Happy Halloween!

When was the last time that you were tremendously excited about a holiday? I'm talking excitement to the point that it was all you could talk about. Most likely, you were a little kid when the wonderment of special occasions took over.

We are just starting to experience this new level of excitement with Baby Bee. A couple of weeks ago, we ventured out to a pumpkin patch in Santa Monica. Bee knows her fruits and vegetables and loves to say "pampum," so when we told her that we were going to the pumpkin patch, she grabbed her Hello Kitty, Hello Fall! book and showed us the page with HK and her friends hanging out with the pumpkins. 

All afternoon, before we left, she'd say "Mama/Dada... pampum, go!" It was so incredibly precious and made us even more excited to take her out to choose a pumpkin to carve for Halloween. At the end of our fun outing, we came back with two pumpkins, two dried ears of wild corn, and one odd-looking bumpy gourd that Hubby thought was too ugly to bring home (but I couldn't resist it). All are now happily displayed on our dining table.

It was such a treat to watch Bee run around the aisles of pumpkins, peer in to the petting zoo (full of chickens, bunnies, and goats), and gasp with joy at all the festive surroundings. We're off to a great start for the upcoming holiday season! 

Happy Halloween, all!

Give Us Pause

It's very easy to lose track of time. You get caught up in the madness of life... It seems strange that over 30 days have passed since my last post. 

So much has happened, and much of it is very sad indeed. Within 1 month, three wonderful people in my life passed away. They were all good, kind, and well-loved. At first, I thought how unfair life is (it is at times) and wondered why these three souls had to leave this Earth. But, I came to see that they all lived full lives, regardless of how/when they ended. I suppose all we really can do is try to live our lives to the fullest, embrace our loved ones at every opportunity, and choose to be happy. It is not necessarily an easy task, but I think it's the right one.

On occasion life gives us pause... But we have to press on.

Little Pleasures: Birthday Edition

My favorite flowers, sweet treats, and a card from Hubby and Baby Bee

The fixation with Marc Jacobs fragrances continues. How could I pass on "Honey"? (A birthday gift to myself)

The ultimate in relaxation... Hello, Burke Williams!

We ended the day at a local Caribbean spot.

This was a good one! 

Peanut Butter Pizza?

Since Friday the 13th is the hallmark of all things bizarre (and scary), I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the recipe above while packing up some snacks for Baby Bee. Whoever heard of a pizza made with peanut butter? I mean, there's cheese on it too, and not a banana in sight (not that I eat those)...

Anyhow, I'm too afraid to try such a venture. Yet, I'd love to know if you're game!

Abeille Cuisine: Roasted Garlic

Don't make the same mistake that I made. Costco is a wonderful establishment... bargains galore, but who really needs a 3-pound bag of garlic?

I Love Cheerios

We've all seen the adorable Cheerios commercial where the little girl pours a box of the cereal on her dad's chest, right? Well, the commercial received heaps of negative comments on YouTube, which stunned me. 

Click here to see how even though there are cruel people (read, adults) in the world, the new generation is  chock full of love. Kids are so pure of heart... We should strive to be more like them.

Abeille Desserts: Coconut Chocolate Mousse

I have a sweet tooth, and can easily overdo it if there aren't others around to share the treats with me. Recently, I got a craving for chocolate mousse (thanks, Pinterest!) and decided to try it with coconut cream instead of the traditional dairy cream. The end result was a thick, creamy, cool, light, and sweetly refreshing dessert.

First, place a 14-ounce can of coconut cream (any brand you like) in the refrigerator to set up overnight. When it's ready, turn the can upside down so that it's easy to drain the excess liquid. Whip up the cream with a mixer (it helps to put the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes) on medium high, adding in powdered sugar to your taste, and about 1/4 Tsp. of vanilla. I used 3 Tbsp. of sugar, and soft peaks formed within 7 minutes. Just keep an eye on it, to make sure that you get the desired consistency. 

I scooped out a small amount to use as topping, and then mixed in 3 Tbsp. plus 1 Tsp. of unsweetened cocoa powder, until it was thoroughly incorporated. Place the mixture into four ramekins. You could easily eat this dessert right away, but resist the urge, and put the ramekins back into the fridge for a few hours (or overnight) for best results.

You might expect a strong coconut flavor here, but it's really quite mild. The chocolate comes through really well, and and the creamy texture is divine. I crumbled a vegan chocolate bar (going all the way with the non-dairy theme) on top, and loved every single bite.

Oh, and even though Hubby and I were "sharing" the desserts, I ate 2.5 of the 4 ramekins... I couldn't help myself.

Enjoy!