Hello Yumminess!

I've been on a diet for months now. Sugar is not allowed. Because of this, I spend a lot of time thinking about desserts and what I would eat if I could. Pitiful, I know. Yesterday we were invited to a Labor Day BBQ/swim party and Sage and I were excited for an excuse to bake! We leafed through cookbooks and all the yummy recipes I have saved for 'someday'. And finally just made up a recipe of our own. I can't believe I have never thought of making something like this before. It was too perfect. I think we'll call it S'more Bars (wow, that's really unoriginal... is that even a word?).

I didn't know how tasty they would be or I would have taken more and better step by step pictures. I wish my pictures were scratch n' sniff! Oooh or maybe scratch n' TASTE!! Now I'm on to something!

S'more Bars

1 Box Brownie Mix (Prepare batter as directed)

1 Jar Marshmallow Creme (Or just a bag of marshmallows! I think we'll use them next time)

1 Sleeve Graham Crackers

1 1/4 Sticks of Butter (melted)

6 Tablespoons Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Put the graham crackers in a big ziploc bag and roll/smash with a rolling pin or in a food processor and make them nice and crumbly. Pour the crumbs into a 9x13" pan. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and mix until evenly coated and (dare I say it, Shannon??!) moist. Doesn't that word just give you the heebie jeebies??! Anyway, then you press the crumb/butter mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Prepare you brownie mix as directed on the box and pour the batter over the graham cracker crumbs. Looking good! Put it in the oven and bake according to the brownie mix directions. I think we baked ours for about 25 minutes... ?? But I can't remember, so check your box. Meanwhile, I scooped out the marshmallow creme into a bowl and added a little water and stirred (to make it thinner... but these brownies will not make you thinner!). I just got it thin and pourable. When the brownies were done and a fork (because I don't have any toothpicks!) comes out clean about an inch from the edge of the pan, I put them on the cooling rack for about 5 minutes. Pour and spread the marshmallow creme over the top of the brownies and admire your 3 layers from the side. pretty :) Turn on the broiler and put the pan back in the oven with the oven door cracked open so you can watch carefully (they will brown quickly). Just wait about 30 seconds to a minute until you're reminded of sitting around the campfire and the marshmallows are nice and lightly browned (don't wait until they turn into flame throwers like I always do at a bonfire!) Take them out and back to the cooling rack. If you want to use marshmallows instead of the creme, just pour them over the baked brownies and brown them under the broiler. Note: I lowered my top oven rack to the middle of the oven to broil these, otherwise I think they would have burned.

If you're living without sugar, like I am, I wouldn't recommend making these! They are very hard to resist. But if not, please enjoy them for the rest of us (um, me... ) !!

When I took them out of the oven, the marshmallow layer was perfect, but within a couple minutes it had shrunk so it wasn't as pretty anymore. With actual marshmallows it wouldn't do this and it would be gorgeous!

Side view of the layers of yumminess

There are only 3 left. Photo opportunity pickings were slim... but I think this one looks tasty!

Enjoy!! Let me know what you think!

Grace

I was looking through old pictures and found this one of Grace. I love it. :)

Random

Sage made some yummy (or so I heard) blueberry muffins

and she ate some blueberry muffins

we moved in march.. this is our new home :)

It's Labor Day and I spent several hours outside this morning laboring on the yard. It looks nice, so I took a picture. I am SO boring right now!

Dear Alex,

You are having your night terrors again. You haven't had them since we lost the house and had to move. I guess school is stressing you out. It breaks my heart when you wander around crying, still asleep. But Dad and I tuck you in, safe and sound with your 'bug' and 'man blanket', and give you lots of hugs and kisses. I love you so much, and will do whatever it takes to make you feel safe and sound 'all days'. I love you, my boy.

Love, Mama

(this picture is from when we went out on our first, official date recently)

School Has Begun... I Feel iLL

It looks like Alex doesn't feel too sure of this school stuff either... Luckily Sage is thrilled about school and will do great, I'm sure.

school days... i can't believe it starts tomorrow! yikes!

Happy Pioneer Day ;)

All Is Well... watch this.. it's worth it

too long...

It's been way too long since I've updated. I'll just jump in with some pictures :)

Sage LOVES to cook/bake!!!

Here's Gracie 'painting' rocks (a suggestion from Michelle that is ingenious!!) :) She loved it!!

The lineup

Posing in front of a Magnetix creation :)

Alex is always building something!

We have really enjoyed the cooler winter months and are sad to see them come to an end. We have given the AC some pre-season use already! Life keeps us pretty busy! Sage is almost done with 2nd grade and she takes piano lessons!! Alex missed the cut-off date for Kindergarten, so he's been home keeping me busy and playing with Gracie. Grace talks so much (!) and is so active and just a joy! We all love her so much. She'll be 2 in a little over a month, and I can't believe it. We moved in March, so I'm actually kind of still recovering from that. I don't enjoy that much change (and stress) at once, but luckily it all turned out well. We moved only about 1 mile down the road so we could stay in the same ward and keep Sage at the same school as before. We really like our new home and feel extremely blessed to have found it. What a relief. So many wonderful friends helped us with packing, moving out/moving in, setting up beds, moving around furniture, bringing us food... the list goes on and on. We talked about service today in Relief Society and ladies were taking turns going up to the front and telling a service someone has done for them... I have countless blessings. It's so interesting to me that when we have the most trials, we also seem to have the most blessings... 'my cup runneth over' for sure.

As for Dave and I, we have been trying to be good parents to these very strong spirited and energetic (difficult!??) kids. I really hope I am doing it right! Dave is getting ready to leave for 4 months for a new summer job. I'm excited he'll be working with my friend Michelle's husband... again, blessings, blessings blessings! We are excited about the potential this job holds for our family and hope Dave does well. He's just finishing up a few things here and then he'll be on his way. We will really miss him and I panic hourly at the realization that I will be on my own with these 3 kids! I am outnumbered for sure!! yikes! And I (Rachel) am still doing data entry (it's been almost a year and a half now) twice a week and have been babysitting a sweet 3 yr old boy once or twice a week. I spend my days juggling the kids and all the other responsibilities a mom has. I got a child seat for my bike a few weeks ago and have loved riding it all around with Grace. She loves going out for bike rides and I do too. Also, I have been making cleaning supplies. Some may think I'm nuts, but I'm having fun with it, learning and will be saving money in the long run so that's a good thing, right? Maybe I'll post some recipes and pics of the cleaners I've been making some time.

I have plenty more pictures I should post, but for now, this will have to do!

Have a great day! :)

Regrets

Grandpa Bill was always so good to all of us. He never missed a birthday or anniversary. He never missed Christmas. He always sent a homemade card from the Chico Everett's; so much love and thoughtfulness. We decided, back in June, that it was well past time that we repaid the favor. We started a birthday package for him. It was his 84th birthday. This is the picture and letter Sage made for him. I never got around to sending it. I regret everything I wanted to do for him or should have done for him, and didn't. I love him and am grateful to call him Grandpa. I will miss him so much. So many regrets...



I can't wait to see him again someday :) and I am so glad to know that I will.