I'm Happy

Last night me and Lindsay decided what to get with our two $5 Amazon gift cards that we got with our Swagbucks. You know what we decided on? The Parent Trap cd. Not the one with the score on it, but the one with the vocal songs from the movie on it. ;) Yep. I guess you could call us weird, but we had a tiny $10 budget and this cd is really neat anyway.

And do you know what else we got?

This-

Remember those funny Six Flags commercials they used to do? That's what I always think of when I here this song.

I was so excited about this song. Don't ask me why. I guess because it's just so fun and upbeat. But I just love it! ;)

So, yes, I'm happy. :)

~Haley

Sharpe's Tiger

I read Sharpe's Tiger last week and loved it! It was beyond great! It was fantastic! :) Here is my review on it.

Sharpe's Tiger, written by Bernard Cornwell, is the first book in a 24 book series.  The year's 1799, and Private Richard Sharpe is in India fighting in one of the Napoleonic Wars.

He's sent into the enemy's city as a spy. If he accomplishes his mission he'll be promoted to sergeant, but if he fails and his enemies find out who he really is he'll be killed by brutal executioners or thrown to the man-eating tigers.

This book is action-packed and full of suspense. I stayed up until 12:45 a.m. last Thursday to finish it. Okay, my light is just about always out by 10:45, so for me to stay up until almost 1 a.m. is saying something. ;)

Although this book is really good, it's definitely written for older readers. There's a lot of bad language, quite a few graphic parts, and mentions soldiers sleeping with prostitutes. Most of the soldiers in it have a very small conscience and even less morals. But if you're looking for an accurate portrayal of the life of an English private in that time period, it's definitely the book to read.

Most English privates in that time period were the kids that had grown up on the street, in an overcrowded orphanage, or some other less than desirable atmosphere. Most of them were illiterate, thieves, and only joined the army after committing a crime they knew they would be suspected of. They were rough and not very respectable, but they made good soldiers.

So, to portray the life of an English soldier like that you have to put in the language and other not so good things to make it realistic. They talked like that and did those things.

All that said, this is a great book. One that immediately grabs your attention and that you won't want to put down. I greatly enjoyed it and can't wait until the next few come! 

~Haley

Sherlock Holmes...

I recently read and finished Volume's 1 and 2 of Sherlock Holmes. Can I just say some of the best books ever!? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle came up with the neatest, weirdest, and most impossible for the reader to solve mysteries. I'm convinced he was at least half genius.

                                            

Sherlock is eccentric, a genius, sometimes arrogant, but always a good friend.

Dr. Watson is patient, handsome, and a loyal friend.

These two have to be some of my favorite characters ever made up. *happy sigh*

~

It was kind of sad, finishing Volume 2. I mean, what would I read next that could even come close to these on my favorite's list? But don't worry, I found something. ;)

~Haley

Whoopie Pie Recipe

Yesterday I made some whoopie pies. They take a while to make, but are so worth it! I got the recipe from the wonderful Miss Jen. I'd made them once before, but decided to make them again after watching an episode of  Throwdown With Bobby Flay on Whoopie Pies. ;)

Pictures taken by Lindsay. Thanks!!

Whoopie Pies

Cakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch-processed

cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 cup packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter

(1 stick), softened but still cool

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

Filling

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

(1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 1/2 cups Marshmallow Fluff

For the cakes:

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in one-third of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk. Repeat with half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining buttermilk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir. Using 1/3-cup measure, scoop 6 mounds of batter onto each baking sheet, spacing mounds about 3 inches apart. Bake until cakes spring back when pressed, 12 to 16 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Cool completely on baking sheets, at least 1 hour.

For the filling:

With electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Beat in Fluff until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate filling until slightly firm, about 30 minutes. (Bowl can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days.) Dollop 1/3 cup filling on center of flat side of 6 cakes. Top with flat side of remaining 6 cakes and gently press until filling spreads to edge of cake. Serve. (Whoopie pies can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days.)

~Haley

Thoughts of Spring Blog Party

I am joining in Lynnette Kraft's blog party. She has some really fun questions and prizes, so you should enter! :)

How would people describe your personality? (If they could only use ONE word.) Are they right? My brother said quirky, nice, and giggle box, but I think I’ll take quirky. Yeah, he's right.

What celebrity/celebrities would create a “Star-Struck” feeling if you saw them in real life? Okay, I thought about this for a while, and, in the end, just decided to say my two favorite actors ever- Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp. They’re my favorites because I think they’re the best actors of their generation and because they are in some of my favorite movies.

                  

Who is your favorite blogger?

I have a few favorites, actually.

Emily Rose at Ramblings of Emily Rose

Polka Dot at Life is too Short Not to Wear Red Shoes

Taylor at Proverbs 31... In Training

Lindsay at Content in Christ (my sister)

Eldarwen at The Faithful Elven Princess

Tawnee at Tawnee’s Tales

What is your comfort food/drink?

Food- Chocolate

Drink- Icees

Be brave – tell us something very random and weird about yourself. I love the color red and have four or five red sweaters. Don’t worry, they’re all different shades of red. ;)

Do you have a strong desire to do something you’ve never done? What is it?

White water rafting, ride on a train, go snowboarding, and fly on an airplane, to name a few.

Movies: Action, Drama, Romantic Comedy, Documentary, Comedy? What are your favorite genres? By far my favorite kind is action, but I also like drama, romance and cartoon.

Books: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Biographies, True Stories, Self-Help, Devotional/Study? What are your favorite types of reading material? I like fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, mystery, and true stories.

Music: Funk, Rock, Country, Jazz, Classical, Film Score, Blues, Classic Rock, Crooner, Alternative, Heavy Metal, Techno? What are your favorite types? My favorites are movie soundtracks and country- basically all I listen to. Give me some Hans Zimmer, James Horner, John Powell or Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, and Jason Aldean and I'm happy.

If you inherited a million dollars, what is the first thing you would do with your money? Buy myself a really nice camera, laptop, and an ipad 2, give some to my family, donate some, and put the rest in the bank.

Name one weakness of yours (confession is good for the soul). It would so be chocolate!

If you could live anywhere at all (and take all your loved ones with you), where would you go? Um… a horse or buffalo ranch in Montana or Wyoming- totally! Although, I really don’t think anyone in my family would appreciate living in either places. Just have that feeling. ;)

What’s something you consider yourself to be good at? (Don’t worry, it’s not bragging, it’s acknowledging a God given gift). Making people laugh. I can almost always get a laugh out of someone. ;)

What is one of your favorite things to catch a whiff of? Movie popcorn. The best!

When you leave a social gathering, do you wish: You would have talked more or You would have talked less? Usually that I had talked more. I tend to listen too much.

If money wasn’t a factor, what stores would you shop in? I wouldn’t change where I shopped, but what I got in the store.

What are your favorite animals? My absolute favorites are dogs, cats, horses, and monkeys, but I also like goats, cows, wolves, foxes, and deer. Yeah.

My favorite doggy ever!! Picture taken by Lindsay.

Are you a hopeless romantic? Pretty much. ;)

~Haley