A west-side welcome

I've been very busy this spring.

I work full time and am in graduate school. I also spent much of the past three months hiking and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I commited to raise $2,900 for LLS and hike into the Grand Canyon on May 9 to raise funds and awareness for the fight against blood cancers. You can read all about it on my AZ Hiking Chicks blog.

It has kept me really busy. If I'm not working, sleeping, or studying, I am hiking or raising money. Literally. My husband, Mike, has hardly seen me since January.

But now, that's all coming to a close. The end of my fundraising is in sight. Pretty soon, I'll drag myself up those last few feet on the Canyon's Bright Angel Trail. Even my spring semester ends soon.

Whatever will I do with myself?

I will rediscover one of my first loves -- BAKING!

Baking has taken a backseat in a long line of other priorities lately. I'm sure my co-workers have noticed how empty the table in the breakroom has been. I will make it up to them.

I am partnering with my best friend, Kristin, to bring you this blog. Kris and I bond over many things: our love of Kent State basketball, our journalistic natures, our uncanny interest in weddings, and creating and consuming all things sweet.

We've been friends since our college days in Ohio, but have since (physically) parted ways. She landed in Florida, land of palm trees and humidity. I settled in Arizona, land of cactuses and an intense "dry heat."

This blog will be many things.

We will continue in our never-ending quest to answer the age old question, "What is the best way to mail baked goods to/from a hot climate?" We will try out new recipes, and pay homage to the gems we've already found. We will share our successes and our not-so-successes with you.

We will bake for our families, friends, co-workers, each other, and ourselves.

I hope you join us for the ride.