Happy (Belated) Birthday To Me!

And everyone else! I love birthdays...actually, my switch from vegetarianism to veganism came to be after my bday party last year when I threw myself and our friends a bday bash with a full-on vegan spread, something I'd never attempted before. It was great fun to plan, the food was divine, and I felt amazing having excluded food items that I was struggling with consuming. As happens every year, lots of friends' and families' birthdays are close to mine but this year I was able to bring vegan birthday cupcakes to each celebration and have been caught up in a whirlwind of birthday yummy for about a month now. The funny part is, I've only made one kind of cupcake from VCTOTW each time. hehe. Couldn't help it! the cookies 'n creme variety is just so fantastically good, I had to make sure that each bday girl/boy was presented with it's fabulousness before I could move on to some other version. On the third batch of these delectable birthday desserts, I employed a technique I learned from the food channel once upon a time that produces a spikey texture to the frosting. Sadly, this next pic is not of those. I have no idea where those pics are, so here's one of the first batch (again) from our friend Karen's surprise bday party we hosted at our house. She was the one to kick off the 'birthday fever' we've been so happily enjoying this summer.In true amazing husband fashion, the Cap'n gifte me with some of the things I've been coveting for far too long.....
I know this one seems silly to most, but it is my MOST favorite bday gift, honestly. I LOATHE waste and have huge issues with how much we throw away. I don't even buy plastic containers too often for leftovers because i prefer, instead, to use all the veg. margarine and other little tubs that inevitably pile up once the product is all used (yes, my 'fridge is full of marg. containers that all look like margarine save for the big black X i've marked on them once empty. hehe). We do, from time to time, find need for plastic bags and I reeeeeally hate using them, but knowing I'm using them as much as I can til they're actually garbage, almost ready to degrade? this makes me happy....happier. I'm getting there. Soon I hope to kick the habit of using them at all. And don't even get me started on my Press 'N Seal addiction.

Next up, something he knew I'd be getting a LOT of use of in the future....I drove out of town with a dozen cupcakes and the dog in the car and no amount of stopping and turning got those puppies to budge from their little places the whole time. I LOVE this thing! Wish I could say the same for the poor dog. She's yet to figure out that standing up while mom is in traffic may lead to her being jostled around a bit (as much as 85lbs can be just jostled around a bit!) in the car.


Lastly, the Cap'n gifted me the glorious beginning of some much needed and so wanted organization for our pantry. These acrylic containers are so wonderful and everything looks so great up there! I especially love that I don't have bags of flour or grains that have been opened in plastic bags any longer. yay!oh, and it was time to finally throw out my flowers as the last of their clinging beautiful petals were beginning to grace more the floor than anything else...I just loooove picking out flowers and then arranging them at home...and then you'll inevitably find me with camera in hand, just marveling at each perfect bloom...
Happiest summertime birthdays to everyone!