Elin's Third Birthday

How time flies! My baby is now three years old. I thank Thee for another year of blessings and giving me the previlige to raise, take care, and love her as my daughter.

This year is the first year Elin understands birthdays and looks forward to her birthday, one of the last among her friends. When the day finally comes and we wished her happy birthday, I could see the pure happiness on her face as she danced away in her dress, the look of anticipation as she was about to blow the candle, and her joy in being surrounded by family and friends. I prepared goodie bags for her little friends and she kept telling me that she wanted to give them to them herself, but she doesn't even seem to notice or be consumed by the gifts she received. Oh, the innocence of a little child. Their love of simplicity and a heart of giving (than receiving) humbles my heart.

On her actual birthday, we had dinner with my family.

My sister and I made her fondant cake again this time using the same foams that I used to make her first and second birthday cakes. 

The next day, I hosted a bridal shower at home and after it was done, I changed the "bridal shower" banner to "happy birthday," replace a few things on the table, and we celebrated her birthday again with her lovely aunties. It was a quick one that involves around 20 rounds of singing "happy birthday Elin" to which she kept on asking for more.

As if two celebrations are not enough, we had another birthday session the following day at her sunday school class with all her little friends. Many candles this time, so all the kids can blow them.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." - Matthew 5:8

Happy birthday my dear Elin. May you grow up to be wise, gentle in spirit, and abundant in love.

Review of Bud of Joy's Christmas Offerings (Fruit Cake, Chocolate Log Cake, and Gingerbread Cookies)

I am a big fan of sweet things, especially cakes. Unfortunately I have cut down a lot of refined sugar in my diet knowing how bad sugar is for our body. So I limit the amount of sugary food in my family, except for special occasions. And this Christmas, I am excited to share with you Bud of Joy's Christmas offerings that I got a chance to try. I am always happy to eat their breads and cakes because I know that they only use the best ingredients in their products such as non-GMO, free range eggs and butter from grass-fed cows. Not to mention, they are all organic and without the use of any chemicals and preservatives. Fret not, their cakes are as delicious, if not more delicious, than the regular cakes you find in a conventional bakery and you won't mind having your children gobble another slice down their precious little bodies because there isn't any chemical or artificial ingredients that you have to worry about.

Take their Organic Christmas Chocolate Log Cake for example:

This chocolate cake is light and fluffy, rich in chocolate flavor (but not dense!), and colored with natural ingredients, such as organic beetroot juice for the pink flowers and barley grass juice for the green color. There is not even a pinch of baking powder or emulsifiers. I'm enjoying every bite of this cake for this special occasion.

Organic Fruit Cake

If there is a season for a fruit cake that is spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice, it would be thanksgiving week all the way through Christmas. I'm glad Bud of Joy makes this again this Christmas. The last time I had this (the gluten-free version) was last Christmas.

This fruit cake uses organic wholemeal flour. It has NO added sugar. Its sweetness comes from the organic dried fruits that are packed generously in the cake. If you are allergic to gluten, you can order the gluten-free version, and it is as good as the regular one, in my opinion. This cake is just perfect to eat with a cup of tea.

Last but not least, is their Gingerbread Cookies:

Which kid doesn't like cookies? This particular one is made with organic wholemeal flour, natural sugars, and organic spices. I can really taste the ginger, which is an added bonus compared to regular gingerbread cookies where you can only taste the cinnamon. Each cookie is hand-decorated using natural colors derived from organic vegetables. My daughter loves them and savors them like a treasure.

Sure, the cost of these goodies are expensive at first sight, but once you know the amount and quality of ingredients in these baked goods, and the amount of extra work the chef has to do (think about the convenience of using food coloring versus having to puree the vegetables, strain them, and then use the juice to decorate the cakes and cookies as an example), then you will understand why. More than anything, I love to support Bud of Joy because the owners, Her-Yi and Sarah are passionate about what they do and they do their jobs really well, i.e. delicious yet healthy baked goods - something that is not easily available here in Singapore.

These three Christmas offerings will make awesome gifts for yourself or other people! Just for Pasture Living readers, Bud of Joy is giving away $5 voucher for orders $50 or above on these Christmas treats. 

Orders can be through: 
- Phone, at 6748 7687. Quote 'Pasture Living' when ordering.
- Online. Please type 'Pasture Living' under 'Add Note'. 
- Email at sales@budofjoy.com (Please indicate Name, Contact Number, Quote 'Pasture Living', and the type(s) and quantity of Christmas goodies.)

I hope you get to try them before the season runs out and makes use of the voucher before it's too late. :)

Disclaimer: I received the above products for review. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own.