About a month ago I started trying out this thing I've heard about before and maybe you have too...geocaching. I think I saw an article about it in the same magazine that I found the donut recipe in, while waiting for hours in the ICU waiting room. If you want to try it out go to www.geocaching.com. So when the weather started getting nice in March, I tried it out. I printed out lots of coordinates for geocaches in my area and the Alton area. I started at Gordon Moore on the same day I got my cortisone shot in my shoulder (which did nothing for me fyi). There are 3 geocaches in Gordon Moore, placed by the same person. I started with one that was across the lake in the wooded area, shown by my gps. From where I stood near the bridge it looked to be a long trek through the woods, so I thought I might take a shortcut. I moved my car over by the road off to the side where the army tank used to be...I wonder what they did with that thing?? I set off by myself in the woods close to 140 on what I thought was a shortcut....WRONG!! I went through so many thorn bushes and had so many leaves and debris in my hair it wasn't funny. I did finally find the geocache in a tree next to the corn field on the edge of the woods by the lake. 
This is what I found. The rules are: you sign your screename and date on the notepad. If you take anything out, you have to put something in of equal or greater value. There were just random trinkets in there, so I didn't take anything.
I set my gps to the next coordinates and found the trail I should have taken, which went between the end of the lake and a smaller pond next to it, which you can see from 140. Walked past a fisherman who didn't seem too disturbed to see me walking by myself, not fishing, in the woods. The next geocache is somewhere on or near that veranda seat overlooking the lake. So I hiked back through some woods, across the lake, up the hill to the wooden seats. The clue said look high and low...I couldn't find anything, and there were people constantly walking by so I looked like a freak. I set my gps for the last geocache which was back across the lake, and is somewhere down the hill in the woods next to the plastic animals. I saw lots of trash and litter, but nothing that was an official container, and 2 teenage girls playing around on the animals made me not stay lurking in the woods too long. I'll go back sometime with other people so I have some witnesses to establish that these things are nowhere to be found. Everyone on the website said they were easy finds: yeah right. More to come...
"How can you simply be friends with someone when every time you look at them all you can think of is how much more you want." ~ Dawson's Creek"In the best possible way, you have absolutely wrecked me, because you see, I fell in love with you knowing that there was never any possibility of being with you." ~ Dawson's Creek"So you're breaking my heart into a million pieces, and you're saying it's because I deserve better?" ~ Dawson's Creek"Why don't you try being the girl who has to wonder why all the people she loves...don't love her back?" ~ Dawson's Creek"You got under my skin. I found myself having these series of annoying conversations with you in my head, which must be a sign of something, so I kept coming back for more, which ultimately proved to be my undoing." ~ Dawson's Creek"It's the sweet ones you have to watch out for. They'll run over you like a Mac truck." ~ Dawson's Creek"Someday you're going to meet someone who drives you mad. Who you're going to fight with and laugh with and do totally insane things for. Someone...who turns your life upside down." ~ Dawson's Creek"It seems that every relationship produces its share of disappointments, insecurity, and pain. Anyone who has never been hurt, is either very lucky or very lonely." ~ Dawson's Creek"You don't change a guy like that. In fact, generally speaking, you don't change a guy. What you see is what you get. Scratch the surface and what do you find? More surface." ~ Angel"That's great. It's nice. You moved on. I can't. You found someone new. I'm not allowed to, remember? I see you again, it cuts me up inside. And the person I share that with is me. You don't know me anymore. So don't come down here with your great new life and expect me to do things your way. Go home." ~ Angel"Everyone in the world needs someone they can depend on. Be they faithful friends, determined advocates, or a loving family. But occasionally in life, the people we thought would always be there for us...leave. And if that happens...it's amazing the lengths we'll go to, to get them back." ~ Desperate Housewives"It's a fact that little girls dream of a big, white wedding. Of course, the exact same thing can be said for big girls. Some of whom can get incredibly anxious waiting for the boys in their lives to make those dreams come true." ~ Desperate Housewives"A word to the wise isn't necessary, it's the stupid ones who need the advice.""I'm not gonna leave you. Every moment you have left, I'm gonna be by your side. You'll never have to be alone again." ~ Angel"Maybe we accept the dream has become a nightmare. We tell ourselves that reality is better. We convince ourselves it's better that we never dream at all. But, the strongest of us, the most determined of us, holds on to the dream or we find ourselves faced with a fresh dream we never considered. We wake to find ourselves, against all odds...feeling hopeful. And, if we're lucky, we realize in the face of everything, in the face of life--the