Spa Sunday: Hair Mask

Today we made a hair mask! It works SUPER well and only has 2 ingredients!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp honey

YIELD: Makes about 10 fl ounces.

Mix ingredients together. Apply to damp hair. Let sit for 30 minutes, Rinse off with cool water.

Spa Sunday: Homemade Shaving Cream

Today we made homemade shaving cream (works for legs, armpits, and faces-if men felt like using it-)!

Ingredients:

1 C shampoo
1 C conditioner
5 Tbsp lotion
5 Tbsp baby shampoo

YIELD: Fills about one (normal sized) shampoo bottle, completely.
Mix ingredients together. Let sit for 1 hour. Use!

A White Christmas?

Last year we had a brown Christmas. No snow, very dry. It kind of dampened the mood, you know? Like when you don't hear your favorite Christmas song, I, Ashton, heard my favorite Christmas song on the radio on Monday. It brightened the mood and now there's a forecast for 5-10 inches of snow! This afternoon it should snow and it should be cold the rest of the week and the snow should stay! Sadly, it probably won't go up to 90 degrees the rest of this season...but its worth it!

Now, let us thank God for Who He gave us and the lives He gives every day. Though sometimes He may take them away, He always has a reason. Let us remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!

Spa Sunday: Body Butter

Today we made body butter! Not only is it moisturizing, but super easy too!

Ingredients:

Coconut oil

YIELD: Makes a lot!

Beat the oil on high for 7-10 minutes. Lather where needed (we recommend after shaving).

The "Candy Steeler"

Who is the candy steeler? Let me, Ashton, tell you.

One day in Spanish class...

TEACHER: What animal is this?

ME/ASHTON: ¿El mono?

PERSON #1: ¿El mono?

PERSON #2/THE CANDY STEELER: ¿El mono?

Before I go on, you must know that we get rewards--chocolate, for those who were wondering--for getting certain questions right. And this was one of those questions.

TEACHER: Correct, PERSON#2/THE CANDY STEELER [The teacher didn't actually say, 'PERSON #2/THE CANDY STEELER, but I'm not going to reveal names.], pick a peice of candy. :)

As you can probably guess...

ME/ASHTON AND PERSON #1'S FACES:          :O 

aka

a "WHAT!?" face.

It feels good to let this out, so, so long for now. A new story will come soon...maybe labeled--THE "CANDY-STEELER" STRIKES AGAIN--For he has, multiple times. And I doubt he'll stop now.

Smart People

Okay, so while browsing on Pinterest, we came across this description-which wasn't a description-

"So I had no voice at work today & since I work at the Disney Store, I had a little notepad, in which I wrote, "Can't speak, Ursula the Sea Witch stole my voice! But I'm happy to assist you!" And a little girl came up to me, read my notepad, grabbed my hand and dragged me all around the store asking random guys if they'd like to be my "true love" so I can get my voice back and stay human, it was the most adorable, awkward situation I had ever been in. Everyone else got a kick out of my reference too."

-We don't know who said this, it had been re-pinned multiple times before we saw it. :( 

Obviously this girl is smart. And she wanted publicity for this (why else would she put int on PINTEREST?). 

Well now you all know that she's smart and have inspiration-to continue being smart, of course-! And now you know where to go to get someone to blog about it! Even if nobody happens to read that blog! 

-Have a happy day!

Movie Review: "The Notebook"

Rating: PG-13

Our Rating: 14 and up, or 10 and up with fast-forwarding

Can Compare Rating To: "Dear John"

Great Review For Parents: http://www.pluggedin.com/videos/2004/Q4/Notebook.aspx    

Pros

• Casting: Overall, great casting, all actors fit their parts :)
• Acting: Well done-no need to expand. 
• Plot: Awesome! But it doesn't give you enough time to be sucked into their lives-but they couldn't do that without making the movie too long. 

Middles

• No middles for this one!

Cons

• There are a few things we cannot talk about here because it isn't "appropriate for younger ages", so we put up the link above that we trust which goes into all the details.
• Language: Not too bad, not PG  but then again not noticeably PG-13; however, we didn't count.
• Drugs/Alcohol: They drink a lot. They also smoke a lot-but its the 20th century-they don't know what it does yet.

Conclusion

• A great movie, but parents need to preview or trust their 14-and-under-children with this kind of a movie before allowing them to watch it. OR learn how to work the fast-forward-er.
• We could add a "Spoiler Alert", but we find its better to just let you watch it yourselves!

