Fast, easy no bake chocolate peanut butter cookies to the rescue!

Amazing had her piano recital yesterday (video here!), and as in every recital in the past, I needed to bring a dessert to share at the reception following.  I had planned on making sugar cookies Saturday evening, after my seasonal job, but I had to work 2 hours late and didn't make it home until 8.  Then, I needed to feed my family, who had neglected to eat dinner in my absence (and in the presence of a couple of new video games!) so I didn't even wind up having time until after 9.  At this point, I realized that corn syrup was omitted from the grocery list by my helpful Cosmo, while copying it down from the chalk board for Daddy Y.  Long story short, I was in need of a quick dessert and an extra hour to make it!

Flipping through my recipes, I happened upon this one from my dear friend Lisa, who I think must have been looking out for me from heaven!  We were neighbors years ago, and she and I used to stand at the fence line talking until late into the night while Daddy Y was on 3rd shift.  She had never had any children of her own and she loved spoiling my then 2 year old Awesome.  She brought us these treats one year for Christmas, along with the recipe.

Lovely Lisa's Chocolate Jewel's

(or the 2 remaining, anyway...)

 2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

4 heaping TBSP cocoa

1/2 stick of margarine

1 cup peanut butter

1 TBSP vanilla

3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

In a large sauce pan, combine the first 4 ingredients (sugar, milk, cocoa, margarine) and stir constantly until boiling.  Then boil while constantly stirring, for one minute.  Don't stop stirring and don't boil for less than one minute (a little longer won't hurt!) or the sugar won't completely dissolve and it won't be the same!

Once you've finished this, remove the pan from the heat and add in the last 3 ingredients.  I add in my vanilla and peanut butter and stir those until the peanut butter is dissolved and then add my oats.   Place mixture in teaspoon to tablespoon sized scoops (depending on your preference) onto wax paper to cool.  I was in a huge hurry on Sunday, so I placed a sheet of wax paper onto a baking sheet, put 2 dozen teaspoons of the mixture on the pan and stuck it in the freezer to power cool.  I put the remaining mixture on wax paper on a beach towel on my dining room table to cool.  The freezer mixture cooled in about 5 minutes.

Store the cookies in a storage bag or other air tight container and they will last for approximately 18 hours, unless your family happens to have more reserve than mine does.

All told, beginning to end, this recipe MAYBE took me 15 minutes. They were very yummy, easy, wonderful cookies to take to our piano recital. I'm all about that!  Thank you for this life saver Lisa!

Mommy Y's Hot Chocolate

I think it's kind of funny that my children love my hot chocolate better than any other hot chocolate in the world.  They go on and on and on about how yummy it is.  Want to know my secret?  The first secret is the mug.  Daddy Y had a Santa mug he received in 1971 from his parents.  It's pictured on the left.  It has been glued multiple times over the years.  In 2006, I saw these Santa mugs, and decided my children each needed one as well.  Obviously, it's not the same, but the idea is.  You've got to have a special hot chocolate mug!

The second secret to my hot chocolate, an extra TBSP of hot chocolate mix (Nestle Rich Milk Chocolate) per serving, mixed with 1/2 hot water and 1/2 whole milk.  None of this thin watery christmas tree lot hot chocolate for my babies!  I usually top it off with christmas shaped marshmallow, but this year, we've "kicked it up a notch" with whipped cream and chocolate syrup and/or sprinkles.  I'm not afraid of sugar.

Enjoy!

Linking up with It's a Blog Party  and Joy of Desserts and Living Life Intentionally today!  Check them out!


http://www.itsablogparty.com/


 http://joyofdesserts.blogspot.com/


http://livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/2011/12/tgif-linky-party-9.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LivingLifeIntentionally+%28Living+Life+Intentionally%29

I love writing, Mom!

"I love writing, Mom.  Can I just spend the afternoon writing after I finish my school work?  I just love it so much AND I'm good at it Mom!" ~ Cosmo, December 8, 2011

Yes, these were the words that came out of my boy Cosmo's mouth today.  After years of battling with him to get him to want to read and write, today he has finally realized that he can and should write.  He is 12 years old and in the middle of his 6th grade year, his second year of homeschooling.

