Best Surprise!!!!!

I tell you, catching JOY?  It's so easy sometimes!

Remember how I lusted for a big ole bouquet of sunflowers from the sunflower maze?  And remember how I told you I am always getting awesome gifts?  Look what arrived at my door this morning!

I got a call from a client (I love you Priscilla!) and she wanted to know if I would be home around 11 because a friend was dropping off a surprise.  So EXCITED!!!

My "kind of" neighbor, Marty, drives up and gets out of the car holding this big ole bouquet of sunflowers!!!!  He is the sweetest guy!  He told me he grew sunflowers - about 300 plants - and he works for Priscilla.  You can take it from there!!  

Thank you Marty and Priscilla!  My JOY was written all over my face.  I LOVE these and more than that, I love how the whole surprise unfolded!  THIS is JOY catching ON!!!

So - a bit of brain dumping here.  Since I failed miserably at getting my kids to eat really healthy this summer, the other day I made the decision to start over and start smaller.  I decided to try and do gluten-free snacks, etc.  I truly think the rashes that 2 of my carb-hound children are getting and the dark circles I see under my rested daughter's eyes are directly related to all the wheat/gluten crap they stuff themselves with.  (That I do not necessarily buy - don't ASK!)

So I shelled out wayyyyyyy too much $$$$ for some gluten free "stuff" and then I consulted with my niece and my cousin Cindy who has Celiac and went shopping again - this time for ingredients to make snacks.  I went to Foodworks - our local version of Whole Paycheck Foods. 

$50 later... (the Gingerade Kombuca is mine - yum)...that's ONE bag!  $50...sigh.  Anyway - I made my cousin's Incredible Edibles. Yes there is sugar but as I said - I'm starting small - baby steps, people!!!

Incredible Edibles (better than Reeses PB Cups!)

Gluten Free!

·       1 ½ sticks butter, melted

·       2 cups Josefs "mock" graham cookies.  Use 2 packages. Or there’s a mock graham already crushed in a box in health food stores, Whole Foods, maybe even grocery stores.

·       16 oz. Teddy’s Peanut Butter or Smucker’s All Natural

·       1 ½ cups powdered sugar

·       12 oz. Nestle’s, or Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate bits

·       2 T water

In a 9 x 13 baking dish, combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter and sugar.  Mix together well until crumbly.  Press evenly into the pan.

In the microwave, melt chocolate with 2 T water until smooth.  Spread evenly over the peanut butter mixture in the pan. 

Place in refrigerator to harden, and then cut into small squares.  

Everyone LOVED them!  I have to say - I caught some JOY over that!!!  Anddddd I caught JOY when I tasted a little square myself. (No - I won't be indulging - as I can't indulge in sugary treats too often - seriously, I have been good for 6 months till a few weeks ago and now paying for my transgressions!)

One last thing - I'm doing a bit of entertaining tomorrow on my front porch.  I LOVE my front porch.  It's truly where I spend most of my time from Spring through Fall.  It's where I catch ALOT of JOY.  

So I needed to spruce it up a bit as I had really let it "go" over the summer.  Check it out.  Don't you wish you were having coffee tomorrow morning there and cocktails tomorrow evening there?

 Don't my Coleus look awesome!!!?  Check out a better view.  (Hmmm - I better spray down that wheelbarrow...)

Guess what?  TGIFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!

BLUE MOON JOY!  COMING NEXT FRIDAY!