Cookie Friday: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup peanut butter

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup (or 3 preschooler handfuls) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Mix first four ingredients well, then slowly add in flour and salt. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheets. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Let me know if you give them a try!

"I learned it from watching you!"

When I was small, my mother tells me, I was coloring in a high chair, and dropped my crayon. She says I dropped a phrase that rhymes with "cram it" and cheerfully continued coloring. When asked where I learned that word, I told her "Daddy!"

Playing Wii with Uncle Bubba this weekend, Stinky dropped a few choice words. After regaining my composure (I confess that find swearing children SO amusing, because you know for most swearing children, there are two mortified parents. Yes, I was simultaneously mortified and amused), we had a talk, and he's only slipped up once since. Unfortunately, I know that the blame is as likely to fall on me as it is on anyone else. So, I find myself much more aware of the language I use around him*.

Now, my conversations with other adults have definitely changed, and it's probably for the better, even if they do sound a little silly. Here are a few examples from the weekend, when a dear friend told me about some hurt she'd experienced:

"Seriously? That makes me so mad, I want to put a curled up hand through the front of his cranium."

"Don't worry about it. I've accepted that it wasn't my problem that he's a word that sounds like mustard."

I'm starting to sound like I'm playing a game of Taboo when I'm frustrated. Of course, I should be better at censoring myself than even that, but I'll get there. Hopefully, it will be before kindergarten.

*WBH also takes his share of the blame after playing many hours of Epic Mickey while he was sick. It's a 50/50 thing.

What I Wore Wednesday: Plague Edition

A plague hit my house this last week and hung on for dear life. I kid you not, we were pretty miserable. Except for Stinky. He was full of health and energy and I found myself wishing that he was sick, just so he'd slow down.

So, the outfit you see below was worn no less than three times this week. It is embarassing to admit, but it's true. It was washed at least once in there, so I can take some solace in that.

Hat: Knit by me

sweatshirt: Eddie Bauer

sweats: Old Navy

shoes: Costco

For church I did a little better, I think. Like my styling bead necklace? It's a one of a kind, Stinky Original.

Sweater: Thrifted, Old Navy

Skirt: Marshalls

Necklace: made by Stinky

We're finally all feeling better, so here's hoping for a better week, with another wedding outfit thrown in. It gets better- it's a ZOMBIE WEDDING.

This Girl

There is something about a sister. You can say horrible things to each other, you can steal shamelessly from their wardrobe, you can make fun of her having a badonkadonk that rivals Jennifer Lopez, and you know that the two of you will still love each other. I have two sisters in my family, and while I have done all of the above to them (and they have done the same to me- except for the badonkadonk, that's reserved for middle sister), and we all still love each other very much.

Middle Sister ditched her yeti of a boyfriend earlier this year and decided to serve a mission for our church. She found out two days before Christmas that she will be leaving the nest for a year and a half to live in Campinas, Brazil. "OH MY GOSH, you guys, I'm not even upset!" she shouted.

I'm so proud of her, and excited for the changes and blessings this will bring for her. I'll be starting a blog to keep her friends and family updated while she's gone.... and I am going to steal every scrap left in her closet before her plane leaves the ground.

So, to Middle Sister, my Irma Ginger, I say "You'll be swell! You'll be great! Your red pumps and brown knee-high boots aren't good for walking and Little Sister's feet are too big anyway!"

I Made it Monday: Jayne Cobb Hat

Tealah introduced us to Firefly earlier this year- that series was too short-lived. We really enjoyed it, though, and when it came time to make Christmas presents, a hat inspired by Jayne Cobb seemed like a great option. Now I'm making another for her roommate as part of the Facebook Pay it Forward craft trend this year. It never crossed my mind that WBH actually kind of resembled Jayne, until I had him pose for this picture.

For the story of the hat, check out this video:



Happy Monday! Did you make anything this weekend?

Sunday Inspiration

Please don't nag yourself with thoughts of failure. Do not set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. Simply do what you can do, in the best way you know, and the Lord will accept of your effort.

Gordon B. Hinckley

You're the Inspiration

Stinky's hands kneading some dough- a favorite picture from the holidays.

I received an amazing e-mail from a friend this week. She thanked me for writing what I do here, letting me know it inspired her. During a hard week of illness running like a racehorse through our family, it made my ever-loving day and almost made me do the ugly cry. I'm not trying to brag here, or fish for compliments, honestly. It's just that I don't know that I do that enough- thanking the people who inspire me with the things they do. I'll be spending sometime this weekend working on that.

Who is inspiring you? Have you let them know lately? Because you might make them do the ugly cry. Just sayin'.