Classic Posts

Today I'm channeling Pioneer Woman and other fancy bloggers who make posts that basically say, "I have great posts, just check the archives, here are some links!" Here are a few oldies but goodies from our blog, with all but one being written by Jeff:

The Thneed

Jacob Lamro

My Pen

Faith

Here's to Some Things

The Farm

TWD: Chewy, Chunky Blondies

I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of these. We even had some in the freezer for a few days after I baked them last week and I kept forgetting about snapping a quick photo. They didn't look as good as the photograph in Dorie's cookbook, but these are one tasty bar cookie. If you're familiar with Grandma's delicious Congo Squares recipe, this is like Congo Squares on steroids. They are amazing! I put walnuts in about half of the batter just to try them out and though I don't usually like nuts in baked goods, the walnuts added a nice depth to the flavor and I didn't mind the extra crunch. I went with the Heath toffee bits option so next time I might try the butterscotch chips to see if I like that as well. Please visit Nicole of Cookies on Friday for this simple and delicious recipe! And visit the TWD site to find out how others fared this week. Next week's choice is Gingered Carrot Cookies. Yum!

TWD: Lots of Ways Banana Cake

This week's pick from Dorie's cookbook was chosen by Kimberly of Only Creative Opportunities. As the recipe's title suggests, Dorie made this recipe really flexible. I chose to go with coconut in my cake with no other dried fruits and used a recipe for marshmallow frosting, also in the cookbook. The frosting came together really easily, as did the cake layers. I think next time I'll make cupcakes with some sort of chocolate frosting as that would be a tasty combination as well! Happy Baking! See you next week for Chewy, Chunky Blondies. I'm already excited to bake those, they sound delicious!

My pictures of the cut cake turned out terribly, so enjoy this nicer one of the whole cake! And please enjoy the kids sleeping and strollering in style:

TWD: Brrr-ownies

I've made brownies with York Peppermint Patties before, but chopping them up was something new with this recipe. The recipe for this week makes a pretty good brownie, but I prefer leaving the patties whole, I've decided. The mint flavor doesn't blend into the batter quite as well that way, but the patty doesn't melt like crazy when it's left whole, which makes for a prettier brownie. But these tasty, minty brownies are a delicious, fudgy concoction, so be sure to check out Karen's blog, Welcome to Our Crazy Blessed Life to get the recipe and give it a try! I think these would be excellent with a side of ice cream, like just about any brownie! The majority of these are coming with me tonight while I go help a friend clean her apartment she just moved out of. I really hope there are several ladies there to share with! Sorry I missed out on Tarte Noir last week. I was out of town through Wednesday and thought I'd get to it after I got back but decided to just play hooky for that week. Stay tuned for next week: Lots of Ways Banana Cake! Yum!

Five Years

So, Stacey and I recently celebrated our five year anniversary. It has been an amazing five year. Between us, we have earned 3.5 degrees, had over 7 jobs, had two kids, lived in five houses, visited four countries, lived in three states (or, I guess more accurately, two states and a commonwealth), and owned six barbecue grills. It has been a great time. In any event, I wanted to get Stacey something made of wood (5 years being the wood anniversary), and I wanted it to have something to do with what we were celebrating--our having been sealed together as a couple for eternity. So, I commissioned my craftsman-brother to do a wood burning on the Washington D.C. temple, where we were married. He was able to burn the temple and ship it to me, and, I was pretty impressed with his handiwork: It has been an amazing five years, and I am so glad to have been sealed to Stacey in the temple, and to have Jacob and Rebecca benefiting from that sealing. I am anxious and excited for what the next ∞ - 5 years with Stacey will bring.

"We are at Ohio!"

The kids and I are in Lakewood, a suburb of Cleveland, spending some time with some friends of ours from Ann Arbor who are here for the summer. We drove down on Thursday morning and are enjoying our time here very much!

Here are a few things we've been up to lately:

Jacob and Timmy taking a stroll at the science center.

Katie and the boys at the beach on Lake Erie.

This is Jacob getting dressed a second time after he got back in the water when I turned my back. He went home dressed just how he is in the chair and wasn't very happy about it at first.

Rebecca and Aaron playing in the sand at the beach.

Jacob's dream activity: "touch the police car!"

This picture shows off Rebecca's walking skills! Here she is mid-step at the AMAZING Librarium in the Lakewood Public Library. Katie and I decided we want one of these in Ann Arbor, maybe in our houses. :) Rebecca is wearing one of my old outfits, so please note that as well.

Jacob and Timmy touching the turtles at the Lake Erie Science Center.

We had a blast here today! The kids enjoyed a star show while we were there but I didn't get any pictures of the planetarium. The kids got to witness their first Vandegraaff generator demonstration today and when they showed a big picture of Venus Rebecca called out "baa!" (her word for ball)

Rebecca getting to know a Sudan plated lizard.

And the bald eagle picture is for Independence Day tomorrow. Sorry it's so blurry, I noticed they had that bird at the science center just as we were heading back inside. They really are such pretty birds. Jacob was fascinated by the dead mice in the owl and hawk cages so we had a very short circle of life lesson. :)

We're having a great time! More pictures and - I'm hoping - videos to come, if blogger is nice to me when I try to upload them (it hasn't been lately)! The one of the boys touching the turtle and of course any of Rebecca walking around are must-sees!