After going through nightly battles with him over his school work and pressuring him to read his book report books, and pressuring him to write his book reports for school, it was time to take matters into our own hands.  Children shouldn't hate learning.  When he said those words to me today, it was the blessing I've been waiting for.

During his first year homeschooling he decided that he likes to read.  Why, you might ask, would he suddenly change his opinion?  Because the pressure was off.  Things that were required reading we would read together, using our most dramatic and ridiculous voices.  We would discuss them out loud.  We would talk through what he needed to write.  Then, with my guidance, he would fill in where his writing was lacking.  All of his other reading was entirely his choice.  We would go to the library and I would leave him on his own in the teen section (despite the signs posted explicitly defining him as not allowed due to age!), to browse and discover for himself titles of interest.  Suddenly he was reading like crazy.

Writing, though, was still not at the top of his list of things he wanted to do.  I did give him free reign with his writing too, which made the researching more pleasant for him.  His first big paper he wrote in 5th grade was a research paper on "How to Design and Build a Tree house".  He found this fascinating and checked out multiple books and learned lots of things, but putting it all on paper was still not fun for him.  His next paper was on unicycling.  Again, he did research (including riding his own unicycle!) and learned lots of things.  He still wasn't thrilled with the writing part.  He was allowed to make it into a power point presentation, which helped tremendously with motivating him to work on it.  This year it still hasn't been at the top of his list of things he wants to do. 

This year, he wrote a poem.  A very good poem.  Daddy Y went on and on about how good his poem was.  Cosmo's heart just swelled with pride hearing how much Mommy Y and Daddy Y loved his poem.  This week he's been writing articles.  Simple, clear cut, journalistic articles.  The only requirement being that he get in his who, what, when, when, where, why and how.  HE LOVES IT.  Poetry and article writing.  One is completely creative and one is completely factual.  Short, sweet and to the point.  He loves it...  Smile... Tear...  He loves it. 

"Of course you can spend your afternoon writing Cosmo." ~  This is music to my ears.

Scene from a memoir I haven't written yet {the one when I knew I was in love}

Linking up with Marcy at (Don't Be) Too Timid and Squeamish this morning! 

http://www.tootimidandsqueamish.com/scene-from-a-memoir/

Saturday, October 26, 1991. The autumn air was cool enough for long sleeves, but not cold. Leaves were changing, but still on the trees. The drive to the party was uneventful, following Mr. Y and his friend in his car. My friend and I chattered away, enjoying Garth Brooks belting out Shameless on the radio. She was excited that we were going to the party and that Mr. Y's friend would be there.

We arrived right behind them and the four of us walked in to the party together. The house was full of people we did and didn't know. Everyone was friendly and having a good time. It was a little crowded though and some of us decided to move outside onto the balcony. The air was cool and filled with the smell of decaying leaves and fireplaces. Mr. Y and I stood together talking about his friend and mine. “Do you think he's figuring out that she likes him yet?" I asked him. We'd been trying for about a month to set them up, but so far, no good. I'd known Mr. Y for about 2 months and we'd quickly become friends. Traffic came in and out of the house while we stood on the balcony talking. The balcony had turned into the smoking area and was a pretty popular spot. We talked about work and football parties. We talked about school and interests. He ran a printing press; my father ran a printing press. He liked to write, I liked to write. He was funny, smart and handsome. The longer he and I stood there talking, the surer I felt that this guy, even though we weren't dating, and never had, was THE one. I knew I was in love.

I stood there next to him, listening to him talking about the trees and the night sky. The balcony backed up to a wooded area and made the setting feel far away from everyday. His dark chocolate brown eyes were mesmerizing to me. His 5 o'clock shadow only served to highlight his strong jaw line and beautiful dimples. He talked and talked, and I listened, thrilled for this moment with him, irritated by the constant party traffic going in and out of the house. He was asking me if I'd heard a sound... something about a river barge... I giggled at him, thinking are you serious? Where was there a river for a river barge to be on right now? There wouldn’t be one within hearing distance, would there? He was positive that was the sound. He was so sweet and so serious and thoughtful. I desperately wanted to ask him out, but I was too nervous. There were too many people around. I'd rather he tell me no in private if he was going to. He said he was going in for a beer and I followed, but once we got to the kitchen, I grabbed his elbow and said, "come out here with me, I need to talk to you for a minute." I pulled him behind me, walking through the crowded house and out the front door. We stood next to his car. I wanted to say, "I really like you" and "I know we're friends and I don't want to mess that up." None of those words escaped my lips before I was backed up to his car, on the receiving end of the best first kiss I had ever experienced. He looked deeply into my eyes reading my mind. It was as if he was thinking all the same things I was thinking. We were both shaking, nervous, cold, excited. This sealed the deal. It was the moment I knew. Even though we had only been friends, I loved him and he loved me.  This was the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

