My favorite part of fall is...

As many of you know I am originally from northern California, a place that for most part is without major seasons, so when I moved to Utah the noticeable change in season was a new experience for me. There is however one season that always came though with brilliant clarity, and one of my favorites; fall.

Fall isn't a season that comes on gradually like spring and summer with their subtle warming and blooming, fall seems to happen overnight. One day it is summer, warm and mellow with the smell of sunshine in the air, and then you go to bed one summer night and the next morning there is a distinct chill to the air and the change has been made - summer is gone and fall is here.

Now although it is sad (almost painful) to bid farewell to the sunny, carefree days of summer, fall brings with it it's own brand of delight. As I turn off my air conditioner and pull out my sweaters my mind turns from thoughts of Coppertone and barbecues to those of spices, holidays and, best of all, fall shopping! One of my first fall purchases was a new pan from one of my favorite, and most dangerous, stores; Williams Sonoma. It is an acorn cakelet pan, and it is adorable! It makes little mini muffin sized acorn cakes and you can serve them that way or you can make frosting and stick them together to make a 3D acorn cake.

My roommates think I am totally nuts, no pun intended, because the first time I made them I was so overcome at how cute they were I could not stop squealing with delight. As usual they just rolled their eyes and communicated with eye rolls and loaded stares that I was totally and completely crazy - oh well I love my acorn pan.

Bake ware isn't it though, oh no! Fall is the time of year when stores start putting out all sorts of delightful things that can only be found during this fall/holiday time. Now since I possess and greater than normal love of the retail world this is the lens through which I automatically view the world. There are however thousands of things that we can enjoy about fall that don't cost a cent (these are the things my father things my father would prefer I pursue) and there are everywhere around us. So, roll down your windows and breath in the crisp autumn air, take a moment to notice the beautiful red and orange colors blooming on a tree that was so recently monochromatic, bake a pumpkin pie or maybe even...do some early Christmas shopping. ;) Whatever it is enjoy fall before it is gone.

Now very last, I want to share with you the recipe for one of my favorite fall treats: Pumpkin Dessert Bars.

Pumpkin Dessert

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (save 1 cup for topping)
1 egg
½ cup butter, melted

Mix and pat into 9 x 13 greased pan.

15 oz. can pumpkin
A pinch each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
2 eggs
2 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup milk

Mix and pour over bottom layer.

Topping:
1 cup cake mix
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup butter, melted

Mix and sprinkle on top. Bake 45 to 60 minutes at 350.

Best Buy scares me!

This semester, thankfully my second to last, I am taking a class that focuses on John Milton and his most famous work Paradise Lost. So, in an effort to make the reading of said work less arduous, my professor suggested that we make copies of an audio version to make the reading a little easier to tackle and since epic poetry is really meant to be read aloud.

So off to Best Buy I go, to get my blank CD's, and as I stepped in I am reminded afresh why I don't really like Best Buy; the people that work there scare me. Honestly as if I am not confused and panicked enough being surrounded by all manner of technological things that I have not idea about, but they have to follow me around like I'm Winona Ryder. They pounce on you the minute you walk in the door, follow you around and then practically search you as you leave!

Now I am all for good customer service but for heavens sake, if I wanted a shopping partner I would probably have picked someone I liked, not to mention someone I actually knew.

"And really bad eggs." Drink up me 'earties. Yo ho. " - Captain Jack Sparrow

Yo ho maties! A happy "talk like a pirate day" to you all!

Now sing with me, I know you know how.

"We're rascals, scoundrels villains, and knaves
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
We're devils and black sheep - really bad eggs
Drink up me hearties yo ho
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me"

Celebrate the day right by feeling your sea legs and doing something very piraty - such as roping a couple of sea turtles, using rope made of human hair...from you back - this might be more difficult for some than others, feel free to do something else equally as piraty.

Take what ye can!

Give nothin' back!

I love my TiVo!

Each year there is a special event that accompanies the changing of the leaves and the cooling of the evening temperatures - an event that I look forward to all summer: the beginning of new seasons for all my favorite TV shows! YIPPEE!

Now it is dangerously easy to get swept up in the joy and excitement of seeing what happens next to all the lovable characters that you left a few months earlier in cliff hanger season finales, but the seasoned TV lover understands that serious thought and planning is required. Luckily for me, since "serious thought and planning" are not really my shtick, I have made a delightful new friend called TiVo, oh how I love little TiVo! Best of all; all I have to do is, to borrow from one of my favorite infomercials, "set it, and forget it!" I tell little TiVo what to record and then hours, or days, later I can watch my shows sans annoying commercials and with the power to pause and rewind...oh ya, I am in love with my TiVo!

