My friend, Sara, became famous today. I had the pleasure of living with her at BYU before Ben and I got hitched. Now Sara and her friend write the blog, Our Best Bites. Check them out!
Here's Sara on a news show in SLC.

Girls Night

Ben always has parties when I leave town to celebrate his temporary bachelorhood. They usually involve hours upon hours of video games and a potato chip here and there.
Ben's going to Dallas for a photo shoot tomorrow, so I think I should have a girls night at my house. We can make cookie dough, paint our toenails, watch Moulin Rouge, and end the night with a pillow fight!
Or... I could just watch The Office, put Lukie to bed, and play on the internet. Hopefully there won't be any scary noises when I'm home alone!

Baby Shower goodies

Megan and Jeff are due with twins in November, but won't make it that long. Megan is on bed rest in the hospital for now until they come - hopefully not for several more weeks. She's handling it like a champ and is in a much better mood than I would think possible. Go Megan!
Saturday we had a baby shower at the hospital. Due to Megan's persistent asking and a few tears, she was allowed to get out of bed, put on real clothes, and be wheeled down to the dining hall for a good old fashioned baby shower. We had great food, a "guess the birth date" contest, and a really cute pregnant girl and her hubby her company.
Jeana and I made a diaper cake, which served as hospital decor, and several people made the yummy treats for the big event. I made these cookies:

My mom gave me the recipe that she found in a magazine. They are like sugar cookies, made with brown sugar, and the frosting is made with browned butter.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 t soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t powder
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening (you could use part butter, too)
2 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Combine dry ingredients.
Whip shortening and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla.
Add alternately, dry ingredients & sour cream. Add walnuts.
I put mine in the refrigerator for a while to get cold.
Bake at 375 for 10 - 12 minutes.

Browned Butter Frosting:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter
1 t vanilla

Melt butter, stir with a wooden spoon. Once it browns a little, add to powdered sugar. Add vanilla. I used an electric mixer and had to add some milk to get the right consistency. I might have let my butter cook too long.
You could make another half of the recipe so each cookie gets a good amount of frosting.

Fetish Friday

Today's Fetish Friday is dedicated to Ashley and Dani because they both left Austin today and they both share a shoe obsession with me. She is called Esther and she comes from Style & Co. I think she deserves a spicier name than Esther, but whatever. Maybe her parents don't like her.
She is a spicy little number and she would look hot with a black skirt or nice jeans. Esther can be yours for $59.

Now Accepting Applications

Ben and I are now accepting applications for friends in or around the Austin area. Applicants are asked to submit a cover letter as well as 3 snap shots. Qualifying applicants should be awesome in general and have a great sense of humor, as well as the ability to handle our sarcastic humor, naughty comments, and disastrous cooking experiments.

Within the next few weeks we are losing from our group:
Danielle and Tanner, to Arizona
Jen and Ryan, to Dallas
Ashley and Michael, to California
Missy and Greg, to Nebraska

Then as if that wasn't enough, we know that within the next 6 or 7 months we will lose Scott and Becca, as well as Jeff and Megan because they will graduate and become really important people. Then in 2010 it will be Jamie and Chris... I guess that's what we get for living in a college town.

We'll miss you guys!