Second Star to the Right - - -

- - - and straight on till morning ~

I joined this adventure to remind me to play with my daughter and remember the fun of getting dirty. It has gotten me thinking about what I used to do as a child, and what my daughter has been missing out on because I am a paranoid mother and won't let her run around crazy in the yard unless I am watching. Maybe it is because she is 5 years old, and maybe it is because she isn't growing up in yard on 2 acres of land to have those adventures.

Together we finally got to do one of my most favorite activities! We played in the rain and puddles, most of rainstorms this summer have been at night and I just don't have the heart to wake up my daughter at 2 in the morning because I want to play - It finally happened - a beautiful storm rolled through - just heavy and hard rain - no thunder and lightning - it was perfect! My side yard fills up with water durning the really hard storms, and makes a perfect yard long puddle -

It didn't matter what we were wearing - mud cleans up - I grabbed her and we went outside. She ran in the rain and twirled, but she wouldn't splash in the puddles or slide on her tummy like a slip-n-slide.

no mud sliding like the days of my youth - but we danced anyway -

Finally in the big puddle around some desperately trying to grow bushes she jumped in the largest puddle we had - and we laughed - at that point the fear of getting her dress dirty (no matter how many times I told her, it was okay) She finally followed me on a good belly slide in the puddle moment -

Joy -

Happiness -

Giggling -

Adventures -

my beautiful princess who likes her dresses pretty and tiara's on her head ended up in a pretty dress in the mud - it was a taste of neverland this summer.

Thanks for visiting and never forget Neverland - it can be anywhere - even in the rain -

~bleumoon

Comfort Food

It is time to tempt the palette on a beautiful Monday morning - I slept with the windows open last night and woke up in the middle of the night feeling like fall is almost here. There was a beautiful chill in the night air - it made me want to take a walk at 3 am - instead I decided to snuggle under the covers and just enjoy the fall night-time feeling.

I have been diligently working on projects, and gathering the words and photos for posts, and in the meantime I have decided to share with you my spur of the moment treat from last night. I didn't think about taking photos of the process until after I was filling my beautiful babies, so I only have a finished product photo. Yum!

I made éclairs and I am including my recipe for you wonderful readers - (it is so simple! just time consuming)

Start by making the shells:
for this you need to preheat the oven to 400 degrees

In a small pot on the stove - heat 1 cup of water and a 1/2 cup a butter till the butter is melted and water is just beginning to boil. Add in 1 cup of flour - Mix and remove from heat - should form a somewhat solid ball while mixing.

At this point add 4 eggs, one at a time. (add an egg, mix until fully blended add the next one)

Spoon onto a baking sheet and cook for anywhere from 25 - 50 minutes depending on your oven. My old oven it would be done around 40- 45 minutes. My new convection oven cooks them in 25 min. (I burned 3 batches before I figured this out)

Pull them out and let them cool on a wire rack - Slice them open, pull out with a fork and gooey-ness still inside and set aside until you are ready to fill them.

For the filling:

I cheat and use lots of pre-made products - anyway beat together 2 (3oz) boxes of instant French Vanilla Pudding with 2 1/4 cups of Milk - then add in 1 (8oz) tub of cool whip. Blend together until thick - I then use a Ziploc bag, fill it full of the filling and cut a corner off and fill the pastry shells - recover the shells and spread on some prepared chocolate frosting to finish them off - Yummy! Yummy!

You will have leftover filling - it is yummy to just eat by itself - I always do -

Keep refrigerated and enjoy!

~bleumoon

Happy Friday the 13th!

I love this day - it is like having a taste of Halloween at any time of the year.

I am sad however that this is the only Friday the 13th this year, until May of 2011 -

I know there is a name for a fear of the day - friggatriskaidekaphobia, but is there a word for those who adore the day?

I love and embrace the day - it is this years early sample of halloween -

So Happy Friday the 13th! and have a taste of Halloween!

~ Bleumoon

Trinket Journey

Oh me Oh my - I am feeling some blog love - I sign on and I am up to 14 followers!

Really?

I don't know where everyone found me, but I think it was all the vodka posts that sucked you in. I guess I have to get on here more often -

Side note - not sure on the blog etiquette for comments, if I want to answer a question in a comment, is it better to comment in the comments or reply in an e-mail?

Now comes the purpose of this post!

Trinket Trade

hosted by the lovely Faerwillow - such a beautiful blog and fun journey!

So I received the beautiful trinket goody box in the mail the other day and played with deciding what to trade with - I will only show what I took so as not to ruin the surprise for anyone else who still gets to pick their goodies!

Isn't it an adorable box?

Here are my goodies - two rings -

And an adorable mushroom ornament -
I can't wait to see how it makes the rest of the journey - I am sending it out tomorrow -

Blessings!

~Bleumoon