Cookie Review and a Song...

Thank you to everyone who shared in the cookie exchange. Too bad it wasn't in person, I would have loved to have gone home with some of those cookies!  Our favorite part about having a cookie exchange, you show up with one type of cookie, but leave with an assortment. Here is a review:

Bramasole shared Mini Chausson and

Ginger Spiced Almond Rugelach

5 Minutes just for me

Chai Tea Cookie

Stuff and Nonsense

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

A & W

Oreo Balls

The Pursuit of Happiness

Toffee Coconut Bars

Thank you so much to these girls for joining in!

I was so nervous

to host a party and have no one join in.

Thank You! Thank You, for playing along!!

We (lil Tony and I)

are so excited to bake these cookies!

Sunday Song

Usually on Sunday I like to share a quote, but

today I wanted to join in with Natasha

at 5 minutes for me

and share a Sunday Song.

Taylor Swift is a favorite here, not only because

she has a beautiful voice, but because she grew up

close to home. Her lyrics are "safe" for the kids

to listen to and I love that she is romantic at heart. 

Her video for her song "Mine" was released this week

and it is a favorite for us all.

Hope your weekend was full of fun! Now we're off to get ready for the first day of school! Have a wonderful week!

Cookie Exchange Week 1

Welcome to Week 1 of our cookie exchange!

We are so happy you stopped by to visit,

hope you enjoy the recipes and

join in on the party!

This week Lil Tony baked some Cowboy Cookies for us.

The recipes comes from my friend Dana, and they have

quickly become a family favorite!

Cowboy Cookies

Oven 350 degrees

Sift together:

2 cups flour

1t. baking powder

1t baking soda

1/2 t salt

Cream together:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

Beat in cream mixture:

2 eggs

1t vanilla

Add Flour mixture to cream mixture

and mix well.

Stir in:

2 cups rolled oats

2 - 12 oz packages of any of the following:

(chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips,

health bars, or butterscotch chips)

Drop on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper.

Use an ice cream scoop to make large cookies.

Flatten the cookies a bit and bake for 14 minutes.

If you want smaller cookies drop by teaspons and bake 8-10 minutes.

We are so excited to see your recipes!!

I guess we should have some rules?

#1

 I am going to use the same rules I use for our Holiday Cookie Exchange,

a cookie can include all cookies, bar cookies and candy.  I know candy

isn't a cookie...but when having a cookie exchange it can be divided up

like cookies. So we'll include it in the party!

#2

I'll keep the party open Thursday night through Sunday night at Midnight

#3

In your post link back to Relatively Unique to allow everyone to

enjoy the other recipes being posted!

Okay here we go!! Don't know why I feel nervous tonight about this

post. Hope you join in and enjoy! I am so excited to see what

recipes you share!!

You're invited to a Cookie Exchange.....

For the last 7 or 8 years a group of our friends get together for a Holiday cookie exchange party. It is one of my favorite parties! It also helps that our family loves cookies, we aren't particular about the kind, just as long as it is a cookie! Add a cup of coffee and life is good!

Yesterday I was reading Love the Decor's recipe for biscotti and it sounds so delicious. Then Lil Tony is on a cookie baking spree! This all got me thinking about cookies and hosting a cookie exchange party every week? What do you think?

I don't have any cute button for the party (I'll try to work on that), but how about every Friday you can stop by, link up and share your awesome cookie recipes. I know you have some great recipes to share! By the time the Holiday's roll around we'll be ready with an amazing cookie assortment and a few for Santa!

Let me know what you think and hope to see you on Friday!!

Hydrangea Wreath...

I dried enough Hydrangea's to make my wreath! Even left some on

the Hydrangea bush to enjoy!

Grapevine wreath

Dried Hydrangea's

Small white flowers (didn't use after all)

Glue gun

Going to pack up my wreath and save it for the "new" house.

Linking to these fun parties:

A different I....

The old women I shall become

will be quite different

from the woman I am now.

Another I is beginning.

George Sand (Amandine Dupin)

1804-1876

French Novelist

Every small positive change

we make in ourselves

repays us in confidence in the future.

Alice Walker

American Author

Linking to:

Notes from a Cottage Industry

Chocolate Chololate Chip Cookies

Yesterday Lil Tony informed me that he felt he was old enough to make cookies by himself and I was not allowed in the kitchen. Really, was my first thought? Lil Tony is 10yrs old and this new desire for independence may have been sparked by the fact that his 8yr old sister Sarah and her friend made cookies by themselves the other day. How could a big brother let his younger sister be independent in the kitchen first? You know he makes his famous scrabble egg, strawberry pancakes and Jewish apple cake!

Okay. It's a deal. Off with my magazine to the deck for rest and relaxation, while the Lil chef goes to work!

