Unbaked Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Rob's cousin Caroline was recently saved by having one of her favorite recipes on her blog - she forgot to bring it to the lake but was able to find it online instead.  Brilliant!

This past weekend, the day before the movers arrived, we had friends over for a BBQ and game day before we all leave Newport.  These cookies are definitely my go-to recipe when I don't have enough time to do a "real" dessert.  My favorite cookies of all time are the classic Toll House Chocolate Chip, which I'm sure I'll post later (when I get my recipe box back in San Diego).  But until then:

2 c. sugar
6 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 c. oatmeal

Stir together sugar and cocoa in saucepan.  Add milk and butter.  Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and oatmeal.  Beat (~30-60 seconds) and drop by teaspoonful onto wax paper.  Makes ~3 dozen.

That's it!  No baking.  No chilling.  Healthy (sort of).  And they are delicious!

Note: I don't recommend doubling the recipe because the mixture may cool in the saucepan before a double batch can be spooned onto the wax paper.  It's a quick enough recipe, though, that you could do it twice in much less time than one batch of baked cookies.

All packed

That's it.  All our stuff is on a van and we won't see it again until June 1 at the earliest.  Despite the fact that this is our longest move (both in distance and time), our first move with Esther on our own (we had LOTS of [wonderful] help for the move with her in October), and that our stuff will go from truck to van to storage to van to house, I am feeling more comfortable about this move than any other.  Perhaps it's just ignorance.  Perhaps I haven't given it much thought because I've been house-hunting and taking care of [and playing with] Esther.  Or perhaps the Lord is protecting and strengthening me before I even realize I need protection and strength.  Or perhaps it's because Rob has done all of the work; he gets credit for getting and keeping the Navy moving machine going.

The drive is planned and could be a nightmare with a 7-month old who only wants to roll around on the floor but who will instead be strapped into her carseat for 3-8 hours a day.  But it could also will be a tremendous blessing as we will get to see friends and family on east coast and the midwest one last time before heading across the country for [hopefully] 3+ years.  (Our track record says that if we state our plan definitively then it will definitely not work out that way.)  Thinking mostly about the blessing part is keeping me from getting stressed about the move.  Ask me how I'm feeling when I get to Iowa after 5 days of driving and 2 nights in hotels with just me and Esther. :)

Sewing

I love to sew.  My mom taught me how when I was young, but I didn't do much of it except for a few small school projects.  I don't remember when I actually started doing enough of it to be good at it (and thus to enjoy it).  And I don't think I appreciated it until I realized it was the perfect creative outlet for my engineering brain.  Patterns keep it a structured activity, but choosing the fabric and notions make it a creative endeavor. And I love that the result is something useful that can't be found anywhere else.

So far most of my sewing has been for myself, for Esther, and for family.  I just finished matching/opposite dresses and hats for Esther and her cousin Audra (Happy 1st Birthday!).  I love how they turned out; hopefully they will fit each girl at the same time!  And even better, hopefully we'll get the girls together when they can both wear them!

I also completed my first project for someone other than family.  It was so fun to pick a pattern and fabrics with a friend, and then not have to pay for it! :)  I love how it turned out, and I picked up a few new skills.

So you don't have to ask - no, I don't want to open an online store.  I love to sew for others, but I like the idea of making something new once or just a few times.  I wouldn't enjoy making the same things over and over again; I like the process of getting together with someone and choosing exactly what they want for the pattern and fabrics.  So for now, I'm going to stick to making things for friends and family upon request. And if you read my blog, I think you qualify as friends and/or family. :)

Remembering Adventures and Norval

When I told Rob about the name of my blog, he reminded me of his Aunt Norval and her adventures.  I don't have enough words or space to express how wonderful Norval was.  Anyone who spent time with Norval felt special and loved.  One of the ways she did that was to make everything an adventure.  Taking her grandkids to the grocery store or the park or on any number of errands became adventures with her. 

I (now) remember talking about this with Rob when we attended her funeral last March.  And I remember talking about how when we have kids, I want to make everything an adventure, just like Norval.  So hopefully this blog can also in some small way be a way to remember and continue Norval's love for life and the Lord!

The other thing that comes to mind when remembering Norval is her pictures.  She took a LOT of pictures.  They weren't great, artistic works.  But they were memories and they showed the love, fun, and laughter that everyone had. 

I've been feeling a little down about my lack of photography skills (I have none).  Of course, having a sister-in-law who is an amazing professional photographer and another sister-in-law who is an amazing artist doesn't help.  And reading other blogs by people who are also great photographers doesn't help.  And having a point-and-shoot camera (with a shutter delay) doesn't help (when trying to photograph an infant). 

So remembering that the purpose of pictures is to capture memories, with the love, fun, and laughter, is good for me.  I don't have to take archive-quality photos to do that.  I just need to keep taking pictures. :)  And for those times when I do want archive-quality photos, I have amazing family who can do that for us!

Coffee time updates

So I've started a blog.  My greatest impediment to doing this, honestly, has been a name for the blog.  Of course I wanted something witty and meaningful.  One of my favorite books is Bleak House (by Charles Dickens), and the main character is Esther.  Should be perfect!  But of course, Bleak House is a horrible name for a blog. 

A few weekends ago we visited family in Atlanta and I was relating our recent travel adventures to some friends.  She told me we've had enough adventures for a lifetime already!  Of course from a distance, what we've done seems crazy.  But in the midst of it, God has given us the strength and energy (and slight insanity) when we need it.  And I've realized that even with "boring" days liberally added to the mix lately, God has made every day an adventure.  Today's Adventure.  And God's daily adventure for me is what I want to seek and share.

My second impediment to starting a blog was the purpose.  After one of my posts on our shutterfly account (which is great for infrequent updates and pictures), my very sweet sister-in-law MB wrote to tell me she felt like we had just had coffee and a chat.  I love the idea of getting to have coffee (or tea) with each of my friends and family members on a regular basis to just catch up.  Not realistic with friends and family all over the world (thanks, US Navy!) or even for those nearby.  So instead, I think this will be my way to hold up my end of the over-coffee chats that help keep relationships going.  I'll try to share pictures and whatever random thoughts I would if we were to get together.  And hopefully this will also help me stop composing blog posts in my head in the middle of the night and start sleeping again! :)

My goal is also to STOP posting before it gets too long.  Welcome to my blog and our adventures!