Yummy Cookie Recipe

How about a recipe post today.  My husband makes these amazing cookies for me on a regular basis.  I can't resist them.  Unlike some recipes, they're super tasty the next day too, so they're extra dangerous.  They have some texture to them, so that's kindof nice for a change.  I wouldn't be surprised if he adds extra chocolate for me. * I realized that my man altered this recipe quite a bit, so I made the necessary changes 3/20

Monster Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup semisweet choc chips
1 cup m&m's

preheat to 350
cream together butter and sugars until smooth, beat in eggs one at a time then stir in vanilla.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and rolled oats: stir into the sugar mixture.  Mix in chocolate, drop by tbsp. onto baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 11 min., if you like them chewy, take them out before they look done.

Mischief Managed

Just thought I'd post a couple of Halloween picture for fun.  We have a Luna Lovegood, A Zombie, Coraline Jones, and a couple of princesses.  Savy actually wanted to be a plastic bag for Halloween.  I was for it, except for the safety concern of having a plastic bag over her head.  That's all she would settle for, by the way, none of this pulling it down over her head like a shirt. She screamed for at least ten minutes when we tried that. For some reason when Katia explained the dangers of wearing plastic over your head it suddenly made sense to her, that and the embellishment that if you didn't wear a good enough costume people woudn't give you as much candy.  Big sisters know so much more than parents.  At least she values originality.  Honestly I'm sure she would have been fine with the bag, but if nothing else I wasn't going to have other parents looking at me like, "So, us good parents never put plastic over our children's heads." Come to think of it last year she wanted to be a box, but became distracted by a Super Girl costume in the store.  The kids are old enough to do some of the creating now, they did pretty well.  I think we only paid for makeup this year too, so that's awesome.  Also, I had to try some of the sugar skull day of the day makeup.  Very fun, I can totally see photo shoot possibilities.

Also, Dan and I watched Night of the Living Dead, the old black and white one.  Quite shocking, at least it must have been back then.  It was actually pretty cool, except that most of the women were pretty much only good for balling up in a corner or getting other people killed. There was one that was worth something, but it didn't do her much good in the long run.  Well, now I can say I've seen it!  Onto the next holiday! Yay for turkey!

'Tis The Season

Sorry, but Halloween is the holiday I get really excited about.  I love fall; the chilli and cinnamon rolls, pulling out my favorite sweaters and jackets, cider scented candles, turning on the fireplace (I know it's fake but it sure is easy), hot chocolate, the pumpkin patch (even though it doesn't rival our Nebraska patch), costumes, The Nightmare before Christmas, candy, mild, golden days, warm colors, all kinds of wonderful things.  Of course there's a con list. I don't so much love the allergies, and I usually have work overload so I can't fully enjoy it.  This year's a little lighter though, which is kind of nice.  Socks are the bane of my existence and I am forced to pull them out now. Also, the vibrant falling leaves warn us that winter is coming soon, which does not bring me joy.
This year I'm kind of going crazy because I'm so excited to be in our home (even though the drama from building has not yet subsided).  Here are my little Halloween projects.  I'm a little pleased with myself for having enough creepy hardcover books around for my tablescape.  Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book" is a really fun read, but don't judge by the first chapter, which is a little more gruesome than fun.  "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy" by Tim Burton was given to me by my sister, and I will  not take responsibility for offense if taken.  My poor little dying plant looks extra appropriate rather than just sad and lame, right? Ellis got into it, she may have even tasted it.  I really like how my banner turned out but looking at the picture makes me realize how sadly bare all my windows are.  I just can't decide what to do with them yet!! I don't know what fabric to use for those dining room doors!  I know the "eat brains" looks stupid but it's all in good fun, right?

the kitty print out is from the graphics fairy
http://www.graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/Instructions for the banner are at the house of Smith's.  There's a woman who really goes all out.
http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/

More What to Wear

I saw this on Pinterest and thought it was a great article.  If you haven't used that site before, the actual link is by the top right corner of the picture.  The only part I'm not sure about is the "wild card."  Sometimes that looks great, but in a larger group I don't think just one person should stand out.  I would not want to be the person everyone's eyes gravitate toward. I could definitely use a lesson in layering,  I'm kindof a simple girl. But I love these outfits!
http://pinterest.com/pin/261014552/

Unusual Fashion Related Post

It's about time I posted something.  I see no reason why it should not be this.  Let's decoupage some shoes.  I see myself picking out some ugly shoes at the DI and trying it.  I think I need some yellow chevron shoes or something.  Hey, I've been wanting some teal or peacock blue shoes for-ev-er! I think I should create some.  Make it so.
http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/2011/06/decoupage-your-shoes.html

Get out of my nest!

Oh, I had to post this.  Remember when I said that if I ever found a way to get my way with the decorating I'd let you know.  Well, I stumbled upon this article, "Convincing Your Husband to Decorate Your Way." It's about getting your way!  The nice way, actually.
I laughed when I read the part about ceiling fans and pouffy leather sofas.  Ceiling fans are the never ending debate around here.  I of course want lovely and Dan of course wants functional.  We have the pouffy leather couch too, although I can't say much about that because I have already sold the one I just had to have.  Then there's the all too common story of the husband who refuses to paint the paneling.  I mean if it's high quality, nice looking wood I can see cause for a debate but my motto is "if it's ugly, paint it."  Makes sense.  Wood purists drive me crazy. 
I agree that the woman should have extra pull when it comes to the house.  It's our nest and all of that.  The woman who wrote the article explains it well.  BUT  how many of us have then turned around and yelled at our husband because he did NOT have an opinion about something.  We shove him out and then get mad because he won't answer us about which fabric for the curtains.  My husband and I used to do the decorating together.  It was a nice way for us to spend time together, and it's nice to share an interest. Over time our styles have diverged somewhat and we've had some heated debates.  These days he stands back and lets me take over more often.  Partly because he's busy and partly because he's seen me pour over hundreds of internet photos and realizes how important it is to me.  I hope it's not because I've bullied him until he doesn't care anymore.  He does still watch Design Star with me.  That's right, I'm outing him.
Like everything, it's about balance.  I don't agree that the bedroom is a woman's domain, I don't think a guy should have to sleep in pink ruffles if he doesn't want to. This is his home too, we do want them to be here, right? Not all guys have horrible taste.  Some of them enjoy being involved in the decorating process and it would be a shame to take that away from them.  I also think sometimes a guy has a hard time visualizing things the way a woman can and they should just trust us because we're usually right.  Okay, done rambling.  Here's the article.  Feel free to add your opinions on this fascinating topic.
http://cotedetexas.blogspot.com/2011/08/convincing-your-husband-to-decorate.html

plying with image sizes

I was wondering how to get larger images on here and finally took the time to figure it out.