I'm Moving in 2014!

In 2013, so many things happened in life that seemed to require documentation. I remember reading a post a few months before Tom and I got married and it was explaining the personal value of creating something, anything to reflect on later in life.

And while writing my thoughts have come in intermittent bursts, it's nice to reflect back on what has happened since May this year.

It's come to my attention, however, that this blog is kind if limiting me to only writing about marriage. While that was the original plan, I don't want to leave out the trips, activities, and day to day things such as "I really want to bake" and "look at this cool website/video I found".

So I'm moving out. If your interested, follow me at my new blog: The Newest Thing.  

Friday's Letters

Early Mornings-
  I might not have always had a good relationship with you, but... I think I'm falling in love with you.

Dear Twinings-
  Your spiced Chai tea is nasty! I love your other ones though, especially your Irish breakfast. What happened to the Chai though, did I get a bad box?

Dear boots-
  I did get you on sale at Payless, and therefore am not surprised at your short lifespan. But why?? I've become addicted to your comfort, looks like I need to branch out to other stores for durable boots. Sad day.

Dear sick-people-on-the-bus-
  If you need to cough, do like I do. Hold it in even if it means your eyes pop out of your head and you tear up. Really. If I suffer so that I don't get my hands germy (and hold the grab bars) then you should too!

Dear Purell-
  Thank you for all you do.

Oatmeal-Banana (ONLY) Cookies.

Our stove has arrived, and is doing splendidly. Right now, potatoes are cooking for Shepherd's Pie for the family coming over. Nice to have people to cook for (and hopefully they like it). :)

But. I wanted cookies earlier this week. So I decided to cristen our oven's insides with this wonderful recipe form The Burlap Bag.

http://www.theburlapbag.com/2012/07/2-ingredient-cookies-plus-the-mix-ins-of-your-choice/

Copy/Pasted from my Pepperplate:




WEB

Banana- Oatmeal (Only) Cookies

Yes. For real. Two ingredients. (Yes, you can add other things if you want… but you don’t HAVE to!) Since all bananas are different sizes, the needed measurements can vary. If it seems too runny and the cookies would flatten out too much, add in more oatmeal. And make sure to not add in TOO many mix-ins as the cookies won’t hold together very well. The ones in these photos have a handful of chocolate chips, a teaspoon or two or cinnamon, and 1/4ish a cup of crushed walnuts.

YIELD

 16 cookies

CATEGORIES

 cookies, oatmeal, banana, easy, quick, few ingredients, dessert

---

INGREDIENTS

• • 2 large old bananas
  • 1 cup of oats (quick or regular! if you use regular, we’d suggest chopping them a little so everything holds together better)
  • Then add in what sounds yummy to you! (or nothing!) We love:
  • -a handful of chocolate chips
  • -crushed walnut pieces
  • -cinnamon
  • -raisins

---

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. We made 16 cookies with those measurements.
  2. We cook them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes on a GREASED cookie sheet.
  3. Don’t forget the greased part…. I did once and had to scrub my pan forever.

---

NOTES

Sometimes we’ll make 16 “cookies”. And we’ll eat them all for lunch. I know what you’re thinking… WOW lauren you’re gonna be 500 pounds if you keep eating 8 cookies. 

But think about what went in these cookies! If I ate 8 cookies, 

I’ve had: 1 banana, 1/2 cup of oats, and half a handful of chocolate chips and walnuts. Amazing. Leave out the chocolate chips and they are all health.

They were amazing! I doubled the recipe, and it made 32 cookies. See below pictures.

So. Simple.

Bananas, Quick Oats, bowl.

Bananas, in bowl.

Oats, on bananas.

Smash em together.

It will eventually look like runny oatmeal. Mix well.

Grease your baking sheet well!

They didn't change position. So definitely pack that baking sheet full.
Especially if you're using the tiny ones like I have to.

Stare at them baking for 15 minutes.

Baked. 

Close-ups. Yum.

No Sugar, eggs or flour. How wonky is that? Still a cookie? I'm not sure, I'm thinking they are more like taste oatmeal-to-go.

 So, if you want my opinion:

They turned out amazing!

On Becoming a ''Morning Person''

This Tuesday (Monday was Veterans Day), I started a new schedule at work. It involved me waking at 5:45, washing my face and turning my phone on to take a few phone calls from 6-9am. Basically just being awake to answer it. So really, I was a little concerned I would fall asleep from boredom.

I used to work from 11-7pm, waking at 9am and going to bed at 1pm (if I went to bed on time).

I discovered that it is amazing to wake up early! And I've searched the web for the week leading up to it, to search for tactics (because waking up is like war??) on how to wake up early.

I've found a few things.

Drink Tea and avoid TV before bed, and go to bed on time.
  Duh, right? But I did it, and I went to bed sleepy, versus stimulated. And stayed asleep. And woke refreshed.

Wake up to a nice alarm. 
  I changed out my alarm (which was HORRID) to a favorite song. And as it slowly gets louder, I no longer scowl and attack it to save my ears. I actually kind of enjoy it because it's never loud. I have even downgraded from 10 angry-sounding alarms to 4 nice alarms.

