The Magic Cookie Recipe

The Magic Cookies Recipe

  

Last week some folks asked for our sugar cookie recipe and I am happy to share it as it was a generous gift to me and I love to keep good things passed along. This recipe was the gift of Cindy Crawford and Cristyn Moreno- a mother/daughter cooking team with tons of passion for both baking and God. Here is the recipe:

FABULOUS SUGAR COOKIES
Dry Team:
2 1/2 cups flour (1/2 and 1/2 whole wheat flour works well, using ALL whole wheat not so much)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

Wet Team:
3/4 cup shortening (we get the butter flavor sticks from Crisco)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (we like experimenting with different extracts)

Whisk together the dry team in small bowl and set aside. In a larger bowl combine wet team as follows: shortening and sugar, add in eggs, add in vanilla. Stir after each addition until fully combined. (if you are going to add food coloring this is a good time) Stir in dry team and mix until just combined.

Immediately dump out onto a floured surface (no need to chill) and finish combining the dough adding flour as needed to get to a nice roll out consistency. Continue to roll and cut cookies adding flour as needed to both the surface and the rolling pin. Add sprinkles before cooking or frost after cooled. (with very small children its easier (read less messy) to add the sprinkles right into the dough before you turn it out of the bowl)

Bake for 5 to 6 minutes at 400 degrees. MAX 6 minutes, 5 for the smaller or thinner cookies. Don't even THINK about leaving them in longer :) If they are too delicate to move to a cooling rack, allow to cool on the baking sheet 2-3 minutes before moving them.

Using a silpat (silicone baking liner) on your cookies sheets is the final tip to making these already awesome cookies absolutely fool-proof.

Happy Baking, Tracie & Everett Richeson

A Lesson In Appreciation

A few weeks ago we celebrated Labor Day. Well, if you are a coupon gal like me you know there were NO new coupons in the Sunday paper. I follow Grocery Game and on those weeks the list is lean if there is a shopping list at all.  

This time I decided to just let things go. We had been having a rash of not quite finishing things due to what were dubbed 'better choices' by the kiddos so I thought if they didn't have the choice they could just eat what we had. 

Let the whining commence. You should have heard these kids. "Mom, WHY aren't there any (pretzels, yogurt, fruits, milk, cheese sticks, lunchables, cookies). WHY don't you go to the store?" The next day- "You DIDN'T go to the store!" It was escalating now to outrage. It's not like there was NOTHING to eat mind you. Just no first, second or possibly third choices. We finally broke open that half box of graham crackers and finished off those nilla wafers. We even dug up some old candy from various birthday party pinatas. I thought it was fun. Clearly I was alone! The picture above is what the fridge looked like the day I finally went shopping a week later :) 

Ever try this at your house? Would you? 

I Can Paint!

Here is the project update I promised you previously. This is another Pinterest inspiration post. Let me begin by saying that Eric chose the tile in this bathroom when we built the house. It has been plaguing me from that day forward.....until NOW! You see, it is one of those patterns that has various tiles in the set. There are basically four different tiles, each with a different color (a slate, a goldish, a pinkish, a gray). Do you KNOW what it has been like to try to choose a wall color or a towel color to go with these?? 

It's the darn undertones...nothing I liked looked good. Here is what would happen. I would pick a color I thought was clearly a neutral brown or gray at the store. I would get home and it would be totally green? or pink? or peach? I'm telling you; it's the darn undertones. I take no leave of them, I send no compliments to their mothers! (Sorry, I had a Pride and Prejudice moment there)

I just lived with nice builder white for several years. Then one day I couldn't take it. I just grabbed the color we had the most of in the house, a peachy beige from the living room and had at it (that's the top/before picture). It was a change. I don't know if it was ever an improvement. It was just something else to look at. Have you ever just NOT been able to look at builder white a moment longer? Well, I knew the color was still wrong but I didn't know how to fix it. 

Then one day I was standing in the shower when I noticed that whatever random body wash mesh sponge thingy (I'm sure that's the technical name) I had was looking REAL nice with the tile. I let some time pass but each time I took a shower I thought 'I think this might make a good wall color in here'. Then my mesh sponge thingy and I took a trip to Home Depot. (BTW, don't you LOVE those new HUGE color cards they have now, like the size of 4x6 photos?? They really help). The winner was Mid Day Mocha from Glidden. It is a gray with purple undertones (purple, it was a purple undertone I needed. Ah HA! Gonna beat you now demon tile!)

Then I had to wait....wait....wait for the Labor Day rebate sale (you DO know that most major holidays you can get a $5 rebate on your gallon paint purchase at the old HD, right?) Now, the hard part. I have never painted a room. I mean, I HAVE helped. I have cut in or moved drop cloths or ya know, directed (when I was pregnant) but Eric has always done the bulk of the work. This time he was occupied with one of his freelance jobs so it was all up to me. And I am happy to say two things: 

1) I can paint a room! 

2) I LOVE the color (and Eric does too). 

This makes me happy! Have you painted anything recently? What is your process? 

Scenting Out a New Author

This is a new author for me. I actually got this book recommendation from a fellow blogger. I just wish I could remember who! 

So, when it came in at the library I was a little nervous. For some reason I thought this author was gonna go all Nicholas Sparks on me. But, once I started it, I found out I couldn't have been more wrong. I really enjoyed this medium weight easy read. (This is the book Tina Fey's Bossypants lost out to on the nightstand. I'm SORRY, I TRIED!!) I really enjoyed the opening scene. Young, fresh and a little sexy. From there, some excellent characters are introduced and the story unfolds in a series of flashbacks to the era of the crime. I won't spoil it for you. 

If I had to compare it to anyone I would say it reminded me of a vintage Mary Higgins Clark novel. Kind of a Mary Higgins lite version in the sense that it was about a young woman looking for the secrets to an event from her childhood. There is some romance, a mystery, and a great story about human interactions-- particularly in a small town. I highly recommend it and I would love to hear from you if you have read this author before as to what of hers to pick up next! 

Photo from here

Money Jars

I am trying NOT to get totally lost on Pinterest! Ya know? So, I have made up my mind to try something off my boards every week. I have another project that I will update you on soon. But, this was a quick one that I had really needed to do for awhile.

We just started giving the kids allowance and letting them handle their own birthday money. I was carrying all their money in little wallets in my purse but that meant that every penny they had (except their church quarters) got spent EVERY week.

We wanted them to do some saving up for things that cost more than a dollar. But, with me having it all with me at all times, it was hard to make them do the 'one week wait to make a big purchase' thing we were trying to implement. (I should note here that this would be a good thing for ME to implement too Hahahahahaha. We are trying to raise kids somewhere between the way Eric and I spend which is basically that he never does and I'm the impulse spender!)

So, you can see from the pic that I finally made them their little savings jars. Now they can see their savings and it's easy for them to open and count it which they LOVE to do. It's a nice alternative to a piggy bank because I can even stick a gift card in the wide mouth jar. I just used some stickers and some stamps/markers. The jars are left over and washed out from some salsa.

What are you actually DOING with your Pinterest?

That's a Wrap

You sit down to eat. You take a bite. You have two thoughts at once: 1) This is really good! and 2) I can make this at home!

This recently happened to me at Jason's Deli with the mediterranean wrap from their lite menu. (After I scraped off the olives...sorry, I know that took some of the mediterranean out of it for you but I do NOT like them. And, yes mom, I HAVE tried them!)

I am happy to say that I picked me up a cucumber at the store and made my first reconstruction attempt last weekend. It was Yum!

I know wraps aren't THAT complicated but here is what I did: plopped some roasted red pepper hummus on the tortilla, threw on some sliced cucumbers and red onion, lots of turkey (I would SO not have put hummus on my turkey sandwich before this), and some spinach (it's what I had already).

To make it more authentic you would put back in the tomatos (I forgot to buy one) and the black olives and use shredded lettuce.

Don't you LOVE when you pretty much already eat/like ingredients but suddenly they are put together in a new way? I like to try new things when I'm out to eat. How bout you??

Photo from here

This Book Lacks Nothing

Wow! A book that leaves you inspired, feeling like you want to do more for others, and doesn't let your poor husband get ANYthing done because you want to read him half the book out loud. That's what this book is!

I gotta admit that 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' in not a book I would have EVER been curious enough to pick up and turn over but man, oh man it's a great read. Let, me first say I despise non-fiction. I mean, if I want to get depressed I watch the news, if I want to be concerned I watch Frontline, and if I want to be inspired I watch Nova. Well folks, this is all that rolled into one. And, once again, I have the book club to thank.

