An Eccles Easter

We were so blessed to have our Eccles Family with us for this holy weekend. They arrived in time for the Good Friday service (which was a wonderful time of remembrance and solemnity with our Ecumenical brothers and sisters), and we still had plenty of time for a late stew dinner and good conversation before bed. There really is nothing quite as lovely as conversation with our parents. 

Saturday was a simply gorgeous spring day and we ventured out of the confines of our cozy home many times. We took a walk around the village while the Sour Cream Pound Cake was baking, admiring homes and wishing the canal was filled with its gentle waters rather than revealing the contents of its belly. 

After enjoying a light snack of Pacific Beach Peanut Butter (which I reviewed in yesterday's post) and homemade crackers, we opted for an exploratory walk through the locally acclaimed Mount Albion Cemetery. It might sound strange to enjoy a cemetery so much, but you would not believe the beauty contained in this sprawling, terraced, park-like grounds. Not only is it intriguing and emotionally riveting to read the various epitaphs and calculate lifespans, but the walking path is just incredible (not to mention extremely aerobic.) 

By the time our walk was over, it was time to head to Medina for an tasty tour of Della's Chocolates (we came home with Dark Chocolate Toffee & Coconut Clusters and Dark Chocolate Peanut & Raisin Clusters - a grown up kind of Easter treat!) and Rosenkrans Pharmacy and Gift Shop (where I couldn't resist buying 2 bags of Easter M&Ms on sale for $1.99 each!) Finally we were more than ready for a sit down, early dinner at Avanti's! (They don't open until 3:30 on Saturdays, 4:00 on weekdays.) The boys split some spicy Buffalo wings and a Cheese Steak Hoagie Pizza. I ordered a delicious salad with apples, walnuts and crumbled Bleu cheese (my dad would be impressed with my love of that stinky cheese), and mom enjoyed an amazing-looking burger and fries. (I shared a few of her fries and a Buffalo wing, so don't think I was too ultra healthy. :))

Sunday morning we enjoyed a celebratory worship service together at AFMC and rounded our time out with another filling meal. I opted to stray from the traditional ham or turkey dinner and made a pot roast with carrots, mashed sweet potatoes, biscuits, green beans, and that delectable sour cream pound cake with ice cream and strawberries for dessert. Yes, we were full! 

As we waved goodbye to our dear family, we opened the windows for a bit of fresh, 60 degree air and settled in to enjoy a true Sabbath Sunday together. 

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How I Fell in Love with Oatmeal

Oatmeal seems to be one of those highly divisive foods--people either love it or they hate it. I think it's really about the consistency or texture. It could added to the list of foods like tapioca pudding (or any pudding), yogurt, and stuffing that has the potential to trigger one's gag reflexes. At least that's what it used to do to me. 

(side note--I have grown to love yogurt and have moments of really loving pudding. But tapioca pudding or stuffing are still on my "most hated" foods list.)

When my sister and I were kids, she was all but obsessed with "ointmeal"--her 3 year old name for oatmeal. She loved the little Quaker Instant Oatmeal packs of peaches and cream, strawberries and cream, and brown sugar. I would enjoy the smell of these warm breakfast cereals from across the table, begin to be convinced that I would love the stuff, give it a taste, and gag my way to the garbage can. Yuck! 

I stayed away from oatmeal of any kind until college. The dining commons produced this extremely thick oatmeal with a side of brown sugar that I just HAD to try. And you'll never guess--I LIKED IT! I quickly realized my previous issues with the oatmeal was the runny consistency. Thanks to the DC, I realized the oatmeal could be made to your desired thickness. 

I was still into the heavily-sugared varieties (included the Brown Sugar instant packets), until senior year of college. On my meager budget, I decided it would be much more frugal to buy a canister of dry, rolled oats rather than the pre-made packages. Thanks to my need to save money, I gradually began to wean myself off of the tons-of-added-sweetener bowls of oatmeal. 

A year or two into marriage, I really began to experience oatmeal to its fullest potential. Now, it's my most favorite breakfast! I combined old fashioned rolled oats with water or milk, a generous sprinkle of cinnamon and chopped fresh fruits like apples or bananas. If I'm feeling especially indulgent, a swirl of peanut butter or a sprinkle of chopped nuts tops it off to perfection. 

And so, my friends, the moral of the story is Give Good Foods a Second (and hundredth) Chance. Tastebuds are always changing and it might become a favorite in the future. 

The end. 

How do YOU feel about oatmeal??

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My Favorite Relaxing, Productive Saturday

Ahhhhhhhh. The Saturday Morning I've been longing for, but hadn't been able to grasp hold of in so many months. 

