♥ etched in stone.

as a wedding gift our wonderful friends got together

and purchased a brick for nick and i at the paragon carousel
(where we got engaged  and where we have been visiting forever).

i think it's one of the most thoughtful gifts we
have ever received as a couple (so far!)

♥ i must be a mermaid- i have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living.

i know i have written about cher before, but i just recently re-watched

 one of my favorite movies-mermaids (1990)-- and was marveling over

 how much i loved every. single. one. of cher's outfits.

why couldn't i have been born in that era?

source.

♥ cookies & cream.

i hung out with my very best friends last night and wanted to surprise them

with a yummy dessert to accompany their delicious dinner.

since my favorite thing on earth is oreo ice cream, i thought i would try

my hand at home-made oreo cookies, and boy, am i happy i did.

grab yourself a tall glass of milk and get baking!

this recipe is adapted from smitten kitchen & martha stewart,

originally spotted on everday musings.

chocolate cookie recipe:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 -to 1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)

*1 large egg

*in my case, i forgot that i was totally out of eggs and substituted 

with half a banana and milk-- and it worked!!

directions:

preheat oven to 375 degrees 

with an electric mixer, thoroughly mix flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda & baking powder.

while pulsing, add butter & then egg (* or banana and milk)

continue mixing until dough comes together

take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on baking sheet

bake for 9 minutes, set on a cooling rack

add cream filling and put cookie sandwiches together.

filling recipe:

1/2 stick unsalted butter (room temp)

1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

directions:

in a large bowl, using the electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy.

gradually add confectioner's sugar and granulated sugar, beating until combined.

beat in vanilla extract.