A brilliant story told from the point of view of a researching writer, a daughter of the title character, and various researchers. It lays out the medical developmental of cells in culture over the last half century. You will be shocked, you will be awed, and you will be touched. But mostly you will not believe what has happened in medicine in just a handful of years and that ONE little fluke began it all.

I encourage you to pick this up even if it is WAY outside your usual genre. You will be a better person for it. And so will the world.

Photo from here

This Book Needed Help

Here it is, the exception to the rule. A movie that is WAY better than it's book.

I know, I know. I am pretty much in the minority here. Everyone LOVED the book, everyone READ the book, everyone told everyone they knew to read the book.

Sorry, I only finished it because it was assigned for my book club. Otherwise I would have stopped about half way. Where was the editor? Why did we have to read all that drama about Skeeter and her mom and boyfriend. Pointless I say. But, I know, YOU all LOVED it.

Well, for once I was happy to see a book turned into a movie. My first thought when I saw a preview was "Oh good. I'd LIKE the movie version!" And I was right!! I thought they made all the editing cuts that should have been done in the first place. 6 chapters down to one screaming match (THANKYOU!) and alot of pointless conversation implied by a few brief scenes (YEP).

**spoiler alert** I have to say my one objection was how they changed the story of Constantine (Skeeter's maid) and her daughter. My first clue was when they revealed some information in practically the first scene that in the book was saved till the end. Hmmm. But, then I saw why...they changed the whole story. Was the point not to make us hate the mother? This mystery was the whole motivation for Skeeter to begin the book from the point of view of the help. In my opinion, the story revealed in the movie was not a big enough payoff. I preferred the shock value of the story in the book.

Well, the bottom line here is that there is something for everyone. If you loved the book you will definately enjoy the movie. If you don't intend to read the book, then the movie is wonderful.

What did you think? Love to hear your thoughts!

Photo from here

Smokey Plot

Need an EASY read? Here is your author.

I have eaten up this series since my mom introduced it to me many years ago. I know summer is over but this definately belongs to the beach read / don't take it too seriously (how COULD you) cartagory. I would describe it as lighthearted, slightly mysterious, with some romance here and there.

The picture is of the latest book but the titles all go by number. So, the first in the series is 'One for the Money' and so forth. (I always get annoyed when I don't know which book is the first in the series!!)

A few notes:

1) There will be a movie based on the first book next year with Katherine Heigel as the lead. This will be interesting. Not who I would have cast. I was thinking more along the lines of Nancy Travis. Regardless, unless it TOTALLY bombs (according to rotten tomatoes) I will plan to see it.

2) This author has a TON of other books outside the sequentially titled Stephanie Plum novels but I have not enjoyed them so after 2 attempts I have written them off.

3) If you are embarassed by laughing out loud in public spaces then read these books in the privacy of your own home....don't say I didn't warn you!

4) There is some language. So, if that offends rather than entertains avoid these.

Happy Reading!

*On my nightstand: Bossypants finally came in....will begin soon, find out what all the hype is about!

Photo from here

Broccoli Pin

Are you on Pinterest? Oh my, If you are not then pretend I didn't mention it...close this page...resist the dark side.

If you ARE using Pinterest you know that what happens is that you pin a ton of good intentions, brilliant ideas, MUST do thats... and then close up the computer and walk away. Hahahahahaha.

Well, I am DETERMINED to actually use some of these and I have tried two so far. The score is Fail-1, Success-1.

My fail was a homemade tea latte that just tasted terrible! So, I did a little more research on my second pin (labeled Best Broccoli of Your Life) and found out it was actually a Barefoot Contessa recipe. LOVE her! So with only mild anxiety I gathered the ingredients and gave it a try and guess what-- it was great!

Eric said it was a 'keep' recipe and Evie liked it except for the lemon juice at the end (I SHOULD have thought of that) so next time I will just set some aside before I add that at the end.

Notes: I did not use the pine nuts or the basil. Just didn't want to invest in a 1st try recipe...figured we would know without those two if it was a keeper or not based on the comments/reviews. Also, since I only used ONE head of broccoli (again not investing yet) I did mine in the toaster oven and it turned out great. (LOVE not turning on the big oven!)

Have you tried any of your Pinterest pins? Was it a success or total fail? Are you addicted to Pinterest?

