Cookie Recipes

I thought I might post the recipes I used for my cookie table. I made peanut butter, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and chocolate Rolo cookies. The oatmeal raisin cookies were suppose to become sandwich cookies with cream in the middle, which would have tasted like an oatmeal creme pie. But I ran out of time on the day of the party. I'll post the link to both the plain cookies and the sandwich ones.

I've told you about the peanut butter ones before, except it's a recipe for snicker cookies. I just leave out the snickers and use this recipe for plain peanut butter. I LOVE this recipe. I will never make another kind of peanut butter cookie again. You can find the recipe here.

I had never made the Rolo cookies before, and was taking a risk by making them for the first time on the day of the party. But it was worth it, because I thought they were really good. You can find the recipe here.

I found the oatmeal raisin recipe at Annie's Eats. I really like her food blog and can't wait to try more of her recipes. You can find the plain cookies here, and the creme sandwich one here. I plan on making the sandwich cookies soon because they look soooo good!!

I already had the chocolate chip recipe in my recipe box. So I'll post the whole thing here on the blog. I really like these cookies because they use a box of vanilla pudding. I think it makes the cookies really soft and sweet. The only thing I've noticed is that the regular recipe can sometimes make the cookies a little too sweet. I usually halve the recipe and they turn out perfect! I used the whole recipe for the party because it makes a lot of cookies. They still turned out good, in my opinion, but I still like to cut it in half. You can also use different flavors of pudding to make different types of cookies. My roommate in college use to make them all the time. She was always mixing it up. One time she used chocolate pudding and white chocolate chips. Another time she used mocha flavored pudding and milk chocolate chips. They were really good!!!
Anyway, here's the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

4 1/2 cups flour
2 cups butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 (3.4oz) pkgs. vanilla pudding mix
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking soda
1 pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1 (12oz) bag of chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat in pudding mix. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour a cup at a time. Add baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.
Yields: 4-5 dozen

Toooo Hot

We had a heat advisory yesterday, which was not a surprise since this whole summer has been unbearably hot!! So we stayed inside...again. I had so many fun things planned this summer, but it's been so hot that we haven't done very much. I'm a little bummed about it, but I just can't be out in this heat for very long. Maybe next summer won't be so hot!!

Grace spent the afternoon painting. She asked me to find a picture on the internet that she could look at for inspiration. ;)

Avery spent quite a bit of time at the table eating a doughnut. She is the slooooowest eater! But we didn't have anything else to do so it worked out for me. We had gotten doughnuts that morning at a little mom and pop cafe after we ran to the real estate place to drop off our rent. She ran straight to the counter and pointed to the ones with "can-ie" on them. And that's about all she ate off the doughnut, icing and "can-ie's." Of course I had to eat the rest for her. They were really good doughnuts!! There is something to be said about family owned doughnut shops. They are so much better than chains stores. I need to stop talking about them because I would love to go back and buy a dozen right now!!! That would be a bad idea, right??

This is what Scottie did the whole time he was home. He had just gotten off of his 30 hour shift!! And he worked the entire 30 hours. He said they were crazy busy and he didn't get much time to stop and take a break. I felt so bad for him. We just let him sleep. Even though he didn't wake up until after we were all asleep, it was nice just to have him in the house. We are going to have to get use to this and realize it is our new "normal" for now. It's a crazy life for a resident!!

Graduation Party

Well, it's been almost three months since Scottie graduated from medical school and we are just now having a party for him. We couldn't do it right after graduation since he left a week later for officer training, and then had to start his residency as soon as he got back. Today was the best day for him, even though he worked the night before and had to work right after the party. I told you this residency life was going to be tough!

But we had a good time and I am so happy that we had the chance to celebrate all of his hard work. I'm almost getting teary thinking about everything he has accomplished, I am so proud of my husband!!

I made a little table in our front room with a few pictures and his diploma. There were some cards on there from our family. Thank you!!!

This my cookie table, and I am so proud of it!! I asked Scottie if it was okay to do this instead of a cake because they are ridiculously expensive, even at Wal-Mart. He didn't mind, and I got an excuse to bake cookies!! I love baking, but I don't like to have cookies around because I will eat them all. This was the perfect way for me to bake and not eat everything in sight. Although there are some left over and I'm trying to think of how to get rid of them, maybe meet some new neighbors??