Drink some cold water (OJ, etc) immediately.
  It replenishes you since you hadn't drank anything in about 8 hours. That's why you always feel so sick/blah in the morning. Drink some water. And it wakes you up.

Have something to wake up for.
  Apparently, I needed my work to demand an early wake up. I have for the longest time wanted to wake up with Tom, but never have. Now, I get to read my Bible, make us breakfast, put dishes away, play Scrabble on Facebook and read the news in the hour before he wakes. And he's a big fan of eggs instead of Cap'n Crunch, so I get major props for the breakfast thing.

Do something to help you later in the week.
  I accidentally made biscuit cookies my first day in. They were supposed to be cookies made with Jiffy Cake Mix (first day in, keeping it simple!) But, upon removal they appeared incredibly biscuit-like. They were still tasty though . Oh, and I discovered that I can't use my big baking sheets in our 24'' oven :(

Yes, they will slide all the way down..

And those have been my findings so far. I woke up today and couldn't stay in bed. I eventually tried luring Tom out at 8:30 with some coffee, which he sneered at, drank, and then went back to bed.


So, how has your week been? Any suggestions on making this new schedule continue to rock?

Today's Truth

Religion operates on the principle, 'I obey -- therefore I am accepted by God.' But the operating principle of the gospel is 'I am accepted by God through what Christ has done -- therefore I obey." ~ Timothy Keller, The Reason For God , (New York: Dutton, 2008), 179-180.

Happy Wednesday!

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

We have a stove! But it is sadly stationed in our living room until we get a hose, an adapter and bust a part of our wall apart. So despite these dire circumstances (considering I want to bake!) I improvised.

And while we do not celebrate Halloween and tend to stay inside the evenings surrounding it (people egg things in NYC on Halloween- no thanks) I did make one concession. I don't think it's a bad one either.

In an effort to enjoy the peanut-buttery goodness of the Halloween holiday (the only part I will partake in), I decided to surprise Tom with homemade Reeses' cup bars. I found the website on Pinterest, and followed the pin here. And then browsed around for along time before I had to close the browser or go buy cookies from the Hot 'N Tasty downstairs. And they have horrible cookies, so I my day would've been ruined if I hadn't pulled myself away from temptation.

I have fallen in love with Pepperplate- the web version and the app. So don't mind me if all my recipe's are copied from recipe on there.  But to get the exact same recipe, click the link below. I didn't change anything, didn't need to :)

From Jen's Favorite Cookies:



WEB

Peanut Butter Bars (No Bake!)

An easy no-bake recipe for peanut butter bars with chocolate frosting.

YIELD

 9x13 pan

ACTIVE TIME

 10 min

TOTAL TIME

 1 hour

CATEGORIES

 no bake, no-bake, cookie, bars, peanut, chocolate, dessert

---

INGREDIENTS

• Bars

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup peanut butter

• Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter

---

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. In a bowl, melt butter and peanut butter together.
  2. Add cracker crumbs, sugar, butter, and peanut butter. Spread mixture evenly into a 9×13 pan.
  3. Melt chocolate chips with peanut butter in 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each, until melted and smooth.
  4. Pour chocolate mixture over bars, and frost evenly.
  5. Chill for 40-50 minutes until chocolate is set.

---

NOTES

Oct 31 2013. 
     Best cut and served straight out of the fridge (or they are too soft and get messy) and cut into 1-inch squares and popped into your mouth. They are very sweet for more than a cube or two at a time.

And we loved it! The pics show our results.

Despite them kinda being a pain to cut out of the pan, they did kind of make squares, although I wouldn't compare them to the photos from the original post. I could hardly contain myself. Big surprise.

Inspiration.

Reality.

Shoulda melted the chocolate more. Coulda took my time cutting. Woulda gotten better photos.

Whatever, they were amazing and I stand by the original recipe and vouch against myself. Bad blogger. Why don't I try harder to get nice photos. Because.... I was about to pop that lil broken piece into my mouth and forced myself to stick it back where it belongs for the photo. You're welcome...

And when I did, it was amazing!

BUT:

We did find (in the final row of the pan of course) that the best way to cut and enjoy them were to cut mini cubes and pop em in your mouth. 

And try not to let them get room temperature. Because they tend to soften up- and as much as I love eating candy like a kid on Halloween, I don't want to look like a kid who ate candy on Halloween.

Jay-Z and a "You've Broken the Law" notice

I have really weird dreams (can't you just talk from that title?) And while I don't do any form of dream divination or secular fortune telling I do know that I get really worked up during the day and suffer for it at night.

This could I'd what goes on inside my head when left to run amok, when I'm asleep.

This is what I imagine Tom has to endure. Poor Bizkit. Usually I don't wake so dramatically.

Part One
I've been kidnapped by Jay-Zs mobsters with a bunch of random people who I don't know (but seem friendly with). Isn't that always the case. We're poking around, wondering why his house isn't all that impressive, and he walks in. He's upset about something, but guess I didn't care because I just kept thinking that he should have at least 2 cars, considering he's such a big deal. Unimpressed.