Photo from here

A-PEek at the Movies

Friday night was date night (yea!) and there was no movie we HAD to see so we just went with our standard movie picking system. It is this: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ (we say at LEAST 50% but the higher the better) + our time constraints = Movie we will see. It's been a fail safe formula! This time it led us to Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Now, I am already a huge fan of James Franco (1. because of the spider man series and 2. because he looks like Eric's cousin- REALLY!) and I wish I could bring myself to watch 127 hours but I just CAN'T!! Also, I thought John Lithgow and 'the girl' (turns out she is Freida Pinto) were great too.

A surprise was *MINOR spoiler alert* seeing Draco in there (Tom Felton). I hope this doesn't mean poor Tom will only ever play the mean guy. I'd like to see him be a NOT mean guy in a role. If he has please let me know.

Best part of the movie was definitely the special effects combined with the performance of Andy Serkis who you will remember as Gollum (now you have to say 'My Precious' in a freaky whispery voice...go ahead say it with me).

Overall review:

Me- walked out thinking it was a perfect date movie. Emotional story for the girls and special effects for the guys.

Eric- Meh. He said he couldn't put his finger on it because he thought the effects were GREAT (and Eric would know) but he didn't think the movie was great. After we took some more time to think it thru we came up with two reasons this might be. First, the story itself was kind of a mish-mash of pieces of other movies you have seen, nothing REALLY new here and you could probably watch it a second time and start labeling the scenes that were stolen from other movies. Second, I think it suffered from 'Episode 3 syndrome' meaning that the problem is you KNOW how it ends so they can't really go anywhere else besides the inevitable ending and that makes it....well, anti-climatic.

I still say go see it. But, I do think Rotten Tomatoes may have been a bit generous on this one at 83%. ENJOY!

Have you seen this movie? What did you think? Are there any movies with actors you like that you want to watch but because of the story/theme can't bring yourself to?

Photo from here

Coming Up Violets

Ok folks. Get ready to add this to your list. Total thumbs up.

Part mystery, part ancestry, part romance = a good read. If I see something recommended by someone (in this case I believe it was one of my blogs) I often go to the library website and request it. Then it's like a little gift when it comes in and I have forgotten about it.

In this case it was a GREAT gift. Easy to read, enjoyable and something that won't keep you up at night while still making you want to read just a LITTLE more.

The word that comes to mind is deLIGHTful and I am pleasantly surprised since I had recently given up on this whole 'middle age woman starting over' type story entirely.

Next up for me....I'm gonna head on back to some YA Scifi and read "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle cause one of her books recently caught my eye at a second hand shop and as I was about to buy it I noticed it said: 'a companion to A Wrinkle i Time' so I placed it back on the shelf and instead made a note to read that one first. You can see my recent review of another great book by this author here

Photo from here

Back to Reality- Morning

As many of you know, I successfully followed Jorge Cruise's Belly Fat Cure www.jorgecruise.com and lost about 20 pounds last year (along with doing lots of yoga).

I essentially went off the diet around the new year and although I kept up the workouts my weight started to creep up. So, after my recent food indulgent vacation I am back up by 6 pounds for the year (about a pound a month so not TOO bad) and am ready to get back on track.

I love the BFC because it DOES allow carbs (unless you do his fast track option- but that is not for me). I am a total carb freak! When I started his plan I tried cutting out ALL the carbs which made me sad. Then after a week or so I added them back (the 6x20g allowed for the day). That way, I make my carbs really count! I found that I didn't miss pasta at all (which surprised me) but I really DO like a bun on my burger. Also, I don't really like cheese much (cheese sticks are a totally easy, portable and ideal snack on the BFC) but I will eat it spread on a cracker. Stuff like that.

So, this week I am trying to get back on track. Last time I set a goal weight and worked toward that. However, I don't actually think I need a weight goal this time. I'm not unhappy with the number on the scale. I do, however, have a few body areas I'd like to see diminished in size and that's what I am going to work on.

The thing that works absolutely the BEST for me is to basically have a set meal plan. If I have to make a decision at meal/snack time I NEVER make the best decision (or even a good one...cookies for breakfast....why not?!) So, I like to make a little plan for everything all day and eat the same thing every day. This might be boring for some of you but it's what works for me. In my plan dinner is a wildcard. I don't plan that at all. I just eat what is availiable or what is handy or what I am craving. But the rest of the day is set.

