Peanutty S'mores

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Without a doubt, my favorite bar. It's heaven in my fingertips. I made them in lieu of working out. Sometimes you just gotta be tough and roll like that.

Peanutty Smores

1/2 c. softened butter

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together. Then add:

1 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Press into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cover with a bag of miniature marshmallows, 1/2 bag chocolate chips and 3/4 c of peanuts. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly brown.

ENJOY! Guilt-free. Because I'm a mom and I said so.

I survived the big breeze!

Remember those shirts? How many of you bought one? I know my mom and Emily K. each had one. And I was positively GrEeN with envy. (One year when my hometown got hit particularly bad by a tornado, they made those shirts.)

Moms of Kindergartners should have something similar. "I survived my heart hopping on the bus." It's so hard to watch, isn't it? And it's hard with every new Kindergartner you have. This is the first time that I haven't had to deal with that feeling on the first day and so I was actually able to enjoy the fact that we were getting back to a structured, scheduled, routine-filled life. Ooh, how I thrive on structure.

It's laundry duty now and when I am done, I am going to get a shirt that says, "I conquered the Laundry Mt. Range!" Because, yes, I don't just have a mountain. I have a whole range.

My October Challenge.

Considering October is the scariest month, what with Halloween and all, I am going to try scare my family a little. Maybe even me. Everyday, I'm going to try out a new recipe. And I'll blog about the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you have one that you haven't dared, send it my way. I just might be your guinea pig. Or, better yet, do it with me. I dare you!

*I know it's only September. Didn't I tell you that I like to be prepared? Geez. *

Lester, the real cowboy.

That's what Logan used to refer to himself as. And on his fifth birthday, he got a real horseshoe from his cousins. When he opened up his gift, his eyes lit up and he said, "Awesome! All I need now is three more horseshoes and a horse!"

Me, A la carte

Mindi...
*does not see the logic behind Costco closing at 6pm on SATURDAY.
*loves Red Robin. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Or is it Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! I can't tell.
*didn't like "The Poisonwood Bible". Except for the reason behind the name. That was good.
*did, however, like "The Help".
*loves this cool fall weather. No humidity. Ahhhhh.
*is ready for school to start. And for my big break.
*doesn't feel so overwhelmed here anymore. (!!)
*is starting to feel like she actually does live here, instead of visiting.
*loves her house.
*needs to quit leaving painting projects 3/4 done.
*does not have a winter jacket. (Admit it. You wanted to know.)
*is starting a new trend: redneck chic curtains. a.k.a. bedsheets. (Extra points for prints. Extra, extra for outdated prints.) Cheap, your neighbors will enjoy them, they immediately change the value of your house and your neighbors. What more can you ask for? (We're going green)
*laughed when her daughter looked at the redneck chic curtains and asked, "Mom, when are we getting bar stools?" She must have liked the new trend. Don't blame her.
*got rear-ended by a grocery cart today. True story. She has the dent to prove it.
*thinks the aforementioned dent officially transformed her minivan into redneck chic. Now she just needs the mullet and she'll be set.
*knows she's a trendsetter.

The gift

There is really nothing more important to say (for me) at the moment than this:

My cousin has a daughter who is very young. Eight or nine? (Obviously, I'm not close with them. I guess that is how life is.) Back to the story. They found a tumor in her brain a while back. Their family dealt with each little trial that came with it. (I get my info via the Caringbridge site and my dear aunt.) An amazingly strong family, I would have to say. Last spring, the tumors were so big that there really was not much more that could be done for her.

As a parent, I cannot even fathom this. And I don't want to try, it makes my heart so heavy.

Last month, they went in for an MRI. The tumors are gone. Nothing there. The tumors are gone!!! It's nothing short of a miracle. She was on medication that was supposed to slow the growth of the tumors, not shrink them. God has blessed them with two things: time and hope. Without hope, time feels dark and desperate. And this little girl and her family can reclaim happiness. There's nothing better than that.

Kaija-bear