true dream is being able to dream at all." ~ Grey's Anatomy"You guys are just used to it, that's all. You already have it, you have that thing everybody else wants. You can take it for granted, but let me tell you, if you didn't--if you couldn't be with the person that you love, I guarantee that hearing him promise you, love you and honor you and cherish you, no matter what, it would be pretty much all you could think about." ~ Grey's Anatomy"I do love you. Don't you see? Don't you understand? You're the love of my life. I can't leave you. But you're constantly leaving me! You walk away when you want, you come back when you want! You stand by your friend. But you leave me! So I'm asking you, if you don't see a future for us, if you're not in this, please--please, just end it because I can't, I'm in it. Put me out of my misery." ~ Grey's Anatomy"Because I'm your best friend and because I love you, I also have to say that I am in love with you. I'm in love with you. I can't promise a future, I can't promise perfection because we're us...and I'm me...and who knows what will happen. But in my heart, I am sure...I'm in love with you and I hope you're in love with me too." ~ Grey's Anatomy"I could promise to hold you, and to cherish you. I could promise to be there, in sickness and in health. I could say till death do us part. But I won't. Those vows are for optimistic couples, the ones full of hope. I do not stand here on my wedding day optimistic or full of hope. I am not optimistic. I am not hopeful. I am sure. I am steady. So this, I am sure. You are my partner. My lover. My very best friend. My heart. My heart beats for you. And on this day, the day of our wedding, I promise you this. I promise you to lay my heart in the palm of your hands, I promise you, me." ~ Grey's Anatomy"Some of us are just trying to get through the day without breaking something." ~ Dawson's Creek
Mostaccioli is probably one of my favorite things to make...and no it is NOT pronounced Musk-a-choli for your information.
Cookies and cream cupcakes: might be the best dessert so far. Everyone at work took some home for their husbands and boyfriends. Very good.
Finally posting the rest of the puzzle. Many of the pictures were blurry (stupid camera) and now this puzzle is framed in my bathroom. You can't tell from these pics, but there's lots of little things hidden in this puzzle, check it out sometime if you ever venture near my bathroom...
Not new...but one of my favorite meals. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes with peas and gravy, and Hawaiian rolls.
Crock pot beef stew...I usually cook a whole chicken...
New recipe: Peanut Butter Crunch Bars. Kinda hard to bite into, but everyone at work loved them. Last picture turned out blurry.
The next one was easier. It was in the roots of this tree by a lake. It had a few little army guys in it. After this I was exhausted and decided to come back next time with a witness to the insanity.
So I went home and made some awesome tilapia. I'm keeping my freezer stocked with it, because it was so easy and sooo good.
This is what I found. The rules are: you sign your screename and date on the notepad. If you take anything out, you have to put something in of equal or greater value. There were just random trinkets in there, so I didn't take anything.
I set my gps to the next coordinates and found the trail I should have taken, which went between the end of the lake and a smaller pond next to it, which you can see from 140. Walked past a fisherman who didn't seem too disturbed to see me walking by myself, not fishing, in the woods. The next geocache is somewhere on or near that veranda seat overlooking the lake. So I hiked back through some woods, across the lake, up the hill to the wooden seats. The clue said look high and low...I couldn't find anything, and there were people constantly walking by so I looked like a freak. I set my gps for the last geocache which was back across the lake, and is somewhere down the hill in the woods next to the plastic animals. I saw lots of trash and litter, but nothing that was an official container, and 2 teenage girls playing around on the animals made me not stay lurking in the woods too long. I'll go back sometime with other people so I have some witnesses to establish that these things are nowhere to be found. Everyone on the website said they were easy finds: yeah right. More to come...
Next was chocolate of course...
Then came the fun part...icing!!!
And some details...
All the varities...
Sprinkles that wouldn't stick...
Don't let this pictures fool you...these donuts were disgusting. No flavor whatsoever...tasted like cardboard. That's what happens when you make low-fat donuts... I took them to work the next day, and the icing still was wet...only a few were eaten, and if those people don't eat something, you know it's not okay. I found a couple more recipes that I'll try when I get the cardboard taste out of my mouth. And I have a special ingredient to use for the morning of the Susan G. Komen walk, so I need to get a good recipe before then. If you're going to the walk, let me know cause I'll hopefully have some special, edible donuts then we can hop on the Metrolink.
Cookies and cream cupcakes: might be the best dessert so far. Everyone at work took some home for their husbands and boyfriends. Very good.
Crock pot beef stew...I usually cook a whole chicken...
New recipe: Peanut Butter Crunch Bars. Kinda hard to bite into, but everyone at work loved them. Last picture turned out blurry.