Here is what is on my plan starting today:

• Breakfast- Protein bar and a diet soda (technically diet soda is not allowed on the BFC because of artificial sweetners but I veto that one since I am not a coffee girl (coffee is allowed) and I need my caffeine. Zevia is an alternative but it is REALLY expensive compared to my store brand sodas and I lost the weight last time without cutting my sodas so I will only give these up if I don't see any success) My top choices for Protein bars are Think Thin and Supreme Protein.
• Snack- Wasa bread and Laughing Cow cheese. Two of these crispbreads and one slice of the cheese really fills me up. Try all the flavors. My current favorite is the queso fresco & chipotle YUM! (there is an even higher fiber option www.brancrispbread.com but I found them to be a little TOO cardboard-like and inconvenient since you have to order them online)
• Fiber/Water boost- I can't stand drinking plain water unless it is during a workout. So I finally found my ideal water. I add a packet of True Lemonade and a few teaspoons of Benefiber to a 23.7oz bottle of water. (the packets are supposed to be for smaller bottles but I find I like the less intense flavor of putting it in a larger bottle). (Benefiber again is not Jorge's first choice but I already have a stockpile of it so I am gonna go with that)
• Supplements- I am taking local honey for my allergies (which right off the bat is straight sugar but I'm leaving that out since it keeps me from taking some pretty serious allergy medications), a probiotic tablet, and a chewable vitamin (since it's easy to pop one when I give one to the kids).

Well, that's the morning plan! I will be back later with the afternoon/evening plan!

Have you tried the BFC? Have you even HEARD of it? Do you follow a set daily eating plan? Feel free to comment and let me know! :)

Protein bars are my friends

I have been following Jorge Cruise's Belly Fat Cure for about a year now off and on. Initially I lost almost 20 pounds doing it pretty strictly. Since then, just using the plan when I feel some pounds creeping back on. While on it I discovered these Think Thin bars. YUMMY. And they have lots of protein and low low sugar & carbs (due to sugar alcohols). They are even gluten free if that is important to you.

At first, I only knew about the peanut butter and brownie ones. That's what I could find at Kroger and HEB. But after a few months I was pretty burned out and that got me down. I missed my bars. I should say- I missed enjoying them. Then one day-- I found out there were MORE FLAVORS!!! I was SO excited. The only down side is that so far I have only been able to find the other flavors at Whole Foods and Central Market. I could order them online from Amazon but I have heard mixed reviews about the freshness of their supply.

Recently, I got the free sample of the Atkins bars thanks to some of the deal sites I watch. It arrived (it was a starter kit with two bars) and Eric and I tried them and we like them too! Happiness. So, I am not abandoning my Think Thin bars by any means (I love me some tangerine, lemon, and white chocolate chip) but it's nice to know that Walmart carries quite a nice variety of flavors of Atkins bars between trips downtown.

Today I was picking some up (in the drugstore section) and then found a whole display of new and different flavors (COCONUT, YUM!) over in the main aisle of the food section!! Eric attacked them as soon as he got home. He likes them because its protein and not meat. I like them cause I can throw one in my bag and have a meal on the go that keeps me TRULY full till the next meal.

Are you a fan of protein bars? Are you watching sugar? How do you feel about the sugar alcohols being used to make them sugar free? Let me know!

Photo from here

Bump is the new Frack

Another day, another YA SciFi book to read. :) Well, I'm still waiting on something to thrill me as much as Hunger Games and this one was totally different but pretty cute.

Think Clueless meets Sweet Valley High and set it in the future. I think the most fun thing was figuring out their slang. Otherwise, it was the typical twin hi-jinx you are familiar with from every other story.

I have to say she set up some nice relationships and some interesting characters. I really liked the supporting characters the best up until near the end of the book. That's when you finally start to get a little deeper into the main character. Or I could be wrong about who the author considers the main character!

Interestingly, this might spark some discussion of religious issues. There is quite a line drawn in the sand at the beginning of the book. However, that line gets blurred during as the characters make their way thru their own situations.

Overall, I think any book that makes you think is great and if you can laugh along the way too even better!

*did you get my Battlestar reference in the title? Yeah, I'm a Battlestar nerd (new version only please!) and proud of it!

