myself, in pieces.

january 27th-2012.

2012-01-27T20:30:00.000-05:00

as i mentioned,

it has been a hectic few weeks.

i aced an exam this morning,

and will be returning to my study cave for the next two weeks

as i am bombarded

by a paper

and three more exams.

but i -did- make something to apologize..

buckeyes.

and just to be nice..

here is the recipe:

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners' sugar

16 oz. semi-sweet baker's chocolate

in a large bowl, mix the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and sugar until thoroughly combined.

the dough will still appear dry and somewhat crumbly..

scoop the dough with a #70 scoop

(if you want to make sure they are uniform in size),

or just roll them into smallish size balls

by hand.

i tend to prefer rolling them by hand..they feel more homey that way.

place the prepared balls on a wax-paper-lined cookie sheet

and refrigerate while you prepare the coating.

i used baker's chocolate squares,

but you could probably just melt chocolate chips and a have a similar flavour.

follow the directions on the package for melting

over a double broiler.

once the chocolate is uniformly melted,

it is time to dip!

play around with this to figure out what works best for you..

i used to sort of roll them back and forth between two forks,

then drop them on the cookie sheets to dry.

it turns out that is a tad

cumbersome

for a seven year old, though..

so we just stabbed them with skewers,

and dunked them until they were thickly coated.

doing it this way meant they weren't always

-pretty-..

but they sure are yummy.

when all are coated, refrigerate (or freeze) for half an hour.

then tear into them!

you have to store them in an air-tight container in the fridge,

and they can keep for a couple of weeks.

this recipe makes about four dozen.

january 14th-22nd-2012.

2012-01-27T19:41:00.002-05:00

things have been hectic.

gram had knee surgery.

we had out-of-town visitors.

len started a new job.

and this semester is a busy one..

january 13th-2012.

2012-01-13T20:46:00.001-05:00

january 12th-2012.

2012-01-13T20:41:00.003-05:00

homework

is always easier

with a study-buddy.

january 11th-2012.

2012-01-11T21:21:00.002-05:00

it was a rainy,

sleepy day..

with too much homework

for only the second day of the semester.

so i made

meyer lemon shortbread cookies.

mmmm..

january 10th-2012.

2012-01-11T12:46:00.000-05:00

struggling

to fall into

some kind of routine.

and the professor laughed

when i included the hermit crabs

in my list of

family members.

january 9th-2012.

2012-01-09T21:06:00.001-05:00

the first day

of a new semester..

everyone is sleepy and grumpy.

but not the seven dwarf kind.

january 8th-2012.

2012-01-08T18:27:00.002-05:00

blood supplies are perpetually in critical demand..

especially for type a-

(and other rare blood types).

if you live here, go here.

maybe your husband will reward you with some

fresh-baked

cheesy

garlic-y

french bread.

january 7th-2012.

2012-01-07T21:44:00.000-05:00

covered a chair

i hijacked from my in-laws..

(crappy photos..*shrug*)

then finished the girl's

garden house,

where she spent the afternoon

with the dog.

january 6th-2012.

2012-01-06T20:05:00.002-05:00

today's enormous undertaking

came thanks to my sister-in-law,

who gave this

to zoe for christmas..

the three of us colored for over

five hours

and had to buy two new packs

of markers...

and we still only finished one side.

january 5th-2012.

2012-01-06T10:37:00.002-05:00

i always suspected we were a

superfamily.

january 4th-2012.

2012-01-04T22:35:00.002-05:00

it has been chilly the past few days.

florida seems to think it is fall..

january 3rd-2012.

2012-01-03T18:37:00.002-05:00

we worked on getting mom's classroom ready

for the return of her students on monday..

then zoe and len had a bit of play time.

january 2nd-2012.

2012-01-03T09:25:00.001-05:00

today my oldest brother, ed(die), turns thirty-six.

it is weird for me to think of any of us as grown up..

so i baked..

and there was a fire in the fireplace,

even though it was only fifty-four degrees outside.

(necessity is the mother of invention..)

january 1st-2012.

2012-01-01T17:19:00.004-05:00

my husband and youngest brother had a "just dance for kids" battle on the wii..

i think it was a draw.

december 31st-2011.

2012-01-01T17:13:00.006-05:00

i baked a granny smith/pink lady apple crisp for the night's festivities with jenn and mike. it was super yummy and super fun to make, too..

and then i gave myself a manicure.

april 29th-2011.

