Humpday Yumday #1--Cookies

One of my favorite cousins, Katie, had a food blog. It caused me great grief because I was in college and couldn't cook as much as I wanted to. She's now a busy cardiology nurse and doesn't blog as much anymore, but I still love her.

They say you imitate the people you love....hmmm.

I could find an AED and "help" people or I could post one of my favorite recipes.

I choose option #2.

I chose option #2 because I wanted to bake cookies.

I chose option #2 because I just did.


Neiman Marcus Cookies or The Best Cookies Ever or Dump Cookies or Piles of Happiness

What You Put In:
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1t. baking soda
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2.5 cups ground oatmeal (put oats in a blender)
16 oz. chocolate chips ( I use mini chips)
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1t. baking powder
1 1/2 cup chopped nuts. ( I use pecans)
1 t. vanilla

What You Do:
1. Cream the butter and both sugars.
2. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix it!
3. Add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Mix it again.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
6. Place little balls on cookie sheet
7. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes.

This makes a lot of cookies.


***I don't know why they're called Neiman Marcus cookies.... but this joke story cracks me up!
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/fooddrink/a/cookie_recipe.htm

A New Series: Crazy Beautiful Life

I like the idea of a series. It keeps people organized. I also am trying to fully appreciate things more and be content with what I have (partly because its a good idea and partly because I'm broke). I follow a few motivational blogs and they continue to inspire me on a daily basis. Even when my life feels like a total mess, I have it better than someone else.

This is not a matter of, "I have it better than you." It's a matter of, "Wow, I have it good. Praise Be."

I should be thankful.

I should be light.

I should find joy.

I should find peace.

I should seek authenticity.

I should seek the Lord.

I should hope for my future.

I should hope for those who suffer.

I should do more good stuff.

I should do life better.

I should pray more.

I should pray ernestly.

I should love wider.

I should love deeper.

I should just be.

I should just be me.

Which =

It's a new season. It's a new day. It's a new blog, but not really.

This blog will be me attempting to do those things.


Side Note:  People always ask me what my favorite Bible verse is.... I don't have a favorite Bible verse. I wish I did. Can I just be a brown nosed Sunday School kid and say the whole entire Bible is my favorite verse? No? Well today, right now.... this one is my favorite...

Monday Photo Fun Day #1

After looking back at some things, I realized that I never posted a Day 12. I wrote one, but now that I broke up with myself, it doesn't matter anymore. Shame.

I found this shirt on sale at Old Navy a while back and it spoke to me; like all great clothing does. But, I never took an awkward duck lips bathroom photo of me in it--so it never got posted; until my Aunt Linnea snapped this at our family reunion.

It was early and I lost my glasses....sorry for the weird eyes.

If and when a guy puts a ring on it, he will check the box and Aunt Linnea will take a new picture.

Unlucky 13: The Breakup

It's not you, it's me.

I just need to focus on me right now.

We just don't want the same things.

I need to focus on my faith.

I've fallen out of love with you.

You're too good for me.

Maybe we're not for each other right now, but later.

I hope we'll still be friends.

You're amazing.

I will always love you, even if we're not together.

I had so much fun, but I need to be more serious about things.

The Lord has a plan for you and I'm not in the equation.

Leave me alone.

Weee-eeee are never ever ever getting back together.

When you see my face, hope it gives you hell.

Club can't even handle me right now.

Did I miss any?


It's a sad thing, usually. Breakups really stink. I'm breaking up with myself. It's just really hard to blog about how many fun things I do, I'm not dating someone, but I'd still rather talk about something else.

Relationships take work. I mean, planning dates is hard work. My life is relatively boring. Inserting spice and romance into my life with myself was kind of a nightmare. I am terrible at taking self-portraits. I'd rather sit at home and watch The Office and cook things.

I tried real hard and this is what happened.

Incident #1
"Could you please take a picture of me holding this book about Kama Sutra for my blog?"
"No thanks!"
(Okay this didn't happen exactly like that, but a sales employee asked me why I was taking pictures with a sex book and he was not willing to help)

Incident #2
"Would you like a gift receipt for this lingerie"
"No it's for me."
"Well your 'friend' will like it for sure.
***When my parents were out of town, I slept in the lingerie. THAT CRAP IS WAY UNCOMFORTABLE. IT WAS SURELY INVENTED BY A HORNY DUDE.

Incident #3
I went to a restaurant by myself and was seated.
The hostess asked 4 times if I'd like to call someone.
--No this is for a blog. I'm dating myself.
"Oh, well if you change your mind.... let me know"


Yes hostess lady, I have changed my mind.

It pains me to do this. I wanted to finish what I started, but its not working. I guess part of being an adult is knowing when things aren't working.  I will of course still blog, but I'm so boring. If this was a real relationship, I'd self-admit myself to couples counseling. Maybe I'll try something else. Like 60 Days of Thankfulness.

Yeah.

I'd rather be thankful than dating myself.

I'd give this a 5.

But I still wonder, have you been dished a bad breakup line? Let me know in the comments.

Day #11: Heaven

It's Day 11.

11 rhymes with Heaven.

I'm pretty sure Heaven has lots of strawberries, lots of big comfy beds, no hair exploding humidity, and absolutely no creepy crawlers or spiders.