Have you read Bumped? or anything by this author? Got a recommendation for me? Love to hear it!!

Photo from here

Lime Time

Why did I wait so long to make my own ice cream? I have never EVER tried this before. But, I remembered that my mother-in-law has this awesome vintage Kitchen Aid and recently got the ice cream maker attachment.

She was totally up for letting me borrow it and give it a try. I was a little intimidated with putting it all together (especially since it was not mine) but I figured it out and was ready to go. Then I read the first instruction. "Remove ice cream freezer base from the freezer (allow a minimum of 15 hours to freeze)" Um....oops. Guess I won't be making the ice cream TODAY I thought Hahahahahaha!! I put that baby in the freezer pronto.

Skip ahead to today. Attempt #2. All put together and ready again (this time with the freezer base frozen!). It was so fun to watch that batter slowly puff up and get all creamy and thick. And, of course, I had a few taste tests...YUM. It already tastes great (I made key lime pie flavor)! I stirred in the lime zest and the graham crackers and put it in my freezer safe bowl to freeze for when hubby and his dad get home from their father's day movie and can try it officially frozen. But, already, I am gonna call this a success!

Have you made homemade ice cream? Did you think it was worth it (time, money, effort)? Have an amazing recipe to send my way?

Addicted to Google Reader

I LOVE GOOGLE READER!!!

I understand that according to Eric I am WAY behind the curve on finding, using, and loving this technology. (you have to imagine eric saying something like 'you JUST now discovered that?' and with a big eye roll).

Regardless, if you have NOT tried it please do. And I guarantee-- it will not diminish your enjoyment one iota not having found it sooner!

If you have no idea what I'm even talking about it is at the top of the page on your google homepage along with Calendar and Mail etc. maybe under the More tab (btw, calendar is awesome too!!). You just click the ADD SUBSCRIPTION button, enter the web/blog address you want to follow and BING (make your own sound effect here) you are set up! Unsubscribing from a blog is just as easy

Love, love, love it. It's more addictive than facebook. I guess if facebook is cocaine, then google reader is crack. Although, I can't actually speak from experience and I may, in fact, have that whole reference backwards. Hmmmm...Ok, if the internet is Coca-Cola, facebook is mt. dew, and google reader is Jolt. THAT one I have some experience with! :)

I feel like I have the same compulsion now as those folks who MUST read the paper with their morning coffee. I gotta get to my reader asap in the a.m.!

Use google reader? Have you also recently jumped on any bandwagons only to find out that apparently everyone else has already been there done that?

Photo from here

Green is the new Red

Ok, I just finished off the BEST jar of salsa. I picked this up at Whole Foods on my last trip and it was Unbelievable!

The Green medium salsa caught my eye because I love avocado. Then while I was debating the price and the fact I had not really come prepared to take home refridgerated items I noticed it also had cucumber which I thought would give salsa a lovely cool twist. That sealed the deal! I put it and an insulated grocery tote (which had been on my wish list for awhile anyway) right into the cart. :)

Sure enough, Eric, my mother in law, and myself all thought it was a HUGE hit. This salsa is also gluten free and raw (if these things are important to you).

THEN, Eric noticed that this is made locally in Katy- my hometown. You can pick them up all over town at Whole Foods and select HEBs here in Houston. Statewide you can get them at Central Market. You can find out more here

Have you tried this brand? Did you think it was AWESOME or not so much? Let me know any recommendations you have as we always enjoy a good salsa.

Photo from here

Let the Sun Shine

What a PERFECT day. Welcome Summer!!!

We swam at my mom & dad's neighborhood pool. Surprisingly, we had it almost all to ourselves. They still have diving boards (totally old school right?) and BOTH kids jumped off over and over again. LOVE my two little fish. (Insert big proud beaming momma smile here)

Eric, myself, and my brother did lots of jumping off the board too. Actually, the big boys did diving and flips and stuff. Scared me to death to be honest. I just jumped high and loved sinking 10 feet to the bottom and pushing off back to the top.

This all went on for about 2 hours without a break for anyone. Bottom line- I have a feeling we old folks are gonna be PRETTY sore tomorrow. Totally worth it though!

Hope you have/are having a great holiday. Welcome summer. Disclaimer: Mosquitoes, you are not welcome at ALL! Be gone!