Food Friday: Home-made Pizza

This week we made home-made pizza! And it is a two-part recipe! We are trying to decide whether that makes this recipe more funne or fun (see our AAnary for more funne words!)

PIZZA DOUGH

1 C. Water

1 Tsp. Salt

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

3 C. Flour

2 Tsp. Yeast

2 Tbs. Cornmeal Optional*

Now you're SUPPOSED to mix this all up in a special order, but it works if you just mix it all together :). Once the dough is mixed (we used a captain hook mixer), spread onto a normal-sized pizza pan (*sprinkle with cornmeal). Place into an oven at 400 (where is the degrees sign?) for 15 minutes.

PIZZA TOPPINGS

1 Can of Pizza Sauce

2 C. Mozzarella Cheese

1 C. Pre-cooked Pepperoni or Hamburger Meat

After dough has been pre-cooked, place all toppings on pizza dough (in the order above). And put into an oven at 415 (where is the degrees sign?) for 10 minutes. 

And voila! You're done! Let it cool for 5 or so minutes and cut with a pizza cutter!

Courtesy of: Ashton's mom
YIELD: 1 pizza, for 4-6 people.

bon appétit!

Food Friday: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Today we made chocolate chip cookie dough truffles! They are super easy and really funne! It's another two-parter so here's the recipe!

COOKIE DOUGH

1/2 C. Butter

3/4 C. Brown Sugar

1 Tsp. Banilla

2 1/2 C. Flour

1 14-Oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

3/4 C. Mini Chocolate Chips

Cream together the butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Alternately add the sweetened condensed milk and the flour and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips. Chill the dough for 1 hour.

Using a 1 1/2 teaspoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough and then roll each portion into a ball and place on a lined cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer and freeze for 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE

2 12-Oz. Bags Chocolate Chips

1/4 C. Coconut Oil (or vegetable oil)

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and the coconut oil. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each 30 seconds, until the mixture is smooth. Dip the frozen cookie dough balls in the chocolate and allow to harden. If desired, drizzle leftover chocolate over the truffles. Best served cold. 

Courtesy of: Our Best Bites

YIELD: Makes a LOT, like over 120 truffles!

bon appétit!

Thankful

Yes, today is NOT Thanksgiving. But tomorrow we will be super busy so we are posting today. Wellz...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

It's a day for eating, laughing, being with family, and most importantly, eating--ALOT being thankful. Why? Because we have a lot to be thankful for, and this year we wrote a poem.

________________________________________________________________

Thank-you God for everything,

for life and the necessities.

For yummy pie and chicken wings,

for always answering with ease.

For a home not a house,

and a beautiful blouse.

For a car--or 2,

for trips to the zoo.

Though this (to say) might seem crazy,

we're thankful for time to be lazy.

For sunny days,

mixed with Winter rays.

For our family,

for the love,

the tigerlilly,

that doesn't shove.

We thank You for this,

and all of your gifts.

________________________________________________________________

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

And for all to eat pie!

Life Is A Roller Coaster

You've all heard it, but have you really thought about it?

There are the ups, where you're climbing, climbing and climbing. You feel so good to be working yet you want to rest. You just can't think, just waiting to get past that moment, unable to breath, lost. 

Then there are the downs, sliding past your sight. And you can't think, can't imagine the adrenaline from the ups because the downs are there. Right there. You're in the moment, the world sliding past you and you wanting it to stop. Just stop because you want that perfect moment. 

Then there are those special moments, where you're suspended in air. The moment in-between the ups and the downs. Waiting, remembering. The climb up seems so far away, and the sliding down so close. But for some reason, you like that moment in-between, because when you're sliding down, you know what's happening next, another climb up. And when you're climbing up, you're tired, yearning for that peaceful moment. 

Maybe this isn't a perfect analogy. The ups are hard and the downs are easy. But maybe that's what makes the whole thing stick together. Because is it really bad to work? Or really good to rest 24/7? In the end, those moments of suspense are what we love because they're what's on the other side of the fence. Which always seems better. It's a breath of fresh air, like a cool glass of water after a run, or working out after watching T.V. It's new, it's different, it's life.