Sleeping in until my internal clock wakes me up. No alarms. (This meant 7:17am.)

Lazily rolling out of bed, still deciding what the day might hold. 

Opening the curtains to let the dreary daylight shine in. 

Doing 10 minutes of easy yoga stretches just to get the kinks out. 

No working out. (who, me?)

Showering even before my husband wakes. 

Deciding it's a perfect day for canning. Driving to Sheryl's to retrieve my canning supplies at 8:45am. 

Wanting doughnuts for breakfast and giving in (for the first time in at least a year.)

Bringing home peanut crunch and coconut crunch doughnuts.

Cutting each down the middle to share with my husband. 

Enjoying doughnuts, sipping, coffee and playing Settlers together at the breakfast table.

Starting the canning process before 10am. 

Process 16 quarts of tomatoes to yield 6 pints of salsa and 8 pints of marinara. 

Having only one can not seal. 

Pulling a cardigan over my shoulders because suddenly it's Fall. 

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The One with the {10} Likes of Late

Top Ten {things I've been loving lately}

1} Naturally More Peanut Butter. it's seriously the best peanut butter ever. It's much lower in calories and fat calories, higher in protein, lower in sugar, and straight up delicious.

2} Fresh, fragrant peaches.

3} Grilled sandwiches. As in, sandwiches cooked on the grill. I'm addicted to their crispness and depth of flavor.

4} Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips. I may or may not have bought a bag while in Seattle due to a chocolate craving. I won't tell you if the bag's gone yet or not.

5} Homemade strawberry jam. There's something extra satisfying about picking, processing, and canning your own jam. Plus, you need something to go with all that peanut butter.

6} Keeping a beautiful stock pile of birthday cards. Such a simple expression of love can mean so much.

7} Our new kitty! (I just remembered I hadn't introduced her to you all yet! My apologies! She kinda-sorta doesn't have a name yet. We have thrown around 4 or 5 good options, but nothing has stuck, try as we might. I've just been calling her "kitty." I'm leaning toward Akeelah because it's a prettier version of her original name "Aki." We've joked about Napster because napping is pretty much her thing. And then there's Phoebe or Alice. *sigh* poor cat.

8} Anyone else noticing that "food" largely occupies my list of likes?

9} Reading Reddit's frugal page. It's amazing the tips and tricks you can pick up from others.

10} and just because I'm out of awesome things I've enjoying lately, here's something just plain awesome (and pretty darn funny too).  Click HERE for Parenting Tip.

The One with the 10 Fave Snack Duos

It's no secret I love food. I mean, I have an entire blog designated to recipe after recipe. Today I thought I'd simply share my favorite food combinations. There are just some snacks that are meant to pair up. I can hardly eat pretzels without popping in a few M&Ms. I mean really? 

You have probably thought of all of these. It's not rocket science. But these are my top 10 favorite food combinations--snacks I eat on a regular basis. I hope you like 'em. 

1) Apples and peanut butter. All time forever-kind-of-favorite. Right now, I'm really into Golden Delicious apples and Krema Natural Peanut Butter.

2) Homemade Granola and Yogurt (1/3 low fat vanilla & 2/3 plain)

3) Chocolate chips & pretzels (semi sweet chocolate plus mini twists, please). I'm a sweet and salty LOVER. 

4) Raisins and Unsalted Dry Roasted Peanuts. This is a nice alternative to my chocolate chip & pretzel combination. There's the sweetness of the raisins and the natural-saltiness of the peanuts (even the unsalted kind have that "salty" sense to them) 

5) Hot Cocoa and loads of mini marshmallows (and I don't have to have fancy-pants cocoa. The little mix packets are fine by me.) 

6) Fresh Bread and (real) Butter. I mean, come ON. There is a reason this is one an age-old staple. NOTHING beats homemade bread and butter. Correction--buttah. 

7) Old Fashioned Oatmeal and banana. In fact, I think I shared this recipe in my top ten last week. There's a reason for that. It's gooood. 

8) Gingersnaps and hot tea. I am a grandma sometimes, I know. But I totally get by my grandma was always eating those crazy-hard cookies with her hot tea. It's perfection. 

9) Peanut Butter Toast with Milk. I have always been a sucker for the melty peanut butter action that happens atop freshly toasted bread. Dip that sucker in some milk and beauty happens. 

10) Popcorn and Diet Coke. These two go together like peanut butter and jelly (which, oddly enough, I did not mention in this list.) 

yep, I'm linking up with Oh! Amanda's Top Ten Tuesday again! 

