My Husband, My Friend

Tomorrow is David's birthday and he requested his sugar free Carrot Cake that I made last year.  I guess this is a new tradition from the usual Milky Way Cake which is in no way shape or form --sugar free. Just popping in to provide the recipe.  Here it is:

 

Sugar Free Carrot Cake

Ingredients

3 large eggs

2 cups Stevia (be sure to check the bag to make sure it’s one for one. Some are ½ to 1.

¾ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup buttermilk

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrots

1 8oz can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

 

Preparation

 

Spray 3 (9 inch) cake pans with cooking spray and lightly dust with flour. Set aside. 

 

Stir together first 4 ingredients.

 

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add flour, soda, salt and cinnamon and beat at low speed until blended and then add vanilla. Fold In carrots pineapple and walnuts.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center. Cool 15 minutes and remove from pans.

 

Sugar Free Cream Cheese Frosting

 

1 (1.4 ounce) package sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix (I had to buy 2 1 oz. as they are smaller now)

1 ¾ cup of milk (or 2 cups of milk if you use 2 1 oz. packages of pudding)

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (I used 2/3 less fat)

1 8 oz. container sugar free Cool Whip

 

Directions

 

1.      In a medium bowl combine pudding mix and mile. Mix well and let stand until thickened.

2.      In a large bowl beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add pudding and mix well. Finally, fold whipped topping.

3.      Icing the layers and store cake in the fridge

 

Enjoy!!

 

Do You Have A Turtle?

When Zach and his crew were here on Memorial Day and Dax and I were playing in the “Doll Room”, he was enjoying the stuffed dogs (mostly schnauzers with a yorkie or two and a couple of pound puppies) and we had a chat about his upcoming move to a new house.  He was excited because he gets to get a turtle or turtles, I’m not sure. As we talked he said he liked the dogs all right and the plastic octopus and dinosaur toy that I unearthed from a drawer, but “Do you have a turtle”? No, no turtles.  As we played some more I got the question a couple more times “Do you have a turtle”? Sadly, I did not and not one to come up empty when it comes to cute 4 year olds I decided to knit him one.

So, when Dax comes over again I Got Turtle!

        

http://knittedtoybox.blogspot.com/2008/04/amigurumi-tiny-turtle.html

Pattern is here.  I changed the head to make it smaller and eliminated the last increase row.

Memorial Day Weekend 2013

 

Let’s just start this thing by saying that I suck at blogging. But, that is a given since the last time I was here was in September of last year.  Well, that being said and what is really the big deal in the big scheme of things….it’s not like this is a hot ticket item anyway.

I won’t even try to fill in the time since my last post because I usually don’t remember what I did last week so the months that have gone by are dust in the wind.  But, I can say that I had a really good memorial day weekend with family and friends.  So, before these memories are caught in the cobwebs of my mind, I thought I would capture them here.

Luau and Pig Roast with the Neighbors and Besties on Sunday.

 

Yes….it s gross looking…no, I didn’t eat any

But, our adorable neighbor across the street really like that skin!

 

Faith,, me and Harley  Love these Gals)

  

My Bestie, Harley Dawn  and Lola our host’s dog

It was a nice day. Memorial Day Monday was filled with family and BBQ.

 

Zach and his crew enjoying the pool 

Dad made the chicken to perfection!

Adorable little Gnome!

Man at work in the kitchen…Who knew?? He’s more like his Dad every day!

Dax and I had great fun in the “doll room”

 

It is wonderful to build memories and also to write them down before they fade.

*May God take away all the troubles of this house and leave peace in their place.  God Bless our troops for they are the peacekepers"*

Happy Memorial Day, Y’all!

Rockin’Ankle Boots from Easy Spirit

 

Can I just say Who Knew? Who knew Easy Spirit would have rockin’ ankle boots?  I didn’t expect it.   I’ve shopped there for over 10 years and I’ve mostly stuck to the mules that work for me. I received these boots to evaluate and when I opened the box, I thought “What??  Then my second thought was “I’m not going to be able to wear these”.I had knee surgery for a meniscus tear last year and the old knee is not what she used to be.  I’ve had to be very careful with my footwear since then and with the neuropathy in my feet. I put them on and was again surprised that they didn’t hurt my feet and I could actually walk in them after not having on high heal of any type for about 5 years. Aren’t they super cute?!  They are called Pensdale.

Notice how the back of the boot is not flush up against the ankle.  My heel is snug as a bug in the boot, but the construction of the shoe is such that it doesn’t touch and gouge the back of my ankle. They are in their anti-gravity line and they are light weight with cushioned rubber soles that help the stability factor for me with the knee and the feet problems. I have worn these shoes out twice and took extra shoes both times ‘ya know…just in case…and never changed out of them.  Granted, I didn’t do a marathon day long shopping in these shoes, but did a small amount of running in and out ( ok, walking in and out of several places and never felt the need to peel them off. These shoes are very comfortable and a younger Gal could possibly run a marathon in them. You know when you wear some shoes without socks or hose and the sole of the shoes will slip or stick to the bottom of your feet. These have really cool soles with mesh lining.  Very breathable comfort when I wore them without socks or hose.  Does anybody wear hose anymore?  Not in Texas in the summer, I’ll tell you. So they were perfect without socks or hose and paired with a jean skirt.

 Try not to give the hubs instructions on snapping the picture while he’s snapping the picture.  Just sayin’.

They also rock pair of skinny jeans! when a girl has to supervise the Hubs doing yard work.

   

These are nice, comfortable pair of boots that I’m so happy I was able to review for Easy Spirit because I would have thought these boots to be out of my box and would never have considered them.  Now that I know I can wear these boots, I’ll be strutting them right on outta my box from now on! Now….just need to speak to them ….again….about some Vicki Red.

These boots are light shopping (less than 4 hours) and schnauzer approved.

In Wild Love with Easy Spirit

I am an Easy Insider! What is that you say?  I have been asked by Easy Spirit shoes to evaluate and opine about some of their new styles. Anyone who knows me well, knows that there for a long while Easy Spirit mules were ALL I could wear because of the neuropathy in my feet and was limited in the time I spent on my feet. (On meds for it now and much improved and no limitations – walk 4 miles every morning!)   I have probably 25 pairs of them at least that are still in the closet and a few that are in the “use outside” bin because I have worn them out. I have always thought their shoes to be comfortable. But….when I got these I was blown away. 
 They are called Explosion 
They are the most comfortable shoes I have worn to date bar none.  I tested them out over many days and wearing them to walk with the dogs (here’s a couple of them saying stop with the pictures already and let’s go!

I took them to town and I shopped and ran several errands over 6 hours and I was amazed that my feet didn’t get tired like they normally do. Below you see  a couple of shoppers admiring my Easy Spirit Explosions 

I wear them with shorts, crops and jeans and I know I will still be wearing them through fall and winter in Texas (probably with socks in the winter). I dressed in my crops and Explosions and took them to lunch with friends (who didn’t want their picture taken).
    
I am in Wild Love with these shoes!  Now….I just need Easy Spiriit to make them in more colors.  Like RED.
Check them out! HERE.
Now, I have another pair to check out and I have worn them once.  Over the next couple of days I have more opportunity to wear them and I will say more about them.  These are HOT little ankle boots and I was so surprised when I opened the box. Sneak peak….
                         Stay tuned…..