, rhythm, teaching via movement & particularly with maths - I shll be working on a 'time' maths block in the new year that is very Steiner.
Thank you for your lovely comments!
LX

Gilly said...

It's lovely reading how you celebrate birthdays and those mittens are gorgeous!

I hope Elianna is feeling better now.