The One with 10 Wintertime Recipes

Top {Ten} Favorite Winter Recipes

It's that time of week again! Top Ten Tuesday! And this Tuesday I have decided to share with you all some of my most favorite cold-weather recipes. Bon appetit! 

1) Rich Hot Cocoa. If I didn't know how caloric this drink was, I would make it every single day. It's that good.

2) Banana Nut Oatmeal. This may or may not have been our breakfast for the past 2 weeks. And we're not even tired it. (Here's a secret--we like to use a Tbsp or two of peanut butter to add to the goodness. And I haven't had walnuts, so I just skip that part.)

3) Fresh Homemade Whole Wheat Bread. Nothing beats this stuff. We could probably devour the loaf and call it a meal. But I have some sense of rational thought and typically try to serve it alongside a well-balanced meal. 

4) Slow cooker Chicken Noodle Soup. Cheap, fast, and easy. And ridiculously comforting. 

5) Creamy Butternut Squash and Chicken Soup. Not your typical soup, but so creamy and so good-for-you, you won't stop at just one bowl. I know I didn't. 

6) Leftover Ham and Potato Soup. (Are you sensing a theme here? We love soup.)

7) Sweet Heat Chili. Did someone say "chili"? I am so there! 

8) Challah Bread (Jewish Egg Bread). This stuff is too good to never experience for yourself. So delicious, it's almost dessert (and that's saying something coming from Miss Sweet Tooth.)

9) Homemade Pizza Dough (which automatically means PIZZA FOR DINNER, right?!) We have this every single Friday night for dinner--whether it's 100 degrees or 10. You should too. :) 

10) Zesty Oven Roasted Potato Wedges. These are our favorite accompaniment to our almost-weekly burger night. De-double-lish. 

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The One with the Ultimate Popping Corn

During the week of Christmas we were excited to host Kevin's mom, dad, brother, and grandparents for a few days. It was a tight squeeze at times in our little house, but we all had a lovely time together. We perused downtown boutiques, checking out all the historic spots along the way, celebrated together in a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship service, enjoyed a party with lots of church friends, ate a fantastic pot roast dinner at Randy & Sheryl's and watched Courageous with them, toured the local schoolhouse-turned-Bed-and-Breakfast and as well as the college campus where Kevin takes seminary classes, and played a rousing game of Apples to Apples. 

In the midst of all our goings and comings, we found time to sit and relax. Some read, some napped, some computer-gamed, some crocheted. And two or three times we watched a movie or tv show together, including Love Comes Softly (one of the movies mom received for Christmas), Mrs. Miracle (your typical Hallmark movie), and an episode of Monk and MacGyver. Yeah, we're that awesome. 

During the showing of Love Comes Softly (which is way more intense to watch now that I'm married and understand these things...sheesh, Janette Oke), I decided to start a batch of popcorn. Now, if you know me, you know I love popcorn. And in the past couple years I've really fallen head over heels for the homemade variety. You know--kernels, oil, pot, salt, done. A few times a week (not even kidding) I heat up our heavy-bottomed pot and whip up a batch of my favorite snack. No problem. I don't have to shake the pot or watch it like a hawk. This stock pot does popcorn right, all by itself. 

So I started the popcorn and left the room to watch the movie with the family. 

After the popcorn was popping away, Dad asked me if I needed to check on it. I said, "No" knowing my awesome pot would be just fine. I did think it sounded a little louder than usual, but we just turned up the tv and ignored it. 

When the popping began to die down, I went out to take it off the heat. What I saw made me simultaneously want to laugh and cry. There was popcorn popping and flying ALL OVER my kitchen. I had forgotten the lid to the pot and those beautifully popped kernels (along with all the oil!) was EVERYWHERE. I started cracking up laughing and the family quickly rushed to the scene, pulling out cameras and ipods to capture the moment. It was pretty memorable. 

For the next 20 minutes, I was sweeping up popcorn, picking it out of baskets and shelves, having Kevin move the stove so I could get the hidden kernels, and scrubbing up grease on my hands and knees. I made another batch of popcorn and settled in for the end of the movie. All 5 minutes of it. :) 

I'm hoping I'm not alone in kitchen mishaps. Anyone else? (This same weekend I also burned chex mix, forgot the timer on the rolls, and let potatoes boil over.)

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The One with Cookies & Deliveries

 

This week has had its ups and downs, but today I'm finding my {favorite} things about the past few days. Looking for the thanksgiving always brings joy.  