But in the end, you have to look at the big picture. There will be ups, there will be downs, and there will be times where you feel like throwing up! But always learn from the ups, remember the downs, and live in the now. Because it's only here for now. To paraphrase Kung Fu Panda, 'Let the past pass, forget about the future, and remember that now is a gift--that's why it's called present'.

Spa Sundays: Moisturizing Face Mask

Today we tried this moisturizing face mask! And it is AMAZING! Our faces are so smooth! And yours will be too! 

Ingrediants:

4 Tbs. Cocoa Powder

4 Tbs. Coffee Grounds*

8 Tbs. Dairy Product**

2 Tsp. Honey

YIELD: For 5-8 normal-sized faces

Mix everything together and apply to face, let sit for 30 minutes and remove with cool water (to close your pores). Next apply lotion to face and have a happy day :).

*You can use ones from your coffee you had this morning!

** You can use milk or Geek Yogurt (maybe even cottage cheese?) 

Food Friday: Tortilla Sandwich

Today we made tortilla sandwiches! We recommend having them for lunch!

Ingredients:

2 Tortillas

1/2 C. Cheese

1/4 C. Jalapenos optional*

9 Pepperonis optional**

Place a tablespoon of butter on a saucepan and set the oven at medium heat. Next put one tortilla on the saucepan. place on the cheese, *jalapenos, and **pepperonis on the tortilla and then put the second one on top of the whole thing! After 30 seconds, flip the tortilla over and let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute. Remove the tortilla and enjoy, maybe with some hot sauce mixed with ranch?

Courtesy of: Ashton
YIELD: One sandwich, for 1-2 people.

bon appétit!

Movie Review: "The Avengers"

Rating: PG-13

Our Rating: 10 and up

Can Compare Rating To: "Thor"

Great Review For Parents: http://www.pluggedin.com/videos/2012/q3/avengers.aspx  

Pros

• Casting: Overall, great casting, all actors fit their parts 
• Acting: Well done. Not much to expand :/
• Plot: O.K. But the movie seemed amateur  A good movie but you'd expect more if you've seen the original hero's movies. 

Middles

• Violence: The violence was essential but there wasn't too much. Personally, I, Ashton, fell asleep during the major fight scene.

Cons

• There are a few things we cannot talk about here because it isn't "appropriate for younger ages", so we put up the link above that we trust which goes into all the details.
• Language: Not too bad, not PG  but then again not noticeably PG-13; however, we didn't count.
• Drugs/Alcohol: Nothing really...unless you count rich people drinking champagne and NOT getting drunk...

Conclusion

• A great movie, but parents need to preview or trust their 10-and-under-children with this kind of a movie before allowing them to watch it. 
• We could add a "Spoiler Alert", but we find it's better to just let you watch it yourselves!
• As said in the "Pros", the movie seamed amaetur. Well to me, Ashton. Amber LOVED it. But I'm a perfectionist so I spot flaws a lot easier than others. 

Spa Sundays: Oil-Removing Face Mask

Today we tried an oil-removing face mask! And it really works! We recommend using it after the acne-cleansing face mask for maximum results!

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. Oatmeal
1 Tbs. Greek Yogurt
1 Tsp. Honey

Mix all ingredients together and apply to face. Let dry (10-20 minutes, depending on the weather). Remove and apply lotion.

Love it? Show your support by liking, subscribing by email, becoming a member, recommending on Google+, sharing on Twitter or Facebook or Blogging it! You can do all of this through the links below and in the right sidebar! 'And may smooth skin be ever  in your favor!'

Lies Are Like Margarine

Odd thought hu? But think about it...

On one hand, you have the truth, butter. Which is hard at first, but once it sits out for a while, its smooth, easy flowing, and you like it way better than margarine, the lies.

And, on the other hand, there's lies, margarine. Which is easy all the way through. Some people can easily use it, but others have trouble getting it down their throats. 

I, Ashton, had used margarine (we're really talking about margarine here, not lies) all my life and never knew any different. Until I had butter, I realized how much better it was and now that's what I want in place of margarine! 

But then there are the people who can't see a difference, they go their whole lives wandering between the two, not noticing how one can affect you life. Now, we aren't saying margarine will kill you or it makes you a horrible person, we are saying lies will do that. Or something of the sort. Hence the "analogies" label. They don't fit perfect but they do connect.

So what's the leader in your life? Butter or margarine? Truth or lies? 

