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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Here's that cookie recipe I promised you!

These are the cookies I was talking about in this post. They are super mega ultra delicious. :D Anyway, they used to be called just plain "Chocolate Chip Cookies" (*snort* How boring.), but my brothers dubbed them "Fireman Cookies" :D.

Fireman Cookies


Makes 1-1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies
Time: 45 minutes, plus at least 24 hours for chilling

  • 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8-1/2 ounces) cake flour
  • 1-2/3 cups (8-1/2 ounces) bread flour
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 2-1/2 sticks (1-1/4 cups) unsalted butter
  • 1-1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
  • 1-1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
  • Sea salt
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.
3. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
5. Scoop 6 3-1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.


Well, it's rather a lot of work, but really worth it! They are MMMMMM! 


Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Monday, September 27, 2010

(Not quite) Wordless Monday
















This was a big turtle we found on Sunday. He was just in the middle of the street. :D Isn't he cute? Look at his giant mouth. If that thing gets ahold of you, you just might have one less finger than you used to.

By the way, the man in the picture (who's holding Mr. Turtle) was actually brave enough to hold him for a picture.

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Happy Monday- Water Droplets
















Here's my entry for Happy Monday. Can you tell me what business a green tomato has in fall? *shakes head*


Ashley Jean

Saturday, September 25, 2010

♫♪ I'm already dreaming of a white Christmas...♫♪

Who else is already longing for Christmas? *raises hand*  I really want fall, but Christmas is calling me. Just like my piano teacher said, "I just can't resist Christmas any longer!" So she gave me a couple of Christmas songs. One called "Toyland" and I think "Joy to the World".

Here is a funny (long) joke I found on our pastor's blog

What happens at these Fahrenheit temperatures:

+65 - Hawaiians declare a two-blanket night.

+60 - Californians put on sweaters (if they can find one).

+50 - Miami residents turn on the heat.

+45 - Vermont residents go to outdoor concerts.

+40 - You can see your breath. Californians shiver uncontrollably. Minnesotans go swimming.

+35 - Italian cars don't start.

+32 - Water freezes.

+30 - You plan your vacation to Australia.

+25 - Ohio water freezes. Californians weep. Minnesotans eat ice cream. Canadians go swimming.

+20 - Politicians begin to talk about the homeless. New York City water freezes. Miami residents plan vacation farther South.

+15 - French cars don't start. Cat insists on sleeping in your bed with you.

+10 - You need jumper cables to get the car going.

+ 5 - American cars don't start.

0 - Alaskans put on T-shirts.

-10 - German cars don't start. Eyes freeze shut when you blink.

-15 - You can cut your breath and use it to build an igloo. Arkansans stick tongue on metal objects. Miami residents cease to exist.

-20 - Cat insists on sleeping in pajamas with you. Politicians actually do something about the homeless. Minnesotans shovel snow off roof. Japanese cars don't start.

-25 - Too cold to think. You need jumper cables to get the driver going.

-30 - You plan a two-week hot bath. Swedish cars don't start.

-40 - Californians disappear. Minnesotans button top button. Canadians put on sweaters. Your car helps you plan your trip south.

-50 - Congressional hot air freezes. Alaskans close the bathroom window.

-80 - Hell freezes over. Polar bears move south. Green Bay Packer fans order hot cocoa at the game.

-90 - Lawyers put their hands in their own pockets.
 
 
Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Photo Contest Update

Just letting everyone know, I'm adding these beautiful earrings to the contest prize.
















Can't wait to see the winner!

Abby :D

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

You know it's almost fall when...

... You start to see acorns.
I love these cute little acorns!














...Leaves are turning yellow.
































This is a cute little wind chime we got a couple years ago.




...Things are dying or going to seed.



























I can't believe it is almost fall! Summer is almost over... :( God's creation is so wonderful in all seasons, though. :D

I hope you had a great summer!

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Monday, September 20, 2010

Happy Monday
















Here is my entry for Happy Monday. Do you like it?



Ashley Jean

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Some very interesting stories

Here is the story of my two biggest injuries in life (which are still not very big) . I'm telling them in third person just to make it interesting. Enjoy (If you can.)

One day, 9-year-old Abby and her sisters had some friends over. They were pushing a boy named Michel up a hill. He started to get out and help. Then all of a sudden, Michel fell on Abby's leg (it was not his fault, I shouldn't have been where I was).  Although none of them knew it, Abby had a broken ankle. She limped inside and played computer games for the rest of the visit. Well, Abby couldn't walk for the rest of the day, and when night fell, she couldn't climb onto her bed (we had bunk beds then, and mine was a top bunk). She also couldn't go to sleep, so she stayed up until the late hour of eleven o' clock. It was the next day that they decided to go to the doctor. It turns out, Abby's ankle indeed was broken. She got a pink cast (whoo hoo!) and crutches (which I still have to this day). After seven weeks, her cast was off (after a crying spell, multiple scoldings for walking on my cast, sore arms, and several sponge baths).

