Martha's coconut cupcakes

This weekend marks my dad's 65th birthday and he is not a big dessert lover. So, I decided that he might enjoy a coconut cupcake, since he will not eat chocolate and according to him, "anything gooey".

Using my new Martha Stewart cupcake cookbook, I tried her coconut cupcake recipe and boy was it delish- moist, sweet, but not too sweet. However, I did change a few things. I used her Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting which is outstanding. I think it is way better than the heaviness of normal buttercream frosting.

I also toasted some of the shredded coconut and sprinkled it on top of the cupcakes, which adds a nice crunch. Martha's cupcake book is absolutely amazing and I plan on getting through many more of the recipes.

But for now, my dad, who will not eat dessert, loved the cupcakes, so I definitely recommend them to everyone!

Rainy Evenings

When it rains, and it has a lot this summer, I am always tempted to stay inside and keep the kids occupied with craft projects and other indoor games. However, it has been raining a lot lately and so I decided it's time to get out of the house and into the rain.

I forgot how much fun it can be to be three and play in the rain. I just gave him an umbrella and he had the time of his life. So I encourage everyone to embrace the weather and splash around outside the house. It may surprise you how much fun you will have!

Healthy Rice Crispy Treats

I am always trying to find healthy but yummy recipes for my little one. I came across a tasty healthy version of rice crispy treats. Not that rice crispy treats are horribly bad for you, but this is a way to gets your kids to eat some healthier hidden ingredients.

Here is what I did:

6 cups of puffed brown rice, toasted at 425 degrees for 4 minutes.

Melt 4 cups of mini-marshmallows, 1 tablespoon of orange blossom honey, a pinch of salt and 3 tablespoons of flax seed oil, or whatever healthy oil you have (I used grape seed oil) in a mixing bowl over gently simmering water. When the marshmallows are all melted, mix the marshmallow mixture with the puffed brown rice and use parchment or wax paper to press the mixture into a 9 x 13 x 2 oiled pan. Cool, cut and eat!

You can download this recipe on foodnetwork.com courtesy of Alton Brown. The recipe online adds dried cherries, cranberries, blueberries and almonds, but I made them nice and plain- how my three year old will eat it.

Fresh Summer Flowers

One of the best times of the year is right now. Flowers are just blooming, the grass is green and everything is fresh and new. It took me six years of planting to create this vase of flowers. Red tree peonies, pink peonies, golden trollius, purple bee balm and a variety of irises make up this summer bouquet.

Usually I just let my flowers bloom outside and look at them every now and again. But, I am realizing that I enjoy them a lot more on the counter where I wash dishes, cook and spend a lot of my day. These flowers remind me of all that time on my hands and knees, planting tiny starter plants. The reward is worth it.

By the way, I love the iris towards the back left. The peach and purple remind me of a sunset.

Sewing Comfy Pants for the Boys

Lately I have been enjoying sewing elastic waist pants (or comfs as we call them in our house) for my boys. I love the light summer cotton prints that are out now and I happened to find older boy and baby boy turtle fabrics.

I used New Look patterns (6880 for the baby and 6641 for my three year old) but added cuffs in coordinating fabric. What was great is that I was able to make two pairs of comfs for each child at the same time. I just pinned two fabrics to each pattern and cut. And then I cut out cuffs. My three year old loves his so much, that it has been a challenge to get them into the wash. He wants to sleep and play in them. And the best part is that they can be whipped out really quickly.

I also made my husband a pair, but he wouldn't wear turtles, so his are blue.

Mr. Hooperdink's House

Mr. Hooperdink is the elf who lives under our deck. Occasionally, or so my little ones believe, he comes out and enjoys playing in our backyard. However, he only appears when no one is around because Mr. Hooperdink is very shy.

Because he has spent all of last year under our deck without a house of his own, my three year old thought it would be nice if we built Mr. Hooperdink his very own house and yard.

Here is where Mr. Hooperdink spends his nights, at least until the dog finds it.