Easter Weekend

Our apartment is F.R.E.E.Z.I.N.G. Curled up in our big, fluffy blanket, slippers on, and listening to the Adele playlist via Rhapsody, my nose is sniffling. Happy Spring.

Hope your Easter was great. Wasn't it a gorgeous day? After spending the morning with family and friends, Jus and I spent the rest of the day together. Bliss. We took a stroll around our neighborhood, chatting about various things, our goals and ambitions. I love days like that.

Roast, mashed potatoes and rolls for dinner. Cookies and Cadbury Eggs (compliments of my man) for dessert.

Cuddled up on the couch and watched Star Wars. Wished my hair could do the things Princess Leah's did. Jus suggested I find some donuts, or cinnamon rolls instead.

Poop-tastic cookies

Tonight was the night. I've been counting down the days until making these easter hunt cookies. I'm pretty sure I've talked about them to Jus every day, at least twice a day ever since I found the recipe (which you know, was like, a month ago). Last week, at the grocery, I made sure to choose my green food coloring with care, knowing that it would play a very prominent role in these bad boys. Opening the food coloring box was like Christmas all over again.

I had food coloring. Of my very own. I had now, officially, entered the realm of adulthood.

What better thing to do at 10:30 pm on a Saturday? Duh, Ali, make easter cookies! My hands trembled in feverish delight as I grabbed all of the ingredients, and carefully measured out nearly 5 cups of oats, and dumped them tenderly into my mixing bowl. (Pathetic, huh?) Next came the sugars, and the vanilla, and peanut butter. All blessed one and a half cups of it. I may or may not have added a little extra... If a half a cup is good, two is better, yes?

Turns out green food coloring can't withstand the power of peanut butter.

Then it came to it. The crowning jewel of our easter cookies: green food coloring. I added a bit, and waited for the magic to happen. I added a bit more. And more. And more. My high hopes dissipated. The whole point of the food coloring in this recipe is to make the cookie look like grass, and the m&m's to look like eggs. My "grass" was looking a little, um, "dead". Thanks to the peanut butter.

Jus tried to make me feel better, by telling me that it looked like the grass that grows in England. You know, that kind. All I can say is, the folks there need to water their lawns more, if my cookies were any representation of the average British lawn.

While the little poops may have looked... not the most appetizing, they tasted pretty yummy. Delicious, really. Thanks to the peanut butter.

Book Finished

Well, here we are again folks. Husband homework-ing. I finished my book (frown), and Facebook has become dreadfully dull (It usually is. Why do I waste so much time on it agin?). Jus and I will both be glad when the semester ends.

I really did enjoy reading Becoming Queen Victoria. There is just something about Victoria and Albert that is special. I can't quite put my finger on it. But I love them. Dearly.

Almost immediately after finishing (I cuddled with my own dear boy for a minute), I hopped online to look for another book about the royal couple, and stumbled upon a BBC tv mini series about them. Way early Christmas gift? To myself? Maybe.

No News, No Shirt, No Service... But Mostly, No News

Remember how it has been, you know, FOREVER since I last posted? After interrupting le husband for the six billionth time with Facebook happenings (way lame, I know), I've turned my efforts to this. Much to the relief of a particular boy sitting next to me on the couch, I am sure.

I feel like in order to write, I need to have something noteworthy to write about. It's tricky to make a full-blown narrative about folding socks... I've been reading this book about Queen Victoria, and I find myself wondering about what she did on the days that she didn't write in her journal. The days that didn't go down in history. I guess she just did her "everyday" stuff. (I bet she never had to fold her socks). Every day doesn't have to be extraordinary, does it? That's what I need to remind myself.

I broke down and made chocolate chip cookies tonight. I think I ate too many... ick. What's your favorite cookie? I found a recipe for these easter hunt cookies. There will be a plate of them at our house sometime this week. Count on that. I thought about putting chocolate chips in them, and then realized they might look like other things hiding in the grass, besides easter eggs...

Have a happy day, listen to the rain, and rest easy, knowing the weekend is almost here!

Thoughts on Breakfast

Jus and I woke up this morning full of anticipation. That's right folks, a trip to D.I. was in our plans. Boy, do we know how to party. But seriously, we love that place. We came away with some cool bowls and things. More about those later.

Jus made some french toast for breakfast before heading out the door. Delicious. I had no idea he made french toast. I guess he used to make it for the other missionaries a lot. No big deal. I think he has a hidden talent for making breakfast. He makes smoothies that taste just like the Razmatazz drinks at Jamba Juice. My favorite. When Jus and I were dating, Jamba was one of our favorite haunts. His homemade ones bring back a little nostalgia I guess. I asked him for a recipe once, and he just shrugged his shoulders. "There isn't one, really." I guess that's a call for us to figure it out, huh?

Pencils and Love Stories

Anyone who knows me also knows that I love, love, LOVE "You've Got Mail". Who doesn't? The story is adorable. I may or may not have shed a tear or two upon watching Tom Hanks wipe away Meg Ryan's tears with a hankie embroidered with daisies. Who wouldn't? Gah! I love it.

The other night, I was giving Jus an earful of how close this movie is to my heart. Poor guy. He's a good (which here means great) sport. We recently finished watching Pride and Prejudice (the really long, and really, only good version). It was a weeklong event. Jus laughed at the funny parts, and let my "sentimental heart beat wildly" (You've Got Mail) during the tender parts. What did I say? He deserves something for that.

I came home from work yesterday and found a few changes. There were love notes written all over the mirrors in our little apartment. My "sentimental heart" was melting. And then I saw it. Where we normally keep a vase of fresh flowers, I found a bouquet of pencils. Freshly sharpened ones. Thanks, bud. Love you.

-ali

Sunny Days are Here Again

The days are getting longer. I love it. Yesterday's sunshine was lovely! I was taken by surprise as I walked out of my door to go to work. Living in a basement makes each day another exciting round of "Guess What the Weather is Doing". I regretted the fact that I wasn't wearing a skirt and Vans like I wanted to be as I locked the door behind me.

Today is Friday, and I'm seriously lacking motivation to do ANYTHING this morning. Dishes? What dishes? Workout? What's that? Shower.. Me? (Kidding) But, the truth is, there ARE things to do. I guess that's my cue to say, "live long and prosper" and enjoy your weekend!

-Ali

PS Check out what we are watching this weekend.