Fill in the Blank Friday

Linking up with Lauren at the little things we do for another Fill in the Blank Friday!

[1] Something popular that I can't stand/just don't "get" is Jersey Shore.

[2] Something unpopular that I secretly love is reading about natural disasters and missing persons cold cases.  Not in a weird way, mind you.  But I am fascinated by these kinds of stories.

[3] When I've had a bad day I need hugs from Ryan.

[4] I'd prefer hanging at home on the couch with Ryan to going out and about any day.

[5] Something that makes me nervous is being around a large group of people.

[6] Something worth fighting for is true love.

[7] When people thing of me, I hope they think of a genuine and caring person, who makes their life better.

Take Luck,

LP

Dear Monday

Linking up for another Dear Monday with Megan at Happy Day!

Dear Monday, You did not suck as bad as last Monday.  That is all I have to say to you.

Dear Daddio/Faja, You retired today after 37 years of government service.  I am so proud of you.  On your first week of retirement you already get a new job: puppysitting!

Dear Sar, I am so sorry that I did not participate in your Starbucks Sunday.  I don't take a lot of time for myself, but this just may inspire me to do so!

Dear Hubby, I will take you on in a baby powder fight any day or night.  You going down, sucka.

Dear Nephew-Who-Is-Yet-To-Be-Named, If you could coordinate your arrival with our trip to St. Louis... Your Aunt Lauren and Uncle Ryan would really appreciate it.  And I think your Mommy would too.

That is all.

Take Luck,

LP

Plum Crisp

I mentioned in my previous post, that my current obsession is Plum Crisp.

I went over to my friend Meg's house last night and she shared this absolute deliciousness.

So, I decided to share it with you.

I apologize in advance for the mouth watering you will experience while reading this post.

Here is what you need for Plum Crisp:

Crisp:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Plum Filling:

4 plums thinly sliced, pit removed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 by 8 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. To make the crisp, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.

Stir in the melted butter and mix until mixture is moist. 

Press half of the crisp topping into the prepared baking dish.

3. For the plum filling, put the plums, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla in a large bowl.

Stir until plums are well coated.

4. Spread the plums evenly over the bottom layer of the crisp.

Sprinkle the remaining crisp over the plums. Gently pat the crisp topping down.

5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, or until the crisp is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.  Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra deliciousness.

Our house smells delicious.  Like brown-sugary-cinnamony-plums.

Enjoy!

If you try it out, let me know what you think!!

Take Luck,

LP

Fill in the Blank Friday

It is time to link up with Lauren at the litte things we do for another Fill in the Blank Friday!

[1] My current obsession is plum crisp.

[2] Fridays off make me happy.

[3] My greatest strength is being a hard worker.

[4] Feeling anxious, nervous and overwhelmed are my greatest weaknesses.

[5] My life is beautifully wonderful.  I can't wait to add to our family. 

[6] In high school I was a three-sport athlete. 

[7] When I'm super tired my pigeon-toed-ness comes out full force. 

Well, that was easy!

Take Luck,

LP

Day 15: High & Low

Day 15: What were your highs and lows of this past month?

I have to say I surprised myself by making it through this whole challenge, and unscathed.  Blogging everyday is not easy.

Highs
- Hosting Ryan's Aunt Debbie, Uncle Dave and Izzy
- Hearing news that our friends are expecting their first baby
- Ending a long string of traveling for work
- Knocking down week after week of Stats
- Counting down days to our trip to St. Louis

Lows
- My team lead at work lost his son, 21, in a motorcycle accident.  The remarkable thing has been seeing our team come together to support him and his family.
- Feeling unmotivated at work

Overall, I would say that this month has been a good one.

Any other lows I might list would be insignificant and selfish.  Right now, I feel really lucky and happy to say that I (and we!) had a great month.

Take Luck,

LP