Last weekend I delivered 5 dozen Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing to a friend who had ordered them from me. Yesterday I heard she thought they were the most delicious, most beautiful sugar cookies she'd ever had (or seen.) I'm was thrilled! I do love the uniqueness of the vanilla almond flavor. It takes the simple sugar cookie to the next level. 

With a freezer over flowing with cookies, I decided it would be nice to deliver a few sweets to our neighbors. Since we just moved in 4 months ago, we still haven't met many families on our block (shame on us). But cookies always bring people together, right? And yes, I decided to be all...well..."Melanie" about the packaging and give a little COOKIE CODE inside the boxes. :) I'm certain it will be appreciated. And probably made fun of. Most mostly appreciated. 

I even made festive labels and tied the boxes with ribbon. SO CUTE. I add both of our business cards so our neighbors wouldn't have to try to remember our names, and so they would have our contact info if they ever needed to get a hold of us. (And hey, if they decide to come to our church or take piano lessons from me, I wouldn't be bummed. :D) I hope that was ok.  

And just because I love 'em, and I thought you might too--
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

and their new adventurous counterpart--
Rolo Blossom Cookies.

What are your {favorite} things this Friday? 

linked up with Rachel @ Finding Joy

The One with the Week's Excitement

Top {TEN} Things I'm *Super* Excited About 

(or, to be grammatically correct--"Top ten things about which I'm super excited." You're welcome.) 

1} getting to go running this morning. 5 miles in the brisk winter air with my awesome new  cold gear Under Armour is pretty much awesome. 

2} seeing my face on the home page of TastyKitchen.com! YAHOOOO!!! I am over-the-moon-excited to be the Featured Member! Thank you, Pioneer Woman and TK! I've been a member of this amazing recipe collection site since it's debut in 2009 and being featured has always been a dream of mine. (And this came just a week after my Light and Crispy Waffles were added to the front page of Favorite Recipes. Remember?)

3}having Kevin's family here for the holiday! (and visiting mine soon after.) 

4} giving my husband his Christmas gifts (though I have to try awfully hard to keep him from shaking every box under the tree. Sheesh.) 

5} all of the lovely gifts we bought from Etsy sellers. 

6} adding my SEVENTH piano student to my roster! I have been doing my best to expand my studio through various advertising venues--something I'm not naturally good at. But I would love to have my studio continue to grow and the best way to do that is to keep spreading the word. 

7} meeting a mom of one our teens at our Christmas party and having her say --"Oh! You're the one the S. Family is taking piano lessons from. They talk so highly of you!" and then having her practically ask for a business card. woot!

8}our Christmas Eve service. I love Christmas Eve services! 

9} ooooh! and I am honored to be the one leading the singing at that Candlelight service! how fun! 

10}the moment when the grass is completely covered with inches of snow. I LOVE snow. (and I'm totally bummed we're not going to have a White Christmas. Come on, people. This is Western New York!!)

What are YOU excited about this week?

linking up with Top Ten Tuesday. 

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The One with a Teensy Bit of Foodie Joy

In my almost daily perusal of Tasty Kitchen's website, I was shocked to see this on their main page--



eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!! I haven't been so thrilled in who knows how long!

Yep, that's right. I guess my little ol' waffle recipe has been climbing its way to the top of the Tasty Kitchen recipe collection. I couldn't believe my eyes! I literally burst out in excited exclamations when I saw it. I have seen that list of the top five "popular recipes" for months now. The honey oatmeal bread recipe has been on the list forever (I should try the recipe, right?) so to be joining it's ranks is a HUGE honor.

Can I just say eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! one more time?!

The One with the Epic Trip to My Parents'

This year was one of the most relaxed Thanksgivings of all time. At least the Thanksgiving day was relaxing. We started our holiday at 7am Wednesday morning. With the car loaded with pies and bags of who knows what, we hit the road. I drove the first 4 hours while Kevin read his library book on his iPad (yay, Kindle app) which was due back that day. Good thing he can read a million words a minute. 

I occupied my time with a book-on-mp3--Pride and Prejudice. It was entertaining to laugh out loud and have Kevin not have any clue what I was busting up about. We drove past my parents' exit from the freeway as we were making the drive all the way to Michigan. At 11:20 (yes, I'm precise) we pulled off at a Pizza Hut, because my husband has a thing for their lunch buffets. We almost died when a telephone pole jumped out in front of me in the middle of the parking lot. Seriously. It would have done irreparable damage. (I blame Kevin for distracting me with the Chinese restaurant.) 