Two months later, on New Year's Eve, he asked me to marry him.  By October 24 1992, one year after our first kiss we were husband and wife.

 

 19 years later...

My Amazing and her piano

Linking up with these great blogs today!


http://rubsomedirtblog.com/happiness-is-blog-hop/



http://littledaisymay.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-im-loving-wednesday.html

Happiness is my baby and her piano

practicing and practicing and practicing

her hardest piece yet

for her Christmas recital on Sunday

I can feel the stress in her heart

And sense the joy in her fingers

And see the excitement on her face showing no fear

The dress

The boots

She'll definately need a purple rose for her efforts

Loving my little Amazing!

Happiness is... {living nativity scene models}

Linking up at the Happiness Is... Blog hop at Rub Some Dirt on It today!

 

Happiness is the laughter that comes from the memories of Christmas' past...

home made Santa Bobbers

 

Christmas gift

Amazing, Awesome and Cosmo

Christmas 2010

 And the joy that comes from new memories in the making.

Cosmo and Amazing (and Hannah) modeling for a nativity scene
November 25

November 28

Happiness is anticipating a Blessed Christmas Season!

Christmas Ornaments past (crafting)

Linking up at Living LIfe Intentionally Today!


http://livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/search/label/Linkey%20Parties


The first Christmas Daddy Y and I spent alone together was 14 months after we were married.  We had decided to move far from home to where we knew no one and didn't have jobs.  It was exciting and terrifying all at once.  For our first Christmas, we didn't have a lot of money, but we went to a tree farm and selected a modest tree to bring home.  Because this was also our first Christmas tree (we'd hadn't had one our first Christmas together), we really didn't have a lot in the way of ornaments.  I owned a collection of Berta Hummel ornaments that my Grandmother had given me, but they left the tree pretty sparse.  We decided that to supplement we would make ornaments and so we went and bought a package of clothes pins.  Daddy Y already had a box of assorted model paints and we decided those would work just fine.  What a fun day that was.

Since that time, we have accumulated quite a lot of other ornaments, but these little soldiers and their wives along with their chipped paint come out every year as a reminder of our humble beginnings.

We both love to create things.  Many Christmas' since we have made ornaments with the kids.  Often times they have been prefabricated ornaments picked up at places like Hobby Lobby and Micheal's that the kids personalized with their own paint.  Sometimes though, we've felt a little craftier and come up with other options.  Here are some that we really enjoyed making:

"Sugar Cookie" ornaments

These were discs of recycled cardboard.  I traced peanut butter and jelly lids on the cardboard to make different sized circles to cut out.  Then I painted them gold on the front and back with acrylic paint.  After that I cut slits in the side at about 1/2" intervals all the way around the circles.  I gave the discs along with strips of Christmas colored yarn to the kids (including a 5 and 2 year old) and demonstrated for them how to slide the yarn into the slit and wrap it around to another slit.  When they came to the end of each string, I tied a knot at the end of the yarn and called them done.  I was surprised at how cute these cheap little ornaments turned out.

"Santa Bobbers"

These were Daddy Y's idea.  We bought bobbers, cotton balls, googly eyes, sequins and white pompoms.  Awesome, Cosmo and Amazing were cracking up putting these guys together.  They couldn't have been simpler and each one had it's own personality.  They have definitely stored this Christmas memory in their brains forever.

"Painted Glass Ornaments"

These were very interesting to make.  We simply purchased plain glass ornaments and acrylic paints (well, let's be honest here... I probably already had the acrylic paints because I love acrylic paint).  They took the end cap off of the ornament and poured in colors of their choosing, one or multiple, and rolled the balls around carefully (VERY FRAGILE!) until the paint was dispersed over the entire inside of the ball.  After this we placed the balls upside down into egg cartons for the excess paint to drip out and the remaining paint to dry.  These turned out really beautifully!

