a list of thirty

i turned thirty in september. here are my thoughts on the matter.

+ now that i'm thirty i know better; life goes on after high school, toddlers are way more awesome than i once imagined. marriage is much better than dating. fresh minced garlic is good sauteed with almost anything. surprises are still super fun. you never get sick of balloons. or confetti. or handwritten letters. or bananas with peanut butter.

+ now that i'm thirty i ought to have a regular bedtime.

+ now that i'm thirty i thought i would've outgrown sugar cereals by now.

+ now that i'm thirty paying more for fine dining, lush stationery, crusty bread straight from a bakery shop or having an expert vacuum out the car are luxuries i'll never take for granted.

+ now that i'm thirty i am sinking into who i am and what i stand for.

+ now that i'm thirty i want to write my stories down for safekeeping. i am realizing more and more how important our personal stories are. whenever i sit down with my parents, dan's parents or his grandma bernice and listen to their tales, i want to wrap the feelings i have up in a linen box and save it for generations to come.

+ now that i'm thirty i think i should seriously start wearing glam lipstick. if not now, when? i recently picked up nars velvet matte lipstick pencil in cruella. we'll see where it takes me. (benji kept saying, wow mom, pretty red lips.)

+ now that i'm thirty i am excited about planning kid parties which is lots less stress than planning a wedding.

+ now that i'm thirty i should have a boatload of good books to recommend at book club.

+ now that i'm thirty i shouldn't be fearful to raise my hand. in any situation.

+ now that i'm thirty i count my blessings; so many people are suffering hardships like disease, death, depression and divorce. i feel unbelievably lucky.

+ now that i'm thirty i've mastered the art of cleaning out my fridge (tossing unidentifiable leftovers), figuring out how to hook-up the internet, get stains out, organize important paperwork, know where our passports are (at all times), book a flight, paint my nails without a smudge, juggle a baby, a cell phone and a pot of pasta at once among other fine things that come with being a housewife.

+ now that i'm thirty i should write letters to the teachers of my past; ones i think of often and appreciate.

+ now that i'm thirty i understand a wee bit more that we are not in control of what happens to us or our loved ones. we are only in control of how we react on the road we are traveling.

+ now that i'm thirty i think i ought to have a few recipes memorized. and some poetry. (and my mom's new phone number!) just to have on hand / in mind.

+ now that i'm thirty i wish i were better at giving directions. i'm horrible at it!

+ now that i'm thirty i need to start acting more like a woman. more thank you notes and kindly deeds. more lipstick and heels. and good haircuts. and making soup for the sick and holding doors and visiting the elderly and looking semi-presentable by noon.

+ now that i'm thirty i should start embracing the fact that this blog is more writerly than anything else. and i shouldn't be shy about mentioning it; but admittedly it's a funny topic of conversation to someone you've just met. usually i just let them discover it about me along the way. what about you? when do you tell someone you have a blog? it's a little like unveiling a hidden tattoo. 

+ now that i'm thirty i should have a list of real favorites. nine year olds are pretty solid in their favorites. we'll see if i can patch an updated list together.

+ now that i'm thirty i should stop wavering about getting into facebook. most people tell me it's not worth it. what do you think? do you use it; personally or for business? i guess i like to think i'm using my energy elsewhere. (maybe when i'm thirsty for new business, i'll go that route.)

+ now that i'm thirty i am super glad i never got any random piercings.

+ now that i'm thirty i ought to acquire a legit coffee table. with glossy coffee table books.

+ now that i'm thirty i've embraced the concept of the purse. whole-heartedly.

+ now that i'm thirty i am cool with being short. still not so cool with my cankles.

+ now that i'm thirty i wish i had been a better friend. i was a drama queen when i was on the playground.

+ now that i'm thirty i am grateful with my travelogue thus far and can't wait for the time to come to introduce my kids to the world with dan by my side.

+ now that i'm thirty i've stopped looking for facial cleansers; cetaphil pretty much does the job.

+ now that i'm thirty i ought to quit thinking i was just in high school. it was indeed awhile ago; i just can't believe i pass as a grown up now.

+ now that i'm thirty i'm so glad i took creative writing in middle school, cub chorus in elementary school, public speaking in high school and photoshop in college. i use what i learned in those classes every single day.