The Dead Space

Yesterday we were just lying around and didn't really know what to do with ourselves. Dad was already home from work but our schedule was thrown off because although school was still in session, most of our extra activities had already ended. We found ourselves with some unexpected hours to kill in the middle of the week.

I'm not sure how it all got started but we ended up in a HUGE tickle fight. Much laughing and a few minor injuries resulted from all the enthusiasm and effort that went into finding each persons MOST ticklish spots. This evolved into a game where we put the kids in a box and pretended they arrived in the mail (surprised each time when they popped out of their packaging). From here we somehow ended up playing a version of hide and seek combined with tag.

We ended our playtime by leashing up the pup and taking everyone for a walk around the block. Everyone sat happily down to dinner and then we had reading time before bed.

It was a WONDERFUL evening. No TV, no video games, no cost at all. We really had fun as a family and it still makes me smile to think about it.

Not Safe to Have in the House!

If you have not tried these cookies BEWARE! These fudge filled little gems will worm their way into your mind, mouth, and thighs! They are called Chewy Gooey Chips Ahoy.

I came upon them completely by accident when looking for a little treat at Walmart. Eric & I ate the whole box that day. The next day I was kind of obsessing over them and was unable to turn my car in the direction of home. It drove right back to Walmart. Lo and behold, the cookies were still on display. But today they had $1 off coupons taped to them (if you know me you know this would have killed ANY willpower I might have still retained). Well, heavens- it must be a sign of the apocalypse! I bought TWO boxes. I only had the double fudge cookies the first time so i tried both flavors this time.

They are both delicious but I do feel the double fudge are superior. Just in case you want to limit your intake to one box. Sadly, I must report that, again, they are all gone. Looks like I'm gonna have to take the dog on a VERY long walk to work these babies off. Better get started then- come on Shasta.

BEWARE THESE COOKIES....RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY...SAVE YOURSELVES!!

Photo from here

Nothing like it- another book review

Don't you love a good book? Well, there is ALMOST nothing I like better. My book club book this month is Still Alice by Lisa Genova and it was WONDERFUL!

I was swept away as I went on the journey of gradual memory loss from start to finish with Alice and her family. This book excited me with it's unique perspective- that of a patient experiencing the dementia first hand.

I have never had the personal experience and I hope I never do but it's something I think all of us fear and this book sheds some light on that fear in an honest and inspiring way.

I hope you pick it up. Honestly, I NEVER would have if it had not been my book club book and that, my friends, is why I stay in the book club!

What are you reading now? Good or bad!

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Loved the Elephants and Reese and surprisingly even Rob

Water for Elephants was a very good movie!

I would almost say it was beautiful to watch. But it feels funny to say that. Because, to be honest, the content is not beautiful. In the end, I guess that was the point. It was real & gritty- the true goings on of the circus. The relationships (some) were beautiful. And how he remembered it, as an experience, that was beautiful.

Overall, read the book. It is very enjoyable and gives you are more comprehensive view of the complex relationships. If you just want the love story then go with the movie. I enjoyed both!

What did you think?
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Ring of Endless JOY

Really enjoyed this old school book about teens, death, life, dolphins and growing up. I picked this up randomly at the library and could not have enjoyed it more. I put it down only to read my book club book for this month and then picked it right back up. A nice easy read that really put you in the mentality of the main character. I enjoyed the religious and health care aspects of the book and actually think this would make a GREAT book club book.

My book club book this month was actually 'the Help' which was also good. I think though that it was not as great as everyone said. It felt like something else, almost like I had read it before. Not sure why. However, I am looking forward to the movie. Especially since it has the girl from 'Easy A'. I thought that movie was really cute. Kind of a throwback to 'There's Something about Mary' and I found it refreshing and fun to watch.

I'm waiting for 'City of Bones' from the library. What book is next for you? What's on your nightstand?

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True-ly Delish!

I am loving this new drink add-in True Lemonade. It has a nice balance between tart real lemoade and too-sweet koolaid type drinks. Also, It is sweetened with evaporated cane juice and stevia. I looked a little more into this and here is what I found out. Evaporated cane juice is a healthy alternative to refined sugar. Still full of sucrose but less refined and therefore holds a bit more nutritional value. Don't you love Google?

Have you tried True Lemoade? What are your thoughts on evaporated cane juice? Truly a step forward or just another health hype?

