yummm

I am a baker.

  I like to cook.

But I Lu-hu-huve to bake.

I bake when I am happy. 

I bake when I am sad.

I even bake when I am angry. 

It is so relaxing and it fills my home with happiness.

  In fact, I try to make a goal of having freshly baked goods on a plate in my kitchen everyday. 

It really does make for a happier home. 

I bake everything from bread and muffins to candy and snacks.  But the thing I bake most are your ordinary chocolate chip cookies.  Well, they aren't so ordinary.  I am proud to say that they are MY chocolate chip cookies, and to say the least they rock socks off. 

Yes, I am bragging here.  

They really are awesome.

  Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside.

MMmm so good.  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 Tbs. vanilla*

1 whole egg

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Mix your flour, salt and baking soda with a whisk while your butter is melting on the stove top.  After butter melts, stir in both sugars until combined.  Add in your vanilla and eggs. **Then, mix in your dry ingredients.  After that is combined (it is going to be a lot stickier than most cookie doughs) add in your chocolate chips.  Use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop out cookies and put on sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.  

I like my cookies to be golden brown, and not very dark on the bottom, but others may want them to be in longer which is just fine too.  

* I use Molina Mexican Vanilla.  For those of you that don't know what that is, here is a picture

I think that EVERYONE should give this a try.  I personally prefer it to regular pure vanilla in taste and cost.  It has a little bit of spice to it that makes it smell and taste wonderful.  And and at about 2 bucks for over 8 oz, you really can't beat the price!

** I stopped using an electric mixer about 2 years ago.  Don't get me wrong, they are wonderful and I use them when I need to whip things or I need to get a really smooth batter, but for the most part I find that a wooden spoon really makes great baked goods (plus it is good exercise, ha! )

late night thoughts

I -think- WAYY too much late at night... 

 Right now, I am thinking that I need to be healthier.  

I need to exercise more, maybe jog in the mornings. 

[but I HATE exercising by myself]

I need to eat healthier.

[ but I LOVE ice cream] 

and I need to start loving the skin I'm in more.

[ easier said than done]

I may be thinking a lot more at this time of night, but I think these thoughts are for the best.  

I really need to make sure I can keep up with my health now so I can keep up with my grandkids later on.

 

dreaming

I am dreaming of the great outdoors today.

More specifically, late spring to late fall.  

This winter has been hard on the heart.

I can just barely taste roasted marshmallows and here the bugs chirping as you sit by the fire at night not being able to see past the people on the other side.  

I want to go floating and I want to hike.

I want to take road trips and I want to lay in the sun and take a nap.

I made a goal that I would have many adventures this go around, if only Missouri wasn't so indecisive on what season it wanted to be.

In other news, (literally the last post I did), I am getting 36 2" pots of succulent plants... next week. 

I also have plans to build a mini green house for inside my home 

and I want to get a few other flowers/veggies for my back deck.

Since I know so many ladies are just dieing for spring and I am really wanting to spend time with friends, I think I will have an "apartment-worthy-planting-party"  

If it is nice out, we can do it in the park next to where I live, if not I have a tarp to put down in my living room. 

If you want to come let me know on here or in the book of faces.

...I may even make cute little invites :)

I did it...

I just went ahead and got them. 

I signed onto ebay and I couldn't stop myself...

 

They should be here by April 8th...

Anyone want to plant some succulent pots with me?

spring fever

I have a new, shall we call it, obsession?

Yes, I think that is the right word. 

I am consumed by the loveliness of succulent plants.

I expect my new little place will be home to many of these in the near future.

Today

Packing

Cleaning

Moving

Sooo Stressful...

Yet Sooo Rewarding

New Glasses

                                      ... Bad picture

DIY

People always appreciate and cherish homemade things.  They also love to save money.  Isn't it awesome how these two things seem to go beautifully together?  I have been preparing and collecting crafts/diy patterns to start sewing my kids clothes and making things for my home.  I now have a collection of money saving, memory making ideas.  I recently starting delving into furniture... Majority of furniture is made of wood right? Built by people everyday throughout the world, so why would I pay them hundreds of dollars to make things I can make right here at home?  I wasn't the first one to think of this, this fine lady was kind enough to become an expert at it AND tell everyone all about it.

Check it out

This table is first on my list, followed by many more I'm sure.

Wedding

This month marks 4 years married.
It is crazy how fast this time has gone by.  

My mother called me the other day and reminded me of a goal I had set 

that was close at hand.

Charlie and I met at a YSA dance and short story made very short, we fell in love fast and got engaged in 6 days.  Different factors at the time caused us to want to spend as little money as possible and also not have the time to plan a wedding at all.  I didn't mind at the time, but as time went on I was sad that I didn't get a dress or a ring or have a fun reception with cake and dancing.  So, my husband and I  agreed that on our 5 year anniversary, we would have a Renew our vows/ Reception for family and friends and well, for us.  

I had completely forgotten about this goal due to time and our lives becoming very busy,  until my mother reminded. 

So... Starting now, I am planning a wedding.  

Not just a wedding, but a St. Patrick's day party full of good food, good music and lots of fun.

This is really exciting!

Favortie Things pt. 2

Yesterday I shared the strange things that I intrigue me.  I have a passion for the mysterious things in life. Today, I want to share things that make me truly happy.

The Gospel 

My family

My Pugs

Camping as far away from people as possible

Comfort food

Oregon

The Ocean

My job at the Zoo

Stars

Autumn time

Floating down the river

favorite things

abandoned houses

storms

all things chocolate

Cemeteries

learning the mysteries of the ocean

the fog

paranormal shows

bananas are my go-to comfort food

MARCH

Here is what I am excited for this month...

 1. Moving :)

 2. St. Patrick's Day marking 4 years with my best friend

 3. My 23 birthday!