+ now that i'm thirty i wonder what the next thirty years have in store.

preschool project / cloud dough

notes // cloud dough feels like soft squeezable sand which molds easily into shapes. we love cloud dough. it was messier than i thought, but super fun and simple to make. i was glad i used a large container with tall-ish sides and i was happy baths were directly after this preschool project. be prepared to let little ones think of new things to introduce to the sand. i kept calling it moon sand, because it acts more like damp sand than any 'dough' i've ever come across. however we made lots of pretend pies and cookies with our cloud dough. benji let it sift through his fingers and hugged it in his palms. it's so relaxing. he was thrilled with the impressions it made with his truck tires. next time i'm getting out his dinosaurs to make 'footprints'. and (bonus!) the baby oil softened my cuticles during playtime. the cloud dough has remained soft and moldable for three days; i'm unsure if/when it will lose its awesomeness. there are more preschool projects to come; hope you're game.

p.s. we listened to brad paisley cds throughout our cloud dough experimenting. i'm cramming to memorize all of his music by friday night. we're headed to his concert (haven't been to a concert in forever, plus it's our first country music concert ever)! surely it'll be a night to remember. i love that dan is a recent convert to country music and is totally pulling me into it; every morning we wake up to a little twang with our toast. am super excited. however i'm nervous i'll start crying. his sappy tunes get me every time. anytime i need a good sob fest, country music is my go-to. does it have this effect on everyone?

inspiration for making cloud dough originated with tinkerlab's version.

braidy bunch / cut by fred

if we ever have a little girl, i may be the type of mom that makes her grow her hair out super long so i can lacquer it up and braid it like nothing else and pile those braids atop her head and doll them up with ribbons. (she'll likely be the type that cuts it all off with dull scissors without supervision.) hopefully she'll get dan's hair; thick and straight. straight is not so bad when it's luxuriously thick. when you have straight as a board, baby fine hair like mine, a teeny bit of wave could help. just sayin'. frankly, i dream of braids. they are my go-to favorite daydream hair. it doesn't help that i'm chopping off my hair again in two weeks. in the next life, maybe i'll get a braided halo. onto my braidy bunch finds...


images from cut by fred

i was browsing into the gloss (specifically this post featuring alexandra golovanoff) on my off hour yesterday and landed into the lovely french blog, cut by fred. can't understand a word, but i loved this braiding video featuring the french braid blonde crown (which my big sis used to weave in my seven year old hair every sunday morning, with the patience of a nun, i'm sure) and the lived-in fishbone braid look. check it out on his site or right here...


Alexandra Golovanoff Tuto from Cut by Fred on Vimeo.


p.s. thank you for all the kind comments yesterday. we did a fantastic (and messy!) preschool project after naptime. can't wait to share it with you. and we have another simple science activity planned today. i start running the bath water just as our little sessions come to a close.

kitchen duty / my lightbulb moment

go green / gorgeous kitchen via revelment

lots of time spent in the kitchen yesterday. i told dan the other day that i love cleaning my kitchen way more than i ever have. this is shocking. why would i have grown to like the daily grind of kitchen duty, i wonder. have i finally matured and owned up to the fact that doing dishes is a daily (if not, three or four times daily, more if you make your family a healthy meal!) required task? (so why moan and groan about it?) or could it be because i don't have a tv anywhere near the kitchen, so i'm not pulled in the direction to just sit and veg out to ellen? or maybe because it's a house and not an apartment, so i feel some sort of housewifery ownership over it? not sure; but i'm glad.

i'm glad i've finally succumbed to the feeling of satisfaction that comes with sucking up crumbs underfoot with my nozzle vacuum hose attachment. you have no idea how happy i was to change my vacuum bag after the holidays. (it was stuffed to the gills, like santa's pack on christmas eve.) all those pine needles; all those party crumbs; all that clean-up. i felt some sort of strange accomplishment which, i assume, only a woman can understand. guys just get the job done and move on. ladies like me revel in knowing that this task completed is a giant black mark slicing through words on a carefully written to-do list.

