Is This Chicago?

Talk about a windy city, we had some crazy wind on Monday. Our local newspaper claimed that between 8 and 9 a.m. it blew 97 mph on Mount Baker Highway, not too far from us. It died down slowly as the day progressed. We had a similar storm last year that knocked out the power in most of the Northwest. It’s kinda cool to hear and see the power of the wind, but it’s also a little scary. The scary part is watching the news and seeing fallen trees that have split houses in two. I think the storm has calmed, though I heard a warning for winds this afternoon. This is a picture from Monday after the windy morning. Have a wonderful day!

Boxing Day

I have started packing for the new house. We have the whole month of December to move everything over, so there is really no hurry. I just like the thrill of packing. OK, so thrill may not be the right word, but I do enjoy it 🙂 Maybe it’s having to fit everything in like a jig-saw puzzle, I don’t know, but it’s fun. It’s the moving and unpacking I don’t enjoy so much. Our apartment is overflowing with boxes right now… and no, I am not an alcoholic, I just think liquor store boxes are the best for packing 🙂 Well, I’m off to more packing, it’s AMAZING how much stuff two people (I) can accumulate.


Escrow!

After a somewhat stressful week, we are finally moving forward with buying the house! The conflict that arose was from miscommunication with the seller, but everything is fine now. We still have the escrow period, but if everything goes well, we will own the house November 30. We are very excited & nervous about purchasing our first home. Having friends and family to share all this with has been a blessing. Thank you for all your prayers and support! I’ll keep you posted!

House Issues

We heard back from the house inspectors and there are several issues that need to be addressed. The roof, siding, joist damage and water under the house all need to be remedied in the next 1-2 years. Unfortunately, we do not have the finances to fix all of them. We were hoping the owner would pay for some of them, but she may not and could back out of the deal. If you could once again pray for wisdom in deciding what to do and that we would have peace if we have to walk away from this lovely house. It is just a house, we don’t need it, but we would like it. God knows what lies ahead and we need to trust Him with our finances and decisions. Thanks!

Home Buying

Todd and I recently had our offer accepted for this house! It is now under inspection and if everything goes well, we will own it at the end of November! We are very excited and anxiously awaiting the report. The inside needs some updating, but we figure that will be easy enough down the road. If you could continue to pray for us, that would be great! Here is a link to a photo slide-show of the house:
tours.justsnooping.com/2288702/?b=true

Bread Crumbs

These are my feathered friends. They inhabit (actually, have taken over) a pretty area called Sunset Pond. They are always eager for a handout and will get in your face, literally, for some stale bread. Although geese are considered a nuisance around here (you would agree if you had to walk barefoot through their grass), they are still beautiful creatures! It’s been awhile since I have visited my friends, I need to get back there. Feeding ducks can be relaxing, you should try it some time 🙂




Chocolate Lover?

So here is a brownie recipe that I have been making for that past three years. If you like chocolate, you most likely will like this recipe. It’s worth all the effort. Enjoy!

Triple-Chocolate Fudge Brownie
From: The Gourmet Cookbook

Ingredients:

6 oz good bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped (I use Ghirardelli chips)
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1½ cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
¾ tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup (6oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Put rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13×9 inch baking pan, knocking off excess flour.

Melt bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates with butter in a medium bowl set over simmering water (or double-boiler) stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.

Stir sugar and vanilla into chocolate mixture, then add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each one. Add salt and flour, stirring until just combined, then stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into baking pan and smooth top. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out with some moist crumbs adhering, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, then cut into 24 bars.

Happy Fall

I have not taken any photos of fall this year except for my fake gourds. These sit on our dining room table for decoration. They are not as pretty as real ones, but at least they won’t rot! They are also glittery! Sorry to any guy who reads this post 🙂 It has been really windy the past couple of days, I think a storm is brewing! I took a picture of the clouds and the sun shining through this afternoon, looks kinda neat. It’s pretty much what we see here every day in the winter, minus the sun 🙂