oh oats.

i have a few obsessions...err well not obsessions... they are more like necessities in my life.

1. OATS. - specifically kirkland brand organic instant oatmeal. from costco, it comes in a box with 55 packages and has been the object of my appetite's affection and desire. i eat a pack a day before i work out. it's healthy carbs in my diet.

i love anything oatmeal. oatmeal cookies, oatmeal bars, and BAKED O A T M E A L. yumm today i made some. it is so easy.

2 cups of oats

1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cups milk

1 egg

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. melted butter

just mix all the ingredients together, put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-18 minutes, and you have baked oatmeal.

i put some honey on it while it was still warm from the oven. yes ma'am.

2. (baking.)

this is emily's bday cake.

all home made. yellow cake and vanilla icing.

so, so, so good.

3. my mizunos. these are my vice and my constant companion. they always want to hang out and want to go with me where ever i want. especially when i have had a bad day.

sadly, it is already time for me to get another pair. lucky for me, i participate in dick's sporting goods' "No Sweat" protection plan that replaces my shoes when they need to be replaced. and i only paid $12 bucks for it.

these are not my obsessions... they are just things i want/need.

these boots...

Source: thefryecompany.com via Jessica on Pinterest

this dress... oh my gosh this dress.

Source: tumblr.com via Alexa on Pinterest

this is me whenever i get married... after i work out, take the children to school, bake for the family, and clean...

Source: pinklemonadedesign.blogspot.com via Sharina on Pinterest

this is perfection...

Source: d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net via Chloe & James on Pinterest

yep well it's safe to say i found pinterest. so dangerous for my time management.

anywho... have a good evening.

lately.

went a whole month without a single post. impressive or embarrassing?

either way i have been out of school and back into school since we last spoke. little em graduated high school and turned 18 in the same weekend.

i am officially a senior in college (yea i am freaked out by this). it is extremely hot outside. for example i went running the other night at 5:30 pm. it was 97 degrees.

when i am in class (8 am to 4:30 pm erryday), i am learning about communication and social media. theories, applications, radio, TV, film... yadda yadda.

when i am NOT in class, my summer has been spent in books and films. i have successfully highjacked my family's Netflix account and watched an obscene amount of movies/films over the past 3 weeks. let's count... [personal favorites have *]

1. The Other Guys

2. Pay it Forward

3. Gangs of New York *

4. Elizabethtown [surprisingly excellent*]

5. An Education

6. Thor

7. The Machinist *

8. One Week

9. 180 Degrees South *

10. Pirates of the Caribbean 4

11. The Human Experience *

all were enjoyable and enlightening in some way. my summer list is still LONG.... and that list doesn't include all the Glee episodes I watched.... guilty pleasure:)

That is two in the theater, two independent films (WHICH I LOVED), and two documentaries (which i HIGHLY suggest...best i've ever seen).

in addition to my school reading, i am reading 2 others.

1. Jane Eyre: Charlotte Bronte

2. The Grapes of Wrath : John Steinbeck

i have been inspired to continue to educate myself beyond what i am learning in school. sure college will give me a vast amount of information, but there are things they can never teach me while i am sitting in a lecture hall.

i began reading jane eyre and i have enjoyed it. along with steinbeck's Grapes, the novels are full of descriptive narration and conversation. i decided to read the top ten novels of the 20th century and #10 was Grapes of Wrath... it is a long list of novels, but having read one previously, i am looking forward to extending my knowledge and appreciation of literature.

sara has been studying for the GRE... therefore we have ALL been studying for the GRE. i am learning new words everyday. which, for the journalist inside me, excites me beyond repair.

once again. i am a nerd.

words like Jettison and Profligate and Beleaguer make me want to be studious and insightful.

oh and diatribe.

we all know it it not summer without the beach.

and for me; running.

i cannot wait to be in the sand and sun and just run forever up and down the shoreline. it is one of my all time greatest escapes.

and i have been doing a LOT of that here in auburn. it is already time for new shoes...

and i will end with this. i miss being outside in nature. i miss Zion. i miss the canyon and i REALLY miss the Narrows.

my only nature fix is Chewacla. and she is due a visit by yours truly.

i have been thinking about future job opportunities.