So gorgeous!

Considering the quantity of ornaments we have right now, I don't think we'll be making so many ornaments this year, but we just can't resist making some.  I'm betting that my Cosmo, Amazing and Awesome are going to want to make some of the snowman hand print ornaments I'll be making with the daycare soon.  We're definitely going to have to have a bigger tree next year.

A Nativity and a tree

http://littledaisymay.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-im-loving-wednesday_30.html


What's not to love this week? 

I can't get enough of this nativity scene my sweet Daddy Y made,

with the help of my little Cosmo and Amazing.

and our cute (very tired, slightly shedding) little 10 year old Christmas tree is up!

With 19 years of Christmas ornaments piled on, courtesy of Awesome, Cosmo and Amazing.

It looked a little like a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree until they fixed it up.

And for the first time in years, tons of  December work has been rolling in for Daddy Y, making me wonder if the tide is finally turning.


There is so very much that I'm loving on this Wednesday!

What we're doing this week

Linking up at the Hip Homeschool Hop today!
http://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/2011/11/hip-homeschool-hop-112911/

Wow, it's hard to believe it's Tuesday already!  This week is off and running in a wonderful way.  The five day break was just what my kids needed to reset and get back to focus.

This week my Amazing is reviewing for assessments.  If we're lucky, we'll finish reviewing and be able to get our testing over with before the week ends.   She hates testing, but she's on such a great roll I think it really shouldn't be a problem.  She is definitely ready to move forward in her school work... enough review already! 

Amazing also had a piano lesson today. She is preparing for her December recital. I think we are both just about sick to death of Tarantella. She has her recital dress though, so she's excited about that and "don't forget we need to get shoes this weekend Mom". I can hardly wait... lol


Cosmo finished his testing before the break and so he's off and running with new things this week.  Today he started the chicken bone in vinegar experiment.  Isn't vinegar an amazing thing?  I think we could just soak things in vinegar all the time around here just to see what happens.

He is also working on writing a new article on a current event.  He has to interview someone who know something first hand about an event going on.  He's not looking forward to that, but I don't know why.  I guess it just feels like a chore to him.

Awesome begins her official off season training for track at school this week.  She is talking, dreaming, breathing track right now.  She is constantly reliving races, discussing her mistakes, anticipating stiff competition and mentally planning for how to face new challenges.  Sometimes I worry about her obsession a little bit.  If she wasn't so well rounded otherwise, I think I'd take her to see a specialist.

I've started planning crafts for the daycare kiddo's for the month of December.  I'm going to start with nativity scene project from Catholic Icing with the 3 year old.  I'm also planning on making hand/footprint reindeer (foot print head, hand print antlers, thumbprint nose) with all 3 of them.  They are always curious about painting their hands and feet.  I also like to do a craft as a Christmas gift for the parents in the month of  December and have 2 projects we'll be doing for this gift.  For the first one, we will be making stationary from the 1,2 and 3 year olds.  This is such a cute project.   I will document and post it soon (probably next Tuesday).  For the second gift project, we will be making snowman hand print ornaments like the ones featured over at Living Life Intentionally.

We've got the Christmas tree up with lights and it's partially decorated. The kids are planning on finishing the decorating tonight and can't wait. I'm excited to put all the boxes away! I've had enough of the attic mess in the living room. Amazing is so thrilled to have everything out. She literally glows just talking about it.


Daddy Y and I are going to have a "planning meeting" this week for Christmas.  It'll have to be Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday though, so since it's Tuesday I guess we better figure out when.  Personally, I vote Tuesday.  I guess we better see how the tree decorating goes first though.  So many things keep coming up and the planning keeps getting pushed back.  I think I may have to call an emergency meeting to get it done, plus I could just really use a night out!  Yes... this would be good I think... Tuesday it is!

Oh, and by the way, I learned a new trick today called "linking to my own posts"! Silly, I know, but being technically challenged this was a big deal for me, so for practice, (and for fun!) if you would like you can go here to see Daddy Y's homemade nativity!  Yea!