and isn't it funny how madly you clean a house before guests arrive and five minutes later it's a complete wreck!? (dan always jokes with me, reminding me we haven't invited the queen to our house.) chocolate cake crumbs, ice cream melted on the tablecloth, dirty dishes piled high. but laughter is abounding and kids are playing and you have this feeling of ahhh. that was fun. we should do it again. making the mess (and eventually cleaning it up) was worth it. and yet, here i am again, cleaning my kitchen. and there i will be, tomorrow, doing it again. i guess i've finally gotten over thinking i wish it would just stay clean. because it won't. because we are living here. and living here means making messes. and if it were always, always clean, then that would mean there ain't a lot of living going on which would make me super sad. so, i'm over it. and i'm counting my blessings. i have a kitchen to clean. and people–better yet, a family–who help me dirty it up and even a little one who leans over (tip-toed on his stool) to wash his own dishes. we have hot water and bubbly soap and a dishwasher and no mice or cockroaches (add the no mice or cockroaches part to any statement and you'll realize how lucky you feel)! it's a simple thing, but a happy thing. and i'm learning to appreciate the cycle; super clean. tidy. unclean. messy. crazy dirty. sleeves up. apron on. mopping and wiping and scrubbing and sorting. shiny plates out, sloppy plates in. a heap of dirty dish towels, the vacuum unplugged and a sack of garbage tied into a neat knot is my personal job well done.

other random tidbits // do you have an old-fashioned egg beater? i highly recommend having one. they make scrambled eggs a cinch. not that whisking yolks is all that hard; but something about the wheel and beater mechanics makes it all the better. my kid loves it. in fact i let him whir water and cinnamon and salt together all morning long. have i mentioned he loves creating concoctions. he even said, mom you go clean and i'll keep baking. monday should be declared our cleaning day. but usually when i declare something, it doesn't ever end up happening like it should. so i quit that habit long ago. i even busted out the blind cleaner gadget. do you have one of these? i picked ours up at home depot awhile back and am finally getting around to actually using it. dusting blinds is right up there with watching paint dry, but this little gadget does help. a wee bit. so there are my two tiny recommendations; an egg beater and fuzzy wuzzy blind cleaner. so, there's that. oh one more. yoga pants from costco. i am a believer.

p.s. i just discovered tinkerlab, thanks to pinterest, and am all motivated to get back to (intentionally) providing homegrown preschool projects for benj. we're off to purchase some foam sheets and sparkly pom poms for our art supply bin. what is more fun than being three and getting to egg-beat cinnamoney salt water and glue sparkly pom poms onto construction paper?! do you have any kiddo activities and/or awesome kitchen gadgets i should know about?

on the drawing board / simple type logos

i've been commissioned by two photographers (both based in north carolina, friends too!) who needed a little facelift for their logos. everyone who needs a new logo wants a brand that strikes a chord for their growing business (these photographers are fantastic; one specializes in senior shots, the other, weddings). simple, classic and a nudge of personality. i love designing logos. especially the ones with just a whirring of typography as the main ingredient. you can always add in frills or graphics later. but i believe the strength lies in the base of the brand name. awaiting a client's decision for their perfect logo choice is terribly exciting and the process of collaborating with each other to create something to suit their needs is super fun too. i hope they won't mind me giving you a peek of their prototypes!

happy monday everyone. hope it's productive. we have a banana split party planned tonight with friends for family home evening. talk about a good excuse to bust out the magic shell (dan's ice cream topping of choice).

blogs of note / sifting through

of course friends and family blogs are going to stay on my radar. so i am carefully weeding the rest from the good (good meaning, worthwhile) blogs from my google reader. it is currently exploding with over 1,000 blog subscriptions. that's insane. no wonder i get so sucked in. i was totally suffocating with other people's ideas; i couldn't come up with any of my own. so i'm whittling down and making the most of what i read and am inspired by. i thought i'd share a few favorite blogs that seem to have stuck with me.

scout's honor co. and design love fest / new-to-me designers i admire. i love designers who have a voice. these two have nailed it.

a cup of jo, creature comforts and design mom / longtime favorites, still daily reads.

into the gloss and the beauty dept. / best beauty blogs to get my glitz and glamour fill.

papercrave and ohsobeautifulpaper / i love bloggers who have a passion for paper.

ali edwards, elise joy, and kal / continue to inspire me to create art. with my own two hands.

cjane / it's ironic that i read very few writer-ly blogs; but hers is addicting. her stories remind me of the magic (and power) of weaving words together.

pacing the panic room / wordy and honest; ryan writes it all out on the page. a writer and photographer. his blog is inspiring in the way that it is a genuine document of his life. the tumblr site is like stepping inside his world for a minute.

caitlin creer interiors and little green notebook / dreamy house ideas for safekeeping.

simple song and oh joy / lots of eye candy and inspiration to scroll upon.

pugly pixel / fantastic freebies and enthusiasm about graphic designey stuff. love it.

the rockstar diaries / my fashion idol; the lipstick, her sparkle, the bikes. she's unstoppable.

