Mother's Day

So I have been home a couple days now, my family is finally back together, mother and sister. I made my mother pancakes (chocolate chip peanut butter with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fresh berries along with freshly pressed carrot juice) I gave her a juicer for mother's day (secretly hoping I can use it!) a card, and ordered some flowers. Well, when the flowers arrived it was the adorable little neighbor girl. See, I never grew up in a neighborhood, I never had that sense of community... it was just my family and the kids I went to school with, and I wasn't friends with anyone really. I didn't like it, but family was all I had. Today that has become so much more apparent. Sure, I don't always get along with them, but being all I had for so long, it is nearly impossible not having their constant support. Anyway, the little neighbor girl came over right as I was adding the wet ingredients to the dry in my favorite irish brown bread recipe. I invited her to help me finish. I had just put on my brand new apron and we were ready for some magic. She added the wet to the dry, stirred and helped knead. While it was baking we played with my kitties and talked to my mom (who loved the flowers!) Once it was done baking, I cut it into fourths and then sliced us two pieces. She chose cherry jam and I used the apple jelly my best friends family made. It was amazing, so warm and sweet with the jelly. After we ate it I sent her home with the rest of the fourth we had cut into and the rest of the cherry jelly. I felt like an aunt back in the day who had her neice over and sent her home with goodies. Sort of like little red riding hood, or hansel and gretal. Except this one had a happy ending... no kids in ovens or grandmas in wolves. I finished decorating my carrot cake that I had made for my mother and boy did it turn out beautiful!

This is Hector the Alphasaur, my best friend Taryn bestowed him upon me since I am transferring.
He will be in a lot of pictures as we will be adventuring together.
He is my companion, look for him in pictures from now on!

Carrot cake, cream cheese icing, walnuts. Recipe from: The Joy of Vegan Baking