sugar cookies that i like

I was never a huge fan of sugar cookies except for the ones my grandma would make. She pretty much ruined every other sugar cookie I have tried since. I honestly cannot find a recipe that competes with this one. I realize every human in this world has some sort of sugar cookie recipe. 

But truly, you will throw them away once you have tried this one. 

It is the best. I am Nell-O and I stand by this message. 

The Best Sugar Cookies in the World
(Italics added for effect)

• 1 C butter (I didn't say these were healthy by any means)
• 1 1/2 C sugar 
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 T almond flavoring (this is the magic right here)
• 2 T vanilla
• 4 1/2 C flour (I usually add a titch more since the altitude here is elevated)

1. Beat sugar, eggs and butter until fluffy. (I use my KitchenAid and they aren't paying me to say that...but they should). 
2. Add rest of the ingredients and beat until mixed.
3. Lay out a piece of SaranWrap (not paying me either) and half the dough. Lay one half on the SaranWrap and carefully roll out. 
4. Wrap and place in the fridge. Repeat with other half.
5. Best left for 4 hours (or overnight which I find is easiest).
6. Roll out to a 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes and bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.

Frosting

• 1/2 C butter, softened (like I said, no calorie cutting with this recipe)
• Half and Half or Cream (or I use whole milk)
• 3 1/2 C powdered sugar
• Almond flavoring to taste (like I said, magic)

Mix, frost and enjoy!

valentine

Celebrating Valentine's day can sometimes become much of the same. This year we changed up a few things. First, we started the day with a Valentine breakfast which we have never done before.

We had strawberry pancakes shaped like hearts and pink milk. We ate on red plates and had heart name tags on our chairs. Second, I didn't expect to have the doorbell ring after lunch, only to find the hubs standing on the porch with a dozen roses. It was a very pleasant surprise.

Third, in elementary school land Valentine's day is celebrated on the 13th instead of the 14th. (Who knew?) So the annual Valentine's day manner's tea was celebrated yesterday. Mase looked pretty slick:


Fourth, the hubs and I tried out a Valentine buffet instead of me cooking up a holiday meal.


Yes, I was alone when I snapped the picture. Only because I didn't want to subject the hubs or our friends to a during-a-buffet-dinner picture when you are feeling besotted by food. And they were off filling up their second plateful. But what I want you to see in this picture is the women were handed a rose before we were seated. We thought that was a nice touch before stuffing our faces.

We did do a couple of things which have become tradition. We were sure to make our favorite sugar cookies.


This actually started with my grandma. She would make one for each grandchild every year for Valentine's day. It would have our name written on it with icing and decorated all fancy. I'm not as fancy with my cookies. We stick with the hot pink icing and call it good.

And we read this book every year:


It is still my favorite Valentine book.

attencion

Um...yeah. So. Where were we?

As you can you tell there are a few pictures missing from this blog. I am not sure why Photobucket decided to cancel my account or take away my pictures. There is definitely something fishy about it. But here we are. Again.

What have we been up to you ask?

1.

I am completely intrigued. Anyone else? With all the garbage on TV these days (do I sound like I'm 70?) it is nice to have a show with actual depth. With all its deserved accolades and awards, it should be on everybody's must list.

2.



We sold our car. Why is this worth mentioning? This car has been with us for so long that we honestly felt like a piece of us was being taken from us. Feeling this way was all very new to us and weird. We brought Omi home with us from the hospital in that car. We took the kids to Canada for the first time in that car. We were a one car family for so long and this was a third child. But after actually having a third child we knew it had to go.

3.



Yes, I despise the techno savvy of the world we live in. How accessible it is and how it has found a way into our little world. This was my Christmas present from the hubs. I realize it was for him too. I'm just grateful he didn't take a cue from Homer Simpson and give me a bowling ball with his name inscribed on it. Though it did, at first, feel a bit like that. But since I am in a three step program and step number 1 is admitting you have a problem then I feel I must tell you that I have a problem. iPad is thy name.

