A little warmth for your cold day

BRRRR!! Today I woke up to snow--ick. And it wasn't the kind that flurried a bit and then melted away. No siree. It stayed. My dad even made me help him shovel the sidewalks. (Downside of being as old as I am and STILL living at home.) So this afternoon my mom made something warm to brighten our day--Best Ever Cream Cheese Brownies. (That's the upside of living at home!)

So here's the recipe to add some warmth to your cold day. If you didn't wake up to snow today, you will soon! *Except for those of you who are SMART and live in non-snowing states.*

Cream Cheese Brownies

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
dash of salt
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup melted butter

Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
8 oz cream cheese

Mix brownies and pour in a well greased 9 x 13 pan. Mix topping and and pour on. Run a knife through it give a marble effect. Top with semi-sweet chocolate chips and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Yum.

PS Recipe courtesy of my "sweet" sister-in-law Amber.

Random Ramblings

I was just looking over my blog from these past months and I realized what a LAME-O blogger I have been ever since I moved home. I averaged one lame post a month (if even). When I first moved home, it was hard. I missed Pablo, I missed my easy, awesome job working in a fancy lawyer's office but I loved being back with my family. But not seeing Pablo every day was really hard. I told myself that it was going to go by fast and for the most part, time really has. But it has been hard too. I put on a happy face but in all honesty, cross-continent relationships are not fun.
I got asked the other day by a doubting "supporter" of my engagement if I have had any doubts since being apart from Pablo. The honest truth: not one. If anything it has made us even closer because we have to rely so much on communication and having limited time to say it all. He has been so patient with me and is making so many sacrifices for me. I love him. If you don't believe me, look at my face everyday when we hang up the conversation. I'm giddy like a 12 year old school girl with her first crush.
49 days and counting. I think they will be even longer than the other 8 months that we have been apart. But is he worth the wait? Oh yeah.
So what is my point from all these random ramblings. Well, I may not have been the most happy, excited, separated from my loved one blogger but I promise to try better and look for something to share. Not just for your sakes, but for mine too. So bare with me, soon I will try a little harder and be a little better to find excitement in life!

Just some stuff...

Here's a little tag from my buddy Tiniel. Thanks for starting the trend again! She requested Top 10 Movies, Books and Songs. Here you go.

MOVIES *not in any particular order
1- Pride and Prejudice (with Kiera K.)
2- Little Women
3- Serendipity
4- Dan In Real Life
5- Steel Magnolias
6- Little Women
7- Fried Green Tomatoes
8- Monster's Inc.
9- Mamma Mia!
10- Rudy

BOOKS
1- Pride and Prejudice
2- most Nicolas Sparks books
3- The Giver
5- Uglies (just the first book)
6- Harriet the Spy
7- Skippyjon Jones (Children's books)
8- El Tunel by Ernesto Sabato
9- Walk Two Moons
10- Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series

SONGS
1- Hands Down-Dashboard Confessional
2- No Me Doy Por Vencido-Luis Fonsi
3- Fidelity-Regina Spektor
4- La Vida es un Ratico-Juanes
5- Home-Michael Buble
6- La Bamba-Richie Valens
7- Sunday Bloody Sunday-U2
8- Love Song-Sara Bareilles
9- Pride and Prejudice soundtrack
10- Stay-Lisa Loeb

Las Seis Amigas

In High School your friends can either lift you up or pull you down--these girls were my life savers! How I love them all for different reasons! We got together last week at my friend Shara's house to catch up on each other lives! It was so fun to talk about the present, reminisce on the past and discuss our plans for the future. I don't know about them but when we get together I still feel like I'm 16 again. Man, we had some good times! Whether it was crashing on snow mobiles, spying on a New Year's Eve first kiss, playing laser tag in the trees or our crazy group dates, we ALWAYS had a good time. I'm so grateful for these girls and all they mean to me. And there is something about surviving high school together that makes you have a bond that lasts. There are so many other friends that I have from high school that I love too, don't get me wrong! But these girls saved my life!

Tacky? Yes. Neccessary? Of course.

It's about that time--the gathering of the addresses for my master list of addresses to send wedding invites to. Yup. THAT time. And I want everyone on the list. So I realize that this is very tacky but also very efficient which is what I am going for.

Pretty, pretty please send me your address! Even if you think I have it, send it again just to be sure. What will you get in exchange? A beautiful wedding invitation with Pablo and I's picture on it. Nice, I know. So e-mail me at beckitabonita@gmail.com Thanks for complying!

I'm in a Blog Slump

Hello, my name is Becki and I am...in a blog slump! I will admit it! Let me explain my "excuse". I sold my laptop and bought an iMac that I LOVE, love, LOOOOVE! But I don't have Photoshop on it yet and I hate putting unedited photos on my blog. But I might just have to suck it up and do it. Okay, I will! Just don't judge me.
Also, there hasn't been too much excitement around here. I am working at Fort Hall Elementary in the Kindergarten room and I LOVE it! My kids are so stinkin' cute and fun. So to get me out of my slump, I borrowed this from my friend Tiniel's blog to get me writing again. Enjoy!

I AM: enjoying the feeling after a Biggest Loser workout. (I feel good now, but tomorrow is another story!)

I AM THINKING: about all the bills I need to pay after I get paid on Friday.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR: free rent with my parents, my family and Pablo.

I AM WEARING: cutoff sweats and an old American Eagle tee shirt.

I AM CREATING: a magnet board for my new home.

I AM GOING: to work tomorrow.

I AM READING: Bleachers by John Grisham for lack of options.

I AM HOPING: to finally get married!

IN THE KITCHEN: are the jars of salsa my Mom canned yesterday--yum!

AROUND THE HOUSE: are the toys that Blake leaves in the most inconvenient spots!

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS: is talking to Pablo at the end of the day.

A FEW PLANS FOR THE WEEK: work on my magnet board, send Michelle her watch, mow the lawn, do some much needed laundry and watch The Office premier! Woo hoo!

Long over due...

I have been meaning to let you in on one of my favorite things but I just haven't had time to sit down and do it! Sorry to hold out on y'all-it's been crazy around here. Just as a summary, I gave myself a week off between jobs to get caught up on all the things I needed to do but instead ending up helping my Mom because her life has been too crazy! Last week was spent at hospitals visiting my Grandpa Tyler who fell down 4 weeks ago and broke his leg (he's 91), my aunt Sondra who had a minor back surgery, and my Grandma Campbell who had her hip replaced. Unfortunately, they were all at 3 different places so it made visiting a little hectic! We also spent Friday and Saturday preparing food for my newest step-cousin's wedding. After 800 kabob's, I thought I was done but then we served the food at the Rose River Reception and boy was it crazy! BUT today and tomorrow are MY days and Wednesday I start with school meetings and the kids start school next Wednesday, the 26th. Whew!
So now to get on with the point...(there is one, you were worried, but there is a POINT.) One of my all time favorite roommates and best friends recently returned for a study abroad in SCOTLAND. And this study abroad just happened to be a photography study. Do you see where I am getting with this? Her work is AWESOME! I have always loved the stuff Emily does, but I am so impressed with her that I thought I would share her BLOG with you guys. Go check it out--you know you want to... (and don't forget to hit the older posts button at the bottom of the page to see more of her work!) Click HERE if you missed the other two links...