At LAST!

(Are you hearing "At Last" by Etta James in your head? I hope so.)

Happy Monday everyone! A couple of "at last" moments from the past weeks include...

Floating the Boise River! This is a popular thing for people in my city to do when the weather is hot, hot, hot.

I went with my friend Jana, who I have known since 9th grade.

Over the rapids I go!

Luckily, Jana's camera is waterproof. I risked life and limb to capture this action shot.

The water is still pretty dang cold. Eventually though, your butt just gets numb and you just float by without a care in the world! Flip flops also make excellent paddles.

Speaking of which. Let me introduce you to the only ones I will wear:

I also have a dark gray and pink pair I bought last summer.

They're made by Terrasoles, and though they are pricey, they are SO worth it. If you do a little google research, you can find them cheaper on other websites. Here are some selling points from Terrasoles themselves:

-anti-microbial (read: they won't stink!)

-textured, massaging foodbed (so nice!)

-superior arch support and airflow

I like them because they are very comfortable to walk in for extended periods of time and don't make my feet ache like regular flip flops. They are also very durable. Women's Health mag recommended them last summer and I've been hooked ever since. If you try them, you'll never go back. I promise.

At the grocery store, I decided to take a look in the peanut butter aisle just in case...

Oh, my gosh, I FOUND IT!! I swear I stood there for a good five minutes with my mouth hanging open in disbelief. This was the first time I had come across Peanut Butter & Co. at the store. Too bad it was so pricey. I would have bought all 4 flavors which included mighty maple, bee's knees, white chocolate wonderful and dark chocolate dreams.

I bought these two and sampled them as soon as I got home.

I was a little disappointed with the White Chocolate Wonderful. It tasted like regular peanut butter to me. The Bee's Knees was so yummy though! Just the right hint of honey.

While I was at the store, I also came across the most interesting item in the sushi cooler.

Yes, you read right. Tiny octopus salad. Ugh. (Just so you know, that was NOT an at last moment. Just an "oh my gosh what an awesomely weird thing to post on my blog" moment.)

At heart, I am truly a baker. For the sake of my husband's and my survival, I have become a better cook, but baking is truly my creative outlet. I was craving scones so I searched for a good recipe and came across this one.

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

(adapted from Catch the Spoon)

1 c. whole wheat flour

3/4 c. regular flour

1/4 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

1/4 c. cold butter, cut into chunks

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. white chocolate chips

zest from one orange (though lemon would be good too!)

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/3 c. buttermilk, plus extra for topping

1. Preheat oven to 375. Combine all dry ingredients, including sugar, in a large bowl and mix well. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork. When butter is fully incorporated, it should look like clumpy, damp sand. (It takes a bit of time and patience.)

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/3 c. buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Pour into dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Add white chocolate and cranberries. Divide dough into 8 equal portions, brush tops with buttermilk and bake for about 20 minutes or until tops begin to turn golden.

I served mine with the orange sections and some tangerine white tea. Heavenly.

Oh, the baking has only just begun! For now, I'm doing a little bedroom furniture shopping and then going to lunch with Sara before she jets away to D.C.

Do you float the river, splash in the lake, or hit the beach in your town?

What's your favorite PB & Co. flavor?

What was your recent "at last" moment?