We aren't here to yell at you. We'er here to give you a different perspective! Some people don't realize how lucky they are to have butter their whole lives! And some people can't see past the margarine, going their whole life swimming through it. This post is to remind you, and us, that there is a difference. Not necessarily a huge one between the butter and margarine, but what if you switched out every time we said 'butter' with 'truth'? And 'margarine' with 'lies'? Then you have a very serious topic indeed. 

Best Friend Telepathy

Today we will be talking about best friend telepathy!

And no, we are not talking about the, 'On the count of three laugh, OK? Everyone will think we're talking to each other with our minds!'. No, we're talking about when one friend says, "It's just so, you know' , and the other replies,'Ya I know what you're talking about.' And they do.

It's that strange connection you have with your best friend. Where you don't need antecedents, or direct objects, or subjects. Where grammar doesn't matter, where it's just you two and half a sentence here and there. It's a connection you have for a lifetime. Like, when you're both getting older (like, 60), you can still say 'I was...' and the other would reply 'me too!'

It doesn't matter how long its  been since you've talked, you just know, that when it happens, you're best friends for life. And no other friends you have can beat that.

It's that thing where, when you talk about it, people think you're married. But we aren't. Trust us. We just have best friend telepathy. It's as simple as that.

So do you have best friend telepathy? Do you find yourself finishing your best friend's sentences? Do you have inside jokes that nobody can understand but you two, even if you explain them? Do you think we're asking too many questions? Yes? Sorry.

Anyhoo, best friend telepathy is a thing that happens between best friends, great friends, friends that would do anything for each other, and say anything to each other. We have best friend telepathy. Do you? 

Yarn-Ball Bookmark!

O.K. So we found this idea on Pinterest, followed the link to a blog, then followed that blog's link to another blog! And now we are posting it on our blog! Enjoy!

Supplies:
Scissors 

Yarn

YES! That's all! But you'll want your scissors to be sharp :)

*Before you start, cut an 8-10 inch piece of yarn and a 15 inch piece of yarn. Just set them aside to be used in later steps. 

Wrap the yarn around about three fingers (snug, but not too tight) about 90 times.

Next, use your 8-10 inch piece of yarn and wrap it around the center of your yarn ball (as shown above).

Thirdly, use your 15 inch piece to make a tail (tying it around the 8-10 inch piece).

Fourthly-we can't believe that's a word!-, cut the loopy part (the picture explains it better)

Finally, give your pompom thingamagiger a haircut! But be sure not to cut the 'tail'.

And that's it! You're done! Now, we're going to try and make one that doesn't fall apart looks awesome!

Courtesy of: Design Mom

(We would have done our own examples, but ours didn't exactly stay together.)

Food Friday: Puppy Chow

This week* we made puppy chow! 

This is a really easy recipe too!-

1/2 C. Peanut Butter

1/4 C. Butter

1 C. Chocolate Chips

1/2 Tsp. Vanilla

9 C. Crispix Cereal (Any of those grated cereals will work)

1 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

Combine peanut butter, butter, and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for for minute, then stir to blend all ingredients thoroughly (additional minutes in the microwave may be necessary). Add vanilla. Stir well. Place the 9 cups of Crispix cereal in a plastic (like Tupperware) container. Cover with powdered sugar. Close lid of container and shake thoroughly.  

Courtesy of: Perfectly Unique
YIELD: 1 serving, at least that's how much you'll want!

bon appétit!

*We are SO sorry for not posting a "Food Fridays" segment in so long, but our Fridays are SUPER busy! So hopefully this super delicious recipe will make it up to you?

Funnies

Today we are simply posting funnies from Pinterest, because they're funny!

Because we just know!

What if?

Him?

We hope you laughed and we'll post again soon!

Spa Sunday: Lip Exfoliating...Stuff

We know! Classy title, but this stuff really works! But when the Fall and Winter months hit hard and you're still there forgetting chap-stick even exists, this stuff is here for you! So here's the recipe we're sure you'll be trying soon! :)-

Ingrediants:

1/2 Tsp. Honey

1 Tsp. Sugar
YIELD: For one set of normal-sized lips

After mixing, apply to lips in a circular motion. Rinse off and apply chap-stick!

