Granola Goodness

Probably the easiest thing on my list for me will be to bake something new twice per month. I'm always baking something and have wanted to make granola for a few years but was always daunted by the options. And the cost (seriously, this was spendy, but oh-so-worth-it.)

As fate would have it, sometime last week I wandered over to Deb's site and the granola holy grail was laid before me. I had to try it.

So soft and chewy with the perfect amount of sweetness (as opposed to the nasty, fake sweetness in store-bought versions). It's a really flexible recipe with a lot of options. I chose to use dried apricot and cranberries, walnuts, pecans and peanut butter. I can only imagine the possibilities and would love to try it with dried berries and almond butter.

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part VI & V

Maybe one of my items should be to post more frequently...

16) Volunteer with kids

17) Knit a scarf

18) Ride my bike to work during the summer

19) Go to the drive-in

20) Go to a National Park

21) Watch four classic, black & white movies

22) Change the oil in my car by myself

23) List 100 things that make me happy

24) Go vegetarian for a week

25) Go to the Oregon Caves

Rachel Thurston Giveaway

Oui! How great is this giveaway by Rachel Thurston. Oh, and her photographs are pretty darn amazing to boot!

(image via Christina Heaston)

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part III

11) Bake something new twice a month.

12) Take the train somewhere.

13) Pay off my two credit cards. (Eeeek!)

14) Apply to graduate school

15) Hand make all my Christmas presents.

(image via wildhearts)

In search of the perfect...

Cross-body bag.

I haven't actually seen one I love in person. Which makes me believe they do not exist. If one did exist, it would look something like this...

Fossil

Alloy

ASOS

Linea Pelle

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part II

6) Attempt to make Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon (also on ice cream and peonies's awesome list!)

7) Host a dinner party

8) Put at least 5% of each paycheck into savings - baby steps, baby steps...

9) Kidnap Chase for another super-top secret adventure

10) Visit the Oregon Caves

(image via Tomorrow's Tea)

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part I

I've always wanted to make one of those lists where you're supposed to finish X amount of things before your next birthday. Honestly, I've always wanted to make a life list (a la Maggie), but I don't know if I can wrap my head around something that big quite yet.

My 25th birthday is coming up in a few weeks so I think I'll go for it. The list isn't complete, so I think I'll post it in installments. Ya know, to build anticipation.

And because I'm lazy and indecisive.

25 things to do in my 25th year, Part I

1) Go camping - I haven't done this enough the past few years

2) Go to at least three shows

3) Sew a dress

4) Make a killer birthday cake, complete with multiple tiers - for myself or someone else

5) Read a book per month - re-reading Harry Potter and/or Twilight do count. Ha.