You knew rest and relaxation would be short lived! He did come out to tell me that if I wanted to take pictures and blog about it, I would be allowed in the kitchen for that! I was instructed not to touch anything or help. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree you know (referring to his dad)!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 t. baking soda

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup softened butter

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts (optional)

1 cup mini marshmallows (optional and Lil Tony's secret)

Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda in a med size bowl and set aside. Combine Sugar, brown sugar, and soften butter in large mix bowl and mix until well blended. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Stir in Chocolate Chips, walnuts, and marshmallows. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Lil Tony:  Measuring his flour. 

Me: Gosh, I hope he doesn't drop it on the floor.

Lil Tony: Adding his secret ingredient (marshmallows)

Me: Goodness look at the pile of dry ingredients that didn't make it into the bowl.

Lil Tony: Thanks mom! I can now say I cooked all by myself!

Me: Yes, you can and these cookies are delicious :)

Linking to Foodie Friday!

Fringe Benefits.....

The girls and I are still dreaming, planning and working on their room. It seems to be the only room in the new home that we know how it will be decorated. Tonight we tackled a little project!

The project started with a white lamp shade and lamp from Target.

The girls like the light, but felt it needed a little pop. Off to Hobby Lobby with our 40% off coupon. (if you only knew how long I have longed to type that....Hobby Lobby is new to our area...yippee!) After spending what seemed like hours debating which trim would look best, a winner was chosen.

Glue gun go to work....

Another fringe benefit...the light gets to live in Maddie's room until the move.

If you remember, they choose the colors pink, black and green for their new room. I think they did good! They read your comments on their room and they love idea of a pink wall and pink or green curtains. Thank you! I knew they would listen to you!! My little decorators!

Linking to some fun parties....

Just a Girl Show and Share Day

Someday Crafts Whatever goes Wednesday

My Romantic Home Show and Tell

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Tatertots and Jello

Inspiration Shopping...

Before kids Tony and I loved to go through open houses. It didn't always mean we were looking to move, just looking for inspiration! This weekend inspiration was needed. I feel like I've been in a slump and I needed to walk through a "perfect" home decorated by a designer where cost was not over looked. Charter Homes did not let us down.

This video is 6 minutes long. The builder and the stylist walk you through the home and explain the details of construction and planning, even down to the choices for paint and lighting. It was just the inspiration we needed! You can see more video's here.



We are in love with the front door and the side porch of this home. When you walk through their home's one room flows into the next! There was no detail over looked. I am foreseeing Sunday open house's becoming a regular outing for awhile again.

Where do you go inspiration shopping?

Choose Wisely....

Life is change.

Growth is optional.

Choose Wisely.

Karen Kaiser Clark

(See more photo's here and here)

A special thank you to Wendy at A & W

for sharing one lovely blog award!

Merging two rooms...

A better title might be "The merging of two worlds."  Currently the girls each have their own bedroom and each room shows their personality. In about 4 weeks these two worlds rooms will collide join! In the beginning this idea went over like a lead balloon (for Maddie), but the tide is turning! Maddie and Sarah have sleep overs in each others room, practicing for the big day!

Currently this is what Maddie's room looks like:

And this is Sarah's room...

If you notice there are lots of differences between each room.

I have stepped back (referee) and allowed them to talk it through and

come up with a decorating plan.

Here is their plan:

Colors will be:

Black (Maddie's choice)

Pink (Sarah's choice)

Green (Maddie's vanity is already green)

Haven't picked a wall color yet...

(that could be because Dad has said no to all their choices!)

Sarah is going to get the same bedding as Maddie,

just flip it to the white and black side.

They want to add "their" color to the room

through pillows on their beds...

Maddie's pick...

Sarah's pick for pillow's...

Maddie also want to have Zebra print added to the room.

We (ok, I did add my opinion here) thought maybe

changing the fabric to her vanity chair to zebra...

Sarah and Maddie spotted a zebra rug on clearance

at Lowe's for $13.00!

(Their rug is packed away, but this gives you and idea)

Curtains are still being debated on.

I offered to make them,

if they can agree on fabric.

Any suggestions? Because, you

know suggestions from you would be cool,

where as mom's suggestions are so uncool!

Now the decision of what furniture stays and what

goes? This is tough and believe it or not,

they have figured it out!

All of Maddie's furniture is going into

the room and she is going to let Sarah use her

cabinet with the mirror.

Sarah's small dresser will go in the room,

between their twin beds.

(target)

Lights...

The girls want lights on the wall beside their beds.

Maddie is my reader and this will let her read at

night, but not keep Sarah up.

(Sarah is my night light girl, so Maddie reading light will

give the perfect light for Sarah to drift off to sleep)

(pottery barn)

They would also like one of these...

(Hobby Lobby)

Pulling this post together seems like it has been an easy

and happy process, but it had many trials along the way.

It's been fun watching them learn to work

together and having to give and take along the way.

Next on their list is accessories,

I'll be sure to keep you posted!