Weekend Cooking: Sugar Cookies - round 1

To contact us Click HERE
I can't remember the last time I participated in the Weekend Cooking meme sponsored by Beth Fish - but I have sure missed it!  Along with not reading or blogging or writing - I have done very little baking these past few months.  But I hope that I am coming out of the funk and will soon resume my normal pleasurable pastimes.

I don't know about you, but every year I vow to start Christmas baking and holiday crafts early so that I can enjoy the festive spirit for a longer period of time - and so that I am not stressed to complete everything at the last minute.  And every year my good intentions never materialize.  Today, however, I decided to experiment with sugar cookies in the hopes that I could overcome the learning curve before December rolls around.  I have always loved a decorated cookie and have often looked with awe - and a bit of jealousy - at these edible works of art.  I have subscribed to the Decorated Cookie Blog for several months now and she has inspired me to try my hand at a simplified version of these artistic treats.

A couple of years ago  I purchased a delightful little book, Cookie Craft Christmas, which I reviewed here. In that post I discussed my problems with the flow technique of decorating.  Since that time, I have purchased some plastic squeeze bottles to help with the icing mess - and I must admit that they work very well IF I have the icing at the right consistency.  That was learning curve #1:  the flow icing needs considerable more water than the original recipe calls for.  I must admit that the transfer process of icing to bottle is rather messy and time consuming, but the ease in decorating the cookies makes it all worth it.

I really enjoy the sugar cookie recipe that is included in the book:  the dough is not too sweet and very easy to handle - and I LOVE the suggestion of rolling the dough between sheets of wax paper.  This helps maintain a clean surface and a clean rolling pin.  The dough is the perfect consistency and after just 30 minutes in the refrigerator it is ready to cut into shapes.  I decided to go with a fall theme, and the recipe made about 2.5 dozen leaves and a dozen acorns.  The perfect amount for our small family.  I would anticipate that the recipe could be easily doubled to accommodate a large holiday get together.

It was a good thing that I did not have any other plans today, as I spent most of the afternoon (12:30 - 5:30) in the kitchen.  The cookies were neither difficult nor time consuming, and clean up was a breeze, but it took a bit more time to make the icing.  The piped icing recipe was fairly accurate - although I had to add a bit more water, and it made more than enough icing to pipe outlines on all the cookies.

However, I failed to read the directions closely - which stated that the flow recipe made enough to decorate 2-3 batches of cookies.  Needless to say, I had LOTS leftover.  But I decided to go ahead and pre fill containers with Christmas colors in an effort to save time and frustration in December.  I should think that it would be safe to keep around that long as the only ingredients include water, meringue powder, and powdered sugar.

Anyway, it was fun experimental day and I am now excited to have a family baking day when both my girls will come over and help decorate these traditional Christmas cookie treats.

Rethinking

To contact us Click HERE

Photo Credit

I have missed blogging.  I have missed writing for an audience (I still write daily on 750words).  I have missed the personal connection with my cyber friends.  I have missed learning about myself by sharing with others.

So what has prevented me from writing?  I could say the busyness of life (teaching six different classes each week; adjusting to life as a grandmother; preparing for the holidays), but that would not be accurate.  I could say that I needed to take a break in order to recover from the life changes that I experienced this year (the loss of my mom; the birth of my first grandchild; the departure of my youngest for an apartment of her own).  But that would not be totally accurate either.  My primary reason for not blogging is because I have felt like an impostor in the book blogging world and I banished myself from the club.

Silly, I know.  But when I first started My Cozy Book Nook reading was my primary leisure activity.  And when I first discovered internet blogs, I was drawn to those that focused on books and literature.  I joined several reading challenges, and made many online friends who were more voracious readers than myself. I owe much to these bloggers as they opened my eyes to new possibilities:  new ways to connect with others - new ways to express myself - new genres of literature.

So this morning I researched the possibility of starting a new blog.  A blog where I felt comfortable sharing all aspects of my life - not just books.  Over the past two years I have experimented in several other activities that have provided me much pleasure:  photography - quilting - scrapbooking (again) - traveling - writing.  And I want to share these various aspects of me with others.

But I ran into several challenges this morning.  For some reason I could not create a new blog using Blogger with Safari 5.1.  So I rationalized that perhaps now was the time to switch to WordPress.  But all of the domain names that I wanted to use (Beautiful Butterfly - The First Day of the Rest of Your Life - Free to be Me) were already taken.  And then there was the decision whether to pay for self-hosting or not.  I'm just not sure I am ready for that learning challenge at this moment in life.

Photo Credit

I was more confused than when I started the research, so I decided to take a shower.  I do some of my best thinking in the shower and the thought came to me:  I could still use My Cozy Book Nook for this new blog direction.  Reading has not been eliminated from my life, it just isn't the sole focus of my life anymore.  And many of the activities that I currently pursue - often take place in the Nook (it is now my craft space as well as reading room).

I know many of you have encouraged to me to do this for quite some time - but for some reason I held on to the artificial boundaries that I had set.  So I thank you --- for your patience while I learned that this blog truly is for me and whatever I choose to make it.

So I am back.  The posts will probably be rather eclectic and may not always resonate with you, my readers of the past, but they will be honest and they will chronicle the rediscovery of me.  It's funny.  This blog began on December 9, 2008.  It is now reborn on December 3, 2011.  A lot has happened in these three years, and I am quite excited to see what the next several years have in store.

It's Good to be Back!

To contact us Click HERE
I simply cannot tell you how right it feels to be blogging again --- and your kind and encouraging comments yesterday confirmed that decision.  THANK YOU!

I gave a lot of thought to reinventing "my" blog --- starting from scratch with a new domain, new name, new focus.  But in the end I decided that this blog is truly a reflection of me.   Three years ago my primary focus in life, outside family of course, was teaching and reading.  Period.  I was a two dimensional character.  But over these past three years I have not so much reinvented myself as I have discovered new aspects of me.   The butterfly is still the caterpillar - just in a different state.  I am still Molly, but in a new (and hopefully improved) way.  This blog will reflect that inner transformation.

So I decided to give the blog a new look - a facelift, so to speak.  I had maintained the same blog design for nearly two years and it signaled to me the bookishness of my personality.  I thought it might be best to change the outer design to signal to others that this blog is different - the same, but different.  I even changed my profile picture - from the one taken nearly seven years ago to one that I took myself on Halloween.  I have recently cut my hair from shoulder length to chin length --- and my costume that day was an authentic French beret.  Not really a costume, but more an inner connection with my Parisian love affair and desire to revisit that city on a regular basis.  It is not the most flattering picture that I have ever taken, but it is significant.

I currently have many posts ideas rambling around in my head - but I have promised myself that I will not stress posting every day - or even on a more modified schedule.  I will post when I have the time - and the material.  And I will thoroughly enjoy every minute of it!

Happy December to you all.

Finishing what we start...

To contact us Click HERE
I truly love December.   I love anticipating the first snow - which transforms the bleak landscape into a winter wonderland.  I love the festive celebrations and spiritual truths surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ.  And I love the peaceful rest that comes between Christmas and New Year's.  It is a time for me to reflect on the previous year by fondly remembering the highlights, as well as evaluating some necessary resolutions for the months ahead.  It is this anticipation of wiping the slate clean that energizes me - and usually causes me to take on more than I can handle.

The old saying "my eyes were bigger than my stomach" not only pertains to the dining table, but in all aspects of my life.  I immediately start to think of a new exercise routine and how I can easily fit thirty minutes of aerobic activity into my daily life.  And as long as I am at it, I could also add ten minutes of calisthenics before a quick shower.  Of course, the stress level in my life warrants some attention, so some deep breathing and beginning yoga classes would be in order.  Now I know many of you already follow this kind of healthy regimen and probably more.  But this goal is too lofty for me and I know if I attempt to incorporate all this change into my life at once - I will fail before I even start.

But this year I would like to do something different.  I would like to finish what I start.  I hope to reacquaint myself with the treadmill - perhaps 20-30 minutes four or five days a week.  Slow and steady wins the race, right?  That will be the focus of 2012 and perhaps in 2013 I can add another exercise routine to the mix.

