Merry Christmas from the Yummers @ Yayas

Wow!! How fast has this year gone. There's usually a 3 week period before Christmas where everything starts to wind down. This year Christmas has just walked up to me and double-slapped me in the face.

[MiniB having fun making Christmas wrapping paper]

[My MiniB Masterchef]

However ill-prepared my family was, we still managed to get into the festive season. Our family love Christmas. Family, friends, fun-filled, and food-filled festivities. Having our 2.8yr old MiniB limits your capabilities on getting things done on time/to plan. This year we've embraced this by taking things at a child's pace and found that it actually worked to our advantage. MiniB was so proud that she was "big" enough to help mummy & daddy, especially helping mummy christen her new pride and joy - a new Empire Red Kitchen Aid.

[Christmasy Cupcakes by Sparkle Cupcakery]
(L-R: Candy Cane, Black Velvet and Eggnog)

Our good friends @ Sparkle Cupcakery kicked off our Christmas cheer by letting us try their Christmas flavours. Choc-Peppermint Candy Cane, Egg Nog and they threw in a mystery flavour that had us all baffled. It was Black Velvet made from rich Belgian chocolate. My personal favorite was the Candy Cane. Nothing can beat a light moist cupcake with embedded crunchy bits of candy. We also got an early Christmas present from Sparkle. A mix of their famous flavours to celebrate Yaya's and Gummi Baby's birthdays - Thanks Sparkle!!

[A forest of Christmas tree cake pops]

Mrs Shanks continues to feed her fascination for baked goods, especially now she's armed with a Kitchen Aid. This time venturing into Cake-on-a-Stick, Cake pops. The thing I love about cake pops is that they're super moist, like mud cake, due to the frosting you mix in to shape the pop. The annoying thing about them is they're fiddlier and messier than standard cupcakes, but do make an impression and something a bit different for special occasions.

[The Cupcake Gallery Nativity Figurines]

But why stop at cake pops when The Cupcake Gallery are running their last workshop for 2010. After successful fondant work here and here, I think Mrs Shanks has the prerequisites to attend The Cupcake Gallery's 3D Nativity Figurine workshop; and she did a stunning job!!

Jo@The Cupcake Gallery has just released dates for 2011 workshops (along with her book release), check them out here. These will be the last workshops before she and her family prepare for Christian mission work in Africa.

The dedication of Jo and her family + the theme of this workshop has really hit home for me on the true meaning of Christmas.

Why do we celebrate Christmas?
Why do we like being with family & friends during this time?
Why do we give gifts?

[Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:11]

Have a very Merry, festive, fun-filled, and of course, Food-Filled Christmas from all of us Yummers @ Yayas.


Till next time ... we eat!!

Shanks