blue lily blog / living vicariously through their adventures. always glorious pics.

jolie jolie design, design for mankind and oh hello friend / stylish, cheerful, inspiration all around.

what was once nothing is now something.

elementary art print by john tibbott

plenty of happy things are abounding. i feel lucky. today, since we awoke rather early, we ran to target for no good reason (but found a few toddler lumberjack plaids for $3 each! hip hip!) and shared a sausage mcmuffin. two major favorite splurges. since dan was on a mini business trip, we hung out with my parents (another favorite thing) and talked the night away until i fell asleep mid-sentence. another awesome event was running into the grand america last night to meet up with a friend for dinner (meeting for the very first time; ala julia child and her longtime penpal). i had serious jitters about the whole thing. the big conference ALT is happening, so i definitely felt like i was crashing or spying. a wee bit exhilarating. i was just in the lobby, so it wasn't anything shady. but i ran into a few blog favorites! hurrah! artist kal barteski was browsing the toy shop and i basically mauled her; she's such an inspiration to me. i loved chatting with her in real life; how genuine and kind she is. and then i saw brooke white (of american idol) and jordan ferney rushing by. i decided to admire from afar and not overdo it. and then i saw mr. justin hackworth and his wife, amy and chatted them up. i felt super happy to bump into them. they are nicer than nice and mighty talented.

then my dear internet friend, suzanne of SHE paperie strolled by. she is a petite darling thing; holding a bundle of pretty packages practically toppling over. which, now i realize, was perfectly suitable for our first meeting. she is the queen of swoony packages draped with ribbons and colorful trimmings galore. it was unreal to meet someone in real life that i feel like i really know via the internet / email exchanges. we i started talking and didn't stop for three hours. we went to a favorite cafe of mine and discussed blogging, how long posts take to write, divorcing google reader (go suz!!), all things graphic design, all the good stuff i am missing at ALT, photoshop magic, our families, oprah, babies, logos, etc. i had been so nervous to meet her and have a pile of clothes still strewn on my bed of undecideds. meeting her was so refreshing and fun. to think, we would've never become penpals had she not emailed me a year ago and said she read my blog! the connection, the collaboration, the creativity exchange is my favorite part of all this. i love when almost impossible friendships are suddenly sitting right in front of your face, sharing a giant slab of bread pudding. possibilities are closer than we know. 

sometimes i forget that friendships are not just for fourth graders. it's good to branch out, especially as adults, and meet someone new. learn new things and listen to new stories. and share a bit about ourselves. even when it's a little scary and you don't have a thing to wear.

p.s. suz, this post took me a half hour. fyi. xo.

inspiring me lately / charcoal & mustard

this color combo is nothing new but keeps popping up in my pins. i especially like that it can go chic and professional or youthful and approachable. sources: la petite girl (love this look!) / peacock print / business cards / boden cardigan (and scallop blouse!) / girl painting by lisa golightly / fabulous (fancy) wilma bench

+ today we celebrated a friend's happy happy news over a rumbi salad. hip, hip.
+ we got in on a spontaneous story time at the bookshop. and were the only ones there.
+ dipped chocolate chip cookies in milk before naps.
+ am all caught up on laundry and ready to design pretty logos.

have a happy wed-nes-day.

i like lenka

i've come to love this little disney preview (featuring the song everything at once) and had to search the lyrics for the lovely lady singing it. it's from lenka. of course. here she is singing it at the hotel cafe. i only know of her from another song she sings called the show (which often shows up on my mix cds). and here is the most darling cover of the tune ever, from moneyball. just another good excuse to go to redbox.

what are you listening to lately?

good girl talk / topics

spent martin luther king, jr. day with my sisters and all the kiddos and my mom. siblings are so awesome. sure, we get into deep conversations sometimes with controversial topics (usually around a roaring campfire). but when the girls get together, we can just skim the fat and dive right into the good chit chat (silly mindless topics husbands won't put up with for too long). we don't always agree–for example, half of us believe in paying good money for a haircut, the other half believes in going to any breathing body at fantastic sam's for a quick trim. however, those who shall remain nameless were well endowed with perfect hair from the beginning. they can't possibly understand–we always talk up a storm and learn a little too. (i have a list of books to read and mothering habits i should acquire.) and there is always a little poking fun at each other, for good measure.

girl talk.