We ate our delicious lunch and Kevin took over driving. (He definitely didn't want me behind the wheel anymore.) At this point, I became a Chatty Cathy and talked Kevin's ear off. Poor guy. Just before our exit in Michigan, a semi truck nearly killed us when he pulled into our lane without seeing us. sheesh. Thanks to my husband's reflexes and the lack of cars behind us, we survived.

From the freeway, we headed to our former hometown's downtown to meet Josh & Amanda and take their engagement pictures. What a blast! (I already talked on and on about this experience here.)

After the photo session, Kevin and I began receiving text after text from our former youth group students who were eagerly awaiting our arrival in the mall food court. We thought it'd be the perfect place to meet up and hang out for a couple hours without getting in trouble or having to spend money. It worked! Four of the girls almost tackled us to the ground and just about blew our eardrums out with their shrieking. aww. :)











We had a fantastic time with those teens, but our time together quickly ended as we were meeting Kevin's family for dinner. We were so thankful the three of them were willing to make the long-ish drive to the restaurant to spend a little bit of time together for the Thanksgiving holiday. As per usual, we had a wonderful time together. (I even brought a pie for dessert. :D)

We could have stayed and talked for a few more hours, but we needed to get back on the road. We still had a three hour drive ahead of us. *whew* Preparing ourselves for the remaining 3 hour leg of our 18 hour trip to my parents' home. Longest. Trip. Ever. But worth it.

AT 11:30pm we rolled into my parents' driveway after having almost died a third time. An 8 point-ish buck ran out in front of our car and stood dead still in our lane as we were driving 65 mph. Kevin slammed on the brakes and I nearly screamed. When I looked up, though, I couldn't see what he was stopping for. The dear was nearly invisible. SO THANKFUL Kevin saw the glint in that buck's eye. *whew*.

The remainder of our holiday was much less eventful, filled with good food, lazy mornings, and fun conversation (oh yeah, a few technology lessons for the parentals. You'll get it eventually, mom :D)

Oh, and check out the beautiful table that my mom set for the big meal--she even folded the napkins all fancy style with the tips she learned from her napkin folding class on their cruise. Yep, she took a napkin folding class. Pretty cool, right? Those fancy-pants napkins really do make the table look a million times more awesome.

 

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The One with the Bountiful Baskets

Today is just one of those days when I have so much on my mind, I can't seem to settle on just one topic to expound upon. My thoughts are forming a gigantic tangled web and if I don't start talking, I might just explode, but yet I have no clue where to begin. Can anyone relate? 

My poor husband is probably going to get an earful when he comes home for lunch. Have I mentioned how much I love that we live a block from the church? No driving required. We don't need more than one vehicle. I can visit him or bring him something if he needs it. He can stop home whenever...No biggie. LOVE. it. 

I also love being able to walk to the bank or the post office or the library. Or to Coldstone with Kevin when he gets his Coldstone Buy one Creation of any size and get the second of equal or lesser value free. Yes, I realize walking a block doesn't exactly negate the effects of the ice cream, but it's the thought that counts. (Ok, it's really not. But this is why I run in the morning, people. It's all for the ice cream.) 

Speaking of getting fat, last night I had this epiphany while Kevin was doing a fun youth group game that involved slide show pictures and questions about our dating years. Maybe the reason I bake and cook so much is to get him to gain weight so I feel even skinnier. HA! Just kidding. He's done a phenomenal job of not gaining weight--people are constantly impressed that neither of us weighs 400 pounds with all the baking I do. But my theory of "get him fat so I'm skinny in proportion" was quite entertaining, albeit totally untrue.

On top of my usual baking and cooking frenzies, this month is Pastor Appreciation Month and boy do these people do it up right! It's incredible and yes, we've felt extremely appreciated. Coffee cakes to die for, cookies, peanut butter pie, and a 12 pack of Kevin's favorite Faygo pop that only seems to be found in Michigan--Rock N Rye. I've been trying to freeze the desserts to spread out the goodness. Also, because Kevin's birthday is Thurday and we're going to want to mangia, mangia. 

I'm also totally excited about the baskets full of fresh squashes that I've never even heard of, peppers, apples, carrots with the awesome green stems still attached--I'm talking REAL food, friends. I can't wait to cook up some healthy meals for us! 

And now, though I still have a million things on my mind, my stomach is growling. I'm going to fix lunch. 

The One with an Appreciation of the Crispness of Fall

Today I am thankful for...

...the chill in the air, the smell of fallen leaves, the sunny blue sky mixed with deep blue weather-filled clouds. 

...pounds and pounds of Empire apples for only $0.39 a pound. My kitchen is overflowing with apples and I love it. 