Part Two

We're leaving Jay-Zs and apparently it ain't no thang, bc we never met Beyonce or baby-Z, and we all just say bye.

Upon getting home, my mother -bc I'm living with my mother again in my dreams?- told me that there's a letter from The Government. It's a 'You've broken The Law' notice, with a shot of me taken from a surveillance camera, throwing something in the garbage.

"You've been caught throwing recyclable material in the garbage can" it reported. "Also, your coworker expressed concern that while it was 'only a date stamper', it could prove to be a heartwarming souvenir, as all the employees quit in your department and were relocating".

When I arrived at work I got another copy of the same notice. And that the company was relocating all the workers, and I should go buy a date stamper for the girl who reported me to The Government.
I don't think that I did, as I woke up afterwards. And while I was in trouble for not recycling (but wouldn't that go in the trash?) she was willing to steal office supplies. Hm.



Where's did all this come from? 
I went to a work event yesterday and saw a Jay-Z look alike, but creepier and eyeing the candy I had placed out on my table. And then that evening, Tom scolded me about not recycling a piece of paper.

And it seems I need to watch some apocalyptic movie, considering it was 'the Government' versus the police. At least the Hunger Games will be in the theater soon, that should help the last part.

#4 Drive In Movie

I checked off my first 30 before 30 item.

#4- Drive-in movie at the Malta Drive-in. 

Of course, my photos turned out horrible. But see these beauties below to revel in it's old-timeyness. 

via

via

2013 is the Malta drive-in's 80th year in service, so of course, that means Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta were running around here, copping feels and getting stranded at the drive in (and being branded a fool...).

Of course, I based my drive-in expectations off of that movie, so when we arrived I was confused by the lack of speakers, only to find out they now use your car radio by tuning into a designated station.

via

Definitely feels weird being somewhere that served so many people, in so many decades. Glad that at least we weren't watching Transformers or something from the 2000s. What did we see?

Ghostbusters!

Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!

So, good start on my list. Hopefully we can keep this trend up!

October 19, 2013

Farin-
Fun trip with hubby. Went to see Ghostbusters in a drive-in!

Tom-
Got to explore Albany and Lake George, Farina planned a fun trip.

October 18,2013

Farin-
Impromptu trip to Lake George manana.

Tom-
Finally got to see my mom after a long week of getting home late.

October 17, 2013

Farin-
Nice to sit down to dinner with husband.

Tom-
Yes'm. Thinking about attending Southern Baptist.

Raised Eyebrows

I'm all for the brave new world of bold eyebrows (or in my case, creating visible eyebrows since mine are see-through), but who decided that it was a good idea to redesign their shape?

Two girls were sitting across from me and I was captivated (in the worst way). And while I'm not scared to take random pics of people because they have cute shoes // they are in the way of the advertisement I want to photograph // they look like a stuntdouble of my friend/sister/husband and it's hilarious- I'm not going to take mean pics and post them online.

Plenty of people have made posting about bad eyebrows their thing- so you can look here if you're so inclined.
http://awfuleyebrows.tumblr.com/
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/bad-eyebrows
http://bad-brows.tumblr.com/

But, if you are interested, these are my renditions.

Way to high/archey, and sleeping fuzzy caterpillars
I have amazing MS Paint skills.

I have embraced the eyebrow pencil and brush, and I really just stick with the 'color within the lines' rule of thumb. As I commuted along this morning, I debate whether or not mine are as ridiculous. I faced the door windows and raised my eyebrows at myself. I'm sure it scared some people on the other side.

And then I realized I was being dumb, sat my butt down and fell asleep for the rest of the commute.

Craving some Baking

I have a seriously frivolous problem. I want to bake (things that I could do without) in our nonfunctional oven.

Truthfully, we don't cook all that often. We work odd/late hours, so when we get home we go to my inlaws to eat leftovers. And that's cool. Except for when it isn't.

I want to bake bread. I am craving a cake.

I want to make a pie, and I have a really pretty pie plate who has never seen the inside of an oven.

Obviously, I need to get us an oven ASAP. And with any major purchase, (this is major in your 20s, people)- it requires way too much research.

This is what I came up with:

Premier 24 in. Freestanding Battery-Generated Spark Ignition Gas Range in Black

via homedepot.com

This one, without a window and with a dumb boiler drawer. I don't know how to broil or desire to learn to broil. And with gas ranges, you can't use the lower drawer for storage unless its maybe a cookie sheet.

Because: How much do they really expect me to spend on a 24 inch stove? I've never bought an appliance before, I can't wait until we hit the more expensive purchase section in our life. You know, like kids and hopefully a house. And plus, we have to find a way to get it to our apartment. Not in stores, and shipping will not be cheap. Yup, I'm being cheap on this one. I even opted out of the oven window because it added nearly $100 on the price.

rant over.

Time for some coffee.

October 14, 2013

Farin-
Tom's back home! And already postponing laundry until tomorrow.

Tom-
Great flight from Ft. Lauderdale. Glad to be back with my baby.

October 13, 2013

Farin-
Feel sick, weather is getting cold....

Tom-
Finally made it to Miami, Great roadtrip, super tired.