hanging out on my parents' porch

pumpkin cookies

I love these iced pumpkin cookies!! If you know me, you know I don't like to cook, but these are a fall must-have! We are going to make some for family home evening this Monday and share them with friends and family. You should try some too!...Yummy!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FROSTING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

date.night

On Friday, Angel and Dan invited us to hang out with them. We went to Panera Bread for dinner--(I got the Smokehouse Turkey panini, and it was delicious!!) Then Dan and Joel went to the Ocala Speedway to watch some races and Angel and I went shopping and then back to my place. Their little daughter, Mary, was so cute running around and playing. It was a fun night and I'm really happy I get to work with Angel! She has made my new job a much easier transition! I hope we can get together more in the future.

this week...

Well, I finally got a job! After a month of searching in a really bad economy, I was blessed to get an offer as an Exceptional Ed teacher at Wyomina Park Elementary! The position requires a higher certification than K-6 (what I currently have), so I actually had to register to take a licensure exam in three days! Luckily, I passed--yay! So I will be working with kids who are struggling in reading and math in grades K, 1, and 2. I start tomorrow. (yikes)

On another note, I finally got motivated and went out and put together tons of stuff for our 72-hour kits. Me and my mom raided the Dollar Tree and Target and have almost everything we need except for some more food. And I'm excited because I now have some room to store it!

Joel and I were asked to speak in sacrament on the 24th (wah!)and the topic is "The coming forth of the Book of Mormon." If any of you guys have ideas/input to help me with this topic it would be MUCH appreciated. I haven't spoken in sacrament for 5 years, and I'm crazy nervous!!!

That's just a quick update! I will be posting pictures as soon as I get my software!

happy birthday baby shaki!!

Little Shaki is two!! She's so a-dorable! She looks just like her mama! Happy Birthday Shaki, from Auntie Lori.

home.sweet.home

This is our new home and community in Ocala. I will try and get some pics up of the inside of the house soon! We are really enjoying having our own place!

hubby tag

I was tagged. This is kinda cute...so here we go.

1. What is his name?
Joel Christopher Lind
2. Who eats more?
Ummm..JOEL! I call him the garbage disposal.
3. Who said "I love you" first?
I can"t remember??
4. Who is taller?
He is. He's 5'9 1/2" and I'm 5'3".
5. Who is smarter?
We each have our own things we're "smart" in. Joel is better at Math than me. But I have a much larger vocabulary and understanding of language. He has more common sense.
6. Who is more sensitive?
haha. It's equal.
7. Who does the laundry?
We each do our own laundry.
8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
I'm always closest to the bathroom.
9. Who pays the bills?
Both of us.
10. Who cooks more?
JOELIE!
11. What meals do you cook together?
When we're cooking for someone else, we cook together.
12. Who is more stubborn?
That would be ME!
13. Who is the first to admit they are wrong?
Joelie.
14. Who has more siblings?
He does. He has a brother and a sister. I only have a brother.
15. Who wears the pants in the relationship?
We both do.
16. What do you like to do together?
Watch movies, eat out at restaurants, work out, shop!, watch american idol and other reality tv, play games, take walks.
17. Who eats more sweets?
ME. Although, he does love his ice cream.
18. His guilty pleasures?
You Tube skate videos and episodes of "the office."
19. How did you meet?
We met the day after I moved to Provo in 2005 thru the church ;)
20. Who asked out who first?
Joel texted me and asked me out! We went to the Peaks Arena and Tyler's house on our first date.
21. Who kissed who first?
We kissed on our first date. I know I know. It was mutual.
22. Who proposed?
He proposed to me after a year and a half of dating on June 26, 2006. (6-26-06). I had just flown back to SLC from Florida, and he picked me up from the airport and took me to the Gateway to one of my favorite Thai restaurants and then he wanted to take a walk. Ugh! I was tired. But then we walked to the Salt Lake Temple and he wanted to sit down on a bench in the garden. Then he got down on one knee, gave me flowers, read me a poem that he wrote, and then proposed! It was a beautiful sunny day and the temple was gorgeous. I will never forget it.
23. His best features?
Joel has a good heart, he's honest, he's athletic. He has a cute bubble butt! lol. I love how he always has a tan year-round. He works hard and tries his best. He is sensitive to the Spirit and realizes the importance of the gospel.
24. What is one of his greatest qualities?
He is able to put up with me on a regular basis!! And still loves me. =))