...the opportunity to help my sister build an awesome resume to score the job she dreams of and deserves!

...three (maybe four) new piano students to add to my studio schedule. That means my studio has doubled just this week! Praise Jesus.

...last minute Friday night visits with a friend--and being totally cool showing up unannounced in lounge pants and a bowl of popcorn. 

...little girls who shout, "MELANIE!" every time they see me. and hold my hand, and hug my neck, and attach themselves to my leg. 

...cute new glasses that my husband loves. (Now, I just really need to get them adjusted so they don't dig into my scalp.)

...Apples. did I already mention apples? 

...my newly acquired actual crochet skills. I am totally rocking the triple crochet. Thanks, Mom-in-law! (Now I must hunt down additional skeins of the same yarn I bought 2 years ago. Oi.)

What are you thankful for this fall weekend?

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The One with a Candy Corn Confession

Are you a fan of candy corn? It seems to be one of those divisive foods people love or hate. You know, along with Bleu Cheese dressing and Cilantro. 

I have a few specific thoughts concerning this autumnal sugary snack. 

source

First of all, I like my candy corn to be soft and chewy, not hard and sticky. The hard corns just seems old. Unfortunately, the candy corn I bought the other day--the first (and only) treat for my season--was the not-so-good kind. I'm still eating it though. (You're not surprised, I'm sure.)

I am not a fan of the candy corn with the brown stripe. Nuh uh. And the pumpkins? They're tolerable, but just plain overly sweet. 

Honestly, the overpowering sweetness of candy corn is the reason I've not always been a big fan. I don't like to eat more than a couple "kernels" on their own. 

But combine candy corn with dry roasted peanuts (I prefer unsalted)?! And you've got yourself a dreamy snack. Seriously, people. This is the best combination in the world. (That's totally not true, but I'm going with the exaggeration-for-effect thing.)  

If you don't believe me, TRY IT. I double dog dare you! The traits of a candy corn all but disappear and combine with the crunchy peanuts to form an unbelievable flavor and texture treat. 

You're welcome. 

Now, I just have to keep my hand out of the candy jar. *slap*

Have you ever tried this tasty combination?

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The One with a Grilling Plea

We love to grill. 

Ok, ok. My husband loves to grill. I love to eat things that have been grilled. 

Every time I try to use the grill, I almost burn my eyebrows right off my face. No joke. Just ask the teens we took camping this summer. I started that mini propane grill many times, and all but once I lit up the sky with flames. 

Same thing happened the first summer we were married. Kevin had come home from work, and I decided to be an awesome wife and grill our dinner for us. I headed out to our teeny tiny balcony-porch-thingy and turned on the gas. Unfortunately, I left the lid closed until I was ready to click "ignite" and WOOSH! Kevin heard the mini-explosion in the other room. I'm lucky to be alive. and that I didn't burn down our apartment complex. You're welcome, Detroit. 

We moved that trusty old 40-dollars-at-a-yard-sale grill all the way to Monroe and we used it quite a few times. But before the too long, the darn weather had its way with her. The base of the grill totally corroded. And at some point, our entire propane tank was stolen. Seriously? How did that happen? 

We tried the charcoal grill thing. It seemed like the frugal option and the hard-core-grilling way to go. We were brave. 

It didn't work out for us. 

Mostly because we're too impatient to wait for the perfect time to place the slabs of meat on the preheated charcoal. And because we were just really terrible at starting much a fire in the charcoal at all. Oh well. We tried. 

We sold that grill at our garage sale for 20 bucks. Not bad. 

But now, we're craving that flavor that only comes from the outside grilling process. As much as we love burgers cooked on the stovetop (this is how I cook them, for the sake of my eyebrows), we need a grill. My man needs a manly grill. Don't tell him I said that. 

This is where YOU come in. Please, give us your recommendations for grills. Where to buy? What to buy? How much to pay? What bells & whistles to look for or avoid? 

The One with "Mastering" a Great Day

What a fantastic day! It was just one of those all-too-rare days when my mood was good and my spirits were high for every moment of it. Even the getting-up-at-6am-on-a-Saturday didn't deter me (despite the struggle to fall asleep the night before). 