But eating and exercise are not the only areas of my life where I tend to overextend.  I often manage to transform a relaxing pastime into a stressful event.  I am enamored by color (probably because my own personal outlook of the world is so black and white - but that is the subject of another post).  And while I really do not enjoy sewing - I love the patterns of quilt fabrics.  I have already purchased material for holiday table runners (both Thanksgiving and Christmas, neither one made so far) - matching placemats and napkins - a girly quilt for Brynn consisting of bright pinks, greens, and whites -  and a sudoku lap quilt for myself  made with nine different batik patterns of varying shades of green and purple.  I even spontaneously joined a quilt block-of-the-month group because the choices in patterns were either Jane Austen - Laura Ingalls Wilder - or Agatha Christie.  How could I resist?  That was in September.  I have yet to take those pieces out of the packaging and have been too embarrassed to pick up the other three months.

In 2012 I would like to complete one of these projects - just to say that I actually quilted.  I am tempted to declare that project will be the sudoku quilt, but it may end up being the 10 minute table runner (which took me three hours to make -- but hey, who's counting).

And then there is the photography interest that has yet to get off the ground.  I have read numerous books on the subject and purchased several of them for my own personal library.  I have taken a couple of online classes to help me develop my own creative eye - and yet I have taken very few photographs.  There is fear lurking in there somewhere.  Fear of what?  I have no idea.  But I would like 2012 to be the year that I actually get out of my head with photography and go out and actually take some pictures.  I have no expectation of the quality of these photos - just that they represent my perspective of the world.  Perhaps I will be inspired to write an essay or two from the pictures I take - or perhaps I will decide to scrapbook a few of them in a personal album.  But those goals are secondary.  I just want to feel comfortable behind the camera.  I want to learn to document my life in pictures.

And then there is the realm of books.  Since starting a book blog, my personal library has grown exponentially.  I have not read a novel in nearly a year - and yet I continue to browse (and sometimes purchase) more.  My most recent purchase was the entire series of the Harry Potter books in hard back for $40!  And here is what I have learned about myself.  The more choice I have .... the more paralyzed I become at making a decision.  When my personal library was small, I was a voracious reader - but would rarely buy one book without having read one from my own personal shelves.  Now that I have so many to choose from, I find it difficult to select just one to read for fear that there is another one that I might like better.  It is a mental illness,  I am sure.

So in 2012 I have decided not to join any reading challenges (as tempting as many of them sound).  Well, at least I did make that proclamation until I caught up on the posts of A Novel Challenge.  But even then I plan to only sign up for two challenges that I fully intend to complete.  But that will be the subject of a separate post.

I have already rambled long enough here, but hopefully you understand my predicament.  I do not want my energy and sense of anticipation to wane after January - but I want it to continue throughout 2012.  I want to start new projects - and I want to actually complete them.  I want to set goals for my life - but I want them to be manageable so that lifetime benefits can be realized.  I have much that I want to pursue in the years ahead - but I need to learn to pace myself so that I can actually enjoy life itself.

A Photo Assignment - third time's a charm?

To contact us Click HERE
I have spent a large part of this long weekend practicing photography.  Yes, I finally got my head out of the books, took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather (Sunday = 55 degrees; Monday = 67 degrees!), and went for a photo shoot.

The assignment was to really spend time on one subject and photograph that subject from a varieties of different angles, perspective, etc.  The first time I read the lesson, I interpreted "subject" in a broad sense. I decided that I would go to the local arboretum and photograph nature.  While there was little floral vegetation, there were some variety of plant life and tranquil spots by the water.  I took 242 pictures, of which I am willing to share three.  Not great odds, but I did learn quite a bit about light and how the angle of the sun in relation to the subject can dramatically alter the mood of the picture.  I learned to use my exposure compensation to help overcome my ineptitude of proper manual settings.


This is actually one of the first photos I took.  I liked the way the sun provided the warm glow to these cat's tails.  I had hoped to have the rocks a bit less in focus, so that the cat's tails would truly stand out, but my camera lens did not stop down far enough.  
I experimented for quite some time with this subject, and in a couple of pictures I focused on just one of the stalks, but I thought this group of three made for a more cohesive shot.
This picture allowed me to play with depth of field a bit more.  As I study it, however, I wish there was more of a contrast between the subject and the background.  Oh well, I am definitely still learning.