Homeschooling and pie making

Linking up at Rub Some Dirt on It today!

I'm so excited because today we have no daycare and Awesome, Amazing and Cosmo will be making the Thanksgiving pies for tomorrow.  I love that they are so interested in all things food lately.  They want to try new recipes and they desperately want to be in charge of the choices and the cooking.    Saying that they are eager really doesn't even begin to describe the excitement they are feeling.

So this morning I got into the pantry and started pulling out the ingredients we need for our assortment of pies. I got out canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, flour, crisco, apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, unsweetened chocolate, whipping cream, cherries, cornstarch... Wait a minute... cornstarch... where's the cornstarch??? I had a huge box of cornstarch in here!

Riiiiiiiight.   I remember what happened to the cornstarch now.  THAT was fun.  Oobleck.  Cosmo's hands were blue for 2 days and he used up all the cornstarch and likely all the blue food coloring.  That's 6th grade homemade science for you.

It was a lot of fun though.  I do remember there being an awful lot of laughter that afternoon.  It was definately worth it.  Besides, I only use the cornstarch when I make pie, or occasionally for chinese food.

After that he used up my flour on paper mache making a Spartan helmet.  It was the same week.  That was really interesting to watch, because that was what I did.  I watched.  He researched Spartan helmets and happened upon a paper mache creation.  He asked permission, then got out everything he would need and went to town.

That was fun.  Cosmo is so creative.  I love how his mind works.

So now, here I am, out of cornstarch.  I had replenished the flour.  I always buy flour when I see it on sale.  However, I will be going to the grocery store to purchase cornstarch on the day before Thanksgiving.   Maybe I'll go ahead and buy food coloring too, because I'm sure I'll forget about that one when I get out my ingredients for sugar cookies next month.

Explosion of happiness

 Linking up for another miscellany Monday this week! http://www.carissagraham.com/search/label/miscellany%20monday

1. When you have a leaf, it is very exciting, especially when you are one year old.  Good heavens what a lot of excitement going on about the leaf in the house this morning.
2. Cosmo and Amazing refilled the bird feeder for the second time in 10 days.  We need to buy more birdseed soon.  Those kiddo's love watching the birds just outside in the living room window.  I can't get over how many different kinds of birds we've seen already.
3. "That little girl's hair is an explosion of happiness!" ~ my favorite quote by my favorite Awesome.  She was speaking of a daycare child, but the ironic thing is that Awesome's hair is "an explosion of happiness".  Smiling, smiling, smiling.
4. I think I'll try to make clam chowder for dinner tonight.  I know you were wondering.
5. I'm getting my advent items out of the attic this week.  We'll be getting out the Jesse Tree my son made last year and the advent wreath and candles.  I love that part of the holiday season!
6. Ladle, ladle, ladle.  This is another thing that Awesome loves to say, frequently.  It does sound funny, don't you think?  Ladle, ladle, ladle.
7. Wow, I was thinking this was 7 quick takes for a minute, and I thought I was about finished.  Now I need to think of 3 more things for Miscellany Monday.  Alrighty then.
8. There are four children, clucking and flapping their chicken wings, stomping out the dining room, living room, kitchen loop in my house right this very minute.  I bet you wish you were here for it. 
9. "Mom, you should get up and do the dancing chicken with us." ~ Amazing.
10. Guess it's time to go do the chicken.  Have a great week!

Naptime Giggles

I'm so excited because today I'm being featured at A Mother Seeking today!  Yea, my first feature!  Hop on over and check it out



http://www.amotherseeking.com/2011/11/giving-gratitude-the-link-party-on-a-mother-seeking.html

I am thankful for children... mine and those on loan to me each day.  I am thankful for lego's stacked to the ceiling and train tracks clogging the floor.  I am thankful for B-I-N-G-O and even more thankful for Tom Petty.  I am thankful for a Cosmo helping his younger sister Amazing with science and children who think math is too easy.  I am thankful for kids who love to create,  washable tempera paints and tiny washable hands.  I am thankful for stories and imagination and for beautiful naptime giggles.  I am thankful for sleeping children and the escape to my Diet Coke.  I am thankful for the afternoon sunshine streaming in my windows.  I am thankful for one on one time with my children and endings to work days.