Hamsters.

hence my text yesterday. life is good as long as there's dancing hamsters. and skyping babies!

Wishing you were here.

I hope this entry doesn't make you sad, but I wish you could be here! Olivia is so freaking cute, and I could just stare at her all day. And I was just wishing you could run across the street before you even had eatten breakfast and come see her and stare at her with me. Well, one day. :) I love you!

Bon Hiver

A beautiful video for Jessica and Olivia:


I love it because it's somewhere so different from where I am now, but I remember places and times like this, and they are magnificent! It reminds me of something Genna just wrote on her blog: that it's no wonder they have so many treatment centers in Utah, the sight of the mountains is such a restorative and peaceful touchstone. I feel it everytime I go back, it's one of my favorite parts of going back, looking at the steady range of the Utah mountains. I felt it when we were driving the backroads from your house to Adam's parents house. God sure made a pretty world, huh?

Loves and Happy Labor Day!
Linds

Maybe the best baked creation I've ever made!

From my new Hershey's Recipe Book:


White Chip Lemon Streusel Bars

Ingredients:
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
2 cups HERSHEY'S white chocolate chips
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts (toast by spreading nuts on tray, bake at 350 for 7 min, stirring once)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp shortening

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Combine sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon peel in medium bowl; set aside. Measure out 1/4 cup and 1/3 cup white chips; set aside. Add remaining white chips to lemon mixture.
   
2. 2 Beat butter and brown sugar until blended in large mixer bowl. Stir together flour, oats, pecans, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, blending well. Remove 1-2/3 cups oats mixture; set aside. Add egg to remaining mixture, blending until crumbly. Press egg/crumb mixture on bottom of prepared pan. Gently spoon lemon mixture on top, spreading evenly. Add reserved 1/3 cup white chips to reserved crumb mixture. Sprinkle over lemon layer, pressing crumbs lightly.
   
3. 3 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan on wire rack. Place remaining 1/4 cup white chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Drizzle over bars. Allow drizzle to set; cut into bars. About 36 bars.
4. 
   
5. Seriously. Ate way too many of them, even though they were slated to go to others... :)

I like this.

And my first and last thoughts about it were, "Jeez I would never be able to play that on the piano!" Weirdest rhythm EVER! Happy August!

Yes....I am going to try this

Seriously...Can I be her?

So I can't remember if I told you about this chick, but if I didn't it's high time I did. I saw her on someone's blog a couple months ago and then proceeded to listen to EVERY SINGLE Youtube broadcast she had available. SO yeah, Dane M posted this today on Facebook and it made me smile so I thought I would share it with you.

Not to mention the hair. love the hair.

My go to gal

Don't worry Lindsey, you will always be my go to BFF no matter what. I can't imagine the frustration you feel, but sometimes I think Heavenly Father is just waiting for us to be patient and enjoy the moment of every moment...because that's all this life really is a moment in time, so no matter what just remember to enjoy. I think you already do. :) In MANY MANY ways. I can't wait to see you August. I am doing ABSOLUTELY nothing but being with you as much as I can when you get here-and we will go see The Help and then I will start laughing at it so hard maybe I will go into labor and you will have to drive me to the hospital...ok I really don't hope that happens. I don't want her to come early, but if she does I would rather it be when you are here! I seriously get giddy thinking that you are going to be here so soon!

Thanks for calling me today. I was kind of in a bad mood because I've recently tried to reach out to a few married friends and no one has called me back. I hate feeling left behind sometimes. Not that I am, I'm blessed and I'm happy with my interesting life out here... I just hate feeling left behind. Do you ever feel a gap between you and your single friends? What do you think of it?

My mom keeps reminding me it's a natural process, that the day I get married I magically get back on the same page as so many of my dear ones (that's exactly what happened to her and her elementary school bff... all it took was that ring on my mom's finger!). But I'm too impatient for that sometimes, I want it all right NOW!

So, like I said, thanks for calling me today. I get to see you in a month! I'm plotting a few things for this reunion... including this, which I watch at least every other day: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi146709529/

I LITERALLY got weak in the knees when I saw these

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

... sometimes stalking sugar on the internet helps me not crave it during this long, long Lent.