*Author's Note* It was extremely fun having everyone sign my cast ( I even got one from a random stranger :D) plus a couple people pretty much all the kids at church wanted to try my crutches. It's fun until you get your cast off and have to re-learn how to walk ON VACATION! (yes, that happened as well. Let me just say it was NOT fun.)

*Clears throat* Now for the next story... a much more gruesome one... *evil laugh* Well, not really.

One day, Abby's mother was going to throw away a light-up rubber ball. Being naturally curious, Abby wanted to know just why it lit up. So, she began to cut it open with a butter knife. (I know, great idea, right?) Abby's little sister suggested a sharper knife (she wasn't to blame either, I should have known better). Abby got the knife, and began to cut. *cue scary music, suspense builds* Then, suddenly the knife slipped and cut her left index finger. So she began to jump around the kitchen, screaming, "OW OW OW OW OW!!" even though it didn't hurt. Her parents took her to the hospital (intensive care, I think it was). Thankfully, it was a clean cut and she didn't need stitches. But she did have to wear a splint for a few weeks.

*Author's Note* I wanted stitches at the time, because (of all things) I wanted my dad to get me a stuffed animal. :) Also, having a splint is nowhere near as fun as having a cast. :(

Oh, yeah, and then there was the time when I cut my finger with a pair of scissors... but that's another story.

Abby :D

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Please excuse the mess...

...But I'm going to be trying out a couple of backgrounds in the next few weeks. I'm getting just a little bit tired of the old look. So if you know anyone that does custom headers/backgrounds free, please let me know. What do you think of this?

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Guess what? Another photo contest!

I decided to have another photo contest! I loved seeing everyone's photos last time.

And the theme is: Cookies! If you have an interesting, yummy-looking, weird, etc. photo of a cookie, you can enter it. (Yummy-looking is especially welcome.)

~Rules~
It has to be your own photo.
Only one photo, please!
Please comment the URL of your pictures when you post them.

And the prize is...

 










This beautiful message-in-a-bottle bracelet I made. Who will win it? (by the way, that's my sister's arm up there. She was holding it)


 This contest ends on October 2nd. :D
















I can't wait to see all your photos! :D

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Monday, September 13, 2010

To explain my "absence"...

I have been on vacation! My last two posts were scheduled. Surprise! I'm sorry if I haven't commented on your blogs, I just got back yesterday. Anyway, we went to Florida and swam. And that's just about all we did. We swam every day. I also sunburned and (for the first time) my face peeled. Ugh. :P I looked like I had a skin disease. And we also visited with my pen pal Marelle. :D That was fun. So that explains any questions you might have had about my "absence". Right?

How have you been?


Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Friday, September 10, 2010

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.


Glory, glory, Hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His day is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Ramblings from the sleep-deprived mind

I will start with this one simple question:

When do you go to bed?

Huh? Huh? Are you sure? Huh? Well, I go to bed at... are you ready for this? AFTER 11 'o clock. At least 30 minutes after, usually. *shriek from the early go-to-bedders* This late bedtime is probably responsible for my hyper-ness a lot of the time. It's 9:13 pm right now, and my body is already saying, "Hey Abby! Can't you see the clock? It's time to go to bed! Do you hear me? Abby?" whereas my mind is saying, "Come on! It's early! You still have a couple of hours before bedtime!" Who do I listen to?

My grandma made these WONDERFUL cookies. And when I say wonderful, I mean WONDERFUL! If you like, I can share the recipe with you. You just have to say, "Pretty please with a COOKIE on top," and I will.

Anyways, I've been thinking about taking a blogging break. Can you say souvenirs? Well, maybe not that, but at least a break.
Now that summer is coming to an end, I finally have a project. Ugh! It always happens that way. Can you guess what I'm making? Hint: it's for my hope chest.

I've been reading Proverbs and Song of Solomon. I don't really like SOS. It's too lovey-dovey (why do people say lovey-dovey anyway? What do doves have to do with it?) I think this book is more for grown-ups, or mature teenagers. Proverbs is great advice for anyone, even though Solomon wrote it for his son. Solomon came to a rather bad end, you know. Even though he was really wise, he still ended up sacrificing to idols.

So, now you know how my mind works at night, when I'm hyper.

What has been on your mind lately?

Grace be with you,

Abby :D

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Hello out there... *echoes*

Wow! I've been slacking on my blogging... :D I have been pretty busy lately. Also, I have had a severe case of blogger's block. Ugh. So, I'm not sure what to post. How about... aha! A list! Everyone likes that.

~8 things that I see right now~

  1. A clock
  2. My sister
  3. The computer mouse
  4. Our calendar
  5. A lamp
  6. A very non-dusty desk (my younger sister dusted it today) 
  7. Some colored pencils
  8. Scissors
What do you see on your desk?



Grace be with you,

Abby :D


Oh, and here's a random picture just for interest.


This photo is from wikipedia
Isn't it cute? I love rabbits!