Plum Delicious

With the change in our weather I was in the mood to bake something. I used my tart, sweet plums that are one of the highlights of the Autumn season. I made a delicious plum cake.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature plus more for pan

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsps all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

1/2 tsp of baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tsps finely grated lemon zest

1/4 cup of sour cream

3 plums, halved, pitted, & cut into eighths

confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups of flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. With mixer on low beat in eggs, one at a time until incorporated beat in vanilla and lemon zest. Beat in 1/2 the flour mixture, then sour cream. Add remaining flour mixture; mix until combined.

3. Spread batter into pan and smooth top with a knife. In a bowl, toss plums with tablespoons flour and sprinkle over batter.

4. Bake until cake is golden, about 30 minutes; loosely tent with foil and bake until cake pulls away from side of pan and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes more. Let cake cool completely in pan. Run knife around cake edge and remove cake from pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Enjoy!

Kira's room

I have been anxiously waiting to get Kira's room done since I bought her bedding, and I bought the bedding when I found out we were having a girl [16 weeks ago, GEEZ]. As you all know we had lots of other projects around the house that had to come first in order to set her room up. We got the furniture put together the night before the shower and a few other things set up in the room. We are so blessed with the generosity of our family and friends. We got tons of stuff at our shower. Her room was so full of bags, bows, and boxes. I have been going in her room constantly; anxiously waiting to set everything up, but I had to wait for the dresser and hutch to be replaced. The furniture was replaced yesterday. In the mean time I have been doing a lot of washing and I haven't even made a dent in washing all her stuff. Thank goodness she has a descent size closet because she is going to need it. She has lots of clothes and shoes.

P.S. Thanks to my wonderful sister- in- law Melissa, I got this room in order. She offered to come over last night and help. She put together the swing, pack-n-play, and helped me organize [oh, and taught me a few things]. I appreciate all she has done and so does Joe. He has been so busy working, and now he doesn't have to worry about putting anything together.

Decor

Owl switch-plate cover

Kira doll

Showered With Love

I am a bit late posting this, my apologies. On Saturday September 19th we were showered with love, gifts from loved ones, good food, and my favorite.... Lindy's Italian Creme Cake with buttercream icing. That evening I went into the nursery to look at everything we got. I was overwhelmed and still am from the generosity of our family and friends.

I am currently washing tiny pink clothes, booties, hats, blankets, and bibs, and hanging them in her closet. I love washing her things jsut not my own clothes. I cannot wait to post pictures of the nursery, and I will this week. Here are a few pictures from our shower.

Nursery Rhyme with a sonogram of Kira

Little maryjanes

Home renovation update

This is what has been going on at my house this week. This week my house has smelt like paint, sealant, sawdust, and candles [trying to help with the smell]. As you can see we have another working toilet in the house. We also have cabinets in the the other bathroom, which do need to be painted and soon they will be. We also have more cabinets in the kitchen which covers the pantry, so atleast my kitchen does not looked cluttered. The cabinets in the kitchen still have to be stained. I am just happy to have them and grateful to have a husband that has worked so hard to get it all done.

Joe painting our bedroom

Our new granite countertop in the master bathroom.

More cabinets for storage. We have to do touch-up painting.

Yay! We have another working toilet in the house.

Cabinets in the kitchen.

As you can see I need to finish cleaning off my countertop here.

Spic & Span

I hope your weekend will be more delightful than mine.  This weekend I will be organizing, cleaning, washing, and ironing.  The nesting stage has begun to prepare for the arrival of my daughter, but my shower will be next weekend at my house so it is time to get to work.  I have to get this house spic and span.  Don't worry, I will have my husband and Mom helping.

Happy Friday Friends!

Out Of Order

My cell phone is temporarily Out Of Order thanks to 

h

i

 m

The culprit.  

Any time a phone rings Ferdinand finds it.  He starts kicking it around with his paw.  Last time my phone was ringing he found it on the counter top and knocked it on the floor.  When I made it to the kitchen I found my phone in pieces on the floor.  Thankfully, I was able to put it back together.  Well, that was not the case today.  All day I was tracing my steps trying to remember where I left my phone last and who I was talking to .  I remembered talking with my Mom and getting ready in my bedroom.  I looked where I thought I left it, but it was not there, and that was on my dresser.  After looking forever for it I thought it would turn up or when Joe gets home I will have him call it.  So, I decided to lay down, unfortunately my phone was still on my mind.  I started thinking what if Ferdinand found my phone.  I really thought I left it on the dresser.  My dresser had a few things on it that needed to be cleared off, so I started moving the stuff around still searching and found my phone submerged in the cats drinking well [pictured above with Ferdinand].  Who knows how long it had been soaking in there, but out of all the places, he knocks into the drinking well that sits on the floor next to my dresser.  It was in the water long enough that when I found it it wouldn't work.  I know it was him because he is the only one interested in the phone and he was in the room with my phone when I left.  Go figure.  My phone is drying out, but I think I will need to order another one.  Unfortunately I just replaced that phone about 2 months ago.  If you need to reach me, email me.

Thanks Ferdinand!

3D Ultrasound

She is sucking her thumb

It looks like you can see hair here

arm, hand, leg, and foot

Awww...

mouth is open

Monday we went to the doctor to have the 3D Ultrasound.  We got many pictures but Kira had her hand covering her face the whole time.  This little girl is stubborn.  The technician would shake my belly and she wouldn't move that hand.  On Monday we got to see her eye [only one] nose, lips, foot, and leg.  So, we went back today and got several great pictures.  I told Joe she has his lips and he thinks she has my nose.  Joe has full lips and he swears it is from sucking his thumb when he was a baby.  Kira sucks her thumb too.  We got a picture of her doing it.  She has hair but we are not sure how much.  It may be red hair too.  Joe had red hair when he was born, but it turned blonde just like mine was.  She looks a little uncomfortable in some pictures like she is running out of room.  I am so happy we had this ultrasound done.  We got videos of it as well.  We are so excited and can not wait to meet her.