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Total Coldwater Creek & Groupon DEAL!

Ok, now THIS is a deal! I just got these two items shipped for $14. (Linen Swing Jacket & Placed Petal Tee)

What makes this deal SO sweet is the Coldwater Creek Groupon that was sold earlier this week.

There is a 30% off and free shipping sale going on now that seemed to automatically apply to my order but there is also a code availiable WZH5340. Many thanks to Tiffany at http://www.mylitter.com/ for hooking me up with this awesome sale + Groupon combo!

This combined with the free full size Origins givaway for earth day yesterday and this has been a great week all around :)

What deals have you found this week?

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Off the Map is Off

First week after the season ended and I'm already having withdrawl! This has become my favorite drama and I can't wait for next season. So if you are in the market for a quirky medical drama check it out! Looks like Hulu currently has all the episodes.

I had to make some DVR cuts and here is what got the ax: Glee (finally had it this week), Gray's Anatomy (the 3 way pregnancy was too much for me), and finally I took an ax to Desperate Houswives and Brothers&Sisters mid-winter when the story lines just got STUPID!

What shows have you given the DVR ax to? Any recommendations?

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I can't buy that. I don't have a coupon!

I love coupons, groupons, slick deals. All of it. Here are some of my favorite sites:
Groupon, Living Social, Houston Chronicle Daily Deals

Now I have a dilemma. It's Grocery Game. I have done grocery game for 5 years. I don't mind paying someone to do the work but it seemed like I was buying less and less stuff off the list. So I thought I would try some of the competition sites out there that are free. First up was the Kroger list at Southern Savers. It was pretty straightforward to figure out. Similar enough to grocery game BUT it wasn't nearly as accurate. Alot of items were not actually on sale or were not on sale for the price listed. That was frustrating. Next week I will give coupondivas.com a try.

Who do you use if you are a couponer?

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Change is good?

So, at first I didn't like it when they changed Masterpiece Theatre into Masterpiece Classic and Mystery. But, in the end I have enjoyed it. I also thought I would never like anything as much as Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth. But, there is a new contender: Downton Abbey. 

Now, this one isn't a self contained story. It's a series with seasons and episodes. But, having seen season 1, I really can't wait to see season 2. Till then I will just enjoy whatever they decide to show me on Masterpiece.

I am still holding out judgement on the new Upstairs/Downstairs. I am not fully intrigued yet. How bout you?

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The cure for bored is board!

I am SO glad that the kids are becoming fans of board games! I grew up loving them and I STILL love them. We have a selection of old favorites (guess who, sorry, trouble) and it has been fun to find the next generation just as enjoyable (busytown game, candyland castle).

I am all for the video style of play. We can't get enough of starfall.com or the leapster. Heck, we have even introduced the kids to the old nintendo 64 which still works great!

But, there is nothing like getting out the box, finding all the pieces (borrowing a few from another game if needed), setting up the board and getting down to some serious game play. How old do they have to be for monopoly and risk? :)

What is your favorite board game either from the past or now with the kiddos? We'd love to try it too!

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You are as Young Adult as you feel

I am reading alot of young adult fiction lately. The fiction part is nothing new. The young adult science fiction part is. I blame Twilight. But honestly, blame has turned into gratitude. I am glad I finally found some books again where nothing is outside the realm of possibility.

So many of the books that are considered appropriate (I suppose) for my age group (30+) are so boring, depressing, or just unimaginative. So, thank goodness for the young adult writers and their inspirations that keep me

in a world where nothing is impossible!

Recent favorites: Hunger Games series (3 books, movie coming out next year hopefully), Gregor series (I don't know how many- I am about to start #3). Both of these are by Suzanne Collins. Also, Forest of Hands and Teeth (optioned for film) by Carrie Ryan

Past favorites: Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett), Twilight series (Stephanie Meyer), Island of the Blue Dolphins (Scott O'Dell), Harry Potter (J. K. Rowling)

I'd love more suggestions if you have them!! Leave a comment below.

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Good, no make that great, TV!

This week I caught up on ALL of season 4 (Yeah!) and am happily up to date on Season 5 thanks to my sister's b-day gift & Amazon TV Pass.

LOVE it! No cable bill. Just pay for the shows I love and get them as soon as they air on cable (well, the next day). What could be better? Have you tried Amazon TV Pass yet? What shows do you love?

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