30DTD5.

Day 6 - Something you hope you never have to do.

Instead of listing all of the extremely depressing things that I am absolutely going to have to do in my lifetime even though I don't want to... I'm going to list something that is always a "possibility", but I hope is never a reality.

I hope I never have to get a divorce. I know how terrible that sounds... but just... hear me out. My parents got divorced after 29 years of marriage; a marriage that I thought was sturdy my entire life. During the last 6 years, and after many discussions, I have come to the conclusion that they were pretty much miserable from the beginning.

Ryan and I are really close - the best of friends. We work hard to stay in harmony with each other. We talk about everything, we keep no secrets, we spend a lot of time kissing, we have too much fun, we keep the passion alive, we laugh a lot, we discuss our future, we're on the same page, and when we aren't we make sure to get back to it real quick. There is no one else on the entire earth that I would rather spend my days with. I love this man so much. He is literally the reason I am even breathing air at this very moment... literally, guys.

I hope we never lose sight of what is important. I hope we spend the rest of our lives learning from our experiences as a couple and growing from them. I hope our love multiplies every single day. I hope we never get discouraged or feel defeated. I hope we never let anything get too big to conquer. So, what I really hope I never have to do is make our kids feel that forever doesn't exist... because it does, and we intend to prove it.

baking, mom, & fishing. eclectic.

So... I've been baking a lot. I've almost considered creating my own baking blog so that this one doesn't transform. We'll see... for now, I'll still post on here. I recently made some killer lemon coconut bars with a graham cracker crust and dusted confectioner's sugar on top. When they're gone, I'm going to attempt pumpkin whoopie pies with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. I've always liked being in the kitchen, but cooking hasn't ever really been my thing - I think baking is... I love it.

My momma is coming to visit this week. She's driving up on Wednesday. I am so excited to see her. I don't think my house has ever been cleaner. I've been trying to get everything perfect - I want her to see how well we're doing. I know she worries about us sometimes, being so young and in a city where we have no family and no friends. I hope spending some time with us will ease her fears. Gotta love moms - they have the biggest hearts in the world.

She's leaving Saturday, but she's taking me with her, at least until the Fla/Ga line. I got offered the trip of a lifetime. My grandaddy booked a charter boat for an 8hr trip on Sunday. Growing up, fishing was our family thing. My grandparents had a summer house about 3 hours north of our hometown. We'd spend at least a week there every summer. We'd bring home what we caught, clean it, fry it up with some grits and hush puppies and wash it all down with some sweet iced tea. Those were the days... and I'm looking forward to reliving them, if only for 1 day.

30DTD4.

Day 5 - Something you hope to do in your life.

I just want to make a difference. I have a bigger heart than I know what to do with. I'm the sap that cries during movies, that boohoos during commercials, that gets choked up at good lyrics...

I want to save every animal I see, I want to adopt every baby I can, I want to save the world. I don't have the room, the funds, or the ability to do any of those things... but if I could - I'd have a house full of rescue dogs, a bus full of impoverished children, and I'd fix everyone's problems.

I don't care what people think about me... as long as I have a positive impact on lives, whether human or canine. Even if I only change one life, maybe it will inspire them to change someone else's. As far as dogs go... well, animals in general... abuse needs to stop, and I would do just about anything to help put an end to it.

(PS - Answers for days 1-5 as well as the rest of the questions are on the 30DT link to the right)

guess i'm feeling the love today!

I love when it's my turn to flip the lights off and jump in bed; his arms are always reached out to grab me and bring me close so I can warm up fast.

I love when my dog chooses to cuddle with me instead of Ryan... I feel like for just a second, I've won him over... but I haven't. I never will.

I love cheese and crackers. If I had no self control, I could eat an entire block of cheese... not in one day, but in a single sitting.

I love watching the evening sun fade through the trees - the birds start chirping, the air gets cool, and in those moment I am so freakin' happy.

I love curling up with a blanket in my pajamas, with a hot cup of cocoa in my hands and my family, both human and animal all crammed onto the couch.

I love Sunday morning cinnamon and brown sugar pancakes. It's a tradition we've promised to always have - good thing they're so delicious.

I love fall; all the smells and colors and cooking ingredients that are associated with this time of year. I've been putting cinnamon in everything... yum.

I love that my mom is coming to visit in 9 days. I haven't see her since July 31st. I am beyond excited!

I love Ben and Jerry's scoop shop only Coffee ice cream. As a matter of fact... I think I'll head downtown right now and go get some...

peanut butter chocolate chunk brownies.

I've decided I rather like baking.

It's not going to do much for my scale -

but, I'm way more worried about my soul anyway. (;

These are the best brownies I've ever had, seriously.

I'll never do boxed brownies again.

They're good room temp, cold, or warm with a glass of milk.

I'm probably going to make them again as soon as this batch is gone!

(please excuse my poor camera skills and thumb prints!)

Ingredients

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chunks*

1/4 tsp of baking soda

1/8 tsp of salt

3/4 cup of granulated sugar

1/4 cup of packed light brown sugar

1 tsp of cocoa powder

1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp of vegetable oil

1 tsp of vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350degrees.