funny memories.
sad stories.
our kids.
our childhood.
our hair. 
recent recipes.
blogs.
cleaning.
best household gadgets.
dieting.
non-dieting.
exercising.
best healthy snacks.
best brands of chocolate.
facebook updates.
non-facebooking.
books to read.
songs to hear.
new musicians.
new youtubes.
tv shows.
bizarre dreams.
royal mishaps.
happy accidents.
embarrassing moments.
high school flames.
good movies.
lame movies.
so-so movies.
actors we can't remember the names of.
clothes.
shopping.
vanity sizing.
husbands.
kids.
politics (for two minutes, max.)
and again back to the hair.
fine hair vs. curly hair.
blonde vs. brunette.
growth patterns.
the swoop bangs.
people we admire.
party ideas.
styles we want to attempt.
babies.
pregnancy.
birth stories.
raising boys.
raising girls.
stories so funny they make me cry.
stories so sweet they make me cry.
and then before we can catch our breath,
it's time to say goodbye.

what are your favorite topics of discussion with your besties?

one very big boy and his big boy room

you and me spend wild amounts of time together. i love our sun filled afternoons and the mornings full of chores together; you zooming around me with toy in hand. (usually you'll stop to carefully place the soap packet into the nook of the dishwasher and close it with a bang.) i wonder about the future years which will undoubtedly be full of busy schedules, packed full of activities. i will likely look back on these simple days and long for them in part of my heart. i remind myself how glorious these short years are; wherein i have your full attention and that you want mine. we go on spontaneous outings to the library, to my favorite soup and sandwich shop, to the train table at barnes & noble, to the toy section at tj maxx. just to look. sometimes we'll go get a jamba juice to share before naps. and somedays we stay in our jammies all day; shuffling around the house discussing alphabet sounds or imagining what lightning mcqueen might be up to.

you are my little pal; so helpful and willing and curious. you love listening to stories and singing songs. and watching out for road signs when we drive. you want to know what they all say. you also like me to interpret what was said over the PA system at the grocery store. you remind me how lively life is. it's more colorful than just a grocery list and a bunch of bananas in my cart. as if a parade / a circus is happening all around us; no matter where we are. the other day you spied a car parked inside the mall. it was shiny and red and likely a prize from a contest. i never would've thought twice about it; but you loved it and spent a few minutes dazzled by the thought of a real car parked inside a building! you astound us with your language. the other day you said, yeah, okay mom, that makes sense. and you're using words like unfortunately.. and actually... in correct context. and the other night you reported, mom i'm not playing with my food. i'm doing science. and sometimes you call us by our names rather than mom and dad which cracks us up. your limbs are lengthening and your torso is tight; every minute it seems like another pair of pants are too short. you are growing as fast as a speedy race car.

// a few things i want to remember.
you prefer your waffles plain. no butter, syrup, or jam.
you do love sweets though and love that mom keeps a few in her purse.
you love using your flashlight every chance you get.
you recognize sweeper trucks, garbage trucks, excavators and more.
you still love curious george and have added berenstain bears to the storybook routine.
you love splashing in the tub and playing sink or float.
(a dollop of shaving cream adds another half hour of fun.)
suddenly you have started grimacing dramatically at foods that look gross.
(usually the attempted healthy meals i've slaved over.)
you like reporting which numbers the little hand and big hand are pointing to.
you have learned how to negotiate. very well. (just like your dad.)
you'd be happy to watch cars 2 every single day.
you know all the characters' names by heart.
your energy is unstoppable and you love piggy back rides
and hearing about when you were a baby.
we play make believe a lot, you like to pretend you're huckle.
you memorize words and phrases and songs quickly
and you'll repeat them back to me at random times,
(and shock me with such a good memory).
we read little bear stories over our lunch plates sometimes.
i like that they're about a little bear and his mother bear.
you line your cars up precisely (and then crash them with pleasure).
i love when something reminds you of something else and you recall a happy occasion;
hey, remember my birthday party? remember taking the train to oma's house?
you love blueberries, yogurt raisins, fruit snacks (!) and string cheese.
whenever you and dad go out, you'll come home with chocolate milk.
your favorite bear recently got stitched up, thanks to opa.
you've taken a liking to markers and crayons. which makes mom super happy.
rough housing is your favorite thing to look forward to. which makes dad glad.
dinosaurs and action heroes have entered your interest.
but vehicles still trump any other toy.
(other moms seem to lament their boys' thomas days. maybe i will too.
admittedly, thomas the engine is cuter than nerf guns. )
you love going to primary at church and being three is still a pretty big deal.
drinking anything through a straw is like a little luxury.
and taylor swift is on our favorites playlist.
recently you told me daddy was your best friend.
i tuck you in and give you sloppy kisses.
(and eskimo kisses. and butterfly kisses.)
your voice makes me happy.
your little steps give me purpose.
your morning climb-into-our-bed makes me warm inside and out.