An ode to the candy that I love so very, very much.

Now, knowing my penchant for delicious shoes one might assume that I wish to discuss a pair (or several pair, let us be honest) of Candies shoes. Alas this is just not so; I wish to pay homage to the the various sweets and confections that help make life just a little bit easier to chew.

First and foremost: Chocolate, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." Dark or milk (preferably dark), filled or hollow, fruit or nut, chew or cream - Of course I will eat it in a house, and yes I will eat it with a mouse...I think you get the picture.

The fruity category would include: Swedish Fish - only the red ones though. I just love these, so sweet and chewy and I must admit; there is a sick sort of pleasure in chomping their little heads off. I also adore Skittles, but not the regular ones - the sour ones! Man those are great, capable of deadening your tongue within five minutes if you are diligent. Does it get better than that I ask you?

Cinnamon candy has to be its own category, and in it are Hot Tamales (no justification necessary) and chocolate covered cinnamon bears. There is something about the smooth flavor of the chocolate and the warmth of the cinnamon bear that when combined make a truly entrancing treat.

There are also the sweets that are reserved for special times of the year - drat!

1. Cadbury cream eggs, you know the ones with the delicious butter cream centers. I wait all year for Easter candy to come out and then it is open season for all those little huevos.



2. Peeps - even though they make them year round I think it is a little wrong to eat a Peep in the shape of anything but a chick.



3. Candy canes, especially the ones that are chocolate mint flavored. Cute and tasty, can that be beat - I don't think so.

And last those odd ducks that I love even though they are weird: Chick-O-Sticks, Charleston Chews, Ring Pops (now that is just wishful thinking), Runts, and...stale Red Vines - the staler the better.

I love candy!

Tagged

I have been tagged so, here goes nothing:

20 Years Ago. . .
1. I was a bit younger than I am now
2. I had just gained a second sister
3. I had just moved to a new house
4. My main designer wear came from Osh Kosh Bgosh

10 Years Ago...
1. I loving the "middle school experience" - not
2. I was wearing a hideous school uniform that included the colors black, white, forest green-no room for accessories or fabulous shoes
3. I was going to my first dance
4. I was wondering if I was ever going to get beyond the age of 14

5 Years Ago...
1. I was into my first year in college
2. I really needed a car
3. I had been working at Cakeworks for 4 years
4. I was wondering what it was that I was supposed to be doing

3 Years Ago...
1. I could legally drink - yippee!
2. I had started a new job working for a loan broker
3. I worried about which college to attend
4. My sister Lisa and I became a lot closer

1 Year Ago...
1. Lisa announced that she was selling out and joining the ranks of the married
2. I was starting yet another semester of college - how many is that now?
3. I was meeting new friends
4. I was really looking forward to Christmas

So far this year I...
1. Have really honed my shopping skills
2. Have acquired some new and fabulous baking supplies
3. Got a little closer to being done with school
4. Had my golden birthday - turned 24 on the 24th

Yesterday I...
1. Finished watching the fourth season of "Desperate Housewives"
2. Worked from the comfort of my couch
3. Went out for Chinese with my sister and brother in-law
4. Finished reading Stardust then started a new book: The Splendor of Silence

Today I...
1. Tried to go to church - got crowded out of regional conference
2. Did a lot of walking
3. Took a nap
4. Ate leftover Chinese - yummy!

Tomorrow I will...
1. Go to class
2. Go to work
3. Do homework
4. Bake pecan bars

In the next year I will....
1. Graduate with my BA
2. See and do something new and exciting
3. Move out of "student" housing - hopefully
4. Turn 25 - not really excited for that.

I tag Lisa, Phyllis, and Elyse.

Cars: a necessary evil

Being a single woman with very, very basic car knowledge and understanding I consider my vehicle a necessary evil. Now while the car is working and doing all the things it is supposed to do I am fine, but when things start to act funny, look funny or, my all time favorite, sound funny I am thrown into a state of pure panic.

So being that I have not the skills with which to diagnose and fix the various sicknesses that my car develops, I take my little car to the car hospital. The only problem is that there are all different kind of car doctors - so how am I supposed to know which doctor to take my car to?

The thing that is so frustrating about this entire situation is that when I take my car to one of these car specialists and then they ask me questions about what it is that is wrong with said car, I have little or no answer for them and then I am made to feel like a dolt. This, in my opinion, is wrong. I am not the car specialist so when they ask me what is wrong with the car and I say something like: "Well, it is making a funny noise like this (insert scary noise) when I do this." then they should take it for what it is and not make me feel like a dork for not being the car specialist.

AHHHHH! I hate car stuff!