Welp, my “week of Oreo recipes” certainly ended with quite a fizzle, didn’t it? I was bursting with enthusiasm when I made my little announcement that I’d make a different recipe every single day. I hadn’t thought it through for more than ten seconds.  What didn’t occur to me was that I was swamped last week.

I had forgotten that I bought 22 lbs. of chicken breasts with the intent to can them. When I say “can” I technically mean “bottle”. It’s surprisingly easy; all you need is a pressure canner which I’m guessing not a single one of you has. I don’t have one either but my mom does. I’m sure she’ll talk all about it in her novel comment.

By the way, those are not feathers floating in those jars, as some people have suggested. It’s just, uh, residue of some sort. Or maybe congealed fat? I don’t know. But I now have shelf-stable chicken that hopefully won’t develop botulism and kill my family.

Also last week I had to paint 23 tiny wooden peg dolls for a church project. It was for a re-creation of the first Relief Society meeting. It made sense to me when I thought the idea up but in retrospect it seems a little odd. In my usual style I finished the dolls without a second to spare. I was at the kitchen table serving dinner to my kids with one hand and blow-drying glaze with the other.

Why wasn’t my husband serving dinner, you ask?

Because he has been doing this every day. It’s SXSW. When Austin, Texas swells to about ten million people (this picture is solid people on one of the busiest streets downtown.) He volunteered to run soundboards at a bunch of concerts so he’s getting to do whatever he wants for free. And he’s taking advantage of it.  Fine by me. He deserves to go out and have fun.

Especially since he never once complained that these three bags of groceries were sitting un-put away for four days. Although he didn’t put them away either. Mellow or passive aggressive? Sometimes it’s a fine line.

I bought some new rainboots.

I had to, you see, because it’s been raining a lot lately. Especially on Saturday when I was tromping all over nature with my friend Tamara looking at beehives. Don’t believe me? Behold!

Despite appearances I do not have a wiener. A beekeeping suit is not the most flattering of outfits. Especially when one is wearing two sweaters and a jacket underneath because MYGOSH!!! ITWASFREEZING!!!

In addition to these fun activities I also had to go to a couple of school programs, including a play in which my daughter had zero lines. So I made faces at her the entire time trying to get her to laugh instead. Because in my house it’s all about being the comic relief.

So, yeah, the Oreos.

I tried my best.

As I mentioned before, it was raining all week. And my kitchen is in the middle of my house with no windows. And the lighting was terrible. So I did a couple of those tutorials outside. You may notice a few shots of lawn in the background. (No, I do not have a mixer in my backyard.)

It was all for you, delightful and lovely readers. I love you that much.