Planning October.

::When we left Ford to go back to school years ago, a friend stitched this quote for us- (Anna decorated her locker with it last year)

If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go with others.

I believe this is truth.

Sometimes I wish my life was faster but oh, how far we've come.

::Here is the PTO bulletin board I decorated.  It made me miss my former life as a quilter.

::Here is my favorite oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.

I cut out all the white sugar, use while wheat flour, and dump in some flax and chia seeds that I got from WalMart.

Let me know if you want the recipe but can't read it.

::The key (in my non-cookie expert opinion) to good cookies is this...

BUTTER.

If you soften or melt the butter in the microwave, it's too soft and makes flat cookies.

Straight from the fridge- too cold.

And, only people like Martha Stewart actually use unsalted butter and remember to let it sit at room temperature prior to cookie making.

(If you are one of these people, I bet you are not even reading this silly blog.)

Anyway-- here is the secret you have all been waiting for---

Yup-- just cut up your cold butter and it will blend into perfect cookies.

Try it.

It might make you so excited you decide to make cookies 4 out of 5 days in one week.

It might be so good, that your kids eat your cookie dough and you might cuss (just a wee bit) at them.

The next day, your 3 year old might feed a batch to your dog.  (You won't cuss this time, because you learned your lesson.)

You might forget to 4 times the butter on one batch which might create round granola bars instead of cookies.

That's ok-- they actually work great as breakfast/teething toys.

And finally-- on Sunday night, you might make a perfect batch of cookies.  Which, your helpful husband might actually put in the FREEZER before you have one bite!

Sigh.  That's just the way the cookie crumbles.

::I love onions-- my kids don't.

I've been blending them and then sneaking them in stuff.

It makes me happy.

::Eve used Ellie's nail polish to create this masterpiece.

I scrubbed her little face and then smiled at my nail polish speckled soap, that Ben tried to eat.

::we made calzones for dinner Friday night.  They were fun, but a little gross.

::we fried our Sunday quesadillas-- they were so good.

::Todd and I just figured out our week schedule and worked on our October budget.  It's fun to plan October.  Our money is tight- it takes negotiation and faith to figure things out.  As we finish up and our budgets have a $23 balance not a -$575 balance, Todd squeezes my hand and tells me that he LOVES spending time planning with me.  And I'm glad-- because we will have a lot of Sunday nights from here until eternity.

::beautiful soccer games

::I wish my house was fall fabulous as opposed to kid dominated.

And, that's all

Life is good.

I'm pooped.

(My father says that to Eve one afternoon and she looked down at his pants in horror asking "You pooped Grandpa?!")

Ha!

Enjoy your Monday