After spending quite some time trying to take a picture of the rope bridge (to no avail) I looked behind me and noticed these benches next to the water.  I thought it might be fun to take a picture of this spot in the middle of winter - and then return in six months and see how the tree has filled out and the grass has greened up.
While I don't think this is a spectacular photo (and I am sure many of you with far better composition techniques could give me a few pointers), I do like the idea that it could inspire a story.  Who might walk into this setting and sit down by the water?  A romantic couple?  A lonely teen?  A young mother with her newborn?

After this shoot I came home and read some of the message boards for the class.  Apparently same subject meant, literally, the same subject.  If I wanted to photograph flowers, then the same flower from a variety of perspectives, angles, etc.  Of course, this makes more sense:  if I am truly going to develop my eye for the beauty around me, I need to slow down and really see the beauty up close, far away, underneath, overhead, etc.  

Occasionally Jude has to show
Feeny who's boss.

Ok -- so round two.  We were encouraged to find a subject that evokes an emotional response from us - something that we find inspirational.  Well, for me, that would be my dogs.  So I went out to the backyard for about thirty minutes and took another 211 pictures (isn't it wonderful that we don't have to pay for the developing of film in this day and age?!).  I tried to focus my attention on the newest member of the canine family, but it was impossible not to include the other three in this photo shoot.  There was lots of sniffing......running....rough-housing.


In hindsight, this was not a great subject choice.  Yes, they inspire me and bring me great joy. Yes, they are my most photographed subject by a margin of about 3:1 --- but to try for a variety of angles and perspectives is impossible.  If I tried to sit on the ground, they were on top of me.  If I tried to crouch in their face, they would attempt to lick the lens.  It was definitely a humorous shoot, but not terribly productive for this assignment.





I did however find a couple of photos that are worth sharing....and again, I did learn a valuable lesson even if it wasn't the focus of this particular assignment.  I learned that when photographing nature, I like to use Aperture Priority, as I prefer the control over depth of field.  But when shooting dogs, particularly six month old puppies, Shutter Priority is the way to go.  I set the shutter speed at 1/250 and the ISO to 200 (it was partially shaded), and I let the camera adjust the aperture accordingly.

So, I am wondering if perhaps I should try this assignment one more time.  I am thinking of perhaps trying to photograph my nook - filled with shelves of books (my next favorite pastime to my dogs).  Or perhaps I could photograph my car (now that would provide all kinds of angles for different perspectives) - or maybe my morning cup of coffee?  I don't know....apparently developing my creative eye is going to take a bit longer than most.

6 months ago today...

To contact us Click HERE
Six months ago today Kevin and I were married and sealed for time and all eternity. It has been the best six months of my life! And the really cool part is life only continues to get better.

The bad moments are made better by him being here and the good moments are made great. With my hand in his we can conquer the world. A walk in the woods, a scary social situation meeting new people, a funny movie, burning our dinner - I can't thank the Lord enough for letting Kevin be in my life.

Our wedding day was almost perfect. After the ceremony my mom was having a hard time seeing the lacings on my dress to lace me up (because who thinks to brings reading glasses into the temple?). I momentarily worried that it wouldn't be perfect. And then I suddenly thought, You know what? I don't care. Kevin and I are married now for eternity and nothing can make this day go wrong. And nothing did go wrong! I think there was a minor snafu with the dinner hall not setting out enough chairs at first but that was quickly fixed before we even got there. The weather was a perfect 65 degrees, the temple grounds were green, and the trees in the canyon were a perfect autumn color. And most of all, Kevin and I had each other. Seriously, folks - Eternity looks so much better with this man beside me.

I'm finally getting around to posting some of the wedding photos. Kevin will probably kill me because he hates his pictures but I think he's a stud, so there you go.

Our photographer was pretty good but I don't think he really "got" us so while we let him do his job, sometimes we had to request a pose or scene that was more "us". Kevin actually picked the location of the shots of us out in the woods, which the photographer was actually quite impressed with.

