Super PUMPED!

Andrew and I have been talking about taking an epic trip to the Pacific Northwest in the early fall. I have been getting more and more excited and looking into details a lot lately. I've been getting very friendly with the mobile version of trip planning websites. Well it's official, I just booked our flights so we at least have a way to get out there, and come back home. Here's a picture of something we hope to see. I'm so pumped about it!

Back in the Saddle, again

I have not been reading much in the past 6 months, but recently I've read three books. I read a short series consisting of Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin. Then my friend Susan and I went to see the movie. We had a great time reading the books and seeing the movie.  I will say the book definitely has some morality issues, but if you stick with it through the second book there is some resolution.  Also, I like that the first book discusses some of the problems with female friendships. Honestly, I can't say that I've ever had those specific issues. Then I read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I loved this book. I read the interview with the author and she did so much research into the circus during the Great Depression Era. It was super interesting, and also just a really enjoyable story. It feels good to be reading again.

Lime topped Cheesecake

Lime Topped Cheesecake

This recipe mainly by Philadelphia cream cheese.

7 whole graham crackers

3 Tbsp butter

3 pkg cream cheese

3/4 c sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

Heat oven to 325. Mix graham crackers and melted butter. Pat into springform pan. Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla until well blended. Add eggs one at a time mixing on low until just blended. Pour over crust. Bake 50-55 minutes until center is almost set. Cool completely.

Topping:

1 pkg cream cheese

1 pkg whipped topping

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 lime's worth of juice and 2 tsp of zest

Beat cream cheese. Add rest of ingredients and blend thoroughly. (You can taste test for more or less lime flavor and sweetness.) Pour over cheesecake refridgerate for 4 hours.

This came about because I wanted to make a key lime pie for mother's day. My mom and I were hanging out flipping through a magazine and found this recipe for cheesecake with topping and just decided to add the lime flavor to the topping. We all loved it. I just wanted to keep eating the topping.

Sentimental

I'm a pretty sentimental person. I don't necessarily hold on to everything, because I don't like clutter. However, some things are special to me. I had both of my Grandmother's wedding bands made into one ring. The jeweler told me it was too much gold for one ring and that I would have some left over. I had him make two rings instead, one for me and one for my sister. The rings were fashioned to look like ropes...because I am a product of people and families weaving together. Well we all are, but this was my thought.  My Grandma Millye's favorite hymn was Amazing Grace, and we sang it at her funeral. Now, everytime I sing the song, I get choked up on the last verse "When we've been there ten thousand years bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun" Amen. Both of my Grandmothers were godly women who walked humbly with the Lord, their God. I had both of the rings engraved to say "bright shining as the sun", because those are the words that make my eyes swell knowing they are both in glory in heaven praising the Creator and Savior of the World.

 The two rings before.

The ring now.

Inklings

We planted our garden April 2 and pretty much did exactly what we did last year. Our tweaks were: planting half as many tomatoes, in that space gained planting the cucumbers so they don't choke the other plants. Also we planted more peppers this year; Andrew wanted some jalapeno and banana peppers.  You may have never planted a garden or don't care about growing things, but honestly it's serious fun.  We already have little seedlings and planted seeds so there's noticeable growth. Here's a few pics of my excitement.

Here are some pros to planting a garden:

It can be small or big depending on your needs

It reduces your grocery budget

It's a good workout when you are planting and hoeing

It gets you in the great outdoors

You don't have to eat chemicals if you don't want to

It makes a lot of Biblical parable mean more

It's stinking fun to watch things grow!

 We plant strip gardens so that it makes "harvesting" easier.

 Our variety of peppers.

 Green beans popping up!

 Just in case you wondered what a green bean

looks like up close and personal.

 My index finger for sizing purposes.

 Squash and Zucchini look pretty much identical so here's the squash.

 Cucumbers look similar because they are the same family.

 But they start off tiny!

 One of our Roma tomatoes; we planted two varieties this year

Roma and Beef Masters

Our first tomato bloom!

Yay for all our little inklings!

Gonna be a great day!

So I'm really excited about today. I woke up at 7:30 feeling super rested. Went and made this new recipe. It's delicious. I ate it with vanilla yogurt and a glass of milk. I'm heading to coffee with Vanessa and shopping for plants for the garden. Andrew should be home around lunch for us to start prepping soil and hopefully get the plants in the ground. Yay for the Weekends! Here's a pic of the Blueberry Oat Crumble Bars!

Words can't describe how good this was so make it! I used 1/2 cup dark brown sugar instead of 3/4 and I still think it was plenty sweet. Also, didn't melt the extra butter for the top and plenty moist. Do what you like! I'm sure you can't go wrong. So good...please make it!

I thought I didn't like Key Lime Pie

My Sister's favorite dessert is Lemon Meringue Pie, and I never loved the meringue part. I ate it, because I always had this homemade and well my mom makes almost everything well.  She did burn spaghetti once, remember Vanessa and Tyler? Anyway, I digress....I saw that Pioneer Woman had made one for Pi Day (3/14) and her description made me realize I should give it another chance. So I made this Key Lime Pie, but I used Persian limes instead. I also didn't make whipping cream b/c I love tart things and don't like them balanced out...haha I'm strange.The only thing I changed was using way less sugar in the graham cracker crust. My mom never used any so I went somewhere in the middle and that was good. I did have a hard time getting it out though. By the way...I do like Key Lime Pie, just it has to be homemade, but I'm that way about a lot of things. Not really a surprise.

 

I did by this zester...it was easy to use! (Publix)

Oops, I ate a piece before I remembered the picture! Scrumptious!