2011-04-29T15:10:00.002-04:00

old chandeliers
make me smile.

april 28th-2011.

2011-04-29T15:09:00.003-04:00

last day of studying

for a whole ten days.

april 26th-2011.

2011-04-26T21:03:00.002-04:00

if it weren't for the
90 degree temperatures,
i just might think
it was spring.

april 24th-2011.

2011-04-26T21:02:00.003-04:00

love this family.

april 23rd-2011.

2011-04-26T20:59:00.003-04:00

love this dog.

april 21st-2011.

2011-04-21T15:27:00.003-04:00

the best way to study..
publix ice cream and the bamboos.

april 15th-2011.

2011-04-19T16:32:00.009-04:00

april 11th-2011.

2011-04-19T16:32:00.002-04:00

april 10th-2011.

2011-04-19T16:29:00.004-04:00

grandma jacquie.

quite possibly my favorite picture from the
entire event.

april 9th-2011.

2011-04-19T16:28:00.003-04:00

april 8th-2011.

2011-04-19T16:27:00.004-04:00

april 7th-2011.

2011-04-19T16:04:00.003-04:00

march 22nd-2011.

2011-04-19T16:01:00.002-04:00

a gift from zoe.

[why do my hands look so -old-??]

march 5th-2011.

2011-04-19T15:59:00.002-04:00

february 27th-2011.

2011-04-19T15:56:00.001-04:00

february 22nd-2011.

2011-04-19T15:50:00.003-04:00

microbiology
is my new favorite class.

even if the science wing
-does-
always smell like
E. coli.

february 12th-2011.

2011-04-19T15:46:00.002-04:00

february 6th-2011.

2011-04-19T15:45:00.005-04:00

february 4th-2011.

2011-04-19T15:45:00.002-04:00

february 16th-2011.

2011-04-19T14:50:00.002-04:00

the countdown has begun..

february 15th-2011.

2011-04-19T14:42:00.004-04:00

january 12th-2011.

2011-04-19T14:38:00.002-04:00

january 7th-2011.

2011-04-19T14:33:00.002-04:00

moving away from the toxic mold.

january 1st-2011.

2011-04-19T14:28:00.003-04:00

happy new years!
celebratory star wars pancakes.

december 23rd-2010.

2011-04-19T14:23:00.002-04:00

not a creature was stirring..

december 20th-2010.

2011-04-19T14:16:00.001-04:00

more toxic mold.
in the a.c. duct.

december 15th-2010.

2011-04-19T14:14:00.001-04:00

celebratory cake for the fiancee
at 6am.

november 29th-2010.

2011-04-19T14:08:00.002-04:00

this is what your air conditioner
looks like
when it is infested with
toxic mold.

NEVER LIVE IN
DALTON PLACE APARTMENTS.

every unit in their complex is infested,
and my daughter and i have huge medical bills now.

november 6th-2010.

2011-04-19T14:05:00.001-04:00

october 31st-2010.

2011-04-19T13:54:00.002-04:00

playing dress up.

october 30th-2010.

2011-04-19T13:48:00.003-04:00

october 9th-2010.

2011-04-19T13:45:00.001-04:00

plans are under way.

october 1st-2010.

2011-04-19T13:42:00.002-04:00

the ring.
almost as pretty as the man
who gave it to me.

september 29th-2010.

2011-04-19T13:38:00.002-04:00

wilbur boathouse.
in april, this will be where
i say my vows.

september 15th-2010.

2011-04-19T13:33:00.004-04:00

little bear.

franklin.

august 16th-2010.

2011-04-19T13:25:00.001-04:00

first day
of
first grade..

july 15th-2010.

2011-04-19T13:21:00.002-04:00

the newest member of the hoover family,

little bear.

july 9th-2010.

2011-04-19T13:17:00.003-04:00

in an effort to max out on protein, i attempted to eat eggs.
my attempt failed.

july 4th-2010.

2011-04-19T13:14:00.002-04:00

july 1st-2010.

2011-04-19T13:09:00.002-04:00

june 29th-2010.

2011-04-19T13:07:00.003-04:00

for the birthday princess.

june 26th-2010.

2011-04-19T12:57:00.002-04:00

celebrating six years together..

june 17th-2010.

