Simple pleasures

All our local thrift stores had 50% off on Memorial Day.  I actually spent three and half hours in one store and ended up with lots of cute clothes.  One of my favorite finds was this pot for $3.  I grabbed some thyme from my herb garden and a hen and chick out out of my back yard to fill it.  

Rapunzel Birthday Cake

Less than a week before Sophia's birthday I got the phone call from my friend that she wasn't going to be able to make Sophia's birthday cake after all.  I quickly called another cake-making friend only to find out that she already had a cake due that day.  So necessity required me to make the cake myself.  I did get a little help with the fondant which I had never worked with before.  I am really happy with the results and now I think I have the confidence to attempt more complicated cakes in the future.

The Rupunzel braid was my nine year old son's idea.  It was such a tangled mess, it took me days to braid!  We used it to decorate the table and wrap around the cake.  The night before I had the idea to make a game out of it. Everyone guessed how many times it would wrap around Sophia.  The winner got a bag of m&ms.

Gardening Satisfaction and Healthy Eating

When I arrive home, my garden brings a smile to my face.  Especially with all the extra rain we have had, my flowers are looking gorgeous. But the reward I get from actually getting to eat the bounty is even better...

Fresh lettuce and strawberries from our garden 

with homemade lemon poppy seed dressing 

and shredded swiss cheese.

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

1/3 c. lemon juice

1/4 c. honey

2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion

1 tsp. dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Zucchini Noodles

I did not plant zucchini this year, but now that I have learned this awesome substitute for pasta, I am sure I will be planting some next year.  I am always on the lookout for substitutes to my favorite carbs that actually taste good.  My friend introduced me to making zucchini noodles using a spiralizer after she attended a raw cooking class.  The spiralizer is easy to use and only costs $30 on Amazon!  I have been using it like crazy.  You can steam or saute the zucchini noodles, but I have just been eating them raw.  

Click on the picture below for a great recipe for peanut zucchini noodles that taste like phad thai. So good!

I know I have been quite remiss in posting lately!  I have several projects that I have been working on and haven't had time to post.  Okay, maybe I have been spending lots of time reading, too.  I am finishing up some large projects (including a bathroom remodel) and look forward to posting lots of pictures.