31/365

1. Blowdrying my hair for the first time in months and having it look perfect.

2. Starting a hat and finishing it the same day, and having it turn out exactly the way it was supposed to.

3. Holly's cornbread recipe**. Oh. My. God.

4. "No, Daddy, the WHITE blood thingees are the part that fight off the germs, and the RED blood thingees are the part that take the food and air all over your body."

5. Realizing that my daughter will attempt to read an almost infinite number of new words, as long as they are on flashcards that can be turned into a game of go fish, memory, or "jump on the matching word on the poster on the floor and I'll make a funny noise if you're right."


** From a cooking forum post by "Holly" from years ago, which I attempted to find but couldn't. I consider that due diligence, so I don't feel at all bad about sharing the recipe now. This makes a sweet cornbread with a sticky/crunchy top, and I swear I have to be physically restrained from eating the entire pan by myself.

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a 9x9 pan in the oven (this greases the pan and melts the butter for the recipe). Meanwhile, combine flour, cornmeal, salt and baking soda in a bowl.

Beat eggs, sugar, and buttermilk in a second bowl, then add melted butter.

Incorporate dry ingredients into the wet mix just until combined.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

According to my recipe software, 1/12th of this recipe has 210 calories (almost 40% of which come from fat), which could explain why they taste so very, very good.