The Verdict is in...The Blueberry Pie was a SUCCESS - HE LOVED IT!!!

My FIRST EVER Fruit Pie, I'm Totally Impressed!

I owe this friend of mine a dessert, long story short I'm an idiot, and I'm in hopes that I can smooth over my stupidity. My friend chose blueberry pie. I thought to myself, "Self, you make a smashing Blueberry Dream Pie, make that!" Blueberry Dream Pie is like a cheesecake with blueberries on top. No, no, this friend wanted a "homemade" blueberry pie. Blueberries + pie crust = blueberry pie the way my friend likes it. I started a search on my favorite recipe site EVER, All Recipes. I searched blueberry pie and found the pie with the most ratings, and highest number of stars. I printed it out and began to bake away. The recipe that I found only used a pre-made crust. Since I'm trying to impress I made my famous crust from scratch. A few of you have heard of it. The cream cheese crust - fatty, yet DIVINE!

Cream Cheese Pie Crust

Ingredients

8oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1 ¾ C. Flour

½ C. Unsalted Butter

Directions

At medium speed in food mixer mix well-softened cream cheese, flour, and butter. Mix well occasionally scraping down the bowl. Wrap dough into a ball and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight. On floured surface, thinly roll out ball of dough to about one quarter inch thickness and round enough to fit a 8-0” pie pan or tart pan. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven until dough is golden, about 20-30 minutes.

After making my heaven sent pie crust - which I learned on my mission, I began to make the filling of this pie from the recipe found on All Recipes.

I really hope my friend loves this homemade blueberry pie, made especially for Him. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, or at least that's what I'm hoping will smooth over my stupidity.

It will be a sad day...

When the greenhouse goes empty it will be a sad day at work! Welcome to my office, this is one reason I love going to work everyday. Look at all these pretty flowers! One of my other favorite perks is all the free flowers that my boss sends me home with all the time - it's either me or the dumpster. (He makes fun of me, saying that one day I'll be outside the greenhouse picketing "Save the Flowers!" "Save the Flowers!") However, I took care of my mom and planted lots of flowers at her house - she thinks I'm an expert now, yeah right...I have a lot to learn??? I gave some flowers to my parents neighbors, I gave flowers to my neighbors, and planted up my cousin Summer's flower beds.

I have to say my mom was so pleased to hear that I wear overalls at work...only because she got tired of seeing my RELIGIOUS COVERED BUTT! I don't know how many times I heard my mom say, "LIBBY, PULL UP YOUR PANTS!" I can't! "Well I'm glad to know that the kids on campus don't have to look at this!" Sorry I don't have pictures of my butt to post...I'm sure you're all disappointed!

As you can see I'm enjoying work, and hope to post more pictures of the awesome flower beds we planted and the patience that I'm learning from them - the flower beds, because it doesn't happen over night for the flowers to come together and create a "canopy" of beauty.

This lovely picture of all different beautiful flowers was planted by me in one of our many grow boxes. I can't wait until the Shakespearean Festival begins because we will finally get to show off all of our beautiful flowers. Isn't that pretty. You can't even see the box that it's planted in. I'll let you in on a little secret - the box has all of these circles around it and we plant the flowers in the circles. With some fertilizer and love it grows so big and full that it covers the entire box. LOVE IT!

This bright vibrant flower is a "Monkey Flower." Crazy looking, it makes me think of the lead singer of Kiss, Gene Simmons!

Not sure the name of this flower...they are a vine type...and absolutely beautiful!

This is a "Cosmo," kind of looks like a giant daisy. Such a happy flower. That's my hand that is turning rough and manly - yikes! (Yes I am wearing gloves at work.)

Small Town USA - Cedar City, Utah!

I can't believe how I am running into all these Biggest Loser Celebrities - How random and crazy!!! Last night was the Utah Summer Games in Cedar. Since I work on the AWESOME Flower Crew (who did all the clean up and set up for the opening ceremonies) I got two free tickets to the big show. My friend and I went and met up with Klint, Summer, and Trace. As we were waiting for the show to begin Summer pointed out that the "Blue Team" from Biggest Loser was in attendance, and sitting on the front row. Since I didn't have my camera I took my phone and ran over to meet them - not a wince of hesitation! They were super nice, love to get their pictures taken, and once again, like the "Black Team," they are Mormon!!!! Both served missions, and are very active. I could've talked to them all night...but they are married and their wives were sitting right next to them. Any how, SUPER nice, and SUPER buff and tuff! What are the odds of running into another couple from Biggest Loser, even here in Small Town USA!

Podcasts are PHAT! That's "PH!"

Lately, when I get online I spend the majority of my time looking at different podcasts. What are podcasts? I once heard a podcast described as "frozen talk radio." Basically podcasts are people who have put together these 5 minutes (or shorter) to 1 hour (or longer) talk shows that you can listen to. Some you can even watch. I have found a few series that I love to listen too, and can't wait to listen too. As I am gardening at work I turn on my ipod and listen, and learn. I almost feel smarter for the things I have been listening too. Be careful, once you get hooked on podcasts your ipod will fill up! No worries, once you listen to the podcast you can delete it and have more room for another. Most podcasts are updated daily, weekly, or whenever. I even bore my testimony to Jessie about podcasts, and SHE JOINED! (They have several Twilight Podcasts...Not a fan if you ask me???) They are so great to listen too, and even help the time fly by! Did I mention THEY ARE FREE!!!!

Here's a list of my favorite!

The Daily Boost

Fit Girl: Your Guide to Getting in Shape

Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips For Better Writing

Happiness Through Self Awareness

Inside Out Weight Loss

LDS General Conference (It only has all conference sessions back to April 2004)

Money Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for a Richer Life

BYU: Most Recent Devotional and Forums

New York City History: The Bowery Boys

NPR: Fresh Air Podcast

NPR: Story of the Day Podcast

The Nutrition Diva's Quick and Dirty Tips For Eating Well and Feeling Fabulous

Photography 101

Recipe for Happiness

E! The Soup Video

Stuff Mom Never Told You

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Stuff You Should Know

How Stuff Works

60-Second Psych

Amateur Traveler

E! Chelsea Lately Video

Join the club - I know you won't be disappointed!

Twilight Saga - Continued....

So, I thought I was over this whole "Twilight" schmilight, but as you can see - I'm not! OH MY GOSH - I get to get excited all over again! I might even become a Jacob fan - he is looking pretty darn attractive. Yummy! Well here is the official "New Moon" trailor! Ahhhhh - I can't wait!!!! I need to grow up, yes I know this!