Apricot & White Chocolate Cookies

When I was a kid
we had an apricot tree
in our backyard.

Our summers
were filled with...
1. helping Mom prune the tree
2. waiting patiently for them to ripen
3. sharing in a wonderful snack
as we played throughout the day.

So, when I found this recipe
I could not resist but try them.

They were so delicious.

Apricot and White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup dried apricots (chopped)
1/2 cup white chocolate (coarsely chopped)

Directions:
1. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl.
2. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
3. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl.
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
5. Mix in the rolled oats, apricots and white chocolate.
6. Place the dough onto a cookie sheet one table spoon at a time.
7. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.

Thanks to Closet Cooking for this recipe. Everyone should keep tabs on that blog....there are some great recipes there.

Guadalajara

Coco

I want
to see
this movie.

Coco avant Chanel

I love the actress.
I love the perfume.
I love the clothes.

pictures via: Bandelle Blog

Where did the sun go?

It was so beautiful a few weeks ago...

now it is just all rainy.

Image via: Carambatack Designs

Confetti

This "Confetti Dress"...

is just one thing I love
that is made by
Modern Amusement.

Mexico - Part Four

The city of Chapala,
where we stayed,
is known as a
resort town.

So it was filled with many different
markets and shops.
Beans were sold...

Fresh fruit
(which was amazing)...

People, just relaxing out in the sun...

Herbs...

Spanish Art and Architecture...

Churches...

Inside...

Buildings...

Fountains...

Palms...

More to come tomorrow.

Mexico - Part Three

Lake Chapala
in the morning...

Abandoned Life Guard tower...

Boat rides...

They had this walkway
all along the lake shore in Chapala.
And all throughout the walkway
there were scattered little shops
where you could buy...

Beer...




Jewelry...



Various Drinks
(Pina Coladas).



More to come tomorrow.

Mexico - Part Two

Like I said yesterday...
Micah and I went to Mexico with a purpose.
To help build a home for a family who lived in this ....

... Micah (and Andy) bringing in the supplies...

...the process of building...

...Micah, cutting through a concrete wall...

...Micah, measuring...

...me, measuring...

...the wonderful people we worked with,
the finished project (the home),
and the people we built it for...

...there are more pictures to come.

Mexico - Part One

As you might know,
I was in Mexico
during the first two weeks of April.

Here are some of the pictures...

This was where we stayed.
You can see Lake Chapala in the background.
It was a beautiful view.
Especially beautiful at night
when the lights of the city illuminated the lake shore.

There were the most vibrant colored flowers.

Many homes had these
(home-made) planter boxed nailed to the walls.
They made me smile.

But we did go there with a purpose.
The purpose was to build a home.

Tomorrow I will be posting pictures of the building process.

But I will leave you with this...

These chickens looked like
they had been to hell and back.
Feathers missing...
skinny as a rail...
but they still decided to cluck
the whole time we were working.
This too put a smile on my face.

Indoor

I realized the other day,
that I have no indoor plants or flowers.
None at all!

So I went out to fix that little problem.



Now I have these beautiful flowers
brightening up my kitchen.

Micah

Micah...




I am so happy that you are home.

via: Keep Calm Gallery

The season....

...for swimming is quickly approaching.

Here are a few
swim suits that I love.

These were designed by:
Norman Kamali