and the most domestic wife award goes to...

...this girl!!!  [Please picture me double-thumbs-up pointing at myself.  Because if anyone was here besides Mr. Brown, that's what I would be doing.]  I seriously am the most domestic and awesome wife ever!  During the late afternoon on Saturday, I was just perousing the ol' World Wide Web, the sound of the Huskers dominating the Huskies (tell me that isn't kind of funny!) in the background, just a blog-readin', Facebook stalkin', iTunes browsin' as I always do.  I think to myself, "Self, didn't you say on Friday in that grocery/to-do list you made that you wanted to make pumpkin muffins this weekend for Mrs. Hart's birthday?  And aren't you also craving something sweet and yummy that tastes like fall?  And don't you think it would be a good idea to test those muffins you have never made before and are just going to google a recipe to make? ....Why yes, Self, I think that indeed!" 

So, I of course go to my second most trusted woman for recipes and cooking advice, straight from the great state herself, The Pioneer Woman.  [Duh, of course my mom is the first most trusted recipe/cooking advice-giving woman I go to.]  Anyway, since my mom didn't answer, I typed in "pumpkin" to Ree's [we're close] search bar and found these.  Of course she suggested I make my own pumpkin puree as opposed to simply buying a can full like a normal person would do...and since she asked so nicely, and since I am a hermit and many friends were out of town and Nick was in Lincoln and really, I did have the time, I thought, "Why not?"  So I bought some pumpkins, cooked them up, peeled them, cut them, pureed them, [then mashed them by hand with a fork and an egg beater because the Magic Bullet blender thing simply was not performing as well as one might have liked.  Annoyances aside, I pureed my own pumpkin!  OUT OF AN ACTUAL PUMPKIN!!!  Tell me you are not impressed.  No, don't tell me, because you are.  Or you should be.  Because that is ridiculous!  They sell the stuff in a can, and it makes the bread and muffins and pie taste delicious!  Next I'll probably tell you I evaporated my own milk.  Don't even get me started on the outrageous concept that is evaporated milk.  [In case you are unfamiliar with the substance, and have a misunderstanding of the word "evaporated," as I must or the poor smelling ingredient would most assuredly make more sense!]  Enough about that....

So anyway, I pureed those pumpkins and threw all the goop and seeds away (who even likes eating the seeds after you toast them anyway?  No one], and was wiped.  Early morning church [9:45 service] was looming just around the corner [still over ten hours away] and I needed to rest up for married Sunday School class.  [perhaps more to come on that at another time...let's just say we, with the Wilde's, and by we I actually just mean me...I went to married SS class with no spouse, which means I probably looked like a giant dork but whatever.]  :)  So I went to bed.  Well, I turned off the lights and fell asleep watching a movie as is the norm per whenever Mr. Brown is away. 

The next afternoon, after soaking up some delicious Vitamin D and doing some reading on our spacious veranda, I plopped some of that lovely orange [seriously orange, not like the-stuff- in-the-can orange, but like Macaroni-and-Cheese-crayon orange] goop in the ol' Kitchen Aid and added some other stuff, weird smelling milk included, threw in some dark chocolate chips, and the batter was ready for baking.  The only problem was, it was time for youth group.  [Note: Not an actual problem, simply an issue in timing for the baking of the muffs.]

Went to youth group, played some Murder Ball, learned about Jesus [actually, as a matter of fact, was deeply challenged and will perhaps share more about that later as well], and got to hang out with super cool and fun youth and sponsors. 

Came home, and my man was back!!!  Woo hoooooo!!!  Had some pizza together.  It was fab, I missed him sooooo muchoooooo!!!  College fairs, ick. 

Back to the muffs.  Well, I forgot to mention I did cover the batter with foil and put it in the fridge so it wouldn't spoil while I was gone (you know, eggs and such).  So I got that out of the fridge, filled the muffin cups with goop, and baked them!  I wont even tell you how many times I checked the oven and stuck the knife in that middle muffin and they weren't done and they weren't done and FINALLLLLY they were finished!  [Sarah, I added two minutes like 12 times... usually two minutes is perfect!]  Delish delish delish!!!  More to come soon.  Stories and muffins.  Maybe even some pictures!

With a renewed spirit,

Mrs. Brown :)