The Way a Two Year Old Thinks...

What do these have in common?

To my two year old daughter Happy Feet, they are both George! 

We were eating out one night when my husband gave her some money to put on the table for a tip.  Happy Feet looked at one of the dollar bills and said "George".  A few minutes later as she was looking around the restaurant she saw an older lady (not the one pictured above) and said, "look mom, George". 

I could barely hold it together. 

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2010 Harvest Party...Safari Style

Here's a little (okay, kind of big) movie of my parents' most recent Harvest Party. This years theme was Safari. It was so fun and you would be amazed at the detail and planning that went into the night. It was incredible! I'll write more on that later. For now, I wanted to get this posted. Pin It

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ever

I've been making these for a long time.  They are the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever come across.  I found it on the site Top Secret Recipes. It's a fun website that clones the things you might eat at a restaurant.  Some of my favorites include their McDonald's Breakfast Burrito and Cherry Limeades from Sonic Drive In.   I made these years ago when the website allowed you to access all of their recipes for free.  Now, some refer you to the cookbook which they want you to buy and others are still free.  Most of the recipes I've tried have been very good, and right on with what they are trying to replicate.  Try these cookies, you won't be disappointed.

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
 3 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon instant coffee
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

• Cream the butter with the sugars until fluffy
• Beat in the eggs and the vanilla
• Combine the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture
• Stir in the chocolate chips
• Drop by large spoon fulls onto a greased cookie sheet
• Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes (I used a baking stone and mine take around 12 minutes)

Made about 35 cookies.  I used my Pampered Chef little scooper.  I love that thing! Pin It

A Perfect Autumn Afternoon for Pictures

Over the weekend my husband got me a new camera. It's my Christmas present.  Maybe I'll actually have it figured out by then.  I'm so excited about learning how to use it and pursuing a new hobby.  He's so sweet...I'm a lucky girl.

Today was a beautiful day.  The kids didn't think naps seemed like a good idea, and I agreed.  For today only though.  I packed them up and took them to the park.  I wanted to experiment with my new camera anyway.  I grabbed the Bumbo seat out of the attic for Swoosh.  He's finding that interesting.  I think he's still hard to photograph in a group setting though.   Here's some pictures from the afternoon. 

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The Family Visits the Pumpkin Patch

Over the weekend the entire family visited the pumpkin patch.  You know how when you get those brochures for a vacation and it looks so serene and lovely...then you get there and you are with like 100,000 other people?  That's what this was like.  Good concept, just way too many people.  We promised the kids a tractor ride, but when we got there and actually saw the line to buy tickets we had to renig.  We took in the animals and looked at some of the pumpkins though.

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Red Shoes' Pre-School Fieldtrip

Red Shoes had his pre-school fieldtrip this week.  He went to the pumpkin patch and Swoosh and I got to go with him.  It was a beautiful day!  Red Shoes loved the maze, was a little hesitant about the haybales and enjoyed picking out a pumpkin.   He really loved riding the school bus too.  Swoosh and I were thrilled to spend the morning outside with one of our favorite kids.  I think Happy Feet will get in on some pumpkin patch action this weekend when the entire family goes.

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