Peanut butter + chocolate + pretzels = YUM!  
(Ben & Jerry figured this out a while ago.)

A few months ago I tried an internet recipe for Chubby Hubby bars and found them a bit dry and lacking in full peanut butter-ness.  I tweaked a few quantities and while you can still bake these as bars, I prefer cookies so that I can freeze the dough and bake a few at a time (otherwise I would eat waaaaaay too many!)

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats 
1 cup natural creamy peanut butter (I use Smucker's.)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup honey
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup peanut butter chips
3/4 cup crushed pretzels, divided (set aside 1/4 cup)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and oats. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, unsalted butter, light brown sugar, honey, egg, and vanilla until blended.
4. Stir in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and 1/2 cup crushed pretzels.
5. Using a medium cookie scoop, form cookie balls & roll top of each ball in reserved 1/4 cup crushed pretzels. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and press down to about 1/2 inch tall cookie rounds.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes, until they just start to brown on top (will still be very soft to touch). Remove from oven and cool cookies on sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Makes approximately 28 cookies.

To bake in bar form, spread dough into an ungreased 9 by 13 pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of crushed pretzels. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes, until edges are golden. Cool completely before cutting.

I can't get enough of the BBC series, "Lark Rise to Candleford". Waiting for Season 4 to be available on DVD is difficult!  Knowing that Season 4 is the last season is tragic. What is it about this series that has captivated my attention? There's a hint of "Little House on the Prairie", which was a favorite as a kid, a dash of quirky-small-town, plus it's a BBC production and I love oodles and oodles of those. I think it really is about the characters they've developed through good writing and great acting.

This series is set in the late 1800's in England, following the lives of working people in a small town (Candleford) and an even smaller village (Lark Rise). Two female characters (and the actresses who play them) are special stand-outs for me - Miss Lane, the postmistress of Candleford, and Laura, the young woman from Lark Rise who works in the post office. There are plenty of interesting male characters, too, but the themes of developing opportunities and occupations for women have been especially interesting to me. It's been refreshing to find a television series that is so interesting, well-made, and quite wholesome.

Seasons 1, 2, and 3 are available on DVD and streaming (via Amazon.com).

I admit it.  I'm a bit jealous of Kindle-owners.  My husband has a first generation model and hasn't grown tired of it.  When we went to the beach recently for vacation, he and my mother-in-law (she has one now, too) didn't have the usual 3-4 books packed, just their Kindles.  Cameron even has a waterproof case for his so he can take it to the pool!

Now is the time to get one.  The latest generation model is better than ever and is only $189!!!!  I really think that's a steal considering you get FREE 3G Wireless with it.  Yeah, I don't think everyone understands that it includes free internet access without a monthly payment or annual contract.

Honestly, I haven't even scratched the surface with discovering all of the wonderful Kindle features.  I'm afraid if I start using my husband's, he won't get it back!  C'mon, you can read the first chapter for FREE for most books, so I would for sure get hooked.  I don't really need one, but . . .

I've tried so many lip balms!  Some may seem great at first, but usually disappoint.  Most balms have ingredients that temporarily soothe your lips, but actually cause your lips to shut down their own moisturizing and healing abilities.