Sara sans "h"

I have not written a post on this blog in 8 months. I keep meaning to update, even sit down and start to write about something or jot down ideas as I come up with them occasionally during the work day or while in the middle of something but never see those scraps of ideas come to full-fledged blog fruition. Sometimes I'll even be lying in bed and think, "I really wish I had written a blog about that major life event, but it seems like too late now."
Since disappearing from the internet in such an abrupt way (I think I have logged on to twitter twice in the last 9 months), a lot has changed in my life. There are the obvious huge life happenings (like getting engaged) and smaller, less obvious ones (like learning how to make a rose out of gumpaste for cake decorations).
Oh, and I wrote a novel in there. NaNoWriMo was so much fun last year that I am already planning my novel for this year. (hint: There is a girl literally going crazy from planning a wedding. Planning our wedding has actually been super easy, so I'm going to have to make a lot of stuff up, but I feel like it will be a fun thing to write.)
Also, Texas changed their law regarding selling baked goods from a home kitchen, so now I am pursuing taking my passion for baking and making a little bit of money out of it with a side business. I have the baking part down pretty well, but the decorating is where I am a bit lacking (hence the gumpaste rose). I did so badly in art in middle school and have never really been all that good at visual arts that I am kind of scared. I mean, at Knox I thought the art requirement was going to be my downfall until I found out I could take poetry instead of an actual studio art class. This should be an adventure.

Things to remember after moving to the desert:
1. You will start to get tanner no matter how much SPF 75 sunscreen you use. I'm okay with being a bit more tan/less ghostly pale that I was, but it seems a bit ridiculous that even after generously applying and reapplying sunscreen I am still noticably darker.
2. 100 degrees is a nice break from the heat.
3. Where shade in the heat didn't make that much of a difference in the midwest because the humidity was so high you always felt like suffocating here it means the difference between life and death.
4. STOP FORGETTING TO PUT THE REFLECTOR THINGY IN THE DASH OF YOUR CAR SARA. One day my luck will have run out and they will find a baked Sara souflee because I forgot to put the sunshield up in my car when I ran into the grocery store.
5. Upper arm strength is key when you have to carry in all of the groceries ASAP so they don't die in the trunk of your car.
6. Do all of your baking at night. I started baking a chocolate cake after 9 because this way the house won't be unnecessarily heated during the day when it is god awful hot outside.
And last but certainly not least...
7. I really am a desert rat at heart. By far the most beautiful sunsets and natural scenery I can recall seeing in my time.

Me: I want to make cinnamon rolls.
Penny: Cinnamon rolls are quite tasty.
Me: Mmhmm. I need to invest in a rolling pin, though.
Penny: They are handy things.
Me: For baking and use as a blunt object should zombies attack and you have not yet obtained a shotgun.
Penny: Of course.

This is an example of why we are friends.