Saturday we all went to a wedding. I love going to weddings with Hubby. I get all mushy inside and just enjoy contemplating how wonderful it is to be married to my best friend. The wedding Mass was beautiful but my favorite part was at the reception, the groom washed the bride's feet. The groom is quite adorable and he stumbled over his words, then said to his new bride, "I just want you to know I am here always to serve you as Christ came to serve." And he really meant it. We are friends with both the bride and the groom and are so very happy for them!
After that, we basically just hung out as a family around our house and pool.
We did get a new vacuum. Our old one didn't seem to clean as well as it once had and then started to smell like something burning if you had it on for more than 3 or 4 minutes. So I spent time going room to room vacuuming and as the new machine is bag-less, I could see exactly what was picked up in each room. Yuk. (Except, I felt so much better knowing the carpets were now clean.) 3 girls can generate gobs of hair very easily.
Friday night was the ceremonial "Summer Survival Bag" unveiling. To mark that event, I made these scrumptious brownies (recipe at end of post). I made these brownies right for Easter. I didn't enough vanilla so I used 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 almond extract. The Imp calls these "crack brownies" because once you've had one, you're addicted and must have more. We had told the Singer about them and she was skeptical about their allure. After having them, she too is calling them "crack brownies." So that is the 'official' name. I just hope they don't discuss them too openly and give people the wrong idea. I had to have Hubby hide them so I wouldn't inhale the entire plate. We doled them out throughout the weekend. The only drawback is that the recipe is for a scant 8 by 8 inch pan. I tried altering the recipe for a 9 by 12 pan, but they didn't turn out as wonderful as before. I might have over-baked them...and this recipe is ruined by that, or some recipes just don't increase well.
The best thing this weekend is I started the puzzle I got for my birthday: a 2000 piece Sistine Chapel puzzle. Be still my heart. I'm probably about 1/3 done. But the more you get done the faster it goes. I love jigsaw puzzles. My family knows me well getting this for me.
We watched 'Inception' Sunday night. It was actually much better than I thought it would be. People had told me it was similar in style as 'the Matrix' movies. I'm not a big fan of those. But while there were some similarities, I thought it was much better. I'm not a huge Leonardo DiCaprio fan, but he did a nice job. I think I like him better now that he is a little older.
I just finished reading "The Shack". Quite thought-provoking. I'd recommend it to anyone, but don't approach it like light reading.
The Imp is gearing up for the release of the last Harry Potter movie by rereading books 5, 6 and 7. She'll be on retreat the day it is released (at 12:01 on a Friday morning) but plans to go straight from her retreat to the theater to see it Friday night. And while some parents worry about the true message sent by the Harry Potter series, I'm not that concerned partly because she is just as crazy about the Narnia series and we discuss the symbolism, subliminal messages, etc of most everything she watches. She looked up her summer reading for her AP English course and squealed in delight that one of the two books is "Pride and Prejudice." I believe she can quote entire passages. She originally read the book the summer after 8th grade. She has seen multiple movie renditions (and can tell you which ones stay true to the book in various ways). She's thinking of having a "Pride and Prejudice" party at the end of July watching the 6-hour movie (which she says is best).
Best Brownie Recipe
(originally from allrecipes.com but below is my 'tweaked' version)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs (allow them to come to room temperature)
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup hershey's cocoa (I use part regular and part extra dark)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 8-inch pan
In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 c butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs and flavorings. (I use a whisk). Sift together cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder. Slowing beat dry ingredients in. Spread batter in prepared pan
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
The recipe from allrecipes.com called for a frosting. I've never made it. The brownies are perfect as they are.
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