Coat the bottom of an 8 inch pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, chocolate chunks, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

Combine sugars and remaining ingredients in a separate bowl until well blended.

Add the flour mixture, stirring just until blended.

Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out almost clean.

Makes about 9 good sized brownies.

*I used 1/2 cup of chocolate chunks, but it took away from the peanut butter a little, and we really like peanut butter.

I hope you enjoy these... we most certainly have!

part-time workin' woman.

I got a job, y'all. We recently decided that I was going to have to get a part time job at least, because the payments on his school loans start in the next few months. Not really excited about tossing out an extra $200 a month, but that's life.

After a rather pitiful morning at his shop due to less than reliable employees, he spoke to the manager who agreed to give me a 30 day trial. I get to work part time - I can go in any day I want, as many times a week as I want. And, I get to work with my man... I'm not sure if it gets better than that.

I'm a little nervous, and rather intimidated. I'm walking into a business that I know absolutely nothing about. I'm going to be in an environment that I'm completely unfamiliar with. But, I'm jumping in with both feet - because the extra cash would be really nice. And, it'll be great practice for me because Ryan is determined to have our own similar business as soon we can and I'd do anything to make his dreams come true.

Oh, and I start tomorrow. Wish me luck!

ranting about renting.

I hate renting. I wish I loved it... because Ryan and I aren't close to having kids, and we want to move around a lot until we find a place we love. We want to find a place we can't imagine not living in. We haven't found it yet, and it certainly isn't Athens. But, this isn't a post about that... it's a post about renting, and how much I hate it - so let's get back to that.

My garbage disposal quit working on Sunday morning. I got online immediately and sent an email to my Realtor. On Tuesday afternoon, I got a phone call from a different Realtor letting me know that she found someone "willing" to work on the garbage disposal and they would be coming sometime after lunch on Wednesday, but she didn't know what time. She also mentioned that she'd be coming too, so she could take pictures of the kitchen and the bathrooms for the insurance company.

Really? Aren't Realtors supposed to have paid handymen, period? Not one who picks and chooses what he wants to work on and when? If the garbage disposal in your house was backed up and stinking up the kitchen, you'd want someone to come work on it ASAP buddy, which also leads me to complain that I didn't get a response until Tuesday, and they're not coming until today. And, they can't give me a time?! That's 3 days of a progressively stinkier kitchen. I also find it rather odd that they need pictures of the house 2 months after I've moved in for insurance reasons. Shouldn't that have been handled before we signed a lease?

Either way... I'm just ready for them to get here and get gone so I can put my pajamas back on!

30DTD3.

Day 3 - Something you have to forgive yourself for.

If I may be vague about this? There is one thing I need to forgive myself for, which I will take with me to my grave. I never think about this "thing" unless encouraged, like this question. I've been carrying it since I was a kid, but it's a Post Secret type of thing. One of those things you never tell anyone, and do everything you can to forget. But I can't forget it, and I most certainly will not forgive myself for it.

(PS - Answers for Day 1 - 3 as well as the rest of the questions are on the 30DT link to the right)

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

I've had a hunkering for anything pumpkin for the last week

but I kept forgetting to look for Libby's when we were at the grocery store

because Florida had a shortage, and there was none for Thanksgiving last year,

so I just assumed Georgia would have the same problem. I was wrong... thankfully.

So, last night Ryan ran to Publix and picked up some things

and we baked Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I looked up too many recipes online and then made my own

by throwing bits and pieces of all the recipes together to fit my tastebuds.

They turned out delicious... I've uh... already eaten 5.

And the best part is you'll most likely have half of the ingredients in your house.

Ingredients

1 cup of canned pumpkin

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup of white sugar

1 cup of light brown sugar

2 cups of all purpose flour

2 tsp on baking powder

1/2 tsp of salt

2 tsp of cinnamon

1/4 tsp of nutmeg

1tsp baking soda

1 tsp of milk

1 tsp of vanilla

2 cups of chocolate chips

(I used milk chocolate, most recipes call for semi-sweet)

Directions

Combine pumpkin, white sugar, light brown sugar, oil and egg in a bowl and mix well.

In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Dissolve baking soda with milk and stir it into flour mixture.

Add the mixtures together until mixed thoroughly.

Add the vanilla and chocolate chips,

drop spoonfuls on a cookie sheet and bake at 350degrees for about 10/15 minutes.

(My first batch took about 25 minutes because I made them too big,

so if you like big cookies, bake for longer!)

They're very moist and a little like cake in texture,

and go really well with coffee if that's your thing!

30DTD2.

Day 2 - Something you love about yourself.


I love my determination. Whenever I put my mind to something, I get it done. I'm a perfectionist, which basically goes hand in hand with my determination. I want to be the best. I want people to notice my hard work. It's nice to get complimented, but that's not the driving force - it's a personal thing for me. I'm sure it's got something to do with my answer for Day 1 of being afraid of failing. If I decide to actually try something, it's not an option to fail. And, it's not really an option to just succeed... I want to be freakin' good at it.

(PS - the rest of the questions are on the 30DT link to the right)