Sweet Sixteen!

Today is my sixteenth birthday, y'all! :)  Okay, so for the past few months I've planned on doing a sixteen random things about me post. So last night I sat down and was going to write it out so I wouldn't have to spend so much time on the computer trying to think of things. Now that it's morning, though, I think I'll make a new list. Here I go:

1. I always write in script. Whether it be school, letters, lists, etc... I always use script.

2. The cutest dog ever follows me around all day, every day. Really, he does. The only reason I can come up with as to why he does is that I'm the one who feeds him.

3. When I have some, I chew a piece of gum almost every day. Bad habit, I know.

4. I think it would be so cool to have a real pair of cowboy boots. Ya know, the $200 kind? Oh, and a hat to go with it, of course.

5. I am not a plant person. I like them, but just don't like taking care of them. Maybe that's why I don't have a garden or anything.

6. Sometimes I love school and sometimes I really don't like it.

7. I listen to music about 10 hours every day. When I'm doing school, cooking or baking, doing chores. About the only time I don't have my heaphones on is when I'm wathcing TV or reading.

8. Because of #7 I have to charge my ipod at least once a day, sometimes twice.

9. This year I'm writing down all the books I read. So far I've read eight, almost nine.

10. I love these earrings. They are totally me.

11. One of my favorite songs right now is "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood. Definitely one of my favorite songs of hers.

12. My favorite soundtrack composer is Hans Zimmer. Love his music!

13. I've been sitting here for an hour. So much for my other list to save time.

14. I'm a total country girl and don't like big cities at all.

15. When I'm done with this I'm going to play Monkey Ball with Lindsay and Josh.

16. I can't wait for Inception to get here. It's coming from Netflix and will probably be here next Monday or Tuesday.

I. Am. Done. That took way too long. It was fun, though.

~Haley

Goodbye 2010

In a few hours it will be a new year. It will be January 1, 2011. Does that freak any of you out, because it seems just like yesterday it was January 1, 2010. How time flies.

It's fun, at the end of one year, to think back at what's happened during that year. To see what you've done, accomplished, and haven't gotten to yet. You almost have to look back to look ahead and see what you need to get done. So that you can make a new list of things you want to accomplish.

So now I say, goodbye 2010. It was a good year, but it's almost over. And I'm ready for a new one.

~Haley

Cookies...

Last week I baked a few different kinds of cookies. There's just something about cookies and Christmas that click, don't you think? I love baking Christmas treats! Put on my favorite music and an apron, and I could stay in the kitchen all day! ;)

Have a blessed Christmas week!

~Haley

First snow of the year and a giveaway!

Yesterday morning I looked out the window and saw the ground was dusted with snow. This was our first snow of the year, so I was pretty excited. We didn't get very much, just enough to cover the ground, but I don't care. ;)

We had a pretty sunset, too. :)

Now I'm looking forward to the next snow. Hopefully we'll get more, then. :)

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Also, Carlotta is having a giveaway to celebrate getting 500 followers! :) You really should go enter! :)

~Haley

Some Ramblings...

Okay, so I thought I would wrap the pictures from our trip up in this post and talk about some other stuff. I don't know what, but we'll see. :)


1. Guess what I did! Got done, I should say. The day we went to the mall (in Louisiana) I went to Claire's and got my ears pierced! :) I am really glad I did! Here are a few pictures, courtesy of Lindsay.

 Look at Josh behind me. Doesn't he look really, really bored? Boys and malls don't mix. At all.

All done! ;) I know, my hair was messy. I, of course, had to put it up to get them pierced and then decided to take it down for the pictures. ;)

2. I happen to know this is why he came. Isn't this reason enough for a boy to want to go to the mall?

And just for fun-

Thanks, Josh, for taking a picture of your silly sisters. :)

3. And the last thing I'll say about our trip is that we went to Port Hudson. To learn a little bit about Port Hudson, go here. It's not a long article, so it wouldn't take much time to read. Here are a few pictures I got there:

A lonely bench out on a trail.

4. Fall is definitely here. Leaves are falling off the trees, it's gotten cool, and we've been having some gorgeous weather. Here's a picture to prove it.

5. This will be my last thing. The Phillies won last night, so they're still in it!! Yay! They have to win 2 more to win the series and they can't lose one or they're out . :( I am SO glad they didn't lose last night because I really don't want to see the Giants in the World Series. Ugh... If you haven't been able to tell, they are one of my worst baseball teams. Up there with the White Sox, Mets, Pirates, etc...

~Haley

Myrtles Plantation

While gone, one thing we did was visit the Myrtles Plantation. It was really fun! I got a lot of pictures, so here are a few! :) We weren't allowed to take pictures of any of the rooms in the house except the entrance, so that's why these are mostly pictures outside the house.

 The swamp by the house. It kind of looks like grass, doesn't it? ;) My sister Christine took this picture.

 Swamp.

 Side of a bench.I thought it was really pretty.

 Huge trees!

 There was moss hanging from the trees everywhere.

Beautiful chandelier.

There was a piano in the entrance.

The railing on the porch was beautiful!

Rocking chairs on the porch.

Pretty fountain.

The gate on the bridge.

The bridge goes over the swamp. That's one of my favorite pictures I took there.

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That's all for now!

~Haley

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie S'mores and a Baseball Game

I made these brownies the other day and everybody loved them!  I got the recipe from Paula Deen's show and knew, after I saw the finished product and her eating it, that I had to make some. They're really good and a lot of fun to make! :)

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie S'mores

1 cup butter, softened, plus more for baking dish

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup marshmallow creme

8 chocolate covered peanut butter cups

What to do-

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13 by 9, 2-inch baking dish. Using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and mix well.

In separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Spoon it into the baking dish and bake for 35 minutes. Let cool completely, then cut into 16 squares. Heat a grill or pan to medium heat.

Spread the marshmallow creme evenly over eight brownies, and top with chocolate covered peanut butter cups. Top with remaining brownies. Wrap each brownie sandwich in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Grill for 4 minutes, turning once. Unwrap and serve immediately. Enjoy! :)

And, on a random note, did any of y'all see the Phillies vs. Giants game last night? I did, and was really excited because I got to see Oswalt pitch. He even hit a single, starting a big inning for them, and ended up sliding home! I am SO glad he's finally off the Astros. I know the Phillies fans love him. ;)

So, considering I want the Phillies to win the World Series (I want the Phillies and Rangers to be in it), I thought it was a really fun game to watch. :) Who do you want to win the World Series?

~Haley