Testing... testing...

This is the "test cake" I made for my friend Michelle's wedding which is coming up in a few weeks.  What better way to test the cake than by making one this weekend for her bridal shower.

Since she wanted Chocolate Cake I looked for recipes and ended up using The Pioneer Woman's Big Chocolate Birthday Cake recipe which has quickly become my new favorite.

You don't even need a mixer to make it!

That's right!

No mixer required!

I made three layers, cooled them and then covered them with a basic buttercream icing that I Am Baker recommended.  I also added raspberry extract to the icing for a little flavor.

I wanted to do something different than the fondant cakes I've decorated in the past.  I had come across the Rose Cake from I am Baker a few months ago, loved the look of it, and really wanted to try my hand at it.

And here is my first attempt at it...

I think Michelle likes it!

I'm pleased by the results too!

I learned a few things and now I think I'm ready to make the one for the big day!  Can't wait!

30 days of J's in June {A list of daily observations about my June}

June 1- Jacarandas. June is the month where jacaranda trees are in full bloom and covered in fluffy beautiful lavender dresses. 

June 2 - Jubilee. This weekend the Queen of England is celebrating her Diamond Jubilee. 

June 3 - Joy. Is what was on the faces of K & S when I picked them up at the airport today! I missed you girls! 

June 4 - Jarring (or Jackhammer). The dictionary defines it this way "Jar - to produce a harsh, grating sound; sound discordantly. To vibrate or shake." This is what we have been hearing in my office all day as they remodel the downstairs floor of the building. 

June 5 - Job. I am right in the middle of reading the book of Job today as he ponders the brevity of life (Ch 14). 

June 6 - Java. Part of the enjoyment of getting my java every morning at the same coffee shop is having the barista know exactly what I want without having to tell them. 

June 7 - Jim. Jim forgot to bring the jars today. 

June 8 - Jamboree. Jamboree was the exit I took today to get to Irvine Ranch Historic Park. 

• June 9 - June. On this day in June fifty years ago Mom and Dad got married. 
• June 10 - Junk Food. Is what I crave sometimes (well, a lot of times!) 
• June 11 - Jogging. I want to do (jog) a 5K in October with some friends from work. Time to plan! 
• June 12 - Juggle. Trying to juggle everything I have to do this week...eek! 
• June 13 - Jolt. Apparently what everyone but me felt a little while ago. I was driving at the time so I totally missed it. 
• June 14 - Jars. I made guac & salsa and filled some jars full 
• June15 - Jail. Is where the man with a gun south of campus today will most likely end up. 
• June 16 - Joints. My joints (knees) ached after painting for 5 hours today. 
• June 17 - Jesus. My heavenly father when my earthly father is no longer here. 
• June 18 - Joker. Watched the Batman movie with the creepy joker in it tonight. 
• June 19 - Jammies. What I'll be wearing after my massage tonight... mmmm! 
• June 20 - Jazzed. I am so jazzed that today is the first day of summer! 
• June 21 - July. My birthday is one month from today. I'm in denial! 
• June 22 - Jaunt. I took a jaunt (or two) around the park with Titus this afternoon. 

• June 23 - Jangled. Jangled nerves after waking up to Duncan's incessant loud barking! 
• June 24 - Joined. Joined my Grace Group poolside for a BBQ. 
• June 25 - Joke. Corny joke posted by Brian for western themed Adventure Week: What kind of horses go out after dark? Nightmares. 
• June 26 - Juicy. Juicy slices of watermelon is what I served to everyone today in the food line at Adventure Week. 
• June 27 - Jennifer. My therapist. Going to miss our weekly meetings. 
• June 28 - Jo. Going to see her today and get my hair done. 
• June 29 - Junk drawer. We all have one. I need to clean/organize mine... maybe this weekend =) 
• June 30 - Jane. Listened to several chapters of Jane Eyre while on the road this weekend to and from Imperial.

Bird of Paradise

Did you know that the bird of paradise is the official flower of the city of Los Angeles?