I went on a bike ride today. By myself. This doesn't bother me like a solo movie. I find zipping through the wind at high speeds very therapeutic and a perfect time to pray. And if I cry during those prayers, nobody can really tell behind my huge sunglasses and helmet. As I weave through the trees, I imagine myself doing things. I imagine myself in a room with my best friends as they help me into a gorgeous wedding gown, with a cathedral veil and Father of The Bride sneakers.** I imagine myself in the hot desert of Africa, waiting for the caretakers to bring me my baby. I imagine myself accepting an award for something great that I've done. I imagine myself sitting quietly in a hospital waiting room, praying for someone I love to come out of surgery. I imagine a totally fruitful life. And oddly enough, those images do not include a man. It feels good.

**I know I need a man to wear a wedding gown without being judged, but the specific moment was totally man-free.**

 I see those things and I cannot wait. I cannot wait for my life. I cannot wait to have my mind blown on a daily basis by a God who has my best interest at heart. Whose plans for me totally annihilate my own ideas of what I wish life would be like. BRING IT ON!

Unfortunately, when I'm in a mood, I see myself being alone forever. I see myself as the crazy cat lady. This scares me mostly because I don't really even like cats. I see myself as the "never a bride, always a bridesmaid." I see myself as the girl whose only valentine will ever be her Dad ( he does a good job, but there's a line)

And I have come to realize, I can literally rob myself of my own joy. I find joy in being able to strip wallpaper from my parent's kitchen soffit. I find joy in being able to drop everything I'm doing and go see a movie with my friend. I find joy in the little things. These little things that bring me the most joy, don't include the directions that say, "Add a man for best results" It's not there! I checked!


Today, on my bike ride, it hit me. Heaven will be amazing, but if I am joyous and grateful, I can have my own right here. I can be perfectly lonely. I can be content. I can and will be the third wheel. It's fine. I will not die. I was perfectly lonely. I had nobody to answer to. I had nowhere to be and I was just by myself. Alone.

And because I can't take pictures on my bike, here is a glimpse of Heaven from my all time favorite movie....

--My heaven also includes a man with enough balls to watch this movie and hold me while I cry.. Just saying.

Day #10: A Movie Date

So this girl Caryn called me up and said, "Hey, you really need to step up your game on the blog business. You're a slacker, you are really bad at dating yourself. You're all talk."

What a biotch!

I saw this....

Here's the play by play.

I arrived late to theatre.
In a frantic voice, I purchased ONE ticket.  Maybe they think I'm meeting someone/
Take Mom's refillable popcorn bucket to the food counter. Buy Popcorn. Well for all the girl knows, I'm part of the big group of young adults in front of me that paid individually.
Walk by myself past lots of people to the theater.
Walk in to the theater.
THERE ARE NO SEATS IN THE MAIN SECTION.
Ponder between hiding in the front section or owning my singleness and sitting in the handi-capable seats that are solo.
I choose front section because from up above, you can't really see me.
Worry if people can see me after all.
LAUGH, LAUGH, LAUGH and LAUGH.
Realize the movie has ended and all the people will see me alone in the light.
Grab my purse
RUN OUT OF THE THEATER USING A SIDE DOOR.
Hold breath until I am in my car.
Get in car.
Sigh of relief.
Ponder.......
--Why do I care?
--How do people do this? 
--Why do people like doing this?
--Maybe I should buy tickets online.
--Maybe I should get to movies earlier.


Take Away: It was just weird. I missed having to share popcorn. I missed having someone to laugh with. I mean, my mom is a pretty good movie date so I will ask her to go with me next time. I'll maybe try again at some point, but it was too weird. I'd rather give blood then go to a movie by myself again. I can do lots of things by myself, but movies aren't it.

PS: I suck terribly at taking selfies, so here is photographic proof of my escapade.

Day #9 : Gimme Gimme Gimme a Man

I recently rediscovered a CD from my tween years.

They did covers of this amazing band.....

Their lyrics are especially applicable to a single girl....

Half past 12

And I'm watching the late show in my flat all alone

How I hate to spend the evening on my own

Autumn winds

Blowing outside my window as I look around the room

And it makes me so depressed to see the gloom

There's not a soul out there....

No one to hear my prayer...

Gimme Gimme Gimme a man after midnight

Won't somebody help me chase these shadows away?

--Gimme Gimme Gimme A Man After Midnight

One of us is crying

One of us is lying

In her lonely bed

Staring at the ceiling

Wishing she was somewhere else instead

One of us is lonely

One of us is only

Waiting for a call

Sorry for herself, feeling stupid feeling small

Wishing she had never left at all.

--One of Us

If you change your mind, I'm the first in line

Honey, I'm still free

Take a chance on me.

If you need me, let me know, I'm gonna be around

If you got no place to go,  if you're feeling down

Honey I'm still free. Take a chance on me.

Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie

If you put me to the test, if you let me try...

-Take a Chance on Me.

It was like shooting a sitting duck
A little small talk, a smile and baby I was stuck
I still don't know what you've done with me
A grown-up woman should never fall so easily
I feel a kind of fear
When I don't have you near
Unsatisfied, I skip my pride
I beg you dear...
Don't go wasting your emotion
Lay all your love on me
Don't go sharing your devotion
Lay all your love on me....
Lay All Your Love on Me

This may sound depressing, but its really awesome. Enough of Taylor Swift and being broken up all the time. We need more Adele.  Let's talk about being crazy and telling people to take chances on love. We need more of this. We need more music that's not about being all doe eyed. We need music about Facebook creeping your favorite couples. We need music about stalking your crush. We need honest music. We need music that's not about sex and ladies. W

We need music that says, " I am awesome, you're missing out."

Who's with me?!?!

And if you need just a wee pick me up, here's a YouTube video....

What's your favorite song about being single? Even if you're not single, you had one when you were!! Leave a comment!