Favorite Brownies

I felt really sick a few days ago and nothing sounded good but a handful of chocolate chips, which has not been my usual cravings of chips and salsa, hot dogs, and pickles. I must be getting back to normal because now chocolate is all I can think about. These brownies are so good and so rich they might kill you...

6 1-oz squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla and 2 1/4 cups flour.

Melt the butter and chocolate and remove from heat. Add sugar and let cool. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and flour and pour into a greased 11x14 cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost while hot--3 Cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2/3 cup cocoa, and 6 Tbsp. milk. You will not be disappointed--this recipe comes from the Favorites Cookbook.

Pictures

Here is the picture of the house you've been asking me for, dad. And a picture of Charlie's new look. We have no more dog hair stuck to sticky fingers, though the kids still think a good way to clean their hands is to let Charlie lick them. After we picked Charlie up from the groomer, the kids ran around the house yelling, "I sure hope it's Charlie." He looks like a different dog.

What I Have Been Doing...

I am pregnant--8 weeks and counting. My official due date is September 21st. And I am sick. The picture of me is embarassing, but that really is what I look like. No more denial for me. My house is a disaster and my kids are watching too much TV. I have been amazed with how much time you can have to yourself if you don't cook, clean, attend to your personal grooming, or interact with your children. My kids and husband are champions. Jeff makes us all breakfast in the morning before work and when the kids wake up they can feed themselves the pancakes--Andrew and Elizabeth help Anna cut her pancakes and pour syrup, so when I finally drag msyelf out of bed, syrup is everywhere. And then the kids let Charlie out of his kennel and give him hugs so that his dog hair is stuck to the syrup that is everywhere. It takes me a good hour to clean everything up and then I have to go back to bed. Today I actually counted the lint balls on Jeff's pillow that were peeking out of the pillowcase. And I count the number of days until I am 12 weeks pregnant. And I have made it to World 6 on Super Mario Brothers. I have also memorized the "To Go" menu for Olive Garden because Italian food always sounds good--but I can't bring myself to eat it. The Chicken Scampi sounds excellent. I even gave myself permission to start up a Diet Coke habit thinking that it would settle my stomach. I failed at the addiction, but Jeff is getting hooked.

That is my sad story. I did drag myself to the church today for one of their millions of "Enrichment groups" to learn some Irish dancing. I had to come home and go back to bed. I am very much looking forward to Moab on March 7th--I get to see my family, run a race I am not training for, and most importantly, I will be 12 weeks and have high expectations for a settled stomach and a happy esophagus. My biggest concern--6 weeks of inactivity will have permanantly turned me into somebody I don't like. Time will tell...

New Furniture

I have a list of furniture I want to buy for the new house. Stools for the bar was definitely number one. I was forced to choose what furniture to leave in Kaysville due to my husband's poor packing of our truck so Mindy's old white wicker ones are now at the DI. Our children were very excited to sit on the chairs and eat their ice cream. Next on my list--a big carpet for our family room and Roman shades for above the kitchen window and the windows in the office. I still need to come up with an idea for the back door in the family room so that the people behind us can't see what we are eating for dinner (Carl's Jr. Again?!). Any ideas? On my dreaming big list is a sectional sofa for the basement, a new kitchen table, and guest room furniture. Jeff assures me he will be making money soon. I'm not used to spending money without an income and I hope that I don't ever get accustomed to it...

Gratitude

We made it to Colorado! And I have so many things to be grateful for. We are grateful that we survived the drive along I-80, following behind semis with our hazard lights on and praying non-stop--It took Jeff 15 hours! Andrew is grateful to no longer live in the Beehive state--to get to live in the Centennial State. And he is grateful that Charlie didn't have to get packed in a box on our truck. Anna and Elizabeth are grateful that Jeff figured out our Internet and TV so they can "rest in front of a show" after a week of no TV. Elizabeth is grateful to be 4--making friends is simple. She asked me last night why we don't have any friends yet. Someone from our new ward called today with a 4 year old and Elizabeth jumped for joy--"Mom, that means I have 1 friend now!" And Anna followed with an intense, "Can I go too?" I wanted to ask the same question. We are all grateful to live near Michelle and her kids and when the school assessment lady asked Andrew if he was a good reader, he said, "My cousin Hans says I read like a twelve year old." I am grateful for a husband who works hard and is taking a risk to start a new business. And I am grateful for parents who are supporting us emotionally and financially. I am grateful that I am no longer sick after 2 days of eating bread and bananas--and now my pants and my wedding ring fall off (Is this a blessing?). I am grateful that I survived a complete 360 turn in my van after taking Andrew to his first day of school. Did I mention they don't plow the roads here? And that the elevation is killing my running ego? I have to run a lot slower here. Now I am getting ungrateful. My new house is beautiful, my garage smells like poop (4 more days to get a garbage can), and I can see what the backyard neighbors are eating for dinner. I have a new vacuum, refrigerator, and finished basement. My life is good. I miss you. I am grateful for the things that have stayed the same throughout the move (the pep-talk I've been giving my children every night), most especially the gospel and my family. And I am grateful that you are forgiving of my grammar.

I am working on posting pictures of the house. Keep in touch!