2011-04-19T12:54:00.001-04:00

wedding poppies, for the new mrs. allison sauceda.

june 15th-2010.

2010-06-15T17:00:00.002-04:00

this is my new
favorite
airport friend.

what the photo fails to show you
is that,
along with his gorgeous belly,
he was sporting a
FANTASTIC sunburn
and a skull cap that read
"US 44th Pres: OBAMA!"
in rhinestones.
(i haven't been able to find an exact match....
but if you like the look, you can try this.)
hahahahahahahahah

june 14th-2010.

2010-06-14T12:57:00.002-04:00

june 13th-2010.

2010-06-14T12:55:00.001-04:00

a lovely evening
with a lovely girl.
(happy birthday, lauren!)

june 12th-2010.

2010-06-12T09:37:00.003-04:00

the first baby tooth
has fallen..
kindergarten is over..

growing up is bittersweet.

the latest addition to the
hoover
household.

june 11th-2010.

2010-06-11T16:55:00.002-04:00

june 10th-2010.

2010-06-11T16:54:00.001-04:00

june 9th-2010.

2010-06-10T14:30:00.004-04:00

and,
suddenly,
kindergarten is over.

june 5th-2010.

2010-06-10T14:30:00.001-04:00

june 3rd-2010.

2010-06-10T14:29:00.000-04:00

the scars sure are tiny,
for something that is
still
so darn painful..

june 1st-2010.

2010-06-10T14:20:00.002-04:00

may 30th-2010.

2010-06-08T13:15:00.002-04:00

may 24th-2010.

2010-06-08T13:14:00.001-04:00

may 23rd-2010.

2010-06-08T13:10:00.007-04:00

congratulations, lauren and josh!
(and, happy birthday karen!)

may 22-2010.

2010-06-08T13:09:00.004-04:00

may 21st-2010.

2010-06-08T13:08:00.003-04:00

may 5th-2010.

2010-06-08T13:06:00.001-04:00

cinco de mayo,
day after surgery,
on the way to the e.r. with symptoms of an
arterial clot.

may 4th-2010.

2010-06-08T13:04:00.001-04:00

before knee surgery..

and after..

april 4th-2010.

2010-06-08T13:03:00.001-04:00

march 6th-2010.

2010-06-08T13:02:00.001-04:00

february 14th-2010.

2010-06-08T12:59:00.004-04:00

happy valentine's day!
the boy did good...

february 9th-2010.

2010-06-08T12:58:00.000-04:00

gluten-free cake...
happy birthday, ma.

january 7th-2010.

2010-06-08T12:57:00.000-04:00

december 26th-2.

2010-06-08T12:56:00.003-04:00

december 25th-2.

2010-06-08T12:56:00.002-04:00

december 24th-2.

2010-06-08T12:53:00.003-04:00

(that is glittery reindeer food, so they can navigate their way to our home..)

december 23rd-2.

2010-06-08T12:51:00.003-04:00

holiday baking...
followed by a little self-improvement.

december 17th-2.

2010-06-08T12:49:00.001-04:00

so long, pat...we had a good run.
and...thank you for saving our lives.

december 16th-2.

2010-06-08T12:48:00.001-04:00

december 14th-2.

2010-06-08T12:45:00.005-04:00

another year older..

december 13th-2.

2010-06-08T12:33:00.001-04:00

a gift from the crafty hag, at atomic holiday bazaar.
(i had a table there again this year.)

december 8th-2.

2009-12-11T18:09:00.002-05:00

november 26th-2.

2009-12-07T18:24:00.002-05:00

give thanks,
and
make a wish.

november 23rd-2.

2009-12-07T18:23:00.000-05:00

tearing down the house.

october 31st-2.

2009-12-07T18:22:00.002-05:00

once again,
a purple
butterfly/
princess/
ballerina.

october 24th-2.

2009-12-07T18:21:00.000-05:00

zoe's first photo.

october 3rd-2.

2009-12-07T18:19:00.002-05:00

september 27th-2.

2009-12-07T18:16:00.003-05:00

happy birthday, jerry.

september 15th-2.

2009-11-11T18:35:00.001-05:00

september 10th-2.

2009-11-11T18:32:00.004-05:00

coffee-crumb-cake-muffins.

saptember 9th-2.

2009-11-11T18:31:00.000-05:00

august 29th-2.

2009-11-11T18:30:00.003-05:00