// the bedroom details 
the bike print came (framed!) from thumbtack press.
he also has another unique print of his monogram from etsy.
his quilt came from amazon, a duvet from ikea and train sheets from tj maxx.
the walls are painted benjamin moore, boothbay gray.
his (favorite) choo choo shirt from old navy.
the transportation mobile was a fantastic find at a local toy store.
(i love laying on his bed reading stories and chatting about it!)
ikea expedit shelving holds his toys, pictured here.
the red chair (a sweet baby gift from my sis!) has been around forever.

recently / january

+ made Book of Mormon bookmarks for the kids in my sunday school class. i made a goal to read from The Book of Mormon every day and see how it changes my life this year. i have a testimony of the truth of it and love the feeling it gives me. i learned early on that if you put God first in your life, everything else will somehow fit neatly into place (or filter out). this is the basis of my time management goal for 2012. (so far, it seems to be working. it takes discipline though not to fall back into bad habits!)

+ dan and benji have gone skiing together a few times and love it. the tiny boots and ski rentals kill me every time. so cute.

+ am attempting to meal plan again and stock up for two weeks of groceries at a time. (mostly because i dread going grocery shopping.) spreading my produce on the counter makes me feel all house-wifey and healthy. i even went to the trouble of removing all the fruit stickers and then, pressured dan into guessing why the produce looks so fresh. on another note, one of my resolutions is to start acting like the person i've always wanted to be. and i'm making small steps. i always wanted to be the kind of mom who keeps cookies on the counter; thus the circus animals are a standard around here. the key is to stock something i know won't tempt me. different story if it was pirate booty however...

+ the first real snow arrived and the snow shoveling project began. it melted by afternoon, but was terribly precious to see them out there together.

+ b found a new spot to drive his cars. the blinds are a perfect smooth ride. (next time i'll have to give him a dust rag.) i love seeing him explore little spaces and nooks and corners. i never would have imagined having a little boy could be so much fun.

+ baked a birthday cake for our friend, timmy. don't think i'll search for another recipe ever again. this sour cream chocolate cake is our absolute favorite. and my buttercream frosting is whipped to death; real butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and a few tablespoons 2% milk. remember when i baked them into mini's?! (the darling hooray! cake topper was a gift from swoon paper studio.)

mr. oatmeal peanut butter chocolate toffee bar / a sweet sidekick

let me introduce you to the delectable dessert bars i'll be toting to every party i'm invited to this year. seriously. these are my recent favorite find. to think, i almost threw out the magazine that this recipe was printed in! i almost didn't think i liked toffee that much! i almost didn't make them because i didn't have a good excuse! luckily we were all hankering for a snack on sunday (i love setting a brick of butter out on the counter before church, just in case we need softened butter), so we whipped these puppies out. a giant 9x13 pan. and let them cool while taking a family nap. after downing a couple, i sliced them into squares (dividing and conquering is my way of saving myself from devouring them). the best thing about them is finding a few impromptu reasons to give them away (a playdate for benji, pop in visitors, to-go treats for dan, and a surprise sweet for a sick friend). sharing is caring. which makes me feel all the better. go make them. the excuse to bake a batch will find you.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Toffee Bars
originally from Family Fun Magazine

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups dark or semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup toffee baking pieces (Hershey's Heath brand)

Heat the oven to 350°. Line a 9x13 baking pan with foil so that the ends extend over the edges of the pan by at least 2 inches. Spray foil with cooking spray.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and egg yolk on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add the flour, oats, and salt and beat the mixture on low until the ingredients are just blended, about 30 seconds.

Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust until it is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes (be careful not to overbake).

Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the chocolate chips evenly over the crust. Return the pan to the oven for 1 minute. Remove the pan again and, using a small offset spatula, spread the chocolate evenly over the crust. (Let your kiddos watch; spreading melted chocolate is like science.)

Sprinkle the toffee pieces over the chocolate, gently pressing them into place with the back of a large spoon. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool until the chocolate has set, about 2 hours. Using the edges of the foil, lift the dessert from the pan, then cut it into squares. For maximum freshness, store the bars in the refrigerator.

happy friday the thirteenth, everyone.