Baking

I looove baking..... unfortunately my waistline doesn't, so I always like to bake when I know I can give it to other people to enjoy. Tomorrow I am meeting some Missionaries and thought that they might like some home baked goods. So....

... today I made:

chocolate chip cookies (with part regular chocolate chips, part white chocolate chip becauseI forgot to check the ingredients before making them they are way more awesome and original that way.

Kick-Ass Molasses Cookies, don't worry I am not *that* conceited to name my recipe that, I totally took it off of vegweb. Chewy, spicy, and molasses-y goodness.

Ps. I thought Nie's Oprah feature was BEAUTIFUL! I soooo enjoyed it, and felt like I learned to appreciate everything I have a lot more! *But* that lady that visited Nie for the day kept making remarks like "Oh you were so beautiful" and "her husband still thinks she's beautiful with the scars" or something of that nature.

I mean WHAT? She is still beautiful, even more so because her scars show how much she has been through, and is a testament of how much she loves her family.

Blue...

Does anyone else every feel all melancholy for no reason?

My blues were brought on by watching Gone with the Wind last night. Something about that bittersweet ending. The fact that Scarlett had just lost her best friend, child, and the love of her life, but still had an optimistic view of the future (After all, tomorrow is another day) by drawing from her strength.

For some reason the same feeling stuck with me all of today, though I'm sure the terrible math test I took didn't help, so I am trying to get rid of them by writing badly....

I don't get depressed really, but feel kind of calm and just like to be quiet and think about my life and where I am going and why. It's *probably* kinda healthy, or not. But hey that's about as optimistic as I get on any day.

What do you guys do to get rid of the blues?

PS. The sad song that makes me feel better by belting it out in the car is Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart. Or Josh and Ellen's duet.

Rain, rain, go away please STAY!

Everyone should make it their goal to dance in the rain at least once in their lives.

So, I get ridiculously excited when it rains. Especially if it rains really hard.

Confession: Me and my sister heard it raining and I stared out the window for a minute in pure ecstasy, then realized that it would probably end in a minute or two. Put on my shoes and a sweatshirt my totally awesome Sly-Park one from sixth grade and walked around outside with my sister until in stopped, reveling in the wonderousness of it all.

My mom remarked that we were acting as if we never saw rain before. I told her that its even more exciting when it snows.

Please snow and rain *a lot* this winter!

PS. Hope everyone is enjoying the General Conference this weekend! I know I am!!

The Princess and the Frog

Personally I am quite excited that Disney decided to step back from Pixar-like

animation and make this movie seem more hand drawn like the classics we grew up with.

Disney basically made my childhood for me, and whenever I need a bit of nostalgia in my

life, but have a limited amount of time, I just blast my Disney playlist that has ALL my

favorites from back in the day.

Sigh, I hope my kids love these movies as much as I do, and don't just think they are

outdated....

Ps. was I the only one who was thought the D is Disney was a weird G for the first 15 years

of their lives?

Frankly my dear,

watching Gone with the Wind for a History of Film class, doesn't seem much like work to me.

Of course writing the paper on it might be a little more work. Well worth it though.

PS. Quite a seductive pose for the 1930s isn't it?

Sitting with a nice hot mug of

DandyBlend is wonderful on those chilly winter nights.

I like it because it's like a mix between coffee and tea, but it isn't bitter at all so no milk or sugar needed! Bonus because I add a lot of sugar to tea and coffee

It's made from the roots of dandelion, chicory and sugar beet, and roasted barley and rye!

If you have a store that supplied it near you, I recommend it!

These...

would make an *excellent* addition to my wardrobe

{anthropologie flats}

{anthropologie necklace}

Unfortunately, they are totally out of my price range. What are your winter wishlists filled with?

PS. Thank you weather for cooling down. I quite enjoyed wearing slippers around the house.

Banned Book Week

starts tomorrow!!

{image from the ALA website}

Some of my favorite books are on that list (lists by author or book title), and I'm currently reading a book that is on that list also. I always find it so crazy that so many great books are challenged so often, and were even burned!

Any of your favorites on there?

Why, hello there autumn!

Today is officially the first day of autumn!!

break out those jeans, jackets, and scarves!! unless, like me, you live its still hot for another month

looking forward to Apple Hill in the upcoming weeks

they have *the* best apples and have lots of fun things to do and see!

oh and

I bought this lovely little number last night...

{shabbyapple}

Hopefully the cut will look flattering on me, and not a bag cut in all the wrong spots.

Loving the cranberry-ness of it!

What's your favorite fall color?

Dear Weather,

I would *really* appreciate it if you got cooler.

I enjoy the overwhelming warmth you give us every year, but enough is enough.

It is now the end of September, and the 100 degree heat just isn't cute anymore.

If you need a model, please look to Seattle or London weather.

Much love,

Michelle

P.S. In a compromise, I will wear my flip-flops in the winter when it isn't raining (as it usually isn't) in a tribute to the hotter days of summer