They Come With Cookies...

It's the season. You may not realize what the season is, but you do know it. Once you see them, you realize what season it is, which may cause happiness or terror.

Folks, it's Girl Scout Cookie season.

Let's be honest: Girl Scout Cookies are not a culinary masterpiece. However, I think it's the rarity of them that makes them so special. Only one time a year. You best not forget it. Then again, there's always someone around who knows someone selling them.

Yeah, I've seen all of those fancy-smancy homemade versions of Girl Scout Cookies. Oh yes, I bet they are delicious. Still, there's something about that boxed version you just can't get out of a homemade cookie. There are times for homemade, and then there are times where you just can't replicate. Another example would be those god-awful sugar cookies from the store that have an inch thick of neon frosting on them. So awful, but I adore them. No idea why.

I've always been a Tagalong girl. Give me the peanut butter and chocolate, and we're good. My family has always loved Samoas, but I just don't dig them. Coconut tastes good, but I hate that texture. Sure, they are tasty, but... Eh. And Thin mints? Give me any other dessert than minty, please. Mint is not dessert, it's a breath freshener.

I think I'll call my dad and ask him if he'll get some for me. Someone at his work is always selling them. Well, I should just call my dad to say hello anyways. Be a good kid or something, right?

Do you like Girl Scout Cookies? What's your favorite kind?

Baking Cookies

Today I had some people over, and you know what we did? If you said baked cookies while Hannah ate far too many, you'd be right!
And I forgot to take the camera out again. It happens. With me, anyways.

During this baking session, we happened to make one of my favorite holiday cookies of all time: Treasure Cookies.

What are treasure cookies you ask? Here's a look:

Simple, eh. But then split it open:

And that's where the magic happens. To make it, you pretty much just take a piece of candy. Then wrap it in cookie dough. Then bake it. Amazingness.
Really, it's just an excuse for me to be able to eat more peanut butter cups.

I think my favorite overall cookie is chocolate chip though. When I was younger, I adored snicker doodle. Don't know why I don't love them as much anymore. Perhaps it's because of the lack of chocolate.

This is my favorite seasonal cookie. This doesn't seem like it's very festive, but this is the only time that we usually make them. Probably because if we made them at any other time of the year, we'd all gain twenty pounds every week.

Cookies. Just one of the best desserts ever in my opinion.

What's your favorite type of cookie? Do you have a special occasion cookie?

What Makes the Perfect Mom?

Today was Mother's Day, and I'd like to think that everyone either spent time with their moms or sent them love any way they could.
With the idea of Mother's Day, it gets a person thinking. Just what makes the perfect mother? Really, the answer to that is different for everyone. For me, my perfect mom doesn't need to know how to cook the perfect meal. She sometimes can make dirty jokes that make you cringe and laugh at the same time. She doesn't always tell you what you want to hear, but sometimes tells you what you need to hear. She helps you out even when you say you don't need it (but in reality you do). She wants you to go for your dreams, but she wants you to look at things realistically. She's not trying to be negative, she just doesn't want to see you get hurt. The perfect mom isn't truly perfect. If she were, it wouldn't feel like she was as special. The perfect mom forgets things sometimes. She says things that can be really awkward.
But she's still perfect.

You may look at that and think, "What? Those are weird things to say about your mom being the best mom." Yet, I know if you listed off things for why your mom is the best, I might look at and think, "What the heck? I'm glad my mom isn't weird like that."
For instance, I just watched the movie Babies. Other than ogling at the adorable actions of some of the babies, I watched some of the parenting skill with absolute terror.

• (Is it really a good idea to sit in a hot tub with a baby?
• Why... Why did she wipe that there? I'm gonna throw.
• The little guy is out there all alone! What are you doing?)

See? Even in different cultures, different cities! The right way to be a mom (or dad) can be seen in different ways. I know that I wouldn't have the first clue how to be a mom.

I love my mom, just the way she is. I get annoyed sometimes and I know she gets annoyed too, but that's just life.

