They didn't want a party, but my brother and I didn't take "No" for an answer, because 40 years deserves to be celebrated. Especially in today's time when marriage seems like it is as temporary and easily thrown away as a plastic water bottle, it is important to note when someone has accomplished 40 years together, let alone a happy 40.
Nate and I are blessed with a wonderful marriage. I fall deeper in love with him all the time, and I'm so thankful for the man that he is. We credit a lot of things for our marriage, but we definitely credit the wonderful examples that our parents have set before us.
Not only have my parents been married 40 years, but I distinctly remember a walk through Scott County Park in high school when they were ahead of us holding hands. I thought, "I want to be that in love when I've been married that long."
They quarrel. They disagree. They have different personalities. However, that has never ceased them to stop loving each other or to stop putting their relationship first. They have worked through their differences through the years and stuck it out, and I'm grateful to God for helping them through and grateful to them for perseverance in even in the difficulties.
Congratulations Mom and Dad on 40 years. I hope your next 40 are even more wonderful.
At their party, they put together little goodie bags of Hershey kisses to thank people for coming, and I ended up with several bags of them.
Now, peanut butter blossoms with Hershey kisses may be one of my favorite cookies, but I'm too cheap to buy kisses so I never make them. In fact, I think the last time I did was to use up the extra kisses from our wedding seven years ago.
This celebration gave me a good reason to make some tonight, and I even tried to healthy them up a bit. A bit.
Peanut butter blossoms
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat butter and peanut butter until incorporated. Add sugars, egg and vanilla. Beat until incorporated.
Add baking soda, baking powder and flour. Slowly mix in until all ingredients come together.
Using a tablespoon measure, plop balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes.
Immediately on removing from over, place unwrapped Hershey kiss in the center of each cookie and press gently. Let stand on cookie sheet until cool and kiss is no longer melty. Move to cooling rack and cool completely.