Besides the great mood, it was the first Bible Quiz of new school year--over Hebrews and I&II Peter. Rich books, I tell ya, but crazy difficult to memorize. These quote verses are killing me! (I like to memorize the 40 quotes along with the quizzers--to set an example and to continue hiding God's Word in my heart.) In any case, it was also mine and Kevin's maiden voyage into Western New York's quizzing conference--transported all the way from Southern Michigan. Some of the quizzers think we're here as undercover spies to report back to our Michigan directions. :)

You may remember my epic saga of becoming a quizmaster at this past summer's Quiz Nationals? Well, that transformed me into a regular conference quiz master in our new region! Kevin and I were both placed in 2 of the 4 top division rooms of today's quiz--which was super cool! I was a teensy bit nervous with my new responsibility, but I quickly found my groove.

quizmastering in action at Nationals 2011

Kevin @ Nationals

For the rest of the day I just couldn't help but think to myself, "I LOVE quizmastering!" And I really do! I don't know if that makes me a nerd (ok, it probably definitely does), but I'm fine with that. I love the moment by moment unpredictability combined with the repetitive cadence of each round. (Is that redundant? "repetitive cadence"?) I love that Kevin is 2 rooms down, asking the same questions, dealing with totally different issues, and gathering a unique set of stories to share with me at lunch and at the end of the quiz. I love seeing every different quizzer and coach throughout the day, getting to know them and having them welcome me into their "quiz family." And, I have to admit, I kinda love being in charge of the quiz room. It's that first born in me, soaring to new heights...errrr....soaring to that place of familiarity--leading, bossing--but with much more class and respectfulness than my 5 year old self. 

See, mom & dad? My bossy tendencies have been channeled into the right arenas and are now being properly put to good use! 

Besides having a blast quiz mastering, I ate the most delicious Subway sub, had hilarious conversation with Kevin and Eric (our new, but feels-like-we've-known-him-forever friend), shopping at Sam's Club with Kevin, drinking way too much Diet Coke & eating fan-friggin-tastic samples at said Club, purchasing Silk soy milk in pursuit of dealing with a potential lactose intolerance, finding my newly designed Piano Studio business cards sent from VistaPrint (and loving them!!!), and receiving a brand new copy of Angie Smith's book What Women Fear thanks to my friends at (in)courage. 

SEE?! What did I tell you?! A GREAT day! 

How was your Saturday? 

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The One with Beans Coming Out My Ears

I have been going a hundred miles per hour in 10 different directions lately--but loving all of it! I'm not usually a fan of this-is-what-I've-been-doing-in-the-last-48-hours type of posts, but this is good stuff that I want to remember and I'm a little impressed at how much I've been accomplishing. tee hee. 

Sunday was busy, busy, but beautiful! We spent the afternoon chatting, laughing, and eating a healthy (thank you!) and delicious lunch with Brian & Karen and their son. It was great fun! They are so easy to be around. You know how it is when you just feel comfortable? Yeah, it's nice. 

After we rode our bikes home (yep, total bonus of small town--almost everything and everyone is a 2-10 minute bike ride away!), I headed back out. This time to Sheryl's for an afternoon of green bean snapping and sweet conversation. You know me and my love of productivity mixed with fun.* The two of us had a great time together, as always, and we both have a freezer full of beans. yum! 

*disclaimer--I also thoroughly enjoying sitting and doing nothing productive other than reading, watching tv or playing games with friends.   

Bible Quizzing and Youth Group filled the rest of the night, and Monday morning I hit the ground running. I had another Etsy Adorkable Bakery order to bake, package and ship, a dozen cookies to send off to my friend Betsy for her birthday, a meal to prepare for a local family needing dinners for a week (potato soup, homemade bread, and cookies), and then an afternoon of canning tomatoes. Sheryl and I are both novice canners, but we managed to get 9 quarts of tomatoes canned. And boy is that a process! We were both super thankful to have each other's company. Chores are always more fun with friends. 

That evening I went home with jars of freshly canned tomatoes and a bag of chopped peppers for the freezer, then headed out to drop off the local family's dinner. They were thrilled--especially with the bread--which made me super happy. I made it home just in time to deliver that batch of Adorkable Bakery cookies and then Kevin and I headed over to the high school volleyball to support one of our teens. (This made me miss our Michaela!) We had a great time and then enjoyed our evening at home together. 

I've been almost as busy today.--filling another Bakery order (coffee speckled chocolate chip cookies and chocolate covered butter toffee--amazing stuff that is!), preparing to add a third student (!) to my piano studio this Wednesday (*cue cheers of excitment*), making chili with some of the leftover tomatoes from Monday, searching for cheaper bakery and shipping boxes online, and balancing our checkbook. Starting the day with a bike ride to Sheryl's followed by a 4 mile run together was the perfect way to start the day. 

And now, having re-read what I just typed, I'm tired all over again. I might just need a nap. 

How have YOU been these last couple days?! 

