At what point does a love for ice cream become a $10/week Ben & Jerry's habit? When one goes to Texas, that's when. We decided that we would kick the Ben & Jerry's habit (just after an ice cream stop at an actual Ben & Jerry's store on Brandon's birthday! Convenient!) going into the next semester, but we would need some other options.

The problem is that we cannot keep ice cream in the house on a long-term basis, because someone (me) finds it too tempting for afternoon snacks. So the answer is to make ice cream when we want it! Though the must-freeze-overnight order keeps me from making it every single day.


I was pleasantly surprised by this no-churn ice cream. I was suspicious of the no-churn trend, because we all know that Pinterest lies! LIES! Just because something looks like something else doesn't mean it tastes like the thing it looks like (you follow me?). But this ice cream was delicious! It is a little denser than regular ice cream (maybe because it doesn't get air churned into it?), but it is sweet and creamy and the cookie dough balls were absolutely delicious. Makes me wanna eat cookie dough right now.



No Churn Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Adapted from Munchie Pie and Cupcakes & Kale Chips
4 servings (or less, if you're me)

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips + a few extra for garnish
1 pint heavy whipping cream, chilled
1 14.5 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place large metal or glass bowl in freezer to chill.
2. In small bowl, mash butter into brown sugar and sugar with fork until very well combined. Add milk and vanilla and mix. Add flour and mix just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Put in refrigerator to chill.
3. In chilled bowl, use hand mixer to beat whipping cream to soft peaks.
4. Fold in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Pour into freezable container.
5. Add cookie dough in TINY balls to ice cream mixture.
6. Freeze overnight.
7. Scoop with ice cream scoop and garnish with extra chocolate chips!

One of the things that I am not taking for granted anymore is proximity to family. Spending a summer in Arkansas, a summer in Texas and then the possibility of living far away has caused me to grab ahold of every moment I can with little nieces and nephews and sisters and brothers and mom and dad and everybody! Now we are happy that we are here for awhile longer and so our last few weeks have been filled with family adventures!

We live in central Pennsylvania and the county fair is a big deal. My sister happens to live just over the county line, so the little nieces enter their projects and animals and collections into a smaller fair (nothing wrong with that! Higher odds of winning, says mathematical Uncle Brandon!).

The nieces get color-coded shirts so their mommy can see them better in big crowds... and Devereaux just so happened to match them perfectly!

Our main event was watching the little parade where the oldest niece would be walking with a group of other 4-Hers... dressed as chickens! Devereaux is highly suspicious of this. Eventually, he warmed to the idea. That may have been about the time his cousin offered him a lick of her lollipop. He also enthusiastically accepted her gift of a water bottle. What can I say? They get along great.


Here comes the parade!

This kid across the way had such a great view!




We had to go see the exhibits!
Uncle Brandon was especially interested in the niece's rock collection! BLUE RIBBON TIME!

And the mini tea set collection thrilled my pseudo-British-tea-drinking self. ANOTHER BLUE RIBBON!

There were no live chickens being shown in fairs around the state of Pennsylvania and this was very sad, but bird flu problems had a positive (creative) result. The oldest niece dreamed up this chicken game: "Trouble: The Chicken Version." SO inventive (YES, THAT'S A BLUE RIBBON! AND YES, I SAVE MY ALL-CAPS FOR PROUD AUNTIE MOMENTS!)

The fair was small, but what a fun atmosphere... and they definitely win on the "space for nursing mamas" front. They had a baby comfort room! With a changing table! And a rocker! And space for babies to play! I was super-duper impressed.

Later, we headed over to the pavilion inhabited by many 4-Hers where a spontaneous bout of bunny-jumping was going on!

This is Cor, the Bunny Prince. (Narnian pet names also exist in their household).

Devereaux met the bunny and was more impressed by his auntie's cowboy hat.

Bunning Jumping!




Our little fair afternoon excursion ended with some delicious ice cream. Because there is no other way to end a day at the fair. Support your local ice cream makers! And 4-Hers! And small-town fairs! Because that's where the fun is.

I was reading a book to Devereaux a few days ago and learned an important fact. Baby kangaroos ("joeys") stay in their mama's pouch for nine months after birth. They eat and grow and hang out with mama very, very closely. Also, as I was reading more about kangaroos, I learned that sometimes when a joey is frightened, it jumps back into its mama's pouch headfirst. :) Cue the "aaaaaaws" and that totally reminds me of what Devereaux does in crowded places when he buries his head in my shoulder!

This is important, because our Devereaux just turned nine months old.... and we went on a real date! Without our little third wheel! He stayed with Grandma, who fed him snacks and made him giggle with real giggles by saying "uh-oh!" over and over. We didn't really think about the timing of it, but it seemed to work out perfectly and I laughed.

So I am adopting the term "kangaroo parenting" as my parenting philosophy. Because it's super-cute.

Also, just a few photos to mark the occasion.

I used to think being married to a man with a master's degree would be the coolest thing ever. I could say "I am married to a master!" Only a Jedi-Master would be cooler.... okay, not really. But now, I'm thinking that being married to a doctor would be greatest! Not a medical doctor. No, sir. A doctor of science in earth and mineral engineering.

Stop.
Be Amazed.
My husband is a genius.
I hope you're laughing. Actually, I am not really talking about how amazing my husband is (although I tell him that all the time, because I am his wife and his biggest fan and best friend and my love compels me to be honest and tell him all those wonderful words). I am really writing this blog entry to talk about how awesome God is and how He is working in our lives.

Our plans took a major shift in the last two weeks. We arrived home resigned to the idea that we would have one more year of college (technically, only eight months) and then a piece of paper stating that Brandon had his bachelor's & master's degrees in petroleum & natural gas engineering. And then we would go out into the wide world of the oil industry. And Brandon would pursue his Ph.D. in his spare time wherever we were living.

Then our anticipated job was not happening.
But within 48 hours of one particular job not happening, Brandon had a random conversation with his advisor about research topics for his master's thesis that just happened to open the door for him doing some serious post-doctorate level research... and here's the amazing part: GETTING PAID FOR IT. I believe the words used about this opportunity were "extremely rare." I have heard several times over the last few years that getting an assistantship (i.e. being paid to do your research for master's degree) is nigh impossible in that department. There were just too many coincidences to be coincidences... In looking back over our four year marriage, we often say that "God hasn't failed us yet" and it is so true. God has always been faithful to lead us through the winding path of life, while providing for our needs in truly unique ways.

In this provision of an assistantship -- that starts right now, not even next year when Brandon technically begins Phd work, our minds are blown.

So we have been busy adjusting. Walking around our Victorian town and adjusting.. adjusting our minds to at least three (maybe five to seven) years in education for doctorate and post-doctorate research. Adjusting our budget to living on an assistantship income (think: very, very, very, very frugal). Adjusting our time expectations to be able to build our life together as a family, and to live well in this season.

This is craziness, but we are so thankful.
PS - We are also super-happy to be back in our own little house. One does not appreciate a tiny three-bedroom OLD house until one lives in a one bedroom condo for three months. Now I am thankful every time I turn around. I love our front porch! I love that we don't have neighbors in our walls! I love my kitchen! I love my backyard! I love everything!

And I love Pennsylvania. Even though Texas was really great, too. ;)