I can’t stop thinking about the wildfires in California. I have so many friends out there (at last count, all are safe so far). There was a sad photo on the front page of our newspaper yesterday. It showed an entire neighborhood burned to the ground, except for one house left standing in the middle of it all. (They didn’t mention how that one house was safe. My thought is - of course you want your house to be safe, but how sad to be there when all of your neighbors houses are gone.) I’m hoping that all of you Loopy Friends out there are safe and sound as well. You Californians (and those who have loved ones there) are certainly in our thoughts and prayers.

So today, I’m focusing on happy things, because there’s enough sadness on the news. So:

Happy Thing #1: Knitting Daughter and College Guy are both hanging out at Loopy Central today, and I love seeing them here.

Happy Thing #2: Fun things going up next week: Numma Numma, Chewy Spaghetti, Sheepaints, Seacoast Merino, Perchance to Knit Cashmere Sock, Plucky Knitter Lace, Mrs. Kwitty’s bags, and Ham’s Jams Yarn Cruisers.

Happy Thing #3: We have more Loopy Groupies to welcome to the fold! Congratulations to the following people: Jennifer in TN, Pat in OH, Troy in NJ, Jari in IN, Kathy in IA, Erin in WA, Elizabeth in NY, Katrina in IL, Debbie in MN, Jenna in Canada, Sarah in CA, Jo Anne in HI, Susan in IL, Cindy in KS, Sue in WA, Risa in NJ, Pamela in NY, Christine in NC, Anne in LA, Claire in CA, Erica in Germany, Terri in WA, Suna in TX, Kathy in MO, Kara in MO, Pia in MD, Vicky in GA, Rachel in the military, Sarah in AK, Terri in WA, Annette in AZ, Deborah in MN, Melissa in OH, Ruth in Canada, Megan in TX, Sheila in IL, Natalie in AZ, Katie in IA, Barbara in CT, Mary in TX, Lisa in AK, Elizabeth in WI, Kaylee in CO, Tracie in PA, Christine in MI, Angelina in TX, Lisa in IL, Phoebe in FL, Laura in CA, Ginni in MO, Megan in MA, Barbara in MO, Debra in MA, Jennifer in MD, Sherry in AK, Virginia in TN, Jocelyn in CA, Dee in CA, Allison in MO, Gail in OR, Elizabeth in GA, Sandy in CA, Teresa in TX, Sarah in ID, Nancy in MN, Barbara in GA, Chenoa in CO, Melissa in MA, Victoria in NY, Kristin in MO, Heather in WA, Jennifer in IL, Jennifer in TN, Heather in WA, Emily in TN, Stephanie in CA, Brenna in CA, Amanda in IN, Toni in CA, Karen in FL, Ena in MA, Jewel in CA, Jessica in WA, Ada in VA, Sarah in NE, Mary in MO, Merry Gay in MO, Jordi in NY, Elizabeth in NC, Sue in NE, Ruth in CO, Deawn in NE, Gayle in MA, Rochelle in NC, Amy in NV, Dawn in MO, Angela in the UK, Patricia in IL, Anne in KY, Vanessa in Australia, Greta in OK, Bonnie in CA, Julia in MN, MJ in CO, Renea in OK, Tanis in NJ, Jean in CA, Christy in FL, Gina in NC and Angela in IN. (How do you become a Loopy Groupie? When we have sent out six packages to you, we will be sending you a Loopy Groupie gift bag! You’ll get an email when we have posted the Sneak Up from week to week, along with Loopy Groupie Appreciation gifts a couple of times a year. Watch for another one of those coming in the next few weeks - we have something fun on order for you!)

Happy Thing #4: We’re finally Loopified! I’ll do a Loopy Central tour in Monday’s blog post.

Happy Thing #5: I have loved reading all of your blog comments for our October contest. But I’m not through them all yet and I want to get through them before I announce the winner. (The winner is random - but I still want to finish reading all of those 443 comments before I end the contest!) Really, it has made me wonder what my kids will remember as their “favorite recipes” that I made in their growing up years.

Happy Thing #6: Peanut Butter Brownies. Oh-my-gosh good.

DSC01311.JPGPeanut Butter Brownies

2 eggs
1 stick of margarine, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 box Duncan Hines butter recipe cake mix
bag of peanut butter chips (about 10 oz)
(can also add chopped nuts if you like nuts)

Peanut Butter Cream Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbl. milk
4 Tbl. margarine, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup peanut butter

Mix eggs, 1 stick of margarine, brown sugar and cake mix in a bowl. Mix on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape bowl and then mix on low for 2 more minutes. Fold in peanut butter chips by hand. Spread evenly in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely, frost and cut.

Frosting: Put powdered sugar, salt, milk, 4 Tbl. margarine, vanilla and peanut butter in bowl and mix well. (Add more milk if the frosting isn’t creamy enough.) Frost brownies when they are cool. (Note - this frosting is so good, and would be excellent on a regular box mix of chocolate brownies, too!)

(Kristin - you’re right - I did forget to share the great pumpkin recipe from my friend Christy! I’ll make it up and share that soon. Thanks for the reminder.)

Happy Thing #7: It’s the weekend!

Sheri haveanyhappythingstosharetoday?