Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Well.. A lot has happened! We got a car!!! (no more bus!) We think it's so cute and it runs great. Matty did a little landscaping to the tree shown and we're waiting to see what the housing office thinks.. but no more bird droppings in the mornings!

This couple was moving back to the mainland and posted it on Craigslist around Christmas. Matty called them up a day or two after and it was ours last week! Our little candy apple red Subaru is a 5-speed so we both have refreshed our skills at driving clutch (no, neither of us have stalled it)

School started for us both on Monday and we like our classes. Only a few left for Matt and he's done! So weird to think we will be moving again this September! He is most excited for his investments class and eager to start his own soon.

Last Saturday we went to one of our favorite places to eat breakfast in Kailua called Cinnamon's . They have the best Guava chiffon, or pumpkin pancakes, cinnamon rolls, and french toast!

Then we went to Makapuu beach and bodysurfed for a while. We plan on hiking the lighthouse soon and going back for some snorkeling. It was so pretty!(pictures to come) On our way home Matty met up with a guy who posted golf clubs for sale online, he picked those up and played a game with a friend later in the day.
We also got new neighbors.. Let's just say we miss our old ones.

Possibly my favorite cookie

*Updated 7.30.2012*

-Not a quick throw together cookie- Also these bake best if they get to hang out in the fridge for a while. (over night is best, but at least 3 hours)

Matty got me this book as a present for our first Christmas together! :) The first month or so of us dating consisted of him coming over a lot to bake with me and walk my dog Cinnamon. My Mom or i would go to the HB library and check out as many cook books as we could and try as many recipes as we could before renewing it again, and again.. and finally surrendering it back to the library. This is one of my favorite books and one of the first recipes we tried together. i think it's a winner
i made these today for an afternoon get together at Matty's professor's house - warning - They go fast especially right out of the oven!


MAGNOLIA BAKERY CHOCOLATE DROP COOKIES

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

2 1/4 C flour

2/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/3 C (2 2/3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened - i never use that much. Usually about 2 does it for me

1 C sugar - i use 3/4

2/3 C firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3 TBS milk - today i used heavy whipping cream (just for fun) and wow did it whip up

1 TBS vanilla

1 1/2 C coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

4 coarsely chopped Heath Bars -or- chocolate covered toffee bars (about 1 C)

1/2 C vanilla chips - now honestly, why stop at 1/2 a cup? i make it an even 1C

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt--set aside. (i always sift my flour but stir in the coco powder later since it sticks to everything, especially in Hawaii humidity) Make sure it's good and mixed!

In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugars until smooth (about 3 minutes); add the eggs one at a time and mix well.  Add the milk and the vanilla.  Mix in Heath, vanilla chips (or white choc), and nuts if desired). Add the flour mixture till all incorperated but do not over mix.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets (or TBS with Matty)--leave several inches between for expansion.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing onto cooling rack. (or your mouth)
-- if you're bringing these somewhere or like your baked goods to look extra nice, save about 1/2 cup of chips and place them on top of the dough before baking and they come out looking store bought! With out the nasty flavor of course ;)

i'm not one for New Year's resolutions..

In the past i have never made a New Years resolution, nor has that ever bothered me. Sure there's things i want to improve on like being more organized, more punctual, more service oriented, or other worthy things of self improvement; however i have never had the desire to lose weight, run a marathon, quit the smoking problem i've never had, or some of the other typical resolutions out there. If i want to do something i will do it, be it March, May or October. i have never waited for January 1 to think of something i want to do.
Until last night.. you see, this year i turned 20 (no more "teenage years" for me), got married(!), and moved 2,390 miles away from home. Needless to say it's felt like i've grown up quite a bit in the last while! This also got me thinking "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." -Ferris Bueller (my family heavily relies on movie quotes to communicate. Have fun following along) and when i have kids (you know, in a million years from now) and they ask "What did you do when you lived in Hawaii?" "What was in fashion when___?" (Getting married almost exactly 4 months after the Royal Wedding , these things need to be documented) or "What did you do when you were a kid/in high school/college/newly married?" (heaven forbid i forget! but let's face it, time has a way of making things fuzzy.. sadly.) Another thing that i saw and think is the best idea is this: Google add that a creative dad did for his daughter. Yes, it made me cry the first time i watched it (i cry a lot. Thanks Mom..)
So why not make a journal (this Blog) for my kids and let them read what they want about Matt's and my life? Some of these posts will be about past events, some about food we make (and eat), places we go, books we read, family they have (that they may never get to know as we know), songs we like, conversation they never could sit in on, and whatever else we decide to post that we want them to know. Lucky for you, you get to follow along to! :) So welcome to the Holladay blog! My New Year's idea
Love,
Paigee