hi, world.

it's been ages [literally, maybe a month?] since i've even logged into my blogger account.
i kinda miss reading and seeing and getting inspired by and learning about other lives and beautiful things out there.

i'm so tired and don't want to go anywhere tonight.
but we cannot do or get what we want all the time.
sigh.
true, no?
i just need another cup of coffee.
i just wanted to say hi. :)

this is me, this morning.
i got henna done last night by a friend. aka, the legit tattoo artist boyfriend of a sweet friend. lol.

i shall never get a real tattoo because i am afraid of needles.
but henna is good enough for me.
art. heck yeah.

also...this past week, i've sold 5 different canvases, via my etsy. :) pretty exciting.

oh my!

hi hi hi!

this is me and my younger brother. [he's a cute dork in this picture. heh.]
me and my freaking awesome family just got back from a week long vaca.
it was perfect weather then, and we came home to perfect weather.
on the cool side. breezy.
scarily like autumn, even though we shouldn't have autumn weather till late september. weeeeiiiirrrrddddd.
i'll take it though.
makes it even more natural [and not weird] to drink good, hot coffee. :) all the time. ;)

sarah and justin's littlest kiddo.

 

...cute things happened last saturday. the last 3 pictures are proof. ;)
you're welcome. :)
i'm not going to get much sleep in the next few days. not like vaca. sleeping by 10:30 pm, awake by 7....
life is changing. and it's good.

p.s. i almost never log into my blogger account because google screwed with my email not being able to be logged in at the same time as my google/blogger one. :P oy!!!! inconvenient much?!

chocolate and whipped cream = awesomeness.

so, the past few days i've been wanting french silk pie like nothing else.
i was thinking about it one day, and suddenly i couldn't stop thinking about it.
one of my favorite uncles brings french silk pie from baker's square to every christmas and easter; that's how it's become my favorite, and even been introduced into my life.
ah.
:)
before today, i had never gotten around to making it.
but this afternoon . . . mhmmm, i decided; after i cooked up the sweet/buttery carrots and had a pesto-chicken-lettuce wrap for dinner [with dad, anna, caleb and rach; along with some epic, hilarious conversation about the future] . . .

i made this crust from betty crocker:

for pastry:

1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening / or butter

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

i made the filling from this recipe, by jenna at eat, live, run but a side note –i doubled it, because she makes it halfway full…i prefer full pies:

for filling:

2 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 stick butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

my favorite part of making this? 

eh....making the crust dough flat and spread out by my floury hands was really fun because i couldn't for the life of me find our rolling pin. :P 

and....the final stage of whipping the filling. oh my, that part is beautiful to watch. :) 

rach insisted on taking pictures of me . . . the person so psyched to make the dessert she was telling everyone about as something that 'you know where that goes...' because of the calories. lol.

though...i may have whipped the whipping cream just a wee bit past the perfection mark....

i have a feeling it'll taste fine. ;) juuuust fine. :) :)

see? good but not perfect. :)

who else loves french silk pie?

if it's not in your top favorite desserts, what is your list made up of??

the day my sister put a hat on me:P

i make chilled peach tea with agave nectar in this thing. it's kind of addicting. and awesome.

 

we had fun.
i kinda love sisters. :P :)
it's been so long since rach and i did a webcam spree. :)

food, life, waiting, painting.

just speechless.

the hands i love. :)

life's been pretty good.
the weather's been whacky for this state. :P never has it been so warm and humid for so long. it's not normal for us....sheesh.
but we're learning to live with it, praying the drought will pass, and learning to be thankful in all things, for something.
i hardly ever blog anymore.
if you haven't noticed.
sometimes it's hard to have words when you're in a [obviously quiet] season of waiting and trusting.
it's hard work, but i'm ready to work hard for/with what lies ahead.

 oh! this.

i have been getting a random custom request once in a while, and just the other day i made and sold another one. :)
i love doing custom ones. people ask for all sorts of quotes. it's awesome. :)

hah...last night i made blueberry muffins for the second time in two weeks, because blueberries have been on sale and therefore not a pain in the butt to buy.
the batter was so freaking yummy. that's all i'll say..... ;) do you ever eat the batter of anything you make/bake?