An interesting moment that I think everyone in our families misunderstood but just proves how much my husband loves and knows me: The photographer had used the fish-eye lens for some of our engagement pictures. I had seen his portfolio and said even before the shoot that I wasn't a fan of it (politely, of course). But he used it anyway (which wasn't a big deal because he got plenty of other good photos without it.) So when we were at the temple he started using the fish-eye lens for several shots. I briefly whispered to Kevin my disappointment and so my husband, the man who doesn't complain about anything, spoke up for me and requested a different lens. The photographer had a minor diva moment and ranted under his breath while he went and got the other camera. Poor Kevin was even booed by some family members! But in the end we were all happy and the pictures (with the regular lens) turned out nicely. (The photographer actually did really well one on one with us, I just don't think he likes large groups.)

A Kevin pose, one of my favorites.

I look better in all of the photos where I'm looking AT Kevin because when I see his face my anxieties calm and I am happy and content.

Kevin insisted on some photos of just me.

Man I love this guy!

Another Kevin request. The photographer didn't like it because of the bicycle but we think it adds a nice element to the photo. And the tree was gorgeous.

Can you believe this was late October?

My awesome sister-in-law who did my hair. She's doing a touch up here. And my awesome sister, Kate, did my make-up. These two ladies made me feel so beautiful! I didn't think I could pull off a bridal look but they made it happen and I was able to relax and not feel awkward. Thank you!

My gorgeous sisters.

After wearing 4 inch heals as I was trying on dresses I realized I was NOT going to be happy wearing heals on the day of the wedding. So Kevin and I went shopping and found the perfect shoes! A big plus is that I wear them often and get to remember our perfect day every time I do!

Logan Canyon

Our cake lady was AMAZING. We brought her some pictures, showed her paint swatches of our colors, she gave us some tips and suggestions, and we ended up with this beautiful (and wonderfully tasty) cake. I was 100% happy with the entire experience. Ambrosia cakes in Layton!

The perils of hiking in your wedding dress. But whatever, I'm happy with the pictures and the hiking was pretty fun, too! Like I said, I stopped worrying and just enjoyed the fact that I was now able to be with Kevin for eternity.

I told you the tree was gorgeous! 

I've been told I was "glowing" that day. I don't really know what that means but I do remember thinking, Wow! I am grinning constantly! I should probably tone that down. But I don't care if anyone sees! I want them to know how happy Kevin makes me.

We like hiking

An engagement photo

I'm a sucker for forest paths...and the man beside me.

The family is finally complete! (I'm pretty sure my parents were doing a happy dance when we got engaged. It had been 12 years since my last sister got married...)

Why yes, there ARE 10 boys...and two girls. Our combined nieces and nephews, who graciously wore ties and dresses that matched our colors.

I love every single face in this picture!

And in this one.

My awesome bridesmaids. I really didn't think I needed "bridesmaids" per se because we didn't really have a reception or complicated wedding but I wanted to honor them. These ladies proved you need 3! Hil saved my life and helped me plan the wedding (Kevin also fully participated in the planning, which I absolutely love). Lorien picked up all the pieces, did my laundry the night before, helped me pack, and prepared a cooler of food for us which was beyond helpful. Ej saved me with multiple wardrobe issues and helped me prepare for the temple.

I'm happiest when...

To contact us Click HERE

I'm happiest when I take the time to read my scriptures, even when I think I won't get anything out of them.

I'm happiest when I say meaningful prayers and spend the time thinking about and thanking the Lord for my innumerable blessings.

I'm happiest when I'm driving to the temple, holding my husband's hand as we drive.

I'm happiest when I listen to all 8 hours of General Conference and then study each talk later when the transcripts are printed.

I'm happiest when I remember my Savior loves me and has suffered every pain and affliction so that my burdens can be lightened, my pains can be lessened, and my happiness can be deeper.


I'm a busy person and often times I think I will be happier if I just go to bed without reading my scriptures. Or that I can't possibly sit still long enough to listen to every talk from General Conference. But when I take the time to be still and let the Lord take control of my life a peace comes over me that I can never achieve by myself. I have seen the Lord's hand readily in my life recently and pray that as I continue to sacrifice MY will and obey HIS will that he will be able to mold me into a better Me. A happier me. A more peaceful me.