#1

Tada! #1 is finally here! Our number one thing in the world and our number zero thing-least favorite, ever-in the whole world! Its been super fun posting all of these and thanks for hanging on! But remember, we'll still be posting, updating, and making you laugh for years to come!
So any ideas? Top ten favorite...actors, animals? Or did you guys enjoy the least favorites better? Foods, or maybe sayings? Any ideas you have would be great and you can add in the comments below! Again, remember, this is not the end of our blogging journey so don't leave us now!
So, without further ado, our #1 favorite and least favorite things!

Favorite

Shoes!

Why?

• They come in all styles!
• People wear them everyday, so they're a necessity, which makes it easier to get our moms to buy them for us!
• Why not? Yes, we know, good reason!

Least Favorite

Spaghetti

Why?

• It tastes gross.
• It makes me, Ashton, sick to the stomach. Not throw-upy, but sick.
• It takes a while to cook.
• (YUP! Another fourth reason!) The smell it sends through the house only smells good for a little bit.

So that's what we like and don't like. Agree? Or disagree? Please comment below!

#2

Favorite

Clothes

Why?

• At the end of the day, everyone really needs them, so unlike everything else on this list, they're a necessity. 
• They come in cute, and some things only come in ugly! Another reason why we need them!
• They come in comfy, and some things only come in...not comfy! ANOTHER reason why we need them!

Least Favorite

Lip-liner

Why?

• A lot of people just overdo it so it's best to not have it!
• It's really hard to find one that matches your lip-color, lipstick (or lip-gloss), and skin-tone!
• It's a weird thing that really just doesn't add to the effect of a face! 
• (Yes, a fourth reason!) It minuses* from your bank account!

*So that may not be a word, but there was not scraggly red line beneath it, so we called it good!

Skinny Jeans with Shoes!

You may think this is a really weird post, but think about it...Right now, skinny jeans are really 'in'! Colored ones, patterned ones, dark-washed, and just plain ones! But not everyone knows what SHOES to wear with them! So we made it very simple, there are the ones that compliment skinny jeans (+) and the ones that...don't (-).

+
1) Ballet Flats
2) Flip-Flops
3) Boots (any kind!)
4) Heels (once again, any kind!)

-
1) Tennis shoes! Please don't! Please! They're horrible!
2) Gladiator sandals, they get all mixed up in the jeans.

So that is our style, you may or may not like these ideas, but we had to post about something!...So please remember these tips when getting dressed, but always stick to what YOU LIKE. Because you're you, and no one else is!

So, did we miss any shoes? Please comment!

Movie Review: "The Dark Knight Rises"

Rating: PG-13

Our Rating: 12 and up

Can Compare Rating To: "Spiderman 3"

Great Review for Parents: 
http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/dark-knight-rises.aspx

Pros

• Casting: Overall, great casting, all actors fit their parts (especially Anne Hathaway and Gary Oldman)
• Acting: Very well done, you can understand people's intentions and thoughts in their faces and tone of voice. Something every actor aspires to be able to do.
• Plot: Isn't this obvious? Incredible, it twists and turns, and you keep wondering till the very end, where everything makes sense...or does it?

Middles

• Violence: -We don't know where to put this, violence is pretty essential for the point of the movie, but it shouldn't be enforced. So, we made up the "Middles", which are 'things that are essential for movies but don't quite fit as a "pro".'-And thus said, it was essential!

Cons

• There are a few things we cannot talk about here because it isn't "appropriate for younger ages", so we put up the link above that we trust which goes into all the details.
• Language: Not too bad, definitely not PG  but then again definitely not R; however, we didn't count.
• Drugs/Alcohol: Nothing really...unless you count rich people drinking champagne and NOT getting drunk...

Conclusion

• A great movie, but parents need to preview or trust their 11-and-under-children with this kind of a movie before allowing them to watch it. 
• We could add a "Spoiler Alert", but we find it's better to just let you watch it yourselves!

#3

Favorite

Nail Polish!

Why?

• They come in all colors!
• We know the ins and outs of painting our nails, so they (usually) turn out awesome!
• It's something you can feel good about even on your lazy day!

Least Favorite

Spiders!

Why?

• Ewwwwwwww!
• They crawl all creepy!
• All they do is kill flies, but flies are better than spiders!

Nail Polish!

Today's post is about nail polish! Why? Because Ashton did a science project about it and you will be fascinated (hopefully)! So here are our tips, scientific and not. ;)

1) Don't use a base coat! It doesn't help (science project FACT!)!