4.



Do you know how many muscles are in your arm? Would you care to know? Yeah. Me either. But in order for me to truly understand medical transcription, I'm required to know. Not fun. I am waist deep in this and am completely oblivious to the basic every day. Laundry? What is that exactly?

5.

I really don't care who plays in the Super Bowl. What I like best are the commercials. If millions of dollars are spent to entertain me for a mere 30 seconds, then yes major corporations, I will partake. And how cool is it to preview them weeks before they air? This is one of our favorites:



6.

Last, but most certainly not least, I am completely obsessed with my favorite people on the planet:

taste test

With Melissa McCarthy's amazing hosting gig on Saturday, I'm hoping this sets the tone for the rest of the season. A lot of the skits last year were lackluster. This skit from Saturday night was reminiscent of the good ol' days when Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, David Spade, Will Farrell, Molly Shannon, Cheri Oteri and Kevin Nealon ruled on SNL. Enjoy!



i see pictures

Moi: "Omi, you have to close your eyes during the prayer."

Omi: "But then I can't see."

Mase: "Yes you can. See!"

(Mase closes his eyes)

Mase: "I can see dinosaurs and a T. Rex and a soccer ball..."

peppa pig

We are big fans of Peppa Pig. Never heard of it? We hadn't either until big sis came for a visit with her kids from London. With them they brought these giant activity books with all the popular British TV characters for kids. Peppa Pig was included in the book. I saw it and didn't think much of it. We then noticed it was coming on Nick Jr. and started to record it. The rest, as they say, is history.

The very cool thing about the show is it is something both Mase and Omi will watch together.
Plus, they talk with a British accent. Omi asks me all the time, "Do they have an accent?"
I will then notice her walking around the house trying to talk like them:
"Mummy, may I have some more please?"
"Tuck in!"
Makes for a lively and very entertaining day.

We have thought for a while we were the only ones watching the show. Or had ever heard of Peppa.
Then we were at the lake one day and saw a little girl wearing a Peppa Pig swimming suit.
We all were giddy realizing we had a fellow Peppa Pig lover in our midst.
Like the total unabashed loser that I am, I made a beeline to the mother and excitedly asked where she had bought the Peppa Pig swim suit.
Oh. Of course.
They had just returned from London and bought it there.
Should've known.
We will just patiently wait for the rest of the world to catch on.

 

not a mundane monday

                             A weekend full of fun. That is usually how a holiday weekend goes.

This one was no exception.

Orange rolls on Friday and a stop at grandma-great's house for a fun afternoon with the cousins:


A sparkly pedicure with my sis-in-law Saturday morning and college football in the afternoon.
A recipe for a fabulous Saturday.
Baby blessing on Sunday + heaps of food = good family fun.
Leesie Mae with her favorite cousin (they are a month apart):

And all of this leads up to the main event: Labor Day. And labor we did not.

A day of swimming and a dollar movie in the afternoon. Though I guess we can't call it the dollar movie

anymore since it is now $3. But still cheap. Especially when the kids want to use their saved pennies and pay for the movie themselves.
And while I'm on the subject, could the cashier have been more rude?
Would it hurt to be nice to my cute kids for wanting to take only one bill out at a time and slowly hand it to you like they are 92? If anything BE excited FOR them. They are KIDS paying for their OWN tickets!

Moving on.

It was Leesie Mae's first time swimming.

Can you tell she loved it?


A dull weekend, it was not (thank you, Yoda).
A mundane Monday? Not in a long shot.

fanatical friday

Can you guess what I'm fanatical about today?


* Time is up. Orange rolls would be the correct answer. And yes, I realize now that you can't really see the pans under those towels. But the rolls were rising under those nifty Martha kitchen towels. Sorry if I mislead you...or whomever still reads my blog. :p *

sleepy head



Super cute, I know.

Only problem is this was taken at 3am.

Yeah.

Other problem? She had been sleeping through the night since she was 2 1/2 months old.

This sudden change in schedule is definitely not welcomed.

But this smile always is. 

first day

Success!

The first day of first grade was a success! Mase had tons of fun and had so much to tell me after his first day at school. He loves his teacher and even knew a couple of kids in his class. That really put him at ease. He was so excited to wear his new outfit, shoes and take his new backpack and lunch box to school:

Omi wanted to get in on the picture action:



She missed Mase so much today. She even cried at the school when we dropped him off. I think it was also partly because she wants to be a big kid like Mase and go to big kid school as well.





I must mention that my two sisters had Ms. Anderson when they were in elementary school. How cool is it that we have come full circle? I'm so grateful she still enjoys teaching. We are lucky to have her!



Omi's sadness crept in at this point. She was not happy to be leaving Mase at school and her not be included. Her day will come and I'm afraid it will be too soon! Ugh. I keep telling them to stop growing but they just. don't. listen.



Of course, these were waiting for Mase when he came in the door:



This was something my mom always had waiting for us after our first day of school. This is a tradition I don't want stop. Besides, I needed a couple after a big day like today.

And....
guess who got invited to Taco Thursday?? As in tomorrow, Thursday?!?
Here's to hoping those tacos taste as good as they did when I was 8.  

hip happenings

You would think I have had my fill of hot dogs and the usual summer fare but as I take another bite of a cheddar-wurst (yes, something Jamie Oliver would definitely cringe at) I'm realizing I am not ready for the summer fun to be over. With a new school year beginning tomorrow, I feel a sudden rush to squeeze everything in to this last summer day. Much like the feeling of realizing a major project or paper is due the next day and, of course, page one merely consists of my name, subject, professor and date. Yikes.

This movie quote has been playing over and over in my brain,

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils..."

The difference is I don't live in NY and I am in the business of buying school supplies. 

(Whomever can name this movie quote gets a pat on the back and the official "Nell-O Seal of Approval")

 

I catch myself reminiscing about my school days (it is much too easy since Mase attends the same elementary school I went to). The best school days are the elementary years. Aren't they? That is when it was fun to go to school. Pre-locker years and, heaven forbid, forgetting your locker combination!

This is why autumn is my favorite season. I loved the excitement of going back to school, having new clothes, new backpack, new supplies, new teacher.

Can you imagine my joy when I found out parents can come to the school and have lunch with their child? I was ecstatic to find this out. Mase, on the other hand, not so much.

Moi: "What do you think about me coming to your school on the first day and having lunch with you?"
Of course I am smiling ear-to-ear.
Mase: "Hmmmm. Um.." Long pause. "How about I tell you when I'm ready."
Admittedly, I was crushed but at the same time proud that Mase was so honest.
Taco Tuesday and French Dip Friday will just have to wait.

We have had a busy summer. We have been to the lake more times this year than the last two years combined! This past weekend the whole of the husband's family descended on the valley. We spent nights up the canyon, spent the day up at the lake. The kids loved being with their cousins and enjoyed their first tin foil dinner, roasted hot dogs and made ourselves sick of s'mores. Unfortunately, the only pics I snapped were while at the beach.






It was a great last summer hoorah.

fanatical friday

Not sure why but these two music videos popped in my head today. I like Elton John. I like these songs. But the fact that he used Robert Downey Jr. (pre Iron Man and giant Hollywood comeback) and Justin Timberlake to star in the videos was a bold, smart choice. Of course, I would much rather look at these two than Elton John. That goes without saying. Looks like he realized that too and decided to use the same format for these two videos (i.e. hire a handsome, young actor to play me and sing my song in a music video = pure genius). It's too bad he stopped. I wonder who was next on his list.
 
It's also kind of fun that Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman) has a small part. See if you can
spot him next to JT.

Enjoy.