Food Blogger I Am NOT: Chocolate Chip Pie

I was looking through the photos on my computer recently and I came across a couple of shots I caught on my iPhone and ran through Instagram. 

I am fairly certain that my intention was to share the photos and recipes on this very blog.

However, as the title of this post indicates, I am not a food blogger (not really sure what kind of blogger I am) for so many reasons. So forgive me for the less than stellar photos of my kitchen creations.

I did get a shot of my After-Easter Trifle before I took it into work to share with my cellmates coworkers.

I just adapted the double chocolate trifle recipe on my blog and used some left over chocolate cake (icing and all) and Easter Reese's Cups instead of strawberries and brownies. That's what I love about trifles...as long as you have pudding and whipped topping, you can make a trifle with just about any fillings.

As for the next photo, I did indeed want to share this recipe with you but forgot to even get a photo of the Chocolate Chip Pies before I took them to my family to share. So, I had to call my sister and ask her to get a shot on her iPhone and send it to me.

This recipe is a favorite of my family and members of said family have been known to request this pie instead of birthday cake.

It's rich. It's gooey. It's really easy to make.

Chocolate Chip Pie

1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. margarine or butter, softened
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. vanilla
1 c. nuts (we use pecans)
1 c. chocolate chips
1 unbaked 8-9 inch pie shell

Beat together flour, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 325 degrees F for one hour.

I put my pie shell on a cookie sheet just in case of spillovers.

If you don't like nuts, leave them out and add some more chocolate chips! It's good either way.

Flowers for My Friend Leontien

So, Nancy over at A Rural Journal organized a wonderful surprise for our lovely friend Leontien today.

Of course, I was supposed to post a flower for Leontien at 8 a.m. this morning...I'm just 12 hours late or so. But my Love for Leontien is as strong as ever.

Hugs, my dear friend, lots and lots of hugs.

Listen To Your Mother

"Me Me, your car kind of looks like that show Hoarders."

That's a line that you never want to hear from your 6-year-old nephew.

In my defense, my car isn't THAT bad. Just look past the pile of reusable grocery bags and six half-empty plastic water bottles (and, yes, I see the irony in the previous words) and push the three jackets out of your way and take a seat!

However, that one line did more than anything else to convince me to start being more diligent about keeping up with the housework.

I just hate cleaning and clutter doesn't bother me that much - or even really at all.

I've tried different systems, downloaded organizing programs and lectured myself but the motivation rarely sticks past a weekend of heavy cleaning.

So, as much as I hate to do this...I'm going to listen to my mother (please don't tell her) and start with the small tasks. This is what she tells me at least once a month when I moan about how messy my house is.

I have always known my mom is one smart lady and my opinion was validated when I saw the quote below.

Source: simplystated.realsimple.com via Megan on Pinterest

My mom and Henry Ford think alike. Go figure.

Wish me luck in this journey. I took the first step and moved my boxes of Christmas decorations from the dining room to the garage (next step is to con a brother-in-law into carrying them up the ladder to the attic).

Small jobs, people. Small jobs!

I probably won't blog about my progress - no one wants to hear about the bookcase I dusted or the stack of magazines I threw away - but I'll let you know if I come up with any great organizational tips. Don't hold your breath though!

Living Up to My Name

I have a scratch on the top of my nose.

It's noticeable and kind of embarrassing.

Why am I embarrassed?

Because I got it while bending down to pick up a large poster board that I had fallen under my desk. When I picked it up, I hit my nose with it.

How dumb it that? It reminded me of this Pinterest find, which I know I have shared on here before.

Source: Uploaded by user via Megan on Pinterest

I have been asked many times if my middle name is Grace.

No, it isn't. It's Marie, thanks for asking.

However, I do relate very much to a book I read as a middle schooler. I wonder why...

Source: goodreads.com via Megan on Pinterest

Is there a book or book title that you really relate to or describes you perfectly?

If so, please share.

Two Little Butterflies

For almost 10 years, my family and I had been blessed with a new generation of boys in our family.

I am one of four girls so when my older sister and her husband produced a trio of boys (not all at once) we were thrilled. My younger sister added a fourth boy to the mix almost four years ago. 

We reveled in the madness...and the wrestling.

It was all tractors, trains and superheroes. 

Then these two came along...

And we finally had a chance to buy baby dolls, dresses and lots and lots of pink!

On Easter, my baby sister got them both a set of butterfly wings.

It was adorable.

This one just wanted to fly outside to get some Easter eggs.

This one pretended to fly and "fell down" to make us laugh.

So, I believe we now have the best of both worlds - the battles to save the world from evil AND the tea parties with dolls and teddy bears.

Many Faces of JJ

I was looking through my photos from Easter and found this set. 

They totally capture the essence of JJ, my niece.

 "What are you looking at?"

"OMG, Aunt MeeMee." 

"Is that candy over there? Give me one!"

Did you notice the portable high chair JJ is sitting in? It's the perfect size when put on the floor - they can back their little bottoms right into it!

I'm not a mom but I think this is the best invention EVER.

Use it at home and don't waste space on a high chair.

Take it to grandma's house.

Use it to corral crazy toddlers ANYWHERE (even the cabin).

NOTE:  The link in this post is an affiliate link. Just lettin' you know!

Easter Egg Hunt Fun

We had a wonderful Easter this year.

After an early church service, we headed to the farm for Easter brunch. We filled the house with family. Just counting my immediate family, we are at 15 people. Add in a couple of aunts, uncles and cousins and we were in the 20s.

It was a GREAT day. We just don't spend as much time with our extended family now that my grandparents are gone and I miss it.

But in the end, it's all about these girls and boys...

(Note: Baby Sister wants me to point our that her little girl 

DID wear a jacket for the hunt...she was inside when we 

decided on an impromptu photo shoot.)

I made my sister snap a shot of my oldest nephew with me.

I can't believe how grown-up he looks these days.

It was a beautiful - yet windy - day for an Easter Egg Hunt. I'm sure not a lot of folks have as big of a yard as we do for a hunt. Eggs were spread far and wide but I think they were all found.

The cell phone was NOT hidden in the yard.

This is my favorite photo of the day...I'm not sure why.

These are only a FEW of the many photos I snapped yesterday. I'll bore you with bring you more as the week goes on.

 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 

Psalms 118:22