making whoopie [pies]

My latest trip to the downtown library yielded this exciting find.

whoopie pies by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell.

Being a reluctant baker, I am nearly always behind the times when it comes to the latest dessert trends. I still maintain that cupcakes are on the way out and diner-style pie shops are going to be popping up like Sprinkles signature dots on every trendy shopping corner.

But I digress.

We are headed over to bro and sis-in-law's house for a much-needed family dinner tonight and the only thing we need to bring is dessert. Say what?

Yes.

My terrible cooking attempts have paid off and I am no longer responsible for bringing anything of significance to potlucks.

And with huz out all day on a rugged Into the Woods style fishing venture, the boys and I have a day of mischief-making ahead of us. And napping.

If I have any say in the matter, it will probably mostly consist of napping.

And somewhere in between the naps and the mischief, we will bake. Oh yes. We WILL bake. And you will eat what we bake. And it will taste GOOD.

And this is what we are making today. It is my very first time making whoopie [pies]. You might say I am a whoopie virgin. A novice at whoopie making, if you will.

Here is my grocery list for this morning.

Here are the pretty pictures from the pretty book.

Please cross your fingers for me and pray I don't cry during my whoopie making. I will post all about my first time tomorrow. Hugs, K

chickens and their coops [on my mind]

I missed the Tour de Coops back in December, but lately I have been dreaming of having a chicken coop in our backyard. With our current *situation* adding a chicken coop to our lifestyle isn't practical. But it will be. Someday. And when it happens I have visions of a modern and playful chicken coop with plenty of comforts for a few hens to call home.

And looky here, there's even a class this weekend on the very topic!

From Kippen House.

Via here.

From dwell magazine

Via backyardchickens.com.

Even the LA Times is writing about them.

a few pictures from my garden

Well after letting my last successful garden venture go to seed, it was time to till the soil last month with hopes of growing a bountiful late spring to summer garden again this year. I find gardening in Phoenix to be a bit challenging which is why I write about it. Having lived in Florida where I could throw seed in the ground and grow anything without watering or fertilizing, without *working* at it, I find growing things in downtown Phoenix to be a bit more trial and error.

Because many things have failed for me, I also try not to spend a lot of money on expensive container plants at the nursery. I look for bargains and experiment with different seeds.

What I've planted from seed this season: beets, carrots, green beans, cilantro, basil (I let my beautiful crop die. Booo.), marigolds, assorted herbs, and assorted wildflowers.

What I've planted from transplants: tomatoes (better boy, grape and roma), rosemary, and spearmint.

What I managed to keep from last year: bell peppers, jalapenos, thyme.

While doing my gardening shopping last month, I came across some succulents, cheerful cosmos daisies, and beautiful tulip and daffodil bulbs (very cheap!) at a big box store and was so happy I had extra pots to accommodate them on my back patio. The daffodils got blooms within a few weeks of planting.

I am already seeing beet and carrot sprouts, so fingers crossed for a bountiful harvest!

playing hooky at the Phoenix zoo

The boys and I had a day of fun during what would normally be a school day. (Shhhh...) Well, it's only the first grade for one. And preschool for the other. And my 6 year old is super smart. (The world according to a mom.)

We went to the downtown libary. Still love you Burton Barr, you architectural splendor, you. And then we went to the zoo.

You know what? We learned a lot. And we walked. A lot.

These are the only pictures I managed to take of my little monkeys. Playing. And learning. Some days I wish we could spend every day like this. But, perhaps that's why it's so magical when we skip out on the routine for a special excursion.

Oh, and here are some more pics from the archives. These little gems are from September 2008.

walking Willo

I have the joy of living in a lovely neighborhood. I don't often appreciate how lovely it is. Case in point, over a month ago we met a very nice dad and his two sons while they were out on an evening stroll and they have lived in their house just one street over for the past five years. We have been in ours for nearly eight years. Our boys are the same ages. We had never seen them before that day.

We are bad neighbors.

Have we made an effort to see them again or schedule a playdate since that evening over a month ago? Nope.

Bad, bad neighbors.

Of course I am joking. Somewhat. A little bit of me is jealous of our dear friends who moved to Kentucky last year and describe their neighborhood as one where the kids all play in the streets with no danger of cars zipping too fast around corners, and the moms sit back and sip on cocktails while discussing the latest joys of parenthood.

Sigh.

We live just north of downtown Phoenix where commuters use our neighborhood streets to avoid the traffic jam on the major arteries to the downtown area. I don't let my sons play in the street because our neighborhood isn't fit for that. I realize I could have chosen to live in the suburbs with great family amenities like many of our friends with kids. (And don't get my started on the schools in my area.) But my commute to work (and my husband's) is 5 minutes. I could ride my bike or take the light rail if I didn't work weird hours. And, frankly, that in itself more than makes up for those other things.

There are great small businesses and historical architecture all around our area. And despite constantly having to fix things that are constantly breaking, I love our old home. It's charming.

So, on a very sidetracked but somewhat related side note, I want to lose some weight by swimsuit season. (And with the weather right now, that is shaping up to be March!) Ha, I kid. So I figure, (again) that if I make slight changes to my eating habits, eat a little less each day, and EXERCISE FOR A MINIMUM OF 15 MINUTES EVERY DAY, I may just achieve this goal by June. I know, 15 minutes doesn't sound like much, but when you are starting at zero, it's a an improvement.

So the other day I went for a jog/run/walk, but mostly walk, around my neighborhood for 20 minutes. Yay! And then I went on another 15 minute walk later that night with the boys. The second time I took a good look around and made an effort to enjoy what I was seeing. Here's a glimpse of my lovely neighborhood and all the hard work my neighbors put into their homes and yards.

Love the friendly porches. These red adirondack chairs are definitely a focal point.

Pretty paths.

Two of my faves. White picket fence and bright red door.

Another pretty path.

Looks like we are in Georgia, no?

Pretty fence.

Love the adobe style. And the lanscaping is just perfect.

Totem pole cactus.

Pretty agaves.

Our neighborhood is hosting their annual home tour on February 12th. Of course, the homes that are featured are the real charmers of the neighborhood, with Tudor-style architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright inspired gardens. But there is a little bit of charm to be found on every street, and I plan to make a point to enjoy more of it every day.