PR for patagonia?

why not aim high...

we will see where this senior (ew i said it again) yes, senior year takes me.

hope you are all caught up.

baked goods.

when i was home for easter weekend, i decided to take advantage of the four other mouths and try out a new recipe. it was welcomed with excitement from my little brother [being 16 makes him ALWAYS hungry]. i made then friday night for everyone, and then sunday afternoon Stead begged me to make some more...

and i cannot pass the opportunity to bake.

these are chewy double chocolate coconut blondies [wrong name from yesterday...my bad]

and they are amazing. click here for the actual recipe.

then you add the chocolate and coconut (and here i opted for milk and semi sweet becuase emily and i ate the white chocolate... )

BEFORE......

23 mins later.....

and after they "semi-cooled" [because, they were made for stead primarily and he cannot wait very long....]

let's just say someone's stomach was not feeling 100%....

they are perfect with vanilla ice cream.

and so easy to make.

hope you enjoy

otter box.

i went to amazon and saved my phone.

i have a tendency to drop things that are precious to me... rings that go down drains, earrings out of roller coasters, children (kidding), and my phone.

so kimmy and i went to amazon and she found me an otter box for my blackberry! it looks pretty good i might add. and it will save my phone from the future falls in store...

______________________

i have a lot to tell about since i have been SLACKING in blog world. first.

i went home this weekend.

i love going home.

but i also love coming back.

friday night we ate easter dinner with the "other" betheas because ji-ji had to work today. we had bbq and coleslaw (made by yours truly) and twice baked potatoes... yummmmm

my family likes twinkle lights and being outside. friday night was perfect.

_____________________

other than how flat montgomery is

and how my house always smells the same

one thing i LOVE about going home

is FINDING things!

this is a note from daniel. in the 7th grade. it was a piece of paper that stretched about 7 ft long. front and back. about him and his "newly broken up with gf" hay (names protected * hehe)

em and i laughed and laughed about finding this in my room. it was GREAT entertainment.

_________________________

second.

bringing me to another AMAZING thing.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS.

emily and i went with two high school friends to this movie saturday night. seriously, drop everything you are doing and see this movie. i spent $9.50... NINE FIFTY (sorry for yelling) on that movie, but dadgum is was worth every penny.

robert pattenson was incredible in his role as jacob. little reese witherspoon was perfectly fit for this character. it was beautifully shot and directed.

greatest movie i have seen in a long time.

__________________________

easter calls for...

new dresses.

shoes.

food.

and PICTURES.

i got food for sure. and pictures.

my parents. they are two beautiful people. they love each other. they love jesus. and they love us more than we deserve. they are best friends with each other and me. i love them.

my family. cra cra. loud. silly. whatever.

they are

amazing.

and hilarious nonetheless.

and beautiful.

______________________

third.

i forgot to mention on friday, before world lit [which i enjoy btw], i met with this absolutely precious girl named emily. she is the panhellenic chaplain and we just wanted to meet up and chat about everything that has been going on in our lives. and our sororities and such.

it was such a refreshing time. she is SO encouraging and sweet. she [emily] rocks. and i cannot wait to see where the Lord takes this girl.

_____________________

i made a new recipe on friday night.

double chocolate chunky chewy blondie bars.

mouthful?

yes.

both figuratively and literally.

they are so good.

i will post about them this week bc they are SO easy and SO good to make and enjoy.

____________________

i believe this will end my obnoxiously long post.

it was a fun weekend.

much needed break be

fore finals kick in.........

but i will be back soon.

blogs are amazing study breaks...

i am a nerd.

i am wide awake right now at 12:08 am and this never occurs in my regular schedule. i actually have no idea why i am so awake.

but i have not blogged in quiet a while so i am sure you have been concerned about my life and what i am doing everyday. because we all know morgan's life is so interesting...

________________________________

two weeks. that is all i am saying about school.

________________________________

well folks. i had my very first baking F A I L two mondays ago. i went home for a doctor's appointment and so i found this amazing looking recipe for Homemade Samoa cookies [like the girl scout ones]. of course, being a eager beaver, i decided these must be conquered and eaten by me.

mom and i went to the store, and i began making these amazing looking cookies. on the blog i found then they looked super easy. the method wasn't too long or difficult... so i thought.

lets just say they were a bust. i was about the saddest i have been in a long time. i don't like failing. ESPECIALLY when it comes to my baking.

this is what the looked like... the coconut would not stick, we couldn't get the caramel to melt properly... it was terrible and quite frankly, embarrassing...



and this is what happened on the attempt to consume one of these...



so we opted for these guys.



they actually tasted good. just shortbread dipped in milk chocolate. they were the only successful part of the night... i was sad.