2) Be thinking about your outfits when applying your nail polish, you don't want to mix the wrong colors together!

3) For french tips, use paper or tape to make it straight! And when you get comfortable with that, you can use craft scissors to make it have a pattern!

4) Make sure your toes and fingernails match, if they don't it looks tacky...but if you just paint one and not the other, that works too!

5) Try having an accent nail! Which is one nail that is different than all the others, like maybe all the nails blue and a yellow sun on the right pointer finger!

6) Nails breaking? Don't let them tear off and have to restart growing your nails! take off your nail polish and SUPER-GLUE IT!

Food Friday: "Best-Ever Chocolate Mousse"

This week's recipe is "Best-Ever Chocolate Mousse"! It is AMAZING!

   

Here is the recipe ;)-

8 Oz. Nestlé Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar, melted per label directions and cooled

2 Pkgs. (8 Oz. each) cream cheese, softened 

3/4 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. granulated sugar

2 Tbs. milk

1 Tsp. vanilla extract

Sweetened Whipped Cream optional*

  BEAT cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk and vanilla in small mixer bowl on high speed for 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. SPOON into bowl. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours or until firm (*Top with whipped cream). 

Courtesy of: Very Best Baking
YIELD: 10 servings.

bon appétit!

#4

Favorite

One Direction!*

Why?

• OMG we love their music!
• They have accents!
• Let's be serious and know that One Direction is probably just a five-year-fad**, like Hannah Montana or Ally and A.J., and like EVERYONE loves them. It's one of the five-year-fad rules.

Least Favorite

Pantyhose

Why?

They're...

• Kind of pointless, we already have skin-colored legs!
• Really hard to find in stores!
• And really they're just a thing of the past...at least it shouldn't be required for 13-year-old girls to wear in debate clubs, right?

*If you have no idea what One Direction is, please see 

• Our  "Grooveshark!" tab above, follow the link, follow us (or just look through our music) and listen to their songs we have on our account (they're the best ones)! 
• The Wikipedia One Direction page!

You'll love their music (remember, it's one of the five-year-fad rules!)!

**Please note that five-year-fads are not necessarily five years long. ;)

Rose Necklace!

We were on Pinterest today (Follow us-see tab above-!), and we decided to try making this beautiful necklace!

After using a tea candle to melt the spoons and spray-painting them purple, this is how it turned out-

We know what you're thinking. NAILED IT! ;)

Maybe we should try again?

Spa Sundays: Acne-Cleansing Face Mask

Happy Spa Sunday! Today we did acne-cleansing face masks!

Ingredients: 

1/2 Tsp. of Nutmeg

1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon

1 Tsp. Honey

1-2 Tsp.* Lemon Juice 

YIELD: For one normal sized face

Mix all ingredients together and apply to face. Let sit for 30 minutes, you may experience a stinging sensation, but persevere and go through with it for the whole 30 minutes! The results are SO worth it! Rinse with warm water and then cold water (to close your pores). Moisturize, with unscented lotion.  And that's it! You're done! Love it? We do too!

*1 teaspoon for drier skin (can be omitted in case of extremely dry skin), 2 teaspoons for more oily skin (or more in case of extremely oily skin). We personally use 2 teaspoons.

Food Friday: No Bake Cookies

Today we will be making no bake cookies! They're easy, quick, delicious, and funne*!

So, without further ado, here is the recipe!
2 cups of sugar
4 tablespoons of cocoa
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of milk
1 cup of peanut butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla
3 cups of oatmeal
In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla , and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls. Wait about 30 minutes until cooled and hardened.

Courtesy of: The Food Network
YIELD: Makes a lot, like over 50

As always, bon appétit! 

*"Funne" means the dictionary defentition of "fun", only more so. ;)

#5

Favorite

The Hunger Games (the books/movies, not the concept)! 

Why?

• They're interesting all the way through!
• Katniss and Peeta make such a cute couple!
• You learn about stuff that's edible, even if it's not real!

Least Favorite

"Bull" Nose-rings (please note that we are not referring to studs).

Why?

• They do nothing to make you look anything but crazy.
• Who wants to resemble a bull? We sure don't...
• It seems hard to blow your nose...

#6

Favorite

Harry Potter!

Why?

• It's good literature!
• Your interested in the book from the first page!
• The actors in the movies have accents (see #9)!