I really want a Blendtec

To contact us Click HERE
I make my own whole wheat bread often and would really like a wheat grinder. It's cheaper to buy whole wheat berries and supposedly its nutrients stay fresher if you wait to grind it until just before you cook with it. And it's just a preparedness thing that I think we should have.

We use my mother-in-law's Blendtec blender often to make smoothies and she's always telling me something new you can do with it. She recently told me that it will grind wheat, too!

So I came home to Kevin and said, "Ok, now we really DO need a Blendtec! We can make our smoothies at home AND we need a wheat grinder for our preparedness planning. It's a no-brainer!" This was my way of trying to convince him - and myself - that it was a good idea to purchase a $400 blender.

His reply was, "What do we do when the power goes out?"

Needless to say, we haven't bought the blender yet. Sigh....


I told you I think about this often!

He DOES answer our prayers

To contact us Click HERE
A friend of mine lost her driver's license this week and has to fly out this weekend for a cross-country trip. Someone asked her if she'd prayed for help in finding it, and although she's a very faithful person, she exclaimed, "He doesn't answer those kind of prayers for me! It never works!" So she headed to the court house to get a birth certificate so she could get a new drivers license.

It turns out her license was expired and she didn't know it until she showed up at the DMV. So had she not lost it, she would have tried boarding the plane only to be turned away due to an expired license! I pointed this out to her and she said, "He does answer them, I guess!"

This reminds me of the time I lost my student ID card when I lived in the dorms. I needed it to eat at the dining all and searched everywhere for it, praying all the while that I would find it. I ended up missing the dinner hour and was quite frustrated. In a last ditch attempt, I traced my steps back out to my car, where I found my keys and ID card holder lying in the snow next to my car. I shouted (in my head) thanks to the Lord for helping me find them.

But when I picked them up, I realized they were too thick to be mine. They were my roommates and she kept not only her ID card, but her credit cards and cash with them too. As soon as I found her card I knew the Lord had hidden my keys from me so I could find hers. I went back inside and immediately found my card where I had already looked.

I try to remember this when I feel like a prayer isn't being answered, or isn't being answered in the way I want it to. I was so frustrated last year that I couldn't find a job so Kevin and I could live near each other. After a few months I eventually found one and it has turned out to be the perfect job. I am so thankful for the months of waiting so that long-term I could be happier.

Estou aprendendo Português!

To contact us Click HERE
I love learning languages and know a smattering of French, Spanish, and Latin (with a handful of Russian words thrown in, just to break the Romance language monopoly...)

My husband is fluent in Portuguese and loves the language. I asked him to teach our future children Portuguese because I thinks it's a priceless gift you can give your children -teaching them a language when they're young and soak it up like a sponge. (They may choose to ignore him, but hey, at least we're giving them the opportunity, right?)

But I'd like to know what they're talking about too and I just love learning languages.

Then I thought, Sweet! I've got a dedicated and eager live-in language tutor!

I did pretty well learning Spanish by just listening to my co-workers several years ago so I'm trying to replicate that. I need some context, though, in which to place the words so we're reading the scriptures together in Portuguese and English.

I first read a few verses in English and then he reads those same verses in Portuguese. I'm starting to get random Portuguese words stuck in my head, which I see as a good sign. Because if I can get my tongue used to saying them then I can eventually put them together to make sentences. And I'm starting to remember words ending in "m" actually make a "ng" sound, like "bem" (good) sounds like "beng". Or that most words ending in an "o" make a "u" sounds.

What I find fascinating is the plethora of Latin cognates. I'm often able to understand Kevin (if I have a context) due mainly to cognates in French, Spanish, or English.

English is Germanic, but over the centuries we adopted many French words (mostly starting in 1066 AD thanks to William the Conquerer), which is why we often have two words for the same thing- like beef and cow.

For example morte is "death" in Portuguese. An English word with a similar root and meaning is mortality. So it helps me catalog and remember or understand new words.

I'm expecting this to be very slow and arduous, but hey, any word or words I learn is better than nothing!