____________________________________

of course, now as i write this blog i begin getting sleepy.

look forward to a running/ fiji island post...

until then

ooo ps... i made the coo[cookie]kies (cookie inside a cookie cookies) this week for my fiji date. they were obsessed. it made me so proud.

honesty.

disclaimer- this post contains information that is heart- related.

today was a busier sunday for me.

not only did i get to sing at cornerstone, i had a recruitment workshop [insert smily face about that one...]. i also went to walmart, found i had a low tire, went to two gas stations, and made my way to the dorms to work on IJM stuff.

next week is our big fundraiser. we are having a day at town creek park with games and local bands to raise money to free a slave from sex trafficking. it is going to be really awesome, so if you live in auburn [or near auburn] come and support the International Justice Mission and everything we are trying to do.

any who,

while on my errands today i had a convo with mom. she is such a wonderful woman, with the greatest advice and wisdom i could ever ask for. God has truly given me so much in her...

but i feel like i have to be honest with myself.

this semester has been wonderful... truly i have learned so much and experienced a great amount of things... but i am at a place that i have not been in quite some time. and if i am honest with myself, i found this angst inside to be a wrestling match with God to accept His timing and His promises.

I always ask the Lord to give me clear, open and closed door situations in my life. that way, i have no doubt as to what he is doing. i believe God wants us to pray specific prayers. ones that are direct. He already knows our hearts, so why not just be honest with him.

and i was. and then i became disappointed with His clear, closed door answers.

i am being honest. and this is part of the depths of my heart. and i am not sure what has compelled me to share this for the world to see, but here it is.

i am so sad that God took Jessica away. i am lost in a confusion as to why he would take her home right now. i know He is a just God, and i know there is a reason he needed her home. but yet, honestly, i am hurting.

i had all these feelings of invincibility to these type of situations. i always felt i was stronger than that. pride comes before the fall right?

i am working through this. daily. as much as possible. in the word, digging around, soaking in what my heavenly father says. it is part of the relationship. about growth.

when i am honest about today, uganda just yelled at me the whole time. first, the choir from Uganda at church. then my IJM friend had on a mocha club t-shirt [it sponsors kids in africa]. i had to describe a place for an article, and i could only think about Buloba. i got a text from Lauren, who went to uganda with me, and Simon is in Auburn. i had no clue.

i know his plan is perfect. i know he gives and he takes away. i know he has great things in store for me because he tells me this in his word. i am supposed to be light in a dark place [brian, thank you for reminding me of that...]. i know that if i continue to press on toward this goal, i will glorify him with my life. because it isn't about me, it's about him.

and honestly, i feel better not that i threw that out there.

happy weekend.

well my post did not make it friday, but here it is for saturday instead!

today was a very "domestic" day for me. i woke up late at around 11... which i have not done in a very long time. i ran 6 miles. then i began the work in the apartment. i cleaned and cleaned and did laundry and my sheets. then i ran errands and visited friends. yesterday i went out to emily's house and she taught me how to make "christmas bread", which is just like a cheese braid, or whatever you want to call it.

it's amazing. a sweet bread with a sweet cream cheese filling and icing to top. it is amazing. i really enjoyed the time with emily and ella! now i can take my new baking skills home and wow the fam... obviously it was a hit at 6305.

so about the thing i said i would post about... those devilishly good cookies.

they heaven in cookie. i mean it combines two of the greatest things... chocolate chip cookies and oreos. i saw this on food gawker and HAD TO TRY THEM!

so here is what they look like....

because, as you all well know, i am addicted to peanut butter, i used the last of my crunchy pb

in a couple of these bad boys.

basically, all you do is make the recipe on the back of the tollhouse chocolate chips bag and buy

a thing of double stuff oreos. and you are SET baby.

take and oreo and cover it with the cookie dough, bake it at 350 for about 13 mins... a little longer

depending on the oven :) and enjoy the goodness.

if you want pb, just stick a dollop on the oreo.. and then cover. it gets a little messy, but believe me

it is worth it.

ENJOY THEM! they are amazing.

hope you enjoy the rest of your rainy/ sunny day! i got cleaning, running, and baking points today.

that is impressive.

not onto a movie... i heart TiVo...