Speaking of today, I decided to go down to the hometown to go to lunch and a movie with my mom. Somehow, I ended up getting help filling out forms, and getting food to bring home.

Oh mom.

If you have a mom, or maybe two moms, or maybe two dads, or whatever you have. Whoever raised you, don't just show them love on one day. Remember how awesome they are everyday.

What makes your mom special?

Reasons for Health and Lack of Interaction

When we work towards being healthy or fit, we usually have to ask ourselves what we're doing it for. Are we trying to look good for an event we've been invited to, or maybe for a career? There are many reasons why people want to stay fit.
My reason? I feel better. When I'm in not so great of shape, I usually don't feel very good. I guess this is an obvious thing, but sometimes you realize that you never knew how good you felt until you weren't at that same level. It's like being sick. You don't realize how sweet it is to be healthy until you start the sniffling and coughing.
Why do I like to run? Because my body has shown me that I can.

Although eating a bunch of cookies tonight? Probably not on the right track to feeling fit. Still, they were delicious.

Nothing much to say for the day, simply 'cause it was a mostly do nothing day. Did some homework, lounged about... Although I almost went crazy from the lack of human interaction. There was no one around! And if they were around, they weren't looking to chat.

Also, thanks for all of the advice from yesterday! I guess I shouldn't let it worry me as long as I'm actually working hard, but I just do. Hearing rational thoughts from others helps.

Why do you like to stay healthy/fit?

Junk Food Fuel and Running Off Days

Huzzah!
No real reason for that, I just heard that phrase and I didn't know how to start the post.

Today I discovered many things about my running. One thing I will never do again? Never take two days off from running ever again. Also, never fuel yourself with pretty much only cookies. It's like filling a car's gas tank with grape Kool-Aid. You're filling it with something, but it's not the same. Augh. I did not realize that I had swallowed a boulder, or what felt like one in my stomach. Owah. I ran 8.75 miles though! Nice.

Whenever I run, I start thinking of my body as a machine. Here's how the thought process works:

Hey, how are you doing legs? Working pretty good, keep moving forward. Stomach, how are you feeling? Ooh, kind of feeling gross. Head? Yeah, snot coming from ya. Nasty.
Sure, the machine can be a bit dysfunctional at times, but it works for me.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! What! Can't really think much right now, so no more stuff from me.

How does your body react to bad fuel?

Treasure Cookies and Getting Ready for Break

Thank you guys for the well wishes for my finals! The verdict? I believe I killed them! Well, for the most part.

My last final was History this morning, and whoa. The teacher thinks a good essay is about 3-4 pages in the large blue books. There were three essays along with two definitions. Personally, that's a lot of freakin' writing. I wrote right on through those two hours of test time. By the time I was done, I was dizzy from writing so much! Writing can take a lot out of me sometimes if I'm seriously writing.

After the finale of my finals, I caught up on my Tuesday shows Glee and Raising Hope. Ah, how great were they? Holiday-themed episodes are seriously the best. The one downside I've realized is that they probably won't have any new episodes until the new year... Curses.

Since there was no more studying to do, what did I spend the entire rest of the afternoon doing?

That's right. I made cookies. No, that's not really dough, that's just butter and sugar mixed together. It just looked cool. I'm one of those people who loves to give gifts to people, and I thought it would be nice to give some hall mates something. This lead to the thought, "What if someone feels left out?" This ended in me making a huge batch of treasure cookies.



This was after I had already stuffed some bags with cookies. There were about 100 altogether.

 If you've ever had treasure cookies, you'll know that they are delightful cookies with pieces of candy hidden inside. I have very distinct memories of searching through a batch of said cookies, on a mission to find the cookies with Reese's Peanut Butter cups inside.
I love the classic treats, but the more I hear about raw desserts, the more they sound delicious. I should look into venturing to get some during break.

I can't wait to go home, but I have to get all packed up first! It's one of those things where you just don't know where to start, you know?

Do you make gifts for other people? What type of treats bring back memories?