Snow Day

Dear Reader,

So this was my day:

While the cats slept (the extra cat on the right is here because I'm petsitting her. She and Bailey are like BFFs now), outside it was doing this:

I mean SERIOUSLY?? It's not even Halloween yet!!! The snow has been coming ALL DAY. Yeah, it's pretty. But I'm pretty sure that's because I haven't gone outside all day. Instead I...

baked sugar cookies for a ward Halloween party that was cancelled because of the aforementioned blizzard. So now I've got a bunch of sugar cookies in my freezer. And someone is going to benefit from this. Could it be people at work? Or the ward if the party is ever rescheduled? Only time will tell.

I also cooked some pumpkin seeds

and did laundry! The reason this is exciting is because....I now have a washing machine!!! I could clean my clothes without even leaving the house! Thanks to my bishop for hooking me up with the machine--and then hooking the machine up for me. :) 

After awhile the kittens decided to move from the kitchen to my bed. They pretty much just slept all day. Typical.

That time we created a squirrel army.

Dear Reader,

Last week Natalie and I created a squirrel army. Clarification: a cookie squirrel army.

For Sister Sampson.

Because she hates squirrels.

They began as harmless clones--

--and morphed into demonic rodents.

Needless to say, Sister Sampson's reaction was quite brilliant, and everything I had hoped for.

Oh what a year.

Dear Reader,

Well, it looks like 2010 is just about over. Yeah, you know what's coming. It's flashback time:

1. At the beginning of the year, in February, I hit up Vegas with some friends. It was my first time.

I loved it.

2. I went to Park City during Sundance season. Also a first. Didn't see a movie, but we did have a great photo shoot with Natalie's amazing camera.

3. The Festival of Colors. A lovely, chalky mess.

4. I interned at Deseret Book over the summer. I worked on 55 books, including President Monson's biography!

5. In May I turned 22! And I got to go home to Michigan for a few days.

6. Over the summer I went to Arches with some friends. And yes . . . it was another first.

7. I was called to be the Relief Society secretary. Best. Calling. Ever!

8. Cousin Cami got married. Cousin Laura and I took pictures of ourselves while we waited outside the Salt Lake Temple for the wedding to be over.

9. I hit up Michigan again at the end of summer (thank you frequent flier miles). Seriously, I haven't been to Michigan this many times in a year in like forever.

While I was there we saw Lake Michigan.

10. Drama, drama, drama, and . . . at the beginning of September I moved! I like my new bed a lot. But I didn't spend nearly enough time sleeping in it last semester as I wanted/needed to.

11. During the fall I interned at the Friend! And I loved it.

12. I also became a baking fiend. You may have picked up on that.

13. Halloween rolled around and Natalie and I carved pumpkins. And I dressed up as Lois Lane.

14. Concerts, concerts, and more concerts. The favorite being: Ingrid Michaelson.

15. Diwali, festival of lights, happened too. Of course, Natalie and I were there.

16. Last week I got endowed in the Detroit Temple! It was a good day. :)

17. So now I am home again in Michigan, ringing the new year in with this lovable fur ball.

It's been a . . . productive year. Very stressful. Very educational. But in the end it turned out wonderful!

So here's to 2011. My last semester of college. Graduation. Getting a real job.

Yeah . . .

Please don't be as scary as I think you're going to be.

The forecast calls for sugar cookies.

Dear Reader,

Yes, another picture of the amazing sugar cookies. I taught my mom and sister how to make them today.

I apologize that I'm not doing more blog-worthy things in my life. I mean, I could take pictures of my trip to the mall, or me watching Psych on Netflix, but let's be honest: if you find that interesting, we need to sit down and discuss the direction your life is taking.

Oh, and btw. If you want sugar cookies, please come to Michigan and eat some. We have way too many cookies in our house right now.

And I can pretty confidently say that they are worth the trip.

Feasting on Squirrels

Dear Reader,

Some of you may not have known, but I'm the Relief Society Secretary in my ward.

Side note: We have the best Relief Society presidency of all time.

[no, really.]

Every month we hand out the visiting teaching assignments along with a treat. We also give a chance for a much and mingle with the girls so they can make visiting teaching appointments if they haven't yet.

This week we're giving the girls cookies, leaf cookies to be exact, with the theme "every leaf is unique" or something like that. Anyway, cute idea, blah, blah, blah, whatever.

The main point of all of this is that I wanted to show you the cookies we made. Here they are:

The squirrel is my favorite. Sampson (real name Sam...) gave me the cookie cutter for my birthday last year.

A photo of the blessed event. (the arrow points to the squirrel)

You see, it's funny because Sam hates squirrels. In fact, we met a terrifying squirrel in Hyde Park. I really think it wanted to fight us. [note the fists]

So you see? They are vicious little devils.

But I still think they're cute...

Sugar Rush

Dear Reader,

Last week I decided to become a baker. And by become a baker I mean I made muffins and cookies.

But still, it was a long process.

First it was the muffins. We had a Halloween potluck at work, and I decided (mainly based on my lack of butter) that pumpkin muffins were a good idea.

By the way: the recipe was super good. Here it is if you're interested:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin-Chocolate-Chip-Muffins/Detail.aspx

Next I decided to make sugar cookies to bring in to work and for Kelsy's Halloween party. This was a very VERY long process. Making the cookies was one night's project:

The frosting of the cookies was another night's.

I think the finished product turned out okay for my first try with this recipe.

Let's just say it was a sugary week.

In case you're interested in this recipe, also, here it is (from friend Jana):

deb child’s sugar cookies

2 c. butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

4 egg yolks

2 t. vanilla

4 1/2 c. flour

first, cream butter and sugar. then, add egg yolks and vanilla. add flour to mixture gradually. the dough will roll out best if it has been chilled for a few hours. roll out cookie dough to 1/2 inch thick, and cut into desired shapes. place cookies on a buttered cookie sheet or a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK. remove the cookies from the oven as soon as they are the slightest bit golden on the bottom or edges.

icing

2 lb. bag of powdered sugar

3 T. powdered meringue

1 t. clear vanilla

1 t. butter flavoring

1/2 t. almond flavoring (optional)

mix ingredients. [seriously, that’s about it]. Add water to the mixture incredibly slowly, until the icing is at the proper consistency for piping through a bag – but it should still be pretty thick. then, feel free to add some color. color frosting as desired. divide the frosting. use one portion to pipe outlines on the cookie with a piping bag. thin the remaining icing with a small amount of water and “flood” the inside of the outline with the thinned icing using a spoon. let cookies sit overnight for the icing to set.