super easy peasy peanut butter fudge

I found a link to this recipe this morning on Facebook and haphazardly jotted down the directions on a torn piece of an envelope. I'm glad I did because I went back to find it and can't now. I was hungry and this sounded yummy, plus I had all four ingredients! Best of all, I'm sure you do too.

For all of you chocolate lovers -- you could even melt some chocolate and drizzle it on top of the hardened fudge, or swirl it in before it hardens.

I beat the peanut butter mixture with a wooden spoon for a minute or two and then poured it into a buttered bread pan and put it into the fridge. I was skeptical; no candy thermometer, not dozens of steps (like those willy nilly caramels). But it worked -- within just a few minutes it had thickened up and had the right fudge consistency. 

Fudge always reminds me of being a little girl at the apple orchard in the fall. I remember the sweets room, the one that smells of hot sugared apple cider donuts. It was always full of sweets and delicious homemade candies. There was always a display case full of fudge, every variety imaginable. I liked sampling the different flavors, and being a sweets lover would have loved to take home a giant box every time. This year when fall rolls around {or anytime I get a fudge craving} I'll be able to make this in a pinch!

spring break in NYC

We had the opportunity to spend spring break week in New York City! Patrick went to help Spread Truth ministries. It was our first official "spring break" away. It felt special to pack, load up the car and take off leaving town and all of the usual stuff behind. (We even missed a big snowstorm which made mild weather on the east coast seem tropical in comparison.)

We drove for about 9 and 1/2 hours the first day and arrived at our hotel in DeBois, Pennsylvania late in the evening. The boys dashed out of the car and after the initial jumping on the hotel beds christening, they went for a swim while we waited for pizza to arrive. All the hotel usuals.

The next day we drove for just a little over 4 hours and we reached the city in the late afternoon. Henry and William are so patient on these long drives. They do lots of coloring, book reading and a little movie watching and i-pad playing {thank goodness for both of those}. They love to be read to and I'm thankful that I'm able to read in the car, so we read a couple of Magic Treehouse books too. And we all snack {too much!} to pass the time.

{Our first view of the city from the George Washington bridge.That's Manhattan you can see between the bridge bars.}

We did a little bit of city sight-seeing the first night there and also did a quick trip through the Museum of Natural History.

 That night poor Henry woke up around midnight with one of the worst ear infections he's ever had. He couldn't sleep, he just cried weakly from the pain all night long. It was sad and I felt terrible and helpless that I could do nothing to ease the pain. The next morning it burst which immediately relieved the pain. A quick trip to the urgent care clinic and a bottle of antibiotics later, he felt much better for the rest of the trip. Poor guy, I think it was a one-two punch from lots of swimming the night before and then driving through the mountains of Pennsylvania.

The rest of the trip was like I'd imagined and hoped for -- a good mix of lingering in pajamas mornings while Erica and I chatted over steaming cups of coffee and listened to the boys happily play together and exploring the city.

The Bronx Zoo

Best Friends Reunion -- and new friends meet.

Early morning taxi sightings. He loved standing tip-toe here and counting the taxis.

My favorite mornings. The long, pajama lingering ones. We always say we wish we lived closer and could do this weekly :)

Top of "the Rock". The observation deck at the Rockefeller Center.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art -- the "Met".

Times Square

Not the priceless piece of art William touched --- with two hands. We left that wing very quickly!

The "Bendy Bus". William's favorite outing!

The Statue of Liberty cruise.

Subway Shenanigans.

Brooklyn. Near the bridge looking across the water at Manhattan.

The Friday morning after we got home, Henry set right to building a few pieces of the New York City skyline out of blocks. He made the Empire State Building, the Freedom Tower and the Brooklyn Bridge.

I've been to NYC a handful of times now, so this time wasn't so much about sightseeing for me although I do love visiting and it seems like there's more to see every time. It was special for me to be there with my family, to see the city with my boys. I loved seeing it through their eyes. The "bendy" buses, taxi rides and seeing the Statue of Liberty were William's favorites and Henry loved the energy; riding the subway, walking city streets and seeing towering sky scrapers. Henry was also able to help Patrick one of the days, they passed out food at different food pantries. He was so happy to be able to go and I'm so thankful for his cheerful, servant's heart.

I also loved all of the visiting with friends. One afternoon Erica and I took the boys to a neighborhood park near the Met. We packed lunches and sat on a park bench while the boys played. It felt so normal, like we were city neighbors meeting up for a playdate. I was also so thankful to spend time with Katie and her sweet family. I got to meet her little girl, Estelle, for the first time and she met William for the first time, too. Friendships are one of the things I treasure most as I get older. The true, deep, lasting ones that seem to pick right back up where we left off, even after five years. Those kinds are a rare and special gift.

Leaving was hard, my sweet Henry boy cried and cried as we drove back across the George Washington bridge into New Jersey. He didn't want to leave and is anxious to go back to visit. Thank you to Erica and Bret for your hospitality -- we had such a wonderful time!