Keeping busy?

So far my job search has gone nowhere.  I broke down and applied at Target the other day.  I know it's a recession and it's hard to find jobs, but I feel like such a waste of an education.  Then there's the fact that half of me feels guily because I have no ambition or drive.  Getting a job scares me.  Sometimes I feel like Beth in Little Women--not understanding why everyone wants to leave home and move on with life.  Which is weird because growing up I always saw myself as Jo.  Le Sigh.  Enough feeling sorry for myself.

Since I don't have school or work to occupy myself with I've been doing these sorts of things instead:

Planting a garden.

Dave and Carrie have graciously allowed me to grow a garden in their backyard.  I decided to do this one day when I was helping Carrie in the backyard pulling weeds.  The Snows tried to grow a garden this summer, but between the bunnies and the gophers they didn't get a single thing.  So I'm going to do my best to make sure that doesn't happen again.

I planted: peas, lettuce, carrots, marigolds, thyme, cilantro, parsley, oregano and chives.  Plus I have two pots inside (one of basil and the other of rosemary).  I also want to plant pansies and sweet peas, but I'm waiting until the weather gets a little colder.  After I finished planting and organizing all of this I felt pretty accomplished because it was the first time I'd planted a whole garden entirely by myself...we'll just wait and see if anything grows.

I also tried out a new recipe, and can I just tell everyone that it was BRILLIANT.  I give you: Chocolate Peanut Butter Layered Cupcakes:

(Recipe from Modcloth's Blog)

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layered Cupcakes

Makes about 18 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour      
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup Reese’s peanut butter chips
1/4 cup Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate baking chips

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Place a paper baking cup in each of 18 regular-size muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the oil, water, vinegar and vanilla to the flour mixture, stirring just until smooth (do not over mix).
3. In another large bowl, beat the egg, cream cheese, peanut butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar; beat until creamy.
4. Spoon 1 level tablespoon chocolate batter into each cup; evenly spread 1 level tablespoon peanut butter filling on top. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with peanut butter chips and chocolate chips.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (do not over bake). Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan to a cooling rack; cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool

My latest obsession has been online scrapbooking.  It's starting to spill over into that wasting time arena though, so I should probably watch myself.  In the past week since I started doing it, I've completed three scrapbooks (including our wedding), and am working on a fourth.  Yeah, probably should knock it off.

Dan had the day off yesterday, and it was nice to be able to spend time with him.  We ran a few errands and then just chilled at the house.  We played outside for a bit and I think that was my favorite part of the day.

I'm thinking about getting back into writing again...I've had a few people comment that I should pick up my story I started freshman year.  We'll see.  The amount of work involved in a full length novel is a little intimidating, but it's something productive, right?  Right.
Also, I wish I remembered french.  I should have taken more classes.
Should have should have should have.  Story of my life.

 These are the cute little mushrooms I'll have to annihilate if they get any closer to my garden.  But I don't want to kill them yet, because they remind me of my friend Lacey.  I miss having friends.