2 for 1!

I've promised you one recipe and you're getting two! :)  

The first one is more of a... recovery method, if you will. If at any point you find yourself throwing a party for seven (awesome) giggly second-grade girls, you will need this. When the front door closes after the last goodbye and the cupcake crumbs are swept and the pizza boxes thrown out, here's what you do:

1. Make up something for your children to do that will give you ten uninterrupted minutes in the kitchen. 

2. Get out a bowl, and double-check to make sure you are truly alone.

3. Enjoy the quiet.

4. Break a handful of pecans into the bowl. Follow with marshmallows.

5. Spoon a giant glob of leftover chocolate frosting on top.

6. Roll the glob around until it looks like a mushy, delicious porcupine.

7. Sink to the floor of the kitchen and eat. Do not share.

8. Repeat as necessary or until the kids find you.

Recipe number two is a little more sophisticated (and also less clandestine). Enjoy.

GREAT PUMPKIN! COOKIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine:

2 c. flour

1 1/3 c. quick or old-fashioned oats

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

In a separate bowl, beat until creamy:

1 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 c. sugar

1 c. packed brown sugar

Beat in:

1 c. canned pumpkin

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in:

3/4 c. chopped nuts (pecans!)

1 c. chocolate chips (okay, so the original calls for 3/4 c. raisins instead, but this is so much better...)

Drop dough by 1/8 - 1/4 c. spoonfuls onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

Decorate with your favorite icing. (I kinda like the cookie icing sold in tubes that dries hard and smooth. Great for transporting. If you're sharing, that is.)

Random Things I Like Today

- Owen's room! We're almost finished! It was supposed to be a Christmas present, but too many rainy days in a row for my painter/husband means we got a jump start. Here's how things unfolded: Aaron sat me down in a dark corner of the basement and told me to find a way to use leftover paint. :) For some reason I like being forced to fit random things together. There is something magical about taking leftover pieces and making something awesome out of them. I even got to wear my carpenter hat for a while, as we used some chair-rail we accidently (don't ask) purchased at Habitat to make glossy, graphic black lines on the wall. It's kinda nice being married to the best painter ever. Yes, I realize this is blatant self-congratulation, but it looks AWESOME!!

- This baby.

- Pushing Daisies. I'm a little behind; you all probably already know this show is fantastic. But I just got season 1 at the library and I am in love. Okay, so I've only watched the first two episodes, but my hopes are high. I mean, what a great story idea. Wish I'd thought of it. Seriously, I love everything about this show: the setting, the casting, the narration, the characters, the plot. Why was this show cancelled??

- I really like it that I can look totally gross, and my husband still likes me. Hurray for true love!!

- Just Between You and Me, by Jenny B. Jones. Sooo funny! And, wow, does Jenny know how to write tension! I think I may have verbally defended the main character a few times. I got a little involved... And the "aha" moment was just right. This is a keeper. Read it!

- Pumpkin! I can't stop thinking about all the tasty pumkin-y things I would like to put in my mouth right now. And because I love you, I'm going to post the best pumpkin cookie recipe ever. (Tomorrow, because I have to go now.)

Early Away

These words break my heart, and when I read them all I can think is, please God, don't let this be me.

What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?
   What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud,
   like the dew that goes early away...

(Hosea 6 :4)

Even now as I write them here, they prick at my insides, they peel back a veneer of devotion to reveal the weak, fragile sort of love hidden beneath. Like a morning cloud, like dew that goes early away...

The verse before this says what His love is like:

Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD;
   his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
   as the spring rains that water the earth. 

(Hosea 6:3)

And here:

Sow for yourselves righteousness;
   reap steadfast love;
   break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the LORD,
   that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. 

(Hosea 10:12)

It's raining here today, and all I can think about is that it looks like love coming down. Faithfulness in the face of unbelief. Have I given him feeble love, like weak morning light that can't even work up the strength to make it's way through the clouds to heat the earth. Diluted, spent. Have I given my faithfulness to other things when it belongs only to Him?

He asks for one thing, and it sets free in me a soul-deep longing.

 I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,

   the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

(Hosea 6:6)

I want it to rain, and I want to love Him because He alone is my treasure. God, break up my fallow ground, give me steadfast love for You.

All Species Welcome!

Welcome to our Mythological Creatures Party!

Our Guest of Honor is "Caroline the Garden Gnome":

Also in attendance were King Triton (Aaron) and a lovely Mermaid (Ali):

Several characters from classic literature made brief appearances, such as an elf from the Lord of the Rings...

Along with Mr. Tumnus.

I caught this adorable Leprachaun sneaking crackers, but alas, she had no pot of gold for me.

Party Menu:

Green Goddess Dressing and Veggies

Crackers and a Hairy Eyeball (Cheeseball)

Meatballs (because they look like LOTR food to me)

Fresh Baked Bread Wreath (no pic, they ate it too fast)

Toadstool and Baby Toadstool Cakes

Happy Birthday, Baby!!

Oh, yeah. Just go for it.

Toadstool Cake made everybody happy. :)

The party was supposed to conclude with a rousing game of "Poke the Cyclops in the Eye!" but several of the mythological creatures were distracted by the presents. 

Lots more pictures will be coming to Facebook soon, including a pic of the very dashing Cyclops, who managed to sneak out of all my pictures.