More things I love about the summer... the annual Biola Bookstore sale!  I walked over this afternoon and browsed around the bookstore.  As staff, we get an additional 40 % off for purchases this week.  Yay!  That's the kind of sale I like!  I picked up a few little gifts for friends and couldn't help getting this super cute, adjustable ring for myself for just a couple dollars.

Just the thing to wear this summer!

Summer Dresses...

Another thing I love about summertime is wearing summer dresses.  I found this colorful beauty on zulily a few weeks ago.  Wearing it makes me feel quite happy!  What does your favorite summer dress look like?  
All dark colors in my closet are hereby banished to Winterdom... Long live Summer!

Happy first day of summer!

I really love summer! 

 One of the things I get to do more often is hang out with these cutie pies.

 Last Friday we went to Huntington Beach and had a bonfire, roasted weenies, and made s'mores.

 

     Fun times!

Adventure Week Is Just Around The Corner!

It's that time of year again!  I don't get to paint or draw very often so when an artistic opportunity comes around I make the most of it.  The theme for Adventure Week (VBS) this year is "Saddle Up".  My friend Kim and I have worked on a couple of these projects together.

Last year we were up to our ears painting all kinds safari animals

From 2011 June 11 - Monsters and Lions and Elephants... Oh My!

but with the American western theme this year our main project is to paint a stagecoach that can also be used for a photo booth.

We started tracing the image onto the plywood last week so today we were ready to break out the brushes and paint and get to work.

Got a couple of hours of painting in today before running out of day light so we will tackle it again Saturday.  I'll post another photo once we're all done.

Serendipitous Saturday

The dictionary defines Serendipity as "an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident".  That is what happened this morning.

I was driving home from an early morning meeting and kept seeing signs here and there for garage sales and yard sales.  After driving past a few I just picked one and followed the signs to the address listed.  Now mind you it's been over a year since I have stopped at a yard sale.  I usually gravitate to the table with dishes or kitchenware.  I wasn't really expecting to see anything in particular.  Much to my surprise I saw a stack of plates on the corner of the table.

When I looked closer I noticed it was the same exact pattern of some dishes I bought years ago at an antique store in Orange.  Well, I bought the dishes for... ready?

$2 for the whole stack.  Yes!  I drove away with a big smile on my face.

Then noticed another yard sale a few blocks further down.  Why not I thought!  There were no dishes here and as I was about to walk away and drive home I saw this...

It's a beautiful, old, four drawer solid wood cabinet.

No pressed wood or particle board here!  I took it home for $60.

I love it when these little completely unplanned surprises happen.    

Did you see it?

 

A little black dot in front of a giant red dot.  I watched with great interest this week as Venus made it's way in front of the sun.  This is quite a rare event that will happen again in 2117.  Above is a screen shot of the NASA website during the transit of Venus.

Breakfast for Dinner

Sometimes at the end of the day when I come home after working out and I'm trying to decide what to make for dinner I like to try something a little different.  So this week I made breakfast for dinner.  Why not?

I toasted a piece of sprouted wheat bread and put a little bit of coconut oil on it.  Fried up an egg and served myself a big scoop of fresh fruit (pineapple, papaya, strawberries and basil).  Yes, basil... my favorite herb of the month!  I've been adding it to lots of things these days.  

What are you having for dinner?

Happy Mother's Day!

I can never thank my Mom enough for being the best Mom ever!  I admire her strength and courage to go to a foreign country far away from all her family and friends and raise and teach five kids.  (And this was well before all the modern technology that we take so much for granted today!)  There was no "Skyping" with grandparents.  They wrote letters that would take weeks and sometimes months to arrive.  There was no Google or internet to look something up.  There were no cell phones, iPods, CD's or microwaves that most of us use without a second thought.

But there was time.  Time to learn and do school together. Time to watch my mom cook meals from scratch everyday. Time to sit down at the table and eat together at every meal.  There were good times and bad times but I could always count on my Mom being there.

So, today I say "Thank You, Mom!"

Thank you for loving me.  (Even though I was a crier!)

Thank you for teaching me about Jesus.

Thank you for teaching me how to read.

Thank you for getting the nasty bug out of my eye.  (I still remember that day!)

Thank you for all the time you spent with us.

I love you!