69 Years of Marriage and still in love.

I think we all aspire to having loved and being loved by someone till the end and if it lasts 69 years well then we can say that we truly were.  Here sit the Hunters, now in a retirement home together taking a cat nap after breakfast.  Do you see Mr. Hunters hand....even asleep he wants to make sure his wife is right next to him...this is a picture of what true love is...I couldn't help but snap the picture of this precious moment as I too aspire to having lifetime of lasting love such as this..

Remy's new wheel chair

Remy's new wheel chair.

He's doing great already using his new wheels, he seems to be happy to have them.  He's sure a cutie!

Chocolate Mouse Cake

The cake below was my attempt at a topsy turvey cake.  I made the bow and all the flowers...what fun this was.  I used the chocolate mouse cake recipe because it is everyone's favorite cake.

The cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup express coffee or very strong coffee (hot)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (do not substitute for a low cal oil)
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3- 9 inch round cakepans.
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well. Add milk, Oil, and eggs. Beat at med speed till
mixed well. Add hot coffee and starting on low beat till mixed in and then turn back to medium and mix till smooth.
Pour mixture evenly into prepared pans and bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let
cakes cool completely on wire racks. Using a serrated knife, cut cake layers in half horizontally to make 6 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a
cakeplate; spread with one-fifth of the Chocolate Mousse. Repeat procedure with remaining cake layers and mousse. Freeze cake for 1 hour.
Spread chocolate Fudge Frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. You can garnish sides of cake with grated chocolate and top with chocolate
curls for a nice touch.

Chocolate Mousse Recipe:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 tblsp cold water
1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups heavy whipping cream
In small bowl, soften gelatin in 3 tablespoons cold water. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add boiling water, stirring until gelatin dissolves; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine sugar and cocoa powder, mix to combine.
In a medium bowl, beat cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar mixture, beating until stiff peaks form.
Stir in gelatin mixture to combine. Cover and chill for 4 hours.

Chocolate Ganache frosting:
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
5 (1-oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
10 tblsp butter
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar (do not at this to the first mixture, read the following carefully)
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar (not powdered sugar) and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer for
6 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter, stirring until melted and smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes. Whisk in
SIFTED confectioners' sugar. Let mixture cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency

Remy(Happy Feet) our new addition to the family.

We found Remy on Petfinders.com
He is now a part of our family and is doing very well. Seems to have adjusted in a matter of minutes. Slept well like he's lived here his whole life.
Remi doesn't get around as well as other dogs but he manages quite well. He loves to be held and loved and wants to be where ever you are.
Here is the write up from petfinders.com
Remy is a male purebred Miniature Pinscher, about 7yo, black/rust, cropped ears, docked tail, dewclaws removed. Hes short and built like a little tank at about 11 lbs. Remy came to me through unusual circumstances. I was basically tricked. But upon meeting the women and seeing him I couldn't not help him. That was a while ago. I felt that I had finally found an appropriate home for the little man this past March. But it wasnt meant to be. Remy unexpectedly ruptured a disk and his back legs were paralyzed and he had neither bladder nor bowel control. I didnt want to jump into the traditional western medicine solution of a disk fenestration surgery. Despite the expense of the surgery, which is quite hefty, I carried the worry and doubt that lingered as a result of my own personal minpin never waking up alive from that very same procedure a few years prior.

If ever there was a skeptic to something im it as I need to be shown the proof. I had heard and witnessed many great things via the more traditional Chinese medicine path and decided Remy deserved the option to try it rather then jumping into a risky surgery. So I got Remy in asap to be evaluated by Dr. Robin Robinett, DVM of the Veterinary Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Clinic (VCRC). She started him on Chinese herbs and weekly acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments. After a few sessions he regained full control of his bladder and bowels. After a few more sessions we was able to bear more and more weight on his back legs and then started to regain feeling and use of his feet. We did cold laser treatments and utilized the ferno underwater treadmill. He loved going to his appointments and seeing Dr. Robin and Jerri and all the caring staff. After 6 months we decided that he had progressed to a good functioning state and Remy is doing great and is mobile and I feel is ready for a home of his own.

Remy is the most happy go lucky little man I know!!! He loves everyone and everything and always has a smile on his face and a bark hello. He is a healthy boy that is neutered, utd on age appropriate vaccinations, microchipped, heartworm negative and on monthly preventative.

He is totally mobile now. However, he will never be 100% as he was prior to the injury. He can not jump up or off of the bed or any furniture. He can not climb stairs and handle substantial level changes. I pick him up when its time to snuggle on the sofa and if im busy and he wants to nap on the futon then I put him there and hes content until I place him on the floor to go outside to potty. Obviously hes more of a companion snuggle dog then a take to the dog park kind of dog. He loves his person and he wants to be the center of attention. He will bark and make himself known until you pay attention to him. Hes fine with short walks and he loves car rides and going to new places. He doesnt really care about doggie daycare or the dog park though. Hes happy to be with his person. He would be perfectly at home being carried around everywhere in a doggie purse. Hes crate trained and sometimes sleeps there at night and other times he sleeps on the futon or his dog bed on the floor. He is fine left unattended in the house. I typically just crate him in my absence for his own safety since other dogs can sometimes pick on the older or weaker ones and I dont want to risk his getting hurt. Remy would be fine with a doggie brother or sister as long as they dont take away too much of the attention from him. Or even an older more mature child to love and spoil him. Remy has such a happy and vibrant spirit that he would make a wonderful addition to almost any responsible household. He would be most suited to one without very young children or rough children or active larger dogs that might knock him over. Also he would prefer a single story home without slick tile or hardwood floors as they are difficult for him to get traction on.

German Chocolate Cake Recipe

German Chocolate Cake w/frosting Recipe
Frosting Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
3 beaten egg yolks (beat by hand before you add to other ingredients)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup Baker's Angel Flake Coconut
1 cup chopped pecans (roasted)

Step one:
Roast Pecans:
The easiest way to roast pecans is to place them on a plate and microwave them for 1 minute, then take them out of microwave and toss to turn and put back into the microwave for another minute. If they are still not roasted enough put them back in for about 10 seconds and check again, repeat till roasted. Now chop them into small pieces (about 4 pieces per pecan half)

Step 2:
Mix the following ingredients on a stove set on medium heat for 12 minutes:
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 beaten egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Step 3:
Once you are done stirring in the above ingredients and have cooked the mixture for the 12 minutes  add the coconut and roasted pecans and cook another 5 minutes. Cool the frosting until it is firm and easy to spread.

Now for the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup espresso coffee or very strong coffee (hot)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (do not substitute for a low cal oil)
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3- 9 inch round cake pans.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well. Add milk, Oil, and eggs. Beat at med speed till mixed well. Add hot coffee and starting on low beat till mixed in and then turn back to medium and mix till smooth.

Pour mixture evenly into prepared pans and bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely on wire racks.

To frost the cake divide the frosting into three separate, but equal parts. If you made a double batch make sure you divide your frosting in half before doing this. Then pour one of the thirds onto the first layer, or as much as needed to frost the top so that the top is completely covered.
To add other layers carefully slide them onto the last frosted one.  Once all the layers are built then frost the top of the last layer and then place one glob at a time on the edge of the cake and work it down to the side covering one area at a time as you turn the cake and add globs to the top edge.  The frosting is rather chunky so be patient.  I frosted the cakes above so I know you can too :) .

Enjoy!