The Sweet Days of the Mower Family: December 2010

Lately I have been thinking of different things that just pop into my head really that I would like to share on our blog but then I forget. I guess they just are random thoughts about different things that happen to me around here with the children and some personal thoughts and feelings about those moments.

Yesterday was a rather tough day for me. I kept thinking that maybe people like me should not have children. You know, the kind of mothers that are not always patient, soft-spoken, and gentle. I definitely have my moments for sure. There are times I do have those qualities and exercise them, and then there's other times when I feel like everything is falling apart in my house and I'm about to lose it. I guess yesterday was one of those days. It doesn't help when I start getting those negative thoughts into my head. I guess the whole thing hit it's peak when at dinner time I decided to not eat with the family and just lock myself in the bedroom. I heard some of the commotion going on outside of my bedroom and then it happened. Something that I am so thankful for. A thought came to my head, "what are you doing Yajaira?" and felt the impression in my heart of what one of my children was feeling at that precise moment and my heart ached for that child. I thought, this is not about me. This is about them. And how lucky I am to have them in my life. My beautiful children. I went out of my room and went to that child who was crying at the time and hugged my child. We spoke. I felt like that is what I was supposed to be doing. And what a wonderful feeling it was. I realized (as many times before) how lucky I am and how I am the only mother my children have. I am their mother. And that even though I am not perfect, they are my children and I am their mother and I strive, and will continue to, be a good mother for the. The best that I can be. Not the best that someone else can be. But the best that I can be. Needless to say, my home has been filled with joy and happiness since that change of heart, since that change of mood, since that awakening, since that moment that I re-realized the precious gems I have. They already are precious and wonderful. I am just guarding them, and taking good care of them, and polishing (teaching) them so that they always stay precious. And the only way that I can do it is how I will go about it, how I feel about it. And I know how I feel about it. I will forever be grateful for Heavenly inspiration. Heavenly Father is mindful of me, and mindful of my children, and He will make hearts soften when they need to be softened so that people change. I know it's true. And how thankful I am for that guidance. Because at the end of the day, my children and husband are the ones I have left and the ones that will always be there, and I can't disappoint. I can't afford to disappoint them, or me, or my Father in Heaven. He has given me a special charge and stewardship. And I receive it. I get it. And I will take care of it. It's good to get it, even if it is over and over again. We sometimes need special reminders so that we get back on the track we have been striving to go for so long. This is not a waste of my time. This is my all...to be a mother and a wife, and a handmaid and daughter of God.

Well, I certainly did not expect I was going to share that much, but I did and I'm glad. Now it is time to share what we do for New Year's Eve. We started this last year and I am so thankful and excited. I prepare a huge Dominican feast since I don't get to do that for Christmas. :) My menu consists of:

-Pastelitos (empanadas)
-Pastelon de platanos maduros con carne (ripe plantain and ground beef casserole)
-Espaguettis (spaghetti)
-Moro de gandules (rice with pigeon peas)
-Ensalada Rusa (potato salad - different)
-Telera (bread, kind of like french & Italian bread)
-Pernil (Pork Roast except I make ham instead)
-Morir Sonando (Die sleeping drink - evaporated milk, OJ, ice, and sugar)

And for dessert (not a Dominican dessert):
-Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting (yummo!!!!)

So in case you want my yummy recipe for it, here it goes:

Yari's Red Velvet 2-3 layer Cake)

2 1/2 C Flour
2 C Sugar
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
2-3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 C buttermilk (I use the powder mix and mix it with the dry ingredients)
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
1/2 C butter
1 C oil
1oz. red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract (pure)

Frosting (this baby makes a ton of frosting!):
4 C powder sugar
1 lb. cream cheese (16 oz.)
1 stick of butter (room temperature)
2 tsp, vanilla extract

Oven temp: 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes per layer. If baking all layers together just have them bake until cake is firm enough to not sink in. Poke with fork in the middle to test. If it comes out dry then it is ready. If wet, it needs more time.

For cake:
-In a large bowl cream sugar, butter, and oil.
-Add eggs.
-Mix in cocoa and food coloring.
-In a different large bowl sift flour & salt.
-Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternatively with the buttermilk powder. Mix.
-Blend in vanilla.

*IMPORTANT*
-Combine baking soda & vinegar in a separate container, and add to the mixture.

For frosting:
-Mix cream cheese and butter.
-Add powdered sugar gradually
-Add vanilla
-Blend all

When layering the cake do as follows:
-cake layer
-then frosting layer
-then cake layer
-then frosting layer
-then cake layer (if doing 3 layers)
-then frost the top
- Optional: Sprinkle with crunched up walnuts or pecans on the top or place along the side all around the cake. I prefer the cake with walnuts or pecans but my husband doesn't :)

It seems like a long process but it so not is and my family looks forward to it every year! I also make it for Valentine's day! Enjoy!

*And I hope you don't think I'm totally crazy for sharing my feelings above. :) New year's resolution, to enjoy my kids more and more while I have them all with me. :) These are the days...

Yay! I updated our blog finally! To be completely honest I am not sure how good I will be about coming in here and writing about us but at least this is my attempt at trying and giving it a good shot...with style. LOL! Anyway, what is going on with us Mowers? Not much really. Right now we have four little kiddos that are ever so crazy but ever so stinking cute! They do drive me crazy but I love them to pieces and prefer being driven crazy than to not have them in my life. :) We are still living in SoCal and enjoying it. Probably more now than ever before. We moved into our new house in the beginning of the year, a house that Danny built and that I love, although I do miss my old little house. Andrew started first grade and Yleana started Kindergarden. They are both doing great at school and we are so proud of them. Wow, I just realized that this is starting to sound very much like a Christmas letter...which actually reminds that I need to get my bum in gear and do my Christmas cards soon so that peeps can get them on time!

Moving on...Joshua is completely adorable (though definitely challenging) but we LOVE having him around here. Cameron is my little bebe. I just adore that little guy. He is so amazing. All our kids are and even though life is hard at times (and many times I want to pull my hair out), this life we are living is so wonderful and we so love it. We would not have it any other way.

Danny is still working at his dad's store and being a general contractor and Yari (myself, thank you very much) is still a digital scrapbook designer. We love these things we do but the most important this that we do is being the blessed parents of our Andrew, Yleana, Joshua, and Cameron - always our babies.

Well, I hope that you have enjoyed reading our little update. Below are some scrapbook pages I'd like to share that I haven't shared in a while. There are too many to credit each one with the kits I used so if you are interested in knowing what I used to make a specific layout just let me know and I'll get that to you. Hugs! :)