I put gift bags on the table with some ribbon so everyone could take cookies home. I love this idea. I read an article somewhere that suggested doing it for a bridal shower. All the guests are asked to bring a batch of their favorite cookies and a copy of the recipe for the bride. Then everyone gets to take home cookies and the bride gets a stack of new recipes. Great idea!!!

Avery and Nana. Wow, Mom was a life saver. Even though I had been working on the house and the cookies for three days straight, I just didn't have the energy to get it all done. Luckily Mom helped me finish cleaning and we spent the whole morning getting the food ready. Thanks again Mom, I couldn't have done it without you!

The food table, which is also our new set of cabinets that Scottie made. I am so impressed with his skills. He bought the cabinets and then cut plywood for the back and sides, and cut trim for the corners. Then he painted it and put the counter top on it. I LOVE it!! It really looks good in the kitchen and has given me a lot more storage/counter space. Thank you hubby!

I was trying to take different pictures of the party and everything we had done. My brother-in-law Joe thought I was taking a random picture of him. To be honest I didn't even notice there were people standing there, I was taking a picture of the food table. Which is why everyone is in mid-motion. Oops! ;)

Scottie's Granny, Grandma and Grandpa Conner, and his dad Jeff.

Scottie's family that came to the party, including his "Aunt" Rena (she's really Penny's cousin but more like an Aunt) and his cousin Jesse.

Like every party I go to, I got busy talking and socializing and stopped taking pictures. So sadly I didn't get a picture of my Uncle Mark, Aunt Teresa, and cousins Katie, Amanda and her family. We were so happy they came to celebrate with us, and can't wait to play Things again with the rest of the Jenkins crew! :)

Grace and her cousins caught a butterfly that was definitely in it's last hour of life. Although I think all of their love and "experiments" helped it move on to butterfly heaven a little faster then mother nature intended. I'm not sure what experiments they did, but I know they weren't trying to hurt it. They named it Jessica, drew pictures of her after she passed away, and created a song about Jessica the butterfly. I love how these kids play together, they are so funny to watch.

Grace, Chloe, Dylan, and Ezra help Jessica into her new home. They even put grass in there for her to eat, maybe her last meal? ;) Avery was there "helping" too, but we didn't get a picture of her with them.

After the party Grace was talking about Jessica the butterfly. She said "well Jessica is in heaven now, or maybe hell.... if she killed somebody." I didn't know how to respond and she sounded so serious, so I just waited until she left the room to burst out laughing.

The girls found the dress up box in the basement. This is one of their favorite activities when they get together. Chloe looks so cute in the Snow White costume, but I don't about Grace in her ripped up Star Wars costume from two years ago. She loves it so I guess that's all that matters.

You gotta love cousins!!! The girls were trying to talk us into letting Chloe stay the night, which is something her mom Amanda and did all the time when we were younger. It was almost like going back in time listening to them tell us how it would work even though Chloe didn't have any clothes with her. If I hadn't been totally wiped out from the past few days of party preparations I would have said yes, as long as it worked out with Amanda. But I was about the fall over by the end of the day. We promised the girls we would work something out soon so they could have a sleep over. How could we say no? They get along so well and have the best time together. We will definitely have to do something soon!!

Thanks again to everyone who was able to come. I know there were a lot of people who wanted to, but it just didn't work out. We appreciate every one's notes of encouragement and congratulations. Thank you to all of our family and friends for supporting us the past four years. Not only does it take a village to raise a child, but it takes a village to help someone make it through medical school without losing their mind!

Starting My Summer Updates

The girls have been trying to get out and play in our big backyard. It's been a little hard to play with this sweltering heat and humidity. Hopefully the humidity will go down soon and we can start enjoying our yard more!

I know I've said it before, but Grace is such a great big sister. She plays with Avery and helps her all the time. I love watching them play together on the swing set.

Starting the day together.

Avery likes to feed people. I just wish she didn't like to drop food on the floor as well. If only she would eat all of her food, the little bird! (Can you see Daddy completely out in the background? This is right after he came home from the night shift. I am so glad this is not a permanent rotation.)

Avery was trying to help Grandpa tighten the legs on the table. She never got to the legs, but she sure looks cute anyway.

I have been wanting to go to the downtown farmers market ever since we moved here, but didn't want to venture out there on my own. So Dad and Carol went with us when they came to visit last weekend. I think I will enjoy it when the weather cools down. It was almost too hot to walk around and shop. There were some small food vendors, produce, and then homemade goods like ceramics, soaps, jewelry, etc... It was cute, but I don't want to go again until it cools down!

Grace got some flowers at the market. They were closing down and the man was selling everything for a dollar. So she got to pick out several different colors of flowers, and then put them in a vase at home. They are still sitting on our table and look very pretty! (Yes, she is sitting in the stroller. Avery wanted to walk and Grace didn't, so they switched. But only because Dad was there to push, there is no way I could push Grace around now.) *Sorry I cut your head off Dad, it wasn't personal. ;)

Grandma and Avery walking through the market.

This has become Avery's favorite spot in the house. Scottie has been putting together some cabinets in the kitchen for me. This kitchen is small and has very little cabinet/drawer space. Avery is going to be so upset to find that Daddy has finished painting them and will soon be filled with all of the kitchen stuff that has been piled up in the corner. I have a feeling she is going to try and play in it anyway. So I need to make sure I put tupperware in there instead of anything breakable.

Death of a blog or New Life?

My Uncle Bill emailed me and asked if our blog had died now that we actually survived medical school. I've thought about it off and on this summer, and decided that it just needs some new life. I've renamed it "Surviving Residency" and believe me I can already tell the next three years will be a survival of the fittest!!

I've stayed pretty quiet on the blog since May. As I told my uncle, I haven't felt very positive lately and didn't want to fill the blog with gripes and complaints. But if I truly want to document our experiences through this medical journey, then I'll have to put out the good and the bad. This intern year is going to be hard for all of us, and the added blessing of our baby boy will bring it's share of joy and tough times as well. So hopefully you won't mind if I sound down or stressed sometimes. Just know, I'm only expressing my complaints and not spirally down into a deep depression. (Grandma ;)

I've got a lot of pictures from this summer that I would like to share. I'm hoping to start back tracking and posting some of the good times we've had so far. Stay tuned, because I feel like I'm getting my blog groove back together.

Mooooooooomyyyyyy

This is what we hear every night before Avery falls asleep, and the first thing she says when she wakes up in the morning. It is so cute. I wanted to get it on video without her hearing me. Sorry about the dark video, it was the only way to capture her sweet voice. ;)

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is teacher appreciation week. When I was a teacher the PTO usually gave us little things throughout the week. But Gracie's school doesn't do that and it's up to the room parents to do things for the teachers. I didn't realize I was a room parent, but somehow I ended up being one of six mom's who were emailed and asked if we would take a day to do something for the teachers. At first I thought, sure I can bake some cookies or something small like that. (In my teaching experience we got one small thing each day, a can of pop, a candy bar, sticky notes or a pen.) Then the other mom's started emailing back and signing up for their day. I was shocked when they starting saying things like: an edible arrangement, gift certificates to a restaurant, a basket of flowers for the teacher and one for the assistant... Great, a plate of chocolate chip cookies is going to look pretty lame. ( Just for the record, I know Gracie's teachers would not think this because they are two great ladies, it's just my own problem with peer pressure!!) So I tried to think of something fun, but not overly expensive to do for my day. I really like what I ended up doing and think it's better than a plate of cookies!!

I bought two small baskets at Walmart and then filled it with goodies that the teachers said they liked. Not all of them were on the list, but they went with my theme so I hope they like it! :)

Here's what I put in the basket and their little sayings:

Diet Dr. Pepper: You're just what the Dr. ordered.
popcorn: Have a POPPIN' good week.
Extra gum: You always go the EXTRA mile for us.
Starburst: You are a STAR in our eyes.
Bliss chocolates: Having you for a teacher is pure BLISS.
Peanut M&Ms: We are NUTS about you.
Reese Pieces: We love you to PIECES.
Payday: For all you do, you deserve an extra PAY DAY.

I hope they like their gift!! I know I would have loved to get something like that for teacher appreciation day.


** I know it sounds like I'm complaining, and I don't mean to whine. I just think it's a little unfair for six people to have to foot the bill for the teachers when there are 23 students in the class. The school didn't contact the main room parent until Thursday, which didn't give us any time to collect money from the other parents. I am definitely all about showing appreciation for her teachers because I know how much work it takes to make a classroom work everyday, and her teacher is awesome!! I think I'm just tired and feel like complaining. I really shouldn't write anything past 8:00 because I just get cranky. So I'm going to stop writing. I just wanted to share my idea because I think it turned out pretty cute, and I'm excited to give it to her teachers because they deserve a lot of appreciation!!