Pumpkin Bars, Friendship and Pinterest FAIL?

If you were to peek in my bedroom window at night, you'd be pretty disappointed. Most nights you'd find me sitting in my bed, zoning out on Pinterest. I'm assuming everyone is on board with what website I'm talking about?

 I click... and click... and click as I find DIY projects where I could theoretically create FAN-TAS-TIC holiday crafts with my children (It’ll never happen). Then I click... and click... and click... as I discover AMA-ZING recipes I intend to make that will WOW my friends and family (I don’t cook). I have “pinned” decorating ideas, favorite quotes, places to go and things to do.


My only issue is click... click... clicking... the computer off, going to the store, and purchasing the ingredients/supplies to make my life OH-SO-MUCH-MORE-QUAINT. I get so busy “pinning” my intentions that I fail to bring them into fruition.

That was until Carissa had surgery.

My dearest friend, the one who has been there with me through thick and thin. The one who has shuttled my children and been my movie date many-a-night. She’s the person who, when I had my own surgery, rounded up the other mothers and designated who would bring soup to me and when. When it was Carissa’s turn to go under the knife I asked what I could do to bring comfort during her recovery. She had one request: The Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars I had found on Pinterest.

• Surgery Day: With good intentions I purchased the ingredients for Carissa’s treat. After school I kept my kids and her kids and along with other daily distractions, I didn’t get to making the bars.

• Carissa’s post-op day one: I’m busy again. I had to do some interivews for the practice, had some personal appointments, and I just couldn’t get to the bars. The ingredients sat on the counter, mocking me and making me feel a little bit guilty. To comfort myself I got back on Pinterest and pinned ideas about strengthening my friendships.

• Post-op day two: Carissa came to my kitchen demanding her bars and scornfully eyeballed the ingredients on the counter.

Two days post-baking & after 10 people have helped themselves

I opened the recipe on my laptop and began gathering the ingredients. As I was pulling everything together, Carissa started pouring and measuring what we would need to make our bars. Then I realized my floors were looking kind of bad so I got the broom out. Carissa continued to cut, measure and stir; occasionally asking me for a certain kind of bowl or spoon. After sweeping the floors I decided mopping would make them look even better! My friend seemed busy and distracted so I found some of my delicious Basil scented cleaning products and went to work. Before I knew it, Carissa was asking me how to set the timer on my oven. WAH-LAH! She had her bars and my kitchen looked & smelled PERFECT!

Pumpkin bars baked? Done. Kitchen cleaned? Check. Me being an amazing friend...? Maybe?
Eh... If Carissa was hanging out with me for my cooking she would have been gone a long time ago. Pin that.