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The One with Today's Thanks

Top Ten {Tuesday} Things I am Thankful For--


1} the cool weather than blew in this afternoon.

2} a new-found love for rhubarb. (two new recipes will be coming your way soon!)

3} a 6am walk along the canal with my husband.

4} the full moon we saw on our way out on a walk and the sunrise we witnessed on the way back.

5} this delicious creamy, spicy macaroni dish I came up with.

6} my husband sharpening my favorite kitchen knife.

7} the creative juices that have been flowing these past few days as I've come up with new and exciting ways to run my piano studio.

8} deciding to start teaching piano in our new hometown.

9} already having 2 students signed up for lessons and looking forward to the number God has in store for me.

10} a grocery shopping date with a fellow Aldi-lover from church.

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What are YOU thankful for this Tuesday evening?

---
linked up with Oh!Amanda's Top Ten Tuesday.


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The One Where She Fell In a Hole, Et Cetera

Top Ten things I'm pondering on this beautiful late summer morning...

1) Where in the world did my lovely red 1 tsp and 1 Tbsp measuring spoons disappear to months ago??! It is a mystery. I thought for sure I'd find them in the move. But no. They are MIA forever. Lucky for me, I have 2 extra measuring spoon sets. One of which is passed on from my grandma--the metal kind with pretty, colorful handles. *love*

2) I fell in a hole yesterday morning. No joke. There was a piece of garbage in a rut on our front lawn. I stepped over to pick it up and plummeted to the bottom of a crevice in the earth's surface. Ok, a bit of an exaggeration, but this hole (covered mostly by overgrown grass) was at least a foot deep and about 2 feet WIDER than I anticipated. Kevin laughed at me.

3) How do friendships start? And how do they stick? I was thinking about this yesterday too. 

4) Somewhere along the way I became a coffee drinker. HOW did this happen?! I'm not a daily-drinker by any means. BUT I can drink Kevin's strong coffee concoctions and smile. 

5) I thought I would be grossed out when he ordered a Starbucks Venti iced coffee with a shot of hazelnut and room for milk. Blech. But no. It was amazing. We shared this drink with happiness on our faces.  

6) But nothing beats the indulgence of a Hazelnut Frappuccino with REAL Whipped Cream and Caramel drizzled on top. Help me, now. 

7) Why is it so hard for me to compile reasons I would be good for such and such a job? I'm realizing how I don't think very highly of my skills and I tend to downplay my talents in everyday life. But when it comes to competing for a job, you're supposed to play yourself up, right? It's going to take serious practice for me.  

8) I'm still waiting. Wondering. What does God have for me? The options seem endless now, but I'm learning lessons through the journey, the waiting process, the patience testing. Thanking God for giving me peace (when normally I'd be freaking.) 

9) It's been a four Sundays in a new church. A month since I've last participated in leading the worship service, week after week, year after year. It's been good to stand with the congregation and worship without distractions of "What note am I playing next?" or "What was that transition again??" or "Should I be singing a different harmony right now?" But I think I'm ready. Ready to be used for what God created me for--leading in worship. Excited after planning with the worship teams last night.   

10) I hope this batch of 100% Whole Wheat bread turns out even better than the last. Rising high above the edge of the pan. Just asking to be eaten. (recipe soon!)

What are you pondering today?

---linked up with OhAmanda's Top Ten Tuesday

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The One with the Book Worm

Today I...

...started book seven of Harry Potter after finishing half of five and all of six in the last week. This is an impressive record for me. Can't. Stop. Reading.

...didn't have time for a full blown, well-thought-out blog post because of my intense reading regimen. So you're getting this list. 

...was disappointed that the "Farmer's Market Downtown" signs seem to have been misleading. 

...met our neighbors, Eddie and Carol. At least I think her name is Carol. Darn it. They remind me a lot of Tom and Donna, our lovely neighbors for years and years during my growing up years.


...almost burnt my perfect granola because I absentmindedly turned the oven to 325 instead of 250. eeep!

...got all dressed up for a date to Ruby Tuesday with my husband. Someone anonymously left us a generous gift in Kevin's pen cup (who knows how long ago) with a typed note saying "Take yourselves out to a nice dinner. You deserve it." Well thank you very much, friend!

...painted my toenails bright pink. 

...managed to resist the adorable stray kitten's cries on my back porch. Even after she ran up to greet us (probably smelling our leftovers.) We are calling her Sphinx. 

...reminded all of you to go enter my Digital Scrapbook Giveaway!!

...received tons of helpful job advice (and had some fun conversation besides) from my wonderful father-in-law. 

(source)