NO-BAKE Chewy Cookies and Cream Bars and NO-BAKE Chewy Nutter Butter Bars

Good Tuesday morning!

The Gallery Pics are from a little "adventure" Roxie and I had last night. Thanks to the blog eighteen25 under My Blog List, I "borrowed" an idea they posted a few weeks ago.

Here are the facts:

1. Roxie and Company LOVE to play Ding-Dong Ditch. (You know. The game where you go to someone's house late at night, ring the doorbell and run.)

2. The website above mentioned a cute idea when Ding-Dong Ditching someone. They suggested buying an actual box of Ding Dongs and leaving them with a note on the front porch. (No one is going to be mad at you for Ding-Dong Ditching them if you leave chocolate. NO ONE!)

3. Roxie's friends are trying out for the dance team today.

4. Last night (between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m.), we Ding-Dong Ditched several of her buddies wishing them good luck and leaving a delicious Ding Dong for a bedtime snack.

5. It was SO MUCH FUN!

Feel free to Ding-Dong Ditch me using this idea ANY TIME... night or day!

RANDOMNESS #1 - I think I'm going to try another new exercise class. No. I'm not quitting Body Pump or walking, but I am going to check the schedule and go to Body Flow this week or next. I've made up my mind.

My favorite part of Body Pump happens toward the end when we get to stretch. It feels SO good.

Well, guess what? Body Flow is a stretching/Pilates/yoga kind of class. I totally love to stretch.

I also heard the lights are kept low. I look good in "low lit" places. Really good.

And guess what else? At the end of the class, I heard the last stretch lasts about ten minutes and you can actually take a nap during this time if you so desire. (I would "so desire.")

I'll let you know how it goes.

RANDOMNESS #2 - If you've known me two minutes, you know I love zoos. Love them. That is why this story caught my attention this morning while watching The Today Show. The Bronx Zoo in New York City is missing a cobra. That's right! A cobra!

They can't find it anywhere... but they are still looking.

Personally, I think they need to evacuate the city. NOW! TODAY!

If the Birmingham Zoo lost a cobra, the Faulkner Five would be relocating to Tennessee or Georgia. Just saying.

Once again, if you've heard it before, don't whine. Just skip down to the recipes.

Pigeons From Heaven - Part Two

As I was walking to my car on Friday afternoon, I was berating myself for being such a "weenie." I was at my absolute lowest, and I still refused to do what God had told me to do. "What is it going to take?" I asked myself... and God answered.

I saw something dark go over my head out of the corner of my eye, but I didn't look up. I heard a tremendous crash directly above my head, but still didn't look up. I felt a large object land on my head, and I COULDN'T look up!

A huge pigeon had flown into a window of the (old) SouthTrust Building and had fallen, stunned, on the Most Stubborn Woman in the World. I dropped everything immediately because from my vantage point, I was unable to see what was on my head.

Then the flapping began and the huge pigeon began hitting my face with its wings. Of course, I still didn't know it was a pigeon. I was thinking along the lines of a vulture, condor or some other enormous man-eating predator. I grabbed the bird and tried to snatch it off my head. The claws were stuck in my new navy blue headband! (Remember, this was over 20 years ago. It was fashionably acceptable for me to wear a headband!) I twisted and pulled and screamed and finally wrestled the pigeon off my head, and in a complete and utter hysterical frenzy, I threw the bird into the plate-glass window of a loan officer's cubicle in SouthTrust Bank. (The horrified look of the young couple applying for a loan on the other side of his desk is burned into my mind forever.) I picked up my purse and ran directly into the street, leaving in my wake one very dead five-pound pigeon.

"Do you really think God dropped a five-pound pigeon on your head to get your attention?" you may ask.

Yes. Yes, I do.

On Monday morning, I turned in my notice. It was the right thing to do. It was part of God's plan for my life, and it was His love and patience that taught the Most Stubborn Woman in the World a very important lesson (again).

Sometimes I think it is so easy for us to take for granted the things we learn as children in Sunday School. The Lord's Prayer comes to mind in this situation. "Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in Heaven." (I've checked all the translations -- it doesn't mention Belinda Faulkner's will even once!)

After much prayer, and the news that Austin would be joining our family, God's will for our lives became clear to us (without pigeons), and we prayerfully decided to live solely on Mike's salary. God has blessed us time and time again, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoy His plan and perfect will for my life much more than dinging cars or wrestling giant fowl out of my hair every day!

No-Bake Chewy Cookies and Cream Bars

I copied these two recipes from www.picky-palate.com. They look delicious, and I'm making the peanut butter recipe today... which means pictures tomorrow!

You will need the following:

Package (16 ounce) of Oreos
5 cups large marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter

1. Place Oreos in food processor and pulse until ground.

2. Melt marshmallows and butter in microwave until puffed (about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes).

3. Remove and pour in ground Oreos.

4. Stir to combine then transfer to a foil lined 8" x 8" baking pan. Set up for 10 minutes.

5. Remove bars out of pan with edges of foil and cut into squares.

But wait! There's more!

No-Bake Chewy Nutter Butter Bars

You will need the following:

Package (16 ounce) of Nutter Butters
5 cups large marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter

Follow instructions for No-Bake Chewy Cookies and Cream Bars.

Doesn't this sound good? I'll let you know how it goes in the morning!

Have a lovely Tuesday. I have lots and lots to post Wednesday, so come visit if you get a chance.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda