Making Cookies

Saturday night the girls and I were bored, so we decided to make some cookies. A friend at work gave me a new recipe to try called Soft and Chewy Chocolate Drops. They are seriously the best darn cookies I have ever had. The recipe is posted below. If you are a chocolate lover like me, you will LOVE them! They are super easy to make.

Not to mention the best part of licking the spoons. Definitely my favorite part of making cookies.

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. What more could a cookie ask for.

And here is the finished product. The best part is that they are so rich that you only need to eat 1 or 2 (okay maybe 3 or 4) to get your chocolate buzz!

Here is the recipe for all those who want to whip these up.

Cookie:

4 squares Baker's Unsweetened Baking Chocolate

3/4 cup real butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

Microwave unsweetened chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high 2 minutes or until butter is melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar, mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on greasted baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, or just until set. (Do not overbake.) Let stand on baking sheet 1 minute, transfer to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

Glaze:

1 8 oz. tub frozen Cool Whip

6 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate

Place frozen whipped topping and semi-sweet chocolate in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted and mixture is shiney and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. (It acutally took 2 minutes and then I just stirred and stirred until I got the smooth shiney consistency and all the chocolate was melted.) Let stand 15 minutes to thicken. Spread over cookies. Let stand until glaze is set

Makes 5 dozen cookies

Such A Funny Girl

These pictures aren't very clear, but I had to post them. We caught Hallie watching t.v. drinking her drink and wearing her snow hat. She is so funny. She'll walk around the whole day with this snow hat on. So much for doing her hair.

My Little Helper

My little Abbi is such a great helper. She is always helping Jeff and I with housework and especially taking care of her little sister. Last night for dinner, Abbi offered to make her and Hallie peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which worked out great since the pork chops I made were a little on the spicy side. What a great girl she is!

Having a Playdate

Last week I watched my good friend, Chelsey's, kids. Hallie and Chelsey's little girl Ainsley had so much fun playing. Hallie enjoyed to be the one having friends over, as Abbi is usually the one with someone over all the time. We had 2 babies and 2 strollers so there was no fighting over who got what. They were so funny playing mommies! It's good to have friends.

My Little Momma

So, this is how a typical day at our house goes. We get up, pick out the cutest clothes possible, do hair, eat breakfast. Then the clothes come off, replaced with dress ups, and a hat goes on. Either one of dads hats, or a snow hat. Today, however it was a pink hat of Abbi's. I don't know why I even try. Hallie has been into playing Mommy lately. On this particular day, she had triplets. As you can imagine, she was really busy and had no time to be doing silly things like taking pictures. She stood long enough for me to snap one quick shot of her in her full attire.

She was quite annoyed that I kept calling her name to make her take pictures.

She took special care to make sure the babies were all wrapped up. She was being so cute!

My Little Butterfly

I was cleaning out my adoption folder today and found this poem that was written by Gina Crotts, a birth mom who used to be in my ward. She has since gotten married and has children of her own now. She's one of those people that I feel lucky to have met. At enrichment night one evening, she spoke to us about her experience and gave us all a copy of her poem. I will never forget the sweet words she spoke that night. This is one of my favorite poems about adoption (I have many.) I think it helps to put in perspective how a birth mom might feel when she places her baby. It's called "My Little Butterfly."

You were finally here,

My little butterfly.

You were placed in my arms,

And I couldn't help but cry.

You were so precious, so beautiful.

I starred at you with pride.

Your hands so tiny,

Your eyes so bright.

You were finally here

My little butterfly.

And I knew it would be hard

To say goodbye.

I cried for you at night.

How could I let my

Little butterfly go?

Then I thought of the new world

You would see.

Of the loving parents that will

Take care of thee.

And I felt peace.

You were finally here,

My little butterfly.

And no matter how hard it is,

I must say goodbye.

So, open your wings

And don't be afraid to fly.

Fly away to a new life.

Where opportunities are

at every door.

And my love around every corner.

You were finally here,

My little butterfly.

But, quickly you left

To live your new life.

You'll always be in my heart,

Your memory in my every thought.

Those tiny hands,

And bright eyes.

I will forever love you,

My Little Butterfly.

Gina Crotts

Copyright 2001

This is What I'm Talkin' About

A couple of posts ago, I wrote about how my Grandpa Mark pulled us up the hill in our sleds. Well this is what I'm talking about. I wish I would have gotten a better picture of the bronco toting everyone up the road. It is seriously the most fun you'll ever have because it's a fun ride down and almost a funner ride up. New Year's day we had a little party up at the cabin where we went sledding for hours; and boy was it cold. My bum is still unthawing! You really haven't been sledding until you've gone with Grandpa Mark.

Foxy

I love my little sister, Kristen, so much. We have so much fun together even though there is an 11 year span between us. Yesterday up at the cabin when we came in from sledding we took this picture together. We look pretty foxy, don't ya think!