Least Favorite

Lawn Decorations

Why?*

• They ruin the effect of the green part of the lawn.
• They don't really have a point and they waste money.
• And who likes them? Do you (if so, please comment. We can get you help!)?

*For other reasons see #8

#7

Favorite

Television!

Why?

Well why not?

• It's entertaining.
• Educational (sometimes).
• And really who doesn't love television?

Least Favorite

Cockroaches...

Ewwwwwwww.

Why don't we like them?

• Ewwwwww.
• Ewwwwww.
• And they're grosssss.

#8

Favorite

Fake Eyelashes!

Why?

Well...

• They make your eyes look super big!
• They make your eyelashes look super voluminous! 
• And they're really useful for dance recitals!

Least Favorite

Tacky Christmas Lights!

Why?

• They sit there and ruin the effect of the snow.
• Most of the time, they have fake snow in them which just doesn't make sense.
• A lot of the tackier ones don't even light up!

Food Friday: Fudgy Brownies

          Yes! We have started "Food Friday" where, on Fridays, we will be concocting anything from cookies to pizza! In other words, once a week you will find yourself reading a fabulous, pre-reviewed recipe! 

This week's recipe is "Fudgy Brownies". And they are DELICIOUS!

   

Here is the recipe ;)-

1-1/3 cups butter, softened

2-2/3 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup baking cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

Confectioners' sugar* and/or chocolate chips** optional.
  In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture until well blended. 

Spread onto a greased 13-in./9-in./2-in. baking pan(**cover in chocolate chips). Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the top is dry and the center is set. Cool completely (*Dust with confectioners' sugar). 

Courtesy of: Judy Cunningham, Max, North Dakota-Best of Country Brownies and Bars-
YIELD: 2-1/2 dozen.

bon appétit!

#9

Favorite

Accents. Any kind of accent, we love accents.

Why?

Well, we just do, and if you don't agree, we don't have three reasons why you should...But they're still on our Top Ten!

Least Favorite

Acne. Any kind of acne, we hate acne.

Why?

(Yes, we do have three reasons for this one.)

• There's really no point in having acne, it just appears there randomly.
• It makes you feel extra ugly, usually in the times when you're ALREADY doubting yourself.
• Sometimes it leaves scars!!! 

(Those extra exclamation points were for Amber ;)

So...

UP WITH ACCENTS!

and...

DOWN WITH ACNE!

HOORAH!

#10

Favorite

Exfoliating Scrubs!

Why? 

• They exfoliate , which makes our hands smooth.
• They smell good (most of the time)!
• And they're easy to make!

Below is a recipe for our favorite exfoliating scrub-

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of oil (coconut oil is best, but normal cooking oil works)

scented essential oil to scent (optional, but makes your hands smell amazing)

* moisturize afterwards

Least Favorite

Random Piercings!

We are not talking about your every day ear lobe piercings. We are talking about the crazy up the ear, in the neck piercings.  And yes, I, Amber have really seen someone with a stud piercing stuck in their neck. It was utterly revolting. But the girl had nice hair!

Top Ten

A countdown of our ten favorite things , and our ten least favorite things...so far...boys might come into play sometime...And the best part? It's going to take 10 posts! Hey, you might be upset, but we don't have to think of anything new for 10, well, posts!

We'll post in a few! 

Beginning

You know how in the beginning of books and movies, it's always boring?

We sure hope this beginning isn't.

As said in the "About Me"* , We are writing this blog because we feel like it, and our names are Amber and Ashton.

Hello there.

Now, we will tell you a story so that this is not a boring beginning post.

This story is about the time we stumbled upon a dead bird.

We were walking into my backyard on a HOT summer's day. When Amber screamed, and if I say so myself-which I do- she can scream. I instantly jumped back and screamed along with her-need I say that I can scream too?-.

Finally, I plucked up the courage to ask, "Why are we screaming!?" Then I saw the bird, and the flies around the bird. And we both ran screaming into my backyard.

About an hour later, we had a newly hatched plan. Of course this is after three failed attempts of mine to pick up the bird in a bag. We decided a LONG shovel and a bucket would be needed. You can connect the dots.

We both know you're probably laughing at us, but it was quit horrific.

So, while you're still sitting there laughing at us, remember, this was NOT a boring first post. So, thanks for laughing at us, and read again ;)

*We both wish there was an "About Us" choice, but there wasn't.